Portfolio of S.R. Allardice from Full Sus Newspaper
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About This Presentation
Portfolio of published works by Seamus Allardice in Full Sus, the South African mountain biking newspaper.
Slide Content
Portfolio of Seamus R. Allardice
Published Works from Full Sus #MTB
Contact:
[email protected]
This compilation of articles I wrote for the Integrated Media title Full Sus. Full Sus is a
free mountain biking specific newspaper which is published ten times annually. It is
distributed through 250 odd local bicycle shops, Sportsmans Warehouse stores, coffee
shops and at trail centres throughout South Africa and in Windhoek and Gaborone in
Namibia and Botswana. With a print run of 15 000 copies it is the largest mountain biking
specific publication in the country.
I started working at Integrated Media in February 2013 and was part of the team
which launched Full Sus in April of that year. As the publication grew my role expanded to
the point where I was made Editor in 2014, before which I had served in a Copy Editor’s role
(though without an Editor to oversee my work). In December 2014 I oversaw the launch of
Full Sus’s trail running specific sister publication, Full Stride, which I had conceptualized
earlier that year.
If you would like to read more of the articles published in Full Sus please follow this
link to Issuu where every issue of Full Sus is archived.
Published Works from Full Sus #MTB
Contact:
[email protected]
This compilation of articles I wrote for the Integrated Media title Full Sus. Full Sus is a
free mountain biking specific newspaper which is published ten times annually. It is
distributed through 250 odd local bicycle shops, Sportsmans Warehouse stores, coffee
shops and at trail centres throughout South Africa and in Windhoek and Gaborone in
Namibia and Botswana. With a print run of 15 000 copies it is the largest mountain biking
specific publication in the country.
I started working at Integrated Media in February 2013 and was part of the team
which launched Full Sus in April of that year. As the publication grew my role expanded to
the point where I was made Editor in 2014, before which I had served in a Copy Editor’s role
(though without an Editor to oversee my work). In December 2014 I oversaw the launch of
Full Sus’s trail running specific sister publication, Full Stride, which I had conceptualized
earlier that year.
If you would like to read more of the articles published in Full Sus please follow this
link to Issuu where every issue of Full Sus is archived.
Issue 01/2013
EPIC 10
Interview: Christoph Sauser
Events: Namib Quest
Attakwas Extreme
Challenge
WIN pg14
Trails
pg8
Nutrition
pg16
BIKE REVIEW
pg18
GEAR
pg21
EPIC 10
Interview: Christoph Sauser
Events: Namib Quest
Attakwas Extreme
Challenge
WIN pg14
Trails
pg8
Nutrition
pg16
BIKE REVIEW
pg18
GEAR
pg21
20
FS Responsibility
B
ack in 2002 SANParks
produced their first
Environmental Management
Plan for recreational MTB in the
Table Mountain National Park, a plan
which they are now revising, and
they pointed out then that “although
many mountain bikers are generally
environmentally aware, they typically
do not visit the park for conservation
purposes.” In recent years more
research has been done on the effect
of MTB tyres churning up the forest
and mountain byways.
Research by the International
Mountain Biking Association for
their Guide to Providing Great
Riding indicates that the main areas
of concern are vegetation loss
and compositional changes, soil
compaction, erosion, muddiness,
degraded water quality, and disruption
of wildlife.
During the construction of trails
the loss of vegetation is deemed
“unavoidable” by the IMBA, but what
is avoidable is the loss caused by trail
widening by “visitor use or erosion”.
Likewise soil compaction, erosion
and muddiness are inevitable in
construction but can be avoided once
the trail is built. The trouble is that
the once these issues occur they can
become self-perpetuating, when trails
“erode below the surrounding soil
level, hindering efforts to divert water
and causing accelerated erosion and
muddiness.”
The damage to soil and vegetation
are often apparent but the effect of
mountain biking on the quality of
water is less obvious. The IMBA state
that “trail-related impacts to water
resources can include the introduction
of soils, nutrients, and pathogenic
organisms, and alter the patterns of
surface water drainage.” These issues
are often caused by poorly designed
or maintained trails.
Disruption of wildlife is not limited
to the occasional rider/antelope
high speed collision, rather the
more common issues surround
damage to habitat, human activity
causing animals to avoid an area
or behavioural changes due to the
feeding of wildlife. The latter is clearly
a major problem in Table Mountain
National Park, with the intentional
and unintentional feeding of the
local baboon troops changing their
behaviour significantly for the worse.
As a rider it’s your
responsibility to ensure
that your impact on the
environment is kept to a
minimum, and in order to
do so you should adhere to
a few simple rules.
• Keep to demarcated trails
• Avoid single track in muddy
conditions
• Carry your rubbish out with you
• Use the supplied ablutions, not
the veld
• Be aware of the noise pollution you
might be causing
Be especially conscientious when
riding on private land as your actions
could lead to the landowner denying
access to all bikers. Remember that
it is very seldom that an area will be
solely used by mountain bikers. You’re
sharing the trails with trail runners,
hikers and horse riders all of whom
have the same right to enjoy the great
outdoors as you do.
SANParks on the
Environmental
Impact of MTB
Full Sus spoke to Table
Mountain National Park’s
Hospitality Services
Manager Saskia Marlowe and this is
what she had to say:
Q What is the news
on the Table Mountain
National Park Mountain
Biking Environmental
Management Programme?
A The management of Tokai will
change from commercial forestry to
biodiversity centred multi-purpose
use and therefore the future use of
the inherited infrastructure, which
includes management tracks and
recreational routes, needs to be
evaluated. The planning process
will include identifying appropriate
areas and routes for the different
recreational activities, determining
the tracks/routes that are in conflict/
compatible with biodiversity
objectives, and the estimation
of a high level budget for the
implementation and maintenance of
the future recreation network.
Q What negative effects
have SANParks found
cyclists have had on the
environment?
A We are finding that some
cyclists are not sticking to the existing
trails and creating their own trails
which is highly problematic on a
number of levels. It means we are
spreading the impact as opposed to
limiting it, animals and nesting birds
are disturbed or displaced, vegetation
and soil loss occurs and confusion is
created as to what is an official path
and what not.
Q What is the potential
long term effect of these?
A The costs of maintenance
increases the more rehabilitation we
have to do. This raises the potential
for areas and sections of tracks to be
closed for extended periods of time
to allow for this rehabilitation.
Q How can cyclists mitigate
the damage they cause?
A The Mountain Biking
Environmental Managing Programme
has a Code of Conduct for mountain
bikers attached to it. It would help us
and the environment if people could
familiarise themselves with the content
of this code. (The code of conduct
forms part of SANPArk’s 2002
Management Plan for MTB on Table
Mountain and can be downloaded off
Full Sus’s Facebook page)
Q Are there any
programmes SANParks are
implementing that they’d
like MTBers to get involved
in and help out with?
