Full Sus May 2015 by Full Sus #MTB

FR EE

full sus

May 2015, Vol 24

www.issuu.com /FullSussa

FullSussa

@FullSussa

FullSussa #MTB

Trans NZ Enduro Page 14

Bike Review Page 20

PE>>Plett Ladies in the Epic Competition Page 37 Page 28

Dirtopia Enduro Page 34

Pretoria Trails FS

CAPITAL MTB TRAILS With the mountain Voortrekker bike industry growing Monument Recently more MTB and trail at a phenomenal rate, running friendly, the Voortrekker Monument is one of the new there are trails and XCO MTB hot spots in Pretoria. enough elevation to parks popping up With challenge even the strongest right across Pretoria riders the Voortrekker Monument distinguishes itself from the rest like never before! In of the parks in Pretoria. Not only the VM challenges one’s their ﬁrst Gauteng does climbing ability but also your based contribution for technical skills as this is the park where all the XCO Provincial Full Sus, Armand du Toit Cup races are taking place for Well-marked rocky routes and Jaco Ferreira take 2015. with some shady singletrack a look at a few new sections, jeep tracks and some pathways, this and existing trails in tar/concrete park also contains a variety of and around Pretoria. game and ample safe and secure parking.

The Buffelsdrift lapa and trail head is where the MTB action starts.

SUS the Voortrekker Monument Trails Entry Fee: R35 per person per day Hours: 06:00 – 17:00 (7 days a week) Distances: 2 - 10km, so you have to loop to get distance. Technicality: 4.5/5 - this is one of the rockiest and most technical parks in PTA. It’ll challenge even the best riders. Safety: 2/5 - some recent incidents have been reported. Do not to ride here on your own. Location: Voortrekker Monument Heritage Site, Eeufees Road, Groenkloof, Pretoria Contact: (012) 326 6770 / 325 7885 / 325 0477 Website: www.vtm.org.za

Groenkloof

One of the oldest and most popular mountain bike parks in Pretoria. For beginners to pro-athletes

Groenkloof Nature reserve has some amazing trails in store. With safe and secure parking and trails, this park is certainly one where you can enjoy all year round training. Well marked MTB routes, hiking and trail running routes makes this park suitable for various outdoor sports enthusiasts. Boasting a variety of trails that range from tar surfaces, to concrete and some very exciting rocky, rooty and smooth singletracks, you’ll ﬁnd Groenkloof Nature Reserve as one of the most suitable parks for the whole family. There are special trails for the youngsters as well as adequate ablution facilities, braai and picnic facilities. As it’s a nature reserve you can be sure that you’ll see some wildlife too.

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FS Editorial

It’s a LEKKER feeling!

have been sent the jokes encouraging us all to abandon our bikes and head back to the fairways. It’s frightening to see the numbers being bantered around regarding the fall-off of rounds per year on the golf courses and despite a finger being pointed to cycling, particularly MTB, it is perhaps golf that needs some introspection? The flipside of course is that our beloved sport and pastime is growing steadily. Throughout the country the sport is being embraced as a way to introduce people to the beauty of their areas and communities. More and more cars are sporting bike racks with multiple bikes strapped on, heading to various destinations with the entire family taking part in events or just exploring the area that they are visiting. Events are set up for all levels of participation – no one is frowned upon for coming in at the back of the field, in fact in most cases they get the

biggest cheer for simply getting out there and doing it! We laugh at our lycra but not at the shapes and sizes that are working hard to get to the top of the hill – we applaud them, encourage them and talk equally about our own experiences in conquering parts of a course, track, mountain or headwind. It’s a lekker feeling. If you are able to pedal a bike, (no matter what bike!) and get out there on your own, with a mate or with an entire club, you are accepted into the MTB fraternity – and it’s a lekker feeling! I played golf for many years (got down to a 6 handicap so I did okay), love the game, but given a choice of 18 holes at Fancourt or having Tokai back in all its glory and riding up to the dam with my mates on a hot summers day, I am afraid Tokai wins every time. Damn I love MTB! As I am writing this I have just got back from the inaugural 7 Passes MTB race/ride which runs on the old 7 Passes road between George and Knysna. What a lovely ride and I will do an in-depth review in the next issue of FS; what was amazing though was that on this last weekend we had some incredible rides happening: Joberg2c was on – 9 days of riding from Heidelberg to Scottburgh, the Trans Karoo MTB

endurance event – 240km from Sutherland to Ceres, the inaugural Gravel and Grape stage race in the Breedekloof Valley, the Ommipan MTB and Trail event in Barberspan in NW Province, the Mpekweni MTB Classic in the Eastern Cape, the Forest2Falls event in KZN and the Winter Fast One in Gauteng – just about every corner of SA had an event on. Amazing! Mountain biking has its challenges. Events are costly to organise, trails need to be maintained and built, we have environmental disasters that may affect where we ride, there is an initial barrier to entry with regards to gear but all of these can be overcome. We are the modern era’s conservationists! We see things on our bike that other people only dream of! We are, and need to be even more, responsible towards the environments we ride! We are healthy! We are generally a happy bunch! And it’s a lekker feeling! See you on the trails. Cheers

SUS the winners

preparation – and then again when it gets to the tough end of the race. These guys have perfected the science of electrolyte replacement. I like the tart taste, it isn’t milky (a consistency I struggle with) and there is no slimy residue (think Coke after the water table two hours in) in my mouth. Another thing I like about Isomax is that I don’t feel a quick rush and then ﬂat again – it’s a sustained energy injection – so no bonking! The Caffeine is also much needed at that stage as it helps with mental fatigue – a “don’t give up” injection! A sachet is not cheap, costing around R40 but I guess you pay for what you get and this is quality. A tub is R675 for 1 200g (equivalent

to 24 sachets). I also like to take sachets along on the bike, as they are waterproof, so they are great for topping up a bottle mid-ride.

Congratulations to: Cornelius ‘Nelius’ du Plessis who won the Dr Evil Classic race entries and the three nights’ accommodation at Piesang Valley Lodge. If you missed out on winning, you can still join Nelius in the 2015 Dr Evil Classic, entries are open at: www.drevilclassic.com. Or enter the May competition and stand a chance of winning two entries to the Isuzu Trucks PE PLETT stage race, turn to page 37 to find out how.

SUS Shayne’s Review

Powerbar Isomax Isotonic

Sports Drink Read all the hype and sales speak, wade through all the science and different angles that are thrown at us based on R&D, and listen to the anecdotal testimony of sponsored riders… wow, choosing a sports drink is quite something. At the end of the day I believe it all comes down to what works for you. And what works is not just about the performance but also about whether you like the product or not. It’s one thing tasting a drink at a demo or at a mates’ place, and quite another having to drink and digest something 60kms into an event. So a lot of personal preference comes into it. I have been using the Powerbar

SUS The team Publishing Editor: Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za Content Editor: Seamus Allardice seamus@integratedmedia.co.za Art Director: Megan Knox megan@integratedmedia.co.za Advertising: Shayne Dowling Sales: Jess Nosworthy jess@integratedmedia.co.za PR & Promotions: Ashley Attwood ash@integratedmedia.co.za Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa NPC

Isomax Isotonic Sports Drink for over a year now. It is not something I would use on every ride but it is certainly a drink I will not go without on a longer ride. I drink 500ml mix (one 50g sachet) half an hour before the ride and then only start using it again at least 1.5 hours in. I have found that it gives me a great boost for the beginning of a ride – this compliments your diet and normal

"...but it is certainly a drink I will not go without on a longer ride."

Regulars: Meurant Botha, Stirling Kotze Snr & Jnr, Jacques Marais, Dr Mike Posthumus, Amy Burton, Jeanne-Louise Wiese, Erik Kleinhans & Diana Carolin Rogue Contributor: David Bristow Photography: Ashley Attwood, Oakpics.com, Cherie Vale Newsport Media and thinkstock.com. Contributors: Armand du Toit, Jaco Ferreira, Ann Harrison, Ewald Sadie, Robert Vogel, Leona Kadir and Jacques Wilkinson. Printing: Paarl Coldset (Pty) Ltd Published by: Integrated Media Disclaimer: The views expressed by the contributors and columnists do not necessarily represent the views of Full Sus or Integrated Media.

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

Full Sus ALLIANCE PARTNERS

COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS: The Prize/s is as indicated, no alternatives or cash will be provided. The decision of Integrated Media will be ﬁnal and no correspondence will be entered into. Under no circumstances shall Integrated Media or its appointed representatives and the prize donors be liable to anyone who enters these Prize Draws for an indirect or consequential loss howsoever arising which may be suffered in relation to the Prize Draws. By entering these competitions you make yourself subject to receiving promotional information. Entrants are deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions. Prize Draw Rules: The prize draw is only open to residents in South Africa. Employees of Integrated Media and their respective advertising, media and PR agencies, as well as the family members, consultants, directors, associates and trading partners of such organisations and persons are ineligible for the draw. Prize style and colour may vary. Competition closing date: 24 May 2015

FS Pretoria Trails

Distances: 7km, 16km, 25km and 38km Technicality: 3/5 – lots of jeep tracks and well-built routes the technicality is dependent on your speed and the routes you choose. Safety: 4/5 – again look out for wildlife, but other than that, it’s perfectly safe. Location: Plot 52, Buffelsdrift AH, 0130, Pretoria Contact: 082 856 9755 / info@ buffelsdriftmtb.co.za Website: www.buffelsdriftmtb.co.za

from page 1

For more photos of the Pretoria MTB trails visit: www.fullsus.co.za/capital-mtb-trails

SUS the Groenkloof MTB Trails Entry Fee: R35 per person per day Hours: Summer (September to April) 05h30 - 19h00 and Winter (May to August) 07h00 - 18h00. Distances: 5km to 14km or even longer. You have the whole reserve to ride! Technicality: 3.5/5 – very technical and rocky sections on some routes but they also offer various less technical secondary trails, and lots of jeep tracks and tar roads. Safety: 4.5/5 – stay aware of the wildlife but other than it is perfectly safe! Location: Off Christina de Wit Road, Fountains Valley, Pretoria Contact: (012) 440 8316 / (012) 341 0591

Wolwespruit

Situated in the valleys of Erasmusrand, the newly developed Wolwespruit also boasts amazing shady singletracks, challenging climbs and fun technical sections! With a great variety of scenery, safe and secure well-marked trails, this is the park that will not only challenge your technical handling but also give you a great view to look forward to once you’re at the top. Wolwespruit consists of a well balanced variety of single and jeep tracks. With some exciting forestry singletracks, wooden bridges, rocky decents towards the valley and some amazing switchback climbing towards the top, Wolwespruit is an amazing destination for all levels of mountain bikers. There are three different route options to choose from: green, blue and black, with black the most challenging and longest route. The blue route offers some technical sections and a variety of climbs but will not leave you begging for a break while the green route introduces you to what Wolwespruit has to offer and will take you through the most beautiful areas of the blue and black routes.

Sus the Wolwespruit MTB Routes Entry Fee: R 30 per person per day Hours: Daily hours vary so visit the website for all the information. Distances: Loops from 1.5km (Black) to 7.9km (Green) Technicality: 3 to 4/5 - depending on the routes chosen. Safety: 5/5 - the park is well fenced and frequently patrolled by guards

with dogs. Location: 501 Jochemus Street, Cul se dac, Erasmuskloof, Pretoria Contact: (012) 661 1661 / (081) 316 7720 Website: www.wolwespruit.co.za

X-Trax

Tough? Yes! Fast? You bet! Fun? Of course! It’s the ultimate park for challenging your MTB skills. Only 15 minutes from Moreletapark on the Garsfontein road you’ll ﬁnd this astonishing hand built mountain bike park with basically all the technical obstacles you can think of in one hectare. Easier, less technical tracks are provided for children, which are frequently used for kids’ parties and events. With well-marked routes, A, B and C lines, dirt jumps, berms, suspended bridges, drop-offs and gaps in suspended bridges, see-saw bridges and quick and fast ascents and descents this park is guaranteed to make you “play yourself ﬁt”. Braai and seating facilities are located in the centre of all the action so you don’t miss a thing.

Sus the X-Trax MTB Routes Entry Fee: R20 per rider per day or R10 for spectators. Hours: Operating hours are based on bookings Distances: Various loops up to 2km long Technicality: 3 to 5/5 – depending on the features you attempt Safety: 5/5 - well fenced setup and the location is next to the owner’s home, you can ride with 100% peace of mind. Location: Plot 81, Bashewa, Pretoria Contact: 072 225 8557 / 081 242 9797 / 081 375 1941/ x-traxmtb@gmail.com Website: www.x-trax.co.za

Rosemary Hill

Situated in the far east of Pretoria, Rosemary Hill boasts some of the most family friendly and safe mountain bike and trail running trails around. Awarded as the Big MTB Year Trail Winner for 2014 this venue is suitable for mountain bikers, trail runners and hikers of all levels of skill and fitness. The trails offer great flowing singletracks with exciting jumps, ample jeep tracks, drop-offs and various obstacles taking you through

Big Red Barn

old ruins, rosemary fields and beautiful casuarina and bluegum woods, encircling some of the farm dams. For the less technical riders there are alternative routes to accommodate everyone’s level of riding. Continuous modifications and newly developed trails ensures for a fresh challenge nearly every time you visit. Adding to the inviting atmosphere is the restaurant, friendly staff and the kids play area with karee-wood climbing frames, undercover sand pits and a jungle gym.

Located to the south of Pretoria, 10 minutes from Irene and just 15 minutes from Centurion, the Big Red Barn is a central destination for mountain bikers, trail runners and hikers between Johannesburg and Pretoria. With 27km of scenic trails, exciting wooden bridges, jumps, fast berms, singletracks and jeep tracks ﬂowing through the shady gum tree forest, over African grasslands and farm ﬁelds next to the Kaalspruit River, the Big Red Barn is guaranteed to offer you an exciting day out in the saddle. Also with an inviting atmosphere, great hospitality and facilities for the children to enjoy a day out, this is a venue for the whole family.

