Landscape Magazine #25

issue #25 - winter 2018 free magazine

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The best trails of the alps ..................

TO THE VIDEOS: signature-trails.com

a product from:

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PROEM ISSUE #25 - WINTER 2018

So.... here we were on a pretty nice day trying to decide which way we want to go with our baby girl. And by baby girl I mean this magazine. She was born from passion and love for man powered wheels and we loved here to death. But like in every family we had our share of difficulties and our little baby turned into a monster.

We lost control and soon she detached herself from our happy home. She soon started drinking and eventually turned to drugs and we felt like we lost here forever.

It was time for an intervention! And this was the day.

But brainstorming for a couple of weeks and then talking about the magazine on this sunny day we soon realized that she could not be saved. She was never going to be the daughter we imagined here to be. And as good parents we had to make a very tough decision. The famous painter Pablo Picasso once said: “Every art of creation is first an act of destruction” and we are sad to announce that our baby girl….. our out of control monster…. our Landscape Magazine will be the subject of this destruction and be put to sleep forever. It hurts but in the end it is best for all of us. Especially for her.

So it has come to this 25th and final issue of Landscape magazine. That’s right.

The last one…. But something is cooking and is just about done. Something big and burly. Something out of control….. but this time in a good way! We could have gone with a cheesy Arnold Schwarzenegger quote, but you catch our drift right?

Stay tuned

COVER

Photo: Maarten Essers Rider: Maurice Cörvers

PROEM

Text: Ilja van Bommel Radon Slide 160 Test. . . . . . . 06-07 Durolux World Tour. . . . . . . 10-19 Throwing shit . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Evoc Enduro Backpack test. 24-25 Sospel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-39 Spank Vibrocor test . . . . . . . 42-43 Feld Am See. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48-51 MET Parachure test . . . . . . . 54-55

COLoFoN General manager Maarten Essers Editors Dennis Leidelmeijer Ilja van Bommel Fabian Kutsch Maarten Essers German Staff Fabian Kutsch Felix Fy Hens Philipp Heise Alex Deych French Staff Xavier Torchon Graphic Designer Dennis Leidelmeijer Photography coordinator Ilja van Bommel Contributors Christop Bösl Remy Vroonen Urs Golling General contact info@landscape-magazine.com Editor contact maarten@landscape-magazine.com Advertising sales@landscape-magazine.com Digital LS Mag www.landscape-magazine.com Thanks for everything Jonathan (John) Broms & Vincent Rocher, Jason Sellers, Steven Vijverman. issue #25- 3 /88

RADON

SLIDE 160 Writer: Dennis Leidelmeijer Photo: Stefan Jansen

I had the pleasure to ride the Radon Slide 160 for a full season and a bit more . I have been riding it for almost a complete year from rain and mud to sun and dust and back again . I have tried to throw anything I could find at the bike . From short after work rides , to long all day tours and from trail- & bike park to epic rides high up the mountains .

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FULL SEASON TEST But first, what kind of bike do we have here and how is it build?

The parts:

Both the frame and rear triangle are constructed out of carbon with aluminium inserts at the pivots. All the hosing is run through the main frame. There are no tubes inside the frame so replacing a gear cable or brake hoses can be a pain in the ass.

Fork Rock Shox Pike RCT3, 2P, tapered, QR15

The finishing of the frame is done very well, no comments here. The paintjob on this frame is very bright and it has a mat finish. But there are brighter options available if you like.

THE RIdE Climbing Well what can you expect from a 160mm enduro bike? That it would climb better as on a downhill bike but less well as a cross-country bike. Right in between! That’s where you can position the Slide 160. Because of the low weight of the bike (13.kg with pedals) it handles climbing quite well for a 160mm travel bike. Because of the use of a four bar linkage system you have a little loss of power but you can eliminate it by flipping the switch on the Rockshox Monarch Debonair. When the climb gets a bit steeper I noticed that I was losing a bit of traction on the front wheel. So on the steeper climbs I had to lower the fork in travel so I would have a bit more weight on the front of the bike.

Descending This is where the bike really shines in my opinion. As soon as you pick up a bit of speed the bikes eats anything in it’s way. Despite the long wheelbase it felt really playful and nimble. Even on the tight technical trails you find in some trail parks. It does give you a good confidence boost and pushes you to go faster and steeper.

Headset

Acros integrated tapered

Rear Shock

Rock Shox Monarch Plus RC3, Debon Air, 216mm

Brakes

Sram Guide RS, Avid Centerline, 180/180mm

Stem

Race Face Atlas

Handlebar

Race Face Turbine 31,8, 760mm, 0.5 Rise

Grips

Ergon GE1 SD

Seatpost

Rock Shox Reverb Stealth 31,6 x 420mm

Crankset

Sram XO1, 175mm, 30T

Bottom Bracket

FSA Special Pressfit

Gear Shifters

Sram X.O

Cassette

Sram XG-1180. 11-speed, 10-42

Chain

Sram PC-XX1, 11-speed

Tyres

Schwalbe Hans Dampf, 27.5x2.35

Wheelset DT Swiss XM 1501 Spline 27.5, QR15/X12 Chain Guide

MRP 1.X, low direct

I really liked the bike and it made me think a couple of times: why do I still own a downhill bike?

Rounding things up: Issues I had a couple of issues with the right side of the chainstay pivot coming loose. But after cleaning the bolts and threads and treating them with a bit of Loctite the problem was solved. Radon explained afterwards it was a fault with the assembly and it is solved by know. So no problems with it any more!

