Pedal Spring 2016 by Pedal Magazine

SPRING 2016

TRIBUTE TO

STEVE SMITH

A CANADIAN LEGEND

PART 2

BUYERS GUIDE

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contEntS spring 2016, volume 30, issue 2

SPECIAL FEATURES 32

Tribute to the legendary steve smith

Gran fondo forillon and Gaspésia 100

rider proﬁle: sandra walter

rider proﬁle: léandre Bouchard

by Fraser Britton

by John Symon

by Catharine Pendrel

by Sandra Walter

show Me the Money: ontario Cycle Tourism Conference 2016

by John Swart

GEAR 42

specialized fuse pro 6fattie BiKe TesT

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2016 Mountain / BMX Buyers Guide

by Tim Lefebvre

by Nick Chistoff

by Braydon Bourne, Tim Lefebvre, Paul Newitt, Stef Kraiker, Chris Redden and Mike Sarnecki

dropper seatposts by Mike Sarnecki

COMPETITION 84 88

2016 Track world Championships by Gaelen Merritt

para-cycling Track world Championships by John Symon

SPRING 2016

Canada Cup MTB 2016 update

road Teams 2016

Canadian MTB Teams 2016

TribuTe To

Steve Smith

a Canadian leGend

Track Worlds Sandra Walter Leandre Bouchard Dropper Seatposts Show Me the Money

ParT 2

BuyerS GuiDe

2016 Mountain and bMX bikes Taking on the

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Pedal Spr 2016-Cover.indd 1

www.pedalmag.com

6/21/16 3:23 PM

legendary Steve Smith (1989-2016) was the stuff dreams are made of. Fraser Britton

by Sandra Walter

by Gaelen Merritt

84 94

DEPARTMENTS 6 10 18 20 22 24 30 94 95 96

Tread out in front Tuft enough MTB frontlines Veal report swart’s swagger Clubs Back pedaling sportif stieda last word Spring 2016 PEDAL 3

publisher/editor Benjamin Sadavoy graphic design Wendy Pease contributors Braydon Bourne, Fraser Britton, Nick Chistoff, Raphael Gagne, William Humber, Stef Kraiker, Tim Lefebvre, Chris Matthews, Gaelen Merritt, Paul Newitt, Catharine Pendrel, Chris Redden, Mike Sarnecki, Gordon Singleton, Alex Stieda, John Swart, John Symon, Steve Threndyle, Svein Tuft, Ed Veal, Sandra Walter photographic contributions Beet-it Sport Canada, Frank Bodenmuller, Fraser Britton, Campagnolo, Michal Cerveny, Sean St. Denis, FQSC, Freewheeling, Raphael Gagne, Louis Garneau Sports, John Gibson, Hardwood Ski and Bike, Brian Hodes, David Keogh, Jean-Michel Lachance, Boris Plique, Andrew Rogers, Ivan Rupes, Ulrike Scheuchl, Silber Pro Cycling, Gordon Singleton, Alex Stieda, Guy Swarbrick, John Swart, Trek Canada, Svein Tuft, United Way of Durham Region, Cor Vos, Jon Watkin copy editing Claudia Brown circulation/admistration Crystal Burs production Crackerjack Enterprises advertising sales Benjamin Sadavoy webmaster David Irving head ofﬁce 260 Spadina Avenue, Suite 200 Toronto Ontario, Canada M5T 2E4 Phone: (416) 977-2100; Fax: (416) 977-9200 info@pedalmag.com; www.pedalmag.com subscriptions (2016) Newsstand $4.95 Annual Buyers Guide $5.95 1-yr Subscription (6 issues) $20.95 2-yr Subscription (12 issues) $36.95 US Subscribers: US$28.95 (1-yr); US$51.95 (2-yr) Int’l Subscribers: US$50.95 (1-yr); US$91.95 (2-yr)

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2016 Pedal spring pedal, a division of 1198189 Ontario inc., is published 6 times annually: annual Buyer’s guide, Spring, fashion, Summer, fall, holiday, at 260 Spadina ave., Suite 200, toronto, Ontario m5t 2e4. the entire contents are the property of pedal magazine and may not be reprinted or reproduced, in whole or in part, without the written permission of the publisher. Unsolicited material or contributions must be accompanied by return postage. pedal assumes no responsibility for such photographs or manuscripts. 2nd Class publications mail registration #9874, paid at 969 eastern ave., toronto, On m4l 1a5. if undeliverable please notify: 260 Spadina ave., Suite 200, toronto, Ontario m5t 2e4. U.S. Ofﬁce of publication: 240 portage road, pO Box 670-25, lewiston, ny, 14092. periodicals postage paid at niagara falls, ny. 2nd Class U.S. publications, USpS registration #011807. return all undeliverable mail to: pedal magazine, pO Box 553, niagara falls, ny 14304.

4 PEDAL Spring 2016

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trEad

Canadian Legacies

miChal CerVeny

The sudden tragic loss of top Canadian downhill rider Steve Smith stopped us all in our tracks. He was the stuff dreams are made of with his historic overall UCI World Cup series victory in 2013 – see our tribute on pages 32-35. Smith was one of a new breed of riders putting Canada front and center on the global cycling map. Two other Canadian builders of the sport also passed away recently: Colin Hearth, who coached Steve Bauer, Gord Singleton and Karen Strong; and Maurice Jeffries, who coached Jocelyn Lovell, Ron Hayman and Jean Lessard (founder of the Tour de Beauce). Following in Smith’s footsteps, Team Canada riders brought home four medals from the Track Worlds in March, and another four from the Paracycling Worlds. Then, in April, relative newcomer Matteo Dal-Cin became the first Canadian to win the 32nd Redlands Bicycle Classic in California. Looking ahead, another Canadian keepsake, the 24 Hours of Adrenalin, will soon stage its 20th anniversary in Canmore, Alta. Also in this issue, we welcome reigning Elite men’s MTB National champion Raphael Gagne to the Pedal family. He joins legendary Catharine Pendrel in our “MTB Frontlines” column. As Canada’s legacy in the sport continues to evolve, how fitting that William Humber’s “Back Pedaling” column in this edition is about Dr. Perry Doolittle, the father of Canadian bicycling. – BAS

6 PEDAL Spring 2016

legendary Canadian dH rider Steve Smith, dubbed the “Chainsaw Massacre,” took the UCI MTB World Cup downhill circuit by storm and left his mark with a historic first-ever overall title win by a Canadian.

www.pedalmag.com

Spring 2016 PEDAL 7

Contributors Perce - Québec

steven threndyle

2016 sept 3-4

Steven Threndyle used to build jumps in his driveway and crash his bike into the side of his brother’s wagon while playing “Hell Drivers” when he was six. That’s pretty much the last time he let his bike wheels leave the ground, but for the past 20 years, he’s been writing about winter recreation (with a focus on adventure skiing and backcountry skiing), hiking, mountain biking and photography. He’s a social-media fanatic – follow him on Instagram @sthrendyle and on Twitter @threndyleski or shoot him a Facebook request or LinkedIn invitation (Steven C. Threndyle). A portfolio of his best stories can be seen at www. sthrendyle.contently.com.

40-80-120-160 km

Fraser Britton Fraser Britton is a Squamish, B.C.based photojournalist who works and plays in the action-sports industry. When not stuck in an airplane seat at 35,000 feet heading to yet another event, he spends his time riding mountain bikes, snowboarding and snowmobiling high up in the alpine mountain ranges around the world. Having been lucky enough to travel and ride in just about every MTB hotspot there is, he still manages to complain about any flight that’s more than six hours. Britton is supported by Monster Energy, Troy Lee Designs, Fiveten, Oakley, Thule and Dissent.

gaspesia100.com

Gaspe - Quebec 2016 july 2-3

80-120-160 km

paSQUale Stalteri

John symon

granfondoforillon.com 8 PEDAL Spring 2016

Based in Montreal, Que., John Symon is an avid recreational cyclist, an author and a father. He has biked from Vancouver to Los Angeles, and shares his love of cycling with his three children. An avid environmentalist, Symon has advocated for cycling facilities in different communities across Canada, and frequently consults with Robert “Bicycle Bob” Silverman, perhaps Quebec’s best-known cycling advocate. Symon is also the author of several guidebooks, including Exploring Montreal with Bikes and Exploring Montreal with Kids. He also follows the competition scene in Quebec, including local races such as the Les Mardis Cyclistes and top-level competitions such as the Montreal WorldTour. During the winter, Symon is an avid cross-country skier. www.pedalmag.com

out in front

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BY JoHn SYMon

24 Hours of Adrenalin

JOhn giBSOn

Celebrating 20 Years

he 24 Hours of Adrenalin mountain-bike event will be celebrating its 20th anniversary edition in Canmore, Alta. from July 15-17. The original event that began in 1995 in Ontario moved west the next year, and since 1996, riders have come from far and wide to test themselves on the world-class trails of the Canmore Nordic Centre. Since that first event, the festival atmosphere, sense of fellowship and amazing mountain biking have brought thousands of mountain bikers back time and time again to be part of 24 Hours of Adrenalin. A weekend of racing and camping with corn roasts and bonfires creates a unique gathering, and, with its signature LeMans start, the event is the longest-running 24-hour mountain-bike event in North America. Along the way, more than 26,000 participants have taken part, riding the equivalent of 35 times around the Earth, while supported by nearly 6,000 volunteers and crew. Even though modern equipment has improved by leaps and bounds, biking through the day and night in every sort of condition imaginable remains a challenge. The event has even secured a place in mountain-bike history by hosting the first-ever 24 Hour Solo World Championships in 1999 in Canmore. “I had no idea it would take off as well as it did,” said founder Stuart Dorland. “Staging an overnight event takes on a whole new level of organizational consideration, and along the way, we’ve held events in Idyllwild, Calif.; Silver Star, B.C.; Whistler, B.C.; Conyers, Ga.; Laguna Seca, Calif.; and Canberra, Australia.”

10 PEDAL Spring 2016

Dubbed the “Woodstock of Moundubbed the “Woodstock of Mountain tain Biking,” the event is growing Biking,” the event is the longest-runfor 2016 with even more off-the-bike ning 24-hour mountain-bike event in activities for riders, crew, volunteers north america. and spectators. Every racer will receive a special 20th Edition jersey to commemorate the special event, the start/finish line is being expanded and the expo will feature more exhibitors and activities. The Friday-night 20th Edition Celebration will feature headlining band WiL, known for its legendary live shows, and Roots Rock with Attitude. Sponsors for the 20th-anniversary event include Kokanee, Jeep, Merrell, Velofix, Louis Garneau, Racks Unlimited along with Kicking Horse Coffee, Honey Stinger and Little Big Shot Energy via Planet Foods. The 2016 edition also sees a new partnership with Pivotal Physiotherapy, which will be providing competitors with taping, IMS, acupuncture, NormaTec treatments and other services on-site. Massage therapy will be offered within the event’s new wellness area. “We look forward to seeing everyone at this year’s milestone event, faces old and new. You only turn 20 once. We are proud of our accomplishments to date and would like to thank all of our supporters, participants and fans over the years – it’s been quite a ride,” added Dorland. For more information, visit www.24hoursofadrenalin.com. – JS www.pedalmag.com

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out in front

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BY John Symon Gagne on Cannondale’s New XC MTB Team

Beet-It owner Jeff Verreault

he term “performance-enhancing” in sports is often associated with banned drugs or practices. But what if there was a natural product permitted by all sports authorities that could boost performance in endurance sports? Recent research has come up with surprising results for a common garden vegetable, the beet, indicating that it can give athletes the edge they need. Researchers at the University of Exeter found a reduction in the oxygen cost for exercise on the order of 5-10%, along with improvements to the time of exhaustion of 15-20%. The implications for application in the general population have sparked dialogue within various agencies and associations. Beet-It Canada distributes products containing beets and beet extracts primarily through bike stores. Pedal reached Jeff Verreault, the company owner, for more information. “Beets contain nitrates, which act as a vasodilator, an agent that helps blood vessels expand in diameter,” says Verreault to explain the science. “As blood vessels expand (dilate), this allows for increased oxygen delivery to cells, allowing athletes to go longer and faster for the same expenditure of energy. It also tends to reduce the number of heartbeats per minute, typically in the range of five to eight beats lower. “It’s actually similar to Viagra in that it is a nitrate, but has a slightly different effect on the body,” adds Verreault. Researchers say that unlike coffee, which is also a natural product, beets are not a stimulant. 12 PEDAL SPRING 2016

Beet-It Sport Canada

A Natural to Way Enhance Your Performance Beet-It Canada is distributing four products: a 250ml juice, a 750ml juice, a 70m concentrate (no fibre) and a 60gm oat/beetroot bar. While beets are obviously also available at local produce stores, an athlete needs at least 360mg of nitrates to benefit from the effect, and this is best timed approximately two hours before a sporting event. While electric mixers are also available, it can be a challenge to manage affairs especially on the road, so Beet-It Canada has carefully prepared, packaged and formulated products for athletes to minimize the legwork and guesswork. “All nutritional supplements and ingredients in Beet-It products have been tested by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA); they contain no prohibited substances,” notes Verreault. “It’s all clean and natural.” The greatest impact is found with endurance sports – like cycling – and Beet-It Canada is currently sponsoring one of Canada’s top road cyclists, Hugo Houle (AG2R). “We subjected Hugo to MAP (maximum aerobic power) tests pedaling at 220 watts and found he had 22 fewer heartbeats per minute after taking Beet-It products. Tests also revealed that Hugo produced 6.1% less lactic acid after using our products, but the range for most people is more like 3.5% less.” Beet-It products are produced in the United Kingdom, and it was Verreault’s wife, a runner, who discovered them before her husband did. “My wife’s a nutritionist, and was praising the attributes of these products, but complaining that Beet-It was always out of stock from her local retailer. I put together an application to distribute Beet-It in Canada and won the contract.” Verreault started operations in July 2015, and believes he will vastly exceed his sales target of 100,000 units for 2016. “The suggested retail price on Beet-It products is $3.99 each, but retailers more commonly sell it at $4.29, and currently I am out of stock.” Presently, Beet-It Canada is partnering with several national sports federations: Swimming Canada, Para-Cycling Canada, Judo Canada, Boxing Canada, Rowing Canada and Triathlon Canada. Perhaps Cycling Canada is next. Beet-It Canada admin@activemm.ca, 403-999-3950 www.beet-it.ca

In February, the new Cannondale 360fly p/b Sugoi team was launched with Canada’s top men’s MTB rider, Raphael Gagne, on board. Last year was his most successful season, as he took home Pan Am Games gold, the Elite men’s MTB and Cyclocross National titles, as well as being the U.S. Pro XCT Series overall winner. Gagne was with Rocky Mountain for the past 10 years, and when the opportunity to race with the new team came up, he knew it was time for a change. “I would like to send a ‘huge’ thanks to Rocky Mountain. I’ve been racing with them for the past 10 years, from development level in 2006 as a U23 to international high-performance in 2015. I’m excited to race for my new team and look forward to even more success,” said Gagne. The Quebec rider is the lone Canuck on the squad that includes Americans Alex Grant, Evelyn Dong, Keegan Swenson and multi-decorated veteran Tinker Juarez. The new North America team will ride Cannondale’s Scalpel full-suspension and F-Si hardtail bikes, with Matt Ohran as team director. “We’re extremely excited about Raphael Gagne joining the Cannondale family,” commented Hannah Parish, who is also Canadian and was recently appointed Cycling Sports Group’s (CSG) new director of marketing for North America. “This roster is incredibly talented on the bike and remarkably engaging off the bike.”

Curt Harnett

COC

Beet-It Sport Canada

Curt Harnett is New Chef de Mission for Rio 2016 In April, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) announced that legendary track cyclist Curt Harnett has been named Team Canada’s chef de mission for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. JeanLuc Brassard, the former chef de mission, informed the COC that he was stepping down for business and personal reasons. “It’s a great honour and privilege to be named chef de mission, and I look forward to bringing all of my Pan Am and Olympic experience to the table Continued on page 15 www.pedalmag.com

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out in front by Sandra Walter

Road to Rio MTB Fundraiser Gala at Bear Mountain

photos: Jon Watkin

Canadian MTB Stars Unite in Western Canada

ycling Canada held a fundraiser gala on the evening of March 5 in support of the Canadian mountain-bike program, hosted by team sponsor and official training centre Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria, B.C. Most of Canada’s top cross-country riders were in attendance to celebrate the start of the season after competing in the first Canada MTB Cup of 2016 at the resort’s on-site Bear Mountain Bike Park earlier that same day. A dozen National Team riders, who had spent the previous two weeks at Bear Mountain for the squad’s annual Elite training camp, were on hand. Key guests included the race day’s two Elite winners, two-time world champion Catharine Pendrel (BC, Luna Pro Team) and Pan Am Games champion Raphael Gagne (QC, Cannondale 360fly p/b Sugoi); as well as second-place finisher and women’s 2015 Pan Am Games gold medalist Emily Batty (ON, Trek Factory Racing), along with U23 Canadian champion and first-year Elite rider Haley Smith (ON, Norco Factory Team), who finished an impressive fourth in the Canada Cup. The proceeds from the nearly 200 plates sold, as well as the silent and live auctions, went directly to Cycling Canada’s MTB team programs, focused on the preparation for the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Games. The crowd was comprised largely of members of Victoria’s vibrant cycling community, from folks in the industry to avid riders and racers. The hottest ticket item was a painting of Pendrel winning the 2014 World Championships in Norway by Ontario artist Luigia Zilli. The image depicted Pendrel crossing the finish line with arms raised and the Maple Leaf emblazoned on her chest. Bidding was heated, and the work eventually sold for $4,000. “It felt pretty amazing, very flattering,” said Pendrel of the bidding war. “I was nervous before the first bid 14 PEDAL SPRING 2016

(top) CHEK TV’s sports director Jeff King hosts an interview with (l-r) Haley Smith, Emily Batty and Catharine Pendrel. (above) Canada’s top MTB riders on stage as Raphael Gagne presents his Canada Cup leader’s jersey to Denise Palmer from ECOASIS. (opposite top) The cycling community turned out to support the fundraising gala hosted by Bear Mountain Resort.

came in [as to whether] anyone would bid on it. It’s one of the most special and amazing moments in my life. That somebody was able to capture that in a painting and that other people wanted to share that memory is pretty special and flattering.” The evening featured a live-panel interview hosted by Jeff King, CHEK TV’s sports director with panelists Pendrel, Batty and Smith, which included questions from the crowd. Guests were treated to a flavourful three-course meal made by the resort’s executive chef. Dan Matthews, president and CEO of Canadian Mountain Bike Team sponsor ECOASIS Group (Bear Mountain Resort’s parent company), and Rob Fawcett, Bear Mountain’s Cycling director, were also in attendance, along with Dan Proulx, Canadian Mountain Bike Team’s head coach. Bear Mountain Resort and Spa encompasses a five-star Westin hotel and two full golf courses. It is quickly becoming recognized as a world-class mountain-biking destination with new trails being built on site to complement the area’s huge network of singletrack. Bear Mountain is also partnered with Golf Canada, Rugby Canada and Tennis Canada, (with eight clay courts – four of them covered – currently being constructed). For more information on Bear Mountain Resort and Spa, visit www. westinbearmountain.com. www.pedalmag.com

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Continued from page 12

mann was racing in Belgium and placed fourth at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and then second at Omloop van het Hageland Tielt-Winge. Then at Siena, Italy, she placed 10th at Strade Bianche, UCI Women’s WorldTour #1, and was 10th again at the UCI Women’s WorldTour #2, Ronde van Drenthe in Hoogeveen, The Netherlands. Kirchmann, who turns 26 this summer, is now based in The Netherlands with Liv-Plantur.

to support our athletes’ and coaches’ ambitions in Rio,” commented Harnett. He previously served as chef de mission for Toronto’s 2015 Pan Am Games and has won multiple medals at international competitions, including silver in the 1,000-metre ITT at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and gold in the 1,000-metre Match Sprint at the 1987 Pan Am Games in Indianapolis, Indiana. “I am so pleased Curt is coming on board for Rio. As our Pan Am chef de mission in 2015, he knows many of the athletes and coaches on the team, and will be able to hit the ground running,” said Tricia Smith, COC president. Smith also announced that Olympic medalist Isabelle Charest, chef de mission for Team Canada at Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games, will support Harnett as assistant chef de mission fo r Team Canada alongside current assistant chef de mission and Olympic wrestling champion Carol Huynh.

In March, it was announced that ongoing construction delays with the Rio 2016 Olympic Velodrome had forced the cancellation of the track test event originally scheduled for April 29-May 1. Logistical problems concerning the installation of the velodrome track in Barra de Tijuca were cited as the reason for the delay, according to the organizing committee’s director of communications, Mario Andrada. A two-day training period has been arranged from June 26-27 as a replacement for the test event, so as to allow for a “quick test” of the venue. Concerns are mounting that the velodrome may not be completed in time for scheduled track events from Aug. 11-16 or that it will not be sufficiently tested by then. Many of the problems stem from the country’s economic and political instability. As Brazil’s economic woes deepen, the country is sliding toward political crisis and the likely impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff.

Cor Vos

Leah Kirchmann

Rio 2016 Olympic Track Test Event CANCELLED

Canada’s Leah Kirchmann tasted her first European victory with her new team, Liv-Plantur, winning the one-day, 140.5km road race at Drentse Acht van Westerveld in The Netherlands on Sunday, March 13. With approximately 65 kilometres to go, the bunch split and Kirchmann managed to break to the front with 12 other riders and then won the final sprint to the line. “A breakaway group of 13 riders got away the second time we raced up Vamberg hill,” said Kirchmann, a multitime National champion. “We knew that this would be the key moment in the race, and the team did a good job ensuring I was in a good position. I tried to conserve some energy heading into the finishing circuits and I started my sprint very early coming down the final straightaway. I was so happy to hang on for the win.” Leading up to her victory, Kirchwww.pedalmag.com

cor vos

Kirchmann Takes First Euro Victory

Antoine Duchesne

Duchesne Claims KOM Jersey at Paris-Nice Antoine Duchesne (Direct Energie), the lone Canadian at the 74th edition of the 2016 Paris-Nice, was in the spotlight as he captured the King of the Mountain (KOM) jersey on the seventh and final stage, ending up 50th overall. Geraint Thomas (GBR, Sky) won this year’s “Race to the Sun,” narrowly beatContinued on page 18

United Way of Durham Region

out in front by John Symon

Oshawa’s Ride4UnitedWay Gran Fondo Che i Benefici

unday, Aug. 14, 2016 will see the Ride4UnitedWay’s seventh annual edition in the Ontario region of Durham, an area east of Toronto, notably including Oshawa. This ride, to benefit local United Way charities, is now also called the Gran Fondo “Che i Benefici (CiB),” meaning “that which benefits.” Pedal asked organizer Robert Howard for an explanation: “About three years ago, we changed the name from Ride4UnitedWay to the Gran Fondo CiB,” said Howard. “Many riders told us how they ‘loved the ride,’ claiming it ‘was the best organized event they had attended,’ or ‘almost like a high-end competitive event,’ etc. We didn’t want to just say ‘Gran Fondo’ because ours genuinely ‘Benefits the Community.’ Our event is all volunteer and community-organized . . . no marketing companies do organizing for a percentage. Instead, all proceeds go to shelters, food banks, women’s/seniors/kids programs, etc.” There are three principle course distances (60, 100 and 160km), and there is the “event within the event,” the 4KTT Challenge, which is four kilometres timed over three fairly stiff climbs. “We offer $1,500 in cash prizes for the TT riders. It’s just some fun; the circuit includes a few hundred metres in climbing and is a real chal-

16 PEDAL SPRING 2016

lenge. We stress safety first. It’s not a race; just Well-organized, this bragging rights and a chance to test yourself. fondo focuses on enjoyWe have gender and age winners as well. ing a day of cycling with “We started out with 85 riders; the last two $1,500 TT prize money as well. years, we were close to 500 participants. It was really hot in 2015; we had to take about 20 riders off the course with our support vehicles due to the climbing and heat. [There will be] about 50-60% of climbing this year on the 60 and 100km routes. The 160 is really tough and not your ‘average charity ride.’” He says registrations still show fewer women [30%] than men. Howard notes that there is full on-course support, including a roaming mechanical vehicle, three rest stops and “fabulous support” from the Durham police. “We have raised a little more than $300,000 since the event inception. But we have never made fundraising mandatory. We stress participation and enjoying a day of cycling; fundraising is secondary.” Gran Fondo CiB, Region of Durham (east of Toronto) Aug. 14, 2016, www.ride4unitedway.com

www.pedalmag.com

Issue #2, 2016

nouvelles Tour du Silence au Québec Le 18 mai prochain, à 18h30, aura lieu le Tour du Silence, événement planétaire visant à commémorer les décès cyclistes et à réitérer l’importance du respect mutuel entre usagers de la route. Né d’une initiative qui a vu le jour au Texas, en 2003, le Tour du Silence ou Ride of Silence, de son appellation originale, a depuis franchi bien des frontières et fait des petits partout sur la planète. Chaque année, cela représente près de 400 tours organisés mondialement, sur 4 continents, et ce, au même moment. Depuis 2010, la Fédération québécoise des sports cyclistes (FQSC) s’est jointe au mouvement et a pris sous sa gouverne, grâce à l’appui constant et renouvelé de la Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), les différentes initiatives régionales en les réunissant sous la bannière québécoise du Tour du Silence. Cette randonnée silencieuse s’effectue sur un parcours de 20 kilomètres au plus, le tout à une vitesse moyenne de 18 km/h, de manière à être accessible à tous. Tous les cyclistes réunis roulent en silence, escortés par des policiers. Des arrêts symboliques sont parfois effectués afin d’honorer la mémoire de défunts cyclistes. Des hommages sont aussi livrés par la famille et les proches des victimes, rappelant la pertinence d’une telle activité de sensibilisation. L’accès est gratuit et le port du casque est obligatoire. L’implication de porte-paroles crédibles qui acceptent de prêter leur voix à la cause constitue évidemment un atout. Aux

Pierre Lavoie, Louis Garneau et autres ambassadeurs de choix des éditions antérieures, succède le journaliste et chef d’antenne à TVA Pierre Bruneau, qui est également un cycliste aguerri et l’instigateur du Tour CIBC Charles-Bruneau. Cette année, plus d’une vingtaine de Tours seront organisés dans la province. Au traditionnel Tour du Silence s’ajoutera un volet scolaire, lequel sera présenté pour une troisième année et sous différentes déclinaisons. Ainsi, des écoles tiendront un mini-Tour et organiseront des activités afin de sensibiliser les jeunes à l’enjeu du partage de la route (visite de policiers, jeux d’habiletés, atelier éducatif sur le maniement du vélo et les règles de sécurité,etc.). Tous les détails se trouvent au tourdusilencequebec.com. Pour ne rien manquer de ce happening mondial, aimez notre page Facebook Tour du Silence provincial, Qc et suivez les nouvelles à partir du compte Twitter @FQSC grâce aux mots-clics #TourDuSilence et #RideOfSilence. Table des matières Tour du Silence au Québec........................................... 1 Défi Tête la Première.................................................... 3 Jeux du Québec à saveur olympique.............................. 4 L’Échappée BELLE Marie--Vincent.................................... 6

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La fédération s’implique également plus spécifiquement sur l’organisation du Défi Tête la Première, un événement de promotion du port du casque et de sensibilisation aux risques de traumatismes crâniens. Du 27 au 29 mai prochain, 75 cyclistes participeront à la seconde édition du Défi Tête la Première, organisé par le Bouclier Prévention en collaboration avec la Fédération québécoise des sports cyclistes (FQSC). Avec un objectif de levée de fonds fixé à 60 000$, cet organisme sans but lucratif consacre son énergie et ses ressources à la prévention des commotions cérébrales et divers traumatismes crâniens, dans les activités sportives et de loisirs au Québec. Dans le cadre du Défi Tête la Première, les cyclistes parcourront près de 500 km en trois jours, à partir de St-Jérôme jusqu’à Québec. Des activités de sensibilisation seront déployées dans certaines villes étapes, avec le concours de partenaires clés. Impliquée depuis 2015, la fédération met son expertise technique et organisationnelle au profit de cet événement, qui met notamment en avant l’importance du port du casque à vélo. Davantage d’information sont disponibles à www. defitetelapremiere.com/ . www.fqsc.net

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Pierre Harvey

40e anniversaire des JO de Montréal La Finale des Jeux du Québec de Montréal revêtira un caractère particulier en 2016, puisque cet événement coïncidera avec le 40e anniversaire des Jeux olympiques de Montréal (1976). C’est d’ailleurs pour cette raison que les dates de la Finale des Jeux ont été devancées par rapport à leurs dates 4 FQSC NOUVELLES #2 2016

cependant pas automatique, puisque les milieux hôtes ont une capacité d’accueil limitée, tant au niveau des participants (plus de 3 000) qu’au niveau des plateaux sportifs. C’est pour cette raison que les fédérations sportives doivent soumettre des dossiers de candidature pour chacune des disciplines qu’elle souhaite voir incluses dans la programmation sportive des Jeux du Québec. Le cyclisme sur route, discipline officielle du pendant estival des Jeux du Québec depuis le tout début, en sera donc à sa 26e présence. De grands noms du cyclisme québécois y ont fait école avant de connaître une brillante carrière sur la scène internationale. Région Ambassadeur

Robert Furnees / collection privée de Léandre Normand

La Finale des Jeux du Québec qui se tiendra à Montréal, du 17 au 25 juillet, sera la 51e de l’histoire de ces Jeux, dont la toute première édition remonte à 1971. Depuis la création de cet événement multisport, ce sont plus de 3 millions d’athlètes qui ont participé aux différentes compétitions sportives.