A We are always open to groups
of MTBers approaching us to assist
with trail maintenance. We would also
like an open channel of communica-
tion with the MTB community, and
should anyone notice a tree down
on the trail that you report it to us so
we can remove it before an alternate
trail is created. Emails can be sent to
[email protected]. We are
also asking people to ensure that they
either pay the daily entry fee to cycle on
the mountain or purchase a level three
activity permit. (For more on the Activity
Permit see the News on page 4)
Q&A
Environmental impact of
mountain biking
Being out on your bike in nature it’s pretty easy to overlook the fact
that riding can have a pretty serious impact on the environment.
So you’re not pumping CO2 into the atmosphere, but you are still
affecting the biophysical environment on and around the trail.
Avoid single track when it is wet.
www.oakpics.com
FS Responsibility
B
ack in 2002 SANParks
produced their first
Environmental Management
Plan for recreational MTB in the
Table Mountain National Park, a plan
which they are now revising, and
they pointed out then that “although
many mountain bikers are generally
environmentally aware, they typically
do not visit the park for conservation
purposes.” In recent years more
research has been done on the effect
of MTB tyres churning up the forest
and mountain byways.
Research by the International
Mountain Biking Association for
their Guide to Providing Great
Riding indicates that the main areas
of concern are vegetation loss
and compositional changes, soil
compaction, erosion, muddiness,
degraded water quality, and disruption
of wildlife.
During the construction of trails
the loss of vegetation is deemed
“unavoidable” by the IMBA, but what
is avoidable is the loss caused by trail
widening by “visitor use or erosion”.
Likewise soil compaction, erosion
and muddiness are inevitable in
construction but can be avoided once
the trail is built. The trouble is that
the once these issues occur they can
become self-perpetuating, when trails
“erode below the surrounding soil
level, hindering efforts to divert water
and causing accelerated erosion and
muddiness.”
The damage to soil and vegetation
are often apparent but the effect of
mountain biking on the quality of
water is less obvious. The IMBA state
that “trail-related impacts to water
resources can include the introduction
of soils, nutrients, and pathogenic
organisms, and alter the patterns of
surface water drainage.” These issues
are often caused by poorly designed
or maintained trails.
Disruption of wildlife is not limited
to the occasional rider/antelope
high speed collision, rather the
more common issues surround
damage to habitat, human activity
causing animals to avoid an area
or behavioural changes due to the
feeding of wildlife. The latter is clearly
a major problem in Table Mountain
National Park, with the intentional
and unintentional feeding of the
local baboon troops changing their
behaviour significantly for the worse.
As a rider it’s your
responsibility to ensure
that your impact on the
environment is kept to a
minimum, and in order to
do so you should adhere to
a few simple rules.
• Keep to demarcated trails
• Avoid single track in muddy
conditions
• Carry your rubbish out with you
• Use the supplied ablutions, not
the veld
• Be aware of the noise pollution you
might be causing
Be especially conscientious when
riding on private land as your actions
could lead to the landowner denying
access to all bikers. Remember that
it is very seldom that an area will be
solely used by mountain bikers. You’re
sharing the trails with trail runners,
hikers and horse riders all of whom
have the same right to enjoy the great
outdoors as you do.
SANParks on the
Environmental
Impact of MTB
Full Sus spoke to Table
Mountain National Park’s
Hospitality Services
Manager Saskia Marlowe and this is
what she had to say:
Q What is the news
on the Table Mountain
National Park Mountain
Biking Environmental
Management Programme?
A The management of Tokai will
change from commercial forestry to
biodiversity centred multi-purpose
use and therefore the future use of
the inherited infrastructure, which
includes management tracks and
recreational routes, needs to be
evaluated. The planning process
will include identifying appropriate
areas and routes for the different
recreational activities, determining
the tracks/routes that are in conflict/
compatible with biodiversity
objectives, and the estimation
of a high level budget for the
implementation and maintenance of
the future recreation network.
Q What negative effects
have SANParks found
cyclists have had on the
environment?
A We are finding that some
cyclists are not sticking to the existing
trails and creating their own trails
which is highly problematic on a
number of levels. It means we are
spreading the impact as opposed to
limiting it, animals and nesting birds
are disturbed or displaced, vegetation
and soil loss occurs and confusion is
created as to what is an official path
and what not.
Q What is the potential
long term effect of these?
A The costs of maintenance
increases the more rehabilitation we
have to do. This raises the potential
for areas and sections of tracks to be
closed for extended periods of time
to allow for this rehabilitation.
Q How can cyclists mitigate
the damage they cause?
A The Mountain Biking
Environmental Managing Programme
has a Code of Conduct for mountain
bikers attached to it. It would help us
and the environment if people could
familiarise themselves with the content
of this code. (The code of conduct
forms part of SANPArk’s 2002
Management Plan for MTB on Table
Mountain and can be downloaded off
Full Sus’s Facebook page)
Q Are there any
programmes SANParks are
implementing that they’d
like MTBers to get involved
in and help out with?
A We are always open to groups
of MTBers approaching us to assist
with trail maintenance. We would also
like an open channel of communica-
tion with the MTB community, and
should anyone notice a tree down
on the trail that you report it to us so
we can remove it before an alternate
trail is created. Emails can be sent to
[email protected]. We are
also asking people to ensure that they
either pay the daily entry fee to cycle on
the mountain or purchase a level three
activity permit. (For more on the Activity
Permit see the News on page 4)
Q&A
Environmental impact of
mountain biking
Being out on your bike in nature it’s pretty easy to overlook the fact
that riding can have a pretty serious impact on the environment.
So you’re not pumping CO2 into the atmosphere, but you are still
affecting the biophysical environment on and around the trail.
Avoid single track when it is wet.
www.oakpics.com
Mountain biking is hardly a cheap sport. Let’s not kid ourselves
the bikes are relatively expensive, and the prices of all the gear
adds up pretty quickly too, but the thing that shocked
Seamus Allardice most as a newb to the sport was the event
entry fees. So he decided to have a closer look at a few of the
bigger South African multi-day events and their costs.
Are stage races too expensive?
D
on’t get me wrong, right off
the bat I should point out
that organising a MTB stage
race is a costly business. There is an
almost never ending list of factors
to consider from accommodation to
insurance and on to water points. But
then the well-attended races do seem
to gross a fair amount. A case in point
would be a race costing R3 000 with
300 entrants will gross R900 000.
R3 000 is a fairly conservative
figure to use, as the average 3 day
stage race cost in 2013 is R3 644 for
a solo entry and R6 600 for a team
of two riders. As you can tell from the
lists on page 2 the race entry costs
do vary greatly. The longer events
are understandably more pricey, and
because of the wide variation in days
they’re not really directly comparable.
Generally though, they vary in price
from the relatively cheap 4 Day Sabie
Xperience at R2 090, to the bank-
busting R27 950, for the full Royal
Suite luxury on the Rovos Rail 5 Star
MTB experience per person.