The verdict I really liked the bike and because of it I almost didn’t touch my downhill bike. Overall a great bike and I can recommend it to everyone who is searching for a trail bike with a bit more travel. And especially with prices starting from €3399 it is put within reach of most budgets!

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DUROLUX

WORLD TOUR The SRSUNTOUR DUROLUX World Tour brings the top Enduro, Downhill , and Freeriders together to go riding. It ' s a rare sight to see such diverse riders shredding for the pure fun of it. Their bikes are set up with SRSUNTOUR's singlecrown freeride fork for this sole purpose . It ' s the jaw dropping DUROLUX,

the new rowdy.

The attendance list reads like a whoĂ­s who of the freeride and downhill scene: Mike Hopkins, Canada. Freeride legend, six times Red Bull Rampage rider /// Mitch Chubey, Canada. Multiple times participant at Rampage /// Garett Buehler, Canada. Freeride star known from movies like Where the trail ends and Builder, also a Rampage rider several times over /// Guido Tschugg, the German 4X, DH and freeride legend. Only German participant at Red Bull Rampage so far /// Benoit Coulanges, French World Cup downhill rider /// Max Gast, youngster from the enduro scene /// Eliott Lapotre, a further hopeful junior freerider from France /// Vincent Pernin, freeride legend from France // Kurt Sorge, winner of Red Bull Rampage 2015 /// Brett Tippie the freeride legend /// Mark Matthews, Rampage rider and known from multiple freeride movies.

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Extreme ties all these riders together. Some ride extremely fast, some take on extreme jumps while others ride extreme lines with huge drops.

They are not known for going easy on their equipment. Rowdy by name, rowdy by nature.

Our service team is of course part of the tour and in France; we even stop at the Suspension Tuning Centre to check all the athletes` forks.

The tough DUROLUX contains the DNA of our Rampage and World Cup fork RUX and since itĂ­s a single crown fork, itĂ­s incredibly versatile meaning you can climb and shred trails. It is the perfect partner for the trails in Bellingham WA, USA or Squamish BC, Canada. There are literally hundreds of kilometres of trails. Riding the DUROLUX means we can tackle every gradient, we don`t need shuttle or lifts.

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At the Coast Gravity Park, Sunshine Coast BC, the DUROLUX feels right at home. We gratefully accept the shuttle to save our legs for the immense jumps on the way down. WeĂ­ve got huge, well-built jumps in Europe too, none more so than in Swiss Chaumont.

However, Les Arcs, down in the French Alps, represents a true acid test for the DUROLUX. Everything is extremely steep. Normally the domain of double crown forks; the DUROLUX cheerfully clears everything; we have the photos and videos to prove it to you. These photos document our road trip, helping to keep the memories flickering long after the trip is over.

For those of you who could not follow us online,

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THE NEW ROWDY

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Z > /< ^ &KZ Z > Z/ Z^

ǁǁǁ͘ďĂŶƐŚĞĞďŝŬĞƐ͘ĐŽŵ issue #25 - 22 /88

ǁǁǁ͘ĨĂĐĞŬ͘ĐŽŵͬďĂŶƐŚĞĞďŝŬĞƐ

T

SHIT

G N I W T HR O BY HAT ER

Freakin’ Tow balls!

Do you freaking tow balls ever think before putting more and more trash on a mountainbike?

One of this mind blowing inventions is the 2€ pipe insulation, relabelled and sold for 200€ to add 200g of weight to your wheels to resolve all the grip and snake bite issues which came with badly engineered casing in form and material. And instead of putting a working tire (which really exist from some brands) on the bike, you mess around with all that shit. Another nice piece of shit are forks and dampers that need to be tuned to work properly. Some even get complete aftermarket dampers to work how they should in the first place! Never before there was so much shit sold to people who just believe in what they read somewhere. Just follow the most stupid cow mob to fab the money from.

Now believe this, tow balls: you do not need a mountainbike for going down this new flow country marble runs! Your grannies city bike would do the job perfectly with its high riser, slack head angle and enormous wheelbase. Because of you, the mountainbike parks become so lame that often there is only one or even no track left for mountainbikers. Sounds crazy, and it is! Learn this, tow balls! If you want to wear shoes, learn to fasten them. Velcro is no option! There are a lot of experienced riders out there who will help you with riding skills and material.

Listen to them, not the internet, idiots!

NE W NOOKIE ROGUE SERIES AVAIL ABLE . ORDER YOUR S NOW!

WWW.NOOKIEBIKES.CO.UK Rider: Yannick Romswinckel

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EVOC

ENDURO FR TEAM BACKPACK Writer: Dennis Leidelmeijer

Evoc is with us (bikers) for several years now and has made quite a big name. Especially with their backpacks within the enduro scene.

Probably because their packs come in several sizes, colors and options. But I think; mostly because of the integrated back protector (CE-certified) which they offer on the bigger sizes.

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REVIEWED

It doesn’t feel as restrictive as a normal back protector and on hot days you can throw it of easily. You can even separate the protector from the pack for the easier trails. I have done it once but for me the backpack felt better with the protector in it because it is giving the pack a bit of extra sturdiness.

The pack comes, of course, with two shoulder straps, a chest strap with emergency whistle and padded hip straps so you can wear the pack/protector close to your back.

The pack comes with one main compartment (from where you could remove the protector) with a compartment and velcro-straps for a hydration-system, a top compartment that is lined with some sort of microfiber to store your glasses or even a goggle. The top compartment contains also two netted pockets; one with a hook to secure your car keys to your bag. The smaller, lower compartment contains several pockets. 1 lined with tough plastic and a velcro closure for your tools, a netted one with a zipper, 3 smaller netted for small stuff and 2 bigger to use, for example, for tubes.