Shimano

Jeux du Québec à saveur olympique

ABT

Karol-Ann Canuel

BOU

Steve Rover

CDQ

Hugo Houle

CON

Dany Deslongchamps

EDQ

Gervais Rioux

EST

Magalie Boulay

LSL

Charly Vives

LAN

François Parisien

habituelles, de façon à ce que la cérémonie d’ouverture coïncide avec celle des Olympiques de Montréal, qui a eu lieu le 17 juillet 1976. Bien que les jeunes qui prendront part à la Finale des Jeux du Québec soient nés bien après 1976, ils savent que ces Jeux olympiques constituent un moment marquant de l’histoire du sport au Québec. Et il va sans dire que leur participation à cette édition spéciale des Jeux du Québec sera, elle aussi, marquante dans l’histoire du mouvement.

LAU

Dafné Théroux-Izquierdo

LAV

Joëlle Numainville

MAU

Frédéric Poisson

MON

Jean-Sébastien Maheu

OUT

Ariane Bonhomme

QUE

David Veilleux

CHA

Charles Dionne

RIY

Pascal Choquette

Représentation du cyclisme Les Jeux du Québec représentent un outil de développement important pour la grande majorité des sports. L’inclusion d’un sport au programme des Jeux n’est

RIS

Guillaume Boivin

SAG

Antoine Duchesne

SUO

Martin Gilbert

Gaby Malenfant

www.fqsc.net

Dans le cas du vélo de montagne, sa première présence, comme sport de démonstration, remonte à 1999, à Alma. Après une absence à la Finale des Jeux de Lachine en 2001, le vélo de montagne a effectué un retour en 2003, et en sera donc à sa 8e présence, en prenant en compte les Jeux de 1999. Quant au BMX, il a fait son apparition, à titre de sport de démonstration, aux Jeux de Charlesbourg, en 1985. Ce n’est qu’en 2010, à Gatineau, que le BMX a officiellement intégré le programme des Jeux. Porte-paroles et ambassadeurs Afin de souligner de façon plus particulière l’édition 2016 de la Finale des Jeux du Québec, la FQSC a décidé d’identifier un porte-parole pour chacune des disciplines cyclistes ; ces porteparoles sont Pierre Harvey (cyclisme sur route), Raphaël Gagné (vélo de montagne) et Gaby Malenfant (BMX). Tous ces athlètes ont participé aux Jeux du Québec et ont, par la suite, revêtu le maillot de l’équipe canadienne à un moment dans leur carrière. Dans le cas de Pierre Harvey, il convient de souligner qu’il a participé aux Jeux olympiques de Montréal, ce qui explique notamment son choix comme porte-parole. Toujours dans le but de souligner l’anniversaire des Olympiques de Montréal, la FQSC a identifié un ambassadeur pour chacune des régions en cyclisme sur route. Tout comme pour les porte-paroles, ces athlètes doivent avoir participé à une Finale des Jeux du Québec et avoir ensuite représenté le Canada dans un événement majeur (Championnats du monde et/ou grands Jeux). « Tour des légendes » Un « Tour des légendes », mettant en scène tous les Québécois ayant pris part aux Olympiques en cyclisme sur route, sera également présenté dans le cadre de cette édition spéciale des Jeux du Québec. Ils sont 23 à avoir fièrement représenté le Canada, et le Québec, lors de ce grand rendezvous. C’était donc l’occasion idéale de souligner leur participation au plus prestigieux événement sportif qui soit. Une quinzaine d’entre eux ont déjà confirmé leur présence, dont Pierre Harvey. Le « Tour des légendes » se tiendra le mardi 19 juillet, à midi, et consistera en un tour du circuit de 8,2 km utilisé lors de la course sur route de la Finale des Jeux du Québec, et empruntera la montée Camilien-Houde, www.fqsc.net

incontournable composante du parcours des Championnats du monde (1974) et des Jeux olympiques (1976). Ces « légendes » seront accompagnées de plusieurs invités et dignitaires qui ont été ou sont encore des acteurs importants dans le développement du sport. Parmi ces derniers, on compte des représentants du mouvement olympique canadien, de la Ville de Montréal, du Gouvernement du Québec, de Sports Québec, des Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal, du comité organisateur de la Finale des Jeux à Montréal, de la Fondation de

39e édition

l’athlète d’excellence du Québec, ainsi que des entraîneurs qui ont œuvré lors des épreuves sur route présentées aux Olympiques. Le départ et l’arrivée des épreuves de cyclisme sur route (18 au 21 juillet) se feront devant le CEPSUM, tandis que les épreuves de BMX (18 au 21 juillet) se dérouleront sur la nouvelle piste construite à Pointe-aux-Trembles. Quant aux épreuves de cross-country en vélo de montagne (22 au 25 juillet), elles se tiendront à la base de plein-air de Terrebonne.

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L’Échappée BELLE Marie-Vincent L’Échappée BELLE, la seule cyclosportive réservée aux femmes et organisée au profit de la L’Échappée BELLE M arie-‐Vincent Fondation Marie-Vincent, reviendra pour une septième édition le samedi 20 août prochain. C’est à partir du Vignoble le Val Caudalies à Dunham que se feront les départs de parcours L’Échappée BELLE, la seule cyclosportive réservée aux femmes et organisée au profit de la Fondation Marie-‐ de 45, 80 ou 100 km. Vincent, reviendra pour une septième édition le samedi 20 août prochain. C’est à partir du Vignoble le Val Caudalies à Dunham que se feront les départs de parcours de 45, 80 ou 100 km.

6 FQSC NOUVELLES #2 2016

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 New products

Clug Roadie The Clug Roadie is touted as the world’s smallest bike rack, measuring just 42x42x32mm (1.65x1.65x1.26”). It’s hard to believe that something so small works so well – no winches, hooks or balancing acts. The wall-mounted brackets use an innovative design to hug the bike tire securely as the weight is transferred to the ground-based wheel with very low rotational force. Helping to save you space and keeping your home tidy while displaying your bike proudly without damaging it or walls, Clug Roadie works with the floor to allow your bike to live almost anywhere you reside. There is a choice of three versions of the Clug Roadie: road, mountain or hybrid bike. The SRP is $25.

Two Wheel Gear Classic 2.0 Garment Pannier The innovative Classic 2.0 Garment Pannier is the flagship product from Two Wheel Gear Inc., a new Vancouver, B.C.-based company. Designed for the business-professional bike commuter, it carries business suits, dresses, shirts, towels, toiletries, accessories, tools, laptops and food. Well-constructed with rugged 600D polyester and waterproof TPE coating and UV protection, along with 55L of capacity, the Classic Garment Pannier 2.0 works on any bike rack and is perfectly suited for work or travel, on your bike, or in the overhead bin on your next business flight – we love it. The SRP is $249.

Ryders Seventh Sunglasses Ryders’ new flat-top, semi-rim Seventh sunglasses represent the latest lens technology for cycling and feature its innovative antiFOG techology. The Seventh overcomes optical anomalies by toning down polarization, allowing riders to better identify surface glare from slippery road surfaces, while improving their ability to read cycling computers and smartphone displays. The fine-tuned, top-end veloPOLAR lenses with antiFOG are shatterproof, scratch-resistant and de-centred for optical optimization. The stylish Seventh glasses are offered in five lens colour options with adjustable temple tips and nose pads. The SRP ranges from $49.99 to $149.99. www.pedalmag.com

SPRING 2016 PEDAL 17

out in front



BY SVEIN TUFT Continued from page 15

Tuft Enough Training, Part Two

his is Part Two of my new and different thoughts on training. I’ve changed many of my perspectives over the years and find myself coming full circle. Many people are looking to add, but I’m looking more at taking elements away and simplifying the process. At my age (38), I feel like I’ve garnered enough experience that every training camp doesn’t have to turn into a two-week mini stage race. I have confidence that if I do the work, it’ll just fall into place. You might say that this is so only because I have those years behind me and can afford to think this way, but I don’t believe this to be the case. For many years, I think I was barking up the wrong tree. I watch my younger teammates and I see much of myself in them. There are so many things I would love to get into their heads that will tell them it’s okay. Like the fact that rest is far more important than big hours and chronic overtraining. The simplest ways are often the best. General health and happiness are the sustainable way to longevity and optimal performance. Environment is of utmost importance in the entire equation. Really listening to your body and the signals it’s giving are far more important than anyone’s advice or coaching. And, finally, it’s a long road, so be patient. These are hard things to hear when you’re young and ready to take on the world. Believe me, I could go on and on. The entire sport is driven by insecurities. Unfortunately, certain mindsets often lead to success so these just keep perpetuating

courtesy: svein tuft

I believe for quality of life, longevity and optimal performance we need to reconnect with the Earth.

themselves. One bad habit, ritual or superstition keeps the dysfunction going. It’s like fad diets. Not one of them is sustainable. They work in the short term, but are impossible to maintain for a happy, healthy life. When you are no longer fragile from such single dimensional movement, as in cycling, and you have built up your body with functional movements from multiple different activities, your body is able to be what it was meant naturally to be – adaptable. We keep trying to add things to an already perfect organism. Our bodies are products of hundreds of thousands of years of 18 PEDAL SPRING 2016

adaptation to the environment and now we keep removing those stressors that made us, us. A very intelligent man once said, “You can’t out-supplement, out-hack, out-exercise or out-eat a bad environment,” (Jack Kruse). For me, this statement sums up everything I believe these days. We’ve become so enamoured with technology and modern conveniences that we surround ourselves with these devices 24/7. No one is asking about the side effects of all of these new devices and technology. These things have only been here for the last 15 to 20 years. This is a tiny fragment of Man’s time on this planet. I believe for quality of life, longevity and optimal performance we need to reconnect with the Earth. We need to move like humans have for years in our environment, hot or cold. We need to expose ourselves to the sun daily. We need to swim in the ocean and walk on its shore (why does it always feel so energizing?). We need to eat real foods, and not complicate it by worrying over macronutrients and calories. Just simple local quality foods when available in season. We need to listen to our bodies instead of some impossible training program. You are your own N=1 experiment. We need community and friends to laugh and cry with. What I’m saying is that we can’t deny our past and the hundreds of thousands of years that make us what we are today. Just because something makes life easier, more convenient and comfortable doesn’t mean it’s better for us. I think many of us need to start subtracting all of the bullshit add-ons in our lives and get back to a simpler way of living. There’s no perfect diet, training plan or recovery technique. That’s all rubbish. If your environment is poor, none of these things even matter. You can be eating the most perfect organic whole-food diet, but if you’re living in a high-rise with computers and devices running into the evening, tweeting all night long, then you might as well be eating Big Macs, not even caring about your health, because we weren’t meant to live like this. I hope some of these ideas make sense. Cycling is a very intense sport and brings out the Type A in many of us. These ideas might sound a little laidback and as if they are coming from a hippie, but believe me, I’ve been down a lot of different rabbit holes in my day and found that many were only effective in the short term and left me with a lot of biological payback. I think consistent mental and physical health is the key to long-term success in this sport. Love what you do.

ing Alberto Contador (ESP, Tinkoff) and Richie Porte (AUS, BMC Racing Team). “I wasn’t really thinking about [the KOM jersey at the start of the race]. The goal was always try to win stages, but when I saw I could actually win it, I really gave it a go on Saturday and Sunday,” Duchesne told Pedal. On Stage Five, Duchesne was up the road for a large part of the day and the first rider up Cote de le Roque d’Anthéron hill with a 33-second lead over the peloton. He was also first to the top of Col de Séze pass. On Stage Six, Duchesne delivered again, cresting the Levens climb and the Cote de Levens climb. He picked up many points with these solo climbs and also a number of second- or third-place finishes up Category 2 climbs. The climbs are timed, much like intermediate sprints. Pedal asked if snowy conditions earlier in the seven-stage race played to his advantage. “Everybody thinks because I’m Canadian I don’t get cold. . . . With the body fat that I have at the moment, I can tell you that I was freezing and really happy the race was stopped.” So does this increase his chances of being chosen for the Tour de France? “Last year, I was close in the mix to make the team. I think this year with more experiences and strength my chances are greater, but it’s still early,” concluded Duchesne.

FISE World Series in Edmonton Sept. 16-18 FISE (Festival International des Sports Extrêmes) will make Edmonton, Alta. part of its World Series from Sept. 1618, with the world’s best athletes from BMX, mountain bike and skateboard in attendance. This is FISE’s first time in North America, and Edmonton at Hawrelak Park will be the only Canadian city to host the event for the next three years. The international competition is open to Professional and Amateur riders in BMX Freestyle (part of the UCI BMX Freestyle Park World Cup), BMX Flat, Mountain Bike Slopestyle and Skateboard Street. The company ran its first event in 1997 in France and expanded internationally in 2014 launching the FISE World Series. Previous host cities include Montpellier, France; Chengdu, China and Langkawi, Malaysia. All FISE events are free for spectators and the high-level competitions are featured along with a family-friendly festival that includes Continued on page 20 www.pedalmag.com

PoWEr control PurE

Photo: matteocappe.com

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tIME

out in front



BY raPHael GaGne

MTB Frontlines Pre-Season Training to Meet My Expectations been a tradition and a priority for me for a long time – the opportunity to work with passionate athletes, training partners and friends is more important than just the training conditions. Mid-January, I was back home with my two feet in the snow for a good month, where my training consisted of cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and fewer rollers than usual, seeing as I just got a fatbike. That was a first for me, and I loved it. In January, I finally announced my position with Cannondale for the 2016 season, where I raced the Fat Bike Québec Provincials on my new Fat CAAD. Getting used to the product and the Lefty on snow has been a whole lot of fun, making it pretty easy to train and stay motivated. With my new team, Cannondale 360fly p/b Sugoi, I then flew to St. George, Utah in mid-February to meet up with my teammates, mechanic and team manager for a team camp. That was a first for me. We got a lot of things done – from media, video, photo shoots, training, product formations, team-building and bike-fitting. It was a great experience and it set the tone before the race-season start. I could sense 2016 was going to be fun, being around hard-working, passionate mountain-bike riders. The riding in Utah was as good as its views. On Feb. 21, I flew to Victoria, B.C. for the Canadian National Team camp held at Bear Mountain, the new National Team base. The program has given me much in recent years, helping me attain the results I wanted at multiple World Cups, so I really wanted to be a part of this camp. This was a good training camp, with daily physical and technical coaching. We had many mini-conferences on different aspects of international mountain-bike racing – from media, recovery, training, mental preparation and race-planning. Thanks to our National Team and Bear Mountain for putting on the two-week camp that concluded with the first race of the season, the Canada Cup #1, where I was proud to take the win and the leader’s jersey in my new Cannondale 360fly jersey. I spent the first two weeks of March at home again on my cross-country skis and fatbike before heading to California for a last mountain-bike camp leading into the first intensive race month of the season. April features three U.S. Cups in California, as well as the first World Cup in Cairns, Australia at the end of the month. Should be fun!

fter a successful 2015 race season, I began planning my winter-training season and decided on a few good opportunities I thought would be fun, challenging, productive and able to meet my expectations for 2016. After some well-deserved downtime in November to refuel after my cyclocross season, I spent three weeks at home taking in a variety of training that mostly consisted of running, cross-country skiing, hiking and mountain-bike riding before flying off to my first official training camp. I was looking forward to training with Leandre Bouchard during the Christmas break, as we shared similar ideas and plans and thought it would be fun to motivating and push each other. He’s good company on and off the bike and is always up for adventure. We thought long and hard about touring in Cuba (next year, Dre), but finally decided on Guatemala, as my parents were spending four months there and we couldn’t pass up such a great opportunity. We spent approximately two weeks there, mostly in Xela and Lac Atitlan, far away from the big city. The highlight of the trip was hiking a volcano on Day One, all the way up to 3,800 metres. Some of the bike rides took us between sea level and 3,000 metres, but the elevation wasn’t close to being the most challenging part. Most of the climbs are steep (read: mountain-bike gears needed), the pavement is in very bad condition and motorists’ attitude toward cyclists can also be a bit scary. We were lucky enough to meet two Guatemalan National Team road cyclists to take us on rides and for great local seviche. After Guatemala, we flew to Los Angeles to meet up with the Quebec mountain-bike team, training for two weeks in the Santa Monica Mountains, one of the best North American road-bike playgrounds. Training with the Quebec team has 20 PEDAL Spring 2016

COUrteSy Of raphael gagne

rapheal Gagne (l) and leandre Bouchard training in Guatemala

Continued from page 18 vendors, beer gardens, etc. The FISE 2016 World Series Calendar includes Montpellier, France, May 4-8; Osijek, Croatia, July 21-23; Denver, Colo., U.S.A., Sept. 3-5; Edmonton, Alta., Canada, Sept. 16-18; and Chengdu, China, Oct. 28-30.

MaTTaMy wins Two awards In April, the Mattamy National Cycling Centre won two awards. The 2016 Parks and Recreation Ontario Award of Excellence in Design credited the centre for demonstrating high standards of planning, design, community involvement, and so on. The facility also received an award from the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers for 2015 Project of the Year in the Community Project category. “The Mattamy National Cycling Centre is unique in both its design and the diverse nature of the activities that we offer. Consultants are now asking us to share with them the experience and knowledge that we gained to use for their work on other facilities,” said Gord Krantz, Milton’s mayor. The unique oval structure is the sole facility of its kind in Canada that meets top Union Cycliste Internationale standards. Besides operating as a cycling-focused high-performance facility, it also serves as a community recreation centre. The design team included the Town of Milton, Cycling Canada, Ontario Sports Solutions, TORONTO 2015 and Infrastructure Ontario. This team worked to create a field of play that safely allows multi-use concurrent activities, with cycling on the 250-metre timber oval, sports activities in the infield gyms and participants using the walking/running track. The Mattamy National Cycling Centre is also home to offices for Cycling Canada, Cycling Ontario and the Canadian Sports Institute of Ontario.

edMonTon new addiTion To uCi VeloTHon MaJors Velothon Edmonton, the newest addition to the Union Cycliste Internationale’s (UCI) Velothon Majors, was unveiled in an April press conference by the Alberta Peloton Association, together with the Tour of Alberta. A unique mass-participation event hosted in “cycle-iconic cities worldwide,” as described by the UCI, Velothon Edmonton will be hosted on Sept. 5 in Alberta’s capital city. “The UCI Velothon Majors will add Continued on page 22 www.pedalmag.com

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out in front

 BY ed Veal

Veal Report Momentum

iVan rUpeS

ike many of you, I’m trying to go as fast as I possibly can on two wheels. This started on a mountain bike, then a road bike, and now a track bike. Regardless of the cycling discipline, every day I wake up to this challenge with excitement.

There are many amazing cycling disciplines, and I can’t say I have tried them all, but what I do want to explain is how adding track cycling to the mix can complement everything you do on two wheels, and I’m confident it will make you faster across the board. Now maybe you’re saying, “Sure, but I want to go fast for longer than a mere four minutes, like you do, Ed,” and, it is true, my four-minute power is the best it has ever been, and after hundreds of three-, four- and five-kilometre efforts, it has become my bread and butter. But there is way more to it than just improved power. It is improved understanding. When I mention getting faster, I always feel people think that I mean improved power or improved fitness. This is where this sport has gone wrong. The data junkies are too busy looking at their Garmins to understand they aren’t even in the draft. Yeah, you! Get off Strava for a second and listen up. Staring at your average power isn’t helping you as much as you think. You can become much faster when you improve your understanding of the technical side of the sport. Put a little more effort into understanding drafting, positioning and, my new flavour of the month, “momentum.” Cyclists carry momentum when they are up to speed. It takes a huge or prolonged force to get up to speed and a similar effort to come to a stop. Speed and weight play pivotal roles in how much momentum is carried at any given time. One of the first experiences I had with momentum was when I was a kid, building a snowman. Keep the snowball rolling and it would continue to move. 22 PEDAL Spring 2016

Once it came to a halt, good luck getting it rolling again. My next major experience with momentum was riding a single-speed mountain bike. It changes how you look at the oncoming terrain. You look at even the slightest little incline so differently when you lose speed, can’t push any harder, stop and have to unclip on a hill. The work involved to get over a steep pitch is done “way” before the grade starts to increase. Upping your cadence, gaining speed and barreling into the climb before it kicks up are often the only way to surmount it. If done right, though, you can even float over climbs. It really hit home seeing the power of momentum during track cycling. Getting Speed and weight up to speed at the top of the track play pivotal roles in and carrying momentum down how much momenthe banked corners is how every tum is carried at Professional Omnium rider blasts any given time. past the pack to initiate an attack. With every powerful pedal stroke, the speed grows and the mass of rider and bike start to carry. Once the attacking rider is clear off the front of the group, it is time to dive down the steep banking to the black line, only adding speed and, of course, more momentum. Get caught off guard from a move like this and the effort needed to close the gap is devastating. The chase to close to the attacking rider hurts, but this is where you can do some damage of your own. Use the energy you just worked for and put a similar hurt on riders who are starting to slow down or have slowed down. This built-up force has you already at top speed; you can blast right by the group with minimal effort. This is a counterattack, and, more than anything I have ever experienced on the track before, it is really exaggerated because of the speeds you can hit and because track bikes don’t have any brakes. That’s right, I’ll say it again, no brakes. This is what makes it the experience it is: the flow, the energy and the g-force in the corners. It something that needs to be experienced and enjoyed. That incredible feeling of a slingshot past the group down low on the black line at top speed is something I wish I could bottle. This is what I meant by going faster – using the slipstream, managing space between riders, taking the shortest line, positioning on the bike and using momentum to your advantage. Let the track be your cycling classroom, and the first lesson is that the sport of cycling is more than just a fitness contest.

Continued from page 20 to what promises to be an exhilarating sports weekend in Edmonton,” said Don Iveson, Edmonton’s mayor. “Hosting world-calibre sporting events such as this injects tourism dollars into our local economy, increases the vibrancy of our city and adds to our reputation as a premier sports-tourism destination.” The UCI Velothon Majors aims to create premier urban-cycling events in major cities around the globe, enabling fans of the sport to have a true “feel-like-a-Pro” experience. Velothon Edmonton participants have the option to ride a shorter route of 50 to 60 kilometres or a longer 100 to 120-kilometre version of the course cycled a mere few hours prior during the Tour of Alberta’s Stage Five.

uCi suspends disC-BraKe TesTinG On April 14, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announced that it was suspending immediately its trial of disc brakes in road races. This decision follows a request made by the Association Internationale des Groupes Cyclistes Professionnels (AIGCP) – which represents management of all Professional cycling teams – following the injuries suffered by Movistar Team rider Francisco Ventoso at the 2016 Paris-Roubaix. This request is supported by the Cyclistes Professionnels Associés (CPA), which represents riders. UCI WorldTeams were given the possibility to test bikes mounted with these brakes at two events of their choice. After in-depth discussions with stakeholders, the UCI then decided to authorize riders from all categories of Professional road teams to use disc brakes in 2016 and to closely monitor their use during the year. The UCI will continue extensive consultations through its Equipment Commission, made up of representatives of teams, riders, mechanics, fans, commissaires and the bicycle industry.

BiKe sHare ToronTo Grows wiTH 1,000 new BiKes In April, the Toronto Parking Authority (TPA) chose PBSC Urban Solutions as the supplier of Bike Share Toronto’s new bikes and stations. The TPA will purchase 1,000 new bikes and 120 new stations from PBSC this year, doubling the number of bikes in the bike-share fleet. “We had a very thorough and detailed tender process in search of a company that had the best road map for the future of bike share and the best value for our dollar,” said Lorne Persiko, TPA Continued on page 24 www.pedalmag.com

UCI Gran Fondo World Series is the new name of the UCI World Cycling Tour in which amateur and masters’ cyclists can qualify for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships. If they finish in the first 25% of their age group, they are entitled to race for the coveted UCI rainbow jersey per age group. The series are accessible without a race license.

2016 CALENDAR 11-13 Sep 2015 13 Sep 2015 18 Oct 2015 11-13 Mar 2016 2 Apr 2016 22-24 Apr 2016 6-8 May 2016 26 May 2016 27-29 May 2016 29 May 2016 4-5 Jun 2016 10-12 Jun 2016 10 Jul 2016 15-17 Jul 2016 1-4 Sep 2016

Poznan Bike Challenge Amy’s Granfondo Amashova Durban Classic UCI Gran Fondo World Series Perth Forrest Grape Ride Rhodes Gran Fondo Tour Gran Fondo Denmark Road Brazil Ride Grey County Road Race L’Albigeoise Tour of Cambridgeshire Maraton Franja Niseko Classic La Leggendaria Charly Gaul UCI Gran Fondo World Championships

QUALIFYING EVENTS FOR 2017 10-11 Sep 2016 11 Sep 2016

Poznan Bike Challenge Amy’s Granfondo

Poznan, Poland Lorne, Australia Durban, South Africa Perth, Australia Marlborough, New Zealand Rhodes, Greece Helsingor, Denmark Botucatu, Brazil Blue Mt.Village, Canada Albi, France Peterborough, UK Ljubljana, Slovenia Niseko, Japan Trento, Italy Perth, Australia

Poznan, Poland Lorne, Australia

www.ucigranfondoworldseries.com

out in front BY JoHn SWarT

Swart’s Swagger Huff ’n Puff in the Buff

COUrteSy: JOhn SWart

ur federal government’s focus on global warming and climate change is altering the cycling landscape in Canada. Paul’s Dirty Enduro is a tremendous event here in the East and the Dirty Girlz rock mountain biking in the West on Vancouver Island, but being politically correct and aligning with the governmental stars means “green” and “clean” in the Justin era – because it’s 2016. Combine this with a proliferation of cycling events of all sorts, and standing out from the crowd in the season’s calendar is difficult. Even when you do get your event noticed, volunteer helpers are getting harder to find than traction at Mont-Ste-Anne in April. How’s a local club or organizer to respond?