But one has to ask if these costs
are justified? I spoke to an avid
mountain biker, who would rather
not be named, who took part in the
2011 Cape Epic. He did not appear
overly concerned by the fact, that all
considered the event cost him about
R70 000, but he did say that he
wouldn’t be taking part again. He told
me that in 2012 he went to Europe for
a fraction of the cost, and enjoyed 15
days of riding in the Alps. And he’s
currently planning a return trip for the
European summer of 2013.
Now that’s very nice, and you’ll be
excused if you experience the briefest
pangs of jealousy, but once you’ve
ticked the Epic off your to-do list it
does free you up. But the initial point
he made stands, it cost him around
70K to take part in the Epic in 2011 and
that’s a fair amount of cash. So event
organisers should be reminded that the
entry fee, even when it covers meals
and accommodation is hardly the end,
(or even the biggest) of the expenses.
But I’m not going to beat down
on the event organisers too much,
because putting on an event is
very expensive. If you have a look
through the UCI’s Practical Guide to
Organising a MTB Event you’ll be
turn to page 2
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
WIN pg11
Vipa peak
pg18 TRAILS pg8
Having fun
after dark
Hydrate for optimum
performance
Issue 02/2013
FREE
the bikes are relatively expensive, and the prices of all the gear
adds up pretty quickly too, but the thing that shocked
Seamus Allardice most as a newb to the sport was the event
entry fees. So he decided to have a closer look at a few of the
bigger South African multi-day events and their costs.
Are stage races too expensive?
D
on’t get me wrong, right off
the bat I should point out
that organising a MTB stage
race is a costly business. There is an
almost never ending list of factors
to consider from accommodation to
insurance and on to water points. But
then the well-attended races do seem
to gross a fair amount. A case in point
would be a race costing R3 000 with
300 entrants will gross R900 000.
R3 000 is a fairly conservative
figure to use, as the average 3 day
stage race cost in 2013 is R3 644 for
a solo entry and R6 600 for a team
of two riders. As you can tell from the
lists on page 2 the race entry costs
do vary greatly. The longer events
are understandably more pricey, and
because of the wide variation in days
they’re not really directly comparable.
Generally though, they vary in price
from the relatively cheap 4 Day Sabie
Xperience at R2 090, to the bank-
busting R27 950, for the full Royal
Suite luxury on the Rovos Rail 5 Star
MTB experience per person.
But one has to ask if these costs
are justified? I spoke to an avid
mountain biker, who would rather
not be named, who took part in the
2011 Cape Epic. He did not appear
overly concerned by the fact, that all
considered the event cost him about
R70 000, but he did say that he
wouldn’t be taking part again. He told
me that in 2012 he went to Europe for
a fraction of the cost, and enjoyed 15
days of riding in the Alps. And he’s
currently planning a return trip for the
European summer of 2013.
Now that’s very nice, and you’ll be
excused if you experience the briefest
pangs of jealousy, but once you’ve
ticked the Epic off your to-do list it
does free you up. But the initial point
he made stands, it cost him around
70K to take part in the Epic in 2011 and
that’s a fair amount of cash. So event
organisers should be reminded that the
entry fee, even when it covers meals
and accommodation is hardly the end,
(or even the biggest) of the expenses.
But I’m not going to beat down
on the event organisers too much,
because putting on an event is
very expensive. If you have a look
through the UCI’s Practical Guide to
Organising a MTB Event you’ll be
turn to page 2
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
WIN pg11
Vipa peak
pg18 TRAILS pg8
Having fun
after dark
Hydrate for optimum
performance
Issue 02/2013
FREE
2
FS Stage Race Costs
shocked at the their budget template.
Now it doesn’t contain any figures,
because obviously the cost of staging
an event in Switzerland is going to
differ rather dramatically from a similar
event back here in South Africa, but
none the less the list of items to
consider runs to nearly 5 pages.
The UCI’s guide is dedicated to
World Cup style MTB events rather
than stage racing, but many of the
boxes organisers need to tick are the
same. For example one expense which
you might not have considered is
event insurance. The UCI recommends
organisers budget for the insurance
in the following 4 categories: public
liability, insurance for voluntary workers
(additional insurance), equipment
insurance and cancellation insurance.
Another sizable expense is the
media. I was told it would cost
the event organisers R8 000 to
look after one journo for the 8 day
duration of one particular event.
In addition to that organisers also
have to pay for the television
production and the air time on TV,
neither of which comes cheap.
Then you have to factor in the
cost of keeping you warm, fed and
hydrated during the race.
So all in all events are ultimately
expensive to organise and that
expense is passed directly on to
the consumer. Having an event
sponsor with deep pockets will
help lift the financial burden off
your back, but you still have to ask
yourself if you’re not being charged
too much for certain events. And
to that end Full Sus would like to
hear from you. What events have
you taken part in? How did you rate
them in terms of value for money?
We’ll maintain your anonymity but
we’ll definitely be keeping you the
reader informed of the best value
for money events.
Send your
responses to
[email protected]
“the average 3 day stage
race cost in 2013 is R3 644
for a solo entry and R6 600
for a team of two riders”
R3 000 is a fairly conservative figure to use, as the average
3 day stage race cost in 2013 is R3 644 for a solo entry and
R6 600 for a team of two riders. As you can tell from the list
below the race entry costs do vary greatly:
Race.....................................Solo Entry.....................Pair Entry
Storm’s River Traverse...................R 4 000.............................................R 6 500
Grape Escape – 3 Day...................R2 350. ...............................................N/A
Isuzu 3 Towers Race. ......................N/A.......................................................R 6 000
Isuzu 3 Towers Challenge..........N/A.......................................................R 5 400
Dr Evil Classic. ......................................R 2 450
(No Accommodation)....R 4 900 (No Accommodation)
Ride the Rhino......................................R 3 500. .............................................R 7 000
Wine 2 Whales.....................................R 4 200.............................................R 8 400
Ride the Rock. .......................................R 4 000.............................................N/A
Cape Outback......................................R 7 500..............................................R 12 500
360ne MTB Challenge.................R 1 150.................................................R 2 100
The longer events are understandably more pricey, and
because of the wide variation in days they’re not really directly
comparable. Generally though, they vary in price from the
relatively cheap 4 Day Sabie Xperience at R2 090, to the bank-
busting R27 950, for the full Royal Suite luxury on the Rovos Rail
5 Star MTB experience per person.
Race............................Days.........Solo Entry...........................Pair Entry
Cape Pioneer Race............6...........................R 11 500. .....................................................R 21 900
Joberg2C. ...................................9...........................R 14 400...................................................R 27 000
Sabie Xperience...................4...........................R 2 090......................................................N/A
Namib Quest. .........................6...........................N/A................................................................R 18 000
Cape Epic...................................8...........................N/A................................................................R 44 900
Rovos Rail Ride. ....................6...........................Royal Suite – R 27 950................N/A
Deluxe Suite – R 24 950............N/A
Pullman Suite – R 19 500..........N/A
“Full Sus would like to hear
from you. How would you rate
the events you took part in as
far as value for money goes?”
SUS THE COSTSSUS THE COSTS
• R 32.16 per km on the 2013 Cape Epic
• Through the 2013 Epic the associated charities raised R 3 323 624.
