Full Sus MTB Monthly - June by Full Sus #MTB

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The latest results & your July Calendar

June 2013

MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY

Responsibility

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Nutrition

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Moab MTB Mecca

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Cederburg

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Gear

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Second hand bikemares - avoid getting burnt

vron Sirin, of Cycle Traders specialises in 2nd hand bikes and he’s got his ﬁnger on the pulse of what’s selling in Cape Town, says that he routinely gets phone calls asking him to keep an eye out for a particular stolen bike. In fact when I popped into Cycle Traders to talk second hand bikes, Avron received a phone call from a customer letting him know that about a bike that had been stolen over the weekend. So bike theft is clearly a big deal. But where are the stolen bikes going? Are they being recovered or are they being resold to unsuspecting honest folks? Full Sus has heard about a particular second hand shop in Plumstead, that offered a stolen Specialized for 4K. The bike’s previous owner, who’d had it nicked out of his garage, managed to track the bike down – on the advice of his insurance broker – and asked to take it to his local bike shop for a once over. With his bike now safely back in his possession he double checked the frame number and phoned the cops. The shop owner seems to have been innocent of any wrong doing except for failing to ask questions of the seller. But the fact remains he parted with cash for a hi-spec bike which was being offered at a ridiculously reduced rate.

So maybe losing out will teach him to ask questions in future, but will his refusal to buy a stolen bike stop bike theft? It’s not likely. We can all spot a dodgy deal when someone offers you a Cannondale Trigger Carbon for a couple of thousand South African Rand, but what if the seller is more clued up on bikes? If you’re buying a bike off Gumtree what guarantee do you have that you won’t turn up at your next race only to have a gang of angry riders descend on you and reclaim their mate’s bike? Okay, so that’s an extreme example, but it’s still a scary thought. You might riding a stolen bike. So what can you do to mitigate the risk? Well we’d suggest buying from a reputable second hand bike trader like Cycle Traders. Even non specialist shops like Cash Converters or Cash Crusaders should in theory be more secure as they have a “time-lag of seven days before anything they purchase goes on sale” which should give the police the time to track it down should it be stolen. Despite the risk, often, it’s just cheaper to buy from an individual. So you might well ﬁnd yourself going the Gumtree or The Hub route. If you do it

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WWW.OAKPICS.COM

So you’re looking for an upgrade at a reasonable price, and after weeks of browsing the net you settled on a bike off Gumtree. But as you’re pulling up to the oke’s address the cops are leading him and your would-be bike away. To help you avoid this and other pit-falls Seamus Allardice went digging.

FS Editorial & Letters

From the editor - Local with a spice of Moab

ne of our main objectives is to make local content a priority in Full Sus. We will always try and ﬁnd the local story, this of course is great for the local events, venues and trails, but becomes a lot trickier when it comes to bikes and bike equipment. Fortunately there are a number of stories out there, that we will cover in time that prove just how much we have embraced the sport of mountain biking. From the brilliant ﬁtment method, trail tracking technology to bike design, bike building, trail development and environmental awareness and responsibility programs. And this is just scratching the surface. In this issue we welcome on board David Bristow, who not only is an avid mountain biker but is also a photo journalist and environmentalist of note. David is the former editor of Getaway

magazine and also rode and wrote the Spine of the Dragon – a 4000km journey from Beitbridge to Cape Town – I look forward to the journeys David is going to take us on. Contrary to me waxing lyrical about local stuff, Dave’s ﬁrst piece is on Moab – America’s MTB mecca (David is the local bit!), it’s a great piece to introduce you to David’s unique writing style and charming wit! Enjoy! Our other local David, starts to get his teeth into some great technical stuff, it would seem that we may all have to lose our granny soon… The Stirlings once again entertain with their hilarious piece on the trials of running a LBS. Finally to all those dudes who look like they’re smuggling a Weber up the mountain – in tights nogal – well done brothers and sisters! We may not be the race snakes but we are out there, enjoying ourselves, improving our

SUS the LETTERS WINNING LETTER CLOSE ENCOUNTERS Phillippa Vermeulen’s friend and riding buddy Joanne had a potentially nasty encounter with a trail resident the other day and this is the tale: This story, I know will be hard to believe, but I'm sharing it with you anyway! I introduced a very dear friend of mine, Joanne, ten years my senior I might add, to the addictive world of MTB. So, earlier this week, we decided that she needed to step it up a little and we did some climbing in Jonkershoek

UPGRADING Melkbos resident, Andrew Robb just went through the process of upgrading from his old 26er. And although he ended up going the hard tail route (he lives in the shadow of a nuclear power station so he can’t be too sane), we thought you might like to hear for one of your own about the thought process which went into this purchase. “So after about a year of research and deliberation and a heap load of saving, I ﬁnally upgraded from my old and heavy farm gate to a stunning giant xtc 29er 0. This is without a doubt one of the best buys I’ve made, but it was by no means an easy choice. If anyone has looked at getting a new bike recently they will be able to tell you that the market is ﬂooded with options and

fullsus MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY

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

where not too many people ventured that morning. We were riding along chatting, panting and just totally in awe of the beauty surrounding us when out of nowhere Joanne gave out this huge gasp of terror! Stopping and ripping her shoe off, she was as white as a sheet! She just had a brush with death! Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a snake take a plunge at her shoe, which left the evidence of venom behind! THANK GOD she said for her Mr Price cycle shoes! Luckily for some miraculous reason,the snake

the variations between frames and components are just about endless. The biggest decision I had to make on my budget was to get a very well specd full sus 26er or an averagely specd 29er. Although I think having a quality full sus setup is always handy and deﬁnitely looks a bit more hard-core, at the end of the day it comes down to what you feel comfortable on and what kind of riding you will be doing. I unfortunately hardly ever get a chance to ride gnarly downhill single track and with the Trans

lifestyles and hopefully losing some weight on the way. I am certainly not a skinny bloke and admire the way the lighter folk ﬂy up the mountain, but what I do love is that we can all ride the same routes, admire the same view, enjoy wonderful company (in all sizes) and, at our own pace, feast on the pudding that is the joy of speeding downhill and ripping up a sublime single track! Damn I love this sport! See you on the trails.

Cheers

didn't penetrate her shoe. That whole ride down the mountain was terrifying LOL! cause we kept waiting for another snake to slither by. As we eventually got to the gate of the reserve, I asked Joanne whether i had totally put her off MTBiking and her answer to me was, "Hell no!". Joan ’s sh oe ith venone m spots!

Photography: Julia Andrade, Jacques Marais, Thinkstock.com and Oakpics.com – Fanus Oosthuizen. Regulars: David George, Meurant Botha, Stirling Kotze Snr & Jnr, Alex Blair, Jacques Marais. Contributors: David Bristow and Martin de Gersigny. Printing: Paarl Coldset (Pty) Ltd Published by: Integrated Media

From joBerg2C with an International Flavour When the 700 odd riders started the 2013 Old Mutual joBerg2C at Karan Beef on the 26th of May, 112 international participants from 20 countries were on the start line. This once again goes to show that South Africa is becoming a destination for MTB stage races the world over. It might be our scenery, it might be the friendly people, it might even have something to do with the Rand, but Full Sus likes to think it’s because our stage races are so well organised.

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Baviaans being the next big race on my calendar I decided to go for the hardtail 29er. Thanks to an awesome deal from Valencia I got my bike 2 weeks ago and I’m absolutely loving it. I’ve done about 400km on it and have no regrets at all. On my usual 50km training ride through Koeberg my average speed has increased by 3km/h which is massive in my eyes. So don’t be scared to look a bit stupid and ask lots of questions and take your time with buying your bike, at the end of the day it’s well worth it.”

HAVE YOU GOT A MTB STORY TO TELL? The letter of the month will get a fantastic hamper from GU Energy Products valued at R1500 – Pure Performance Energy! Get writing! Drop us a letter to sussed@fullsus.co.za or send us a good old snail mail to Integrated Media, P.O. Box 31649, Tokai, 7945.

PR & Promotions: Julia Andrade julia@integratedmedia.co.za

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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 31649, Tokai, 7945 Full Sus uses the iON AIR PRO WiFi

MTB on the Radio Freewheel Radio is South Africa's ﬁrst ever cycling radio show, born out of a small cycling segment on Bush Radio's sports show The Offside. Following the success of the cycling segment, The Offside host Ridaa Ismail in conjunction with Lionel Murray of Freewheel Cycology decided to launch, Freewheel Radio, South Africa's very ﬁrst cycling radio show in April 2013 on Bush Radio, Africa's oldest community radio station. Broadcasting on the 89.5 FM frequency to the Greater Cape Town area as well as worldwide through web streaming, every Wednesday from 7 to 8 pm, the show has developed a loyal following within the Cape cycling community as well as slowly developing a brand in the broader South African cycling community. Testament to the tremendous growth of the show within a short space of time has been the quality of guests lining up to be featured on the show with household South African cycling names such as Darren Lill, Charles Keey, Candice Neethling and James Reid all being featured on the show. Freewheel Radio hopes to capitalise on the growth of the show to appeal not only to the South African cycling community but beyond, becoming the premier source of information for South Africa's fastest growing sport.

News

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Garth getting his winner’s tattoo sketched by Tane.

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Evans back on the Bike

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Kevin Eva

Keeping with the joBerg2C theme, Kevin Evans made a very successful return to racing following his traumatic injury layoff. With his body cavity drained and the wound, now seemingly, finally healed following his appendix operation. Evans had to miss out on the 2013 Epic, but in his quest to medal at the 2014 UCI World Marathon Championship in Pietermaritzburg, the first place finish in the solo category at joBerg2C was a big step in the right direction. Evans finished the 9 day race from Heidelberg to Scottburgh just behind the 3rd placed team of Cooper and Pfitzenmaier in a time of 35 hours 51 minutes and 13 seconds.