The 3 smaller netted were torn on the first day I used the pack and could be constructed a bit stronger. Besides that small issue the bag is very well constructed and comes with a lot of space and storing options.

On the outside you have the option to attach a helmet and with some straps on the bottom part your shin/knee guards. On the hip belt there is a small zipped pocket for spare money or a lift pass. I used it for storing my Gopro.

On the side of the pack you can store two water bottles or anything else you could fit in there.

Besides the failure of the netted pockets it’s a great pack. It sits really well while riding and I even used it on one of my “normal” holidays. If I would buy a new bag it probably will be one of Evoc. The chance is big it will be a black one because the light green and yellow one I have tested is hard to keep clean in the mud of the Netherlands and Germany where I ride mostly.

There is one more thing I did find a bit strange. The bag didn’t come with a hydration-system. The pack comes with a price tag of €190,- and in my opinion that should include a bladder.

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SOSpEL

MA BELLE Text: Christoph Bösl | Photo’s: Remy Vroonen & Urs Golling

That the Maritime Alps are particularly inviting when it comes to mountain biking, is probably no longer a secret today. From Genova along the Via Aurelia, nearly anywhere between the mediterranean coast and the rising hills and mountains, you can park your car, grab your bike and start pedaling. The chance of encountering an attractive path or sweet trail is as good as guaranteed.

About a decade ago, you could bike around Finale Ligure, Italy, and personally high five every other biker out there.

The birth place of the European Freeride mountain biking has always been in tune with the times; but its breakthrough as mountain bike community hotspot truely happened when the Enduro World Series chose this beautiful Ligurian coast town as a race location.

Today Finale Ligure is known all over the place and can get truly crowded, making it a little less attractive. Nevertheless I still like going there, probably also out of a kind of nostalgia about those early days in this bike mecca: I cherish that first deep breath I take every time I arrive there. The clear blue sea, the beautifully glowing hillsides of Le Manie, the scent of freshly ground Giovannacci beans at Finalborgo‘s main square, knowing the endless network of trails that await and feeling the welcoming atmosphere towards bikers.

That‘s why our hearts were pounding in our chests, the moment we decided to actually pass by Finale and drive on as far as across the border, leaving our beloved Italy and entering neighbouring country France. Right after that border, about 20 kilometers up the winding roads north from lemon town Menton, lies Sospel.

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For much travelled mountain bikers the town might have been a known hidden secret all along, most definitely for the participants of the Trans-Provence, the rally-style race with headquarters in Sospel.

However, I was curious to discover something new and also hoping to find that something to be kind of pristine and wild.

The planned private trip for two turned into a testing round with the new SRSuntour Durolux 27.5 Boost and the new TRIAir Piggy Back suspension. On board with me I had Tom Öhler, and Harald Philipp and Vicent Pernin joined us later on. Günter of Bergstolz magazine had travelled there two days earlier and already started checking out the trails he found on Trailforks and RideSospel, excitedly sending us pictures over and over again, more or less forcing us to quit wasting time in front of the computer, pack our things and start driving.

The weather around the Maritime Alps had been remarkably unstable in the last weeks. The forecast for the next days wasn‘t too encouraging either. So we arrived around 9 PM, long after nightfall, in the pouring rain and bitter cold temperatures for this time of year. We managed to find a place that would still serve us a hot meal this late. The host was super friendly and visibly happy to be able to fill up two tables at this time of night. Not more than three French guests, appearing to be regular customers, were still around.

After a short „planning meeting“ for the next days, we went back into our chalets at Camping Madeleine, about two to three kilometers higher up from Sospel in the direction of Moulinet.

The next morning treated us more friendly with a breakfast on the veranda, mounting forks and setting up suspension in the sun. Only five other camper vans were stationed across the mediumsized space with pool - and this around Pentecost, a time when the camping sites in Finale are usually packed with bikers.

The trails are spread out like a spider web around Sospel, at 350 meters above sea level. In every direction you find many peaks with downhill options of medium to high difficulty. We made use of the Trailforks App to start with and headed for the gently ascending road pass to Moulinet, taking a left turn at a mountain road about 1,5 kilometer before the village. After a climb of about 30 minutes we got to our first downhill ride. Quite delighted after the first meters we straightway searched for connecting trails to Sospel, resulting in an unexpected adventure. After the rain set in and a couple of valleys, canyons, 1000+ heightmeters climbing and 21 kilometers distance later, some discontent surfaced in the group.

To finish the day on a happy note, we jumped in the bus and drove about 300 height meters uphill on the Mont Agaisen. The beautiful evening light joined us on the Tour of Agaisen, marked with blue signs.

Though blue doesn‘t equal blue. We suppose it‘s a

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rather raw mountain village blue that was used here to measure the difficulty.

We arrived in the center of Sospel earlier than the day before and could freely pick a restaurant. Right in the middle of town we had a beer across from the Cool Bus Gang, an excellent match with our simple plan to take a shuttle the next day. The guy managing the place, Bry, is a calm, enjoyable Scotsman. We describe him the plans we have and the next morning we head to Breil-sur-Roya and the Cime du Bosc at about 1100 heigt meters. From there we follow a trail, just recently built for a local enduro race, along the ridge, then heading northeast to Breil. We realise that we are only about 30 kilometers away from the sea while in the middle of the mountains. The weather changes several times, sunshine and rainshowers come and go, which make the surface that is partly flowy and dirtlike, partly roots and stones even more attractive.