• The 2014 Epic Early Bird entries sold out in 34 seconds.
• The Sabie is the cheapest 4 day or longer event on our lists at R10.45 per km.
• The Sani2C’s three events (the Race, Adventure and Trail) all sold out
their 650 team entries. Making it the World’s biggest MTB event and they
managed to raise over 1 million rand for charity in 2012.
If you don’t mind splashing the cash
You can book the Royal Suite on the 5 star Rovos Rail Ride for R 27 950 per
person sharing. When you consider the colonial luxury and the all-inclusive
nature of the offer, it’s actually pretty good value for money.
Here are the 2013 figures
The quality of the food can make or break a stage race
Riding unique and virgin trails, like these on the Tankwa Trek, surely offer added value
How does the beauty of the ride feature into your assessment of event value for money?
FS Stage Race Costs
shocked at the their budget template.
Now it doesn’t contain any figures,
because obviously the cost of staging
an event in Switzerland is going to
differ rather dramatically from a similar
event back here in South Africa, but
none the less the list of items to
consider runs to nearly 5 pages.
The UCI’s guide is dedicated to
World Cup style MTB events rather
than stage racing, but many of the
boxes organisers need to tick are the
same. For example one expense which
you might not have considered is
event insurance. The UCI recommends
organisers budget for the insurance
in the following 4 categories: public
liability, insurance for voluntary workers
(additional insurance), equipment
insurance and cancellation insurance.
Another sizable expense is the
media. I was told it would cost
the event organisers R8 000 to
look after one journo for the 8 day
duration of one particular event.
In addition to that organisers also
have to pay for the television
production and the air time on TV,
neither of which comes cheap.
Then you have to factor in the
cost of keeping you warm, fed and
hydrated during the race.
So all in all events are ultimately
expensive to organise and that
expense is passed directly on to
the consumer. Having an event
sponsor with deep pockets will
help lift the financial burden off
your back, but you still have to ask
yourself if you’re not being charged
too much for certain events. And
to that end Full Sus would like to
hear from you. What events have
you taken part in? How did you rate
them in terms of value for money?
We’ll maintain your anonymity but
we’ll definitely be keeping you the
reader informed of the best value
for money events.
Send your
responses to
[email protected]
“the average 3 day stage
race cost in 2013 is R3 644
for a solo entry and R6 600
for a team of two riders”
R3 000 is a fairly conservative figure to use, as the average
3 day stage race cost in 2013 is R3 644 for a solo entry and
R6 600 for a team of two riders. As you can tell from the list
below the race entry costs do vary greatly:
Race.....................................Solo Entry.....................Pair Entry
Storm’s River Traverse...................R 4 000.............................................R 6 500
Grape Escape – 3 Day...................R2 350. ...............................................N/A
Isuzu 3 Towers Race. ......................N/A.......................................................R 6 000
Isuzu 3 Towers Challenge..........N/A.......................................................R 5 400
Dr Evil Classic. ......................................R 2 450
(No Accommodation)....R 4 900 (No Accommodation)
Ride the Rhino......................................R 3 500. .............................................R 7 000
Wine 2 Whales.....................................R 4 200.............................................R 8 400
Ride the Rock. .......................................R 4 000.............................................N/A
Cape Outback......................................R 7 500..............................................R 12 500
360ne MTB Challenge.................R 1 150.................................................R 2 100
The longer events are understandably more pricey, and
because of the wide variation in days they’re not really directly
comparable. Generally though, they vary in price from the
relatively cheap 4 Day Sabie Xperience at R2 090, to the bank-
busting R27 950, for the full Royal Suite luxury on the Rovos Rail
5 Star MTB experience per person.
Race............................Days.........Solo Entry...........................Pair Entry
Cape Pioneer Race............6...........................R 11 500. .....................................................R 21 900
Joberg2C. ...................................9...........................R 14 400...................................................R 27 000
Sabie Xperience...................4...........................R 2 090......................................................N/A
Namib Quest. .........................6...........................N/A................................................................R 18 000
Cape Epic...................................8...........................N/A................................................................R 44 900
Rovos Rail Ride. ....................6...........................Royal Suite – R 27 950................N/A
Deluxe Suite – R 24 950............N/A
Pullman Suite – R 19 500..........N/A
“Full Sus would like to hear
from you. How would you rate
the events you took part in as
far as value for money goes?”
SUS THE COSTSSUS THE COSTS
• R 32.16 per km on the 2013 Cape Epic
• Through the 2013 Epic the associated charities raised R 3 323 624.
• The 2014 Epic Early Bird entries sold out in 34 seconds.
• The Sabie is the cheapest 4 day or longer event on our lists at R10.45 per km.
• The Sani2C’s three events (the Race, Adventure and Trail) all sold out
their 650 team entries. Making it the World’s biggest MTB event and they
managed to raise over 1 million rand for charity in 2012.
If you don’t mind splashing the cash
You can book the Royal Suite on the 5 star Rovos Rail Ride for R 27 950 per
person sharing. When you consider the colonial luxury and the all-inclusive
nature of the offer, it’s actually pretty good value for money.
Here are the 2013 figures
The quality of the food can make or break a stage race
Riding unique and virgin trails, like these on the Tankwa Trek, surely offer added value
How does the beauty of the ride feature into your assessment of event value for money?
14
FS Insuring your Bike
So you’ve bought a new bike and it costs more than your first car.
Clearly you have to get it insured. Full Suss’s Seamus Allardice has
done a bit of digging to see what your options are.
T
here is quite a bit to consider
when choosing to insure
your bike and after a bit of
investigating Full Sus decided to
call an expert. Riccardo Stermin is a
broker for Carl Greaves Brokers and
Pedal Cycle Insurance, and perhaps
more importantly an avid cyclist
himself. He has years of experience
on both sides of the game and with
his advice we’re sure you’ll be able
to make the best decision to suite
your needs.
Riccardo started by explaining
that you have two basic options,
either to insure your bike and gear
as specified items in your general
household insurance or to insure
it as a stand-alone item. Both have
their advantages and disadvantages,
for example while insuring with a
bike specific stand-alone insurer
will ensure that your needs are
understood, the policies will have
more exclusions because there
are more items in the household
package to decrease the risk. That
being said though, if you claim
regularly on your bike insurance the
bike will become a high risk item
and will then affect the cost of your
household insurance.
When it comes to arranging
your policy Riccardo says
that it is essential that
you ask the following
pertinent questions:
Q Is your bike covered for
all risks, including losses
while training and racing?
Many policies won’t cover losses
incurred during a timed event as they
deem it racing.
Q Does the policy cover
the loss of your bike in the
case of theft if there was not
violent or forceful in nature?
Most policies will pay if your bike
was stolen in a hijacking or if the
thief was required to exercise force
(ie. break or cut a lock), but they won’t
pay out if your bike wasn’t chained
up while you were enjoying a post
ride coffee.