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FOTOEGINEERS.COM

Stuart Marais at Totalsports XTERRA, Knysna.

New Zealand Singlespeed Championships By all accounts it’s a madcap event complete with “costumes and beer short cuts”. Hosted on the 27th of April by Rotorua, in Bay of Plenty area of the North Island, on a demanding single track where it all started in 2008. After what the organisers describe as a “tiki tour” to Queenstown in 2010, Hawkes Bay in 2011 and Nelson in 2012, “it’s coming home for a quiet, little birthday celebration – to drink some beers, tell some lies, have some fun and catch up” with mates in Rotorua in 2013. Up for grabs was the traditional winners’ tattoo for the fastest man and woman across the line. Garth Weinberg and Erin Greene claimed the ink this year. But neither forgot the all-important costume, as Weinberg rode in a very aerodynamic gimp suit while Greene went for savannah camo with a zebra outﬁt. Also in attendance was a man dressed as Wallace from the Wallace and Gromit movies, but the prize for the best fancy dress went to Wayne Gedye, who completed the race in a scuba diving outﬁt.

XTERRA Racing

If you’re a competitive mountain biker but love trail running too then the XTERRA events are right up your alley. The full XTERRA events consist of a 3km trail run, 23km mountain bike and 7km trail run while the XTERRA Lite athletes take on a 3km trail run, followed by a 12.5km mountain bike and another 3km trail run. With so many of the weekend MTB festivals incorporating trail runs too it seems that there is a real blend between the sports. And why not, they both get you out onto the mountains and bush trails and offer so much more in terms of scenic enjoyment than their road based alternatives.

If the multi-sport bug has bitten you check out the next event on the XTERRA calendar, the Totalsports XTERRA Pezula. Both the full and the lite versions take place on Thursday the 04 July at the Pezula Private Estate, during the Knysna Oyster Festival. For more info visit: www.stillwatersports.com.

WWW.ROCKETSRANGE.COM

NEWSPORT MEDIA

Moonlight Mass

Every full moon the streets of the Cape Town CBD are taken over by thousands of cyclists, rollerbladers and skaters. They navigate a course from the walkway under the Green Point traffic circle, via Three Anchor Bay to Green Market Square. It started as a social experiment on Twitter by Daniel Graham (@ Cpt.Grimmy) and Elad Kirshenbaum (@eladkirshenbaum) and aims to raise awareness of cycling, and now other non-motorised transport, in urban spaces.

Get involved and tweet #moonlightmass. Next event: 23 June. www.moonlightmass.co.za

FS Buying 2nd Hand ...continued

Time to upgrade pays to be cautious. Avron suggests, if you don’t have a great deal of experience buying bikes, that you take a friend with good technical knowledge of bikes with you. From Full Sus we’d suggest you go with your gut, if the deal appears dodgy rather walk away. With that out of the way, let’s get you on the best bike for you at a reasonable price…

Supersize your wheels The first decision you’ll have to make is the obvious one. Yip you’re going to have to choose: 26er or 29er. In SA we’re distance bedonnerd. I blame the Comrades. Or maybe it’s in our national psyche, but we love ultra-distance events. And because of that if you’re going to be racing, or even just riding timed events, you’re going to need a 29er. As Martin de Gersigny, the first reader to submit a story to Full Sus, found out on the Makadas Overland Tour riding a 26er in a group of big wheelers is a nightmare. The advantages of the bigger wheels are much touted, but here they are again just in case: “less rolling friction, more comfortable ride, better obstacle rollover, better traction” and because of the extra weight they have a more rolling inertia. They not all positives however, and if you’re particularly short you can have a few troubles with getting a comfortable set up. Also big wheels are harder to manoeuvre in tight situations especially at low speeds and because of their inertia they require more energy to accelerate. Overall though, if you’re planning on taking on the stage racing scene then a 29er is the way to go. If you’re not going to be racing and are more likely to be found hitting the single track than pounding out the kilometres then you should consider a 26er rather. In North America and Europe where mountain bikers regularly take to the summer trails of ski resorts, the 26er still has a great deal of market value. Back here it’s not the case; publishing ed Shayne practically gave his beloved Cannondale leftie away in February, because the market for 26ers has fallen through the floor.

“IF YOU WANT A RACE READY MACHINE YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR IT, BUT THEN YOU’VE GOT THE RIGHT TO BE FASTIDIOUS.” 4

So it’s buyer’s market if you’re after a smaller wheeled bike. A quick glance through The Hub’s offerings suggest that you’ll be able to pick up a very well speced bike for between R8 000 for a Yeti AS-R and R15 000 for a Specialized Enduro Comp. But given Shayne’s experience, I’d suggest that you open negotiations lower that the asking price because while they’re getting plenty of views the bikes aren’t exactly ﬂying off the net. So if you don’t intend on riding long distances but rather want something fun to blast up and down the mountain on, for a reasonable price, I’d strongly suggest a 26er. But if you don’t want your mates to ride away from you while you’re doing a leisurely 30km ride along the jeep tracks of the Karoo, then you’re going to have to get a 29er. Again you’ve got a choice to make. Go hard tail if you don’t intend on making challenging descents or spending 3 hours plus at go on your bike. But if you’re drawn by your competitive South African nature to beat your neighbour in the next Wine2Whales, then you’d better go full sus. (I could hardly advise anything else could I?) You’re unfortunately not going to get the same quality specs as you would on a hard tail 29er or a full sus 26er. With a perusal of what the Hub has to offer I can tell you that you can expect to pay between R 17 500 for a 2011 Giant Anthem X29 and R 25 500 for PYGA ONETEN29. But in the second hand 29er market you have less power as a buyer so you’ll need to shop smart to come away with a deal. There are still some things in your favour, so you’d better keep reading…

get the right size for you. Then check the headtube and its immediate vicinity for cracks, dents or defects in the welds joining the head to top and down tubes, these are deal breakers. After that check the top and down tubes themselves for cracks or dents and check the welds. Remember carbon can be fixed, so a cracked full carbon frame might not be the end of the world. But you’ll have to check prices on getting it fixed or it might not be worth it. Next up check the fork and rear shock, ask to see the receipts for the last service and give the stanchions a thorough inspection, If they’ve got any chips or scratches they might well need to be replaced, which could get costly. Also check for leaks around the dust seals, which could signal a suspension rebuild. As for the rest, take the bike for a spin. If you’re feeling industrious you should even remove the wheels to get a better idea for the condition of the bearings. But with bearings, breaks, cranks, wheels, the bottom bracket and the drivetrain a slight noise, a bit of play or an occasional creak might not be the end of the world. It all depends on what you’re paying and how much you expect to replace after you’ve bought the bike. Remember some, unscrupulous, folks try to off load a bike just before it’s due an expensive drivetrain refit. So if there is any wear or play you could end up with a 3 Grand refit bill along with your first service to your newly purchased second hand machine. If you want a race ready bike

you’re going to have to pay for it, but then you’ve got the right to be fastidious. Speaking of which; if the bike doesn’t look well maintained, if there is a limited or absent service history, or if its drive train is dirty, it’s probably a sign of a careless owner. Either haggle him, or her, down or walk away. Chances are the layers of caked on mud are hiding serious problems. It’s like buying a car, if you’re shopping around for your kid’s ﬁrst motor – all-be-it a cheapy, you’re not going to accept an accident damaged vehicle which has been serviced in someone’s back yard. If you approach buying a bike with the same mind-set, the sellers might hate you but you’re less likely to come home with a dud you can’t unload.

Buying solo You as a buyer of a bike from an individual, selling via a private ad on the internet, are not deemed a consumer in terms of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) because the “particular goods or services are not marketed in the ordinary course of the supplier’s business”. It’s technically a grey area really because the act should protect you in any case of willing buyer – willing seller. But where there is language there is room for ambiguity and with some clever twisting you can be left bearing the brunt of a sale gone wrong. So you should consider buying from a bike shop which sells second hand bikes rather, as the CPA then has you covered.

CYCLE TRADERS

What warranty? While you get a fairly decent warranty with the purchase of your new bike, it’s unfortunately not transferable to the second owner, regardless of the number of years left on said warranty. Apparently the one of the few bike manufacturers that allows for warranty transfer on sale is the American boutique Calfee brand. Which is great, should you want a very nice looking, eco-friendly bamboo bike or a hand crafted carbon model. But having looked through their catalogue it seems unlikely you’d sell one on, as they’re almost more art than bike. But I digress; the lack of a warranty is one of the reasons why bikes depreciate faster than a French car. Stirling Senior’s advice is to buy a second hand bike that’s a bargain not a bike that’s a reasonable deal, for this very reason. The fact of the matter is that you should be buying a second hand bike to ride, preferably hard. But it should be at the right price and be the right ﬁt for you and your riding.

What to look for in a 2nd hand bike There are things you can overlook and things you can’t, but if you’re buying from an individual rather than a shop it’s always good to exercise the same caution you would when buying a used car. The frame is quite obviously the most important aspect. Firstly make sure you

Avron Sirin has been running Cycle Traders in Woodstock for 18 years and he specialises in quality pre-owned bikes. If you’ve got a bike to sell and don’t want to go through the hassle of posting and administrating an ad, or if you want to trade in our old model for an upgrade drop him a line at casirin@mweb.co.za or a call at 021 448 0812.