We are having fun and enjoying the natural beauty of it all.

"

We realise that we are only about 30 kilometers away from the sea while in the middle of the mountains.

For an immediate contrast we head back to Sospel, onto the Agaisen again, but this time we choose for the Bramafam. A visibly built, flowy line, ending in a small park. A small group of local teenagers uses the line for training with their coach and we bump into two funny Englishmen over and over agin, who usually spend their summers - and winters- in Bourg Saint Maurice. Otherwise the amount of bikers that we see in the days we spend here, is not more than a dozen.

The Bramafam does not let us down and offers opportunities for nearly all skill levels. However, we do get the impression already, that Sospel is not quite the family resort. Nor the trails, nor the other activities around Sospel are anywhere near child friendly.

After finding the trail selection to be virtually unlimited and the choice for one trail to offend the other 10-20 options, we rely on GĂźnterâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s opinion to absolutely must have done the Col du Turini. He should know it, especially since he had been riding there himself on his e-bike a couple of days before.

The road up to Moulinet was open again after two days of road works. This route section, that is part of the Monte Carlo Rally, with uphill finish, has it all. To drive up there in a race against time, with

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SOSPEL

ITINÉRAIRES VTT MTB ITINERARIES

Blotti entre les Alpes et le Méditerranée, truffé de sentiers séculaires et ensoleillé 300 jours par an, Sospel est un emplacement de rêve pour la pratique du VTT quelque soit la saison. Afin de faciliter votre séjour sur notre territoire, nous avons réalisé ce système d'informations innovant qui vous permettra de découvrir pas moins de 30 itinéraires "enduro", additionnant un dénivelé total de presque 25000m négatif !

Afin de maximiser votre plaisir et dans un esprit principalement "enduriste", le système est conçu pour fonctionner en utilisant des navettes motorisées ; c'est pour cela que les 30 parcours sont regroupés selon des points de départ "dépose navette".

Composez, à l'aide de la liste d'itinéraires ci-dessous (relative à la carte schématique de vue d'ensemble de 300km²), votre propre programme de la journée. Communiquez-le à votre chauffeur de navette qui vous acheminera aux départs des parcours VTT.

2018

COL DE TURINI

29

N

(1604m)

DÉPOSE NAVETTE | SHUTTLE DROP POINT

0

1

F

2km

COL DE TURINI

CIME DE LA CALMETTE

ALTITUDE: 1444m | SOSPEL+ : 1096m

(1786m)

Nestled between the Alps and the Med, blessed with an insane quantity of natural singletrack and 300 annual days of sun, Sospel is your year-round dream location for mountain biking. To help you make the most of your stay in our area, we have put together this trail info system of 30 "enduro" itineraries, covering a total of almost 25000m of vertical descent. So as to maximise your time enjoying singletrack descents, the system is designed to work with uplift shuttles, and hence the 30 itineraries are grouped according to our official shuttle drop points.

Use the list below in conjunction with this 300km² schematic overview map to choose -and communicate with your shuttle driver- the itineraries which you want to ride. Then download our set of detailed navigation maps and gpx files (one of each, for each of the 30 itineraries) in order to guide yourself with confidence and accuracy through each ride.

34

Téléchargez directement sur la carte les parcours détaillés (cartes IGN et fichiers GPX) qui vous permettront de suivre précisément les itinéraires sans risque de vous perdre.

LEGENDE | KEY

ACCÉS | ACCESS TURIN 182km

ZONE DE LA CARTE DES SENTIERS VTT MTB TRAIL MAP ZONE

F1 | TURINI - SOSPEL

11

Dépose navette (départ de sentier accessible par les services de navettes locales) Shuttle drop point (trail head reachable by local shuttle services)

A|

Itinéraire bleu, à profil descendant "dans le sens des flèches" Blue-graded itinerary, generally descending in the direction of the arrows

A|

Itinéraire rouge, à profil descendant "dans le sens des flèches" Red-graded itinerary, generally descending in the direction of the arrows

A|

Itinéraire noir, à profil descendant "dans le sens des flèches" Black-graded itinerary, generally descending in the direction of the arrows

(801m)

PEÏRA CAVA

(1423m)

Croisement de «sentier pédestre» avec panneaux de direction officiels numérotés Official “walking-trail” junction with signpost and numerical way-marker

76

SOSPEL

MOULINET

7

CIME DU SIMON

(1489m) 13

Croisement de «sentier pédestre» sans panneaux de direction officiels Existing trail junction, without numerical way-marker Voie publique Public Road DÉPOSE NAVETTE | SHUTTLE DROP POINT

Piste carrossable, accès aux véhicules non garanti Fireroad, public vehicle access not guaranteed FINALE LIGURE 120km NICE-VILLE 50 mins

EE

Agglomération significative Village or town of significant size

SOSPEL

(348m)

NCE 51km

MANGIABO

PARIS 974km

COL ST-ROCH

(1821m)

(991m)

CIME DE ROCAILLON ALTITUDE: 1333m | SOSPEL+ : 985m

Sommet Mountain summit

15

Col Mountain pass

189

193

CIME DE ROCAILLON

(1444m) 50

Le code couleur bleu/rouge/noir correspond à une moyenne du sentier.

Il se peut que certaines parties correspondent à un code couleur supérieur.

51

DÉPOSE NAVETTE | SHUTTLE DROP POINT

E

The blue/red/black colour refers to an average difficulty rating of a given trail. Certain parts of the trail can warrant a higher difficulty rating than the colour code indicates.