They could embrace the example of the Short Hills Freewheelers, a local mountain-bike club whose first “green” event of the season will be the “Huff ‘n Puff in the Buff” MTB race scheduled for Saturday, May 21. The race follows little-used trails in St. Johns Conservation Area and Short Hills Provincial Park, combining strenuous uphills and flowy descents where riders can let it all hang out, so to speak. Deep Forest Deet is on board as a ride sponsor, and to avoid creating mounds of unnecessary individual plastic bottles, factory reps and a support team will be on hand to ensure a thorough application of mosquito and tick repellant for each cyclist from a communal 200-litre drum. Cover Girl jumped at the chance to sponsor this race, and will use it as clinical trial of its new unisex bronze-tan heavy-duty foundation make24 PEDAL Spring 2016

up. If successful, this foundation will alleviate concerns that from the rear, as they stand on their pedals to climb, many racers in the buff will look dangerously like white-tailed deer bounding through the forest. Although there is no hunting within Short Hills Provincial Park, except for aboriginals hunting for food or trophies, cyclists are considered at risk. A quick application of “bronze tan” where your short chamois would normally cover should add to the safety of everyone. The early start time was chosen to avoid blistering mid-day temperatures and to minimize sunburn due to the depleted ozone layer caused by the previous government. The buff format will contribute to a “greener” event; no sweaty laundry to be done after the race. Dangerous phosphates leaching out of detergents will be eliminated. The 6:00 a.m. start will also allow completion of the race before birders and early-morning hikers set out on the park’s singletrack paths. Bird sightings by the Ontario Field Ornithologists are expected to spike during the race, as local retailers report increased binocular sales, but no complaints are anticipated. Ontario Parks has offered to support the event with a large contingent of overseers, as will Parks Canada, the Ministry of the Environment, Friends of the Greenbelt, the Bruce Trail Club and anyone else with a white or green pickup truck. Although the race course It’s important for racers to avoid being mistaken will be clearly marked, the by hunters for a whiteturns and obstacles will tailed deer, bounding have marshals and spotters through the forest. to keep cyclists on track. Unlike many races, attracting volunteers wasn’t a struggle; the “Huff ‘n Puff in the Buff” has lots. Volunteer positions for this year’s event are filled, but you can contact the club and be put on its wait list for future events. Liability waivers will have to be signed; no one under the age of 21 will be allowed to ride. Although twisted ankles from sticking cleats are always a risk, this ride is expected to be plagued by twisted-neck injuries. Normal race classifications will be changed to “Wow, cool and shield your eyes; in motorsports vernacular, it’s sort of a “Run what you brung” event, designed to minimize the need for equipment inspection. Grab your bikes and socks (optional) and have fun on this tradition-breaking, environmentally-friendly race. Fenders are recommended.

Continued from page 22 president. “PBSC Urban Solutions was hands down the winner, and we look forward to working with them over the next five years as we grow the Bike Share Toronto network.” Besides supplying new bikes and stations, PBSC will also replace electronic components in the current system, including 81 pay stations and 1,500 docks. In July 2015, Metrolinx partnered with the TPA and committed $4.9 million worth of bikes and docking stations to expand Bike Share Toronto’s network. PBSC systems are used in these U.S. cities: Chicago, New York, Washington, Aspen, San Francisco, Chattanooga and Columbus. The following international cities also use PBSC systems: Guadalajara, London, Melbourne and Montreal.

wounded warriors Canada launCHes BiKe ride In April, Wounded Warriors Canada (WWC) announced the launch of its first annual Highway of Heroes Bike Ride. Starting Sept. 24 at the Afghanistan Repatriation Memorial in Trenton, Ont., the Highway of Heroes Bike Ride will take up to 200 Canadians on a memorable two-day cycling experience in remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. It will also raise awareness and funds in support of our ill and injured Canadian Armed Forces members, veterans, first responders and their families. In 2007, a 170-kilometre portion of Ontario’s Macdonald-Cartier Freeway (Highway 401) from CFB Trenton to the Don Valley Parkway was designated the “Highway of Heroes,” reflecting its use carrying fallen Canadian Armed Forces servicemen and servicewomen from CFB Trenton to the coroner’s office in Toronto, Ont. Scott Maxwell, executive director of WWC, commented, “The ‘Highway of Heroes’ is a sacred stretch of highway that connected Canadians to our Canadian Armed Forces members and their families in an unprecedented fashion. Like the highway itself, this ride will honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country, while having a direct impact in supporting our ill and injured Canadian Armed Forces members, veterans, first responders and families who are living with PTSD.” For more information, go to www. highwayofheroesride.com. Continued on page 26 www.pedalmag.com

 BY CHrIS MaTTHeWS

Shimano Unveils XT Di2 Component Group

n April, Shimano unveiled the very welcome trickle-down of Di2 tech to the XT level of its MTB range. This makes off-road electronic shifting more affordable while also introducing some entirely new and forward-thinking wireless data features. The most notable advancement for XT Di2 – or, to be specific, Shimano Deore XT M8050 – is the introduction of what Shimano calls E-Tube Wireless connectivity. With this new bar-mounted control center, it’s now possible to wirelessly customize the XT shift patterns and shift speed through an ANT or BTE connection to a smartphone or tablet. The included bar-mounted SCMT800 system information display shows gear selection, battery level and shift mode, and can also display Fox iRD suspension information. As with XTR and SC-MT800 System Information display Shimano’s road Di2 components, the derailleurs are still wired to the shifters and the battery – only the set-up configuration is wireless. The ergonomics and design borrow a lot from the XTR componentry, with adjustable shifter position and short-stroke levers that provide a sharp, crisp feel so it’s easy to be sure what gear you’re asking for, even in rough conditions. In its 2x11 configuration, the XT M8050 Firebolt Shifters are programmable so it’s possible to run a shifter for each derailleur, or a single shifter in Syncro Shift mode, with the front derailleur shifting automatically at preset shift points. Alternatively, the new XT Di2 system is available as a 1x11, avoiding the front derailleur altogether.

Shimano di2 component group

Both derailleurs draw heavily from Shimano’s experience in electronic shifting. The front derailleur tracks the position of the rear derailleur and automatically trims itself to be in the perfect position at all times, and the new XT Di2 Shadow RD+ rear derailleur features a low-profile geometry and a chain stabilizer to keep drivetrains quiet in rough conditions. Gear ranges are optimized for XC race to XT trail conditions, keeping the system in line with those riders who have previously relied on the popular XT group. The XT Di2 rear derailleur is compatible with Shimano’s CSM8000 11-46T cassette in 1x11 set-ups, and with 11-40 or 11-42 cassettes in the 2x11 XT M8050 configuration. Firebolt shifter For more information, visit shimano.com

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Spring 2016 PEDAL 25

out in front

by John Symon

Continued from page 24

Cycling Coach Colin Hearth Passes Away

Dal-Cin is First Canadian to Win Redlands Classic

courtesy of Steve Bauer

Glaesser Fifth, Poidevin Takes QOM

anada’s Matteo Dal-Cin (Silber Pro Cycling) took home a historic career-best victory, securing the overall title at the 32nd Redlands Classic in California from April 6-10. Dal-Cin became the first Canadian to win the legendary stage race that is one of the key events at the start of the season in North America. Jasmin Glaesser (Rally Cycling) was the top Canadian women in fifth overall, while her teammate Sara Poidevin, a rookie Pro, captured the QOM (Mountain Classification) jersey. Stage One saw Benjamin Perry (CAN, Silber Pro Cycling) as the top Canadian, finishing sixth in the men’s 93km race, which was won by Ruben Companioni (CUB, Team Jamis). In the women’s 66km contest, Canadian Criterium champion Alison Jackson (TWENTY16-RideBiker) placed second behind winner Scotti Lechuga (USA, Hagens Berman/Supermint). Stage Two, 122km, was won by Sepp Kuss (USA, Gateway Harley Davidson/Trek), while Dal-Cin placed. Canada’s Poidevin finished sixth, with teammate Glaesser seventh, as Mara Abbott (USA, Amy D. Foundation) won the 99km women’s race after surviving a nasty fall along the way. On Stage Three, Silber Pro Cycling Canadian teammates Dal-Cin and Nigel Ellsay claimed second and third respectively in the men’s 11.42km 26 PEDAL SPRING 2016

courtesy of Silber Pro Cycling

Colin Hearth with Steve Bauer and son, Dean

Greenspot ITT, as GlaesSilber Pro Cycling’s ser raced to third in the Matteo Dal-Cin made women’s ITT. history as the first Ulises Castillo (USA, Canadian to claim the Redlands Classic title for KHS-Maxxis-JL Velo) the biggest win of took the men’s 90-minute his career. Stage Four Criterium, as Silber was on the podium again courtesy of Canada’s Elliott Doyle who placed second. A crash in the final corner marred the finish, as Kris Dahl (CAN, Silber Pro Cycling), in second place at the time, clipped his pedal coming out of the final corner, sustaining no serious injuries as Dal-Cin remained second overall. Jackson was the top Canadian woman in sixth behind Lauretta Hanson (USA, Colavita/Bianchi), who emerged as the winner of the women’s 60-minute Criterium. The renowned stage race wrapped up with the men’s 151km Stage Five road race won by Travis McCabe (USA, Holowesko/Citadel). Dal-Cin, who hails from Ottawa, crossed the line fourth to claim this historic yellow GC winner’s jersey. On the women’s side, the final stage was won by Leah Thomas (USA), with Glaesser in fourth for a strong fifth place overall, as Kristin Armstrong-Savola (USA, TWENTY16-RideBiker) clinched the GC victory. The Mountain Classification (QOM) jersey went to rising Canadian star, Poidevin, who also finished eighth overall.

Legendary Canadian cycling coach Colin Hearth passed away in March of an apparent stroke at his home in Cuba. Hearth was a founding member of the St. Catharines Cycling Club, coaching top Canadian star cyclists Karen Strong, Gord Singleton and Steve Bauer in the late 1970’s. He and Strong were also married for a time. Olympian and 1979 Pan Am Games gold medalist Gord Singleton said: “Colin was instrumental in starting Steve Bauer, Karen Strong and myself” on what became an incredibly successful path for all three cyclists. In 1982, Singleton became the first Canadian rider to win a World Championship title, capturing Keirin gold on the track. “He was my first coach and a big part of my career and others like Karen Strong and Gord Singleton,” commented Steve Bauer. “The three of us raced at the 1977 Track Worlds in Venezuela. Colin was very passionate and feisty as well – his voice was well heard on the side of the track in those days. We occasionally saw him in Cuba [too]. He was a good man and will be sorely missed,” added Bauer. Hearth was a past president of the Ontario Cycling Association and past board member of the Canadian Cycling Association. In addition to coaching at the club level, he went on to coach the National road and track teams.

Coach Maurice Jefferies Passes Away Maurice Jefferies, 85, who coached many cycling greats during the 1960’s and 1970’s –including Jocelyn Lovell and Ron Hayman – passed away March 31. Jefferies was a top cyclist in his native England, making the “short list” to represent Britain at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, but never getting the call. He immigrated to Canada in the 1950’s, eventually becoming the Canadian National track coach, accompanying the team to many international compewww.pedalmag.com



courtesy of the FQSC

titions such as the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany. At the 1970 Commonwealth Games, Jefferies played a role in breaking Canada’s long-standing cycling-medal drought, bringing home a gold, two silvers and a bronze from track events there. Lovell won gold at those Games, also setting a new track record. Later, Jefferies became the technical director at the Canadian Cycling Association (CCA), doing stints at two major competitions: the 1974 UCI Road Worlds and the 1976 Olympic Games, both held in Montreal. “Maurice Jefferies played an important role in cycling in Quebec during his career, particularly during

Maurice Jerreries (center) the 1974 Road and Track World Championships, the first ever to take place outside of Europe, as well as during the 1976 Olympic Games,” commented Louis Barbeau, FQSC (Fédération québécoise des sports cyclistes) director-general. “He remained involved in cycling up until 2008, [working] mainly as an anti-doping commissaire at the end of his career. He was involved throughout his career in all aspects of cycling: athlete, then coach, organizer and finally commissaire. It’s no surprise he was inducted into the FQSC Hall of Fame in 1991,” continued Barbeau. Jefferies’ day job involved building flight simulators for Canadian Aviations Electronics (CAE), resulting in his coaching outside of normal working hours.

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Ontario Allocates $10 Million to Expand Cycling Infrastructure Last year through the Ontario Municipal Cycling Infrastructure Program, Ontario announced $10 million to help municipalities invest in cycling infrastructure and improve cycling safety. Ontario is now allocating the funding that is being used by municipalities to install or improve on-road cycling lanes, off-road cycling and walking paths, cycling-specific traffic signals and signs, active transportation bridges and bike racks. The funding will help municipalities pay for 50% of eligible local-project costs to a maximum of $325,000. The Ontario Municipal Cycling Infrastructure Program is helping implement #CycleON: Ontario’s Cycling Strategy, the government’s 20-year vision to encourage the growth of cycling and improve safety for cyclists. Investing in cycling infrastructure is part of the government’s economic plan to grow the economy and create jobs. The four-part plan includes investing in talent and skills, helping more people get and create the jobs of the future by expanding access to high-quality college and university education. This constitutes the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario’s history, while investing in a low-carbon economy driven by innovative, high-growth, export-oriented businesses. www.pedalmag.com

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Campagnolo

REPOUR

Campy’s new 11-speed Potenza performed flawlessly during our test ride in the Canary Islands - the picturesque views were a bonus.

campagnola Unveils its New Potenza Groupset and Disc Brakes, Upgrades to MyCampy and Shamal Ultra Wheels, Plus our Potenza Test Ride Report by Tim Lefebvre

edal was stoked to attend a worldwide Campagnolo Media Camp/ Product Launch in the Canary Islands in March, where the legendary Italian cycling-component manufacturer unveiled its new midrange Potenza groupset and new disc brakes, along with upgrades to its MyCampy app and legendary Shamal Ultra wheelset.

Potenza Groupset Joshua Riddle, press manager for Campagnolo, introduced the media to Potenza, saying, “It is the top-end groupset in aluminum-based products. It’s going to be pegged with Ultegra, but with a little bit more soul!” The Potenza (noun: power, force, strength, authority) is Campy’s brand-new mid-range 11-speed groupset behind its Super Record, Record and Chorus lines. Taking aim at Shimano’s Ultegra, the fourth little brother in the Campagnolo line is available in silver and black finishes and carries the same DNA as the Super Record. A year and a half in the making, Potenza has the same design as the top-level groupset, but is made with aluminum and will therefore present a touch heavier. Some of the highlights include a new Ergo Power shift mechanism, hollow cranks with four-bolt design, along with a new brake-pad compound that substantially increases braking power. The cost is expected to be approximately $1,230 (830 Euros). With a total weight of 2,303g for this groupset, let’s break it down component by component and find out what’s new, what’s borrowed and if it comes in the colour blue! Ergo Power Shifters (370g): The shift mechanism now boasts a larger index bushing to provide an easier downshift. Also new is the acute angle of the downshift thumb lever, which helps shifting from the drops. The power-shift mechanism is still used, enabling a move of three shifts at a time up the cogset. 28 PEDAL SPRING 2016

There’s new technology in the hoods, with a natural/hypoallergenic silicon to help disperse water more readily, as well as a more rounded top on the hood for comfort and multiple hand positions. Front Derailleur (94g): This design is a die-cast aluminum body with a one-piece steel cage. It accommodates increased tooth-count cassettes that can go as high as 11-32. Originally, only a 29-tooth rear cog was possible. Potenza Rear Derailleur (211g): Made from reinforced techrear derailleur nopolymer, the rear-derailleur pulley wheels use bushings instead of bearings for weight purposes. This model also uses Embrace Technology, of which Campagnolo states, “The top-end performance rear derailleur engages additional teeth, ensuring better power transfer and less wear on consumable parts.” The “medium” cage is a necessary purchase to handle the 32-tooth cog on the rear wheel. Crankset (754g)/Bottom Bracket Cups (69g): Featuring forged-aluminum cranks with hard anodized alumiPotenza num chainrings and a steel axle, the design looks very similar to the crankset Super Record model, with a four-arm spider design. The Power Torque axle, fixed to the drive-side crank, is used. New is the ability to change between standard and compact chainrings without purchasing an entirely new crank (5339, 52-36 and 50-34). Mechanics will appreciate the new internal extractor that aids in maintenance, as this had been an issue in the past. Brakes (321g): The skeleton-arm brakes with dual pivot Shamal Ultra wheelset are very similar to the Athena model. As mentioned previously, there is a new braking compound in the brake pad that purports to increase braking quality. Cassette (249g)/Chain (235g): The cassette is now offered in 11-25, 11-27, 11-29 and 12-29 and, of course, the new 32 is now available with this groupset.

Disc Brakes Campagnolo unveiled its new disc-brake project as well. Fully aware that 2016 is the first official season in which disc brakes are sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), Campagnolo has taken its time in perfecting its version, and is now delivering them to its three UCI teams. Safety and perfection have been its main goals, and it admittedly wanted to ensure the reliability of this innovative product before launching it to the public. Pedal did not get to test the new disc brakes during the launch, but hope to www.pedalmag.com

get our hands on a system very soon. Soon after the launch the UCI declared a suspension on disc brakes in the Pro peloton following injuries to a rider and requests by the Association Internationale des Groupes Cyclistes Professionnels (AIGCP), pending investigations.

Mycampy App The MyCampy app, launched at Eurobike in August, is now available on IOS and Android versions as of March 18, as well as Windows Mobile – and it’s “free.” This app essentially helps to control and group the componentry of Campy’s customer. It will keep a running tally of the kilometres on each bike in your garage and will also log shift changes. Able to interface with Garmin hardware, it provides a complete and comprehensive analysis of each ride.

shamal ultra wheelset The Shamal Ultra wheelset has enjoyed a 20-year run under the bicycles of many Professional cyclists, and it now gets a facelift. The first-ever complete wheelset will now encompass a differentiated rim height, a G3 spoke pattern, Mo Mag technology, oversized driveside flange, USB ceramic bearings, twoway fit profile (tubulars/clinchers), oversized spokes and RDB (rim dynamic balance) technology, all in at 1,495g per wheelset.

Potenza test ride With the initial presentation of the brand-new Potenza groupset wrapped up, a flock of like-minded (like to ride their bikes) journalists were ushered to an adjoining room. Inside, each visiting writer received a Sarto frame made specifically for Campagnolo and dialed to size, with the brand-new 11-speed Potenza groupset shining amidst. After some fine-tuning of seat heights and positions, the group rolled out, and within three minutes were treated to spectacular views of the North Atlantic shore. Kitted out in full Campangolo and matching helmets, the group of 12 looked very much the part as the guides dictated a moderate pace. Undulation best describes the road network on this picturesque island, as it seemed tough to find any flat bit of road. The new groupset comes with an option of 11-32, and that’s what we had the chance to ride, and we were glad to have it. Within an hour, we were treated to 16% gradients, where shifting can quickly go sideways. The Potenza levers and derailleurs worked extremely well under these adverse conditions. The shift is crisp and clean and the possibility of multiple shifts (three) is present on the way up the cogset, and one at a time on the way back down. The levers have a great feel, as CampagnoMyCampy app lo has paid attention to the obvious feedback on this most important detail. The rounded tops let you relax in a number of different hand positions. The feel is sleek, and the levers and shift mechanism are exactly where they should be. Braking had been vastly improved over the old Athena groupset, thanks in part to the new braking compound in its brake pads. One of the highlights of the ride was bombing down a descent with numerous switchbacks, where we enjoyed pushing the brakes to their extreme. The drivetrain worked flawlessly, with the chain gliding effortlessly through the wide range of cogs and under extreme pressure with these gradients. Not one gearing combination gave trouble, even with such a wide variance in selections. Much of the design of the Potenza groupset is derived from its top-of-theline components. The difference lies mainly in the materials used, and aluminum will have a different feel than carbon, and present a touch heavier and bulkier. Campagnolo has done its research and believes in the initial design to such an extent that it has only slightly modified it for this groupset. With this price point, we will once again see mid-line frames equipped with the legend that is Campagnolo. For more information, visit www.campagnolo.com. www.pedalmag.com

To find out more, visit us at ridebionx.com

Cycle Niagara’s South Coast

Uncharted Unexpected Get cycling route descriptions, maps and information about cycling and experiencing Niagara’s South Coast at www.PortColborne.ca/page/cycling

1.888.PORT.FUN

www.PortColborne.ca

Spring 2016 PEDAL 29

out in front



BY STeVe THrendYle

Clubs

COUrteSy Of dirt ChiX

Dirt Chix: The Making of Mountain Bikers

Pedal Spr 2016 PDFs-3

amloops, British Columbia has a reputation for some of the best riding terrain, be it the dirt jumps at the Kamloops Bike Ranch or ripping the Canada Cup downhill track at Sun Peaks. Top Pros such as MTB Worlds champion Catharine Pendrel, call Kamloops home, but the superb riding there isn’t only about going fast and topping the podium. For members of the Dirt Chix club who live in this picturesque city of 90,000 on the hills above the Thompson River, Kamloops’ “mountain biking” is something they do for exercise, for social engagement and because they love where they live. The Dirt Chix started 10 years ago when four young mothers from the same neighbourhood started mountain biking together. “At first,” says club founder Dana Heyman, “it sort of fell apart. Sometimes we’d ride, but other times, things would come up and we’d cancel. To get serious about it, we knew we had to block off time on our calendars each week, so we marked off Thursday nights on the calendar on our fridge at home, where the whole family posts their schedules. Then we decided to give ourselves a name and get some T-shirts printed up. That’s when we came up with the Dirt Chix.” Riders – male and female – would see these women riding with their T-shirts and ask who the Dirt Chix were. “Guys would come up and say, ‘That’s a great idea; I bet my wife would like to ride.’ So we would take down their e-mail addresses and contact them. It went to four to eight to 12, and up to where membership currently stands –156 fully paid members as of May 2016. We are now getting 80 women coming out to our group rides 30 PEDAL Spring 2016

on Thursday nights,” she says. “It’s quite (top) dirt Chix riders enjoy a scene in the parking lot – I think a lot of the spectacular view and people are taken aback. some of the best riding terrain “One of the reasons our numbers have anywhere at Sun Peaks. grown is that women know that there’s (below) Club founder dana Heyman safety in numbers. Not too many women want to head off into the wilderness on their own.” Groups are organized according to ability levels – beginner, intermediate and advanced. Each group has a leader and a sweeper so that no one gets lost. “We ride for anywhere between 90 minutes to two hours,” Heyman adds, and the riding season runs from April until October. There are three outstanding areas within a half-hour of the city to ride – Harper Mountain, Lac du Bois and Kenna Cartwright Park, and the club rotates through these areas throughout the year. What makes the Dirt Chix truly special, however, is the camaraderie. “Once we’re underway, it’s just a steady stream of chatter and laughter all the way up and down the trail. It might drive men a bit crazy,” Heyman explains. “I’ve been on group co-ed rides and the guys are always a lot quieter. It’s just a great time to get away from the family and decompress.” And female riders are patient with their partners too. Founding member Marie Mudry says, “In early May, we rode one of our more technical trail systems, with tight corners and steep pitches. Everyone did great! Later, we sessioned a log ride over and over until all the girls were able to ride it successfully. They were all pretty thrilled with their success, and I was too.” Novice rider Gracie Louvros is one of the converted. “This is my first time mountain biking up and down hills and scary side trails. I am enjoying this more than I thought I would. The ride hosts pass out helpful pointers along the way that are so helpful [and that] you wouldn’t think would work, until you actually try and see that they know what they are talking about! “Dana and her crew are making a mountain biker out of me.” To learn more about Dirt Chix, visit www.dirtchix.weebly.com. www.pedalmag.com

Tribute to Legendary

STEVE SMITH The Chainsaw Massacre

by Fraser Britton

On May 10, 2016, the mountain-bike world lost a hero. Steve Smith from Cassidy, B.C. passed away from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident while riding near his home in Nanaimo.

32 PEDAL SPRING 2016

fraser britton

n a few short years, Smith had gone from struggling to stay between the tape to a force to be reckoned with in the downhill mountain-bike world. His first huge result came in 2010 when he took second place at MTB World Championships in Mont-Ste-Anne, Que. and served notice to the entire downhill world that his time had arrived. In Hafjell, Norway in 2012, he took home his first World Cup victory on a muddy, slippery mess of a track, and then in 2013, Smith went on a rampage. He garnered three consecutive World Cup wins and captured the Mountain Bike World Cup overall title, downhillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest prize. The young Canadian phenom proved that he definitely had what it took to be the best in the world, a dream that was a long time in the making. He received his first BMX bike in 1989 at the age of five, when his mother, Tiann, made a deal with a local bike shop in exchange for apple pies. Tiann, it turned out, Steve Smith captured the would be just as instrumental in the rest of her hearts of Canadians as sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career. She spent evenings and weekends he took one of the biggest UCI World Cup DH victories shuttling her son to the top of the downhill trails of his career, winning at on Mount Prevost on Vancouver Island so that he home at fabled Mont-Ste-Anne could hone his skills. in 2013.

www.pedalmag.com

ANNUAL 2016 PEDAL 33

2007

2008

Signs with Red Bull

34 PEDAL SPRING 2016

1 First major victory at US Open in New Jersey

fraser britton

SEAN St denis

fraser britton

Eventually, he was beating her to the bottom and earned a place on the Canadian-run Cove Bikes team. Fast-forward a few years and Smith was on another Canadian brand – Devinci Cycles from Quebec. Having finally found a home with a brand that loved having Canadian athletes flying its flag, Smith flourished as a cyclist and a person under the guidance of team manager and close friend Gabe Fox. Smith wasn’t only known for going fast on his bike, although it did help him become a household name with fans around the world. “The Chainsaw Massacre,” a nickname he was given by Red Bull’s TV play-by-play announcer Rob Warner, was also renowned for his infectious grin and personality. He always had time for his fans or to have a quick chat, and he was never one to back down from a challenge. Smith was one of the most competitive people you could ever meet and absolutely everything turned into a contest. Whether it was who could get through their plate of sushi the fastest or who could wheelie the farthest or who could pack a bike the fastest, it was always good times when Smith was around. This is what most people who knew him will undoubtedly miss the most. Smith reminded us to always have fun at what we were doing. He loved to ride anything on two wheels, and was always happiest when he was doing just that. He also demonstrated that there is no substitute for hard work when you’re chasing your dreams. Most importantly, he reminded us that you have to love what you do and you have to give it 100%. We’ll miss you, Stevie.

frank bodenmuller

The young Canadian phenom proved that he definitely had what it took to be the best in the world, a dream that was a long time in the making.

4 2010 2 Second at UCI DH World Championships in Mont-SteAnne, Que.