NATIONAL BICYCLE REGISTRY One of the thoughts behind the national bicycle registry is to create list of all (or at least as many as possible) stolen bikes in SA, then all cyclists purchasing a second hand bike can check the Stolen Bike list before taking ownership of their target bike. This minimises the risk of you purchasing a stolen bike and perpetuating bike thefts by inadvertently supporting criminals. Find out more by going to www.nbrza.co.za. The Bike Registry aims to list all Stolen Bikes in one public spot, so cyclists who want to buy a second hand bike can checks the Stolen Bike list before they buy. In time, a potential buyer of a second hand cycle could verify original ownership.

FS MTB Mecca

Moab Mountain Biking Heaven

y M ll ain e “S nT er u Th pS o M ra aS e” i’d e w rS : e v a k i y o B h M S up

1 “Try pipe dreams,” The people of Moab, Utah, are perverse, maybe evil, reckons David Bristow. Then again maybe it’s just something in the water. Photography by David Bristow. 6

advised the guys at Moab Cyclery, handing out to the five of us five spanking new Santa Cruz Tall Boy 29ers. We easily found the trail they had recommended for our first exploratory ride. The “pipe” traces a line along the ridge that runs all along the western side of town. It’s only 5 miles, or 8 km, and it never rises or falls more than 200 metres from start to end, but it took us nearly three hours to ride. In two weeks of riding some of the finest single track on Earth, it proved to be the most technically challenging ride of the trip. It’s probably a shared joke among the several bike shops in town that hire out bikes and provide transfers to the trail heads. The narrow path turns and twists tightly in and out of the crinkled rock folds, ducking and bucking down, over and through umpteen nasty little

divots in the ridge, edging along goatfooted edges and leaping with more faith than skill through crinkles and cracks in the terrain. The next day we over-compensated, riding a naff little trail figure of eight called Brands Trails; we could have done it with training wheels. Those two proved to be the two extremes of the tour (what goes on tour, stays on tour – like the skin and plasma I left behind on the Mesa Back trail). There are some universal classic rides that have helped to cement the reputation of Moab as the world epicenter of technical single-track riding. Slickrock is the go-to trail for just about everyone, so more about that later. Another is Poison Spider, located on the Big Mesa directly across the mighty Colorado River to the north of town. Forget Poison Spider the good people at Moab Cyclery advised, the new trail to test yourself on is Mesa Back, so we gave it our best. Our best

did not turn out to be good enough, but any day on your bike is better than a day in a chair. The other “must do” is Porcupine Ridge. Each day we hoped to give it a go, and each day we were told: “sorry, still too much snow”. We checked it out on YouTube and decided the locals really did know best: one slip there and you’re coyote pellets. So Porcupine Ridge eluded us, but the thighs and buttocks of sensuous sandstone that recline along the eastern side of town, waited to embrace us. By the time we hit the Slickrock we’d got into the intimate personality of the place and hit the sandpaper-like trail with our mojos working full bore. The name comes the fact that shod horses slip around this rock like glass slippers on ice. But mountain bike tyres stick to it like tyre goo in a thorn hole. The trail rocks and rolls and it gets really steep in places. It’s like riding waves,

MTB Mecca

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5 1 The sovereign Trails have been laid on out by volunteers on public lands, access on the basis of everyone behaving goodly. 2 Moab is Big sky and Big land country, just like in the old Western movies. 3 slickrock is like big-wave ride-surfing: wipeout here and you lose flesh, blood and maybe even bones. 4 southern utah is dry in two senses – a good place for rattlers and not so easy to find a beer (it’s the Mormons, you have to buy your booze in the state-owned liquor store). 5 Magnificent seven is an 18-km run down and around the lips of several interconnection canyons. Then you have to ride about 20 km back to town.

“One slip There anD yOu’re coyote pelletS” big waves – think Mavericks or Dungeons. Take a fall here and you’ll know the difference between a wipe out and wipe off (answer: skin). Each night we slithered back to our bunks at Pack Creek Ranch, resting on the lower slopes of the La Sal Mountains that were, in mid-March, still sleeping under a cold throw of snow. Moab is part has-been mining town, the hill sides all around pockmarked with mine shafts, and part adventure sport centre (mtb, road riding, rock climbing, river rafting). In contrast Pack Creek is your dream cowboy dude ranch complete with washing machine and tumble

drier and glass-enclosed, family-size hot tub with snowy mountain views. In the final analysis we all agreed it was the 18-km downhill run along the canyon edges of the Magnificent Seven that was the clear winner. It was never death defying but always heart-pumping single track bliss. Even the lactic acid ride out the canyon seemed like a great way to end a day of big fun. Within a 50 kilometre radius of town there are at least 50 distinct mtb trails, which must be more than anywhere else in the world. As I lay in the hot tub that evening, sucking on a cold Samuel Adams

Dark Ale, I chuckled while recalling a bumper sticker I’d seen on a Land Cruiser in Botswana: “Sell my mountain bike: I’d rather shove wasps up my arse.” I reckoned, while gazing wistfully up at the iced-up La Sal peaks, if you wanted a good place to die on your mountain bike, Moab would be a hard act to beat. When we found a rusting old sign in Woody’s Bar boasting that Moab was (or had been) the uranium mining centre of the world, we thought we might have found the root of the resident mischievousness: something in the water indeed, and also something in the rocks.

David Bristow is co-founder of the Spine of the Dragon, South Africa’s premiere MTB touring route (see the guide book, Riding the Spine of the Dragon, Random House Struik). He is also web master of Dragon Trax (www.dragontrax.co.za), a website under construction that aims at being the country’s go-to, free, repository of mountain biking GPS tracks.

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Karoo Trekking with Makadas

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The itinerary We caught an overland truck to Komdomo Camp near Patensie and then cycled to Montague over 8 days, with one rest day, from the 5th to the 13th of April. Makadas Adventures looked after all the catering and put us up in tented camps most nights with a night in the Willowmore Guest Lodge, to pamper the weary bodies.

Martin went along for the ride with the Makadas Adventures team on their dry run for the multi-day trips they’ve got in the pipeline and wanted to share his ride diary with you.

The ride The total distance to be covered was 649km in seven days averaging 92km a day with the longest day being 119km and the shortest 52km. Riding time varied between four and six hours a day. Most of the route was on rolling gravel roads with some river crossings and stony sections in the Baviaanskloof. Reports of the amount of climbing varied depending on which altimeter you used, but I can guarantee that the mountain passes tested your climbing. You needed to be pretty fit to complete the distance and although there were varying levels of ability most of the 23 riders finished the ride. But with the overland truck sweeping a welcome rescue for those wanting to hitch a lift wasn’t too far away.

Pre Ride Prep The simple task of packing went on late into the night. I spent a lot of time looking for that elusive number 15 spanner to remove the pedals and then trying to remember whether to loosen clockwise or the other way around. Trying to figure out how to fit a MTB into a bike bag without taking off the handlebars proved a challenge too. I also, had to figure out how much kit to pack. The wise rider would opt for a

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“What better way to spend nine days than to go on a MTB trip through the spectacular Baviaanskloof and the Karoo?”, asks Full Sus reader Martin de Gersigny?

clean set every day to avoid having to do any washing. The final task was to look at the profiles of each day’s route and imagine the prospect of what lay ahead on the ‘Tour’. After a few hours’ sleep everyone converged at the starting point in Brackenfell and climbed on the big overland truck before setting off on the N2 towards Patensie and eventually stopping at the Komdomo camp site. The critical tasks were to reassemble the MTB and take a crash course on how to erect the large tents (and remembering the steps so you could dismantle it the next morning).

DAY 1

Breakfast at 07:00 was an opportunity to stock up on some carbohydrates then slowly warm up along the road to the Tollgate. The 88km section included part of the annual Trans Baviaans race with 1390m of climbing. The first day was supposed to be the toughest, and not surprisingly it started with a hectic climb up a pass followed by a bone jarring descent along concrete jeep tracks. The scenery made up for the hardship of the climbing and the stony sections in between the river crossings though. From the outset there were clearly a handful of race snakes, who were determined to get to the daily finishes as fast as possible. If you couldn’t stay with them, you were on your own. Day 1 took me six hours and the turnoff to the Doringkloof bush camp was a sight for sore eyes. Even better though was the cool river to slide into for a muscle relieving swim. For the lucky few, compression tights were the answer for repairing the worn out legs.

DAY 2

The 91km ride to Willowmore Guest Lodge was another punishing test for the riders with enough climbing to keep the average speed down. But the swimming pool at the Lodge was just at the right temperature to cool down and revitalise the legs again for the next day. And the sit down dinner in the dining room that evening was greatly appreciated, as was the comfortable room for the night.

DAY 3

A cold front had arrived overnight bringing an unavoidable headwind that slowed us down to a painful crawl, even going downhill. Encouraged to increase my speed by the sight of a huge puff adder casually sliding across the road I rode alone for the 119km stage. The route profile was flatter than the previous day although this was not much help and I eventually reached the campsite just outside De Rust. The small pool at the campsite was freezing, so not much time was spent trying to sort out inflamed muscles.

DAY 4

The second day of the headwind tested the resolve of the riders as they decided to bunch together to make the 106km ride as easy as possible. The destination for the day was Uhuru Guest Lodge not far from Calitzdorp. Fortunately the threatening rain held off and what waited at the end was an indoor hot mineral spring water pool. Most of the afternoon was spent floating in the luxurious warmth of the iron oxide coloured water.