52

A6 | CROIX DE R

COL DE L’ABLÉ ALTITUDE: 1149m | SOSPEL+ : 801m

LISTE DES 30 ITINÉRAIRES | LIST OF THE 30 ITINERARIES SHUTTLE DROP POINT

ITINERARY CODE TECH. DIFFICULTY

ITINERARY NAME

DISTANCE (km)

+ VE VERT. (m)

180

COL ST-ROCH (991m)

- VE VERT. (m)

187

E3 | CANDANIEL

END/PICKUP POINT

A - Baisse de Figuièra 750m

A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6

Bramafam Tour de l’Agaisen Mont Agaisen Cantamerlou Calle Castagne Croix de Réoune

3,76 5,55 8,01 3,68 6,15 10,09

8 77 121 55 40 406

410 469 520 447 437 797

Sospel (348m) Sospel (348m) Sospel (348m) Sospel (348m) Sospel (348m) Sospel (348m)

AA - Caserne du Mont Gros 1188m

AA1

Ze Holy Trail

6,96

31

861

Sospel (348m)

B - Col de Brouis 879m

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B6

Polyvetta - Botanique Viravourgio Mouta Panoramic Col de l’Arma Basséra Valley

17,38 9,79 6,39 9,26 9,31 11,82

342 202 51 78 177 118

871 795 642 789 823 646

Sospel (348m) Breil-sur-Roya (258m) Breil-sur-Roya (258m) Cafe Da Marisa, Roya Valley (170m) Route D6204 Road (213m) Sospel (348m)

BB - Cime de Bosc 1025m

BB1 BB2

Cougoule West Cougoule East

4,40 6,88

0 51

719 770

Breil-sur-Roya (285m) Breil-sur-Roya (285m)

C - Plan German 1000m

C1 C2

Bangkok Fast Castès - Agreux

3,74 12,40

3 273

653 923

Sospel (348m) Sospel (348m)

CC - Baisse de Scuvion 1168m

CC1 CC2

Le Cuore To Ze Beach! v1 (Forêt de Menton)

9,96 19,08

190 193

993 1353

Sospel (348m) Menton (0m)

BettoRoccas Le Panard The Pope of Rally

6,03 7,88 8,11

D - Crête de la Lavina 1097m

D1 D2 D3

DD - Col du Farguet 1085m

DD1 DD2 DD3

12 31 122

756 695 848

CIME DU GRAND BRAUS

(1332m)

Fontassas Barquièra To Ze Beach! v2 (Sainte-Agnès)

9,20 9,15 24,66

105 86 428

836 816 1514

Sospel (348m) Sospel (348m) Menton (0m)

Clapou Mont Auri Candaniel

5,00 6,23 9,82

50 105 139

527 598 925

Lucéram (644m) Lucéram (644m) Sospel (348m)

EE - Cime de Rocaillon 1333m

EE1

Disneyland

16,28

49

1028

L’Escarène (355m)

F - Col de Turini 1674m

F1

Turini - Sospel

24,62

554

1880

Sospel (348m)

(604m)

179

CIME DE VENTABREN

(1098m)

174

(1002m)

69

Mise En Page / Design: everettdesignco.com

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Self-Catered Accommodation

TÊTE DE LA LAVINA

(1117m)

68

D

BAISSE DE SCUVION ALTITUDE: 1097m | SOSPEL+ : 749m

MAIRIE DE SOSPEL Sospel Municipality

D3 | THE POPE OF RALLY 115

DD1

TOUËT DE L’ESCARÈNE

(445m)

145

D2 | LE PANARD

DÉPOSE NAVETTE | SHUTTLE DROP POINT

DD

COL DU FARGUET ALTITUDE: 1085m | SOSPEL+ : 737m

(357m)

RIDE SOSPEL

62

D1 | BETTOROCCAS

L’ESCARÈNE

SOSPEL MTB

61

COL DE BRAUS

PARTENAIRES | PARTNERS

Trail Team & Race Organisation

E2 | MONT AURI

LUCERAM

237

Sospel (348m) Touët de L’Escarene (412m) Sospel (348m)

E1 E2 E3

1 Overview Map 30 Detailed Route Maps 30 GPX Files

54

DÉPOSE NAVETTE | SHUTTLE DROP POINT

E - Col de l’Ablé 1149m

DOWNLOAD

55

53

E1 | CLAPOU

EE1 | DISNEYLAND

COOL BUS Transfers & Shuttles

BEVERA BIKE Bike Parts & Repairs

MONT MÉRAS

(1245m)

"

The speed of life here is so nineties and that‘s exactly what we want, right?

overly powerful machines, appears a whole different discipline to me.

We pedal the last 30 minutes through the fog, all the way up to the starting point of the Turini-Sospel.

The promised overwhelming views from the top were unfortunately still hidden for us early in the morning. It has been raining again and the clouds are low above the ground. I hereby notice that at Camping Madeleine we go to bed with birds tweeting every night, as when we get up again. Other than that there is enough rest and time for reflection.

The rain makes the upper part of the trail, that winds down like a corkscrew over the forest floor and roots, rather slippery. The trail is often not wider than a kitchen towel. Precision is required, boldness to be left aside. I am thinking of the guys from the UK, they would be in paradise up here for sure. The further we get down, the more the sky clears up. The trail gets more rocky, we pass an old, ruined goat farm. Then it becomes more and more steep and a bit more technical, before we get to longer sections where we like to go easy on the brakes. Whereas up the hill it was cold, it is getting noticeably warmer now and with a „pathetic speed“ we head towards Moulinet for lunch.

