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a ride before or after work is good for the soul M A
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Is it really May already? Things have really got going quickly this year with the Spring Classics come and gone, the DH World Cup underway after an exciting first round in South Africa and the Enduro World series also got off to a great start in Chile. The longer days, as always have made a huge difference to everyone who enjoys cycling, a ride before or after work is good for the soul and life is just more fun when you can ride your bike more often.
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08 CONSUMER EVENTS
INTRO
GO TIME! It's spring and the World Cup DH has kicked off and the Enduro World Series is under way, so there's no better time to get out on the bike.
Get the latest news on all the Hotlines events lined up over summer. We'll be present at all the major races and there's details of the MY2015 UK bike launch.
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03 CONTENTS 06 NEWS
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BRAND FOCUS
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This month we take a look at Blackspire. Founded in 1985 in BC this is a company offering world class products whilst sticking true to their roots.
14 PRODUCT FOCUS
Get all the latest info from WTB's UK Enduro Team riders Gary Forrest & Rob Williams who are already ranking high on the Enduro circuit both at home & abroad.
23 SPONSORED RIDER 18 MAGAZINE REVIEWS
We have reviews from What MTB, Dirt, MBUK and MBR covering some great products perfect for some summer riding. [04]
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Spring is here and with it comes more news from the Hotlines calendar. We have a number of consumer events planned allowing riders to get out on the latest products for 2014. We'll be present at this years Enduro World Series in addition to a number of other key events. We have details of the MY2015 UK bike launch allowing you the best chance to get a look at new products first hand.
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CONS -U M E R EVENTS As well as supporting dealer demo days with our fleet of Lapierre, GHOST and Nukeproof demo bikes this year we will also be attending a select few public events to promote the Nukeproof brand across Europe.
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ENDURO WORLD SERIES
28th May-1st June There is much excitement surrounding the arrival of the first Enduro World Series event to the UK. Hotlines will be present with the Nukeproof range for members of the public to come and see the bikes and components. We will also have Nukeproof team endure racer Greg Callaghan, the WTB Enduro team, Wideopen/Nukeproof team rider Mark Scott and a selection of staff from the office racing the event so if you are planning to be there be sure to stop by the Nukeproof booth and say hello!
iXS DIRT MASTERS 28th May-1st June On the same weekend as the EWS Germanys biggest bike festival kicks off at Winterberg bike park in Germany. The iXS Dirt Masters event attracts in excess of 40,000 visitors over the weekend and hosts everything from Enduro, to Slopestyle, 4X and DH races. Hotlines will be present to support Radstaad on of our german dealers with a good representation of the range.
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5th-8th June The Fort William World Cup is now a classic event, offering excitement, incredible racing and access to the sports biggest stars. Hotlines will again be present as the official Leatt support for riders in the event as well as showing the range for the public. In addition this year we will have a Nukeproof display area showing the bikes that Sam Hill and co will be racing on the hill over the weekend.
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BRAND
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Blackspire was born at the foot of the North shore Mountains in South Western British Columbia in 1985. Although they are the largest manufacturer of bicycle accessories in North America, they retain an aspect of a small niche business with its focus firmly grounded in producing quality, reliable and creative products with great attention to detail.
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Every last component is manufactured with loving care and attention.
Blackspire was born at the foot of the North shore Mountains in South Western British Columbia in 1985. Although they are the largest manufacturer of bicycle accessories in North America, they retain an aspect of a small niche business with its focus firmly grounded in producing quality, reliable and creative products with great attention to detail. The same can be said for how they source the raw materials used in production. Every last component is manufactured with loving care and attention from aircraft grade aluminium.
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Blackspire are particularly well known for creating “problem solving” components. Need a very specific fitting for your chain device, can’t find a chainring to fit your SRAM XO cranks, want a bash guard for your narrow/wide chainring setup? Chances are Blackspire will have a quality product that’ll solve your problem at a reasonable price.
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In focus this month is everything from clothing to saddle and even ecologically aware tyre sealant...We look at the latest riding gear from iXS, the Steve Peat endorsed WTB Volt saddle and Joe's Eco sealant.
PRODUCT FOCUS
PRODUCT FOCUS
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iXS CLOTHING & PROTECTION With some fantastic products in their line up, including the popular Trail RS helmet, there is something something to suit most riders needs.
iXS is a quality Swiss clothing and protection brand with an ever increasing presence in the UK market. With some fantastic products in their line up, including the popular Trail RS helmet, there is something to suit most riders needs. Here are a few key products from the MY14 clothing range;
MISTERI JERSEY
The Misteri is a casual fit jersey packed with handy features, including an integrated lense wipe and MP3 zip pocket with ear phone guides. 100% Polyester, it wicks moisture and dries incredibly quickly leaving no hint of body sweat odour. This is the same jersey as worn by Nukeproof Enduro Factory Team rider Greg Callaghan for the 2014 season. With an RRP of £41.99 this is a brilliant addition to any rider’s wardrobe.