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DAY 5

Thankfully day six was a rest day and time to catch up on washing kit and servicing bikes. Lounging in the indoor hot pools seemed to be wise way to recover from the ﬁrst ﬁve days of riding.

DAY 7

ICS.CO WWW.O AKP

This was the shortest day of the tour with only 52km to cover and taking about three hours. The ﬁnal few downhill kilometres took us through the amazing Meiringspoort where the river crosses under the road at least 25 times. The destination was the tiny village of Van Wyksdorp, although unfortunately there was no pool at the ﬁnish this time.

DAY 6

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After a couple of wrong turns, the days ride ended close to the Warmwaterberg Hot Springs for an obligatory stop at Ronnies Sex Shop. The small dipping pool there was home to family of lucky frogs so swimming was reduced to dipping the feet only. Everyone forgot that spa was still three kilometres up the hill. The pools at the spa were outdoors and ranged from freezing to warm to hot. I got up early the next morning to enjoy the stars in the still dark sky from the warm pool.

HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 8

S.COM

The Makadas Overland Tour

AKPIC

The arid Karoo landscapes surrounded by the imposing mountains were memorable. The best part of each day was relaxing in the sun afterwards

.O WWW

The route on the last day passed through the Sanbona Game Reserve. At the gate we were informed that there were a couple of hungry lions hiding in the bush so not much riding was done on that section. The remaining rolling hills took us to the top of Ouberg Pas and ﬁnally a 20km time trial to the ﬁnish at the Montagu Springs spa. The bike packing saga started again and eventually the truck departed for Cape Town with 23 very weary riders.

with an ice cold beer and enjoying the satisfying feeling of the day’s accomplishment. The accommodation, catering and all round back-up complimented the experience and one that would be hard to forget.

Chilling b

y the poo

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e Karoo.

AKPICS.C WWW.O

Full Sus likes to keep you stoked and one of the best ways of doing that is getting you out and riding new trails in scenic places. The South African hinterland of the Karoo is a great place to explore on your bike. Riding places like Gamka Mountain, Die Hel, Anysberg and the Touwsberg are very much a different experience for most of us city dwellers. Go ride the landscape that inspired the likes of C.J. Langenhoven, Olive Schreiner and Thomas Hardy to wax lyrical, it might just inspire you to submit your own reader story to Full Sus.

Karoo MTB

FS Trails

r a t S e e v i h F in t g B r T M erbe

d e C

Jacques Marais is the author of Top MTB Trails, and will be keeping you up to speed with the best rides in SA. You can find out more at www.jacquesmarais.co.za

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Trails

Go on amber alert along the rugged Cederberg Wilderness mountain biking routes within the Sanddrift and Dwarsrivier region. They rock, reckons Jacques Marais. Photography by Jacques Marais.

this sweet little stretch until you reach the rather technical river crossing. Cross along the wooden boardwalk and rocks, then bear left to follow the old irrigation channel through the Rietgat camp site and onto the Main gravel road. Left here would be the quick way home, while right takes you 1.6km along an easy dirt road cruise to a copse of trees overhanging the road. Again, there is a trail marker directing you left onto a jeep-track meandering into the stony ridges. This section has a wild and remote feel to it, and if you were going slower you’d probably notice the Cape mountain leopard spoor. Pedal wild for just on 2km until you join the Lot’s Wife Trail, which (to the left) takes you back onto the Main road and the camp site, or (to the right) onto a single-track loop past an old pine plantation. The choice is yours - either circle back onto the Lot’s Wife single-track from here, or route-ﬁnd your way onto the Maltese Cross jeep-track, where you turn left to crank for 6km past the Cederberg Observatory. Both options are good fun, and will eventually bang you back onto the dirt drag about 3km from Sanddrif camp site.

ith a good 250 marked hiking routes in the Cederberg wilderness, this is a spot where hikers and trail runners have been going wild for yonks. Mountain bikers have also been part of the mix for ages, but other activities include ﬂy-ﬁshing on the Olifants River, wine tasting at Dwarsrivier Winery, or an evening of star-gazing at the Cederberg observatory, just down the road from Dwarsrivier. Most Saturday evenings see amateur astronomers from Cape Town presenting astronomy lectures and slide shows at this charming, open-air venue.

Trail Low-Down: There’s been a lot of work done on the Dwarsrivier MTB Route and, rather than a gloriﬁed gravel road with the odd bit of hiking trail, it now features some purpose built single-track to delight members of the fat-track tribe who do head here. Start off from Sanddrif Camp Site and crank the gravel road to Wolfberg Cracks parking lot (2km) via the Valley of the Red Gods. The road gets a bit rough from there, but if you continue for another 1km you‘ll reach a stand of pines where the trail swoops left onto a stretch of stony single-track which T-bones onto the Rietgat jeep-track. If you want, you could turn right here for a 6km circular loop back to the camp site, but what would the fun in that be? Rather judder right along the deteriorating jeep-track, persevering until you hit the contour single-track to your left at around the 5km mark (look out for the trail marker). Bomb

How to Get There: Follow the N7 north for 200km, continuing through Citrusdal. Turn right onto a gravel road 25km beyond the town at the Algeria sign to cross the Olifants River. Continue along this road to Algeria, then keep right for 48km past the forest station to Sanddrif.

SUS THE STATS

Cederberg Private Cellar

and single-track

Accommodation:

Map: Available from Sanddrif

The Sanddrif Holiday Resort

Clanwilliam

027 482 2827

at reception

you freeze. Enough said.

Facilities: Shop, wine sales, wood, ablution, camp site, cottages

GPS: 19º15’27”E / 32º30’14”S More info: Call 027 482 2825

Cell Reception: Poor

or www.cederbergwine.com

Citrusdal

Best Time of Year: In summer, you burn. In winter,

Cederberg

Eselbank Waterfalls

$ Wilderness Area

yC Uitkyk

Wolfberg Arch

yC Driehoek = Wolfberg Cracks = Sanddrif Resort Matjiesrivier NR tj Cederberg y C M a ie Maltese Cross yC Dwarsrivier =�º Cederberg 2 = Sneeuberg Krom = Nieuwoudt Farmhouses & Waterwheel Kromrivierå b åbCederberg u ee s

reception; trail is marked at junctions

Access: Conservation fee payable

tr a = Wuppertal ∫ ª åb = 'Veldskoen' Shoe Factory

www.mapstudio.co.za

u s

Brand kraal

Oasis

Start Point: Langebaan Park Gate Terrain: Gravel road, jeep-track

Historic Village Tra-

Post-Ride Beer: Forget the

beer and go wine tasting at the

= Heuningvlei Forest Station

-tra

6/14/23/31km

Beware of: Snakes; dehydration

T ra

in summer & snow in winter

Grading: Moderate to Difficult Duration: 2-3hrs Conﬁguration: Circular options –

Op die Berg

FS Houw Hoek Tour

The big 'O' GOes

stage riding

This was my first ever multi day mountain bike ride, writes Shayne Dowling, and it was with great expectations that I went back to enjoy what is probably some of the most stunning trails you will find in the Western Cape – and that’s saying something.

he really cool thing about the Houw Hoek Tour is that it’s super relaxed, brilliantly organised and really good fun! Oh and it’s also great value for money at R750 for the two day event, including a lekker sweatshirt and there’s always a little pressie in the goody bag, this year we got arm warmers – which should have been a little warning in itself. The two days are essentially the last two days of the Wine2Whales event without the major bumps and about 20km’s less a day, it is touted

The only way is up. The final climb from Hamilton russell to the Celebration Table.

as a non-competitive two day MTB stage ride – there is no timing done – and is the perfect introduction to a multiple day ride. Situated only 45 minutes from Cape Town with great accommodation and in a stunning area, the ride is quickly booked up. The field also has a lot more lady participants - which is great for motivation but hard on the ego as they power past you on the up hills. The first day leaves and returns to the Houw Hoek Inn, 50 kays of awesome Elgin Valley mountain

biking taking in the sublime single tracks of Thandi, Paul Cluver and Oak Valley all on one day! The skies were clear and despite each days start being at a very civilized 8am the sub 5deg temperature actually had you wishing for the first climb. It soon warmed up though and you’re quick to realise just how lucky the folks in these parts are, not only is the valley stupendously beautiful but they have four of the most awesome MTB rides in the province – this year the route never took in Lebanon but that’s just across the national road. One of the big thrills is the famed Pofadder, which was also left out this year but wily Johan Kriegler (owner and route designer of this event and the Wine2Whales) added a lekker wooden bridge aptly called the barrel run (the bridge is made from old red wine barrels!) that was a test for all. It resulted in some spectacular spills – sheesh how many times does one have to be told: “momentum is your friend!” The last section of the day was a choice of chicken run and a tame run home or one more little climb followed by some nasty switchbacks that really test your skills. Needless to say Big O and I took on the switchbacks and I can proudly say we kicked butt and with a big grin on my face finished the day styling – the same can’t be said for my riding partner who had a blow out and came in a little while later not too pleased with my desertion. Sorry bud! Dinner on the Saturday night is filled with war stories, catching up with mates and watching a presentation of the days vids and pics, of course it’s all the falls and graceless moments, isn’t it strange how these seem to get the biggest laughs and rounds of applause? There were some doozies though.