2011 Joins Devinci Global Cycling

2012 3 Took home a hat-trick of wins at Crankworx, the only athlete to achieve this feat

4 Won first UCI DH World Cup at Hafjell, Norway

Third at UCI Downhill World Championships in Leogang, Austria www.pedalmag.com

2013 5 First at MontSte-Anne UCI DH World Cup, bucket-list win at home. www.pedalmag.com

Michal Cerveny

fraser britton

pedalmag.com

fraser britton

2014 6 Wins first Elite Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Canadian DH National title

Was on the podium at every World Cup event

Won three UCI DH World Cup races in a row

8 Historic UCI DH World Cup Overall Series champion â&#x20AC;&#x201C; first Canadian to win

Canadian DH champion for the second consecutive year

2016 Second at UCI DH World Cup in Lourdes, France

SPRING 2016 PEDAL 35

Gran Fondo Forillon and GaspÉsia 100 Taking on the Mythical Gaspésie

the Alto ride. Our mountains are not so high, but the start line he Gaspésie is the site of two fast-growing events, the Gran is at sea level. Other gran fondos, such as Whistler, go higher, Fondo Forillon in July for roadies and the Gaspesia100 in (above) The Gran Fondo Forillon but also start higher.” The elevation gains (dénivelé in French) September for mountain bikers, in this mythic region of offers some impressive climbs goQuebec. While the routes can be described as challenging ing from sea level up to an altitude for each ride are posted on the website. of 2,300 metres. “Our Alto ride peaks out with two climbs of 19%; you because the area is known for its hills, the reward is stunning (opposite middle) The Gaspésia can understand why beginners usually give our Gran Fondos scenery and memorable experiences. 100 features spectacular and chala miss. . . .” Apart from the climbs, these Gran Fondos are The two rides are put on by organizer Jean-François Tapp of lenging sections where carrying challenging because of the horizontal distance; the Alto is 100 Club Velocipeg, who speaks of this land called “Gaspésie” in your bike is a must. (opposite right) The Gaspésie is a miles, not 100 kilometres. Tapp explains his use of miles is benothing less than glowing terms. Up first is the fifth annual Gran Fondo Forillon (GFF) that mythical region where you might cause he draws many clients from the U.S., where the Imperial spot whales from the shoreline. takes place July 2-3, 2016, starting in Gaspé, Que. and offering versus metric system is currently still in use. distances of 80, 115 or 160 kilometres on the Sunday (respectively, the Piccolo, Registration costs vary from $45-$110. Some 150 riders are expected for the Medio and Alto Gran Fondo rides). Warm-up rides are offered on Saturday and GFF in 2016, but registration was already full at press time. It is still possible, include 50, 90 and 130km Prologue circuits. The Gran Fondo rides are timed, though, to register for 2017. while the Prologues are not. The second annual edition of the Gaspésia100 (G100) MTB ride on Sept. “Yes, the Gaspesie region has a lot of hills!” Tapp admits. “The hills are 3-4 is again measured in miles, with 100 miles (160 kilometres) as the longest impressive. These rides, between sea and mountains, have some of the most distance offered, with a 3,261-metre elevation gain. Distances of 25, 50 and 75 important elevation gains in Canada: up to 2,300 metres of altitude gain with miles are also offered for mountain bikers, with a combination of singletrack

36 PEDAL SPRING 2016

www.pedalmag.com

photos: Boris PLIQUE

by John Symon

how National Geographic named the Gaspé as the third “must-see trails, doubletrack trails, beaches, meadows, roads and forest JUST THE FACTS destination” worldwide in 2009. He goes on to compare the pentrails all leading up to a point with stunning views. “Lyne Bessette (a former Olympian) will be here in 2016,” insula to paradise. Tapp also notes its abundant wildlife, almost Gran Fondo Forillon claims Tapp. “She’s attempting to be the first woman to comguaranteeing that participants will see whales from the shoreline July 2-3 - Road event sections or moose and bears in the wooded sections of his bike plete the 160km event. We are expecting 150 participants.” www.granfondoforillon.com events. This is on top of the bragging rights for having done one The rides offer electronic timing. Registration for the G100 of very few 100-mile rides in Canada. varies from $70-$150, and there are still spots available. MTB Gaspésia 100 Tapp mentions the “regional flavours” of the Gaspé Peninregistration closes Aug. 28. Sept. 3-4 - MTB and August running events Tapp describes the G100 as difficult and technical, with sula, which counts many small fishing villages where seafood www.gaspesia100.com many places where participants must carry their bikes. “Again, is readily available. He waxes poetic about Forillon National this is not for beginners!” Park, with dramatic landscapes where the top end of the ApThere are also some earlier running events associated with the G100 on the palachian Mountain chain plunges into the sea. First Nations called this area calendar. Aug. 21 sees a marathon with distances from one to 42 kilometres. There “Gaspeg,” meaning “the end of land.” is also an ultra-trail running event from one to 121 kilometres on Aug. 27-28. Given the 10-hour drive from Montreal to Gaspé, the area’s main disadvanAt press time, some trail descriptions on the website were not quite up to tage is its isolation. Driving and flying are really the only ways to get there; date. Most of the changes since 2015 are to accommodate completing beach a small airport serviced by Air Canada Express is in the town of Gaspé. The sections at low tide. isolation, however, can simply be taken as an excuse to linger longer in the Apart from the steep hills, the area is remarkable for its scenery; Tapp mentions region before heading home. www.pedalmag.com

SPRING 2016 PEDAL 37

RIDER PROFILE BY CaTHarIne Pendrel

Sandra waltEr

Ulrike SCheUChl

Favourite leisure ride? Seven Summits in Rossland, B.C. I stole the QOM [Queen of the Mountain] from you [Catharine Pendrel]. number of bikes in your garage? Eight bikes and two frames, not counting my childhood 22”-wheel bike with a banana seat. Favourite race? Mont-Ste-Anne – I have so much history there; the course is really gnarly and that’s my strength. day-off activities? Drinking good coffee and getting caught up on everyday life.” Walter is also a freelance writer.

38 PEDAL Spring 2016

“It was a pretty amazing feeling to be in the mix at a World Cup. The three women in front of me were all Olympic medalists or World champions. Racing them and seeing they aren’t superhuman, that they all make mistakes and that I can be there was really motivating.”

andra Walter has had an almost 20-year love affair with racing, and she is just as passionate now about racing as she was at 16. “My racing career has been really long because of my love of sport and because I tend to never give up,” said Walter. “I have a belief there is more in me, that I haven’t reached my potential yet, and that keeps me going.” With four Canada Cup overall titles, the 2014 Marathon National Championship title and five senior National Championship medals between cross-country MTB and cyclocross, this Liv-Giant rider has earned her reputation as the woman to beat on the domestic circuit. This year, she also earned a spot on the long list for the 2016 Canadian Olympic mountain-bike team – a career dream. I sat down with Walter at the National Team Camp at Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria, B.C. to talk about her career and what she has planned for 2016. Topping her list of 2016 goals would be a win at the Canadian MTB National Championships in Baie-SaintPaul, where she has gone undefeated for the past five years. She also aspires to multiple career-best performances at the World Cup level and the World Championships. In 2014, she posted a remarkable 13th place at the World Cup in Mont-Ste-Anne, Que. “It was a pretty amazing feeling to be in the mix at a World Cup. The three women in front of me were all Olympic medalists or world champions. Racing them and seeing they aren’t superhuman, that they all make mistakes and that I can be there was really motivating.” With an adventurous Swiss mother and Austrian father, this Coquitlam, B.C. native grew up traveling, camping, hiking and biking. From age 16, she and her bike were inseparable. One day, after returning from a solo exploration of the hills around her aunt’s farm in Switzerland, her aunt informed her that she had signed Walter up for a mountain-bike race. She had no clue what to expect (showing up with flat pedals, no suspension and a rear luggage rack) and was immediately hooked on racing. In B.C., where trails were just metres away from her door, she ditched the luggage rack, got some suspension and was quickly schooling the boys on her high-school team. She had found her place. As a junior, after competing in a B.C. race called “Nationals,” she found that she qualified for the World Championships, without even knowing they existed. After convincing her parents that Worlds were a big deal, in the fall of 1998 she attended her first of many World Championship events for Canada. Fluent in the Swiss-German dialect, Walter later had the unique opportunity to spend three years in Europe racing for a Swiss team. “I learned a lot,” she said. It was when she returned to racing Canada Cups in 2009 that she really found gains. “I did a lot of high-level racing in Europe, but was never racing for the win. On the Canada Cup circuit, I raced to win. I gained confidence. I learned I needed to start hard if I wanted to win, to ride at the front rather than being conservative.” Walter has been ranked top three in the country for the past three seasons. www.pedalmag.com

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Photo : Paul Cimon

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RIDER PROFILE by Sandra Walter

Léandre Bouchard

Jon Watkin

Favourite leisure ride? Club Dorval trails in Alma. “It’s not a famous place to ride, but it’s my home trails. . . . I know them really well, so I can go at max speed and ride smoothly.” Number of bikes in your garage? 11 Favourite Race? Every race in Hardwood Hills is really fun. Day-off activities? Cruising on my skateboard, spending time with friends and domestic chores.

40 PEDAL SPRING 2016

“I like riding my bicycle; I like to push my limits. I like to ride it as fast as I can, and physically push my body to the max. I like to feel the speed. The thing I like the most about cycling is the happiness it gives me.”

éandre Bouchard is currently Canada’s third-ranked male XCO mountain biker in the Union Cycliste Internationale standings and has a legitimate shot at one of two spots on the Olympic squad for August’s Games in Rio, Brazil. After his stellar 19th-place ride at the World Cup season opener in Cairns, Australia, he’s showing great form – an encouraging sign with only two more World Cups to go before the Olympic-team-selection deadline. Bouchard has been riding bikes since he was a little child, ripping around his neighbourhood streets of Alma in northern Québec where he grew up and still proudly calls home. He and his buddies played around on their two-wheelers, building jumps and exploring trails, but the 23-year-old says he officially started racing in Grade Five, when a friend introduced him to a local cycling club. That summer, an 11-year-old Bouchard tried his first race. The following year, he signed up with Club Cyclone d’Alma – the same program he rides with today, 12 years and tens of thousands of kilometres later. The lanky, long-limbed 6’4” Quebecker recounted how he immediately loved bike racing, as it allowed him to push the limits of his steed and of himself. “I feel great on the bicycle,” he explained simply. He admitted he is naturally competitive and driven by the constant desire to improve. “I like riding my bicycle; I like to push my limits. I like to ride it as fast as I can, and physically push my body to the max. I like to feel the speed. The thing I like the most about cycling is the happiness it gives me.” The animated, free-spirited racer is known for his fearlessness and technical skill, launching himself off massive jumps on his Devinci Wooky 29er carbon hardtail (outfitted cross-country style, of course, with a relatively narrow flat bar and jacked saddle). When not on his bike, he can often be seen cruising on his skateboard, which he brings with him on all his trips to “save the legs.” He towers above the moving streams of airport travelers and deftly weaves through them to reach his departure gate or efficiently rolls to team dinners, where he averages three heaping platefuls. An aspiring Physical Education (P.E.) teacher, Bouchard likes all sports. When he was a child, he played soccer and dabbled in swimming and alpine skiing. His very first competitive sport, however, was cycling. He also enjoys a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, cycle touring, as well as the cultural experiences that come with traveling. When he retires from bike racing – something that’s still a long way off – he would like to try mountaineering. There’s a particularly high peak in Argentina he’s eyeing. But before any of that happens, Bouchard still has some things he’d like to accomplish on the bike. His biggest goal is to join a Professional team and compete on the World Cup circuit, something he’s been dreaming of since he started racing as a youth. To get there, he admitted, he needs to improve his fitness and overall power output, plus continue to “. . . simply do what you’re doing great,” he explained. And more immediately, his approach to the Olympic season is pragmatic. Bouchard finds the possibility of qualifying exciting and motivating, but he’s staying mentally grounded – although this high flyer is never afraid to let his tires leave the ground. www.pedalmag.com

LTd sl

SCAPINUSA.COM/SCAPIN-LTD-SL

BIKE TEST

specialized Fuse Pro 6Fattie by Tim Lefebvre

THE BIKE Price:

$3,900

Weight:

12.5kg

Components:

RAM 11-speed throughout.

Frame/Fork:

M4 premium aluminum/RockShox Reba RC3 650+ (100-120mm travel)

Geometry:

67° headtube/73° seat-tube

Sizes:

S, M, L, XL and XXL

Comments:

Soooo much fun!

the ride Fall is a perfect time to test the latest innovations in mountain bikes. My Specialized Fuse Pro 6Fattie arrived in early October, much to my delight. First impression as I picked up the bike at the Liberty Bike Shop in St. Catharines, Ont. was a mixture of intrigue and skepticism. This would be my first experience on this type of semi-fat ride. The Fuse Pro 6Fattie is one of three models in Specialized’s new category of 650b bikes, the other two being the Expert and the Comp. This new line differs from all other mountain bikes as it carries the new 6Fattie wheel system of 650b wheels dressed with a 3.0” tire on a slightly wider 45mm rim. Designed to create a plush ride with incredible traction, any MTB enthusiast appreciates this new thinking, which combines the old-school mountain-bike and the fat-tire craze we’ve been witnessing these past few years. Specialized claims this new wheel system has a 56% tire-volume increase that enables lower pressures to be run. What this creates is an increase in flotation across bumps, roots and rocks, providing a plush ride. This new tire also increases the contact patch by a whopping 69%, enabling the rider to push the envelope with traction and control. Obviously all the hype is about the wheelset, but there was some new frame technology necessary to facilitate these wheels and maximize the experience. The frame is an M4 aluminum with hydroformed tube shapes that are hand-welded for durability. The big change in this frame is the inclusion of what Specialized calls the “Diamond Stay Design” chainstay. The driveside actually splits into two to accommodate the bigger tire and to increase chainring clearance. This also brings the chainstays in closer to 430mm, creating a tight, nimble feeling when railing singletrack. Other modifications of note due to this increased tire width is a wider fork crown and increased hub spacing. The front hub went from 100 to 110mm and the rear from 142 to 148mm. Originally termed the “boost” hub spacing, it is 42 PEDAL SPRING 2016

now common to ensure stiffness in the back end. The fork is a RockShox Reba RC# 650 Plus that carries a nice 120mm of travel to help with that plush feeling. The drivetrain is complete SRAM, with its carbon 30T ring joined to an 11-speed X01 derailleur powered by SRAM X1 trigger shifters. The DB5 hydraulic-brake system is responsible for slowing this machine down, with 180mm rotors on the front and 160mm on the back. The last piece on the frame worth noting is the Command Post IRcc, a micro-adjust height-adjustable seatpost that is essential to dialing in this type of ride on gnarly terrain. Related to this are its wider bars and tiny 45mm stem that allow more control. Time to ride this fun-looking machine, and I took Specialized’s advice on tire pressure and went with approximately 16psi in the front and 17 in the www.pedalmag.com

You become mesmerized by the traction and control you have on portions of singletrack that used to bounce you all over the place. Carrying your speed through turns and burms with such traction is a delight.

back for a 180-lb. rider. Getting the bike off the start line feels a little lethargic, but once you get rolling, the wheels don’t have the sluggish feeling you might expect. Instead, you become mesmerized by the traction and control you have on portions of singletrack that used to bounce you all over the place. Carrying your speed through turns and burms with such traction is a delight. The low bottom bracket on this ride helps with that sensation, but it is the amount of rubber on the trail that allows you to stay off the brakes and literally float over stuff you would have never before thought possible. Climbing is hindered by the weight and dimensions of this ride, but loose, tight, steep inclines are a different story. If you have some power and can navigate this ride through a tough passage, you’ll be surprised at how nimble and precise it feels. www.pedalmag.com

What goes up must come down, and with the Fuse Pro 6Fattie, descending is a pleasure. No worries about flatting or washing out – the hucks can come big and quick with this much control and confidence. The real treat on this ride is railing a fast, tight descent with lots of little jumps and burms. Remember, its 120mm of travel, hardtail, short stem and wheels put you in an entirely different world. This ride is for anyone who wants to have some fun! You can bring it out to the group ride and keep up, as well as laugh and huck with the best bike handler out there. It’s a perfect complement to a garage full of bikes. Personally, I would love to see it in the winter on a snow-covered trail – maybe I’ll ask to keep it for a few more months! www.specialized.com SPRING 2016 PEDAL 43

BIKE TEST

KONA Kona Hei Hei DL Trail by Tim Lefebvre

THE BIKE Price:

$3,999

Weight:

27.3 lbs.

Components:

Shimano XT 1x11-speed transmission/Race Face/ Effect cinch cranks

Frame/Fork:

Kona Race Light 6061 aluminum-butted/Fox 34 Float performance fork

Geometry:

Headtube 68°/seat-tube 74°

Sizes:

S, M, L and XL

Comments:

Just keeps getting better.

the ride First debuted in 1990, the Kona Hei Hei has been a mainstay flagship of the Kona brand. Always innovating, the line now boasts a new suspension platform for 2016 as well as entirely redesigned frame geometry. Two models of the Hei Hei are available: the Race and the Trail, and there are four different spec packages to choose from. The Race comes equipped with a 100mm fork and race wheels/tires to complement the name. The Trail comes with a 120mm fork with 34mm stanchions and wider rims/tires for better control (Ardent 29x2.25 tires). The new suspension platform is a big deal for Kona – although not the first company to use it, the Fuse Independent Suspension system proves ideal. The pivot at the seatstay/chainstay junction has been eliminated, therefore weight has been saved (240g lighter) and the process simplified, as it relies on small degrees of frame flex. The new frame is aluminum-butted, creating thicker tubes at the welds and adding torsional integrity. An internal FSA headset is incorporated to reduce stack height and provide a great fit. A tapered headtube is also present, which helps to distribute shock force and eliminate brake shuddering. This headtube also houses a Fox Float 34 Performance 120mm QR15 tapered shock. On the back end, the Fox Float Performance rear shock sits above the BB92 Shimano press-fit bottom bracket. Both are more than capable of handling the torsion delivered over all sorts of different terrain. My DL Trail came equipped with a Shimano 11-speed (11-42) XT drivetrain powered by a Race Face Effect Cinch 1X crank that sported a 34-tooth front ring. The wheelset is built on Novatech hubs (QR15 front, 142x12mm rear) with Stan’s ZTR Rapid 25 rims (tubeless) dressed in Maxxis Ardent Exo TR/Ikon Exo Tr 29x2.25/2.2 tires. The front-brake Shimano RT66 rotor measures 180mm 44 PEDAL SPRING 2016

and 160mm in the back. My Hei Hei arrived in late fall, almost the perfect time to test a bike of this quality. Eager to hit the singletrack, this bike felt comfortable straight away. The 68° head angle coupled with the 120mm fork, a 740mm bar and 60mm stem (all for a large frame) give any rider a great feel of control flowing through tight singletrack. Snappy and responsive, the Hei Hei’s acceleration is delivered with a nice light sensation forward, as the front end is totally supported by frame and fork. This short-travel 29er has control that I’ve rarely experienced on a race-oriwww.pedalmag.com

Snappy and responsive, the Hei Heiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s acceleration is delivered with a nice light sensation forward, as the front end is totally supported by frame and fork.

ented bike. The tubeless tires do provide increased grip with a lower rolling resistance, and the new suspension platform is quicker and livelier than its predecessor. But something is new and different. New geometry, a solid component mix and a set-up designed for comfort and flow bring a great feeling of power, acceleration and control. The generous standover clearance helps with throwing this ride into turns, attacking quick uphills and dropping your knees onto the frame for control. The lighter frame and more responsive rear shock and bigger wheels give the pilot everything needed to get the most out of the day. www.pedalmag.com

The drivetrain performs admirably, with no chain-suck or misfires under load. Brakes are a joy to grab a hold of, and the wheels are tight and strong, again giving a nice feeling of liveliness. This affords you the control and the satisfaction that you are on a bike that can handle anything that comes around a corner. Kona has continually upgraded this flagship model since its inception. The Hei Hei aluminum frame now comes with a lifetime warranty for the original owner â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a testament to its durability and longevity. www.konaworld.com SPRING 2016 PEDAL 45

BIKE TEST

CUBE Elite C68 SL29 by Nick Chistoff

THE BIKE Price:

$7,499

Weight:

9.2kg/20.28 lbs.

Components:

SRAM 11-speed XX1 trigger shifter, Race Face Next SL carbon 34T crankset and Magura MT8 brakes

Frame/Fork:

C68 carbon monocoque Advanced Twin Mould technology frame

Geometry:

70° headtube/73° seat-tube

Sizes:

15”, 17”, 19”, 21” and 23”

Comments:

A sturdy, lightweight race machine that will get you to the top!

the ride In 1993, Marcus Purner, while still a university student, began manufacturing mountain bikes in 30 square metres of his father’s furniture factory in Waldershof, Germany. He must have done a few things right because today Cube manufacturers a wide variety of bicycles in a much larger facility, with distribution in more than 34 countries. The Elite C68 SL29 is a mouthful to say, but it’s an excellent example of the expertise and attention to detail that Cube brings to the table. The C68 indicates the carbon-fibre technology used to create the lightweight frame. There are three different types of fibres used in the frame: ultra-high modulus, high-modulus spread tow, and intermediate modulus. Cube’s Advanced Twin Mould is a process that carefully arranges these fibres around an internal form that allows control of the material to strengthen specific areas of the frame and prevents folding or dislocation during the curing process. This also allows the resin to be distributed more evenly when under pressure in the mould. The result is a frame with a large downtube that blends the 1/8” to 1/2” tapered headtube to the beefy-looking 92mm press-fit bottom-bracket area. Chainstays are tall and fairly thick, but only 435mm in length, and the seatstays are slim. The toptube also helps connect everything with a seamless flow. This frame offers internal cable routing, including accommodations for internal routing of a retractable seatpost. Cloaked in its Teamline colours of black, white, red and blue, the Elite has logos and graphics applied in multiple layers in a wet-paint process that provides a lush look and reportedly saves weight. The SL29 model name of this hardtail mountain bike indicates this is a superlight 29er. In fact, Cube has gone to considerable lengths to keep weight to a minimum. Cube claims a weight of 9.25kg/20.39 lbs. for this race machine – and this is no exaggeration. Fork and wheel assemblies are the usual hefty culprits, but Cube begins stacking the deck with a RockShox SID RL fork equipped with a 15mm axle. The tubeless-ready DT Swiss CSW 3.9 wheelset sports Schwalbe Liteskin tires, a Rocket Ron up front and a minimalist Thunder Burt for the rear. This combination was so light that, even with inner tubes, I was a bit suspect on reliability, but it was needless worry. A 34-tooth Next SL 46 PEDAL SPRING 2016

carbon crankset powers a SRAM XX1 11-speed drivetrain, with braking provided by Magura’s MT8 system with a 180mm disc up front and a 160mm for the rear. Syntace provides carbon handlebars and the 31.8mm stem, with a fi’zi:k Tundra saddle for the posterior. All of these components are Professional-grade lightweight race components, and while the Kind Shock Lev Integra adjustable seatpost is great when attacking technical sections or to lower the center of gravity while railing berms, I’d be inclined to swap in a lighter, carbon seatpost version. When I finally stopped drooling over all the shiny bits and hopped aboard the 43cm (17”) test bike, I found myself in a forward aggressive position perfect for cross-country, except that the 740mm handlebar placed my hands farther apart than I’m used to. This was only an issue on narrow trails, but the leverage from the wider bar helped give the Elite its razor-sharp steering. Switchbacks are handled with ease. As you might expect, all of your pedal energy is transwww.pedalmag.com

It would seem like this is a bike that is not only perfect for cross-country sprints, but for mult-hour Endurance races as well, especially for those who go solo.

lated into forward motion, and climbs that have given me fits in the past were easily conquered on the Cube. It is better to use a seated approach to climbing, but the bike will reward an out-of-the-saddle effort. In the descending department, well, it is a hardtail with a steep 70° headtube angle, but the solid-feeling front end and the 29” wheels will allow amazing speed, especially at the hands of a rider experienced in the art of picking the smoothest lines down the trail. The Magura MT8 brakes had amazing modulation and strength, allowing precise control of the stopping power, although occasionally the back would lock up, due, probably, to the minimalist tread on the rear Thunder Burt tire. With the confidence that the stiff chassis offers and the wide 2.25 tires, cornering will be as fast as your courage carries you. You should expect all of these observations from a race machine. The words “Super Competition Racing” grace the toptube, after all. What I did not expect www.pedalmag.com

was the relative comfort provided by the bike on my rock- and root-infested local trails. While not as smooth as a full-suspension rig, I was able to pedal while seated in areas that would have me bounced out of the saddle on my aluminum hardtail, although big hits are still going to hurt. It would seem as if this is a bike that is not only perfect for cross-country sprints, but also for multi-hour Endurance races as well, especially for those who go solo. The only other changes or upgrades I’d undertake would be to shorten the bars a bit and ditch the tire tubes for a sealant such as Stan’s, using the valve stem that Cube provides with the wheel rims. The Cube Elite C68 SL29 is an excellent flagship bike, but for those who are of the Shimano persuasion or wish a double-ringed 11-speed crankset, Cube offers the Elite C68 Race 29 with the same frame. The Cube Elite C68 SL29 is a winner, folks! Crash the podium! www.cube-bikes.ca SPRING 2016 PEDAL 47

show me the money

by John Swart

Ontario Cycle Tourism Conference 2016

ot all bicycle champions are banging bars in a velodrome or screaming down rooted and rocky singletrack. Louisa Mursell and Marlaine Koehler have put in the hours and many, many miles, working as hard as current stars such as Emily Batty and Geoff Kabush or former legends such as Alison Sydor, Curt Harnett or Gord Fraser to reach the podium of their segment of Canadian cycling. For Mursell and Koehler, that quest has been to put Ontario on the list of top destinations for bicycle tourists of all types in North America and around the world. Their efforts grew from small meetings with local clubs, B&B operators, Business Improvement Associations (BIAs) and municipalities, where they pushed hard to create enthusiasm for bicycle tourism and struggled to bend politicians’ ears to get tiny amounts of funding. This led to the launching of the Bike Train from Toronto to Niagara in 2007, developing the first Great Waterfront Trail Adventure in 2008, to the current status quo as the message is finally being embraced. The recent Cycle Tourism Conference, where 150 attendees each paid $200 to learn from industry leaders and to absorb best practices, generated enormous respect for Mursell and Koehler’s efforts.

events are the most popular cycling events in Ontario, attracting 40,000 participants province-wide. These numbers are significant, yet they pale compared to the tallies of Germany, The Netherlands and other European countries that have targeted bicycle tourists for years, indicating there’s lots of room to grow. And that’s what this conference was all about: rolling one’s sleeves up, comparing one’s situation with others, hearing motivational stories and questioning the winners to learn what can be achieved to adapt your business or municipality, as well as networking to share ideas and be brought up to date on this dynamic opportunity. Core topics were “bike tourism means business,” “market growth and emerging trends,” “bringing product to market,” “tracking key indicators,” as well as “route, trail and infrastructure-enhancement innovations.”

Bike Tourism Means Business Keynote speaker Nastassaja Pace, destination development specialist with Travel Oregon, provided a detailed chronology of the effort and vision it took to get the many small rural communities of Oregon’s interior (which were economically devastated when lumbering and mining collapsed) to work together to develop and promote bicycle tourism and outdoor activities in general, making this region a premier cycling destination in the West. Linda McKenna Boxx, director of the Allegheny Trail Alliance/Great Allegheny Passage, shared a similar story of her 25year journey leading the development of GAP, a world-class cycling-destination trail from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Washington, D.C. “It was my life for 25 years,” she told Pedal, but her efforts to assist desolate coal towns and marginalized villages in gaining positive economic benefits from bike tourists using the trail have resulted in millions of visitors. Ontario’s examples included John G. Lohuis, general manager of The Niagara Parks Commission and the Niagara Parkway bicycle-trail system, who has helped Niagara become the third-most-popular cycling destination in Ontario; and Koehler, executive director of the Waterfront Regeneration Trust, who has led the development of Ontario’s Waterfront Trail, which stretches from the Quebec border along three Great Lakes to Grand Bend, Ont.