SUS THE STATS SUS THE STATS
• Average premium for insuring a
R40 000 MTB with a stand-alone
policy: R295 pm
• Bicycle insurance is expensive
from an insurers’ point of view as
it is high risk
• Bicycle specific policies typically
run at a loss during the summer
season due to volume of claims
• Mountain bikers tend to be better
customers (and get cheaper
premiums) than roadies as they
tend to claim less
SUS THE ADVICESUS THE ADVICE
Your helmet is covered under
the manufacturer’s replacement
warrantee, but you can claim the 1/3
of the replacement cost you are liable
for from your insurer, in the event
cover in this regard has
been arranged.
Insuring
Riccardo Stermin has been in the
insurance industry for 27 years,
20 of which as an assessor and then
7 as a broker. He is also a highly
successful race snake having won
the 2010 & 2011 Ride the Rhino, as
well as the veterans’ category in
the 2011 Wines to Whales and the
2011/2012 AmaRider 100 miler.
He and riding partner Billy Stelling,
of team V&A Market on the Warf,
have also completed 2 Cape Epics.
If you have any bike
insurance related queries
drop Riccardo a line at
[email protected]
your most prized possession
Q What are the exclusions
of the policy? For example
will your wheels be covered
if they are stolen off the
bike while it is on the bike
rack? Will the policy cover
cycling accessories?
Riccardo suggests that your wheels
should be covered, but to be safe you
should specify expensive items like
your wheels and other accessories
like shoes, helmets and GPS units.
Q Does the policy
cover both damage and
consequential damage?
In the case of wear & tear the
initial damage, for example a chain
breaking won’t be covered but the
consequential damage of the chain
smashing the derailleur and frame will
be covered.
Q Is the cover global?
This is essential if you are intending
on traveling with your bike.
Q What is the excess?
Low premium could equate to a
high excess.
According to the website Insurance
Chat you should be covered for:
• Theft provided it was violent or
forceful in nature
• Damage in transport
• Accidental damage and loss
And as with all insurance policies, it’s
important to remember that the devil is
in the fine print so make sure you read it!
In fact Full Sus, after a hassling with call
centres, would suggest that you make
use of a reputable broker. Because when
your prized possession has just been
nicked you’re going to want to speak
to a real person, especially one who
understands your loss and the cover
provided in terms of the policy.
“because when your prized
possession has just been
nicked you’re going to want to
speak to a real person”
Riccardo’s
Picks
Stand-Alone:
CycleSure, MiWay
or OUTsurance
Package:
Mutual & Federal,
Santam, MiWay,
Alexander Forbes
or Hollard
FS Insuring your Bike
So you’ve bought a new bike and it costs more than your first car.
Clearly you have to get it insured. Full Suss’s Seamus Allardice has
done a bit of digging to see what your options are.
T
here is quite a bit to consider
when choosing to insure
your bike and after a bit of
investigating Full Sus decided to
call an expert. Riccardo Stermin is a
broker for Carl Greaves Brokers and
Pedal Cycle Insurance, and perhaps
more importantly an avid cyclist
himself. He has years of experience
on both sides of the game and with
his advice we’re sure you’ll be able
to make the best decision to suite
your needs.
Riccardo started by explaining
that you have two basic options,
either to insure your bike and gear
as specified items in your general
household insurance or to insure
it as a stand-alone item. Both have
their advantages and disadvantages,
for example while insuring with a
bike specific stand-alone insurer
will ensure that your needs are
understood, the policies will have
more exclusions because there
are more items in the household
package to decrease the risk. That
being said though, if you claim
regularly on your bike insurance the
bike will become a high risk item
and will then affect the cost of your
household insurance.
When it comes to arranging
your policy Riccardo says
that it is essential that
you ask the following
pertinent questions:
Q Is your bike covered for
all risks, including losses
while training and racing?
Many policies won’t cover losses
incurred during a timed event as they
deem it racing.
Q Does the policy cover
the loss of your bike in the
case of theft if there was not
violent or forceful in nature?
Most policies will pay if your bike
was stolen in a hijacking or if the
thief was required to exercise force
(ie. break or cut a lock), but they won’t
pay out if your bike wasn’t chained
up while you were enjoying a post
ride coffee.
SUS THE STATS SUS THE STATS
• Average premium for insuring a
R40 000 MTB with a stand-alone
policy: R295 pm
• Bicycle insurance is expensive
from an insurers’ point of view as
it is high risk
• Bicycle specific policies typically
run at a loss during the summer
season due to volume of claims
• Mountain bikers tend to be better
customers (and get cheaper
premiums) than roadies as they
tend to claim less
SUS THE ADVICESUS THE ADVICE
Your helmet is covered under
the manufacturer’s replacement
warrantee, but you can claim the 1/3
of the replacement cost you are liable
for from your insurer, in the event
cover in this regard has
been arranged.
Insuring
Riccardo Stermin has been in the
insurance industry for 27 years,
20 of which as an assessor and then
7 as a broker. He is also a highly
successful race snake having won
the 2010 & 2011 Ride the Rhino, as
well as the veterans’ category in
the 2011 Wines to Whales and the
2011/2012 AmaRider 100 miler.
He and riding partner Billy Stelling,
of team V&A Market on the Warf,
have also completed 2 Cape Epics.
If you have any bike
insurance related queries
drop Riccardo a line at
[email protected]
your most prized possession
Q What are the exclusions
of the policy? For example
will your wheels be covered
if they are stolen off the
bike while it is on the bike
rack? Will the policy cover
cycling accessories?
Riccardo suggests that your wheels
should be covered, but to be safe you
should specify expensive items like
your wheels and other accessories
like shoes, helmets and GPS units.
Q Does the policy
cover both damage and
consequential damage?
In the case of wear & tear the
initial damage, for example a chain
breaking won’t be covered but the
consequential damage of the chain
smashing the derailleur and frame will
be covered.
Q Is the cover global?
This is essential if you are intending
on traveling with your bike.
Q What is the excess?
Low premium could equate to a
high excess.
According to the website Insurance
Chat you should be covered for:
• Theft provided it was violent or
forceful in nature
• Damage in transport
• Accidental damage and loss
And as with all insurance policies, it’s
important to remember that the devil is
in the fine print so make sure you read it!
In fact Full Sus, after a hassling with call
centres, would suggest that you make
use of a reputable broker. Because when
your prized possession has just been
nicked you’re going to want to speak
to a real person, especially one who
understands your loss and the cover
provided in terms of the policy.
“because when your prized
possession has just been
nicked you’re going to want to
speak to a real person”
Riccardo’s
Picks
Stand-Alone:
CycleSure, MiWay
or OUTsurance
Package:
Mutual & Federal,
Santam, MiWay,
Alexander Forbes
or Hollard
June
2013
Gear
pg21
Cederburg
pg10
Moab MTB Mecca
pg6
Nutrition
p17
Responsibility
pg15
The latest
results & your
July Calendar
pg22
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
turn to page 4
A
vron Sirin, of Cycle Traders
specialises in 2nd hand bikes
and he’s got his finger on the
pulse of what’s selling in Cape Town,
says that he routinely gets phone calls
asking him to keep an eye out for a
particular stolen bike. In fact when
I popped into Cycle Traders to talk
second hand bikes, Avron received a
phone call from a customer letting him
know that about a bike that had been
stolen over the weekend.