After a good night’s sleep despite our mate Dion from the “North’s” best attempts to involve all in another bottle of the local red, we set off in a chilly 1deg celcius, and headed straight down the old wapad from Houw Hoek to Bot Rivier. 10kms that pass in a flash but if there is a reason to do this race this is it. A jeep track that sees no traffic, is gnarly but easily ridden no matter your acumen, the only thing that varies is how quick you want to go – and the best fun is fast! Before you’ve wiped the frozen tears from your eyes you’re at the bottom and tackling rolling hills on private land that leads into single track cut especially for this and the Wine2Whales, it is also exclusively accessible on these rides, making it even more special. The day is fantastic. It is never too taxing despite a couple of steep sections up to the Hemel en Aarde valley – another great wine area that is stupendously beautiful. The last water point is interesting because as you arrive you see a lot of riders staring and pointing up! And up it is; the final little bugger up to the Walker Bay lookout from Hamilton Russell, not too long but steep and within 5kms of the end so it is a nice little challenge. There are three rewards awaiting you at the top though: the stunning view over the picturesque sea town of Hermanus, the downhill run to the finish line at Hermanuspietersfontein Winery and most importantly the Celebration Table at the top and a nice glass of fruity Sauvignon Blanc courtesy of Newton Johnson wines. The proper Cape way to celebrate a really chilled and stunning ride! Jislaaik Johan, only one thing: that chick on the mike is a little to hectic for us laid back okes.

GIVING BACK:

WWW.oakpICs.Com

Most of the route marshals were kids from Lebanon Village – the old forestry stations/village that lies forgotten just off the N2. A few kids were caught stealing while pushing slower riders up the hills on the Wine2Whales and rather than have them arrested, Johan approached the village and suggested a working mutually beneficial solution. The guilty parties plus a number more from the village were seconded to work on the rides as marshals and to also helping Johan’s Cape Trails team with building single tracks – Johan not only is teaching these youngsters valuable skills and lessons, giving them some pocket The view from the money, but if they stay with the project they each get a brand new Walker Bay lookout... BMX. Once again mountain biking making a difference to the communities it touches – big up to Johan and his team!

THe VALLey sTupeNdOusLy BeAuTIfuL ANd THey HAVe fOur Of THe MOsT aweSOme mTb rideS IN THe prOVINCe shayne took the new iON prO AIr Wi-fi along for the ride and made a video of the experience, check it out on the full sus youTube channel.

Responsibility

mountain bike

chaRIty

Rider’s challenge

Riding for charity on the 2012 Ride the Rhino

n 2013 the “PPA and Claremont Rotary shared over R5.5 million in Cycle Tour proceeds” for example, while their 63 associated charities have raised millions for their various causes through their association with the Cycle Tour. In purely MTB terms the Epic and the Sani2C probably lead the way in terms of cash raised for charity, with the 2013 Epic associated charities raising over 3 million rand through the event. While the Sani raised a massive R7.8 million in 2012, in addition to the estimated 31 million Rand that the event generates for the KZN region through rider spending, and 2013 is set to top these already impressive figures. But it’s not just about the volume of cash, and there is a vast difference between an event being established as a vehicle to raise funds or awareness for a charity, or simply allowing charities to associate themselves with the event. Both are surely worthy of praise, but events like Ride the Rhino and the Wild Ride which are specifically geared, first and foremost, towards raising funds for charity deserve more than just a doff of the cap. Ride the Rhino aims to improve the financial position of the Renosterveld Trust which looks after the Cape Floristic Kingdom, with the main focus

siya njiva doing his bit on the Wild Ride

the Renosterveld trust The trust aims to inform and educate the public to increase the number of people actively involved in saving the Renosterveld. You can get involved by: • By donating funds • By donating land for rehabilitation • By taking part in conservation activities such as hacking (eradicating foreign plant species). • or by simply spreading the word and supporting our cause. for more information or to get involved you can email them at info@renosterveld.org

on the endangered Renosterveld habitat. Currently “less than 2% of Renosterveld vegetation types are formally conserved, making these some of the most threatened types of vegetation in the world.” The Rhino doesn’t just raise funds for the conservation of the Renosterveld – and it’s 1 700 endemic plant species, and countless unique birds and insects – however, they also help Ons Nessie, the Darling Outreach Foundation, and !Khwa ttu raise funds for the essential work they do. The former helps children from local disadvantaged families in the Darling area, while the latter helps “restore and display San heritage, culture, folklore, visual arts, cosmology and languages.” Ride the Rhino also provides for the animal that arguably gave the veld, and therefore the race its name, by donating to the Fairy Glen Rhino Fund which looks after a couple of rhinos named Lady and Higgins. Both of these rhinos had their horns

www.jOnivinS.COM

South African mass participation sports events have long been vehicles for charity. Our nation’s flagship events like the Cycle Tour and the Comrades Marathon raising millions for charity directly and even more indirectly. MTB has taken a leaf out of these great events’ books writes Seamus Allardice.

tragically hacked off by poachers and the race organisers, Renosterveld Events, are currently raising funds to pay for Higgins’s eye surgery to repair the eye damage caused during the traumatic removal of his horn. Like the Rhino, the Imana Wild Ride has a massive social consciousness, which is very heartening to see. The event organisers, together with title sponsor Imana Foods, have worked closely with the community in building classrooms and providing improved learning facilities for the children of one of South Africa’s poorest areas. Through generous donations from the riders, which have been channelled through the Wild Ride Education Company (WREC), proceeds raised from the event have built 22 classrooms by the end of 2012. Although, initially reluctant to share their discovery of mountain biking along this beautiful, unspoilt stretch of wild coast, farmers Steve Stamp

Take the Rider’s Challenge and sponsor a child’s education, it’s one of the surest ways to help improve South Africa. The Wild Coast region of the Eastern Cape is one of the most beautiful regions in the country but its children suffer due to a lack of educational infrastructure. You don’t have to ride the Wild Ride to help out, get involved in the Rider’s Challenge. go to www.wildride.co.za and click to the ‘Rider’s challenge’ section to find out how.

and Glen Haw launched the Imana Wild Ride in 2000. Their aim of creating the event was to responsibly organise an eco-adventure, promote the conservation of and tourism in the highly ecologically sensitive Wild Coast, and develop by co-involving the local population, improved awareness of the natural assets of the area. As the race evolved, the WREC was officially registered at the end of 2005 and the first two classrooms were built in Elliotdale (Tongani school) and Willowvale (Mgcawezulu school). A combined effort between the race participants, Imana Foods, the race organisers and the WREC, a total of over two million Rand have been channelled directly back into the communities in building classrooms and providing educational needs to over thirty-six schools touched by the Imana Wild Ride. In the May issue of Full Sus we asked if stage races were too expensive and one of the reader’s response cuts poignantly to the heart of not only the cost of stage races issue, but also to the core of the charitable work some of the races do. Talking about the Wild Ride he answered that for him, “stage races are too expensive, where they don't involve the community and plough the proceeds back into the local communities, but where the locals are involved and where they see a profit in the cyclists riding through their communities, they cannot be too expensive.”

“EvEnts lIkE RIdE thE RhIno and thE WIld RIdE aRE spEcIfIcally gEaREd toWaRds RaIsIng funds foR chaRIty.” 15

FS AmaRider

Open Access Only ride open trails, stresses AmaRider’s Meurant Botha. Because the “trails are open unless otherwise signposted” approach riders take to land access, is infuriating land owners.

he standard response we face in land access meetings are that riders are generally inconsiderate, ‘ride everywhere they want’ and when confronted have the gall to become aggressive and even abusive towards landowners. The worst is that, as advocacy groups, we cannot defend the above and generally revert to writing it off as the 15% spectrum of society people that simply never will comply. This is not acceptable. As responsible trail users we need to be proactive in understanding which of our local trails or access routes are legal and further have a responsibility to keep fellow users in check. Unfortunately trespassing is rife and in many areas, think Stellenbosch wine estates, landowners are generally fed up. A further trend that we have picked up on is that certain riders training for certain big rides suddenly have certain access rights bestowed on them because “I have to train for XYZ!” Contrary to popular belief, the fact that you have parted with your life savings, financed a new bike and that your wife is considering taking the kids and moving back to her mothers’ does not give you a land access gold card. We accept that many riders obtain individual permissions from farmer friends, but be careful that your ‘friends’ do not abuse this concession and get you in a difficult position with your connection. It happens all the time. While trespassing is a major issue the much worse crime in the eyes of trail owners and managers, is the issue of “poaching”. Yes, again some of our bicycle brothers and sisters believe that while the fact that someone has gone to the effort to negotiate land access and built R150 000 of singletrack should be commended, it does not really require the need to purchase a permit to contribute to said trail system. This practice equates to stealing, there is no other way to put it. Please support those that make the effort to

“I

develop riding areas and contribute towards the upkeep and maintenance of these wonderful sites.

“Are you trespassing on your favourite piece of single track?”

So how do I make my bootleg trail legal? The first step is to determine who owns the land. This is not always straight forward especially if government properties are involved. The best advice is to approach a well-established neighbour and ask him/her. Depending on the ownership status, you then need to decide on the best approach. In our experience there are invariably certain ownership statuses that is just plain difficult to deal with. Think Department of Public works, conservation agencies or large corporates. A quick call or email to AmaRider can point you towards the right strategy. Decide whether the effort is worthwhile or if a better, less bureaucratic route option might not be a better short term approach. Always put yourself in the landowners’ shoes. Avoid routes that pass homesteads (dogs, privacy etc) or busy operational zones like farm yards, pack sheds or mills. Some places like broilers have stringent restrictions on movement to avoid the transference of disease. Any sort of granted access will expose the involved parties to liability and it is important that this is addressed from the outset. Again, AmaRider can help with risk management plans and insurance advice and cover. Getting an access agreement in place is a major milestone for any trail project and basically outlines the expectations of both user and landowner and governs the terms of use of the land. It always helps to get political. For urban projects it makes sense to approach the local school with a mountain bike club to get involved. Schools always have strong community support and this fact is one of the primary reasons AmaRider is involved with the Spur Schools MTB League.