Tourism, in general, represents a $28-billion income for Ontario and employed 200,000 people in 2008. It is the largest employer of young people in Ontario. In 2010, two-million Canadians were bicycling tourists in Ontario and spent $391 million on those trips. “Growing the cycle-tourism sector - making investments count” was the theme of the March 2016 Cycle Tourism Conference in Toronto, Ont., sponsored by Ontario By Bike and Transportation Options, and it was all about business. Five provinces, two states, 22 towns and cities, 14 regions and counties, 21 tour operators, 14 clubs, coalitions and alliances, three BIAs and six different Regional Tourism Organizations (RTOs) in Ontario attended this conference. Some were there to share bicycle-tourism success stories, while most were there to learn the economic facts and how to help their jurisdictions or businesses win a piece of this growing market. Tourism, in general, represents a $28-billion income for Ontario(i) and employed 200,000 people in 2008. It is the largest employer of young people in Ontario. In 2010, two-million Canadians (including Ontarians) were bicycling tourists (a term referring to those traveling more than 40 kilometres to ride) in Ontario and spent $391 million on those trips, a 25% increase from 2009. Toronto, Ottawa, Niagara Region and Windsor captured 26% of those visits, implying there’s hundreds of millions of dollars in bicycle-tourism spending available to smaller communities throughout Ontario. Ontario itself is the source of most bicycle tourists in the province, Quebec is second and the U.S. is the third-largest source, while charity fundraising 48 PEDAL SPRING 2016

Market Growth and Emerging Trends This topic could be renamed “where’s the money?” and attendance at these plenary sessions was noteworthy. The conclusion: there’s opportunity wherever you’re willing to take a chance! This was an exciting part of the day for anyone with a small-business background, and blew away the stereotype that bicycle tourism is limited to strong, multi-day riders pedaling from town to town. Sara Archer, co-founder of Ride Guides, spoke of how providing guides for mountain-bike excursions in Ontario has blossomed into a full-service company providing skills camps, racing clinics, road packages and anything a bike tourist can envision. www.pedalmag.com

Bringing Product to Market Mursell, and Ontario By Bike, assembled a powerhouse of talent with proven track records at staging events, creating unique cycling tours and leading communities to develop a bicycle-tourism strategy. Mike Brcic, founder and chief happiness officer of Canadian tour company Sacred Rides Mountain Bike Company; Louis Carpentier, director of development, Velo Quebec; Fiona Dawson, director of tourism, Peterborough and the Kawarthas Tourism; Michael Merrall, president and CEO, High Performance Marketing; and Susan Murray, vice-president of communications and operations of Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation are just a few of the speakers who shared their marketing expertise and diverse approaches to bringing product to market.

phOtOS: daVid keOgh

Maria Rasouli, owner of Escape Bicycle Tours in Ottawa, Ont., sees the bicycle as nothing more than a slow-paced, active way to view the sights of Ottawa. Her successful tours are cultural, architectural and historic, and provide a model that Terrance Eta, owner of Toronto Bicycle Tours in Toronto, Ont., shares. He “relishes the opportunity to welcome people to Toronto and help them connect with the city.” These start-ups mirror the boom in companies offering short tours in cities around the U.S. Self-guided tours are growing in popularity, as North American tour companies follow the lead of European operators that have offered self-guided tours as popular and less expensive options for many years, with cycle-tourism-related non-profits such as Velo Quebec, IMBA (International Mountain Bike Association) and Adventure Cycling Association all growing significantly due to a surge in bike-related tourism.(ii) “It’s hard to see what we have in our own area. Make your backyard exotic,” was the message from Jonathan Lansdell, director of the Americas for Butterfield and Robinson.

tracking Key indicators The old saw is that you can’t manage what you can’t measure, and this is one area where bicycle tourism has always struggled in Ontario. It has been difficult to prove empirically to those who should be interested (government’s tourism and economic-development personnel and local BIAs) or those who are interested (business start-ups, municipalities and scores of user groups who understand a booming bike-tourism business will have more cycling infrastructure built for them) that there is solid economic data associated with bicycle tourism. The conference introduced attendees to private firms such as EPG, a strategy, feasibility and impact research firm, and RMCG Inc., which specializes in measuring, collating and tracking key indicators in cycle tourism in dollars and participants. Robert Wong, principal of RMCG, shared his 2015 study of Simcoe and Grey Counties cycle tourism, and some of the insights were significant. How about the fact that the Blue Mountain Centurion brought in $1.4 million in economic activity from this one event! Or how about the Tour de Norfolk, based in sleepy Norfolk County along the north shore of Lake Erie, which generated $174,000 from its strictly volunteer ride. As Wong says, “Economic impact research is very expensive, but [cycle]-tourism-impact measurements are achievable.”

route, trail and infrastructure Enhancements Choose your cliché here: “Build it and they will come,” or “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” Either way, attracting bicycle tourists is about safe facilities, from urban bike lanes and a network of paths to secure parking and public washrooms at trailheads, and this discussion wasn’t left out of the conference mix. This is where we all, racers, MTBers, commuters and recreational cyclists, benefit from efforts to increase cycle tourism in Ontario or any other jurisdiction in Canada. Mayor Steve Parish of the Town of Ajax spoke of the connection between his community’s 120 kilometres of bike lanes and trails and www.pedalmag.com

(from top) louisa Mursell executive director, ontario By Bike/Transportation options and Michael McCreesh, project coordinator, ontario By Bike/ Transportation options, who put the event on; Mike Brcic, chief happiness officer, Sacred rides Mountain Bike adventures; Maria rasouli, owner, escape Bicycle Tours; Michael Merrall, president and Ceo, High Performance Marketing who produces the PwC epic Tour Halton/Kelso MTB Fondo

facilities and the recent Pan Am Games. Jennifer Hyland, project manager of Cycling Infrastructure and Programs for the City of Toronto, enjoys taking new visitors to discover the city by trail, and her work has added 40 new kilometres of trail that we can all use. By focusing on the economic benefits of cycle tourism at this conference, Ontario By Bike and Transportation Options has done every cyclist in Ontario a service by promoting more and safer cycling alternatives and increasing public acceptance of cycling throughout Ontario. For more information, visit www. transportationoptions.org. Note: www.ontariobybike/ctc16-program links to speakers and their presentations. (i) Welcome Cyclists June 2013 Network Participant Tool Kit. (ii) Adventure Cycling Association: 10 Indicators that Bicycle Travel and Tourism are Booming - and Changing, November 2014.

Spring 2016 PEDAL 49

E iO By Bik

tar n O E r O Expl

out in front



BY JoHn SYMon

Jack Sasseville To Retire from Hardwood

rails outes & t | r s e id urs aps & Gu ents & to v | E Cycling M s g n listi | Business

Photo credit: Kawartha Lakes / Fred Thornhill Photography

aT: bybike

om/ontario

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twitter.com

tation ranspor ptions

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50 PEDAL Spring 2016

_by_bike

om/ontario

instagram.c

iVan rUpeS

hardWOOd Ski and Bike

bicycle d e fi i t r e r 1,000 c e v o it and s h i t v i , t W a e places to y l your d n s i e i e r f k i B tario By n O , source p e e r e l g s n i n trip plan r e i m e r p nces. e i r e p x e g for cyclin Jack Sasseville, a golf pro as well, has had a storied career in both cycling and cross-country skiing for more than 40 years.

ack Sasseville, president, general manager and co-founder of Hardwood Ski and Bike Inc., will be retiring this year on Oct. 13, his 65th birthday. The resort has become known as one of Canada’s premier cross-country-ski and mountain-bike resorts. Sasseville began as a golfer, turning pro by age 19. He was introduced to cross-country skiing at about age 22 while living in Saskatoon, Sask. Very soon after that, he found himself coaching the sport and working with the Manitoba Provincial team. By 1979, Sasseville was coaching at the National level, a position he held until the 1992 Calgary Winter Olympics. He then moved to Canmore, Alta., working as golf pro during the summer and as a Nordic coach in the winter. Among his finest moments in the sport was Marie-Josée Pépin winning silver at the 1989 World Juniors in Hamar, Norway and her shouting to him, “We did it!” Sasseville was also a sportscaster for CBC and recounts yelling over the airwaves, “She did it!” when Beckie Scott won bronze at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. During the 1995 FIS Nordic World Championships in Thunder Bay, Ont., Sasseville was approached by Janet Gates about working at Hardwood. In 1998, Sasseville was coaching there; by 2008, he and a group of investors bought Hardwood from Kim Viney, the founder of the resort with her husband, Dave, back in 1983. “I got into cycling as training for cross-country skiing,” explains Sasseville, who also enjoys mountain biking and cyclocross. “But I really hadn’t done a lot in the biking business when I came to Hardwood.” Yet due to Hardwood’s attributes and Sasseville’s solid efforts, the site was chosen to host mountain-bike events for the 2015 Pan Am Games. Despite his retirement, Sasseville will remain involved in the sport: “I will run Team Hardwood. I want to work with senior skiers; I want to run a Masters ski club. I’m going to go back to coaching cross-country skiing, at least part-time. Also want to do a few ski races myself, do some riding, play golf and the household chores my wife tells me to do,” he quipped. For more information, visit www.hardwoodskiandbike.com. www.pedalmag.com

BY BRAYDON BOURNE, TIM LEFEBVRE, PAUL NEWITT, STEF KRAIKER, CHRIS REDDEN AND MIKE SARNECKI

BUYERS GUIDE 2016

MOUNTAIN Cross-country Over $6,000 52 Cross-country $3,000-$6,000 56 Cross-country Under $3,000 62 Endurance Over $6,000 68 Endurance $3,000-$6,000 69 Trail 71 Downhill Over $6,000 72 Downhill $3,000-$6,000 73 Fatbikes 74

MARIN

BMX Race 76 Freestyle 78 Dirt Jumping 80

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SPRING 2016 PEDAL 51

BUYERS GUIDE 2016

MOUNTAIN CROSS-COUNTRY OVER $6,000 Specialized S-Works Epic Carbon FSR Di2 29 The Specialized S-Works Epic Carbon FSR Di2 is one of the finest cross-country race bikes money can buy, featuring a FACT 11m carbon-fibre frame, XC 29 Geometry, 100mm of travel, internal cable routing and SWAT tool cradle. A RockShox RS-1 Brain fork is matched to a custom Fox/ Specialized remote Mini Brain rear shock with AutoSag. The drivetrain is Shimano XTR Di2 11-speed, with XTR on the brakes. S-Works Fast Trak tires wrap it all up around a Roval Control SL wheelset. The SRP is $14,999.

Trek Top Fuel 9.9 SL The better-than-ever Trek Top Fuel 9.9 SL is the fast, versatile choice for the cross-country racer, marathon rider and the entire Trek Factory Racing World Cup team. The bike features OCLV Mountain Carbon main frame and stays, a RockShox RS-1 Solo Air fork and RockShox Monarch XX rear shock. The drivetrain is 100% Shimano XTR 11-speed and the brakes XTR Race hydraulic disc. Components are mainly Bontrager XXX with appearances of Race Face Next SL, 32T at the crank and DT Swiss XMC 1200 carbon wheels. The SRP is $11,499.

Liv Lust Advanced 0 (W) The Liv Lust Advanced 0, the world’s first women-specific carbon-fibre full-suspension bike with 27.5” wheels, offers a combination of Advanced-grade composite frame material and 100mm of Maestro Suspension. Liv’s women’s geometry is optimized for 27.5” wheels and a component package that consists of a 120mm-travel RockShox RS-1 inverted fork, SRAM XX1 11-speed drivetrain, SRAM XX hydraulic disc brakes and SRAM Rise 60 wheelset, making the Liv equally capable in allout race efforts or all-day trail adventures. The SRP is $9,299.

52 PEDAL SPRING 2016

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BUYERS GUIDE 2016

CROSS-COUNTRY OVER $6,000

MOUNTAIN KHS XC Team The KHS XC Team offers a 7005aluminum Superlite frame with fourbar Horst-bearing linkage, providing 100mm travel via a RockShox MC3.3 air shock with motion control and floodgate with 3-position switch. The front end is controlled with a RockShox Reba Race 100mm air shock, motion control and a PopLoc bar-mounted remote adjustment. The XC Team features a full Shimano XTR package along with Sun XC Flea disc-specific hubs and rims and Tioga Red Phoenix tires. The SRP is $6,499.

Cannondale Scalpel 29 Carbon 2 Cannondaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Scalpel 29 Carbon 2 is a speed demon that features its ECSTC integrated system that eliminates subtle flex and play in the links and pivots of the BallisTec carbon frame. It also comes with a RockShox Monarch XX rear shock and Lefty 2.0 fork that offers unmatched stiffness. With 100mm of travel both front and rear, this lightweight machine delivers control and precision to nail any line in any terrain. It is equipped with a SRAM X01 drivetrain and Magura MT-Race brakes. The SRP is $6,999.99.

Scott Scale 900/700 SL The Scott Scale 900 SLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HMX carbon-fibre frame is one of the lightest hardtail frames on the market. The SL comes fully equipped with a RockShox RS-1 Solo Air fork, along with a RockShox XLoc Sprint remote to optimize your ride. The drivetrain consists of SRAM XX1, while brakes are controlled with a set of Shimano XTR M9000 discs. Components are full Syncros, including rims and hubs, which are wrapped up with a pair of Schwalbe Rocket Ron Evo/2.1. The SRP is $10,199.

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SPRING 2016 PEDAL 53

BUYERS GUIDE 2016

MOUNTAIN CROSS-COUNTRY OVER $6,000 Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt 799 MSL Lightning-fast, the Thunderbolt 799 MSL is Rocky Mountain’s vision of a perfect cross-country trail bike. The frame features Smoothwall carbon with BC2 Pivots with grease ports, a Race Face Cinch press-fit bottom bracket and Ride-9 adjustable geometry and suspension rate (Di2-ready). A Fox 32 Float 120mm fork is matched up to a Fox Float DPS Kashima shock, with remote. Drivetrain and brakes are full Shimano XTR with Race Face at the cranks and Stan’s Valor Carbon rims and Stan’s Neo hubs, packaged with Maxxis Maxx Speed tires. The SRP is $11,999.

Fuji SLM 29 1.3 D The Fuji SLM 29 1.3 D hardtail features a C15 super-light high-modulus carbon main frame with internal shift-cable routing, shaped oversized ridetuned downtube, tapered 1 1/8”-1.5” headtube and PF30 bottom bracket. A Fox 32 Float 29 Performance Elite FIT 3-position shock with remote lockout handles the bumps. Shimano Deore XT, hydraulic disc brakes and a SRAM drivetrain are mixed with Oval Concepts parts to provide a serious cross-country mountain machine weighing in at only 9.63 kg/21.19 lbs. The SRP is $6,000.

BMC Teamelite 01 XX1 The BMC Teamelite 01 XX1 is the culmination of an evolution of racebike performance offering a 1,080g BMC Micro Travel Technology (MTT) full-carbon frame and seatpost and a BB92 Shimano press-fit bottom bracket. This hardtail racer features a 100mm Fox 32 Float Factory Series FIT4 Kashima Remote, SRAM XX1 drivetrain and Shimano XTR Race (160/160) brakes. A set of Continental Race King 29x2.2 is built around DT Swiss XR 1501 Spline ONE hubs and rims. The SRP is $7,399.

54 PEDAL SPRING 2016

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BUYERS GUIDE 2016

CROSS-COUNTRY OVER $6,000

MOUNTAIN Lapierre XR 729 e:i Shock The uniquely designed Lapierre XR 729 e:i Shock features a full-suspension cross-country race bike with an ultralight XR 29” carbon frame, a RockShox Monarch E:i RT3 shock and RockShox Reba RL 29” Solo Air fork. SRAM GX Trigger RED 11-speed shifters match up to a SRAM GX1400 32T RED 170mm crankset and an X01 Carbon RED 11-speed rear derailleur. Shimano Hydraulic XT brakes control a set of DT Swiss X 1700 UST 29 wheels wrapped in Schwalbe Rocket Ron tires. The SRP is $7,500.

Apollo Arctec 9 The Apollo Arctec 9 features an ultra-high-modulus Torayca T800 carbon 29er frame with tapered 1 1/8”-1.5” headtube, BB91 press-fit bottom bracket, a RockShox RSA carbon upside-down 100mm-suspension fork, rebound adjust, remote lockout and RSA thru-axle. Components include a SRAM XX-1 11-speed trigger shifter with matched rear derailleur, Shimano XTR brakes with six-bolt rotors and a DT XR 1501 Spline alloy tubeless-ready 29er wheelset with Hutchinson Black Mamba tubeless-ready 29x2.0” tires. The SRP is $6,999.

Norco Revolver FS 9.1 Norco Revolver FS 9.1’s 100mm Revolver full suspension is the ultimate cross-country race weapon, featuring a high-modulus carbon frame with a Fox Float CTD shock and RockShox Sid RLT 29” 100mm fork to handle the rough stuff. A SRAM X1 11-speed group is at the heart of the drivetrain, along with SRAM Guide RS brakes. With kinematics optimized for cross-country racing and A.R.T. suspension, the Revolver delivers maximum pedaling efficiency and predictable, stable support. It is available in both 650b and 29er options. The SRP is $9,550.

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SPRING 2016 PEDAL 55

BUYERS GUIDE 2016

MOUNTAIN CROSS-COUNTRY $3,000-$6,000 Kona Hei Hei DL Race The Kona Hei Hei DL Race is a top-ofthe-line dual-suspension cross-country race bike that gets a new frame for 2016 and features the Fuse pivotless chainstay for a lighter, stiffer ride feel, improving climbing and acceleration. The 6061-aluminum frame-set is outfitted with a RockShox Reba RL 100mm fork, a Monarch RL shock, a SRAM GX 1x11 drivetrain, SRAM Guide RS brakes and Race Face Cinch crankset. The SRP is $3,899.

Giant Anthem Advanced 27.5 1 Giant’s legendary Anthem gets a composite frame with its Advanced 27.5 1. This 100mm-travel full-suspension race bike is designed for ultimate efficiency on technical cross-country courses. It is spec’d with a Fox Float 32 Factory fork and rear shock, Shimano XT 1x11 drivetrain and brakes and a Giant XCR 1 Composite WheelSystem. The SRP is $4,799.

Cube Reaction GTC SL This versatile hardtail frame, available in both 27.5” or 29” wheels, has a chassis that is designed to be both light and stiff because of sophisticated construction with GTC Twin Mould technology with its tapered headtube, press-fit BB and an X12 axle. The Shimano XT drivetrain and brakes deliver consistent performance in all conditions, and the new-for-2016 Fox Float 32 suspension fork features a handlebar lockout and provides smooth, controlled bump absorption. The SRP is $3,499.

56 PEDAL SPRING 2016

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#HOPONCANADA DROP EVERYTHING. EVEN DOUBT.

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BUYERS GUIDE 2016

MOUNTAIN CROSS-COUNTRY $3,000-$6,000 Scapin Oraklo 29” SGX1 Following its heritage of producing bicycles of exceptional design, Scapin’s Oraklo 29 series of hardtail cross-country race bikes apply such features as thru-axles and a press-fit bottom bracket to a beautifully finished frame. The SGX1 receives a SRAM GX1 1x11 drivetrain with Gripshift, an Avid DB5 brake-set, plus a range of suspension and wheel options. The SRP is $4,185.

Lapierre ProRace 727/729 Proving that hardtails aren’t dead, Lapierre’s ProRace 727/729 is a lightweight, agile race-ready machine. Featuring internal cable routing and size-specific wheel options between 27.5” and 29,” this bike is equipped with a RockShox SID RL Solo Air 100mm fork, SRAM X1/X01 drivetrain, SRAM Guide R Black brakes, DT Swiss X 1700 wheels and Easton EA70 cockpit. The SRP is $4,500.

Breezer Supercell 29 Team Breezer’s Supercell 29 Team packs value into the parts with its Kashima-coated Fox Float Factory suspension front and rear on this impressive trail bike. The hydroformed alloy frame’s geometry is balanced for pedaling performance and confident handling in conditions ranging from tight and twisty to high-speed descents. The Supercell 29 Team is kitted out with Shimano XT 2x11 drivetrain, brakes and wheels and a Race Face cockpit. The SRP is $5,700.

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BUYERS GUIDE 2016

CROSS-COUNTRY $3,000-$6,000

MOUNTAIN Trek Procaliber 9.7 SL The R&D department at Trek is constantly breaking new ground regarding how bike frames function, and the 2016 Procaliber SL platform is an example of years of development masterfully executed. IsoSpeed smooths out the ride, Control Freak cable management allows for quick, clean internal cable-route options and Smart Wheel Size sets the ride up on the fastest wheels that fit. The Procaliber 9.7 SL is kitted out with RockShox Reba RL Solo Air shock with remote lockout, SRAM GX1 1x11 drivetrain and Bontrager Mustang Elite TLR wheels. The SRP is $4,499.

BMC Fourstroke 02 XT Built around a premium-carbon frame and triple-butted alloy rear end, the BMC Fourstroke 02 XT is a stiff 100mm-travel bike with confident handling for cross-country racing and marathons alike. It features a Fox Performance Series suspension front and rear with remote control, a Shimano XT 2x11 drivetrain and brakes, DT Swiss X 1700 Spline wheelset and BMC cockpit. The SRP is $5,299.

Jamis 2016 Dakota Pro Offering a host of upgrades for its 2016 release, the Jamis Dakota Pro hardtail 29er gets a new lighter, stiffer Dyad frame that uses two types of high-modulus carbon fibre. Other upgrades include a Fox Float 32 100mm-travel fork, DT Swiss X 1900 Spline wheelset and a SRAM Gx1 1x11 drivetrain. The SRP is $4,330.

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BUYERS GUIDE 2016

MOUNTAIN CROSS-COUNTRY $3,000-$6,000 Marin Team CXR 29er Marin brings weight-saving carbon tube-to-tube construction to the Team CXR 29er to produce an efficient, lightweight racing bike. The frame features race geometry with thru-axles both front and rear, as well as a tapered headtube for front-end stiffness and control. A RockShox SID RCT3 fork manages the front-suspension duties, providing 100mm of travel, while the SRAM X01 1x11-speed drivetrain keeps gear changing simple and efficient. SRAM Guide hydraulic disk brakes are matched with a set of Stan’s Crest tubeless-ready rims with a set of Schwalbe Rocket Ron 29x2.25 tubeless-ready tires. The SRP is $4,705.

KHS Prescott 29 The Prescott is KHS’s introductory 29”-wheeled full-suspension carbon race bike, and has features that you’d expect on a fast, agile performance machine. Its tapered headtube and thru-axles keep the handling stiff and responsive. It is spec’d with a RockShox Reba RLT 100mm-travel fork, a Monarch RT3 shock, SRAM GX 1x11 drivetrain, Guide RCS brakes and DT Swiss X 1900 Spline wheelset. The SRP is $5,399.

Specialized Epic FSR Comp Carbon World Cup 29 The Epic FSR Comp Carbon World Cup 29 from Specialized embodies some of the brand’s best technology in a package designed to be an excellent first cross-country-race bike. With Brain rear suspension, the custom Fox shock remains rigid when its travel isn’t needed for maximum pedaling efficiency. The carbon frame and alloy rear end are topped off with RockShox Reba RL 29 100mm fork, SRAM GX 1x11 drivetrain, Shimano Deore brakes and Specialized Roval 29 wheels. The SRP is $5,129.

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BUYERS GUIDE 2016

CROSS-COUNTRY $3,000-$6,000

MOUNTAIN Scott Contessa Scale 700 RC (W) The Contessa Scale 700 RC is Scott’s women-specific carbon cross-country hardtail race bike, and it employs such features as SDS shock-dampening technology and an interchangeable dropout system on 27.5” wheels. The spec list includes a Fox 32 Float Performance Elite Air fork with RideLoc 3-position remote, Shimano XT 2x11 drivetrain and brake-set and Syncros XR2.0 tubeless-ready wheels. The SRP is $4,399.

Liv Lust Advanced 1 (W) Giant’s Liv range of women-specific bikes includes the full-suspension cross-country/trail Lust Advanced 1, a monocoque carbon frame designed for race or adventure that features 100mm of rear travel and 120mm travel up front. Rolling confidently on 27.5” wheels from Giant, this model is kitted out with a SRAM GX drivetrain, Guide R brakes, RockShox SID RL and Monarch suspension and Giant’s Contact SL dropper seatpost. The SRP is $3,999.

Rocky Mountain Vertex 970 RSL Employing Smoothwall carbon technology, Rocky Mountain’s Vertex 970 RSL hardtail features industry-leading strength-to-weight ratio and an aggressive cross-country race geometry for fast acceleration and agile handling. The Vertex 970 RSL is equipped with Shimano XT brakes and gear kit, Race Face crankset, Shimano XT hubs laced to tubeless-ready rims and a RockShox SID RL 29 fork. The SRP is $3,799.

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BUYERS GUIDE 2016

MOUNTAIN CROSS-COUNTRY UNDER $3,000 Marin Indian Fire Trail The Indian Fire Trail by Marin is a quick, ready-to-race hardtail machine. This 29er is built to keep things simple when the trail gets tough. A custom-butted Series 3 aluminum frame features a 3D forged dropout and 142x12mm rear thru-axles. A 1x11 Shimano XT drivetrain including crank help to simplify things, as there is only one shifter for the rear, but still a wide range of gearing choices. A 29”-specific Fox Float Factory front fork has 100mm of travel that can handle quick stutter bumps to larger hits. The Marin Indian Fire Trail is tubeless-ready thanks to a set of Stan’s Rapid 25 rims. The SRP is $2,874.

Felt Nine 6 Built with responsive UHC Performance carbon fibre and World-Cup-proven geometry, the Felt Nine 6 brings top-level performance to this all-around fast cross-country bike. Featuring a RockShox XC28 fork, the Nine 6 has 100mm of front travel. The shifting is handled by Shimano Alivio 3x9 shifters, Alivio crankset and a Deore rear derailleur. Tektro disc brakes are matched with a set of race-ready wheels and Schwalbe rubber. Nice added features such as internal rear-shifting routing add to the value. The Nine 6 is the perfect introduction to a truly capable high-performance cross-country bike. The SRP is $1,849.

Kona Hei Hei Race The Hei Hei Race features Kona’s new Fuse Independent System that eliminates a pivot at the chainstay/seatstay interface to create a lighter, stiffer ride. This 29” dual-suspension cross-country bike is made with Kona Race Light 6061-aluminum and is equipped with a 100mm RockShox Recon Gold fork and 100mm Monarch RL rear shock. The SRP is $2,999.

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TY I C E ETH

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BUYERS GUIDE 2016

MOUNTAIN CROSS-COUNTRY UNDER $3,000 Specialized Stumpjumper HT Comp 29 The Specialized Stumpjumper has been a longtime industry leader in the hardtail cross-country category. The Stumpjumper HT Comp 29 has an M5 alloy frame, with a tapered headtube and superthin seatstays for lateral stiffness and vertical compliance. A RockShox Reba RL fork with 15mm thru-axle help take out the bumps, and the Shimano 2x10 drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes complete the set-up. The SRP is $2,459.