Sus the Rosemary Hill MTB Routes

Sus the Big Red Barn MTB Routes

Entry Fee: R30 per adult per day and R15 for children Hours: 06:00 to 18:00 7 days a week Distances: 6km, 10km and 27km options Technicality: 3/5 – if you’re looking for more of a challenge just go faster. Safety: 4/5 – it’s a fully operational farm so look out for animals and farm machinery, but crime is not a problem. Location: 257 Mooiplaats, N4 East Exit 18, Pretoria Contact: (012) 8020052 / info@ rosemaryhill.co.za Website: www.rosemaryhill.co.za

Entry Fee: Adults R45, children under 12 R25 and pensioners or students R35 per day. Hours: Open 7 days a week from sunrise to sunset. Distances: 27km of scenic tracks with detour routes for short-cuts Technicality: 3/5 – most of the routes are fast and smooth, but there are a few black diamond sections. Safety: 5/5 – the venue is completely fenced and monitored by cycle guards over the weekends. Location: 7 Nelson Rd, Sunlawns AH, Olifantsfontein Contact: 0726177667 / 0783436939. Website: www.thebigredbarn.co.za

Buffelsdrift

Located only 15km north of Pretoria, on the western boundaries of the Dinokeng area, between Roodeplaat and the N1 highway the newly developed Buffelsdrift mountain bike park has grown in popularity within months after its official opening. As part of the Buffelsdrift Nature Conservancy this mountain bike park boasts some amazing fast and ﬂowing singletracks, rocky climbs and descents, ample jeep tracks, berms, jumps, great hand-build features and magniﬁcent wildlife such as the kudu, zebra, impala and the bush pig.

Sus the Buffelsdrift MTB Routes Entry Fee: R30 per day, or R250 for annual subscription per person. Please bring cash as there are no card facilities. Hours: Annual Ticket Holders: 24hrs, 7 days a week. Day visitors purchase passes before 12:00, routes open between 07:00 and 18:00

Armand du Toit is a former junior XCO African Continental champion, still loves XCO racing, and offers MTB skills and maintenance courses plus altitude training camps to the mountain bikers of Gauteng. Somehow he manages to fit in a day job as a Geographical Information Systems specialist. Follow him on Twitter @Armand_duToit. Jaco Ferreira is a two time ABSA Cape Epic finisher and a life optimisation specialist, which basically means he gives you the tools to help you reach your goals. If you’re in need of a little inspiration and optimisation (who isn’t from time to time) follow him on Twitter @jacoferreira.

RIDE WITHOUT

GIANT 27.5 TECHNOLOGY

LIMITS.

27.5 is more than a wheel size. It’s a technology. A solution. An attitude, even. Giant 27.5 is an engineered approach to smoother, faster, more confident riding. From flat-out racing to all-day adventures. Aggressive DH tracks to the steepest XC climbs. However, whatever, wherever you ride—Giant 27.5 lets you ride without limits. To learn all about Giant’s entire 27.5 range for 2015, go to giant-bicycles.com/27.5

#RIDEWITHOUTLIMITS

s w e n

FS News

SRAM GX

There were two big announcements for 1x11 fans recently, but let’s deal with the first one first. The long awaited trickle down of SRAM 11 speed MTB technology has now reached the level of general affordability. The announcement of the GX range by SRAM on the 2nd of April (they had to wait just one extra day for obvious reasons) was possibly the happiest day in the lives of many a mountain biker since they first road a full suspension bike. The low-down on the GX range is that it is set to replace the X7 components, and though local pricing is yet to be confirmed Cape Cycle Systems

say it’ll be similar to the current X7 pricing. GX boasts the massive 11 speed 10-42T range cassette at its core, with the option of either 2 by or 1 by cranks up front. Also in the mix are the SRAM GX X-HORIZON™ rear derailleur, grip or trigger shifters, and an 11 speed chain. Plus, for the diehard 2 x 10 fans there will also be a GX option tailored to the updated SRAM PG1050 cassette which features the 2 x 10 performance you’ve come to know, trust and love. Visit www.sram.com for more info (if you’re not a believer yet check out their charts on the range percentage offered by SRAM 1 x 11) and expect to see GX locally by the end of May.

Shimano vs SRAM Gear Inches Sus the gear inches of each cog of the various Shimano or SRAM cassette, when paired with a 32 tooth chainring on a 29er mountain bike, with a 29 x 2.1 / 54-622 tyre and 170mm cranks.

SRAM 10-42t

Shimano 11-42t Shimano 11-40t

10t – 88.4”

11t – 80.4”

12t – 73.7”

13t – 68.0”

14t – 63.2”

15t – 58.9”

16t – 55.3”

17t – 52.0”

18t – 49.1”

19t – 46.5”

21t – 42.1”

24t – 36.8”

28t – 31.6”

27t – 32.7”

28t – 31.6”

32t – 27.6”

31t – 28.5”

32t – 27.6”

36t – 24.6”

35t – 25.3”

37t – 23.9”

42t – 21.1”

40t – 22.1”

42t – 21.1”

For more information on gear inches and to calculate the gear inches of your drive trail visit www.sheldonbrown.com.

Shimano

DEORE XT M8000 Not to be outdone by their American rivals, Shimano have greatly accelerated their technology trickle down and released their own affordable 11 speed offering in a shade under two weeks of the SRAM GX announcement. The new DEORE XT will feature Shimano’s Rhythm Step 11-40T cassette, as seen on their 2015 XTR range and offer riders the option of running 1 by, 2 by or 3 by up front. Whereas SRAM’s 11 speed drivetrains are all about simplicity, Shimano are more concerned with your cadence. But to make things a little easier on the hills for Shimano fans they are also offering a cassette with a 42 tooth large cog too, which will compromise your rhythm, but could save your legs if you are running 1 x 11. The DEORE XT range doesn’t just offer drivetrain updates though, it also features an 11 speed chain, various chain ring sizes for 1 by and 2 by riders (3 by only have the 40-30-22T chain ring combination), updated derailleurs and bottom

brackets, shifters with enhanced ergonomics, improved braking, lighter and wider rimmed DEORE XT wheels, and SPD pedals with a redesigned platform. It’s a lot to take in really so we’d suggest you head over to www.bike.shimano.com to have a closer look at the DEORE XT offerings. Cool Heat, Shimano’s South African distributors, say it will be available locally from the end of August, but the pricing has yet to be determined.

Bold Linkin Trail Bold Cycles, a Swiss based bike manufacturer, has just released a potentially game changing bicycle, the Bold Linkin Trail. The Linkin Trail is the first mountain bike to feature integrated internal suspension – or in non tech speak, the rear shock is built neatly into the seat tube. Bold Cycles call it Internal Suspension Technology kinematics, abbreviated as IST. A tailor made DT Swiss X313 rear shock does the work along with a set of links (for which the patent is pending). The Bold Linkin Trail will feature 130mm of rear travel, and the bike is designed to be partnered with either a 130mm or 140mm travel fork depending on the built unit and geometry the ride goes for. There’s the more marathon

orientated Race Day 29 which has a 68.5° head angle, or the more trail specced Early Bird 29 or Sick Day 29 options with heir 67.8° head angles. Bold are also doing a 27.5+ wheeled Sick Day for riders who are looking to move over to the fuller and wider tyre size. The bike officially launches at Solothurn’s Bike Days Bicycle Festival on the 8th of May and online sales will be taken at www.boldcycles.com after the official launch.

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F O R M UL A 1 M E E T S M TB This is for real. Formula 1 suspension repackaged for mountain bikes. RE:aktiv suspension is Penske Racing Shocks, Trek and FOX going all in on something completely different. Something that will change your expectations of suspension and mountain bikes forever. Available on the new Fuel EX now.

Fu e l E X | trekbikes.com/fuelex

D i s t ri buted by D HB D i s tr i b u ti o n ( P T Y ) Ltd E m a i l : i nfo@ d hbd is tr i b u ti o n .co. za Te l : 02 1 2 02 27 3 0

FS News

Dr Evil Classic

Greyton MTB

PYGA

Entries to the Dr Evil Classic are open at www.drevilclassic.com and you can secure your spot in the race, which takes place from the 17th to 19th September by booking today. Entry fees are R3 450 for a solo entry and R6 900 for a team of two, but you have to be quick as the field is limited to 350 riders. The route takes in three days of awesome Garden Route riding, think fun on your bike – with Leon Evans using the race to disprove his Dr Evil nickname.

from page 10

It’s getting to be the Greyton Classic time of the year again, so make your accommodation booking in Greyton now because there are only around 400 B&B or selfcatering beds in the village. Held on the 13th to the 15th of June the Greyton Classic features MTB races on Saturday the 13th, trail runs on Sunday the 14th and a chilled MTB tour of the town and area on the 15th. Make a long weekend of it with the family, and enjoy a chilled Youth Day Public holiday out in Greyton too on the 16th. Okay we’re going to stop planning your life for you… the rest is up to you.

Stage MX

In April PYGA invited a bunch of folks around to their new offices for an office warming and to have a closer look at their new full carbon stage race machine. With the Stage MX hidden for the welcoming phases of the evening, its black box drew constant stares from the gathering crowd. Suspension guru Patrick Morewood talked the guests through the key design features of the bike, and it’s clear that it will soon be taking on the likes of Specialized, Swift and Scott as the weapon of choice for serious stage racers.

Visit www.greytonclassic.co.za for all the info or to enter online.

Find out more about the PYGA Stage MX at : www.pygaindustries.com.

Red Bull Content Pool

UCI MTB World Cup

The Stage MX is PYGA’s first carbon bike, and it features some amazing technologies, including PYGA’s slack and long geometry (slacker head tube angle and longer top tube), and a concept they call “Plus 5”. Plus 5 moves the centre of the chain line 5mm, so that it falls at the centre of the modern 11 speed cassette rather than 5mm, or 2 cogs, down the cassette as is the norm on most bikes. The chain line issue is a throwback to the era of 8 speed cassettes, Morewood explained, and it’s a point that’s been overlooked as suspension design has become the vogue focus of bicycle manufactures.

Aaron Gwin claimed the first race win of the World Cup season in Lourdes.

In 2015 the UCI MTB World Cup kicked off a bit later than usual with the loss of the local leg from the World Series. But when the downhill action got underway in Lourdes, France on the 11th of April it was well worth the wait. Expectations were high for the French riders to claim victories, but Loïc Bruni was kept off the top podium spot by the hard charging Aaron Gwin. Emmeline Ragot though did not disappoint the home crowd, she usurped the much

discussed Manon Carpenter vs Rachel Atherton rivalry to claim the first victory in the first race of the series. For the South Africans it was a disappointing weekend, with Greg Minnaar racing through a hand injury to 22nd place and Andrew Neethling suffering a flat tyre which forced him to withdraw half way down the hill. Next up on the series is the XCO only event at Nove Mesto na Morave in the Czech Republic on the 23rd and 24th of May.

SUS the 2015 UCI MTB World Cup Calendar: May 23-24

XCO #1

Nove Mesto na Morave (Czech Republic)

May 30-31

XCO #2

Albstadt (Germany)

June 6-7

DHI #2

Fort William (Great Britain)

June 13-14

DHI #3

Leogang (Austria)

4 July 4-5

XCO #3/ DHI #4 Lenzerheide (Switzerland)

August 1-2

XCO #4/ DHI #5 Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada)

August 8-9

XCO #5/ DHI #6 Windham (United States)

August 22-23 XCO #6/ DHI #7 Val di Sole (Italy) 31 Aug – 6 Sep World Champs

Vallnord (Andorra)

full sus Reader Test Day

There are still a, very, limited number of spots available for the Full Sus Reader Bike Test Day at Delheim on the 14th of May. Entries are R250 and for that you’ll be able to test bikes by 13 brands, enjoy a scrumptious lunch and a glass of wine or a craft beer, ride the Simonsberg trails, receive a Full Sus goodie bag, and learn from the skilful Ann Harrison. Activities kick off at 12:00 and we look forward to seeing you there! Scan the QR code to download the booking form, or email sussed@fullsus.co.za.

Giant Concept Store -

Durbanville

In April Africa’s first Giant Concept Store held its grand opening and Full Sus went along to check it out. We have to say we’re impressed, not only is the range of Giant and Liv bikes and gear on display truly mouth-watering, but the shop is also superbly outfitted and will probably lure you into spending more than you wanted to… They’ve also got a state of the art workshop, where you can see your baby being tended to with love and care. If you haven’t popped by yet, go take a look for yourself. You’ll find them at the corner of Wellington Road and Oxford Street in Durbanville. Or you can visit them online at www.giantdurbanville.co.za.

GaRy peRkiN | cape epic | SpORTzpicS

Nick Muzik | cape epic | SpORTzpicS

FS Reader’s Star Struck Encounter

The view of the Meerendal Grand Finale from the chopper.

Mount Olympus, the Wheel, Roger Bannister, & New Horizons

One of Full Sus’s loyal readers, Jacques Wilkinson, took the time to pen this letter after an encounter with four of his mountain biking heroes, so we thought we’d share it with you. We hope you enjoy it.

esterday saw the conclusion of the 12th aBSa cape epic. after cycling from my home to Meerendal, in order to avoid the inevitable traffic queues, i triumphantly took my seat on the pavilion at 08:52. it was, without a doubt, the best seat in the house with superb views in all directions, right in front of the big screen. unfortunately, i had forgotten to marinade myself in sunscreen and, also, to grab my water bottle. Sick with the effects of dehydration and sun stroke, I was subsequently forced to abandon my post by 10:25, but only after reserving my spot, by pain of death, with all those within earshot. (i knew that in the event that my threats failed to have the desired effect, I would in all likelihood end up strangling someone. placing my trust in the SapD to only arrive once the winners had crossed the finish line, i was willing to take the chance.) I returned at 10:35 to find my spot… VacaNT! Joy of joys! although it seemed as though my day could not get any better, it did. With the exception of Team RecM’s erik kleinhans and Nico Bell, all the teams that i supported over the past

eight days (being investec Songo Specialized, Scott Factory Racing and Team RecM’s ariane kleinhans and anika Langvad), walked away with some sort of silverware. Much to the confusion (and embarrassment) of my friends around me, the delighted screams of a 12 year old girl that escaped from this 29 year old man, were unmatched by any, including actual 12 year old girls! i spent the next couple of hours strolling around, waiting for the award ceremony. During this time i was again impressed by the manner in which many of the professional riders interacted with the fans. erik Kleinhans, specifically, impressed me in the way that he treated many fans: signing baby cycling shirts, chatting

"Hopefully, in the not too distant future, I will have another opportunity to share a trail with these four gentlemen."

eRik kLeiNHaNS

Susi and Jaro being doused in MCC upon securing the 2015 ABSA Cape Epic title.