Asper BC shorts
A sturdy and solid all mountain short with a Velcro waist adjuster and stretch panel on the back. Mesh lining and air vent system on the thighs provide great breathability for high performance, with two zip closure front pockets and two side pockets on the legs. In both black and red colour ways and with an RRP of £84.99 makes these shorts a multifunctional all-rounder for any mountainbiker.
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WTB VOLT SADDLE Keep your eyes peeled for a brand new ad campaign featuring none other than MTB legend Steve Peat. Wilderness Trial Bikes have been honing their skills since 1982 across their impressive range of components and one such item is the Volt saddle. The next evolution in the WTB saddle range, it features Thin Line style compact padding (featured also on the Silverado and Devo) a slight whale tail and gentle drop to the nose to provide something to push against on those big climbs. With five saddles in the range, there are price points to suit any bike build. Keep your eyes peeled for a brand new ad campaign featuring none other than MTB legend Steve Peat who is a convert to the new WTB Volt saddle.
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Volt SLT RAIL: Titanium COLOUR: White WEIGHT: 220g DETAILS: Kevlar corners, Comfort Zone, DNA padding, Nylon fibre cover RRP: £109.99
Volt Pro RAIL: Ni-Cro COLOUR: White WEIGHT: 246g DETAILS: Kevlar corners, Comfort Zone, DNA padding, Synthetic cover RRP: £59.99
Volt Team RAIL: Titanium COLOUR: Black WEIGHT: 229g DETAILS: Kevlar corners, Comfort Zone, DNA padding, Leather cover RRP: £89.99
Volt Race RAIL: Cromoly COLOUR: Black WEIGHT: 287g DETAILS: ABR corners, Comfort Zone, DNA padding, Synthetic cover RRP: £39.99
Volt Comp SE RAIL: Satin Black Steel COLOUR: Black WEIGHT: 310g DETAILS: Comfort Zone, Vinyl cover, RRP: £19.99
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JOE'S ECO SEALANT Joe's No-Flats provides the bicycle market with the world’s most effective anti-puncture sealant, both latex based and latex free, with self-sealing inner tubes, tubeless conversion kits, lubricants based on the most advanced Nano Technolog y, bio degreasers and cleaners. Hailed as the dawning of a new generation in puncture prevention, Joe's Eco Sealant is 100% latex, ammonium and protein free. It has been specifically developed for light tubeless tyres that have thinner side walls and micro sealing particles help block holes (up to 6mm) faster and more permanently.
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MAGAZINE
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R E V I E W S
DIRT/MBR/MBUK/ WhatMTB/
REVIEWS
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NUKEPROOF review the PULSE PRO In just a few short years Nukeproof have managed to make quite a name for themselves, and they’ve made some great bikes at the same time. We liked their first foray into the world of DH, the Scalp, but with the help of feedback from their world class team they managed to come up with something even better; this Pulse. Both the geometry and suspension are better than ever, and the ability to adjust the chainstay length by 10mm allows for a bit of personal fine-tuning. As ever, this Nukeproof comes complete with some top-notch components and a price tag that gives a lot of the competition something to worry about. The Pulse is a bike that is definitely capable of winning a World Cup.
the pulse is a bike that is definitely capable of winning a world cup. [18]
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JOE'S ECO review TYRE SEALANT Riding bikes is supposedly a pretty 'green' thing to do, but often that's not really the case. One way of readdressing the balance though is to use this new tubeless sealant from Joe's No-flats which are ammonium, protein and latex free (unlike standard No-flats). Apparently all those things are pretty evil and whatever this is made from is far friendlier. Of course it wouldn't be much use if it didn't work though, but Joe's reckon this stuff is just as effective as their standard sealant, and that's saying something because that stuff is easily some of the best on the market. It's not that cheap considering there's only enough in a bottle to do two decent sized tyres at best, but hey can you put a price on those fluffy bunnies' lives?
this stuff is just as effective as their standard sealant, and that's saying something.
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REVIEWS
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WTB VOLT PRO review the SADDLE WTB categorises the Volt as a road or cross-country MTB saddle, but we found that it covered much more ground than that. We took it on long hacks, short blasts, technical climbs and drops, and it performed admirably for all of them. The combination of thin padding for efficiency with a curvaceous shape for comfort just seems to add up to a saddle that can do everything pretty darn well. A dropped nose makes steep climbing a breeze, while the upturned tail gives a terrific platform to push against when the effort needs to be turned up, holding your backside in nicely without being so high as to impede dropping off the back. The deep 'Love Channel' central groove gives some room to prevent your family jewels from numbing up, while panels of hard-wearing fabric on the sides as well as a tough synthetic cover add up to a very durable product, ably resistant to everyday wear and tear. The price is competitive, and while the rails are not titanium, the weight is comfortably mid-test.