Have you ever heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Well it is, reiterates Full Sus’s resident dietician Alex Blair.

reakfast literally means ‘Breaking the fast’. Your body has been fasting all night and you need to eat or drink something in order to get your sugar levels back to normal. Breakfast provides your body with energy and nutrients in order to help you get through the morning. Eating breakfast before a workout will help to put glycogen back into your muscles and also help with muscle recovery. Include protein and carbohydrates into your breakfast. If you do more than 2 workouts per day, a recovery breakfast is very important.

don’t have time for breakfast?

Many sites have subsequently opened to riding because the schools involved benefit from the access. Don’t get involved in an access agreement if you expect results tomorrow. It requires individuals and groups with ‘staying power’ and in many cases red tape is designed to determine competency and commitment to process and gives the land manager confidence that he/she is dealing with the correct partner.

MBA' S Ru l e#1:

ReSpecT TRAIl And ROAd clOSuReS — ASk A lAnd mAnAgeR fOR clARIfIcATIOn If yOu ARe unceRTAIn AbOuT The STATuS Of A TRAIl. dO nOT TReSpASS On pRIvATe lAnd. ObTAIn peRmITS OR OTheR 16 AuThORIzATIOn AS RequIRed.”

breakfast for champions

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 021 884 4547 or info@amarider.co.za or visit the website at www.amarider.co.za.

Pack breakfast the night before and take it with you in the morning. Peanut butter sandwiches and fruit are a great option.

breakfast Ideas: • greek yoghurt with low gI cereal. • Rye toast with peanut butter. • Oats with banana and skim milk. • fruit smoothie with skim milk powder (or whey protein powder). • low gI pita bread with low fat cottage cheese, hummus, chicken and veggies.

“RATHER THAN SKIPPING THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY, INCLUDE IT AS PART OF YOUR DAILY ROUTINE”

Nutrition

SUS THE granola recipe Here’s a trusted recipe for Honey Nut Granola which is sure to power you up for the day. The recipe makes 10½ cup servings. Ingredients: 3 cups rolled oats

1/3 cup honey

1 cup chopped almonds

1/3 cup canola oil

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup dried fruit (cut into pieces)

1 cup skim milk powder

½ cup sesame and sunﬂower seeds ½ cup ﬂaxseed powder

What to look for in your cereal?

Method: In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, cinnamon, powdered milk and seeds. In a saucepan, combine the honey and oil. Heat until almost boiling. Pour the honey mixture over the oats mixture and stir well. Spread the mixture onto 2 large well-greased baking sheets. Bake at 150 °C for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. After the granola has cooled, add the dried fruit and ﬂaxseed powder. Store in an airtight container.

Nutritional information (per ½ cup): 1386 Kilojoules, 40 g Carbohydrates, 10 g Protein and 14 g Fat.

• Make sure that it has less than 3 grams or less of fat per serving. • Your cereal should have less than 250 mg of sodium per serving. • 5 g or more of ﬁbre per serving. • 8 g or less of sugar per serving. • At least 25 % for the Daily Value of Iron. • Check the ingredients list. Sugar should not be listed in the ﬁrst 3 ingredients. So rather than skipping the most important meal of the day, include it as part of your daily routine.

Alex Blair is a registered dietician, working out of the 360 Specialized Training Gym in Woodstock. She specialises in Sports’ Nutrition, Diabetes, Hypertension, High Cholesterol and Weight Loss. Find her on Facebook at Alex Blair Dietician or email nutrition@fullsus.co.za.

photo of the month into ing r go it of e p o u co. o Co purs Tim red in ser and the h Sau was p ttak isto h C r n the A o

Oak Pics 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. Contact them at www.oakpics.com or 021 854 8723

FS Bike review SUS THE GEOMETRY Medium Frame Size = 17.5 inches BOOTH c29s ( measurements in mm or °) Seat Tube ..................445 Top Tube .................... 570 Head tube angle 71.5° Seat tube angle 73.5° Wheelbase .............1077 Rear centre ................445 BB drop .........................60 Head tube length..100

Reach ........................... 420 Stack ............................660

It’s good to know All Booth bikes come with a 2 year service plan and a lifetime warranty on the frame.

Bike review

Bang for your buck!

A full carbon 29er is on the wishlist of most mountain bikers. Shayne Dowling got hold of the local Booth c29s and put it through its paces to discover if it is the value for money its seems.

“IF YOU’RE ROB BOOTH YOU SAY F^%* IT: YOU BRING IN YOUR OWN FRAME, SPEC IT YOURSELF, AND STICK YOUR NAME ON IT FOR GOOD MEASURE”

o you look at upgrading and you want to get onto a carbon 29er and then you look at your bank balance and realise this is not going to happen anytime soon. Well if you’re Rob Booth you say f^%* it, and you bring in your own frame, spec it yourself, spend less than half of what you saw and – what the hell – stick your name on it for good measure. The result is that Rob’s mates said “we want one!” and Booth was born. The Booth 29 is a full carbon bike, with carbon seatpost, stem and bar, full XT drivetrain and brakes (that are deadly by the way), sporting a Rockshock Reba fork and Fox CTD shock as standard guise. Of course Rob will put any spec you like on the bike and so you don’t think that Booth offers only the 29er, he was busy with a Booth 650B hardtail build when we picked up the test bike, that weighs in at a meagre 8.3kgs. Rob makes it quite clear that he builds bikes for folks who want a great bike at a good price, that is reliable and that will suit most people. It is not aimed at race snakes and will quite easily take the larger rider – the Stans Arch Ex rims standing testament to this. It became apparent quickly that the Booth was most at home climbing – the geometry of the bike combined with the stiffness of the single pivot suspensions system and the excellent Fox CTD ensures that climbing just feels easier. The relative lightness combined with these factors also lends itself to jeep tracks or cruising those long dirt roads in the Karoo. Hitting the single tracks and gnarly sections were the only challenge I had, the front end feels a lot “looser” than my usual ride, it was really twitchy and I also found it hard on my hands. In fairness this was also to do with dialling in the front shock and it got better as Rob corrected my setup and we played with the shock rebound. Also being used to a wider bar it took a few runs but I was to speed and running the single tracks at good pace. The Booth C29s is a great bike. It is what it is, nothing ﬂashy, well thought out components, tough enough for us big boned Saffers and perfect for most types of riding but in particular the cross country long hauls that we love tackling.

FS Stirling Revolution

1O true stories

rew me c s o t t n a If you w ou come into the ty . I sugges e foreplayfifirst som shop for

from most Bike Shops

StiRli n Senio g R

Here is Stirling Senior’s list of things that drive bike shop owners crazy (Full Sus will organise a prize for anyone who can do all ten to Senior and film it). Bike shops have all types of customers. Most of them are fun people who love cycling. Some are demanding. A few are pedantic. Others thrive on discounts. Many just want to shoot the breeze. Some regulars come in practically every day for bike-related 'fix'. We have great relationships with our customers. Quite simply, without them we have no business. But sometimes a customer comes along and tests your good nature...

The Stirling Revolution Bio The father and son combo of Stirling senior and junior are avid cyclists and owners of a local bike shop in Cape Town. In their monthly column they’ll be offering their uniquely phrased views on the ins and outs of mountain biking from negotiating a discount to locating that weird noise your bike keeps making, but won’t make when you take it to the workshop, they’ll cover it. Stirling Kotze, aka Stirling Senior Years in the saddle: 27 Favourite ride/trail: Table Mountain, Cape Town Recurring MtB nightmare: Dirty, worn chains

if you have any questions for the Stirlings send an email to sussed@fullsus.co.za and we’ll get them to answer on the Full Sus Facebook page www.facebook.com/fullsussa.

1. First time biker/prospective buyer comes accompanied by a know-it-all mate who talks rubbish and the salesperson cannot tell him his talking crap because he doesn't want to offend the first time buyer. I surreptitiously slip the first-time biker a business card as I shake his hand goodbye. 2. Saturday morning Dads spending 'quality' time with the little ones who (running, screaming, touching, crying, hiding and seeking) in turn chase the regulars and new customers away and convert the shop staff into kindergarten minders. I hide away in the toilet and fret about becoming a grandparent. 3. Customer brings his bike in for repair without making a booking and confidently declares that 'the repair is pretty simple, won't take long and shouldn't cost much'. I advise him to repair it himself as I am sure he'll manage, he'll have the time and it will be much cheaper than our fee.

4. It's an always-busy Saturday and the phone rings. The stranger on the other side says his buying a second-hand bike (a cheap brand we don't sell) from his mate and he proceeds to discuss the bike, his aspirations, his high school bike, his finances, his weight problem, his difficult wife and finally what do I think of the bike and how much is it worth and will I check the bike

out for him first thing on Monday morning. So I arrive at work at 11am on Monday.

5. Guy phones in and asks the price on a Super Duper 26 Trail bike. I tell him it's R13 000 on special from R26 000 thinking he is gonna love this deal. He tells me he has phoned around and already has a price of R12 500 including tubeless from Budget Cycles. I tell him to go to said bike shop before they go bankrupt. 6. It's Friday around 4pm and a stranger brings his wheel in for a new tubeless tyre and he urgently needs it at 5pm. We do it. Five o'clock comes and goes. A month comes and goes. Six months come and go. We sell the wheel and the tyre. We suspect the customer is in jail or has left the country. Or he has converted his bike to a unicycle! 7. Mr Tight buys a tube, complains about the R40 price, turns his bike upside down, borrows tyre levers and floor pump, blocks the passageway and proceeds to fit the tube which

takes him half an hour. Next day he is back as he has pinched the tube and starts the process all over again. I send him outside to do the tube fitting. Happily, for me, it's raining. Hard.