Erik snapping a photo of Jaro, Susi and Nico on their traditional ride back to Stellenbosch.

to people and just being a genuine nice, humble, guy. Before undertaking the journey home, i jokingly remarked to a friend at the stall of the cape Leopard Trust (one of the official charities of the epic): “i doubt whether the tradition of erik and Sauser, cycling home after the event, will continue this year.” Shortly hereafter, i got back on my bike and started the journey home. approximately 2km from Meerendal, riding into a strong south-easter, i became aware of voices and the sound of tyres behind me. i looked over my shoulder to confirm my suspicion and… it is at this point that i knew that Sunday 22 March 2015 will be remembered as one of the best days of my life. My glance back was met by the smiling face of one erik kleinhans, closely followed by the yellow jersey wearing Jaroslav kulhavy, similarly dressed christoph Sauser and the equally cycling and mechanically gifted Nico Bell. i barely managed not to eat dirt / tar and duly pulled onto the dirt next to the road, so as to allow them to pass, which they did with smiles and nods. in a moment of insanity and audacity, i gave three or four hard pedal strokes and sat on the wheel of Mr Bell. Here i spent the next couple of minutes with my mind utterly consumed by only two thoughts: 1. i can’t believe what’s

happening / what i’m doing! 2. NO-ONe will ever believe me (how could they, when i scarcely believe it myself)! it was only after our ways parted that i remembered my cell phone in my back pocket. photo opportunity missed. i went to bed last night, still grinning like an idiot, contemplating the events of earlier in the day. it was there, in the dark, on my bed, while wondering why those 10 minutes meant so much to me, that the following realisation dawned on me. For a few minutes, the hills of Durbanville became Mount Olympus, and i, mere mortal, got to spend it with the gods of mountain biking. These gentlemen are the cave men who left their homes to explore new places, who ultimately invented the wheel, and who drove that wheel to shape the human experience. They are the Roger Bannisters who show us what is possible, who extend the perceived boundaries of human ability, and who challenge us all to reconsider what can be achieved and what we are each capable of. and for those of us who share the love of this great sport with them, they literally and figuratively show us new horizons. i might add that i have had the privilege of “meeting” both erik kleinhans and christoph Sauser in the past: On two separate occasions, but both on the majestic trails of Jonkershoek. On both occasions i was made to look as though i was looking for parking, on one of the many climbs in those mountains, first by Mr Kleinhans and later by Mr Sauser. Similarly on both occasions, i was pleasantly surprised by the riders’ friendliness and respect, as well as the joy which they derived from riding. What made Sunday’s experience so special was the knowledge that i was part of something that would never happen again in light of the disappointing news that christoph Sauser is retiring from professional cycling. i am sure though that the tradition will undoubtedly continue for as long as he still takes part in the event (which i hope will be the case for many years to come). i am, and will forever be, thankful for the decision to cycle to and from Meerendal. i rue the missed opportunity for a photo… and a chat. Hopefully, in the not too distant future i will have another opportunity to share a trail with these four gentlemen. and maybe then i can tell erik kleinhans: “Remember that day in Durbanville when you sat in my slipstream against a strong head wind … albeit for 15 meters.”

Jacques Wilkinson is a Cape Town based attorney who started mountain biking in 2010 on doctor’s orders. His favourite riding spot is Matoppie in Franschhoek, much to his riding partner’s dismay, as he has passed out there twice during rides.

FS Trails

Jacques off to explore another seemingly deserted farm road for his ever growing collection of trails.

Exploring the Mpumalanga Lake District A Lake District, here in South Africa? And not on the Garden Route? Seriass, it is true, and best of all is you can pedal to your hearts’ content here amidst the Mpumalanga wetlands. Photographs and words by Jacques Marais. Local Buzz: Sometimes when you’re on a road trip, it is a good thing not to plan ahead too much. Our recent stopover en route from Swaziland was a case in point: Somewhere in between The Kingdom and the first coal stacks of the Highveld, there had to be a spot with enough wide open spaces to run, ride and paddle. This spot was Chrissiesmeer, a slightly dilapidated (but still delightful) village set within the undulating landscape of the Mpumalanga ‘Grasslands and Wetlands’ region. Most people think South Africa’s ‘Lake District’ is located in the green heart of the Garden Route, but you are sure to change your mind once you bomb into the midst of the nearly 300 lakes you will find here, approximately two and a half hours from Johannesburg. You’ll find beautiful sandstone architecture and many an ancient oak tree all round, and on the edge of town shimmers Lake Chrissie, South Africa’s largest freshwater lake by far, where a group of brave Scots put down their roots in 1867, naming the region New Scotland.

Trail Low-Down: Micro-adventures. I quite like the

idea of that. Get to a cool outdoor destination, ferret around for a doable, human-powered adventure that takes anything from a few hours to a day at most, and set off (half-cocked, in my case) in search of endorphins. My plan was to circumvent Chrissiesmeer on my bike, and on paper this looked pretty easy. And it is, as long as you check permissions beforehand (so that gates are open) and you take a head-torch (should the sun set on your adventure). Whichever way, my starting point was at Miss Chrissie, from where it is a quick pedal onto the public gravel road (1km). Turn left when you T-bone with this road, and settle in for just on 3km of corrugated gravel grinding as you ascend along a slight climb. Look out for the ﬁrst un-gated gravel road to your right (3.9km), and dog-leg to your right past the ‘Private Road’ signs. I’ve been assured by Pieter Kruger that the local farmers are ﬁne with mountain bikers, as long as they stick to main gravel roads (or get permission to

English countryside in the heart of Mpumalanga.

access the farm tracks). At 5.5km, keep right past a farm house on your left, pedalling into a gradual climb as you approach the watershed for the Vaal River in the west. Two more junctions (at 9km and 11km) will see you bearing right, all the while keeping Lake Chrissie in sight as you keep on the main gravel drag. At 14.5km, you get to a juncture of four roads; here my plan was to keep right once again on a dualtrack as on the GPS it looked like I could by-pass the farm house (17.5km). I’m still not sure, as there

"If you're prepared to hoick your bike over a few fences, this could make for a great ride, especially on a fat-bike."

seemed to be no-one at home and I did not want to trespass. Plan B was to head back to the juncture, where a 4.5km sprint would get you onto the N17 tar road with 10 kays to go to town (35km), and ﬁnally another 4km back to Miss Chrissie. That would have meant tar road, however, so I decided to trap back the way I came, with a short foray onto the lake shore to look at the riding potential there. If you’re prepared to hoick your bike over a few fences, this could make for a great ride, especially on a fat-bike, as the surface is mostly hard sand, with intermittent sandstone slabs. Local rider Andrew Rathbone and some farmer mates ride a combo of gravel and edge-of-the lake stuff a couple of times per week, so he is a good man to speak to if you’re in the

Trails

vicinity, and keen on a crank. (An interesting fact is that many anthropologists believe that the Tlou-tle people (a San tribe who settled here approximately 1 500 years ago) built enormous floating villages on the lakes. This enabled them to move around freely to follow fish or, in times of war, float an entire village to safety).

Where are we?

Chrissiemeer is situated on the banks of Lake Chrissie (named after the daughter of Marthinus Wessel Pretorius, the first president of the Republic of Transvaal). The town was originally a stop-over for JHB wagons travelling to the gold mining town of Barberton, but now it’s the perfect place from which to explore the Mpumalanga Lake District, which features over 270 lakes.

Getting there: Follow the N17 to Ermelo and on to Chrissiesmeer. Once in town, turn right at the Koolbank sign onto Jan van Riebeeck Street; the road will become a gravel road. Carry straight on for about 4.5km before turning left at the Miss Chrissie’s sign.

Chrissiemeer is a bike friendly place.

A F R I CA N1

Mpumalanga

◆

Chrissiemeer

Swaziland

SUS the Chrissiesmeer MTB Route Grading: Easy

Accommodation: Miss Chrissie’s Country House where the

Duration: 2-3hrs Conﬁguration: Circular: 38km

food is fantastic too.

Local Contact: Andrew Rathbone +27 (0) 82 442 7569

Start Point: Miss Chrissie’s County House

GPS: S26°18.765’ E30°14.065’

(www.misschrissies.co.za)

Terrain: Gravel, jeep-track and sand/stone cranking (along lake edge)

Post-Ride Beer: The Billiard Room Must-Do Event: The annual Frog Fest MTB Challenge www.chrissiesmeer.co.za

Access: Public access on main gravel; get permission for a lake shore ride.

Cell Reception: Good signal

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

FS New Zealand Enduro Tight and technical, and fast and ﬂowing, the Yeti Trans NZ had it all.

SAM BOSWELL | YETI TRANS NZ

KIWI

RACING

SAM BOSWELL | YETI TRANS NZ

ROOTY

Pin it!

Leona Kadir’s wanderlust has taken her to the Land of the Long White Cloud, where the riding is a little different to sunny South Africa and damp England, but different in the case of New Zealand might well be better, as she found out on the Yeti Trans New Zealand Enduro.

Day 1 In an admiral feat of organisation, given we were coming from all corners of the planet, Megan managed to get everyone picked up from Christchurch and ferried out to Flock Hill which was to be our home for the ﬁrst two nights. Fed and briefed, we headed to bed nervously listening out for the forecasted rain. Despite the region having experienced one of the most severe droughts for over a decade, we

loaded into the shuttles on the first morning under heavy rain. Dropped off at the bottom of the Cheesemans ski field, the day’s riding started with a 20 minute walk/ride/climb to get warmed up before the start of stage 1. The stage started steep and twisty but soon dropped into fast rooty fun. Stages 2 and 3 were even wetter, but even more fun, bouncing off the hidden roots, and giving up completely on avoiding the puddles. Shuttled back up the road to the bottom of the ski field again, the 40 minute climb up to the top of stage 4 was very welcome to get warmed up. It was held on part of a well-known local trail called ‘The Edge’. It is quite literally like riding on an edge; cutting right across the scree slopes with a hairy drop-down to the left should you get a bit overexcited. This was the most technical stage, given the conditions, with a few sections of gnarly off-camber roots. The day finished with another really fun trail through tight switchbacks and ending just before the final wet part of the day, wading through a river to get to the shuttles. The sun decided to join us at this point so the rest of the day was spent trying to fight for places to dry kit.

Day 2 Day two was to be the shortest, with

RONAN DUGAN | YETI TRANS NZ

ith Enduro on the rise Worldwide, organiser Megan Rose spotted a gap in the market in her summer home of Canada, starting up the BC Enduro series in 2014. This proved a great success so she set her sights on starting something similar in her second summer home of New Zealand (yes, she gets to do both summers!). New Zealand is a diverse country with wildly different climates, ground conditions and topography. With the plethora of amazing trails on the South Island, which attracts mountain bikers from all over the world, it was a no-brainer location for the inaugural Yeti Trans NZ Enduro. The ﬁrst race saw 100 people from over ten countries join up for ﬁve days of relaxed liaisons interspersed with frantic, mostly downhill race stages. The stages had been kept a closely guarded secret. With only a few hints on the event Facebook page to go on we had little idea of what to expect.

Chilled vibes at the trail head, waiting for a turn at the trail

riders and volunteers being moved south to Queenstown after the day’s riding, but it ended up probably being the hardest! Three stages awaited us and considering the conditions of the previous day, we were expecting mud. We were not disappointed! Stage 1 was a short but ride-able mud slide, then we were shuttled up for a walk/slide/skid down the length of a track known as ‘Behemoth’. The ﬁrst 3/4 of the track was optional. Very narrow, very steep and VERY slippery, no one made it down all the way without at least having a foot out and/or falling off several times. Some people loved it, some not so much... The stage started ﬂat before dropping straight into the trees into an off-camber muddy wood. Mercifully short, we picked ourselves

"Queenstown is known as the adventure capital of the world with a big reputation for mountain biking so expectations were high."

up off the ﬂoor at the ﬁnish, washed our bikes in the river and set off for an hour long climb up the ski access road. Stage 3 more than made up for stage 2. A long track built by a few local riders, it traversed the hillside before dropping down a bit more and becoming slippery. Several full 180s and a few bum slides later and day two was done! We loaded up for the rather long but very scenic drive down to Queenstown.

Day 3 As we arrived quite late the night before, for day three we were granted a bit of a lie-in and time to sort out our bikes after the not so favourable conditions the day before. Queenstown is known as the adventure capital of the world with a big reputation for mountain biking so expectations were high. We were shuttled to the base of Coronet Peak, and set off riding up the singletrack we were to come down on a later

turn to page 16

FS New Zealand Enduro

An early start for day four and the rain and mud of the first two days were a distant memory. It was based in Alexandra, an hour and a half drive south of Queenstown and like a different world. Where Queenstown is all snow-capped peaks and glacial lakes, Alex is more arid rockiness with wild thyme everywhere and almost no greenery. It was a good five degrees hotter too! The riding there is epic, built straight over the massive granite boulders with pink dots to show you the way. Ignore these at your peril… It was the most pedally day by far which suited me well, featuring long stages with fast flowing singletrack over massive rocks with the constant smell of wild thyme in your nostrils. With the lack of greenery, you could see for miles which made committing to the blind rock rollers even more daunting. The pink dots were there to guide you through though! Phew! The day finished with us riding straight into the beer garden of a local brewery for replenishing cold beers and chips. This is the beauty of enduro racing, so much more relaxed than marathon, no one is afraid to have a few beers every afternoon!

SAM BOSWELL | YETI TRANS NZ

No power hoses, at the Trans NZ bike washing was DIY

Day 5

Stage 2 was pretty short and sweet and followed by the final shuttle of the week, and the final slog too. Slog really didn’t do this climb justice. Unride-able for everyone (a few tried after $200 was offered to anyone who could clean it) it was a long walk up a very steep hill. We knew it had to be worth it and it absolutely was. We pushed for an hour through steep woodland before popping out into a grassy field. Below us we could see the queue for the stage so it was a

Where are we? The inaugural Yeti Trans NZ Enduro took place on the South Island of New Zealand with the ﬁrst two days ripping up the trails around Flock Hill, an hour inland from Christchurch. For the ﬁnal three days the riders trekked south into the resort town of Queenstown, arguably one of the best mountain biking destinations in the world. Visit www.transnz.com for more information.