Trek Cali SL (W) A member of Trek’s WSD (Women’s Specific Design) family, the Cali SL is a well-equipped and versatile cross-country hardtail for women. The WSD Alpha Gold aluminum frame is paired with a RockShox Recon Silver fork with WSD Rider Right coil spring. It comes complete with a SRAM 2x10 drivetrain and Shimano hydraulic disc, brakes, and its Bontrager Mustang Elite TLR wheels come in Smart Wheel Size (27.5” for smaller frames and 29” for larger frames). The SRP is $1,399.

Garneau Rytm Elite 11 The Garneau Rytm Elite 11 is a 29” carbon hardtail. Using RTCC 1 carbon technology, Garneau combines suitable strengths of carbon in specific areas of the frame to optimize performance. Featuring a SRAM 1x11 drivetrain, RockShox Recon fork and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, the Rytm Elite 11 is ready for the trail or race course. The SRP is $2,799.

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BUYERS GUIDE 2016

CROSS-COUNTRY UNDER $3,000

MOUNTAIN Ghost Kato FS 3 At the $2,000 price point, Ghost offers a full-suspension bike that has an impressive mix of parts and an equally impressive ride quality. The Kato FS 3 may be the opening price point in the line, but it benefits from the trickle-down technology of the higher priced models. The bike is ready to roll with its 27.5” wheels, the RST GTRL Air front fork with 130mm of travel and the X Fusion R2 rear shock with 120mm rear travel. The drivetrain is Shimano Deore with an upgraded XT rear derailleur. Shimano 396 disc brakes are matched with Schwalbe’s Rocket Ron rubber to keep the Kato FS 3 on the trails. This bike has racerwith-a-budget written all over it. The SRP is $2,000.

Devinci Darwin S The Darwin S from Devinci is a 27.5” cross-country hardtail built from aerospace-grade G4 6066-T6 aluminum for optimal strength and weight savings. Outfitted with a Shimano Deore drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes, the Darwin S also has a 100mm RockShox XC32 TK fork with remote lockout. The SRP is $1,499.

Norco Charger 9.0 The Norco Charger 9.0 has been redesigned for 2016 with the idea for the rider to explore new trails and discover new destinations. Available in 650b or 29” options, this bike is designed for serious fun on the trails when pedaling to the top of the hill with ease as well as blasting down the other side with confidence. The frame is a double-butted aluminum alloy that uses a RockShox Reba front fork. Shimano SLX is used for the shifting and hydraulic braking, and there is a nicely upgraded derailleur package with a Deore front and XT rear derailleur. The Charger 9.0 is a ready-to-use trail bike built to handle all conditions. The SRP is $2,340.

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BUYERS GUIDE 2016

MOUNTAIN CROSS-COUNTRY UNDER $3,000 Raleigh Tekoa Comp The Raleigh Tekoa Comp is a 6061-aluminum 29er hardtail. The 100mm SR Suntour Raidon fork has adjustable lockout/rebound and a 15mm thru-axle for added stiffness. Tektro Auriga hydraulic brakes allow adequate stopping power and the Shimano Deore 2x10 drivetrain provides a wide range of gearing. The SRP is $1,300.

Jamis Durango Sport The Jamis Durango Sport features 29” wheels that have proven themselves over rougher, trickier terrain. The Durango’s 6061-aluminum frame uses an oversized headtube with an internal headset that reduces the front-end height, which in turn keeps the handlebars at a comfortable reach. The toptube is also sloped to allow for optimum stand-over clearance. RST’s Blaze 29” ML fork handles the front-suspension duties, while the Durango’s 24-speed drivetrain features a Shimano TX800 rear derailleur with EZ-Fire Plus shifters. Stopping power comes from the dependable Tektro mechanical disc-brake set. The SRP is $792.

Minelli Mondial 27.5 Inspired by its Italian roots, Minelli’s no-nonsense Mondial 27.5 features a 6061 aluminum frame and a Zoom aluminum adjustable-suspension fork with 80mm of travel. The solidly constructed frame and larger 27.5”-wheel size allow this bike to roll through the rough stuff. The shifting is taken care of by Shimano EZ Fire 24-speed shifters and Altus derailleurs. Shimano centre-locking disc brakes deliver stopping power, and Minelli has also put value in the rest of the bike with a full complement of Shimano parts. The Mondial is a great start for those wanting to step up and try some offroad riding on a bike that can handle it. The SRP is $549.

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Register today online at www.pedal100.ca The Heart and Stroke Foundation acknowledges the support of the Pedal 100 for Heart and Stroke sponsors; however, this acknowledgment does not constitute an endorsement of the sponsorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; products or services. Photos courtesy of the Regional Niagara Bicycling Committee

BUYERS GUIDE 2016

MOUNTAIN Endurance OVER $6,000 Marin 2016 Attack Trail Pro Carbon Marin’s flagship Enduro racer, the full-carbon Attack Trail Pro Carbon for 2016 is built around the QUAD-Link 3.0 frame with 150mm rear travel, a full Shimano XTR 11-speed drivetrain, BOS Deville FCV fork with 160mm travel and a custom-tuned BOS Kirk rear shock with lockout. WTB Ci24 carbon tubeless-ready rims are wrapped in WTB Vigilante and Breakout 2.3” tires. A RockShox Reverb dropper post with internal routing and Deity DC31 Mohawk carbon bar and Gamut Cillos stem round out the cockpit, with Shimano’s XTR disc brakes with Ice Tech Freeza rotors offering sublime braking performance. The SRP is $11,219.

Cube Stereo 120 Super HPC SLT 29 With the Cube Stereo 120 Super HPC SLT 29’s frame featuring Super HPC technology, the all-new Efficient Trail Control four-link 29er frame is built with Advanced Twin Mold construction and prepped for a Stealth dropper seatpost. All the components were selected considering weight and reliability, including the superlight RockShox SID XX Solo Air fork, the SRAM XX1 1x11 transmission and Race Face Next SL DM carbon crank. The SRP is $9,899.

Specialized Rumor FSR Expert 650b Much attention went into the Specialized Rumor FSR Expert 650b to make a great women’s Enduro bike. Every component of the bike, from the handlebars to the crank-arm length, is tailored for rider size. And, just as importantly, when paired with the 650b wheel size, its Women’s Trail 650b Geometry creates a roomy, responsive, nimble, confidence-inspiring ride quality with a low standover. The SRP is $6,149.

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BUYERS GUIDE 2016

Endurance $3,000-$6,000

MOUNTAIN Kona Process 153 DL The Kona Process 153 DL is a bike for riders with a bent for the burl. Capable and comfortable on the climbs, the Process 153 DL takes you to another level when the singletrack heads downwards. The short stem for stiff and quick handling is mated with lengthy reach numbers for a confidence-inspiring overall fit and a long front center for stability at speed. It is finished off with a SRAM X1/XG 1x11 drivetrain and Shimano XT brakes. The SRP is $5,999.

Felt Compulsion 10 The Compulsion 10 is an all-mountain bike that boasts climbing speed and downhill agility. The relentless and lively 6061 aluminum frame is equipped with SRAM X01 components and speeds through berms on 27.5” wheels. Felt’s award-winning Equilink suspension technology delivers 160mm of confidence-inspiring travel, smoothing out the big hits and keeping you in control. The SRP is $5,399.

Specialized Enduro FSR Expert Evo 650b The Specialized Enduro FSR Expert Evo 650b takes all of the Enduro platform’s most desirable qualities and amplifies them with a slacker geometry, 180mm of travel from a custom Öhlins shock and 200mm via a BoXXer Team fork. The build is rounded out with SRAM Guide RS DH brakes, reliable and precise X0/X9 components and hand-built 650b wheels. The SRP is $4,719.

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BUYERS GUIDE 2016

MOUNTAIN Endurance $3,000-$6,000 Trek Remedy 8 Women’s Customized for women, the Trek Remedy 8 frame is optimized for 27.5” wheels for a quick and nimble ride. The Active Braking Pivot suspension design keeps it active while you are on the brakes. The geometry can be fine-tuned because the headtube angle can be adjusted by half a degree and the BB height can be changed by 10mm for the perfect ride performance. The SRP is $4,399.

Ghost Framr AMR 7 By tweaking the shot-mount location on the frame, the Ghost Framr AMR 7 is transformed into a hard-charging Enduro machine. The lightweight aluminum frame is equipped with 160mm of rear travel, while the Fox 36 Float Performance fork delivers an equal 160mm up front. Spec’d with Shimano XT 11-speed drivetrain and Shimano SLX brakes, the Race Face Turbine crankset rounds out a solid, reliable build kit. The SRP is $4,500.

Giant Reign 27.5 2 The frame of the all-new Reign 27.5 2 is engineered with Giant’s ALUXX SL material and 27.5-specific geometry. It offers 6.3” (160mm) of Maestro rear-suspension travel and a longer, lower chassis than its 26”-wheel predecessor. This improves stability and handling on rough terrain without sacrificing stiffness or adding weight. Internal cable ports, including routing for dropper seatposts, give it a sleek, uncluttered appearance and performance. The SRP is $3,399.

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BUYERS GUIDE 2016

TRAIL

MOUNTAIN Felt Decree 1 Felt has introduced the Decree 1 as a full suspension on 27.5” wheels. Using its FAST linkage technology with flexing seatstays, the Decree 1 is available in four different models. The frame will feature adjustable geometry via eccentric chips in the seatstay pivot. It boasts 140mm of travel in the rear and 150mm in the front. The Decree 1 uses a Rockshox Pike RC Dual position fork, SRAM X01 drivetrain and SRAM Guide RSC brakes. This bike will literally get you over anything you desire with a smile on your face. Sizes include 16”, 18”, 20” and 22”. The SRP is $7,399.

Cannondale Habit Carbon SE The Cannondale Habit Carbon SE features a Ballis Tec carbon full-suspension frame with a rear shock of 120mm and a front lefty of 130mm. Decked out in SRAM 11-speed on a 27.5” wheelset, this ride looks every bit the part of “fast.” Flashy in an ice-blue paint job, it is built for trail adventurers who crave some speed and style. Hydraulic disc brakes with the SRAM X1 drivetrain will help you handle anything mountain biking throws your way. It’s an all-round all-mountain bike that helps you enjoy your day to the fullest. Sizes include S, M, L and XL. The SRP is $5,330.

Jamis 2016 Dragon Sport The Jamis Dragon Sport is available as a 29er or a 27.5er – both have a great RockShox fork with 120mm of travel, Shimano componentry, hydraulic disc brakes, all on a steel Reynolds 520 frameset. The Shimano Deore drivetrain uses a 2x10 set-up and covers a wide range of gears that will let you get up and over anything out there. The 29er version comes in Commando Green and is available in 15”, 17”, 19” and 21”. The 27.5 version arrives in Dark Shadow Gray and is sized from 13”, 15”, 17”, 19” and 21”. The SRP is $1,917.

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BUYERS GUIDE 2016

MOUNTAIN DOWNHILL OVER $6,000 Intense 2016 Uzzi Intense has relaunched the Uzzi for 2016. The Uzzi is designed to be a super-Enduro bike that is also at home in the bike park, while ensuring that climbing is not an issue either. The frame is made from hydroformed alloy and has adjustable frame geometry from steep to slack, depending on the type of riding. The Stan’s Flow 27.5” wheels make the bike great for rolling over obstacles, and the Fox Performance Elite 36 Float front fork provides 180mm of travel, with the Fox rear shock that can handle most trail conditions. SRAM provides the 11-speed X1 group and Guide RS disc brakes. A RockShox Reverb dropper post is a nice addition. The SRP is $6,269.

Specialized Demo 8 FSR I carbon 650b Specialized has taken carbon fibre and crafted it into a downhill racing machine that spares no expense while providing unparalleled stiffness and performance. The Demo 8 FRS I’s frame is built with FACT 11m carbon for strength, which is matched to a custom-tuned RockShox BoXXer Team 650b front fork and a Specialized Ohlins rear shock for control when things get steep. A SRAM X01 DH seven-speed drivetrain provides durable and crisp shifting, while the SRAM Guide RS DH brakes give extra control for technical trails and speed regulation on the all-out fast sections. A set of Roval 650b wheels has a 24mm width to handle the biggest of tires. The SRP is $7,179.

Rocky Mountain Maiden Unlimited The Rocky Mountain Maiden Unlimited was in development for nearly four years while the engineers at Rocky Mountain dialed in every aspect of this bike. The Maiden Unlimited is made using cutting-edge technology. The Smoothwall carbon frame has been designed from the ground up to provide maximum performance at a World-Cup, bike-park or big-mountain freeriding level. Rocky chose to go with a BOS Idylle Rare FCV 27.5 fork that has 208mm of travel, along with a BOS Rare rear shock that has 200mm. The frame has the Ride-4 adjustable geometry that can be adjusted for different trail conditions. Shifting is taken care of by SRAM X01 shifters and derailleurs, but the frame is Di2-ready. Shimano Saint Freeza hydraulic disc brakes are another nice spec on this bike. The SRP is $11,999. 72 PEDAL SPRING 2016

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BUYERS GUIDE 2016

DOWNHILL $3,000-$6,000

MOUNTAIN Scott Gambler 730 The Scott Gambler 730 is a no-compromises downhill racer that comes with World Cup options. It has a lower, slacker geometry as well as a longer shock and a tweaked leverage ratio that give this ride World Cup performance attributes. The Gambler 730 has 27.5” wheels that provide a solid ride and fast rolling speeds. But not to worry if you are not a fan of the larger wheel size, as the bike has been designed so it can be converted to run 26” wheels. The RockShox BoXXer RC 27.5 is the fork of choice on the Scott, and it has a Fox Van R Coil rear shock. It uses a SRAM X5 rear derailleur and Shimano Deore disk brakes. The SRP is $4,499.

Kona Precept 200 The Kona Precept 200 is ready to take you downhill in a serious way. This is the ultimate bike for someone looking to get into downhilling, but without breaking the bank. The Precept 200 shares similar geometry and suspension characteristics to some of the higher-priced downhill big brothers in the Kona bike line-up. The bike features 200mm of travel that has been refined to provide an overall more intuitive and predictive feel. A RockShox BoXXer RC suspension fork provides 200mm of front travel up front and is mated with a RS Kange rear shock. A SRAM PG-1020 10-speed drivetrain is matched up with SRAM Guide R disc brakes and Sun Ringle MTX 33 26” wheels. The SRP is $3,799.

Devinci Wilson 27.5 RC The Wilson 27.5 RC is the flagship downhill bike from Devinci, and has become the bike of choice for all of its Elite downhill racers. The frame has an advanced aluminum front triangle that joins a rear carbon half to provide a lighter, stiffer and stronger frame. The asymmetrical construction of the Wilson provides torsional stiffness, while the carbon seatstays make sure that the power from the pedals makes it to the trail. A RockShox BoXXer Team 27.5 fork provides 200mm of travel, which is matched up with a RockShox Vivid rear shock. The Wilson runs on a set of DT Swiss 27.5” wheels. SRAM X.9 shifters and derailleurs handle the gear changes, while the SRAM Guide RS disc brakes help slow things down. The SRP is $5,699. www.pedalmag.com

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BUYERS GUIDE 2016

MOUNTAIN FATBIKES Cube Nutrail Pro Cube has taken a different approach to the fatbike category by designing a bike that will do more than cruising snow-covered paths. The Cube Nutrail Pro is designed to shred on technical terrain and has a triple-butted hydroformed HPA frame that brings down the weight, all while offering a stiff frame. The fatbike-specific RockShox Bluto suspension fork helps keep things smooth up front, while a set of 80mm Answer Fat Atac wheels and 4.5” Schwalbe Jumbo Jim tires roll over the rough stuff. Reliable shifting is provided by a SRAM X1 11-speed drivetrain and also comes with a set of Shimano BR M506 hydraulic discs. There is also routing for a stealth dropper post. The SRP is $3,299.

Kona Wo The gang at Kona wanted to deliver a fatbike that could be ridden anywhere in style and came up with the 2016 Wo to allow for riding on any terrain. The heart of the bike is a 7005-aluminum butted frame that features a new tapered headtube that helps provide a stiffer front end and more precise steering. The front fork uses a 15mm thru-axle axle to improve stiffness and is suspension-fork-compatible. The 2x10 Shimano Deore drivetrain provides ample gearing, while Deore brakes slow things down. A set of 26x4.8” Schwalbe tires completes the ride. The SRP is $2,499.

Norco Sasquatch 6.1 The Sasquatch is known to have big feet, and its namesake the Norco Sasquatch 6.1 has a set of big treads. The Schwalbe Jumbo Jim Snakeskin 26x4.8 fat tires are big enough to go over snow and sand and anything else that may get in the way. The Sasquatch 6.1 comes with a RockShox Bluto front fork with 100mm of travel and a thru -axle. Braking is taken care of with a set of Avid DB5 disc brakes, and the drivetrain is a SRAM GX1 11-speed set-up with rear-only shifting. There is also a nice selection of Race Face parts that include the stem, handlebar, cranks and BB to complete the package. The SRP is $3,285.

Opus Stan A 24”-wheeled fatbike? Why not? Kids love fatbikes, and the Opus Stan is a great way to keep them riding all year round. The 4.0”-wide tires provide a platform that rides through pretty much anything. Snow, sand, dirt and mud don’t stand a chance against any kid on a Stan. The frame is made of strong, light 6061-aluminum. The drivetrain uses a single front chainring for ease of use with a seven-speed SRAM X3 derailleur set-up in the back. The Promax hydraulic brakes provide powerful, dependable braking. This bike has been designed to fit young riders in all seasons. The SRP is $899.

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BUYERS GUIDE 2016

FATBIKES

MOUNTAIN Cannondale Fat CAAD 1 Cannondale’s Fat CAAD 1 is the bike for those who want to ride in every season and on every terrain and do it all on one bike. The Fat CAAD 1 has a narrow profile so it doesn’t ride like a conventional wider-feeling fatbike, but will still mow over anything in its path. A custom SmartFormed alloy frame is mated with a Lefty Olaf fork that provides 100mm of travel. SRAM X01 shifters and rear derailleur are matched with a Cannondale Si Hollowgram crankset, while SRAM Guide hydraulic brakes complete the set-up. The Fat CAAD 1 runs on a set of Sun Ringle MuleFut 80 SL rims paired with a set of tubeless Schwalbe Jumbo Jim tires. The SRP is $4,480.

Felt Double Dee 70 The Felt Double Dee 70 is a rigid aluminum fatbike that floats on 26x4” tires and can ride any terrain. The frame and fork are manufactured with hydroformed double-butted 6061 aluminum with rack mounts including a tapered headtube with an integrated headset. The shifting is a mix of Shimano Deore 3x9 shifters and Alivio rear derailleur with a Race Face crank to provide crisp shifting with a wide range of gearing options. Tektro mechanical disc brakes are mounted to a set of single-wall rims with Schwalbe Jumbo Jim 4.0” tires that deliver great stopping power. The SRP is $1,699.

Trek Farley 7 The Trek Farley 7 may look fat, but this bike isn’t carrying any extra weight. The Farley 7 uses an Alpha Platinum Aluminum frameset that has an E2 tapered headtube with internal derailleur and dropper-post routing. The bike has unique Stranglehold horizontal thru-axle dropouts and wider axle spacing so it can accommodate either 26x5” or 27.5x4” tires, providing for true rider choice. The front end uses a Bontrager Haru carbon fork. The Farley 7 sports a SRAM GX1 complete drivetrain with Avid BD3 hydraulic disc brakes. A unique wheelset features Bontranger hubs on a set of Sun Ringle rims with Bontranger tubeless-ready 26” tires. The SRP is $2,899.

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BUYERS GUIDE 2016

BMX

Race

DK Sprinter Pro The DK Sprinter Pro is a full-on race BMX bike that is built for an adultsized rider. The 6061-aluminum frame provides a light yet strong base, making the Sprinter Pro ready to jump from the start gate at full speed. A set of cromoly forks and handlebars keep the front end stiff and responsive. A three-piece alloy crank also helps to get the power to the dirt on this bike. Doublewall alloy rims are mounted on a set of sealed 36-hole alloy hubs and 20x1.75/1.95 Arisun tires. The SRP is $659.

Haro Annex Series Designed with a geometry that is easy to ride, the Norco Haro Annex entry-level race bike features a lightweight alloy frame and three-piece cranks in addition to its upgraded brakes and handlebars. Sweet new graphics available in two new colours make this a great race machine. The SRP is $500.

Free Agent Team A top-end race bike, the Free Agent Team is ready to win right out of the box. Featuring the same frame as two-time Olympic gold medalist Maris Strombergsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ride, the Team is equipped with a Q2 carbon fork, Q2 cranks and sealed hubs with gold hoops. This beauty is ready to go fast. The SRP is $1,599.

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SE Ripper Getting rad since 1977, this Southern Californian brand has its roots in BMX racing. The SE Ripper is built with a lightweight 6061-alloy frame and three-piece cranks, alloy hubs and a race-ready graphics package, making it a bike of choice for kids feelinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the need for speed. Whether racing at the BMX track or flying around the neighbourhood, the Ripper is always a winner. The SRP is $545.

Redline Flight Pro XL and XXL Redline has been one of the top brands in BMX for a long time. The Flight Pro XL and XXL have a race-proven geometry that has been engineered to handle the stresses of full-on BMX racing. The frame is made of custom-formed R7 tubing with a BB-86 press-fit bottom bracket, Redline convertible dropouts and Box Pro carbon fork. A Redline Flight AL hollow-forged crankset provides power to a set of Alienation tubeless-compatible rims with Redline Flight hubs and Tioga Powerblock tires. The Flight Pro uses a set of Promax TX-131 brakes with Grip integrated levers that finishes off this race machine. The SRP is $1,950. www.pedalmag.com

SPRING 2016 PEDAL 77

BUYERS GUIDE 2016

BMX

Freestyle

Free Agent Lumen The Free Agent Lumen is an entry-level street-park bike that is affordable enough for every kid with a paper route. A Hi-Ten steel frame is matched with a Free Agent heavy-duty fork. A Free Agent alloy top-load stem highlights the front end of the bike, while a three-piece chromoly crankset is the focus on its drivetrain. A set of 20â&#x20AC;? Weinmann rims is matched with alloy hubs and Kenda tires. The SRP is $469.

DK Helio DK went back to the drawing board and redesigned the Helio for 2016 to be a complete freestyle BMXer that delivers good value. The frame, fork and handlebars are made with full-cromoly tubing. The brakeposts and brake guides are removable, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to switch it up to however you want to use it. A set of 36-hole black doublewall alloy rims are laced to a set of sealed alloy hubs and use Kenda Ticket 20x2.25 tires. The crankset is a three-piece tubular cromoly set-up on a sealed bottom bracket. The SRP is $749.99.

Haro Plaza Haro has designed the Plaza to be a serious bike in terms of performance. The Plaza has a 100% chromoly frame with a butted toptube and integrated headtube. It comes stock with some high-end parts that are stiff and lightweight including the Haro Lineage stem and fork. The Haro two-piece cranks are solid enough for abuse, and it rolls fast on a set of Haro sealed hubs and doublewall rims with Haro La Mesa tires. Check out its Team grips as well. The SRP is $840.

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All you need is a

Fit Pledge The Pledge is the latest addition to the Fit line-up, and as an entry-level bike, it’s designed around a smaller rider, which provides a perfect introduction to BMX. Featuring the shortest toptube length offered in Fit’s 20” line-up, the Pledge provides a comfortable ride for smaller riders. The frame has a cromoly toptube and downtube plus a cromoly steerer tube on the fork. The Pledge runs on a set of Revenge rims and alloy hubs with a set of Fit tires along with a pair of alloy U-brakes on the back activated by alloy-hinged brake levers. The SRP is $599.

bike passion and the

to end MS.

Canada has the highest rate of multiple sclerosis in the world. MS Bike provides Canadians with a unique opportunity to ride through scenic and often spectacular parts of the country in support of a great cause. DCO Phantom Designed to be robust, affordable and stylish, the DCO Phantom is the great freestyle BMX bike and ready for any dirt jumps or skate parks. The high-tensile-strength steel frame and fork take all the punishment, and the 20” 36-spoke rims are laced to alloy hubs that are strong at an entry-level price. The SRP is $279.

www.pedalmag.com

Join the fight to end Canada’s disease.

1-800-268-7582

msbike.ca

SPRING 2016 PEDAL 79

BUYERS GUIDE 2016

BMX

Dirt jumping

DK Cygnus The DK Cygnus comes in a variety of hot colours that make it hard to pick just one, and features a chromoly main frame, integrated headset and sealed MID bottom bracket. The fork has a chromoly steer tube that uses a 1-1/8” integrated headset. A three-piece chromoly tubular crankset provides power, while the bike has a set of alloy U-brakes and alloy brake levers. The wheels have alloy rims and hubs with a set of Innova Street 20” tires mounted on them. The Cygnus is an amazing bike for beginners and intermediate riders right out of the box. The SRP is $549.99.

DCO Monster The DCO Monster is a beast of a bike that can go from extreme jumps to skateparks. A high-tensile steel frame comes with a steel fork with 1-1/8” blades. A steel three-piece crankset provides a stable platform for catching air. The Monster is equipped with a rear alloy U-brake that is controlled by an alloy lever. The wheels have 48-hole alloy rims and alloy hubs with a 3/8” front axle and 14mm rear axle. The SRP is $339.

Specialized P.Slope Built to be ridden hard and fast, the style-loaded Specialized P.Slope has a frame constructed from A1 Premium aluminum that’s plenty tough. Forged horizontal dropouts and integrated chain tensioners keep the rear wheel locked in place. The Fox Float rear shock with its all-new DPS provides 85mm of travel, and the RockShox Pike DJ fork has stiff construction to power through berms and serve up loads of bottom-out progression upon landing. Hayes Radar hydros provide the stopping power, and the tread is the Specialized Renegade Slopestyle 26x2.1”. The SRP is $2,569.

SE Bikes Gaudium The Gaudium from SE Bikes is a dirt/street/park ride that is a competition-ready freestyle machine made to hit some big air. It features a Kris Fox Signature double-butted main frame with an integrated headset and full chromoly fork that makes it lighter and stronger, and its front-load alloy stem has machined-out sections to save weight. As well, it has a threepiece tubular chromoly crankset with sealed bottom bracket to endure heavy landings. The wheelset uses SE sealed alloy hubs with Female axles front and rear and Alienation Deviant F and 440 R doublewall rims mounted on Demolition tires. The SRP is $885. 80 PEDAL SPRING 2016

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Crédit Photo: @pétéphotographie

QUÉBEC CITY / SEPTEMBER 9

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MONTRÉAL / SEPTEMBER 11

Spring 2016 PEDAL 81

Dropper seatPosts by Mike Sarnecki

Specialized Command Post XCP Designed with cross-country riders in mind, the two-position, internally-routed Specialized Command Post XCP height-adjustable seatRockShox Reverb New guts, new glory. The internals have been completely re-engineered to improve on its already legendary performance while offering enhanced reliability. Made from 3D-forged 7050 alloy and available in 100 or 125mm of travel in diameters of 30.9, 31.6 or 34.9mm, the RockShox Reverb has Zero offset. Including a remote with adjustable return speed, it can be mounted on the left or right side of the handlebar. The SRP is $400 [US].

post allows racers to maintain a more-confident body position and to maximize performance while climbing and descending. With two riding positions available, Power and Cruiser, the 35mm of travel is ideal for maintaining momentum. It is compatible with both carbon and alloy saddle rails and is made with FACT carbon lower-tube construction. The 27.2mm seatpost diameter is available in 350 and 400mm lengths. The SRP is $560.