8. Sexy Mom buys a spare tube for the Argus. Finishes Argus. Sexy Mom brings tube back and asks for refund. 'Why should I refund you' I ask incredulously. 'I didn't use it' says she. I tell her to take it to Woolworths for a refund. 9. Mr Rich buys his Super Dooper 29'er in the States: “cheaper, you know?” Has it serviced at Paddy O'Toole's Cycles: “More convenient, you see.” Breaks his frame. Comes to us for the warranty claim: “You're the Super Duper dealer, I understand.” I give him a form to complete, ask him for his proof of purchase, to bring back the frame only and to pay for the courier fees. “Why?” he asks indignantly. “Oh” I answer, “because it’s cheaper and more convenient for me, you understand!”

1O. My FavOurite phOne call Caller: How much is your Super Dooper Comp? Me: the RRP is R30 000, actually R29 999. Caller: i know that, but what is the best price for me? Me: Have we met before? Caller: no Me: Well i don’t do phone sex. Caller: Silent, then some heavy breathing Me: if you want to screw me i suggest you come into the shop for some foreplay first. Phone: Dialling tone Me: off to help a customer while smiling from ear to ear.

ASS-Savers

Gear

Ever had a sudden cloud burst soak you through on a ride? The aptly, if crudely named, Ass-Savers will keep your backside and lower back free of mud and water splatter from your rear tire. It clips quickly onto the rails of your saddle, without needing any tools, and weights only 15g. It can be folded up for the occasional cloud burst and refolded when it dries up again, and is good for 10 000 folds. At the end of its functional lifespan it’s recyclable. RRP R89. www.bbtraiding.co.za

iON AIR PRO WiFi

With the advent of digital photography and cinematography it’s become increasingly easy to capture our greatest moments for posterity. The latest offering, from the extreme camera gurus at iON, provides you with the ability to do just that, no matter the location or atmospheric conditions. iON has been around internationally for a while now, but it made its debut on the SA scene late last year and the truly impressive AIR PRO WiFi is designed to blow its competitors out the water. Its tubular shape is less obtrusive, when mounted on your bars or helmet, and the fact that the camera is built into its casing means the lens will never fog up. The camera was designed with action sports in mind, so it’s easy to operate, even with gloved fingers. It powers on with a forward shifting switch, which starts the full HD recording and has a separate push button with which you can take 5 megapixel photos, so you won’t get home to find you’ve taken a photo every 0.5 seconds rather than recording a video as you intended. The iON AIR PRO WiFi stores two files for every video it records, a full HD and a lower resolution version, which is perfect for immediate publishing to the net through your smart phone or tablet. The WiFi connectivity and iON CAMERA App allows you to wirelessly preview your shots and a full interface with which you can change all the settings and update firmware or remote control the camera. All these impressive features come in a 128 gram device and the camera is packaged with an impressive array of mounts and adapters. It’s available from selected Cape Union Mart, Due South and Sportsmans Warehouse stores for a RRP of R4 599. For more info go to www.iontheaction.co.za, or keep an eye on Full Sus’s Facebook page where we’ll be posting photos and videos from events.

GEAR

Bryton Cardio 60R

Make this multi-sport GPS watch your training companion and keep on top of your training progress or race pace. It even supports triathlon activities, should you take on an xterra event. It’s got a super long battery life especially for endurance events and allows for programmable interval workouts, with vibration and sound alerts to let you know how you’re faring. It offers 6 customisable pages, which can each display up to 4 data factors, and allows for dedicated lap info pages so you can compare your lap performance while taking on a training loop. To ﬁnd out more, or to download data management tools visit www.brytonsport.com. RRP R3 570.

sugru

This is a must have for around the house or on the bike for those quick fixes or product reinventions to keep you going. Sugru is a malleable, play-dough like, substance which sets to a silicone rubber overnight. It bonds to virtually anything from metal alloys to woods and plastic, and is designed to allow you to fix or modify your gear that isn’t quite working for you. Mountain biking applications include protective sleeves for your chain stay, buffers to avoid cable friction on your frame, or attachments for your camera or GPS, and I’m sure a whole host more. It’s the ideal addition to your kit bag for those overnight quick fixes on a stage race. For some of the weird and wonderful uses of sugru, Google WTF is sugru and watch the video or visit www.sugru.com.

cSixx Chain Guides

With his roots ﬁrmly in the downhill scene, most of Mark Hopkins’s cSixx products are directed at the gravity market, but the super light XC Guide and Doubler Guide are designed to keep your trail or cross country bike rolling. The XC is designed for single drive trains and weighs only 50 grams in its direct mount guise, while the Doubler is slightly heavier due to the inclusion of a unique stepped slider with stainless steel separator plate to keep your dual ring drive train running smoothly. Both will keep your drive train tracking even in the roughest terrain. Prices start from R755 for the XC Guide HD Mount and you can ﬁnd out more at www.csixx.com

Perspektiv Daypack

If you’re too keen a photographer to leave your DSLR at home and need a way of transporting it, safely, while on a ride look no further than the Thule Perspektiv™ Daypack. The unique removable pod system provides storage for a DSLR camera with a wide angle lens and 2 additional lenses or a lens and ﬂash. The pod is designed to ﬁt in a hotel safe, so you can leave your camera gear in a safe if you’re going to attempt a particularly technical ride. The Daypack features a waist strap, breathable shoulder straps and makes provision for personal items like ID, a jacket and sunglasses. RRP R2 699 www.thule.com.

FS The David George E XP ERIE N CE

Drop that granny gear

David George sees it all too often and it’s the advice he gives regularly out on the trails. Get rid of the triple ring on your 29er. For those of you already gasping for the granny ring I will try to explain why it’s a relic from the past! Triple rings (42, 32, 22) were originally configured for 26inch wheels where the largest cog on the rear cassette was a 32 so there was a real need for the granny gear up front to tackle the more extreme ascents. As the technology progressed from 8 to 10, now 11, speed on the cassette there was more space available to include bigger 34 and 36 cogs out back, diminishing the need for such a small ring on the crank. Enter 2 x 10 set ups and closer gear ratios, achieved by having only two rings up front but essentially the same top and bottom ends as previously achieved with the traditional triple ring. Only with less gear duplication and much closer ratios allowing for less extreme shifting upfront and much better gear anticipation. Chain wear and breakages are most often result of aggressive shifting upfront. Enter the 29er and the bigger wheel standard of choice by most novice and experienced professional mountain bikers today. The bigger wheel presents a slightly larger gear ratio allowing for smaller rings up front and even tighter gear ratios. A combination of your weekend warrior shocked by the thought of losing the beloved granny gear and perhaps a lack of education in the industry, remarkably the triple remains available through most brands today. People still request it so it still gets sold. As consequence of having the triple

ring to accommodate dear granny it means you also have to be able to pedal a 42 tooth chainring upfront. Nowadays where the gear of choice by most pro’s, on 29ers up front is a 38 or less it is very unlikely that novices will have enough power to push a 42 and often end up spending most of their ride either over or under geared in the 32. To confuse you all completely the latest revolution is SRAM’s 1x11. I say revolution because that’s exactly what it is. Eliminating the front derailleur completely SRAM have reengineered the chainring to alternating thick and thin tooth profiles to keep the chain where it’s supposed to be and prevent derailment. Coupled with a total rethink of the rear derailleur and the inclusion of a massive 42 tooth cog at the high end of the cassette, it presents the simplest MTB format yet. Before you panic about the gear ratios, the front chainring is easily changed to allow for more than enough options depending on your strength or the type of riding you will be doing. The jump in cogs is exactly the same as the existing 11-36 cassettes except the 11 gets dropped for a 10 and a 42 gets slapped on the end. Closer gear ratios will drastically improve your ride quality and performance on the trails through better and smoother gear anticipation on technical routes and hopefully higher cadence for better efficiency. Hopefully you managed to follow the tech speak for those of you that remain confused see the gear chart. Or just go straight to 1x11 which is sure to be industry standard shortly.

David George made his name as a roadie and since switching his slicks for knobblies he has clocked up many miles at the sharp end of the racing pack. He’ll be sharing his extensive biking knowledge with Full Sus readers in his monthly column.

Gear Inch Charts These charts from Sheldon Brown’s website (www.sheldonbrown.com) provide the gear inches of each chainring cog pairing to illustrate the effectiveness of the 1x11 cassettes. Take a look at the comparative cranking power you’d get running a double chainring set-up in your lowest gear (24 Chainring/36 Cog) vs the 1x11 set-up with a 28 tooth Chainring and a 42 tooth cog in the cassette. Similarly see the peak speed output for the various single chainring options compared to the doubles.

HIGH/Low GEars For DoubLE rInGs CoG CHaInrInG 24

63.3

68.5

73.8

100.2

102.8

110.7

62.8

67.7

91.8

94.3

101.5

24.9

26.9

39.4

40.4

43.5

21.8

23.6

25.4

34.4

35.3

38.1

19.3

20.9

22.6

30.6

31.4

33.8

CoG

HIGH/Low GEars For 1x11 CHaInrInG 28

81.2

92.8

98.6

104.4

110.2

67.7

72.5

77.3

82.2

91.8

25.4

27.2

30.8

32.6

34.4

22.6

24.2

25.8

27.4

30.6

19.3

20.7

22.1

23.5

24.9

26.2

Gear Inches? The term comes from the number of rotations per second of an old fixed crank Penny-Farthing. With fixed gears your exerted force went directly to the wheels the bigger your wheel the faster you went at the same cadence. With the introduction of gearing in bicycles, the term came into effect as you could now crank a 28 inch wheel at the same cadence and achieve the same speed as someone on a 60 inch Penny-Farthing. Simply put, a bike geared at 60 gear inches advances the bike with one revolution of the pedals the distance that a 60 inch wheel would in one revolution.