A ZE W

Back in Queenstown for the last day, we rode straight out of our hostel garden to start the first of two big climbs of the day. There is a gondola that runs up the mountain every day but in order for us to have access to the very best of the trails we had to be up there before the gondola started, which meant riding. Once we were fully in the trees, the dense mist made it seem pretty eerie. An hour’s grind later we queued up for the first of three runs for the day. Bursting out of the trees at what felt like warp speed, we were enveloped in thick wet fog for the first few minutes of the descent before the temperature suddenly climbed and you could see again! This was what Megan classed as a ‘true enduro racer’s stage’ with a bit of everything from roots to loam to rock, manmade, natural, even a minute long climb. Towards the end of the stage we rode through a jump park thankfully avoiding the massive gap jumps. We were spat out into a walking track for the final section just to make extra sure all the bases were covered.

stage. Mostly ride-able for the first part, we eventually reached what looked like a vertical wall of dirt. This was the DH track which we were going to ride down. Once all 100 riders were at the top, we settled in to watch the people who actually knew what they were doing ride it. Many line choice decisions were made and changed at this time. Though it looked quite intimidating while I was dragging my bike up it, the DH was actually really fun and once down the steep part, it opened into a really fast flowing singletrack back down to the ski station on a track aptly named ‘Enduro track’. A short ride up hill and we were at the top of stage 2, one of the most famous local singletracks known as “Rude Rock” (Google it and you’ll see why it’s called that). Riding down most of Rude Rock, the stage continued into another local favourite, ‘Pack, Track and Sack”. This was a monster stage, exhilarating, fast and flowing, it was exhausting but absolutely worth every bit of effort. Arriving at the bottom, we were faced with a steep grassy climb switchbacking up the canyon. I really enjoyed it but I think I was one of the few! Stage 3 was completely different! Seemly just randomly scraped through a wood it was littered with pine cones and mostly run through deep loam. It was more a case of good luck getting down it rubber side down, but there was no reason to hold back with soft landings if/when it went wrong. After eating too many hot cross buns with peanut butter, (yum!) at the water point we set off on the 45 minute climb back out of Skippers Canyon for the next stage. Stage 4 was a short one, Zoot track is a bit of a spaghetti junction with the track crisscrossing along over little jumps and rocks. It was super fun, no line seemed to be better, just point and go as fast as possible! A bonus brief shuttle ride (given how late in the day it was by then) and we were at the top of the penultimate stage, one that felt very familiar to those of us from the UK being a steep grass field with lots of bumps (though thankfully lacking the layer of sheep poo). Safely down and it was onto the final shuttle for the day, back to where we started at the bottom of the ski field. 20 minutes riding up and we were faced with a black graded DH run known as Slip Saddle. I was pretty tired at this point so having watched a few people part from their bikes on the first part made the tactical decision to run down the first bit. I was not alone with this, but I was probably alone in running most of the track. It was one long slippery rut and just a bit much for my fatigued brain!

Day 4

SAM BOSWELL | YETI TRANS NZ

from page 14

How fast and fun does that look?

short ride down some singletrack to the start. I’d heard the track was quite rooty. I think quite is probably a bit of an understatement but wow, what a stage to ﬁnish the race on! It was hold on and go as fast as you dare with line choice not so much being yours as gravity’s and how grippy your tyres were. I really didn’t know what to expect from the week. Yeah I’ve done a fair bit of stage racing but Enduro is a totally different game. The atmosphere was totally chilled the whole week with no one taking themselves too seriously however well they were doing. There was something to suit everyone’s riding preferences and strengths and

LAND South Island

Flock Hill Lodge ◆ Christchurch Queenstown

plenty of stuff to put you out of your comfort zone. That’s what it’s about though, isn’t it? Challenging yourself and getting better. How perfect then to do that surrounded by really cool people in an amazingly beautiful country.

Leona Kadir is a British mountain biker, who came to SA to train for the 2014 Epic in November 2013 and ended up staying for eight months. She’s currently checking out the trails and racing in New Zealand. Follow her adventures on Twitter at @kaleona.

FS Di’s Ladies’ Column

More skills means more fun!

Mountain biking skills! Diana Carolin doesn’t profess to be a skills guru by any means, but here is a bit of what she went through, has learnt and is still learning, all the time.

y ﬁrst rides were a matter of getting used to the bike. I tired easily and fell a lot! My poor shins, knees and elbows were permanently scraped. One of my more embarrassing moments was about three months after starting to ride. In a moment of complete and utter insanity I decided to enter a race. I needed motivation! The Vigne-a-Vigne was the race on the last day of the ABSA Cape Epic, at Lourensford, and it was either 29kms or 55kms. Guess which one this heroine entered? (More about this insanity will follow in a later issue). So training started in earnest and shoes cleats and clip in pedals were purchased in complete ignorance (this too will be discussed in a later issue). It was important to look the part, or so I thought! Tokai wasn’t enough of a challenge and so I took myself off to the Lebanon Trails in Grabouw. It was a 30km ride and off I went. Soon I met up with a bunch of guys out riding, one of whom was my parents’ neighbour. They were horriﬁed that I was riding alone and invited me to join them. The guys shot off down some singletrack and I cautiously bumped and wobbled along after them struggling with every obstacle in my way. When at last I caught up with them, much to my dismay, I unceremoniously fell to the ground in a heap as I had not unclipped fast enough. Luckily the guys took me under their wings from then on and made it their job to teach me to ride singletrack.

I was taken on crazy routes all over the countryside and forced to follow whatever lunacy they had planned for me. Including night rides, which terrifying as it may sound, is actually a great way to learn, as you aren’t as distracted by what’s going on around you and are completely focused on where your light shines ahead of you. Exactly where you should be looking! Thanks to these wonderful guys I began to love singletrack, not fear it. I believe that the biggest skills related challenge we face in mountain biking is our mind. Get your mind right and the rest will all fall into place. The most challenging obstacles are descending hills, singletrack, rocks, roots, corners, switchbacks and rain gullies/gutters. Ladies’ fears regarding these things can be overcome by taking a reputable skills course early on which will teach you how to ride properly from the outset and you will gain confidence enough so that soon you’ll be whooping with joy on your rides. Jo Dobinson (www.bikinginthebosch. co.za) based in Stellenbosch, teaches ladies who are starting out how to learn basic bike control and skills and we chatted a bit about the challenges ladies face. Her recommendation was to stay on flat pedals until you feel confident and in control of your bike. She says far too many ladies use cleats too early on. You can avoid a large number of falls and scrapes which always tend to knock your confidence hugely and confidence is what you need in buckets full when you first start

OAKPICS.COM

out. Jo advises that in order to progress you must put your falls behind you and focus on the future.

Here are a few pointers when starting out: ◆ Begin with ﬂat pedals and takkies until you have gained conﬁdence. ◆ Make sure that you know which brake leaver works the front and which works the back brakes. ◆ Be gentle with your braking − you don’t want to tail slide or go over the bars. ◆ Take note of how the gearing works on the bike. Don’t grind in a big gear, but also don’t spin at a crazy speed as you will exhaust yourself. ◆ Find a comfortable gear and speed that you can maintain for a while. ◆ Always look ahead. When out on the trails look about 10 metres ahead and don’t look down at obstacles, as what you focus on you WILL hit. ◆ The same goes for corners and bridges, keep looking ahead. ◆ Momentum is your friend! The more speed you have the easier the bike will get over things. ◆ When riding single track, over obstacles or bumpy downhills stand in attack position - up off the saddle, knees and elbows bent, head over the bars and looking AHEAD. This gives you more manoeuvrability with the bike. ◆ When riding downhill look ahead and keep your weight slightly back. The steeper the downhill the further back you shift your bottom, even to the extent that you’re standing with your body behind your saddle. ◆ Keep practicing! ◆ Have fun riding ladies and don’t hesitate to ask if you have a question.

Skills Coaches

◆ Jo Dobinson (www.bikinginthebosch.co.za) based in Stellenbosch and focusing on ladies specific individual or group sessions. ◆ Sean Badenhorst (www.treadskills.co.za) gives courses in Gauteng, KZN and Western Cape. ◆ Daniel Dobinson (www.iRideAfrica.com) is in Cape Town. He mixes up his courses with men and women but I have experienced one of his classes and it was great. ◆ Ann Harrison (annharison@telkomsa.net) is an incredibly experienced rider and also does ladies’ rides and training camps for mums in Cape Town. ◆ Swen Lauer (swenlauer.com) for the more proficient girls looking for elite skills coaching. Diana Carolin has been a long time contributor to Full Sus, submitting race reports and articles on sports massage therapy, but now we’ve focused her talents on everything that is ladies specific in mountain biking. If you have any questions drop her a mail at dicarolin7@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter at @di_carolin.

The first ever Fedhealth MTB Challenge takes place at Meerendal Wine Estate in Cape Town on the 5th and 6th of September. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a 20km race for beginners, a 35km race for the intermediate, and a gruelling 60km trail for the serious cyclist to dig their tyres into. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s even a fun-filled kiddies event, which takes place on the Saturday. Come and join us for a wonderful weekend of live music, bouncing castles, free massages, food trucks, refreshments and lots more.

The Fedhealth MTB Challenge at Meerendal Wine Estate. Enter now at fedhealth.co.za *Special discounts for Fedhealth members.

FS Bike Review

ALL MouNTAiN

Tahr

What make a bike special? Is it the look? Is it the name? Or is it the way it rides? Read on as Seamus Allardice puzzles out what it is exactly about Scott Genius 740 that had him hooked right away. All photos by Ashlee Attwood.

ormally when I get on a new bike it takes a while to get comfortable, it could be a few minutes, a couple of technical sections or in some case it just doesn’t happen at all. But on the Scott Genius 740 I was at home before I got out of our office parking area on the first ride. At 178cm I’m generally in the grey region between large and medium frame bikes, but my preference is for a more compact feel so I choose a medium framed bike whenever possible. With the Genius 740 the fit and feel on the medium frame was perfect for me, it could be because the reach is just 1mm shorter than my normal ride, but overall the bike feels very balanced and composed which is essential to enjoying the ride. Spec wise the 740 is lower down the Genius totem pole (the 700 tuned being the top end), so it’s equipped with a lower end but solid Shimano drive train; featuring a XT Shadow Type / 30 Speed rear derailleur, a Deore front derailleur, and a Shimano CS-HG50-10 11-36 T cassette. The disappointment however was the Shimano FC-M622 2-piece Design 40Ax30Ax22T crank set. I understand that bike brands like to compete in various price points, but especially on a bike with 650b wheels, like the Genius 740, the granny ring is completely redundant. I never changed down into it on any ride, despite tackling some of the steeper climbs on Table Mountain. If I were riding the 740 long term the 3 x 10 would definitely annoy me and it’s the only major concern I have with the bike. If you go up a model to the 730, you get a Shimano XT and SLX mix with a 2 x 10 drive train which on a trail bike like the Genius makes far more sense to me. The Genius 740 features Syncros, a Scott subsidiary, components for the

stem, bar, seatpost, saddle, lock-out lever and grips. The components all feel really good and the saddle in particular is great. It’s the right width for me and is firm, but offers just a hint of flex to help take the worst out of the trail feedback, which you only really notice when fully locked out for climbing. The spec highlight of the 740 is undoubtedly the FOX CTD front and rear suspension, which is controlled by a bar mounted Syncros TwinLoc Remote. It’s the first time in a while that I’ve ridden a bike with remote lock-out and I’ve missed it! It’s so easy to use on the fly and a quick lock-out is almost like dropping down a chain ring when faced with an unexpected sharp climb. On the Genius 740 the lock-out and the masterful suspension design link to produce a bike that is plush one moment and taunt like a hard tail the next. It really is the best of both worlds. On the ride front the 740 is a nippy handler which encourages you to search for flowing lines rather than bash over rocks and roots as you might on a 29er. Its 150mm of travel is more than enough for most riders, but it never feels like a slow long travel bike. The biggest difference between it and my normal 29er ride is the marked speed of acceleration on the Genius, it almost

lurches forward when you put the power down making it great fun to ride hard. Shod with a Schwalbe Nobby Nic 2.25” at the front and a Rocket Ron 2.25” at the back it grips the trail superbly. The tyre choice is perfect for the dusty Western Cape trails, but you might want to go slightly wider if you’re more serious about challenging gravity in wetter conditions.

The 740 is constructed from Scott’s 6061 custom butted hydroformed aluminium tubes and while at a stated weight of 12.85kg it’s not light but I didn’t feel the weight compromised the ride in the least. Again with the massive amount of gears offered by the 3 x 10 set-up even the most unfit rider should have no problem climbing. In its lowest gear the 27.5 wheels and 22 x 36 gearing combine to

The spec low-light on the 740 is the 3 x 10 drivetrain.

Bike Review FS

Sus out the impressive Scott Genius 740

The TwinLoc Remote makes riding the 740 even more fun.

SUS the Scott Genius Geometry The ScoTT GeniuS feaTureS a reviSable chip in The main SuSpenSion pivoT, ThaT when flipped chanGeS The GeomeTry SubTly, So all meaSuremenTS are in deGreeS and mm aS uSual buT alSo feaTure a low/hiGh value where applicable. aS uSual The valueS are for a medium bike. head angle ............................................................................................................ 67.7/68.2 head Tube ............................................................................................................................110 horizontal Top Tube .......................................................................................................600 Seat angle ..............................................................................................................73.8/74.3 Seat Tube ........................................................................................................................... 440 BB Offset........................................................................................................................... 10/4 bb height ................................................................................................................. 346/352 Standover height ............................................................................................................ 777 Wheelbase ........................................................................................................................1 155 reach .......................................................................................................................... 427/431 Stack ..........................................................................................................................599/596 2015 ScoTT GeniuS 740 rrp r34 100 produce a staggeringly low 16.5 gear inches. So if you’re unfit and want to go up steep hills that’s good to know. Coming down the Genius is magnificent and descends like a sure footed, nimble mountain goat. It’ll leave the ground and land without you even realising it, with the CTD switched into descend mode, so plush is the suspension and so balanced is the bike in the air. I will admit

to chickening out of a run down the new Table Mountain singletrack (the one which claimed so many names on the Epic Prologue) but that had more to do with my poor night vision and the howling wind than the bike. I haven’t spent a tremendous amount of time on 650b bikes yet, and I’m still unsure if I would be able to manage the type of riding I do with only a

Scott’s suspension design and the Fox shock work perfectly together.

mid-tyre sized bike in my garage. It’s a concern I’m guessing many South African riders share. For comfort and handling I’m struggling to name a bike I’ve enjoyed riding more, but I would like to ride a stage race on it to see if I really could switch permanently from 29 to 27.5. It would also be great to ride the big wheeled Genius 930 back-to-back with the 740 to see how the bigger wheels, slightly steeper angles, and 20mm less travel change the bike.