DÉPOSE NAVETTE | SHUTTLE DROP POINT

BB

PARC NATIONAL DU MERCANTOUR

CIME DE BOSC ALTITUDE: 1025m | SOSPEL+ : 680m

VTT INTERDIT MTB FORBIDDEN

BREIL-SUR-ROYA

MANGIABO

(1821m)

(290m)

B3 | MOUTA

DÉPOSE NAVETTE | SHUTTLE DROP POINT

B

BB1 | COUGOULE WEST

COL DE BROUIS

BB2 | COUGOULE EAST

ALTITUDE: 879m | SOSPEL+ : 531m

118

124

DÉPOSE NAVETTE | SHUTTLE DROP POINT

AA

CIME DU BOSC

(1124m)

COL DE BROUIS

(879m) 123

B2 | VIRAVOURGIO

CASERNE DU MONT GROS ALTITUDE: 1188m | SOSPEL+ : 840m

B1 | POLYVETTA - BOTANIQUE

DÉPOSE NAVETTE | SHUTTLE DROP POINT

B4 | PANORAMIC

MONT GROS

A

B5 | COL DE L'ARMA

(1273m)

BAISSE DE FIGUIÈRA ALTITUDE: 750m | SOSPEL+ : 402m 77

B6 | BASSÉRA VALLEY

PIÈNE HAUTE

(595m)

RÉOUNE

B5 | COL DE L'ARMA

A5 | CALLE CASTAGNE AA1 | ZE HOLY TRAIL

76

MONT GRAZIAN

(863m)

B4 | PANORAMIC

75 84

A3 | MONT AGAISEN

A4 | CANTAMERLOU 82

83

B1 | POLYVETTA - BOTANIQUE

99 98

78

A1 | BRAMAFAM

89

A2 | TOUR DE L’AGAISEN

MONT AGAISEN

(750m)

COL DE VESCAVO

(477m)

73 58 72

102

81

OLIVETTA

(292m)

SOSPEL 111

CC1 | LE CUORE

C1 | BANGKOK FAST LE CUORE

107

(1095m)

C2 | CASTÈS - AGREUX

MONT BARBONNET (847m)

114

113

112

SAN-MICHELE

(158m)

(348m)

DÉPOSE NAVETTE | SHUTTLE DROP POINT

C

PLAN GERMAN

BARBONNET

LIGURIA

ALTITUDE: 1000m | SOSPEL+ : 652m DÉPOSE NAVETTE | SHUTTLE DROP POINT

CC

1 | FONTASSAS

90

92

BAISSE DE SCUVION

DD2 | BARQUIÈRA

ITALIA

MONT RAZET (1286m)

ALTITUDE: 1168m | SOSPEL+ : 831m

CC2 | TO ZE BEACH! v1 (FORÊT DE MENTON)

DD3 | TO ZE BEACH! v2 (SAINTE-AGNÈS)

(1379m)

(728m)

CASTILLON

(550m)

CC2 | TO ZE BEACH! (FORÊT DE MENTON)

(1239m)

Sospel has not disappointed us, has indeed offered what I had hoped for. I want to come back and soon for sure. There is so much to do here and at the same time no pressure at all. That‘s at least what it feels like. The speed of life here is so nineties and that‘s exactly what we want, right?

GRAMMONDO

ALPES-MARITIMES

COL DE CASTILLON

MONT OURS

So there we are, sitting in the middle of Moulinet, in front of a tiny, little corner shop. And here again we encounter someone from the UK. It is a Scotsman, and he‘s here for hiking. And then the usual local suspects. We order a Café au Lait out of an old authentic coffee machine, a couple of croissants and with my bit of French I manage to explain that we are from the Munich area. We are met with friendly honesty and interest. Now and then we have short conversations that always leave us with a good feeling. And even the staff, always eager to point out that we should order together, drinks are served first and then the food arrives, do that in such a self-evident way, that after I while I can no longer imagine how else one should do it.

FRANCE

Tom Öhler has never been in Finale Ligure - so we leave it at Sospel for now and use the afternoon for a short trip to the men‘s DH. Totally different and still good. And the beach is very near. We treat ourselves to pizza in Varigotti before taking the road home again, leaving the hurly-burly behind.

Either way - only 1,5 hours apart, you find the best of both worlds. And that brings us back to what it‘s about: the freedom to stop over at the side of the road and dive down into this world.

issue #25 - 37 /78

issue #25 - 38 /78

TOM OHLER

„For those looking for a biking destination away from the masses, Sospel is the right place. All the same there is a great infrastructure for biking with shuttle companies and a bike shop. And - more importantly - the trails are super fun and truely varied, if only you are prepared for some uphill sections, to avoid any mean surprises.“

VINCENT PERNIN

„Riding in Sospel is mostly rather rough and you need lots of condition and effort to reach and connect the trails. But I like the wilderness and discovering - and I do have to explore more, to gain a full image!“

HARALD PHILIPP

„Since 6 years I am often around in the Maritime Alps and this remote region of the Alps has stolen my heart. Sospel is in the middle of a spider web of trails, I believe one could stay here for weeks without riding a trail twice.