We took it on long hacks, short blasts, technical climbs and drops and it performed admirably for all of them.
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LEATT KNEE review the GUARD 3DF Leatt might be best known, for its neck braces, but the company does a full range of joint armour too. These are very light with a high-wicking, Coolmax-like mesh rear panel behind your knees to keep the temperature down, while the pre-shaped shell is reinforced with tough Aramid threads throughout to help resist abrasion. Silicone grippers help keep them put. Protection is provided by impact foam on the kneecap and a tiny bit of padding at the top and side of the knee. That might not sound much, but they meet all necessary safety standards. These pads are noticeably cooler in use than the others on test, something helped by the combination of minimal padding, lightweight backing and just a single strap around the top of the thigh. The lack of other straps keeps bulk down, and makes no difference to how well they stayed in place while riding. No, you don't feel as 'strapped in' as you do with some of the others, but it made no functional difference during a testing crash - they stayed firmly in place. They're keenly priced and there's a good range of sizes, which even go down to a kids' model.
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Light, breathable and incredibly unobtrusive protection.
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MANITOU review the MATTOC PRO WE WERE LUCKY to get a European exclusive first test of Manitou's new downhill influenced Mattoc. If its initial performance lasts, it looks like it should be a cost effective, high control winner. The 35mm legged, reverse arch chassis is slightly heavy and its narrow stance means it's adequately rather than dramatically stiff. The push in, quarter turn, cam close Hexlock 15mm axle is potentially the fastest around, but there's a real knack to working it. The dual-chamber air spring technology comes straight from Manitou's Dorado DH fork and offers a great mix of supple start and supportive mid stroke that gives great traction without obvious dive. The end stroke gets separate hydraulic bottom-out adjustment and a rubber bumper to control the final few millimetres. Advanced fork fettlers will love the separate high - and low-speed compression damping adjustment, though the subtle changes make tuning patience a virtue. The lowspeed adjustment stops short of full lockout but that means you don't sacrifice any small bump traction. As the Mattoc is new, reliability is unproven, but Dorados have a good reputation and so far it's an outstanding fork for the money.
The dual chamber air spring technology...offers a great mix of supple start and supportive mid stroke.
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Sponsored riders
WTB UK
ENDURO TEAM
GARY FORREST
& ROB WILLIAMS
Back in March we were pleased to announce the introduction of the WTB UK Enduro team. Two talented Elite riders who will be racing on custom built Lapierre Spicy Team bikes adorned in the latest goods from WTB. Since the announcement, both Gary Forrest and Rob Williams have been settling into their bikes and getting some seriously good results under their belts in the opening races of the season. They also managed to squeeze in a little introductory edit of the team, filmed on Gary and Rob’s local trails in Scotland and Wales. [23]
We managed to tear them away from their bikes for 5 minutes and asked them a little bit about themselves;
GA R Y FO R RES T Date of birth: 06-09-1986 Hometown: Peebles, Scottish Borders.
Robert W il l ia m s
First ever mountainbike: GT Arrowhead.
Date of birth: 16/01/1990
Best memory riding a bike? My favourite memory on a bike was probably a trip with and a couple of pals a few years ago to a quiet place on the Italian coast where the riding was amazing.
Hometown: Ynysddu, South East Wales.
Best result in your riding career to date? Best result was in 2011 when I was the first ever winner of the Elite British Gravity Enduro Series. Also, at the Val D’Isere EWS last year when I was 11th place after the first day. In your opinion, what makes a good Enduro rider? A good enduro rider is someone who is adaptable to all sorts of terrain and can read trails that they haven’t ridden much. Fitness is also a massive factor.
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First ever mountainbike: Raleigh Max. Best memory riding a bike? It was before my mates and I could drive and spending epic days out hucking everything. Best result in your riding career to date? 4th place Fox Enduro Lousa, in Portugal last year. In your opinion, what makes a good Enduro rider? Someone who is consistently fast in all conditions and a strong set of legs.
Favorite trail to ride in the world: The Madonna trail in Finale Liguria, Italy.
Favorite trail to ride in the world? My local track when the sun is out.
Skids or wheelies? Skids all day long.
Skids or wheelies? Skids.
Hopes and aspirations for 2014:? I definitely want to get a top 10 at my home (Tweedlove) EWS this year and hopefully get in the top 20 overall in the series.
Hopes and aspirations for 2014? To better my results from last year and keep working towards winning more races.
Both the guys have a busy race schedule ahead of them this year, but you can keep up to date with their season over on Facebook and Twitter. [24]
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