If we were talking about a second bike, for trail riding, then I’d jump at the chance of owning a Scott Genius 740, though I would go 1 x 11 as soon as possible and add a dropper seatpost, because what’s a dedicated trail bike without a 1 by drivetrain and a dropper seatpost? Okay, I’m off to go for a last ride before Scott Sports SA come to reclaim their bike… if coming back means giving it back, I might not come back though… #Scott2LuvIt indeed!

Scott’s Syncros component brand completes the build

150mm of Fox travel up-front.

XCO is characterised by multiple maximal efforts.

XCO vs XCM

TRAINING

In this issue Dr Mike Posthumus answers a reader’s training related question regarding the similarities and differences between an Olympic distance cross country training programme and a marathon or stage race speciﬁc training programme.

ear Dr Mike Thank you for the high quality columns. I recently purchased a XCO training program off the Science to Sport Website. I am eager to see what improvements it can bring to my riding. I can’t wait! My question relates to the training plan. I have previously followed a 16 week Sani2C training plan. It was interesting to see that the programs are structured in the same way. Both programs have the same core structure. Since the physical demands are different between marathons and shorter XCO races, should an athlete training for marathons do the same training as an athlete preparing for shorter XCO races? Regards, Frank Dear Frank Thank you for the question and supporting our website. As you noticed in the two training programs, the training requirements, whether you are preparing for a marathon or XCO race is in actual fact not very different. Both training programs will and should contain all the same mesocycles within the training program. The mesocycles (or phases / blocks) in a training program usually consists of a strength phase, an aerobic phase, an intermediate intensity phase and a high intensity phase before an appropriate taper prior to the key event.

So even if you are preparing for a marathon race, you still perform high intensity training as the final phase of your training program. Conversely, even when you are preparing for a XCO race, completing an aerobic or base phase is also very important. These phases of training may be analogous to building a house. All houses, irrespective of their size and shape, need to have foundations laid, and once foundations are laid, they need to have walls built. Similarly in a training program, muscles need to be made strong (new muscle fibres created during the strength phase) and the cardiovascular system needs to be made more efficient and functional (aerobic phase). However, the difference between programs designed to optimise marathon performance and programs designed to optimise XCO performance lies primarily within the final phase of training. The final phase of training is normally the high-intensity training (HIT) phase. This phase consists of predominantly effort anaerobic efforts. In other words: effort or intervals which you can’t sustain for a period of more than, approximately, five minutes. To me, the primary difference between a marathon program and a XCO program is the specific sessions selected within this final phase. Closer to the particular race of interest I enjoy adding greater specificity. For example, for a pure marathon athlete, I may use a standard protocol as 8 x 4 minutes in zone 5 as the primary HIT training session, whereas for a XCO rider, I would include

WWW.OAKPICS.COM

Whereas XCM and stage racing requires sustained power-output for long periods of time.

GAMEPLAN MEDIA

FS Coaching

What is specificity? The specificity principle states that if you want to be better at a specific discipline or facet, you need to do more of that discipline or facet. In other words, if you want to improve your climbing performance on the MTB, you need to train more climbs on the MTB.

How do I apply speciﬁcity to my training? One way to include speciﬁcity in your training is to analyse the demands of your particular goal event. Let’s say you were to target a XCO race. XCO racing contains several short very hard efforts with very short rest periods. For this reason I like preparing athletes for XCO racing by performing similar sessions. One such session is 40:20 sprints. 40:20 sprints are performed by performing several repetitions of sprinting for 40 seconds and resting for 20 seconds. Alternatively, to mimic a race you may design your own Fartlek (Swedish for speed play) interval to mimic the terrain of a certain race. Here is an example of a fartlek interval.

Fartlek: 1

Warm up: 20 min Zone 2

1 min

maximal sprint

10 min

5 min

recovery Zone 3

10 min

Zone 4

2 min

recovery Zone 2

4 min

Zone 5

10 30 second

10 min

recovery Zone 2

10 min

Zone 4

a far greater amount of 40:20 sprints and 30 second sprints. It is important that both programs include HIT. The primary reason being that performance in both disciplines is strongly correlated with peak power output. HIT is the

high Zone 3 - low Zone 4 maximal sprint

Warm down 20 min Zone 2

phase which causes the greatest improvements in peak power output. This goes for all athletes, not simply elites or novices. The key therefore lies within speciﬁcity. Regards, Mike

Questions for Dr Mike: If you have any coaching or sports science related questions you’d like to ask Dr Mike please send them to sussed@fullsus.co.za and Dr Mike Posthumus will answer them in Full Sus. Dr. Mike Posthumus is an accomplished academic with UCT’s Exercise Science and Sports Medicine faculty and a coach with Science 2 Sport. He was a provincial rugby player before switching togs for cleats and taking up competitive mountain biking. He has an exceptional knowledge of training periodisation and scientific training principles. Find out more at www.sciencetosport.com

FS Conservation

Building a community of

Jeanne-Louise stopping for a mid-commute selﬁe on the banks of the Diep River on the way to work.

Recently Jeanne-Louise Wiese took great pleasure in reading an old thread on The Hub about commuting since she could now relate. She soon realised too that a common theme of general happiness among cycling commuters prevailed.

ut they also like to stress the need for preparation and correct bike set-up. So if you’re keen on commuting too, you should learn from my experiences to help you deal with the unexpected on the road and keep you getting to and from work happily. I obtained my introduction to commuting a few months ago when we were living in Cape Town, but having recently moved to Milnerton I have experienced both the longer distance and short distance commutes. If I really think about it I would break down my commuting experience in two phases… the amateur phase and the seasoned commuter phase.

The Amateur Phase After one day of riding with my road bike I opted to change to the mountain bike because I thought this might be a better option because of all the broken glass, pieces of metal and thorns on the road edges and even in the cycle lanes. Even though my risks of punctures decreased, my maintenance costs increased, since my MTB tyres have worn down much quicker when riding on tar roads. The additional costs to bike maintenance meant less benefit to me and so I switched back to my road bike for

commuting purposes. Then one day I made the rookie mistake of getting excited about the beautiful weather and headed to the office without checking the weather forecast, only to find that by noon the weather had changed spectacularly and I was left with only one option. So I ended up cycling into a South Easter of epic proportions, which might have been good training but it wasn’t great after a long day at the office! Other common mistakes that I made included forgetting essential items like office shoes, keys, access cards and, embarrassingly, deodorant. This is why it is very important to check and double check your essentials the night before so that you don’t have to try and remember these things early in the morning. The one thing I did right from the start was to never cycle with my

"As for safety, you can never have too many lights. I don't see nearly enough Christmas trees cycling down the road in the dark."

JEANNE-LOUISE WIESE

commuters laptop and to leave valuables at home or in the office. It just limits your chances of being mugged and becoming a really tempting, easy, target for the needy and homeless out there.

The Seasoned Commuter Phase Not that I would say that I am Robertson’s seasoned already, I have learnt my fair share of lessons while commuting. The month of March was a new season in my personal life as well when we moved to our new little cosy spot in Milnerton, which made commuting that much easier for me since I am now only about 6km from the office and can even trade my bike for running shoes every now and then. One morning when I was running an old lady stopped me and asked me what big race I was training for and I simply gave her a content smile and said “I am not training, I am simply on my way to work”. At that stage I realised what a great privilege it is to run or cycle to work since you get to exercise while doing what you do every day and not losing time that you can spend with your family and friends. Commuting by bike also teaches you to plan ahead and make alternative travel arrangements, if you need to drive somewhere after work or attend meetings outside the office. I am fortunate that our office has lockers, showers and a bicycle lock-up facility which makes it very

easy for me to leave some essentials at the office. However, for anyone who does not have these facilities, it is worth your while to ﬁnd out where the nearest gym is where you can shower and even leave your bike locked up if it is within walking distance. As for safety, you can never have too many lights. I don’t see nearly enough Christmas trees cycling down the road in the dark. And last but not least is the essential bike bell, which is not only effective for ice cream delivery bikes, but also when you approach an intersection or people from behind. But please take care and start ringing the bell in advance since some people tend to get a fright when you ring it right behind them with entertaining consequences. So with April done I am halfway through my challenge to make a difference, shrink my carbon footprint and stretch my smile! I dare you to do the same!

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

FS AmaRider

Share your urban trails with AmaRider

Help Find and Document Alternative MTB Routes

Many things can cause you to miss out on your daily trail fix, writes Meurant Botha. Trails could be closed, shortening winter days cut out post work rides that require driving to the trailhead, or you could simply stay in an area that does not offer much in terms of the narrow stuff.

maRider has long realised the link between identifying non-core riding opportunities as a conduit for unlocking more trails and routes within communities. When using the term ‘non-core’ I am referring to trails and routes outside of the trail park/ built-for-MTB routes that have been popping up all over. In other words, community trails, which have and should always be non-commercial and free-to-ride facilities. The prevalence of these opportunities varies between our major centres as each has developed differently. Johannesburg with its vast network of spruits and more spacious development design offers countless opportunities for connectable paths and trails. Rider safety is however, sadly, a very real concern. Cape Town is a different kettle of fish, as the city is much smaller and has developed in a more tightly clustered manner. But even

with this development style there are a surprising number of links and paths right under our noses. In recent times lot of progress have been made with the addition of bicycle lanes in our major centres, although most of these have been made with paint on roads. My personal opinion is that these lanes, although a great gesture, is going to require a generational mind shift towards pro-pedestrian thinking while our drivers are more focused on a defence/offence game of survival of the fastest. In Canada a car will slow down 200m from you if you just look as if you are thinking of crossing a

"Mountain bikers have been sniffing out off-road links to everywhere since forever."

Share your Urban Trails If you’d like help promoting and formalizing your urban trails and off-road link routes send a GPX route (or the relevant format your Smartphone sports tracker or cycling computer generates routes in) or a written description of the route to: trails@amarider.co.za. There’s always a space for a semi-secret MTB trail, or two, in the city, you just need to ﬁnd them.

road. Unfortunately I believe we’ll eradicate the legacy of apartheid before we get our drivers to develop this sort of mind-set. We are however equipped with mountain bikes, meaning we can attempt to stay clear of unnecessary traffic interaction and have fun while doing it. In fact, mountain bikers have been sniffing out off-road links to everywhere since forever. We now need to document these links and promote the use of them to generate a groundswell of users if we want to formalise more routes and links. More usage will identify the larger scale interventions like under/over passes that would complete this trail of connectivity. A key partner in the development of urban trail and links are the local ward councils who represent the residents. It is normally in the interest

of the local community to see safe routes inside communities and you’ll be surprised at the level of support for projects of this nature. In many cases they might even have some budget. A few words of advice though: do not try to develop breaches in gated community perimeters to enable swift links between urban trails, or you’ll find support massing against you.

Meurant Botha is the founder and director of AmaRider. AmaRider is a South African non-proﬁt company with the aim of improving MTB opportunities on the African continent. Contact them at 021 8844547 or info@amarider.co.za or visit the websie at www.amarider.co.za.

Kleinhans Muesli

Persoonlik is die Sani2c hoog op Erik se lys van doelwitte.

Die Epic is verby,

WAT N O U? Vir ’n groot persentasie van Suid-Afrikaanse bergfietsryers is die ABSA Cape Epic en die oplopende wedrenne die belangrikste deel van hulle seisoen, sê Erik Kleinhans. Maar na die Epic gaan die seisoen voort. So daar is skaars 'n blaaskans.

JON IVINS

ZOON CRONJE | NIKON ZOON CRONJE | NIKON

Erik was sewende by die Ashburton Investments National MTB reeks resies in Clarens

dit stimuleer bietjie die brein en dit bied ander doelwitte, maar bewaar jou siel, veral na ’n besige blok van ﬁetsry soos tydens die Cape Epic, kan mens maklik bietjie agter raak… Ek is iemand wat luister na die liggaam en as ek bietjie af en negatief voel, is dit dalk ’n teken dat die liggaam net so paar ekstra dae van rus en herstel benodig, maar dan is daar natuurlik ook ’n fyn lyn tussen regtig moeg wees

en net doodeenvoudig lui wees. Dit is verseker nie altyd lekker om jouself seer te maak op jou Franschhoekpas-intervalle nie! Dan kom dit alles seker weer neer op doelwitte. Persoonlik is die Sani2c en SA XCM kampioenskappe twee wedrenne wat ek nog altyd graag wou wen. Daardie motivering dryf mens die meeste, maar net so weet ek ook dit word van ons verwag en is belangrik vir ons borge om goeie

Nico Bell sal 'n lopie van slegte geluk moet oorkom om sy National MTB reeks titel te behou.

vertonings te lewer. Die doelwitte het my nog altyd gedruk van net trap vir die pret tot terug in my hardwerkende roetine in; ek het al vantevore geskryf hoe die eerste paar dae hel kan wees, maar daar is altyd iets bevredigend as jy by die huis kom na ’n goeie dag van oefen! Kom ons hou maar duim vas ek het voldoende bevrediging gekry om my doelwitte ’n goeie kans te gee!