The thing I loved most was the ridge trail to Breil-sul-Roya in that epic morning light!“

ridesospel.com/trails/ | trailforks.com/region/sospel/ | camping-sainte-madeleine.com/de/ | thecoolbus.co.uk/

issue #25 - 39 /78

RIDER: Nikki Rohan / PHOTO: COLIN MEAGHER

It doesn’t matter if you’re dropping into a steep root infested trail or out for a dawn patrol cruise with your four- legged friend, the ultra-versatile Switchblade is always the right tool for the job. With a new 160mm travel, 44mm offset, Fox 36 fork and DPX2 shocks on Pro and Team builds, the Switchblade is the undisputed leader of the pack. >> PIVOTCYCLES.COM

issue #25 - 40 /88

TrailAPPROVED DOG

issue #25- 41 /88

SPANK

SPIKE VIBOCORE HANDLEBAR Writer: Dennis Leidelmeijer

Well this is my first time writing a review about a handlebar and in my previous opinion you couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say much more about a handlebar other than the looks and specs, which are very personal for every rider. But these handlebars have something special and we can compare this to other brands. So I will not say much about the looks, size, up-, back sweep or rise of the bars.

issue #25 - 42 /78

REVIEWED

Spank incorporated their Vibrocore technology in these handlebars. A technology they developed to reduce the vibrations from the bike through the handlebars. Basically they filled the internal void with some sort of special foam. But there is a bit more to it…

Impulse and vibration damping core.The theory behind SPANK‘s

Vibrocore™ Impulse and Fatigue Damping System is simple. Like all forms of energy, the vibrational energy that is transmitted through your bars to your

hands, is made up of waves, which can be measured in amplitude and frequency. The more dense a material, the higher its ability to transmit energy waves. Alloys have a very high density, and in turn transmit vibrational energy very effectively. Vibrocore™ is a complex, low-density material that fills the core of the handlebar, reducing the frequency, amplitude, and duration of energy waves. Not only does the low density of the Vibrocore™ impede the transfer of energy, but as energy waves cross material boundaries from high density to low density, they are refracted and reflected (basically bounced in different directions), reducing their ability to build on one another or sustain vibrational frequencies.

Does it make a difference? Well… I didn’t notice a mayor difference. I have been swapping the VibroCore handlebars for normal ones over several days in one week. But tests (done by Spank industries) show quite other results then my experiences with the bars.

Testing with World Cup DH racers like Mick and Tracey Hannah, has shown that by reducing the “white noise“ vibration from riding, Vibrocore™ handlebars enhance tactile sensitivity between rider, bike, and terrain, while reducing fatigue.

So are they worth the bang (they come at €99,90 and in 2 colour ways and with 15 / 30 / 50 uprise at a width of 800mm)? Yes they are! They are great looking handlebars but I wouldn’t buy them because of the VibroCore technology.

Maybe your experience with the VibroCore technology is different than mine. Please leave your experience on our Facebook-page (Facebook.com/ LandscapeMagazine). I would like to read them.

issue #25 - 43 /78

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FELD AM SEE CARINTHIA AUSTRIA biketrip part 2 of 2 In the last issue you have read about our stay in Naturns, Italy. After a few awesome days there we (sadly) had to leave again, but luckily not for home! We had a few biking days more to come in ‘Feld am See’ in Carinthia, Austria. The ride to Feld am See was great itself, fantastic views, impressive mountains and picturesque villages. Unfortunately the weather on arrival was a lot less good than when we left Naturns, Italy. But sadly you can’t change anything about that.

Text: Dennis Leidelmeijer Photo’s: Sportschule Krainer & Dennis Leidelmeijer

issue #25 - 48 /78

Nevertheless the Nindler family, who runs the Landhotel Lindenhof, very warmly welcomed us. Immediately this hotel felt like a better match for us personally than the one in Italy. This hotel is a smaller scaled family hotel situated in the middle of a small village with everything you need within walking distance. Hannes, the owner, is a fanatic mountainbiker himself. Therefor his hotel targets mountainbikers specifically and with his knowledge of the area you couldn’t wish for a better hotelier. They offer big, indoor, bike storage and you are free to use the workshop as well. And if you need, they have bikes for rent as well.

that Sportschule Krainer is conveniently situated for water-sports as well. So if you get tired of biking (does that even exist?) there are plenty of other activities to choose from.

After we dropped the bags in our room and the bikes in the storage room we headed for the lobby to meet up with Wolfgang Krainer and Marmiro Pidpeturs from ‘Sportschule Krainer’ and Hannes. They were going to tell us everything about the region and the possibilities that the hotel and ‘Sportschule Krainer’ have to offer. Next to MTB trips for all levels the sport-school also offers various other sports like a wide diversity in water-sports. The village name ‘Feld am See’ translates literarily in ‘field on the lake’ so you might have guessed

Whilst rubbing the sleep out of our eyes we opened the curtains in hope for a sunny and dry day… but no. It wasn’t actually raining, however it was very wet outside with low hanging clouds. After breakfast and packing our things for the day we were picked up by Wolfgang and Marmiro in a Landrover Defender! The village of Feld am See doesn’t have a lift for getting up the mountains. You could always pedal uphill, but due to the weather we decided to take the easy road and shuttle uphill. The drive takes us up to the Nockbergen

During the friendly meeting we discussed what we would be doing the following day. The weather forecast was still pretty terrible so we knew we had a wet and muddy day ahead of us. But first we enjoyed a nice dinner that evening. The choices were a bit limited, but the quality certainly didn’t fall far behind from what we had in Naturns the days before.

issue #25 - 49 /78

issue #25 - 50 /78

Lift Station; a small lift that takes you up the Nockbergen. At first it doesn’t feel like you are between mountains, but the Nockbergen consists of 5 peaks up to and beyond 2.000m! Enough biking grounds!