FOX TRANSFER The all-new Fox Transfer seatpost features an infinitely adjustable design, with the choice of internal or external cable routing, three-drop options and two lever designs. The self-adjusting blow-off valve helps maintain consistent action and reliability, while the low-lever force provides consistent actuation pressure with saddle weighted or unweighted. The SRP is $479.99 (with Kashima finish), $399.99 (with black finish).

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A concept that has been around for a number of years, dropper seatposts are predominantly used on mountain bikes to drop the seat down for descending, keeping the rider’s center-of-gravity low, providing room to move around the bike to maintain traction and balance, then lengthening back up to fully extended mode for climbing and general pedaling. Early iterations of the dropper concept proved unreliable, however today’s latest technology has made great strides in dependability. Here’s a selection of dropper-posts in the market worth adding to your ride.

9Point8 Fall Line The infinitely-adjustable Fall Line from 9point8 features DropLoc braking technology, stealth cable routing, titanium saddle-rail clamping screws and angle-adjust screws with independent adjustment of the seat angle and seat fore/aft position, allowing for a variety of set positions covering most riders’ needs. The remote control can be removed without removing grips or brakes, and the Telescopic lock-in push and pull allows the rider to pick the bike up by the saddle. The post is Black-Ti-coated for anti-galling, anti-seize performance. Backed by a two-year warranty, it comes in 30.9 and 31.6mm diameters, with stroke-length options of 75, 100, 125 and 150mm. The SRP starts at $518.70.

Race Face Turbine Dropper With a patented hybrid design that couples mechanical- and hydraulic-locking technologies, the rider’s body weight is supported with a mechanical lock, creating a solid connection and less potential for failure over time. Lower

Bontrager Drop Line Designed with reliability in mind, the air-sprung hydraulic locking cartridge offers infinite adjustability within dropping range, and the keyed chassis prevents rotation for a stable

air pressures and static seals offer unrivaled

ride. Remote cable actuation

performance, control and reliability. It oper-

with ergonomically designed

ates in below-freezing temperatures, making it perfect for fatbikes and cold-weather riding. It is available in both 30.9 and 31.6mm diameters, with 100mm-, 125mm- and 150mm-travel options. The SRP is $604.99.

under-bar lever makes for easy activation, while the two-bolt rocker head with micro adjustment allows for easy saddle-tilt adjustment. The internal cable routing keeps housing tucked away and free from the moving wheel. The Drop Line is available in 100mm-, 125mm- and 150mm-lengths and a 31.6mm diameter. The SRP is $374.99.

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SPRING 2016 PEDAL 83

COMPETITION | by Gaelen Merritt

TRACK

2016 Track World Championships

photos: Guy Swarbrick

Canada Wins Four Medals

(left) Steph Roorda won Canada’s second medal, a bronze in the women’s Scratch race. (above) Jasmin Glaesser settled for silver in a close battle for the rainbow jersey in the women’s Points race. (opposite) Annie Foreman-Mackey debuted at the Track Worlds with bronze in the women’s Individual Pursuit.

anada delivered one of its best performances, bringing home four medals from the 2016 Track World Championships held from March 2-6 in London, England at the Lee Valley Velodrome, site of the 2012 Olympic track events. Team Canada sent a large contingent of athletes, and along with the medal haul, achieved a number of other significant results throughout the five-day event. The opening day of competition saw Canada’s Annie Foreman-Mackey of Kingston, Ont. win bronze in the women’s Individual Pursuit. This was Foreman-Mackey’s first World Championship and first time competing in the Individual Pursuit at the Individual level. “It’s pretty exciting,” said Foreman-Mackey. “We came into the World Championships with a lot of focus on the Team Pursuit. We’ve done a lot of training and so it was awesome to be able to let that training shine today. I’m really excited. It was a surprise, and 84 PEDAL SPRING 2016

I’m really happy. I’ve done one [Individual] Pursuit at Pan Am Championships before, but other than that, this is the biggest ride I’ve done.” The Canadian women’s Team Sprint duo of Kate O’Brien and Monique Sullivan placed ninth after a false start, missing the medal round, but gaining ensured entry to Rio by beating both Colombia and Mexico. “Coming into this, the goal was always aiming towards that August race in Rio . . . the little thing called the Olympics!” explained O’Brien. “It’s a bit surreal actually [qualifying for Rio]. I don’t think it’s really hit yet. It’s been such a long process to get there; clawing for those points race after race . . . and now it has culminated in the end goal.” On the men’s side, Canada’s Team Pursuit squad of Ed Veal, Adam Jamieson, Sean Mackinnon and Remi Pelletier-Roy suffered a technical mishap in their 4,000-metre qualifying ride. At the halfway mark, a bobble in one of the www.pedalmag.com

corners resulted in the fourth rider, Veal, having to swing wide up the track to avoid crashing and, subsequently, unclipping. Canada continued to finish with three riders in 4:05, good enough for 12th. “It was a challenging ride for the boys out there today, but I think sometimes we forget how inexperienced this program is. We’ve only actually had a handful of races together, so every time we step out there, we are learning. I’m proud of the boys, as last year, we didn’t qualify for the World Championships. Overall in the World Cup, we made up five places and beat all the other teams in the Americas. We’re starting to become competitive, so overall there are huge positives to take away,” said National men’s Endurance coach Ian Melvin. On Day Two, Steph Roorda boldly attacked the field in the final 500 metres of the women’s Scratch Race and hung on for the bronze – her first Individual medal at a World Championships. “It feels great. I think it’s a testament to the www.pedalmag.com

work we do on the Team Pursuit. We’re really fit, and it proves we can perform in other events as well, so I’m really, really happy,” commented Roorda. “No one was really keen to catch that [breakaway] group and there was a bit of a hesitation, and that was the moment that I saw it was the right move to make, and I knew some of the big names were behind me, and if I could open the gap and go over that [breakaway] group of riders, then it was going to be to my advantage. You just go as hard as you can at that point, sprinting for the finish line and not thinking about anything, really.” In other Canadian action, the women’s Team Pursuit squad qualified comfortably for the semifinals with a time of 4:20, while O’Brien and Sullivan both participated in the Keirin, but failed to advance past the Repechage round. “Anything can happen in the Keirin,” said Sullivan. “It was pretty exciting to have two of us in the race; that’s never happened before. It was actually SPRING 2016 PEDAL 85

(above) Canadian women’s Team Pursuit squad wins silver: (l-r) Jasmin Glaesser, Kirsti Lay, Allison Beveridge, Georgia Simmerling. (right) Men’s Pursuit team continues to make gains. (below left) Hugo Barrette battled the defending world champion and lost by a tire-width. (below right) Remi Pelletier-Roy will hang up the track bike after a stellar career.

Katie’s first real international Keirin at the World Championships, so it’s a pretty big step for us. We’ve been focused on getting that Team Sprint spot [for Rio], so that was the real mission for the season, and we were both feeling the effects of that here. We don’t really have the best legs, but that’s a sacrifice for the Olympics.” Day Three brought Canada a silver medal in the women’s Team Pursuit. The team of Allison Beveridge, Jasmin Glaesser, Kristi Lay and Georgia Simmerling just scraped into the final, barely beating New Zealand in the semifinal due to a poor exchange late into the race. In the final, the Canadian women rode strong against the Americans, but steadily lost ground in the final 2,000 metres, eventually finishing 2.7 seconds behind. “We came here with the expectation that we could win Worlds,” admitted Lay, “so it’s bittersweet to come in second. But at the same time, I think we put everything that we could into this race. We have our eyes on Rio [Olympic Games] and that’s the most important thing. So we will regroup and move forward. We know we are capable of so much more – a silver is still pretty good.” Top Canadian sprinter Hugo Barrette placed 17th in an extremely fast field with a time of 9.992 seconds. Barrette was paired against defending champion Gregory Bauge of France, and while Barrette controlled the race from the front and still led with 50 metres to go, Bauge was able to pip him in a photo finish. Despite the narrow defeat, Barrette was not disappointed, commenting, “I didn’t look at it as ‘I’m going against the world champion,’ I just gave it my best shot, and in the end, I lost by a tire-width. No mistakes were made and I think I did a good ride.” Pelletier-Roy raced the men’s Individual Pursuit, but placed 14th in the qualifications with a time of 4:28.510, and did not advance to the next round. “At Milton [velodrome], I did a 4:23, which is a pretty good time, so we went with a bigger gear and faster schedule because it’s Worlds and I didn’t want to have any regrets. I blew up a bit, but I’m still happy I went for it. It’s been a 86 PEDAL SPRING 2016

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pretty good year; I’m pretty happy with it.” Pelletier-Roy is hanging up the track bike and will continue on the road for the 2016 season before retiring to focus on his medical career – look for our interview and profile of his career in the next issue. Day Four saw Glaesser just miss out on the rainbow stripes in the women’s Points race, finishing one point behind Katarzyna Pawlowska of Poland. Glaesser, who was so close to the gold, also won silver in the same event back the 2012 Worlds. “It’s bittersweet after 100 laps of racing that it came down to the last sprint and not even a half-bike length for the World Championship jersey . . . that’s a tough one to swallow. I didn’t have the best race at the start and was hoping for a bit harder race. I prefer when it’s a race of attrition, but it was a lot more tactical with positioning going into the early sprints,” said Glaesser. “I was too hesitant during the first half, and luckily I was able to have a comeback and get a few points near the end, but it wasn’t quite enough.” In the women’s sprint, O’Brien had the run of her life, qualifying 13th and advancing to 1/16th finals, where she won against Kaarle McCulloch of Australia. In the 1/8th final, she lost but reclaimed her position, winning her 1/8th Repechages heat to make the quarterfinals, where she was defeated by China’s Zhong Tianshi to finish a career-high sixth. Sullivan qualified 27th and did not advance. The final Day Five saw Beveridge come within one spot of earning a fifth medal for Canada in the women’s Omnium despite a slow start, as she finished 16th, eighth and 10th in the first three competitions. The talented Albertan rider worked her way up to ninth overall going into the final day of competition, thanks to a fifth-place performance in the 500-metre TT and a win in the Flying Lap, where she set a new track record of 13.924 seconds. In the final Points race, she managed to take points in three intermediate sprints and lap the field once, which boosted her into fourth place, just barely off the podium. Canada finished fourth in the overall World Championship medal standings, a modern-day-era record for the Canadian track program.

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2016 Track Worlds UCI Track World Championships - London, United Kingdom March 2-6, 2016 Women’s Individual Pursuit 1. Rebecca Wiasak (AUS) 3:34.099; 2. Malgorzata Wojtyra (POL) 3:41.90; 3. Annie Foreman-Mackey (CAN) 3:36.055; Women’s Team Sprint 1. Russia (Daria Shmeleva, Anastasiia Voinova) 32.679; 2. China (Jinjie Gong, Tianshi Zhong) REL; 3. Germany (Miriam Welte, Kristina Vogel) 32.74; Canadians 9. Canada (Kate O’Brien, Monique Sullivan) 33.867; Men’s Team Sprint 1. New Zealand (Ethan Mitchell, Sam Webster, Edward Dawkins) 43.257; 2. The Netherlands (Nils Van ‘T Hoenderdaal, Jeffrey Hoogland, Matthijs Buchli) 43.469; 3. Germany (Rene Enders, Max Niederlag, Joachim Eilers) 43.536; Men’s Scratch Race 1. Sebastian Mora Vedri (ESP); 2. Ignacio Prado (MEX); 3. Claudio Imhof (Sui) Women’s Keirin 1. Kristina Vogel (GER); 2. Anna Meares (AUS); 3. Rebecca James (GBR); Canadians 17. Kate O’Brien (CAN); 21. Monique Sullivan (CAN); Men’s Kilo 1. Joachim Eilers (GER) 1:00.042; 2. Theo Bos (NED) 1:00.461; 3. Quentin Lafargue (FRA) 1:01.581; Men’s Team Pursuit 1. Australia (Sam Welsford, Michael Hepburn. Callum Scotson, Miles Scotson) 3:52.727; 2. Great Britain (Jonathan Dibben, Ed Clancey, Owain Doull, Bradley Wiggins) 3:53.856; 3. Denmark (Lasse Norman Hansen, Niklas Larsen, Frederik Madsen, Casper Von Folsach) 3:55.936; Canadians 12. Canada (Adam Jamieson, Sean Mackinnon, Remi Pelletier-Roy, Ed Veal) 4:05.641; Women’s Scratch Race 1. Laura Trott (GBR); 2. Kirsten Wild (NED); 3. Steph Roorda (CAN); Men’s Individual Pursuit 1. Filippo Ganna (ITA) 04:16.141; 2. Domenic Weinstein (GER) 04:18.275; 3. Andrew Tennant (GBR) 04:18.301; Canadians 14. Remi Pelletier-Roy (CAN) 4:28.510; Women’s 500m Time Trial 1. Anastasiia Voinova (RUS) 32.959; 2. Wai Sze Lee (HKG) 33.736; 3. Elis Ligtlee (NED) 33.760; Women’s Team Pursuit 1. United States (Sarah Hammer, Kelly Catlin, Chloe Dygert, Jennifer Valente) 4:16.802; 2. Canada (Allison Beveridge, Jasmin Glaesser, Kirsti Lay, Georgia Simmerling) 4:19.525; 3. Great Britain (Laura Trott, Elinor Barker, Ciara Horne, Joanna Rowsell-Shand) 4:16.540; Men’s Points Race 1. Jonathan Dibben (GBR); 2. Andreas Graf (AUS); 3. Kenny De Ketele (BEL); Men’s Omnium 1. Fernando Gaviria Rendon (COL); 2. Roger Kluge (GER); 3. Glenn O’Shea (AUS); Men’s Sprint 1. Jason Kenny (GBR); 2. Matthew Glaetzer (AUS); 3. Denis Dmitriev (RUS) Canadians 17. Hugo Barrette; Women’s Points Race 1. Katarzyna Pawlowska (POL); 2. Jasmin Glaesser (CAN); 3. Arlenis Sierra Canadilla (CUB); Women’s Sprint 1. Tianshi Zhong (CHN); 2. Lin Junhong (CHN); 3. Kristina Vogel (GER); Canadians 6. Kate O’Brien (CAN); 27. Monique Sullivan (CAN); Men’s Keirin 1. Joachim Eilers (GER); 2. Edward Dawkins (NZL); 3. Azizulhasni Awang (MAL); Canadians 20. Hugo Barrette; Women’s Omnium 1. Laura Trott (GBR); 2. Laurie Berthon (FRA); 3. Sarah Hammer (USA); Canadians 4. Allison Beveridge (CAN); Men’s Madison 1. Great Britain (Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish); 2. France (Morgan Kneisky, Benjamin Thomas); 3. Spain (Sebastian Mora Vedri, Albert Torres Barcelo).

SPRING 2016 PEDAL 87

COMPETITION | By JOHN SyMON

para

Para-cycling Track World Championships

anadian athletes came home with two gold, one silver and one bronze from the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships held in Montichiari, Italy from March 17-20. There were also many other solid performances as Canada sent seven para-cyclists to the competition; another five suppor t personnel accompanied these athletes. This was the final qualifier event for track events at the upcoming 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On the first day of competition, Tristen Chernove won the men’s C2 Individual Pursuit title. Meanwhile, Ross Wilson of Edmonton, Alta. took the silver medal in the men’s C1 Individual Pursuit competition. Chernove, who is attending his first Track Worlds, was the dominant rider in his category, qualifying first with a time of 3:43.609, almost five seconds faster than second-place rider Colin Lynch of Ireland. Despite a protest to be reclassified to C3 – which was denied by officials – Chernove went on to beat Lynch by more than nine seconds to win the world title. Wilson was also stoked with his result: “I’ve done a lot of work with my

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88 PEDAL Spring 2016

COUrteSy Of Jean-miChel laChanCe

Canada Claims Four Medals

Canadian Para Worlds medalists: (l-r) Tristen Chernove, daniel Chalifour, eric Van den eynde (coach), Jean-Michel lachance at the Velodromo Fassa Bortolo di Montichiari in Italy

coach, Cam Jennings. Having the chance to work in the Milton velodrome has allowed us to move forward and really develop my track-riding skills. I didn’t expect to be within striking distance of a world record. I think it shows that Cycling Canada has really elevated its game.” Day Two saw a second world title for Chernove, this time in the 1,000-metre time trial; his time of one minute and 13.279 seconds was more than two seconds faster than second-place Xie Hao of China, the defending champion. “The race was great,” said Chernove. “Obviously anytime you accomplish what you were going for, it feels great. The whole day was fantastic. This was my first time competing at a world-level event, and it’s been a big day of learning.” Meanwhile, the tandem team of Daniel Chalifour and Jean-Michel Lachance added a bronze medal to Canada’s total. “Today, we did two times the best time that we have ever done, which was amazing,” said Chalifour. “I would like to thank Jean-Michel, who has just joined me in this adventure after my previous pilot Alex [Cloutier] could not participate.” “Daniel and I are very happy and proud of the result. We have been training hard in Portugal the two weeks prior to the Worlds Championships with [our] coach, Eric Van den Eynde, and we could feel the progress. Personally, I am especially proud to have come back in such form after breaking my femur and elbow four months ago in Guatemala in a high-speed crash,” said Lachance. Other notable performances included Wilson’s fourth-place finish in the C1 men’s 1km Individual time trial, Marie-Claude Molnar’s fifth in the women’s C4 Individual Pursuit and Chernove’s seventh in the men’s C1-2-3 (mixed category) Scratch race. According to Alison Korn, senior manager of media relations and communications at the Canadian Paralympic Committee, the announcement by the Union Cycliste Internationale about Paralympic track-cycling berths allocated to Canada and other countries is still pending. www.pedalmag.com

COMPETITION | BY SANDRA WALTER

MTB

Canada Cup MTB 2016 Update photos: Jon Watkin

Inaugural Bear Mountain Kickoff

he 2016 Canadian mountain-bike-racing calendar kicked off in B.C. on March 5 in Victoria at the new Bear Mountain Bike Park venue. It was the first time the province has hosted the series season-opener since 1998. More than 300 participants took to the park’s freshly groomed and slick trails, located 10 kilometres west of Victoria on Vancouver Island. Serving as an early testing ground for Canada’s top racers, the event was a resounding success thanks in part to sunshine and mild temperatures. For the Elite women’s race, two-time world champion Catharine Pendrel (BC, Luna Pro Team) charged ahead on the first lap despite a broken right thumb sustained in a crash during training only a week earlier. Over the course of five laps, Pendrel built up a lead of more than a minute, keeping eventual second-place finisher Emily Batty (ON, Trek Factory Racing) at bay to the very end. After a lap-one crash, Batty fought hard to try to close the gap, but was no match for Pendrel. Rounding out the top three was U.S. Olympic hopeful, Colorado’s Erin Huck (USA, Scott-3 Rox Racing), who rallied from a mid-race rear flat tire to preserve her podium spot. First-year Elite rider Haley Smith (ON, Norco Factory Team) finished fourth, followed by Sandra Walter (BC, Liv Cycling Canada) in fifth. Catherine Fleury (QC, Cyclone d’Alma) was the top U23 woman in sixth. The final event of the day featured a deep men’s field that included reigning Canadian champion Raphael Gagne (QC, Cannondale 360fly p/b Sugoi). Gagne burst off of the start first with Derek Zandstra (ON, Scott-3 Rox Racing) in tow to escape the field and establish a marginal gap. Hot on their heels were Leandre Bouchard (QC, Cyclone d’Alma) and Evan McNeely (ON, Norco Factory Team). With two laps to go of six, Zandstra suffered a front flat, but was able to do a quick wheel change in the pits and get back in the race. In a show of skill and power, Zandstra overtook the two racers who had passed him while he pitted, repositioning himself behind the leader. In the closing metres of the last lap, it looked like it would come down to a three-man sprint. However, Gagne surged ahead through the final .grassy hairpin turns and captured the win. Zandstra sprinted to second, while Bouchard settled

(top left) Raphael Gagne wins the Bear Mt. Canada Cup Elite men’s race. (top right) Catharine Pendrel takes an early lead in the Elite women’s race. (far left) Junior men’s podium: (l-r) Max McCulloch, Sean Fincham, Quinton Disera, Emile FarrellDessureault and Cedrick Cantin (left) Junior women’s podium: (l-r) Dana Gilligan, Sidney McGill, Emily Handford, Juliette Tetreault and Sophianne Samson

for third. McNeely rolled into the finish in fourth, followed by Andrew L’Esperance (NS, Norco Factory Team) in fifth. Marc-Antoine Nadon (ON, Team Ontario) was the highest-ranked U23 rider in seventh. Canadian NextGEN rider Emily Handford (BC, Rocky Mountain Factory) dominated the four-lap junior women’s competition, rocketing away from the field. Fellow NextGEN racer, Alberta’s Sidney McGill (AB, Juventus) trailed by 1:37 to finish second, followed by Juliette Tetreault (QC, Equipe du Quebec) in third. The five-lap junior men’s race featured a speedy group of up-and-comers that included winner Quinton Disera (ON, Team Ontario). Disera fought off a charging Sean Fincham (BC, Cycling BC) by a solid two minutes, while Emile Farrell-Dessureault (QC, Equipe du Quebec) took third.

2016 Canada Cup Canada Cup XCO #1 – March 5, 2016 - Bear Mountain Resort, Victoria, B.C. Elite Men 1. Raphael Gagne (QC, Cannondale 360fly p/b Sugoi) 1:31:06; 2. Derek Zandstra (ON, Scott-3 Rox Racing) 1:31:09; 3. Leandre Bouchard (QC, Cyclone d’Alma) 1:31:10; 4. Evan McNeely (ON, Norco Factory Team) 1:32:57; 5. Andrew L’Esperance (NS, Norco Factory Team) 1:32:59; Junior Expert Men 1. Quinton Disera (ON, Team Ontario / Angry Johnny’s CC) 1:21:33; 2. Sean Fincham (BC, Cycling BC) 1:23:34; 3. Emile Farrell-Dessureault (QC, Equipe du Quebec) 1:25:17; 4. Max McCulloch (BC, Rumble Mountain CC) 1:25:48; 5. Cedrick Cantin (QC, Equipe du Quebec/Mathieu Performance) 1:26:08; Elite Women 1. Catharine Pendrel (BC, Luna Pro Team) 1:29:54; 2. Emily Batty (ON, Trek Factory Racing) 1:19; 3. Erin Huck (USA, Scott-3 Rox Racing) 2:15; 4. Haley Smith (ON, Norco Factory Team) 4:12; 5. Sandra Walter (BC, Liv Cycling Canada) 4:40. Junior Expert Women 1. Emily Handford (BC, Rocky Mountain Factory Team) 1:17:54; 2. Sidney McGill (AB, Juventus) 1:37; 3. Juliette Tetreault (QC Equipe du Quebec/Skinouk-VDM) 2:42; 4. Dana Gilligan (ON, Team Ontario/Angry Johnny’s CC p/b Norco LG) 3:51; 5. Sophianne Samson (QC, CVM Sigma Assurances) 5:08.

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SPRING 2016 PEDAL 89

COMPETITION | BY Gaelen Merritt

ROAD Louis Garneau Sports

Road Teams 2016 Lots of Domestic Talent

he 2016 season is already shaping up to be a successful year for many Canadian road riders and road teams with a number of prestigious podiums already garnered. While many of our top elite athletes can be found on foreign teams, there remains a great deal of domestic talent riding for local Canadian squads.

Men This year, there are three Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Continental teams. Silber Pro Cycling has emerged as one of the top Continental squads in North America. This year, Silber has already delivered a historic result at the Redlands Bicycle Classic, putting Ottawa native Matteo Dal Cin in the yellow jersey on the final day, thanks to strong-yet-savvy riding on the infamous sunset circuits. Dal Cin’s win at Redlands marked the first time a Canadian has won the renowned stage race in its 32-year history. Silber boasts a strong roster with breakaway artist/National Criterium champion Ben Perry, top field sprinters Kris Dahl and Elliot Doyle, GC/time-trial threats Dal Cin, Nigel Ellsay and Alex Cataford, grimpeurs Michael Le Rossignol and Julien Gagne, all led by team captain and all-rounder Ryan Roth. Renowned Canadian roadie Gord Fraser is the team’s director sportif, so expect many more successes to come in their eye-catching orange kit. Garneau-Quebecor has much of the same talent as last season, with returning Quebecois legends Remi Pelletier-Roy (Canada’s top male Endurance-track rider) and Bruno Langlois as co-captains. New additions include veteran David Boily, who returns to racing, strongman Alexis Cartier (formerly

on Devinci-Lacombe) and Australian newcomers Michael Rice, 19, and Darcy Woolley, 22, who are joining the team for a first season. The squad will focus on UCI races in North America, with the first big competition of the season being the Joe Martin Stage Race in April and the Tour of the Battenkill in May. Other major objectives on its calendar include the Philadelphia International Cycling Classic, the GP Saguenay, the Tour de Beauce and the Canadian Road Championships. For 2016, H&R Block Pro Cycling continues to develop U23 riders and provide opportunities to race at higher levels since its inception in 2014, when the M1 Project was announced. The team lost its top GC rider with Adam de Vos moving to Rally Cycling, a UCI Continental team in the U.S. Still, the team has made several new strong signings – most notably time trialist/GC rider Jack Burke and all-rounder Chris Prendergast (second in the GC at 2016 Killington Stage Race). Look for Travis Samuel to feature in as many breakaways as he can get into this year, and Jacob Schwingboth to contest the field sprints. World MTB junior silver medalist Peter Disera returns to the squad for a second season as well, and has already made big waves, winning the Sea Otter Classic circuit race. H&R Block is focused on the upcoming Tour of Gila, as well as the Tour de Beauce and the Canadian Road Championships. B.C.’s Trek Red Truck Racing Team continues to be a powerhouse out West, with Craig Richey and Michael van den Ham leading a talented men’s squad. NCCH p/b Dec Express, Kallisto-FCV and many others are key teams to develop riders at the Cadet/junior/U23 levels, creating a feeding system for larger squads. The development pipeline has been improving over the past

Canadian Road Teams 2016 UCI Continental Teams Garneau-Quebecor Team Roster: Olivier Brisebois, Alexis Cartier, Simon-Pierre Gauthier, Bruno Langlois, Remi Pelletier-Roy, Marc-Antoine Soucy, Anton Varabei, Michael Rice, Darcy Woolley Management: Pascal Herve/Sports Director, Louis Garneau/Owner

Trade Teams Trek Red Truck Racing Team Roster: Dylan Davies, Geordie Morrison, Craig Richey, Michael van den Ham, Sara Bergen, Sarah Coney, Gillian Ellsay, Kinley Gibson, Leah Guloien, Suzanne Hamilton, Denise Ramsden Management: Steve Engh, Mark James/Sports Directors

H&R Block Pro Cycling Team Roster: Joel Taylor, Jack Burke, Félix Cote-Bouvette, Peter Disera, Ryan MacDonald, Bailey McKnight, Danick Vandale, Jacob Schwingboth, Garrett McLeod, Travis Samuel, Jure Rupnik Management: Joe Holmes and Stuart Wight/Sports Directors, Mark Ernsting/Owner

Transports Lacombe/Devinci Team Roster: Benoit Boulay, Kyle Boorsma, Philippe Allard, Andrew McCullough, Hendrik Pineda, James Piccoli, Stephen Keeping, Leandre Bouchard, Robert Gutgesell, Mitchell McDonald, Lambert Gatineau, Pierre-Olivier Santerre Management: Yannick Bedard/Sports Director, Stephane Tremblay/Owner

Silber Pro Cycling Team Team Roster: Alexander Cataford, Matteo Dal-Cin, Elliot Doyle, Nigel Ellsay, Michael Le Rossignol, Nicolas Masbourian, Ben Perry, Ryan Roth, Julien Gagne, Kristopher Dahl Management: Gord Fraser/Sports Director, Scott McFarlane/Owner

NCCH p/b Dec Express Team Roster: Simon Fothergill, Aaron Thomas, James Orton, Joseph Kelly, Eric Johnston, Connor Cameron, Martin Rupes, Brandon Etzl, Brian Moore, Ben McNabb, Josh Shenker, Josh Smith, Jordann Jones, Harry Mayne, Kaitlyn Steeves, Amelia Bell, Hillary Lowry Management: Rick Lee/Sports Director, Owner Apogee/Lowest Rates Team Roster: Tyler Darcy, Jean-Sebastien Perron, Jean-Gabriel Dumais, Emmanuel Gagne, Robert Hargrove, Cameron McPhaden, Adam Roberge, Jean-Francois Soucy, Simon Ouellet Management: Frederick Gates/Sports Director and Owner

90 PEDAL SPRING 2016

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andrew rogers

While Canada does not currently have a UCI women’s team, many top-lev-

el riders are racing for Professional UCI-level foreign trade teams with great success. Within Canada, there are quite a few trade teams, such as (left) Silber Pro Cycling Team has The Cyclery-Opus (formerly Stevens) emerged as one of the top Continental squads in North America. and Trek Red Truck Racing. The veterans on these squads include (above) Team HR Block is already making waves as Peter Disera won the Sea Otter Olympic bronze-medalist Tara WhitClassic circuit race. ten and Annie Foreman-Mackey (The Cyclery-Opus), along with Denise Ramsden and Leah Guloein (Trek Red Truck Racing). These teams receive entry into many of the larger races in North America, including San Dimas, Redlands, Joe Martin and the Cascade Classic and aim to provide a stepping stone between Amateur and Professional racing by exposing riders to higher levels of racing. Rise Racing/pb Cyclepath Woodbridge returns as an Ontario-based team that is also focused on providing riders the experience of racing at higher levels. Last year’s captain, Jamie Gilgen, has moved up to the Professional squad, Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling. The 2016 squad features climber and cyclocross specialist Ashley Barson, time trialist and endurance-track athlete Sarah Mason, and sprinters Joyce Sprewit and Barbie Hope. Quebec’s SAS-Mazda-Macogep-Specialized continues with a talented roster as well, led by Sarah-Ann Rasmussen, Catherine Dessureault, Adriane Provost and Audrey Lemieux.