Scan this QR code to read the article in English on www.fullsus.co.za

JON IVINS

ns is bevoorreg met oneindig baie wedrenne om van te kies in ons bergfiets fanatiese land, en mens kan nie vir te lank jou sokkies aftrek voor die volgende doelwit op die horison is nie. Vir die grootste gros van ons RECM span is die Nasionale Maratonreeks die volgende fokuspunt in die nabye toekoms met wedrenne in Clarens en Van Gaalens, wat ook die 2015 SA Maratonkampioen gaan aanwys. Daar is natuurlik ook ’n klompie skofwedrenne soos die Arabella Challenge, Sani2c en RECM Knysna 200 wat vir ons baie beteken. Hierdie tydperk van die jaar is ook sekerlik die belangrikste tydperk vir ons XCO-ryer, James Reid, wat waardevolle UCI punte moet insamel vir Olimpiese kwalifikasie, veral by die Afrika Kampioenskappe in Rwanda en die SA kampioenskappe in ons geliefde tuisdorp, Stellenbosch. Met al hierdie resies jaag, hoe behou ’n mens die fokus en motivering aan die einde van jou belangrikste blok van wedrenne? Dit hang natuurlik af van ryer tot ryer, maar persoonlik is ek een van daardie ryers wat die eerste paar maande van die jaar redelik ernstig opneem. Die tweede helfte van die seisoen is soms ’n gesukkel om weer aan die gang te kom vir die res van die jaar en kon ek nog nie regtig die beste antwoord vir my bostaande vraag kry nie. Deesdae is daar vir my nog boonop die ekstra werkdruk om ons fietsryspan suksesvol te bestuur, met finansies, logistiek, media en toerusting wat baie vinnig eienaarskap van die res van my beskikbare daaglikse tyd oorneem. Oor die algemeen is hierdie uitdaging iets wat ek baie geniet,

Die sani2c is een van die RECM span se gunsteling skofwedrenne.

RECM se Erik Kleinhans is een van SuidAfrika se gewildste bergfietsjaers. Hy is nou die eienaar en kaptein van die RECM bergfiets span, en moet net so hard werk op die span admin as op sy oefening. Volg hom op Twitter by @erikkleinhans.

FS Ride Report - Ann’s Epic

Ann’s partner, marleen Lourens, leading her up towards Dead man’s tree on the prologue.

CREdIT: EWALd SAdIE | CApE EpIC | SpORTZpICS

There are few occasions in life when telling your story is a privilege you have earned. With 7 Epics and 6 finishes under the saddle Ann Harrison has more than earned the privilege, so here are her thoughts on the 2015 ABSA Cape Epic from a woman’s perspective.

nternationally recognised and widely accepted as the Tour de France of mountain biking, the ABSA Cape Epic is the mother of all events – 600 teams (1 200 riders), 748km and 16 000m of climbing. According to the 2015 stats, only 22 of those teams (44 riders) are women, with a further 63 mixed teams; a total of 107 female riders means that less than 9% of the total field are ladies. There’s no such thing as Masters or Grand Masters categories for the women – that’s a luxury for the masses! With so few ladies’ teams, there is one single category for women, regardless of age – Elite, and as a 48 year old woman I “race” young whippersnappers of 20 to the more mature 55+, pros and amateurs alike.

So why exactly are there so few women riding mountain bikes, and why do even fewer of them enter the Epic? It’s simple – mountain biking is not for the shrinking violet. It is both

physically and mentally demanding, requiring a strong body and an even stronger mind. In fact it’s often said that an endurance event is 90% strength of mind, and the ABSA Cape Epic is well-known to be the toughest, most gruelling mountain bike event in the world, not one to be taken lightly! If we take the pro riders out of the equation, what is actually holding women back from entering an event like the Epic? I put it down to the following points: ◆ Women lack confidence in themselves which can be the biggest limiting factor. ◆ The training is time consuming. ◆ The technical aspect of the event is very daunting.

dAMIEn SCHuMAnn | CApE EpIC | SpORTZpICS

A womAn’S pERSpEctIvE on thE EpIc

the Dawn wing ladies showing the trailing men how it’s done.

◆ It is physically and mentally demanding. ◆ Racing for 8 consecutive days with over 100km a day seems impossible. ◆ Finding the right partner is very hard. ◆ Balancing work and family can be a tough call. ◆ Too often, life gets in the way for women.

So why have I done so many Epics? Quite simply I don’t ride to win; I ride because I love mountain biking, it’s my passion; it’s fundamentally a part of who I am. Every time I take my bike out I know it will be an experience and an adventure, even my training rides.

"With mountain biking you are always doubting yourself and your ability, but what I have learnt is that you have to: trust yourself, trust your bike, and trust your coach."

Having started mountain biking later in life, the personal growth for me has been a continuous upward slope, and I don’t mean in the literal sense! Every day I am learning skills, patience, and endurance. With mountain biking you are always doubting yourself and your ability, but what I have learnt is that you have to: trust yourself, trust your bike, and trust your coach. The 2015 Epic wasn’t the toughest one I’ve ever done, but rather the one with the toughest terrain. And my body was hammered for eight days even with all my preparation training! My attitude and approach this year was somewhat different to my previous Epics – call it maturity. Although the 2015 Epic had the most ascent per kilometre, I had a more “go with the flow” attitude leading into and during the race. A more positive mind-set, and with all the experience I have gained over the years it turned out well for myself and my Epic partner Marleen Lourens. What makes an Epic a success

CREDIT: SAM CLARK | CAPE EPIC | SPORTZPICS EWALD SADIE | CAPE EPIC | SPORTZPICS

Ride Report - Ann’s Epic

Formation riding, without having to say a word, the essence of a good team.

these only made the highs that much better. Yes the Dawn Wing/Momsen Team made it to the ﬁnish line, but it was a challenge every day, a journey I will never forget and yet another adventure to add to my memories, along with my saying for 2015 – Consistency is Queen. The camaraderie between teams, male and female, is amazing. As always, the men were there to support the women and to the many who pulled us along the flats in the wind and rain, their patience on the single tracks and encouragement when we needed it, I salute you all. The Absa Cape Epic is without doubt stage racing at its best.

Nature didn’t help either. Stage 1 - rain, stage 2 - howling wind, stage 3 - hot and head winds, stage 4 - we ran out of water, stage 5 - so rocky I thought my bike and I would rattle to pieces, stage 6 - so much climbing (oh my knees!) and the finale stage 7 - hot, dry, windy and boring with a few unnecessary hills thrown in… Every stage left me with one thought – keep your head up high and your heart strong, then no matter how tired your legs are you will get to the finish. An encouraging thought that kept me upbeat for the eight days came from a friend of mine. She told me to “make the most of every opportunity and be the very best person you can ever be”. It forced me to remind myself daily not to set limits but rather to be the best I could be. Going with the flow helped as over the years I seem to have learnt to take each day as it comes. Believe me, in 2015 I went to some deep dark places and tough lows, but

"Quite simply I don't ride to win; I ride because I love mountain biking, it's my passion; it's fundamentally a part of who I am."

Sasol supports the women Recognition comes in many forms and there is no doubt that women’s cycling is beginning to gain traction in South Africa, as acknowledged by Sasol by

SUPPLIED

is a great partnership, minimal mechanicals, staying upright on your bike, good training and a positive attitude! That’s it. I’ve been lucky – albeit with hard work and tenacity, but still – I’ve been lucky. I have three amazing partnerships; my riding partner Marleen, our sponsors Dawn Wing, and our bike sponsors Momsen Bikes; who have supported me for many years and to whom I am eternally grateful. My partnership with Marleen, now in its third year, has been incredibly special. Over the years we have trained together with the same coach, and have ridden many build-up events together. We know each other so well that we hardly speak when we ride. We laugh a lot and talk when encouragement is needed, but most of the time there is just a comfortable silence and energy that ﬂows between us. As the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Roger Staubach once said: “In any team sport, the best teams have consistency and chemistry”. Marleen and I had lady luck on our side this year. Our bodies held out well (thanks to our training), and we ﬁnished without a scratch on us, and our bikes were machines, surviving without major mechanical issues, from Prologue to Finish. As ever, there were some close calls but we managed to keep upright and rubber side down. The hardest part of the 2015 Epic was the physical aspect. Mother

Marleen maintaining a rhythm during a tough Stage 2.

Ann blowing a kiss to her kids on the Prologue.

matching the men’s prize money when they once again sponsored the women’s category in 2015. I have shared my love and passion for cycling for several years now with women specific training groups in the Cape. It’s my hope that one day soon 25% of the field will be female and I will be doing all I can to make that a reality. To all the women out there, believe me when I tell you that you too can do an Epic. It’s never too late - I started as a complete novice nine years ago and I have loved every minute and every day of my journey to get where I am today. To all the ladies I come across in my training groups, it’s all about passion, enjoyment and freeing your heart. You have to love your bike and love riding. The Epic is there to break you mentally and physically, but keep the two in check and you will ﬁnish. Trust me, life is good on a bike.

Ann Harrison is a passionate mountain biker who rides from the heart. She shares her love and passion for cycling with women speciﬁc training groups and skills clinics in the Cape. Her experience and knowledge are what the girls love most about Ann. Plus the conﬁdence! Contact her on 083 4619462 or email on annharrison@telkomsa.net.

SOPHIE SMITH | CAPE EPIC | SPORTZPICS EWALD SADIE | CAPE EPIC | SPORTZPICS

FS Ride Report - Rob’s Solo Epic

The pro riders who lose their partners ride in the official Outcast jerseys for the rest of the race.

Unable to race the Outcast riders often team up and ride together.

The Cape Epic

A teammate can be a helpful spare set of hands in the case of a mechanical.

There they were, team 116, Amanda Brooks and Robert Vogel, waiting on the start ramp to be set off on their Cape Epic adventure. Rob remembers the moment clearly, taking in the scenes around him, feeling oddly calm.

t previous Cape Epic Prologues I was a bundle of nerves, stressing, worrying, the whole gamut of emotions wrapped into one. What was different this time around? I had the same partner as in 2014 and we had raced hard and achieved our goal. We had suffered together and participating in my fifth consecutive Cape Epic, I think my mind was telling me, “Relax. You’ve done this four times before. You know what’s coming.” Half an hour into Stage 2, everything changed. Amanda suffered a bad asthma attack and had to pull out of the race. I was on my own. After we had split and I started climbing the Nuweberg, all kinds of thoughts started going through my mind. This was a stage race with strict rules. I knew that I could continue, but would I receive an official result? I wasn’t keen on fighting my way to the finish in Meerendal, only to cross the line and be shuffled out through a side gate, seen off with a wet handshake and a “thanks for playing”. During Stage 2 I felt like I was riding without a plan. Our team goal went down the hill with Amanda,

so it was time for me to formulate a new strategy. But I am getting ahead of myself. I started riding hard, trying to get back into the position Amanda and I would have been in. On the bike I was feeling like I was still racing in a perfect world, but as soon as I got to the water points, all sense of urgency was gone. I found my wife to tell her what had happened. I went to a race official to get the lay of the land regarding my status in the race. His answer was unsatisfactorily vague, so I headed off to the next water point, looking for more definitive answers. Amanda was waiting at the finish at Oak Valley and the news was that she was fine and could continue riding, but the Doc recommended she get a couple of days rest before climbing back on a bike. I was totally cool with her decision and supported her choice 100%. On the massage bed a little later I was weighing up my options. And I was thinking of my sponsor, Hansgrohe; how was I going to write a daily race report if I wasn’t racing?

DAMIEN SCHUMANN | CAPE EPIC | SPORTZPICS

without a Partner

My wife and a couple of my friends were telling me to go out and race hard. Test my limits, so to speak. I formulated a new plan. Race when I felt like it, relax when I felt like it. I was fit enough to never have to worry about the cut-off, so there was no need to go full gas to Meerendal. Ja, right! That start gun went the next day and boy was I going for it! The only part of the plan that remained was that I was going to finish the Cape Epic on my own. I was going to make up the rest as I went along. Being a solo rider, you effectively become an outcast; hence the name of the jersey given to UCI registered riders. You’re in the race, but you definitely feel like you’re no longer part of the racing. Amanda

"The only part of the plan that remained, was that I was going to finish the Cape Epic on my own."

and I were competing in the Mixed category and after she pulled out, I noticed how the rest of the Mixed teams around me were no longer concerned with my presence. I was no longer a threat. The field spreads out during the course of a stage and even with 600 teams competing there are times where you’ve got no other team around you. The stage to Worcester was particularly tough on my own. There was a strong wind blowing and on the flat dirt road stretches, I was exposed, struggling to find a bunch to ride in. I was trying to catch a team about 200m ahead of me. When they in turn caught a team just ahead of them, I was stuffed! With four riders working together, there was no way I could catch up. Look, in a Mixed team, the rule of thumb is that the male partner needs to be strongest and push and pull his female partner where possible. Had Amanda still been with me, I would have been the one doing all the work at the front anyway. But the sense

If yo

Ride Report - Rob’s Solo Epic

EWALD SADIE | CAPE EPIC | SPORTZPICS DAMIEN SCHUMANN | CAPE EPIC | SPORTZPICS

Sally Bigham riding solo

Now that’s a partner: Marc Trayter races to a tech zone to repair his teammates wheel. stage to Meerendal, I was beginning to probe a little further up front and wasn’t far off the top 100 on the day. After Amanda pulled out, I didn’t hold back for the remainder of the race. I gave it horns and improved on last year’s result by 30 positions (based on my overall time compared to the GC). On that ﬁnal climb up the Dorstberg, I could feel the day’s exertion in my legs and I walked the ﬁnal 10m of the steep single track to the top. From the top of the mountain, you see the Grand Finale going on

riders felt this was the toughest Epic they had done. Was it really? Did riding alone made it harder or was I just imagining things? I don’t have the definitive answer on whether this Epic was the toughest of the five I have completed. I followed my usual pattern of having one bad day (Stage 4, Worcester – Worcester), but getting stronger as the race wore on. As an individual rider, you can’t progress beyond start batch C, but I began catching some of the B batch riders and on the final

If your partner is not as helpful, you walk to the next tech zone.

DAMIEN SCHUMANN | CAPE EPIC | SPORTZPICS

"Nobody can predict how and when a stage race partner may have to pull out. Be supportive of your partner's decision,..."

SAM CLARK | CAPE EPIC | SPORTZPICS

of camaraderie and the “suffering together” is gone. There is nobody to look out for anymore. Nobody there to help you in case of a mechanical. Nobody to listen to your whinging and moaning. The other teams don’t want to hear it; they’ve got their own problems. Rolling across the finish line each day, there is nobody to share the moment with you. I won’t get all mushy and sentimental about this, but the Cape Epic has no solo category. Even though I did get an official finish on my own, it doesn’t feel the same as finishing as a team. It’s as simple as that for me. My family and friends were still immensely proud of my achievement and so was I. Make no mistake, an Epic finish is still an Epic finish. Many

Rob’s big contribution to the 2015 Epic was plotting the Prologue route and having the new singletrack built.

below and you know it’s downhill to the line. I took the last sip out of my water bottle, got on my bike and enjoyed the descent through the newly created berms. My wife and daughter were standing on the side of the BMX track, cheering me on. My wife said later that I looked right at them, but I can’t remember. I remember overshooting one of the corners just before the finish, but that’s about it. I crossed the line to cheers from the crowd, had a look around and dropped my head on the handlebars. I remained like that for a minute or two and let my emotions flow out. I can’t remember what I was thinking, probably not much. Nobody can predict how and when a stage race partner may have to pull out. Be supportive of your partner’s decision, accept it and make peace with it. Refocus and set yourself a new goal. Setting off alone, I may have decided to ride harder and faster. But in the end, all I wanted to get out of this year’s Cape Epic was the cooler bag and all the goodies inside. Sit down in the shade with my family and have a picnic. Goal achieved!