Unfortunately it started to rain, so on go the jackets. After a nice, technical climb we turn the front wheel towards the valley. Despite the bad weather (it started to rain even heavier) we enjoyed the wide-open Alpine meadows. Everywhere you turn you see more dug in single trails, which can be pretty slippery under these conditions. Sand, dirt, gravel and rocks follow-up each other underneath our tires, which constantly provide our goggles with a big load of mud. Halfway down the trail we passed a small cabin where we could warm-up a bit, enjoying a cup of coffee.

Back on the bike we lost all hope of seeing the weather improve today. After another climb we just decided to make the best out of the situation; Marshguards mounted and goggles on! From here on almost everything went downhill, so not just the weather but the trail as well. That resulted in a 2-hour ride all the way down to the hotel. From flowy single-tracks to rocky pathways that on more than one occasion had transformed into flowing streams of water.

But we did have a lot of fun! Marmiro knows al the best trails like the back of his hand and after he assessed our skill level the trails became more and more defiant. Back at the hotel we, of course, looked like a bunch of pigs and were soaked all the way through.

Hannes’ wife was welcoming us with a bucket in which we could drop our wet clothes. She would hang them in the drying room so they would be ready for us the next day. She advised us to check out the cellar… we found a small swimming pool there and different saunas, steam rooms and hot showers. Now that was exactly what our cold and beat-up bodies were in need of right now.

After warming ourselves up we enjoyed the food and local beers very much. Due to being here at end of season there wasn’t much to do in the village after hours. But we did hang out in a local bar enjoying ourselves with some locals from Feld am See. We woke up a little lightheaded; apparently we should have declined that last beer. But what did we see… was that sunlight peaking through our curtains? YES! Weather has changed and a bright sunny day of biking lay ahead of us! Today Hannes’ wife drove Marmiro and us up towards one of the peaks directly behind the hotel.

Depending on the side of the mountain we were on we had bright sunny skies or low hanging clouds. The trails also differed like night and day; either long and tough climbs or beautiful, technical descents. What an awesome territory we were in! The climbs here are much more in interval, and therefor much shorter, than the ones in Naturns. That allows for a lot more variation in trails to ride on one day. Even with yesterdays gruesome weather we enjoyed ourselves here, but with sunny skies the Nockbergen are even more awesome. If you don’t mind doing some uphilling this place is a must for your to-do list!

we should have declined that last beer. But what did we see…

Back at home-base Marmiro suggested to do some ‘supping’ (Stand Up Paddling) and maybe some windsurfing as well. Both things I’ve never tried before, so ignoring the cold water of the lake at end of season we gave it a go. This was a very nice experience and sadly the closure of a fantastic bike-week in Italy and Austria. That evening we enjoyed our last supper in the company of Hannes, Marmiro and Wolfgang reflecting the past days and talking about what we all love so much. We will definitely come back here some day!

Special thanks to: Bike-holidays Landhotel Lindenhof, familie Nindler Sportschule Krainer, Wolfgang Krainer & Marmiro Pidpeturs

issue #25 - 51 /78

R: Julia Hofmann & Daniel Schäfer P: Baschi Bender L: Mexico

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MET

PARACHUTE THE FAITHFUL FELLOW Writer: Philipp Heise

Just 700g is something to think about when it comes to a fullface helmet. This was also the first coming to my mind when I saw the completely new designed MET Parachute. Because of itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s detachable chin strap the old Parachute was extremely famous and used for freeride touring (yes, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how this type of riding was called before ENDURO). But this feature was always a factor of insecurity to me when it comes to hitting the ground hard.

issue #25 - 54 /78

REVIEWED

After Justin Leov has ridden the latest version all season during the Enduro World Series, I was keen to try this helmet on my own. At every enduro event I entered I had to make a decision: Starting with just a fullface helmet and sweating the hell out of me or taking an additional cross-country style helmet with me.

This question will probably never enter my mind again, because the MET is regarding security and ventilation the jack of all trades in the field of fullface helmets. But lets start from scratch: When I was putting on the helmet for the first time I was directly impressed by the perfect fit it provided through the MET Safe-T Advanced system. This system is quite similar to the fitting system of most cross-country helmets and is a guaranty for a perfect fit which really impresses.

On my first ride in November the extremely light helmet had to be put through its paces, especially the ventilation. Because I am generally a guy who is sweating more, I was very surprised in a good way with the ventilation.

During the entire time I haven’t had the feeling of wearing a proper fullface helmet, but more a light cross-country style helmet, because of the fantastic fit and the very good ventilation. I haven’t even taken off the helmet on rides of 1000m of elevation! After lots of rides I am still fascinated by the fitting and the comfort provided. Times are gone when things got hot and uncomfortable while going just a bit uphill with your 1100g fullface helmet, just to hit the descend afterwards with full speed. The MET Parachute is a fully licensed fullface helmet, fulfilling the ASTM F1952 guideline for DH helmets. Hallelujah! This was also the word which popped up, when this helmet had to show for the first time it’s main task which means protection.

When you are entering a rock garden head first but not on your bike anymore then you are very pleased with having this helmet on your head.

The MET Parachute comes with two different sized chin pads for optimizing the fit and of course a camera mount and 4 color options. Further more you get a nice bag for storing your helmet. The price for this helmet is €199,95 and this is money well spend on your security.

issue #25 - 55 /78

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© 2015 Silhouette International Schmied AG, adidas Global Licensee, adidas, the 3-Bars logo, and the 3-Stripes mark are registered trademarks of the adidas Group. © 2015 Silhouette International Schmied AG, adidas Global Licensee. Le nom adidas, le logo 3-Barres et la marque aux 3 Bandes sont des marques deposées par le Groupe adidas.

Joe Barnes (GBR), North Shore Vancouver

from dust till town

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