So bike theft is clearly a big deal. But
where are the stolen bikes going? Are
they being recovered or are they being
resold to unsuspecting honest folks?
Full Sus has heard about a particular
second hand shop in Plumstead, that
offered a stolen Specialized for 4K.
The bike’s previous owner, who’d had
it nicked out of his garage, managed
to track the bike down – on the advice
of his insurance broker – and asked to
take it to his local bike shop for a once
over. With his bike now safely back in
his possession he double checked the
frame number and phoned the cops.
The shop owner seems to have been
innocent of any wrong doing except
for failing to ask questions of the seller.
But the fact remains he parted with
cash for a hi-spec bike which was being
offered at a ridiculously reduced rate.
So maybe losing out will teach him
to ask questions in future, but will his
refusal to buy a stolen bike stop bike
theft? It’s not likely.
We can all spot a dodgy deal when
someone offers you a Cannondale
Trigger Carbon for a couple of thousand
South African Rand, but what if the
seller is more clued up on bikes? If
you’re buying a bike off Gumtree what
guarantee do you have that you won’t
turn up at your next race only to have
a gang of angry riders descend on you
and reclaim their mate’s bike?
Okay, so that’s an extreme example,
but it’s still a scary thought. You might
riding a stolen bike. So what can you do
to mitigate the risk? Well we’d suggest
buying from a reputable second hand
bike trader like Cycle Traders. Even non
specialist shops like Cash Converters
or Cash Crusaders should in theory be
more secure as they have a “time-lag
of seven days before anything they
purchase goes on sale” which should
give the police the time to track it down
should it be stolen.
Despite the risk, often, it’s just
cheaper to buy from an individual. So
you might well find yourself going the
Gumtree or The Hub route. If you do it
Second hand bikemares - avoid getting burnt
So you’re looking for an upgrade at a
reasonable price, and after weeks of browsing
the net you settled on a bike off Gumtree.
But as you’re pulling up to the oke’s address
the cops are leading him and your would-be
bike away. To help you avoid this and other
pit-falls Seamus Allardice went digging.
FREE
fullsus
www.oakpics.com
2013
Gear
pg21
Cederburg
pg10
Moab MTB Mecca
pg6
Nutrition
p17
Responsibility
pg15
The latest
results & your
July Calendar
pg22
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
turn to page 4
A
vron Sirin, of Cycle Traders
specialises in 2nd hand bikes
and he’s got his finger on the
pulse of what’s selling in Cape Town,
says that he routinely gets phone calls
asking him to keep an eye out for a
particular stolen bike. In fact when
I popped into Cycle Traders to talk
second hand bikes, Avron received a
phone call from a customer letting him
know that about a bike that had been
stolen over the weekend.
So bike theft is clearly a big deal. But
where are the stolen bikes going? Are
they being recovered or are they being
resold to unsuspecting honest folks?
Full Sus has heard about a particular
second hand shop in Plumstead, that
offered a stolen Specialized for 4K.
The bike’s previous owner, who’d had
it nicked out of his garage, managed
to track the bike down – on the advice
of his insurance broker – and asked to
take it to his local bike shop for a once
over. With his bike now safely back in
his possession he double checked the
frame number and phoned the cops.
The shop owner seems to have been
innocent of any wrong doing except
for failing to ask questions of the seller.
But the fact remains he parted with
cash for a hi-spec bike which was being
offered at a ridiculously reduced rate.
So maybe losing out will teach him
to ask questions in future, but will his
refusal to buy a stolen bike stop bike
theft? It’s not likely.
We can all spot a dodgy deal when
someone offers you a Cannondale
Trigger Carbon for a couple of thousand
South African Rand, but what if the
seller is more clued up on bikes? If
you’re buying a bike off Gumtree what
guarantee do you have that you won’t
turn up at your next race only to have
a gang of angry riders descend on you
and reclaim their mate’s bike?
Okay, so that’s an extreme example,
but it’s still a scary thought. You might
riding a stolen bike. So what can you do
to mitigate the risk? Well we’d suggest
buying from a reputable second hand
bike trader like Cycle Traders. Even non
specialist shops like Cash Converters
or Cash Crusaders should in theory be
more secure as they have a “time-lag
of seven days before anything they
purchase goes on sale” which should
give the police the time to track it down
should it be stolen.
Despite the risk, often, it’s just
cheaper to buy from an individual. So
you might well find yourself going the
Gumtree or The Hub route. If you do it
Second hand bikemares - avoid getting burnt
So you’re looking for an upgrade at a
reasonable price, and after weeks of browsing
the net you settled on a bike off Gumtree.
But as you’re pulling up to the oke’s address
the cops are leading him and your would-be
bike away. To help you avoid this and other
pit-falls Seamus Allardice went digging.
FREE
fullsus
www.oakpics.com
4
FS Buying 2nd Hand
pays to be cautious. Avron suggests,
if you don’t have a great deal of
experience buying bikes, that you take
a friend with good technical knowledge
of bikes with you. From Full Sus we’d
suggest you go with your gut, if the
deal appears dodgy rather walk away.
With that out of the way, let’s get you on the
best bike for you at a reasonable price…
Supersize your wheels
The first decision you’ll have to make
is the obvious one. Yip you’re going to
have to choose: 26er or 29er.
In SA we’re distance bedonnerd. I
blame the Comrades. Or maybe it’s
in our national psyche, but we love
ultra-distance events. And because of
that if you’re going to be racing, or even
just riding timed events, you’re going to
need a 29er. As Martin de Gersigny, the
first reader to submit a story to Full Sus,
found out on the Makadas Overland
Tour riding a 26er in a group of big
wheelers is a nightmare. The advantages
of the bigger wheels are much touted,
but here they are again just in case: “less
rolling friction, more comfortable ride,
better obstacle rollover, better traction”
and because of the extra weight they
have a more rolling inertia.
They not all positives however, and if
you’re particularly short you can have a
few troubles with getting a comfortable
set up. Also big wheels are harder to
manoeuvre in tight situations especially
at low speeds and because of their
inertia they require more energy to
accelerate. Overall though, if you’re
planning on taking on the stage racing
scene then a 29er is the way to go.
If you’re not going to be racing and
are more likely to be found hitting the
single track than pounding out the
kilometres then you should consider
a 26er rather. In North America and
Europe where mountain bikers regularly
take to the summer trails of ski resorts,
the 26er still has a great deal of market
value. Back here it’s not the case;
publishing ed Shayne practically gave
his beloved Cannondale leftie away in
February, because the market for 26ers
has fallen through the floor.