Robert Vogel is one of the founding members of Table Mountain Bikers and is a strong advocate for building a conscientious cycling community on and around Table Mountain. Follow him on twitter at @TableMTB

A F R I CA N1

FS Ride Report - Dirtopia Enduro

Welvanpas MTB Trails ◆ Western Cape N2

Cape Town

ALL PHOTOS BY EWALD SADIE

where are we?

Welvanpas looking like an Alpine MTB playground.

Enduro Racing in the MTB

Welvanpas boasts some of the most popular mountain biking trails in the Western Cape. The trails climb high into the Groenberg, before descending through steep technical sections to the Kromme River. There are four routes on offer which cater for most (all but the very beginners) skill levels. You can ﬁnd out more about the Dirtopia Enduros at www.dirtopia.co.za and visit www.welvanpas.co.za for more information on the farm and the MTB trails.

Rika Olivier, raced to 2nd in the lady’s category.

Motherland The ﬁrst Dirtopia Enduro of 2015 took place in the hills around the picturesque town of Wellington, on the epic Welvanpas trails. And one of SA’s top photographers, Ewald Sadie, was there to capture the action.

elvanpas is nothing short of being the mountain biking motherland. Plus with the trails of Jonkershoek suffering severe damage in the devastating fires, it now stands head and shoulders above all other Western Cape trails for pure Enduro riding pleasure. The two day Enduro race, organised by Meurant Botha and the Dirtopia crew, saw riders complete eight timed stages (if you don’t count stage 4 on day one, which was not officially recorded). In total then the racing accounted for around 30 minutes, with the rest spent on liaison or enjoying the chilled riding atmosphere. The racing stages were a mixed bag, with loose steep shoots, flat-out loose vineyard tracks, tight and twisty singletrack, and some surprise hairpin bends, all of which featured the typical dry and dusty conditions Wellington is known for at this time of year. Held over the Saturday and Sunday of the Easter Weekend, Dirtopia offered the option for

riders to enter either day or both and a total of 68 riders took part on day one, with 45 taking to the trails on day two. Despite the best efforts from Darryn Stow, Martin Zietsman and Daniel Dobinson, Gary Barnard managed to stay on the gas all day, both days, and put in consistently fast runs. Stage 5 saw Gary have his only wobble of the event when he hit a spectator, who had wondered onto the track, forcing him to eject off the trail and into the bushes down a steep embankment. Awarded a re-run, Barnard put in another adrenalin fuelled run only to hit a massive branch (more like a small tree) lying across the trail further down, dragging it for about ten meters before it dislodged. It didn’t slow him down too much though and he still took out the overall victory. It was also really great to see so many new faces at the race. It looks like Enduro is growing in SA, so if you haven’t given it a try yet, check out the next Dirtopia Enduro at Delvera on the 17th of May.

Riders enjoying a social liaison section.

Jarryd Haley going full gas.

Ewald Sadie is a Cape Town based photographer who has followed his natural love of creating perfect pictures into the structure of full time freelance photography. Always after the epic shot, and always in demand because of his perfectionist, creative ways, Ewald is fast tracking his way to becoming a wellrespected photographer both nationally and internationally. Follow him on Twitter or Instagram at @ewaldsadie.

Stirling Revolution FS

Tokai – Where to now for Cape Town mountain bikers? Tokai Plantation has since the early days of mountain biking been the magnet for mountain bikers from all over the greater Cape Town area writes Stirling Senior. But as you know, Tokai is now closed since the devastating ﬁres and mountain bikers are feeling the vacuum this closure has created in their daily lives.

he challenge now is to give mountain bikers an alternative to Tokai. At least until it is declared stable for mountain bikers to return. Just as the people of Cape Town rallied around the firemen and volunteer fire fighters in an effort to control the fire and to prevent loss of life and property so should the authorities (in this instance SANParks) help mountain bikers find an alternative riding opportunity. Without access to Tokai Forest there will be an increase in the incidents of illegal riding and conflict between mountain bikers and the other trail users. Providing a viable, legal alternative (even at a cost to the individual) is key to reducing the number of these incidents. Cecilia Forest has a Jeep track accessible from Rhodes Drive and from Constantia Nek. The track goes all the way up to the top of Table Mountain to the Helley Hutchinson Dam. This road is initially gravel and becomes a concrete road higher up.

It ticks all the boxes: ◆Ideal for beginners to advanced riders ◆Adequate parking along the lower access road and Cecilia car park ◆Many Southern Suburbs riders would be able to ride from their homes to the forest ◆In case of emergencies the track is easily accessible by emergency vehicles ◆The increased activity on the trail makes for a safer environment against criminal activity

With Tokai out of action trails that are off limits to mountain bikers, like this one on Lion’s Head could become too tempting to resist if no alternatives are presented.

◆From an environmental point of view the riding would be on an existing vehicular road’s infrastructure causing no damage and having very little impact on the maintenance schedule for this road. ◆Riding will also have no or little impact on fauna and ﬂora. Certainly, as a multi-use trail it will have to be shared by hikers, trail runners and mountain bikers as well as a few service vehicles. Table Mountain (city bowl) has proved this works for more than 25 years. I would also include a number board, perhaps even a personalised one (print stickers with the rider’s name on them) to help police rogue riding/ trail intolerance. The solution to the volume of riders is often a subjective one but if it were up to me (and many riders I have canvassed) we’d be happy to pay an annual permit fee of R600 or more for access to Cecilia Forest. The number of permits issued could be limited to a deﬁned number of riders. The revenue can be used to pay administration costs for permit issuing and maintenance expenses.

I’d be happy to help issue permits from our store and I am sure other bike shops would too. We could use Snap Scan with money going directly into SANParks’ account. The decision to allow mountain biking in Cecilia is a SANParks’ decision and it is a simple decision to make. Give riders access while Tokai Forest is off-limits and if the activity in Cecilia is working for riders, hikers and conservationists, keep it open and spread the load between Tokai, Cecilia and Table Mountain (city bowl). This will be another step closer to an off-road MTB trail from Cape Town to Cape Point. Imagine what this will do to Cape Town’s economy and the Peninsula’s mobility infrastructure. Many riders will use this route for their daily commute. All over South Africa farmers, corporate and private landowners are encouraging and embracing mountain bikers and creating access and trails on their properties. Sappi welcomes and encourages trail building in many parts of the country. Mountain biking is making thousands of South Africans and their families go outdoors

"As a multi-use trail it will have to be shared by hikers, trail runners and mountain bikers as well as a few service vehicles."

and lead healthier lifestyles. Mountain biking is a huge industry and creates employment in many industries and boosts tourism contributing millions of Rand to the economy. The so-called stakeholders, regardless of who they are, should look at every reason to say YES instead of procrastinating and debating and politicizing and ﬁnding reasons to say NO. Finally, the rights of riders should be the same as hikers and trail runners. Post Script: A copy of this article has been sent to a SANParks representative prior to publishing.

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

FS Healthful Amy

Brownies

Superfoodie brownies with a salted caramel sauce

Are you looking for simple, wholesome and healthy things to eat to fuel your riding? Amy Burton is here to help with recipes for treats and meals that’ll keep your motor turning no matter the length or intensity of your ride. Superfoods ‘su:p fu:d, .sju:-/ Noun: A nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneﬁcial for health and well-being. e

Superfood brownies with salted caramel sauce

e : Th ride gest e Gam d’s big the l d wor ope an port. s l t e ant ’s bes d l r wo

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.

AMY BURTON

hese Superfoodie brownies are rich, chocolaty and decadent, yet they are also so healthy you can actually eat them for breakfast! They are nutrient dense and packed with healthy fats, plant protein and gluten free carbohydrates, as well as antioxidants and naturally derived fruit sugars. Munch on one or two of these babies before you hit the trails for a sustained energy boost and some superfood goodness! They are also great as a recovery snack or a healthy teatime treat. Plus they’re reﬁned sugar and gluten free.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Ingredients: 2 x medium bananas 3 x large eggs ¼ cup coconut oil (melted) 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 1 tablespoon Chia seeds 1 heaped teaspoon Maca powder 2 heaped tablespoons coconut sugar (This can be omitted for a less sweet, but still rich and chocolaty taste) ½ cup gluten free flour/oat flour ½ cup cacao 2 tablespoons coconut flour 1 teaspoon baking powder Large pinch of salt

Method: Mash the bananas until smooth, whisk the eggs, vanilla essence and add to the bananas. Next add the cacao, Maca, coconut sugar, chia seeds and mix well until creamy. Then Melt your coconut oil and whisk in gently. Sift the ﬂour, baking powder and salt into the wet mixture, and then add the coconut ﬂour. Whisk until smooth and silky. Pour into a greased baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes at 180°, the top should begin to crack open and a knife should come out clean when you pierce the brownies, but it should still be moist inside so don’t over-bake them as they still cook a bit out of the oven! Remove from the oven, and leave to cool.

Salted caramel sauce Ingredients:

1 cup dates 1 tablespoon coconut oil ½ teaspoon salt 1-1½ cups of coconut milk/cream 1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract 1 heaped tablespoon nutbutter

Method: Warm your dates in the microwave until soft and squishy. Blitz them in the food processor/hand blender until smooth, add 1 cup coconut milk and the vanilla essence and blend again until smooth. Heat the coconut oil in a pan until melted, add the date mixture and salt and stir until it bubbles and thickens. Add the nutbutter (I used almond, but organic peanut butter works really well too) and more coconut milk if the sauce is too thick. This sauce can be drizzled warm over the brownies, or spread over them once cool. It is also absolutely divine over yogurt, or drizzled over your morning porridge.

Amy Burton is a mountain biker, trail runner, graphic designer and foodie. She’s in the process of opening a Rawfood and Superfood smoothie bar at Trail and Tar with Sean Fraenkel and is oﬀ to race the 1Zambia MTB Stage Race in June with Renay Groustra. In between all of that she posts amazing recipes and photos on Instagram, so follow her at @healthful_amy.

photo of the month

Cape Fire Update

SUS The Reviews Shayne’s Product Review FS BOBBY BEHAN | SPECIALIZED

The perfect all-rounder

The once lush Jonkershoek Valley still looks post-apocalyptic in the wake of the ﬁre.

FIRE AND TRAILS If you’re a Cape based rider you’re probably desperate to know what’s happening with your beloved trails. So here’s an update on the situation in Tokai, Silvermine and Jonkershoek.

Tokai and Silvermine Update The official update from SANParks regarding the rehabilitation of Tokai is that all the water courses and channels have been cleared in preparation for the winter rain, to help minimize the risks of erosion during the rainy season. Cape Pine meanwhile continue to work at the fastest rate possible to fell the remaining trees and harvest the precious wood. The word on Silvermine is that the fynbos regrowth is going well and given that the mountain biking in that area was limited to jeep tracks anyway the trails should be open again in four to six months.

Cape Town Alternatives Table Mountain Bikers are still in negotiations with SANParks and the Friends of the Constantia Green Belts about opening up other areas to riding on either a temporary or a permanent basis. If you’d like to be kept in the loop on the updates as they happen we’d suggest you follow @TableMTB on Twitter or Full Sus on one of our social media platforms as we’ll be retweeting and reposting their updates as they come in. In the meantime please stay to the legal routes rather, as any rogue riding could sour the relationship that Table Mountain Bikers has been working hard to build with the powers that be.

can be reopened, but the lower sections and the valley trails are apparently not too badly damaged despite the veld around them looking like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie. The Canary Trails, the Downhill Trail, Double Black Diamond as well as the climb up the jeep track to the left of the gate are off limits until further notice. There is good news however, the Bike Art Auction last year raised R220 000 and that money has been earmarked for trail rehabilitation, so work will be able to start as soon as Cape Pine and Cape Nature give their go-ahead. You can make donations to the rebuilding process by going to www.stellenboschtrailfund.co.za.

Sus Shayne Dowling’s review of the Specialized MTB Comp 2015 mountain bike speciﬁc shoes.

hese are the second pair of Specialized MTB Comp shoes I have owned. The first pair was pretty incredible, I still have them, they are my back-up for rainy multi-day rides and despite hundreds of km of riding I only ever had to change the buckles once and they were as good as new. So when I got my new pair I found myself wondering how do you improve what I thought was a pretty fine piece of gear? The immediate noticeable difference is the Boa Snap2 dial system. This is a great improvement as the dial allows for much easier tension adjustment on the bike. I also like the all black styling, the shoe is still available in the Specialized red trim, or a black and white version, but the muted shoes does me nicely! Let’s get any negative (and I’m nit-picking here) out the way: I find the stitched-in tongue, it curves over the top of your foot, makes getting your foot into the shoe awkward; but once in the MTB Comp fits like a glove. I have a broad foot and find it really comfortable with the more rounded toe-end that gives me the width I’m after while retaining snugness – the shoe definitely suits a broader foot. I love the combination of Velcro straps and Boa system. The straps allows for adjusting the tension in separate areas over your foot while the ease of using the Boa ratchet makes overall adjustment on the fly a piece of cake. I have just done 160kms over two days in my new Comps and I can say that I never had any discomfort, concern or even a second thought about my feet. The shoes are fantastic and truly are the perfect all-round mountain biking shoe – sturdy, light enough for all calibre of rider, tough and extremely comfortable. The rubber soles are great and I don’t see the Gantouw Pass portage at W2W being an issue at all! I could throw a whole lot of technical jargon at you at this point but really the proof is in the wearing and having done so I can highly recommend them. RRP: R2199.00

For more info go to www.specialized.com or go try a pair on at your local Specialized retailer.