May results MTN Clarens National Ultra Marathon MTB - 4 May MEn’s 103kM LaDIEs’ 74kM

Sani2C Adventure - 15 to 17 May MEn’s

LaDIEs’

1 Max knox 04:18:17 2 nico bell 04:18:49 3 stefan sahm (GEr) 04:20:08’

samantha sanders 03:14’51’’ Christine Jansen van rensburg 03:17:08 amy Mcdougall 03:21:05

Sani2C Trail - 14 to 16 May MEn’s

LaDIEs’

1 kikker1 - karl Hansen & Thor Hansen (10:43:19) 2 PErI 4 - Leendert Lorenzen & Jacques Van Zyl (10:54:57) 3 ‘4 wheels a worm and a Horndog’ Justin Hornsby & Darryl Irvine (11:21:45)

1 Team woolleys - Caroline woollam & Pamela wilson (15:47:53) 2 sG26 - Donielle Dampier & Catherine Jenkins (16:15:39) 3 Cleats and Cleavages - Elizna wiese & Hilke rode (16:25:36)

1 Cycle Lab East London - billy Flattery & Jason Peach (11:20:20) 2 Druff Concept - Daniel newman & Thinus redelinghuys(11:48:54) 3 Double G – owen Green & Donovan Le Cok (11:53:03)

1 outback riders - alisha Myers & Claudia schonitz (15:04:43) 2 Fresh to Go - Joanie kift & Heila Meintjes (15:17:54) 3 nanuJa - Gavin Fietze & kwang Jeon Lee (15:29:44)

Sani2C Race - 16 to 18 May MEn’s

LaDIEs’

1 EaI westvaal - Max knox & nico bell (9:44:50) 2 FedGroup Itec 1 - brandon stewart & neil Macdonald (9:46:19) 3 Team Contego Giant - Louis-bresler knipe & Gert Heyns (9:49:02)

1 Team biogen Ladies - Ischen stopforth & robyn De Groot (11:32:52) 2 bizhub ladies - Catherine williamson & yolandi Du Toit (11:54:16) 3 FedGroup Itec 3 - bridgette stewart & Jackie Moore (12:51:48)

Classifieds

fullsus Classifieds AdvertiSe

in the classified section of full sus and reach over 24 000 MTB readers through a circulation of over 12 500 newspapers distributed countrywide through +140 bike shops and selected events every month!

Houw Hoek Inn offers elegant comfort set in a lush countryside, with loads of facilities and activities for you to enjoy.

Tel: +27 (0) 28 284 9646

houwhoek@iafrica.com

www.houwhoekinn.co.za

The 60 x 112.5mm size is bigger than the traditional classified at a great price. and if you’re a local Bike shop that great price is even further reduced! The classifieds offers you the opportunity to broadcast your specials, highlight the unique products you stock and attract new customers. To advertise in the full sus classifieds give Julia a call on 021 685 0285/6 or drop her an email at

fullsus julia@integratedmedia.co.za.

e r e h e S i t r e v d oA

dmedia.co.za

julia@integrate p her an email at

5 0285/6 or dro

021 68 Contact Julia on

June Must do events 15 – 17 June: Rooiberger MTB Weekend

17 June: Nine-to-Five MTB Team Relay

29 June: Pick ‘n Pay Argus Rotary Knysna Cycle Tour

30 June: The Burry Stander Sardine Classic

Taking place at the Calitzdorp Spa, in heart of the Klein Karoo, the Rooiberger MTB Weekend now also features a cross country race and two trail running distances, so you can bring your non riding friend along too. The MTB side of things features a choice of a 93km Enduro, 45km ride and a 15km fun ride on Saturday the 15th and a 32km time trial on Sunday the 16th. The cross country event takes place on Sunday too and with Monday the 17th being a public holiday you can take part in the 17 or 7km trail run before you head home. www.rooiberger.co.za.

Come take part in the 9 to 5 relay at Delvera Farm where you’ll be able to test your endurance levels by attempting to finish as many 7km laps as possible in the 8-hour cut-off-time. The route is easy enough for riders across all levels and fast laps will ensure lots of activity in the transition area. Riders can participate in three categories: solo, teams of two or teams of four. for more information email info@dirtopia.co.za, or phone 021 884 4752, entries close on the 12th of June.

Join in the Oyster eating fun at the annual Knysna festival celebrating the aphrodisiac shellfish, and then maybe go for a little bike ride. The festival is spread across 10 days with the cycling events taking place in the last weekend of June and the marathon and half marathon taking place in the first weekend of July, with an Xterra event (amongst a host of other sporting events) in between. The MTB events feature 15km, 30km, 50km and 80km options and you can find out more at www.knysnacycle.co.za.

The Clearwater Trail Centre have renamed their Sardine Classic in honour of the local hero and last year’s winner. The race takes place from the Port Edward Holiday Resort and entries close on the 26th of June. The 42km takes place on Sunday the 30th, but there are also 20 and 10km MTB options and a couple of trail runs on the Saturday too. Last year’s main event was described as technical and adventurous, so it should serve as a good test of your fitness and skill. It’s a ROAG administrated event so you can enter online by going to www.roag.co.za.

CALENDAR SUS the best of JULY 6 13 20 21 28

MPUMALANGA Das Auto 2. Mankele Avalanche Stage Race. Spur School Series # 2. Jock MTB Race & Hill Climb. Forever Resort Badplaas MTB Stage Race. Nissan National Marathon & Half Marathon # 7.

GAUTENG 6 Nissan Trailseeker #2. Bryton Buffalo MTB Challenge. 13 Spur High School MTB League #2. 14 Kia Walkerville MTB Classic. 20 Bryton Lion MTB Challenge. 27 Thaba Toughee Tow MTB.

KZN Halfway Toyota Illovo Sugar Challenge. Stihl Umko Classic. MTN National MTB Series – Hilton. Hluhluwe Rhino MTB Charge. Bonitas/Mondi iMfolozi MTB Challenge. Gateway Gauntlet MTB Challenge.

13 14 20 27

WESTERN CAPE X Lakes Winter MTB. Bastille Festival MTB Classic. Trastevere Wolseley MTB Challenge. Die Burger MTB Challenge.

7 14 20 21 27

EASTERN CAPE 20 SA Champs, XCO & DHI. 28 Jikileza Wet & Wild MTB. Limpopo 27 Save the Rhino 2 day MTB.

August

Race Calendar MPUMALANGA 3 Krokodilpoort MTB Challenge. 10 Das Auto 3. 17 Spur School Series # 3. LIMPOPO 1 Fedhealth Tour de Tuli. 10 Legend Gorge MTB. Akkedis MTB Race. 16 MTN Tour of legends MTB. 31 Lente Trap. 3 4 10 11 17 18

21 24 25 26

KZN Illove Eston MTB Marathon. Illovo Eston MTB Challenge. aQuelle Tour de Krantz. Varsity College Pirates MTB Classic. South Coast Hospice Classic. Rhino Adventure Ride. Cowan House Super Classic. Mondi Grantleigh MTB Challenge. Grantleigh Challenge. UCI Masters World Championships XCO/DHI. Howick Highlander MTB Challenge. Zululand Country Club MTB Challenge. UCI MTB XCO & DH World Championships.

GAUTENG 3 Voortrekker Monument MTB Challenge 2. USN MTB Cup Race # 5. Tuine Trap Challenge. 7 Moonlight MTB Series 32. 10 Babbas Lodge MTB Super Series 1 . Bryton Vori - Berg MTB Series 4. Randfontein EPR MTB Challenge. 14 Moonlight MTB Series 33. 17 Anatomic High School Series Tour se Dam. 18 Bedworth Centre & ArcelorMittal MTB. 21 Moonlight MTB Series 34. 24 Varsity College Enduro. Auto Alpina Springs 93.9 MTB Cycle Race. Bryton Rhino MTB Challenge. 25 Jozi2kozi. 28 Moonlight MTB Series 35. 31 The Magalies Adventure Stage Race. The Vlei 24 hour. Fountains Cycle MTB Race. Roodeplaat Challenge.

4 9 11 17 31

EASTERN CAPE Foolish Frenzy Night Race at Woodridge. Stormsriver Traverse. Shaw Park Pineapple Mountain Bike Endurance Race. Trans Baviaans 24hr Marathon. Zuurberg 2 day Festival.

NORTHERN CAPE 16 Schmidtsdriff MTB Race. WESTERN CAPE 9 Great Brak Grabadoo. Inner Mountain Ladies MTB Tour. 10 Spur High School MTB League #3. Swellendam Canola Festival. 17 Swartland MTB. 18 Oude Molen Distillery MTB Challenge. 31 Spur High School MTB League – Final. Agri Herold Landbou Fees. Ideafruit Bergﬁetsresies. NORTH WEST 18 Best Med Lost City MTB Classic. Marico MTB Classic - Groot Marico. 25 CANSA Lost City MTB Event . Redstone MTB Race #4.

Mpumalanga

Eastern Cape

Limpopo

Western Cape

Northern Cape

KZN

Gauteng

North West

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