NATIONAL BICYCLE REGISTRYNATIONAL BICYCLE REGISTRY
One of the thoughts behind the national bicycle registry is to create list of all
(or at least as many as possible) stolen bikes in SA, then all cyclists purchasing
a second hand bike can check the Stolen Bike list before taking ownership of
their target bike. This minimises the risk of you purchasing a stolen bike and
perpetuating bike thefts by inadvertently supporting criminals. Find out more by
going to www.nbrza.co.za.
The Bike Registry aims to list all Stolen Bikes in one public spot, so cyclists who
want to buy a second hand bike can checks the Stolen Bike list before they buy. In
time, a potential buyer of a second hand cycle could verify original ownership.
CYCLE TRADERSCYCLE TRADERS
Avron Sirin has been running Cycle Traders in Woodstock for 18 years
and he specialises in quality pre-owned bikes. If you’ve got a bike to sell and
don’t want to go through the hassle of posting and administrating an ad,
or if you want to trade in our old model for an upgrade drop him a line at
[email protected] or a call at 021 448 0812.
“If you want
a race ready
machine
you’re going
to have to pay
for it, but then
you’ve got
the right to be
fastidious.”
So it’s buyer’s market if you’re after
a smaller wheeled bike. A quick glance
through The Hub’s offerings suggest
that you’ll be able to pick up a very well
speced bike for between R8 000 for a
Yeti AS-R and R15 000 for a Specialized
Enduro Comp. But given Shayne’s
experience, I’d suggest that you open
negotiations lower that the asking price
because while they’re getting plenty
of views the bikes aren’t exactly flying
off the net. So if you don’t intend on
riding long distances but rather want
something fun to blast up and down
the mountain on, for a reasonable price,
I’d strongly suggest a 26er.
But if you don’t want your mates to
ride away from you while you’re doing a
leisurely 30km ride along the jeep tracks
of the Karoo, then you’re going to have
to get a 29er. Again you’ve got a choice
to make. Go hard tail if you don’t intend
on making challenging descents or
spending 3 hours plus at go on your bike.
But if you’re drawn by your competitive
South African nature to beat your
neighbour in the next Wine2Whales, then
you’d better go full sus. (I could hardly
advise anything else could I?)
You’re unfortunately not going to get
the same quality specs as you would
on a hard tail 29er or a full sus 26er.
With a perusal of what the Hub has to
offer I can tell you that you can expect
to pay between R 17 500 for a 2011
Giant Anthem X29 and R 25 500 for
PYGA ONETEN29. But in the second
hand 29er market you have less power
as a buyer so you’ll need to shop smart
to come away with a deal.
There are still some things in your
favour, so you’d better keep reading…
What warranty?
While you get a fairly decent warranty
with the purchase of your new bike,
it’s unfortunately not transferable to
the second owner, regardless of the
number of years left on said warranty.
Apparently the one of the few bike
manufacturers that allows for warranty
transfer on sale is the American
boutique Calfee brand. Which is great,
should you want a very nice looking,
eco-friendly bamboo bike or a hand
crafted carbon model. But having
looked through their catalogue it seems
unlikely you’d sell one on, as they’re
almost more art than bike.
But I digress; the lack of a warranty
is one of the reasons why bikes
depreciate faster than a French car.
Stirling Senior’s advice is to buy a
second hand bike that’s a bargain not
a bike that’s a reasonable deal, for this
very reason. The fact of the matter is
that you should be buying a second
hand bike to ride, preferably hard. But it
should be at the right price and be the
right fit for you and your riding.
What to look for in a
2nd hand bike
There are things you can overlook and
things you can’t, but if you’re buying
from an individual rather than a shop
it’s always good to exercise the same
caution you would when buying a
used car.
The frame is quite obviously the most
important aspect. Firstly make sure you
get the right size for you. Then check
the headtube and its immediate vicinity
for cracks, dents or defects in the welds
joining the head to top and down tubes,
these are deal breakers. After that check
the top and down tubes themselves for
cracks or dents and check the welds.
Remember carbon can be fixed, so a
cracked full carbon frame might not be
the end of the world. But you’ll have
to check prices on getting it fixed or it
might not be worth it.
Next up check the fork and rear shock,
ask to see the receipts for the last service
and give the stanchions a thorough
inspection, If they’ve got any chips or
scratches they might well need to be
replaced, which could get costly. Also
check for leaks around the dust seals,
which could signal a suspension rebuild.
As for the rest, take the bike for a spin.
If you’re feeling industrious you should
even remove the wheels to get a better
idea for the condition of the bearings.
But with bearings, breaks, cranks, wheels,
the bottom bracket and the drivetrain a
slight noise, a bit of play or an occasional
creak might not be the end of the world.
It all depends on what you’re paying
and how much you expect to replace
after you’ve bought the bike. Remember
some, unscrupulous, folks try to off load
a bike just before it’s due an expensive
drivetrain refit. So if there is any wear or
play you could end up with a 3 Grand
refit bill along with your first service to
your newly purchased second hand
machine. If you want a race ready bike
you’re going to have to pay for it, but
then you’ve got the right to be fastidious.
Speaking of which; if the bike doesn’t
look well maintained, if there is a limited
or absent service history, or if its drive
train is dirty, it’s probably a sign of a
careless owner. Either haggle him, or her,
down or walk away. Chances are the
layers of caked on mud are hiding serious
problems. It’s like buying a car, if you’re
shopping around for your kid’s first motor
– all-be-it a cheapy, you’re not going to
accept an accident damaged vehicle
which has been serviced in someone’s
back yard. If you approach buying a bike
with the same mind-set, the sellers might
hate you but you’re less likely to come
home with a dud you can’t unload.
Buying solo
You as a buyer of a bike from an
individual, selling via a private ad on the
internet, are not deemed a consumer
in terms of the Consumer Protection
Act (CPA) because the “particular
goods or services are not marketed in
the ordinary course of the supplier’s
business”. It’s technically a grey area
really because the act should protect
you in any case of willing buyer – willing
seller. But where there is language there
is room for ambiguity and with some
clever twisting you can be left bearing
the brunt of a sale gone wrong.
So you should consider buying from
a bike shop which sells second hand
bikes rather, as the CPA then has you
covered.
Time to
upgrade
...continued
FS Buying 2nd Hand
pays to be cautious. Avron suggests,
if you don’t have a great deal of
experience buying bikes, that you take
a friend with good technical knowledge
of bikes with you. From Full Sus we’d
suggest you go with your gut, if the
deal appears dodgy rather walk away.
With that out of the way, let’s get you on the
best bike for you at a reasonable price…
Supersize your wheels
The first decision you’ll have to make
is the obvious one. Yip you’re going to
have to choose: 26er or 29er.
In SA we’re distance bedonnerd. I
blame the Comrades. Or maybe it’s
in our national psyche, but we love
ultra-distance events. And because of
that if you’re going to be racing, or even
just riding timed events, you’re going to
need a 29er. As Martin de Gersigny, the
first reader to submit a story to Full Sus,
found out on the Makadas Overland
Tour riding a 26er in a group of big
wheelers is a nightmare. The advantages
of the bigger wheels are much touted,
but here they are again just in case: “less
rolling friction, more comfortable ride,
better obstacle rollover, better traction”
and because of the extra weight they
have a more rolling inertia.