Jonkershoek Alternatives Fortunately for Stellenbosch residents there is still a large amount of singletrack on offer in the area. The Eden and G-Spot trails are free to use, and the jeep tracks above Coetzenburg offer testing climbs if not great distance. If you’re looking for longer rides Bottelary Hills has around 60km of trails on offer (www.bottelaryhillsmtb.co.za) while the trails managed by Dirtopia on Delvera and the Simonsberg Conservancy are not as extensive, but don’t be put off, they’re fun and you’ll be pretty shattered after completing an entire loop of the 40 or so kilometres of riding on offer.

There are some roads and trails open in Jonkershoek already, but with Cape Pine also working at top speed to harvest as many of the ﬁre damaged trees as possible it’s best to exercise extreme caution in Jonkers at the moment. The plantation on the southern side of the valley is to be left unfelled for now, so the Fire Hut Trail could be opened again soon. There are a few holes/damaged section in Neverending Story in the top sections of the trail which will need to be ﬁxed before that

SEAMUS ALLARDICE

Jonkershoek Trail Update

Jacques Rademan checking out the Simonsberg Conservancy trails.

"The shoes are fantastic and truly are the perfect all-round mountain biking shoe sturdy, light enough for all calibre of rider, tough and extremely comfortable."

FS Gear

Pearl Izumi Transfer Short Sleeve Baselayer

GEAR

Pearl Izumi isn’t quite the household name one might expect in South Africa given the absolutely fantastic nature of their products, so do yourself a favour and check their Transfer Short Sleeve Baselayer out next time you’re in a bike shop that stocks Izumi. It features fast drying, transfer dry fabric which makes it perfect for the layering between your skin and your cycling jersey. It also features technology designed to keep you dry, warm and odor-free (now that’s a plus when you stop for coffee!). The sleeves are rotated to provide extra comfort, Pearl Izumi call this “Speed Sleeve pattern” and they also say the Transfer base layers are their best base layers yet. Plus they’re available in both men’s and ladies fits. Visit www.pearlizumi.com for more info. rrP r 770.

Winter Base Layers

It’s getting colder, but that’s no reason to stay indoors (is there anything more mind-numbing than an indoor trainer?), there’s no such thing as bad weather only bad clothing. So take a look at these base layer options to beat the cold. Specialized Comp Seamless Undershirt

Not everyone likes to layer up with layers that constantly remind you that they’re there. So if you’re looking for something that’ll keep your core temperature up without reminding you of that 2000’s fashion of shirts over shirts then take a look at the Specialized Comp Seamless Undershirt. It features a seamless construction, moisture moving fabric and is obviously form fit, so it’ll keep you warm without letting your riding partners even know it’s there – making you look impervious to the elements. Plus it’ll keep you cooler when it’s hot too, so it will be a winner all year round. And the Polypropylene and Polyamide yarn that it’s made from is also antibacterial. Find out more at www.specialized.com. rrP r449

Rapha Merino Base Layers Are you a true cycling purest? Do you only ride, hand-crafted, steel tubed, singlespeeds? Then surely you cannot let anything other than Merino wool touch your skin! Seriously though, one day we hope to rock out in a full Rapha kit, but for those of you who don’t mind shopping in Pounds and Dollars now you can head over to www.rapha.cc and browse through what the POMs have to offer. Their Merino wool range will make you the object of envy of all your mates, with their 100% merino wool construction which make them naturally anti-bacterial, odour resistant, moisture wicking, soft on the skin and itch free. Yip nature is pretty clever. As is the fact that the base layers are low cut at the back to keep you warm when you’re hunkered low down over the bars straining to get home into a biting head-wind. rrP $85.

First Ascent Long Sleeve Thermal First Ascent’s Quik-Wic bamboo Charcoal long sleeve thermal top is a great addition to your sporting wardrobe. Put it on under your bib and top if it’s cold, and throw a water-proof on as an outer shell if it’s wet too. It wicks away sweat keeping your core temperature up, even when you stop for a break during a hard ride. It’s comfortable and body hugging, plus at R290 it won’t break the bank either. Weighing it at 149g for the men’s version it’s not going to hold you back either. The men’s First Ascent Long Sleeve Thermal is available in white (maybe not the best colour choice) or navy blue and the ladies cut comes in white or light blue. Visit www.firstascent.co.za for more info or to shop online. rrP r290.

Assos LS skinFoil

Feeling like treating yourself in the build-up to winter? Then one (or more) of the Assos skinFoil base layer range could be for you. Assos have done a numbered range for pretty much every conceivable (except Arctic really) weather condition, starting with spring.1 to winterPlus.7. The skinFoil range is a seven garment range of products, all of which are constructed from a seamless tubular micro-fibre torso section, to eliminate chafe points where seams touch the skin. The garments also feature moisture control and targeted ventilation zones, as you’d expect from Assos. The idea to the different base layer warmths is that you can tailor your outfit to the weather on a daily basis rather than just have one option for cold weather. Find out more at www.assos.com. rrP r 1 700.

Anatomic Maxitherm® Lite Vest

Local brand Anatomic should be on your go-to-list for tried and trusted gear. And for base layers that’s no different. For warmth that won’t break the bank check out their Maxitherm® Lite range of thermal base layers. Made from 240g of Polyester (80%) and Spandex (20%) kit the tops feature a brushed finish for ultimate insulation. The vest is designed to be form fitting, so if you do decide to purchase it online from Anatomic’s www.weardirect.co.za online shopping portal be sure to check the sizing charts before you select a size. rrP r445.

Competition FS

Win entries to the n i Isuzu trucks Pe PLett

Answer an easy question and you and a partner could be lining up to take on “the tough one” the 2015 Isuzu trucks Pe PLett from 3 to 6 September. The Prize:

Where is the most beautiful coastline in the world? Between Pe and Plett we hear you say! Now imagine doing a four day stage race, jam packed with singletracks, magnificent traverses of the Tsitsikamma and Suuranys mountains and to top it all… riding the world famous Otter Trail. This is what the isuzu Trucks Pe PLeTT is all about. Limited to 150 teams and 100 solo riders, this is one box you have to tick. The Organisers, Red Cherry Adventures have packaged a combination of “No hassle” options to make participation as easy as one, two, three. Check out www.peplett.co.za for all the info.

hoW to WIn: tell us how much the “Complete no hASSLe package” costs and you could win a team entry to the 2015 Isuzu Trucks PE PLETT. (Hint: you’ll find the answer online at www.peplett.co.za - extra Services). Send us an email with your Answer, ID number and a Day time Contact number to comp@fullsus.co.za to enter. the prize is valued at R11 900 and is not transferable to another rider, but you are welcome to choose to take up the entry either as a team or as two solo riders.

CALENDAR

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

SUS THE BEST OF June 6 7 13 14 20 20

GAUTENG Action Man Duathlon with a Twist Beaulieu MTB and Trail Running USN MTB Cup Race Series # 4 Babba Lodge MTB Super Series #6 Momentum Health Dual X #2 Monthly Funky Monkey MTB Race

FREE STATE 2 Anatomic Dirtmax MTB #2 6 6 13 27

NORTHWEST PROVINCE Safari Karnaval MTB Challenge Ashburton Investments National MTB Series #4 & SA XCM Champs ATKV Buffelspoort MTB Challenge Konka MTB§+-

WESTERN CAPE 6 Wacky Wine Weekend MTB 13 RECM Knysna 200 20 Spur Schools MTB League Southern Cape #1 20 Spur Schools MTB League WC #1 27 Nissan Trailseeker Western Cape #2 Grabouw 28 Cape Country Tour

20 27

20 26

OUT OF AFRICA 28 UCI XCM Wold Championships (Italy)

July RACE CALENDAR GAUTENG USN MTB Cup Race Series # 4 TLC Ladies MTB Day 2015 Action Man Duathlon with a Twist Nissan TrailSeeker Series #2 Lionman 25 Spur Schools MTB League Gauteng #2 13 11 11 11

WESTERN CAPE 4 Momentum Weekend Argus Knysna Cycle Tour MTB Races 9 Totalsports XTERRA Pezula 12 Dirtopia All Mountain Enduro 18 SA XCO Championships 18 MTB Adventure Race 19 SA DHI Championships 25 Spur Schools MTB League Southern Cape #2 4 11 12 12 18

KZN 6 KZN Provincial DHI & Enduro Champs 7 Bell Big 5 Series #2 Elephant Challenge 7 SAPPI Howick MTB Classic 7 One Movement KZN Junior Eliminator Series 3 of 3 13 Spur KZN Schools MTB Series #6 14 Saﬁre Baynesﬁeld MTB Classic 20 Dusi2c 21 Time Freight Burg Wheelers MTB 27 SA Cup XCO #4 28 SA Cup DHI #4

13 14

NORTHWEST PROVINCE 6 Ashburton Investments National

EASTERN CAPE 3 Grindrod Bank Umngazi Pondo Pedal Race 6 Eastern Cape Provincial XCO #4 6 ECC XCO #4 13 Fish River Sun Stage Race 13 Gamtoos Citrus Festival MTB and Trail Run 20 Spur Schools MTB League EC #1 21 Angora MTB 21 The Hayterdale Classic

OUT IN AFRICA Spur Schools MTB League Zim #3 (Zimbabwe) Spur Schools MTB League Zim #4 (Zimbabwe) Spur Schools MTB League Zim #5 (Zimbabwe) Kalahari Challenge (Botswana)

MPUMALANGA Spur Schools MTB League Mpumalanga #4 Forever Resort Badplaas Cycle Tour Spur Schools MTB Leagure Mpumalanga #5 Spar Das Auto MTB Series # 2 The Big 5 MTB Komatipoort

EASTERN CAPE ECC XCO #5 Spur Schools MTB League EC #2 Pennypinchers Grahamstown to Sea Spur Schools MTB League EC #3 JBay Winter Fest MTB

KZN 6 KZN Provincial DHI & Enduro Champs 5 Burry Stander Sardine Classic 11 Giba Gravity Enduro 11 Weston Agri College Old Boys Invitational 11 Creighton Aloe Festival 30km MTB 12 Durban Stars MTB Race 12 Creighton Aloe Festival 60km MTB 18 Gooderson Drakensberg Gardens MTB & Trail Running Challenge 18 Dargle Trails Festival 19 Bell Big 5 Series #3 Kwambo Lion 25 iMfolozi MTB Challenge 25 Spur KZN Schools Series #7 26 Ashburton Investments National MTB Series #5 Ballito 26 Ingeli Forest MTB Ride MPUMALANGA 4 Mankele Avalanche 11 Das Auto MTB Series #3

25 Badplaas Forever Resort Bestmed MTB Challenge 2015 25 ClemenGold Wildevy MTB 25 Spur Schools MTB League Mpumalanga #6 LIMPOPO 25 Limpopo Spur Schools MTB League Limpopo #1

OUT IN AFRICA 4 Spur Schools MTB League Zim #6 (Zimbabwe) 7 Laikipia XC (Kenya) 11 Ngwenya Glass MTB Challenge 2015 (Swaziland) 12 Spur Schools MTB League Zim #7 Final (Zimbabwe) 25 2015 Challenge 4 A Cause (Namibia)

MAY Must do events ■ 8 to 10 May: SAPPI

■ 17 May: Trans Elands

Karkloof is arguably the mountain biking destination in the country, boasting over 200km worth of singletrack in scenery that’s worth the visit alone. If you haven’t ridden Karkloof yet a great way to experience the trials is by entering one of the six events in the SAPPI Karkloof Classic’s weekend line-up. Proceedings kick off with a night race on Friday night (R120), before the gravity junkies take on the STIHL Karkloof Enduro on Saturday (R140), and then the weekend wraps up with the SAPPI Karkloof Classic marathon (R210), half marathon (R170), 20km (R120) and 10km (R50) rides on Sunday. All the information, including some route info is up on the Karkloof MTB website (www.karkloofmtb.co.za) and you can enter online by following the links from there or by going directly to ROAG.co.za.

Have you got 100 miles in your legs? If so give the Trans Elands MTB Marathon a bash. It’s a team event, with riders racing in teams of two, three or four riders. The race starts at the Slipperfields MTB Trails (30km from PE) and loops north west along the Elands River Valley towards the main climb of the day, up to “the Mast”. From there it’s a descent into the Gamtoos River Valley and home to Slipperfields, via Patensie, Hankey and Loerie, after taking in 2 600m of climbing in the 160km route. Entries are R350 per rider and the field is limited to 1 000 riders. Find out more at www.transelands.co.za.

Karkloof Classic

MTB Marathon

■ 9 May: Nissan TrailSeeker

Western Cape #1 - Helder Berg

It’s the race many in the Cape have been waiting for, the first Nissan Trailseeker race to be held down South. Taking place on the trails of the Helderberg Mountain, the stomping ground of the Wannabees MTB Club, Ridgemor Wine Estate is hosting the event which features 70km, 40km, 20km and 10km route options. From the route profiles and the TrailSeeker event ethos we’re sure you’ll be in for a fun day rather than a hard day on the bike, that being said with good prize money on offer the big guns will be out so there’s sure to be fast paced racing at the front of the marathon field. All the information, including route maps and profiles are up on www.trailseekerseries.co.za and you can enter online too.

■ 24 May: One Movement KZN Junior Eliminator Series 1 of 3

The renamed, and newly Cycling South Africa affiliated, Junior Eliminator Series kicks off its KwaZulu-Natal leg on the 24th of May. The three race series is hosted by Northwood High School (24 May), Giba Gorge Bike Park (31 May) and Maritzburg College (7 June) and offers kids the chance to race in the exhilarating XCE format for great prizes and cash money. Racing takes place in U14, U16 and U19 boys’ and girls’ categories and the entry fee is just R150 for the entire series. If you’re just getting into mountain biking don’t stress that you won’t be competitive because just entering puts you in line to win R70 000 towards a Trek Project One custom bike. Find out more by going to www.onemovement.co.za.

CALENDAR KEY Mpumalanga

Free State

Limpopo

Western Cape

Northern Cape

KZN

Gauteng

North West

Eastern Cape

Out in Africa

A BOOST INTO THE

FUTURE

350W BRUSHLESS BOSCH MOTOR SHIMANO XT 10 SPEED GROUPSET ROCK SHOCK FORK XC32 SUNTOUR EPICON LORP SHOCK

INTRODUCING THE EVO JUMPER 29” VISIT WWW.EASYMOTION.CO.ZA FOR MORE.