Giant Langley/Smart Savvy+ p/b Wounded Warriors Team Roster: Lukas Conly, Connor Toppings, Derek Gee, Kellen Viznaugh, Alex Amiri, Joshua Kropf, Chris Macleod, Lukas Adomonis, Mason Burtnik Management: Barret Kropf/Owner, Rob Thomson/Assistant Direction

Team RaceClean Canada Team Roster: Willem Boersma, Evan Burtnik, Aidan Caves, Alexander Cowan, William Elliot, Adam Jamieson, Jay Lamoreux, Sean Mackinnon, Bayley Simpson, Edward Walsh Management: Luc Arsenault/Sports Director

Stingray/Ultime Vélo/Trek Team Roster: David Barry, Antoine Matteau, Pascal Bussière, Alex Felipe Perez Alzate, Olivier Péloquin, Philippe Mireault, Vincent Girard, Anthony Bergeron, Sebastian Dumont, Frederick Poisson, Felix-Antoine Trudel, Vincent Veilleux Management: Charles G. LaPierre/Sports Director, Cindy Chieco/ Owner

The Cyclery-Opus Team Roster: Tara Whitten, Annie Foreman-Mackey, Ariane Bonhomme, Emily Flynn, Miriam Brouwer, Ellen Watters, Justine Clift, Carrie Cartmill, Liah Harvie, Amelie Bruneau Management: Jenny Trew, Chris Reid/Sports Directors, Vince Caceres/Owner

Brian Hodes

(opposite) Garneau Quebecor will focus on UCI races in North America with much of the same talent as last season.

couple of years, creating excitement about the future of the sport in Canada. On that front, Cycling Canada has recently revamped the NextGen U23 men’s program, renaming the squad Team RaceClean Canada and consisting of 10 riders. The team will be primarily based in Europe for training and racing, although a North American campaign is on the calendar, with its first race on native soil planned to be the Grande Prix Cycliste de Saguenay.

Women

Veloselect Racing Team Team Roster: Laurent Levasseur, Nicolas Barriault, William Blackburn, Julien Brazeau, Francois Chabot, Jean-Francois Girard, Edward Greene, Fabien Lemaire, Felix Dolbec, Christian Ricci, Brad Bradford Management: Lyall Beattie/Sports Director, Czeslaw Lukaszewicz/ Owner

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Rise Racing/pb Cyclepath Woodbridge Team Roster: Ashley Barson, Joyce Sprewit, Sarah Mason, Barbie Hope, Thea Mizuhara Management: Angie Cascun/Sports Director, Owner SAS-Mazda-Macogep-Specialized Team Roster: Sarah Anne Rasmussen, Catherine Dessureault, Adriane Provost, Audrey Lemieux, Beatrice Le Sauter, Irena Ossola, Luce Bourbeau, Robbi Weldon, Stephanie Wetzel Management: Gerard Penarroya/Sports Director, Owner

SPRING 2016 PEDAL 91

COMPETITION | BY SANDRA WALTER

MTB

Canadian MTB Teams 2016 Top Riders Do Battle

Jon Watkin

Andrew rogers

his year’s domestic MTB-racing team rosters are stacked with many of the country’s top cross-country, downhill and Enduro riders. Stay tuned – it’s going to be full-on race mode until the fall. Canada has a deep-rooted history in the evolution of mountain biking, and a couple of brands were there from the beginning, including Rocky Mountain. The company, which has a strong tradition of supporting racing, continues to grow with the sport. Enter the Rocky Mountain Urge BP Rally Professional Enduro squad. Its riders, featuring Canucks Jesse Melamed

92 PEDAL SPRING 2016

and Andréane Lanthier-Nadeau, will be hitting the entire Enduro World Se- (above) Derek Zandstra from Scott-3Rox racing which launched a new Maverix ries (EWS) circuit aboard the Altitude development program this year. 790 MSL Rally Edition. (left) Evan McNeely (Norco) leads a On Rocky Mountain’s XC side, strong team and aims to repeat as B.C.-based veterans Andreas Hes- Canada Cup Elite men’s series winner. tler, Kevin Calhoun and Greg Day will (bottom left) Rocky Mountain young gun try to keep up with young guns Quinn Emily Handford (facing page) Rising Trek Canada star Moburg and Emily Handford. Another iconic Canadian bike Soren Meeuwisse brand, Norco, will continue its successful Norco Factory XC Team program headlined by a crew of speedy, friendly young rippers with Olympic-sized goals. Peter Disera, Evan McNeely, Evan Guthrie, Andrew L’Esperance and Haley Smith will contest select Canada Cups, World Cups and the Canadian Championships with the help of their Revolver HT and FS rigs. Norco’s Pro Gravity team riders Sam Blenkinsop (NZL), Harry Heath (GBR) and Fraser McGlone (GBR) have the UCI Downhill World Cup Series and Crankworx in their sights, while Blenkinsop also plans to include five EWS events. Although Norco Factory Racing is still Canadian-owned and directed by Todd Schumlick of PerformX Racing, its membership does not include any Canuck athletes. A long-time fixture on the domestic XC racing scene, Ontario-based team Trek Canada’s Mitch Bailey, Peter Glassford, Jon Barnes, Tyler Orschel, Sarah Fabbro and Soren Meeuwisse are focused on representing at Canada Cups and the Canadian Championships on their Procaliber and Top Fuel machines. Canadian Olympian and MTB icon Geoff Kabush continues to be the face of a pared-down Scott-3 Rox Racing XC squad, which now supports only four Elite riders, including Derek Zandstra, Cameron Jette and American star Erin Huck. The team launched a development program this year called Maverix, featuring six junior men. If those from the Maverix are anything like their veteran teammates, they will doubtless be riders to watch in the future. Well-known Quebec-based brand Devinci continues its racing program with Devinci Global Racing, best known for a World-Cup-winning downhill team led by Canadian Steve Smith who suffered a fatal motorcycle crash in May and has left a huge hole in the sport – read our tribute to Smith on pages 28-31. Meanwhile, fellow Vancouver Island boy Mark Wallace has shown his potential, logging some stellar results last season. They are joined by www.pedalmag.com

trekcanada

international downhill teammate Brage Vestavik (NOR) and two French Enduro riders. On the XC side, Alma, Que.’s Léandre Bouchard is a legitimate contender for the 2016 Canadian men’s Olympic team, while Rachel Pageau continues to set her sights high in the women’s ranks. OGC/Intense/Fox is once again presenting an all-Canadian Gravity squad, supporting both downhill and Enduro athletes. B.C.’s Forrest Riesco is targeting the World Cup Series, while Lee Jackson is sticking closer to home with the Canada Cups. Ben Wallace is mixing it up with a combo of downhill and Enduro at Crankworx and the B.C. Enduro and Canadian Enduro Series, with Davis English focusing on Enduro at home and internationally. Team Pivot-OTE has expanded its roster of young XC speedsters to seven. The line-up still includes founding member Canadian junior men’s champion Raphael Auclair. He is joined by Guillaume Larose-Gingras, Mathieu Belanger-Barrette, Philippe Saint-Laurent, Charles Faucher-Robert, Felix Belhumeur and Antoine Caron. They are targeting Canada Cups, the U.S. Cup Series, U.S. Pro XCT events and some World Cups, with select riders getting a taste of Enduro at EWS events in Whistler, B.C., France and Italy. Quebec’s Trek GPL cycling team’s mountain-biking contingent features Canadian XC Eliminator champion and Canada Cup Series winner Cindy Montambault, who will pursue the World Cup XCO Series, while it’s a domestic focus for Elite men’s rider Alex Lavertue and Cadet racer Charles-Antoine St-Onge.

Teams Rocky Mountain Urge BP Rally Team Sponsors: Rocky Mountain, Urge Bike Products, Shimano, Maxxis, Fox, Stan’s NoTubes, Race Face, Royal Racing, 7iDP, FTI Consulting, Smith Optics, WTB, OneUp Components, Clif Bar, EVOC, Val d’Allos Enduro: Jesse Melamed, Rémi Gauvin, Andréane Lanthier-Nadeau, Sébastien Claquin (FRA), Florian Nicolaï (FRA), Alex Cure (FRA), Peter Ostroski (USA) Management: Lilian Georges www.bikes.com Rocky Mountain Factory XC Team Sponsors: Shimano, Maxxis, Fox, Stan’s NoTubes, FTI Consulting, Race Face, WTB, Smith Optics, Honey Stinger XC: Andreas Hestler, Kevin Calhoun, Quinn Moburg, Emily Handford, Greg Day www.bikes.com Norco Factory XC Team Sponsors: Norco Bicycles, SRAM, Kenda, WTB, Stans NoTubes, Live to Play Sports, Park Tool, Lazer Sport, 3T, Axiom Cycling Gear, Crankbrothers, Kinetic, Cane Creek, Smith Optics, Sugoi XC: Peter Disera, Evan McNeely, Evan Guthrie, Andrew L’Esperance, Haley Smith Management: Co-directors Jonathan Duncan and Kevin Haviland www.norco.com/athletes/teams/norco-factory-team Norco Factory Racing Sponsors: Norco Bicycles, Race Face, Novatec, Schwalbe, Bluegrass, Fox, PerformX Racing, HT, Formula, MRP, 100%, Five Ten, Shimano, Park Tool, Cane Creek, Maxima, Dissent DH: Sam Blenkinsop (NZL), Harry Heath (GBR), Fraser McGlone (GBR) Enduro: Sam Blenkinsop (NZL) Management/Owner: Todd Schumlick www.performxracing.com Trek Canada Mountain Bike Team Sponsors: Trek Bicycle Corporation, Trek Bicycle Store Toronto, ESI Grips XC: Mitch Bailey, Peter Glassford, Jon Barnes, Tyler Orschel, Sarah Fabbro, Soren Meeuwisse Management: Peter Glassford www.trekcanada.ca

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Scott-3 Rox Racing Sponsors: Scott Sports, Shimano, Maxxis, CRCS DKI, Fox Racing, Syncros, Oakley, Stages Cycling, Swagman, Gu, WD-40, Louis Garneau, Park Tool, Bar Fly, Norton Rose Fulbright, Dundas Speed Shop, Lizard Skins, Pedal to the People, Redline Brewhouse XC: Geoff Kabush, Derek Zandstra, Cameron Jette, Erin Huck (USA) Maverix Program: Gunnar Holmgren, Michael Solic, Jan Kocemba, Malcolm Barton, Liam Mulcahy, Noah Simms Management: Kyle Douglas, Scott Kelly, Gersham Morris www.3roxracing.com, @scott3roxracing Devinci Global Racing Sponsors: Cycles Devinci, SRAM, RockShox, Fox Head, Race Face, Maxxis, SDG, ODI, E-13, Five Ten, Skratch Labs, Crankbrothers, Maxima, Hitcase, Biknd, 2Undr, Projekt DH: Mark Wallace, Brage Vestavik (NOR) Enduro: Damien Oton (FRA), Théo Galy (FRA) XC: Léandre Bouchard, Rachel Pageau Management: Gabe Fox www.devinci.com OGC/Intense/Fox Sponsors: Intense Cycles, Fox Racing, Outdoor Gear Canada DH: Forrest Riesco, Lee Jackson, Ben Wallace, Matt Beer Enduro: Davis English, Ben Wallace Management: Martin Rancourt www.opusbike.com Team Pivot-OTE Sponsors: On The Edge Canada, Pivot Cycles, ENVE Composites, Usinov, CYCAD, DT Swiss, Maxxis, Kronobar, Garneau, ESI Grips XC: Raphael Auclair, Guillaume Larose-Gingras, Mathieu Belanger-Barrette, Philippe Saint-Laurent, Charles Faucher-Robert, Felix Belhumeur, Antoine Caron Management: Carl Auclair www.facebook.com/PivotCycles.OTE Trek GPL Sponsors: Trek Bicycles, GPL Assurances XC: Cindy Montambault, Alex Lavertue, Charles-Antoine St-Onge Management: Jean-François Blais www.facebook.com/EquipeCycliste.Trek.Bontrager.CyclingTeam SPRING 2016 PEDAL 93

BY WIllIaM HUMBer

Back Pedaling

turn again, as I have often done, to the magnificent imagination and promotion of Dr. Perry Doolittle, born 1861 and soon to become the bicycle’s first literate and farsighted advocate in Canada. He is one of those forgotten souls who deserve a higher accord for his progressive insights. That he hasn’t received such consideration perhaps owes something to the contradictory nature of his two enthusiasms – bicycling and the automobile. Doolittle was a high-wheeler in the 1880’s – the glory days of that iconic 19th-century symbol. It was a sport for wealthy young men who could afford what equaled an average working person’s annual wage, and for whom the intricacy of its mounting, balancing and dismounting challenged even the man who had passed thirty.

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Doolittle was a high-wheel fancibeing “a soul inhabiting a strong er who liked the way it gave and vigorous body. . . . Our the rider a view of the sweet lovable girl of a decountryside from on cade ago has given high while dispelling, place to the still sweetat least somewhat, er, more loveable the annoyance [sic] and healthier of horse-attractnew woman of toed manure flies day.” Her converfilling the roadsation, he said, ways at a lower as oft turned to berth. the length of the Many women cycling skirt, the had taken to this qualities of their wheel as well, favourite mounts though they were and the art of mehindered by social chanics. disapproval and furAnd, as well, he ther encumbered by argued we need to turn the clothing regimen of the ourselves to improving day, in which wearing pantaroads. He concluded with the loons was often associated admonition that “The touches of with lewdness and impropriety. nature also, which are instilled It was, in short, a different in the minds of cyclists as they dr. Perry doolittle, early cyclist, inventor, proponent of good roads, time, and give credit to Dootake their outings throughout racer, and organizer – in short, the little for welcoming the safety the country, are having the effather of Canadian bicycling. bicycle, for all intents the bike fect of making them demand at least in form that we know a more artistic setting for their today and for rendering the own homes in town, and the high wheel as forgotten, he said, as the glories growth of this artistic spirit . . . is creating one of of Greece and Rome. On this new safety wheel, the most promising and best of the new order of the now Dr. Perry Doolittle would ride to his many things resulting from this cause.” scattered patients. It’s fair to say the bicycle deserves its place in In dubbing the bicycle “the first industry of the a consideration of how women’s lives changed land,” he recognized the way the safety bike of at this time, as well as the ways in which the bike the 1890’s had allowed all citizens of moderate influenced the “city beautiful” movement, which income and physical ability to join the once-elitwould address the often-deplorable condition of ist crop of 1880’s cyclists. The threat to railways city living. companies and associated stock markets, he It is truly ironic therefore that Doolittle would acknowledged, was real, but it was surpassed within a few years of these observations become in benefit by the way it allowed one to escape one of the first Canadians to buy a used car in city smoke, which they experienced “while exerthe country, and by 1925, he was the first accising in earth’s fairest gymnasium, the wayside knowledged Canadian to drive from Halifax to lanes and the country roads, where the lungs are Vancouver on the very, somewhat better roads filled to their fullest with the perfume-laden athe had called for as a cyclist. The history of mosphere . . . and carrying renewed health and the bicycle and the car was beyond Doolittle’s vigor as its benediction.” imagination to fully grasp, though by the time he Much of Doolittle’s 1896 language of course is died in 1933, its outline was clear. He intended quaint and slightly condescending from our vanno malfeasance, and as history often proves, tage point of the 21st century, but we should not it is the unintended consequences of one’s acallow presentism to get in the way of his thinking tions that have the greatest impact on future about his world. He wrote about a woman cyclist events. www.pedalmag.com

freeWheeling

Dr. Perry Doolittle: The Father of Canadian Bicycling

BY aleX STIeda

Sportif Stieda

t takes years to build up the strength and savvy to be a Professional athlete. I always find it amusing when people talk about the number of years that a rider was a Pro and “only,” say, eight wins in his 16-year career. Case in point: Matt Hayman at this year’s Paris-Roubaix. What is not mentioned when you are adding the building blocks for later are the years and years and years of pedaling in the pre-Pro time of your life. There is much sacrifice by so many young athletes, and it’s a miracle that many make it through this natural selection process in one piece. Cycling provided solitude and the adventure of riding somewhere I’d never been to, getting lost and finding my way home, which I loved. Along the way, these aspects helped keep the joy in bike riding for me, something that I still treasure today. Of course, some don’t make the grade and fall through the cracks, never to be heard from again. Some “retire” early for various reasons and go on to lead prosperous lives in another world outside of the tight circus-like circle that is “Pro biking.” Those who do make it through this initiation process find themselves at the bottom of the heap as a neo-Pro. Just when you think you are ready, you get the sh** beat out of you race after race in conditions that most people wouldn’t contemplate walking their dog in. It’s a brutal blow to the psyche, and again, there is a weeding-out of the guys who make the transition to the second and third year as a Pro. Having established yourself after two or three years, it’s time to watch your back, as the young ones are gunning for your spot on the team. Getting your 10,000 hours in to become an expert Pro biker is a never-ending cycle of ride-eat-sleep, repeated over and over again. However looking back, I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn very useful lessons that are now helping me in my software-sales business career. Here are seven key lessons that I learned from cycling, which I lean on every day in my business life. 1. A hard day at work is an easy day on the bike. I chuckle to myself when I hear co-workers complaining about their “hard day” at the office. Stressful encounters with sales managers and their quotas as well as clients with their demands can certainly be trying. But all it takes for me to put things into perspective is to remember a circle-of-death stage such as Galibier or Croix de Fer and a finish up Alpe d’Huez. 2. Work hard but ride smart. I was a decent amateur rider, winning a few National championships, but turning Pro quickly made me realize that I wasn’t close to being the strongest guy. It became a matter of survival and strategic cunning to finish some races, especially when I wasn’t on good form. Racing smart taught me to save my “matches” for the moment they were needed most. Simple things such as missing a turn in the break through a corner saved me just that much more energy for the finale. These days, I take the meetings that matter and say no to others – saving mental energy for the right ones. 3. Pay your dues. I have been a rookie many times over in my life. Changing jobs mid-career put me at the back of the pack for a while with all eyes on me. I remember my first days with the new teams I rode for and the certain exwww.pedalmag.com

phOtOS: COUrteSy aleX Stieda

Seven Business Lessons from Life in the Saddle

(above) Galibier crash... “lessons learned.” (left) Paying my dues in Belgium ... circa 1980.

pectation to prove myself. In a race situation, I was never prouder than when I was able to set up a teammate with an initial attack that led to his winning counter-attack. My simple solution was and always will be to stick to a game plan and do the work. Good leaders will recognize your efforts. 4. Stay the course. There were a few times during my athletic career when I was really ready to hang up the cleats. Somehow I found the mental energy to keep going even though I was at a physical and mental low. Often, I needed a break from the racing intensity to recover and re-discover my love for the sport. You can’t win every race (or deal) so embrace the concept of creating a learning opportunity from a loss, and live to tell the tale. 5. Reward has a way of surprising you. I can’t tell you how many times I “couldn’t get out of my own way” on the bike, only to have the form of my life a week or two later. I hadn’t expected to put myself in a winning position; I just happened to “fall into the break!” I found that when I tried to force my presence in a race, I ended up thrashing around, getting frustrated, losing my temper and taking it out on my fellow riders. Doing the homework to build a solid sales pipeline paves the way for many future wins, sometimes when you least expect it. 6. Wait for the moment – this lesson is a feeling that comes with experience. As a 20-year-old amateur, doing two Kermesse races a week in Belgium taught me a lot. Of course, I couldn’t waste energy, but which attack would lead to the winning break? At first, I couldn’t figure it out. Every attack that I followed died out, only to see the winning move ride up the road. I learned to be attentive, anticipating crosswinds, studying my competitors’ habits and understanding and optimizing my own strengths. All of this comes together in the “moment” when you strike hard. Winning at sales is often very similar. It’s always tempting to jump the gun and ask for the order too soon. I’ve learned to get the lay of the land (as my dad told me!), do the homework and then feel for the right moment – trust that you will know when the time is right. 7. Give back – a final lesson that creates the most value. As a veteran Pro, it was fun to mentor a young “up-and-comer.” Frankie Andreu was still wet behind the ears when he joined 7-Eleven in the late 1980’s. Since he was willing, we taught him everything we knew, and I was proud to see him racing as a trusted domestique well into the 1990’s. This year, a couple ex-junior bike racers – now young business students – will be working side by side with me in coaching our Juventus youth-development program. I hope to share some of these skills with them so that they can carry on the tradition. Spring 2016 PEDAL 95

BY Gordon Singleton

Last Word Cycling Barbados Style

photos: courtesy of Gord Singleton

ike most riders from Canada, I am forced to rely on the occasional outdoor excursion when temperatures allow, along with indoor cycling turbos to survive our luscious winter months. Because of this shortcoming, I’ve always found it refreshing to head south so I can thaw my frozen quads and expose my body to some much-needed Vitamin D. After my wife conducted extensive research as to where we should go, we found a great option in the tropical island of Barbados. The last time I was in Barbados was back in 1979 when we were ripping it up at the Barbados National Stadium Velodrome for its Easter Gran Prix. How I long to go back to those days. . . . Back then, prior to heading to Barbados, we would trip over up to Montreal, where it was -30°C outside, to get some form of cycling fitness on the indoor Olympic Velodrome (said velodrome is now torn down; rest in peace). After approximately 10 days and what seemed like a million laps, we were

on the plane south and greeted by an overabundance of sun, fresh mangos as far as the eye could see and some very hard racing. These were perfect conditions to prepare for an early cycling season. Thirty-seven years have since passed, and to be honest, I don’t remember much of the island from that time. While I try to hold onto memories of my youth (to my detriment in some instances), I quickly learned that much has changed. Barbados is approximately 35 kilometres north to south and 24 kilometres east to west – not very big at all. If you set out to ride 100 kilometres, you’d be very close to circling the island. The temperatures are very constant: by 10:00 a.m., 28°C and up is guaranteed, and it doesn’t come down until around 4:00 or 5:00 in the afternoon. For this reason, the locals tend to ride early morning and early evening. I did most of my riding from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (I was on vacation after all). My laidback approach to riding was in stark contrast to my last trip here, when I was seriously competing. This allowed me to take advantage of Barbados’ two biggest economic exports: sugarcane (rum) and tourism. Barbados is an incredibly interesting island to ride due to the variety it offers. Many rural roads head through the beautiful landscape of the countryside. You can almost always see part of the Caribbean Sea at any given moment, and should you ever get lost, just find the ocean to easily get back on track. What surprised me the most about the island were the challenges it can present in certain areas. The south is generally flat around Christchurch and Bridgetow, but when you venture out into the northern sections, it is downright hilly. These hills are not like Alp d’Huez, but even an experienced rider will still 96 PEDAL SPRING 2016

(left) Barbados is an incredibly interesting island to ride and you can almost always see the Caribbean Sea. (below left) Singleton (l) reunited with fan Ed Felan at the Barbados National Stadium Velodrome, where Gord raced back in 1979.

probably have their hands full. There are three different routes you can use to head north. Once you get started, you’ll climb gradually for 20 to 25 minutes at grades of 3 to 5% – nice and enjoyable. Once up north, you’ll want to start touring around, looking at the old villages and churches. You’ll see plenty of banana and coconut trees, monkeys and mongoose. You’ll then find even more challenging climbs such as Sugar Hill and Apes Hill, which are approximately eight to 12 minutes long, but with average gradients between 12 to 15%. It doesn’t stop there, however – one short climb often used for the Barbados Championship road race is 32%. Caution needs to be exercised on the descents. They’re very steep and the road conditions are quite dodgy. You’re never quite sure whether a pothole or parked car exists around the bend. Before deciding to take my bike to Barbados, I read some online horror stories about the local drivers and their aggression toward bike riders. Yet I found exactly the opposite to be true. I would think most cyclists should be able to navigate the island without issue providing they obey the rules of the road and are respectful of the drivers and their vehicles (remember, cyclists never win a car fight). Most of the main roads are wide enough for cyclists, some even have bicycle lanes. One day when I was slightly confused about which direction to ride, many friendly locals kindly guided me in the right direction. Compared to bike riding the hills and turns of the Amalfi coast, Barbados is a breeze. After doing hours and hours of training, cyclists can build up enormous appetites. Refueling with good food is very important if you’re doing any type of training. In Barbados, you’ll find more fresh fish than you can possibly imagine. There are swordfish, marlin, barracuda, grouper and sea bass, just to name a few. Stopping at one of the roadside coconut vendors quickly becomes part of your daily riding routine in Barbados’ scorching temperatures. Vendor quickly cut off the top of a fresh coconut, and not even Gatorade can hydrate you better than that! The cost: only $1.40 [Cdn.]. And, of course, make sure to have some post-workout mangos, which quickly became my personal favourite. In retrospect, I would wholeheartedly recommend a trip to Barbados for anyone looking to undertake a cycling getaway next winter. The variety of terrain I cycled, coupled with the many laughs enjoyed with the friendly locals and fantastic fish I consumed gave me everything I needed to power through the remaining winter. www.pedalmag.com

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