They not all positives however, and if
you’re particularly short you can have a
few troubles with getting a comfortable
set up. Also big wheels are harder to
manoeuvre in tight situations especially
at low speeds and because of their
inertia they require more energy to
accelerate. Overall though, if you’re
planning on taking on the stage racing
scene then a 29er is the way to go.
If you’re not going to be racing and
are more likely to be found hitting the
single track than pounding out the
kilometres then you should consider
a 26er rather. In North America and
Europe where mountain bikers regularly
take to the summer trails of ski resorts,
the 26er still has a great deal of market
value. Back here it’s not the case;
publishing ed Shayne practically gave
his beloved Cannondale leftie away in
February, because the market for 26ers
has fallen through the floor.
NATIONAL BICYCLE REGISTRYNATIONAL BICYCLE REGISTRY
One of the thoughts behind the national bicycle registry is to create list of all
(or at least as many as possible) stolen bikes in SA, then all cyclists purchasing
a second hand bike can check the Stolen Bike list before taking ownership of
their target bike. This minimises the risk of you purchasing a stolen bike and
perpetuating bike thefts by inadvertently supporting criminals. Find out more by
going to www.nbrza.co.za.
The Bike Registry aims to list all Stolen Bikes in one public spot, so cyclists who
want to buy a second hand bike can checks the Stolen Bike list before they buy. In
time, a potential buyer of a second hand cycle could verify original ownership.
CYCLE TRADERSCYCLE TRADERS
Avron Sirin has been running Cycle Traders in Woodstock for 18 years
and he specialises in quality pre-owned bikes. If you’ve got a bike to sell and
don’t want to go through the hassle of posting and administrating an ad,
or if you want to trade in our old model for an upgrade drop him a line at
[email protected] or a call at 021 448 0812.
“If you want
a race ready
machine
you’re going
to have to pay
for it, but then
you’ve got
the right to be
fastidious.”
So it’s buyer’s market if you’re after
a smaller wheeled bike. A quick glance
through The Hub’s offerings suggest
that you’ll be able to pick up a very well
speced bike for between R8 000 for a
Yeti AS-R and R15 000 for a Specialized
Enduro Comp. But given Shayne’s
experience, I’d suggest that you open
negotiations lower that the asking price
because while they’re getting plenty
of views the bikes aren’t exactly flying
off the net. So if you don’t intend on
riding long distances but rather want
something fun to blast up and down
the mountain on, for a reasonable price,
I’d strongly suggest a 26er.
But if you don’t want your mates to
ride away from you while you’re doing a
leisurely 30km ride along the jeep tracks
of the Karoo, then you’re going to have
to get a 29er. Again you’ve got a choice
to make. Go hard tail if you don’t intend
on making challenging descents or
spending 3 hours plus at go on your bike.
But if you’re drawn by your competitive
South African nature to beat your
neighbour in the next Wine2Whales, then
you’d better go full sus. (I could hardly
advise anything else could I?)
You’re unfortunately not going to get
the same quality specs as you would
on a hard tail 29er or a full sus 26er.
With a perusal of what the Hub has to
offer I can tell you that you can expect
to pay between R 17 500 for a 2011
Giant Anthem X29 and R 25 500 for
PYGA ONETEN29. But in the second
hand 29er market you have less power
as a buyer so you’ll need to shop smart
to come away with a deal.
There are still some things in your
favour, so you’d better keep reading…
What warranty?
While you get a fairly decent warranty
with the purchase of your new bike,
it’s unfortunately not transferable to
the second owner, regardless of the
number of years left on said warranty.
Apparently the one of the few bike
manufacturers that allows for warranty
transfer on sale is the American
boutique Calfee brand. Which is great,
should you want a very nice looking,
eco-friendly bamboo bike or a hand
crafted carbon model. But having
looked through their catalogue it seems
unlikely you’d sell one on, as they’re
almost more art than bike.
But I digress; the lack of a warranty
is one of the reasons why bikes
depreciate faster than a French car.
Stirling Senior’s advice is to buy a
second hand bike that’s a bargain not
a bike that’s a reasonable deal, for this
very reason. The fact of the matter is
that you should be buying a second
hand bike to ride, preferably hard. But it
should be at the right price and be the
right fit for you and your riding.
What to look for in a
2nd hand bike
There are things you can overlook and
things you can’t, but if you’re buying
from an individual rather than a shop
it’s always good to exercise the same
caution you would when buying a
used car.
The frame is quite obviously the most
important aspect. Firstly make sure you
get the right size for you. Then check
the headtube and its immediate vicinity
for cracks, dents or defects in the welds
joining the head to top and down tubes,
these are deal breakers. After that check
the top and down tubes themselves for
cracks or dents and check the welds.
Remember carbon can be fixed, so a
cracked full carbon frame might not be
the end of the world. But you’ll have
to check prices on getting it fixed or it
might not be worth it.
Next up check the fork and rear shock,
ask to see the receipts for the last service
and give the stanchions a thorough
inspection, If they’ve got any chips or
scratches they might well need to be
replaced, which could get costly. Also
check for leaks around the dust seals,
which could signal a suspension rebuild.
As for the rest, take the bike for a spin.
If you’re feeling industrious you should
even remove the wheels to get a better
idea for the condition of the bearings.
But with bearings, breaks, cranks, wheels,
the bottom bracket and the drivetrain a
slight noise, a bit of play or an occasional
creak might not be the end of the world.
It all depends on what you’re paying
and how much you expect to replace
after you’ve bought the bike. Remember
some, unscrupulous, folks try to off load
a bike just before it’s due an expensive
drivetrain refit. So if there is any wear or
play you could end up with a 3 Grand
refit bill along with your first service to
your newly purchased second hand
machine. If you want a race ready bike
you’re going to have to pay for it, but
then you’ve got the right to be fastidious.
Speaking of which; if the bike doesn’t
look well maintained, if there is a limited
or absent service history, or if its drive
train is dirty, it’s probably a sign of a
careless owner. Either haggle him, or her,
down or walk away. Chances are the
layers of caked on mud are hiding serious
problems. It’s like buying a car, if you’re
shopping around for your kid’s first motor
– all-be-it a cheapy, you’re not going to
accept an accident damaged vehicle
which has been serviced in someone’s
back yard. If you approach buying a bike
with the same mind-set, the sellers might
hate you but you’re less likely to come
home with a dud you can’t unload.
Buying solo
You as a buyer of a bike from an
individual, selling via a private ad on the
internet, are not deemed a consumer
in terms of the Consumer Protection
Act (CPA) because the “particular
goods or services are not marketed in
the ordinary course of the supplier’s
business”. It’s technically a grey area
really because the act should protect
you in any case of willing buyer – willing
seller. But where there is language there
is room for ambiguity and with some
clever twisting you can be left bearing
the brunt of a sale gone wrong.
So you should consider buying from
a bike shop which sells second hand
bikes rather, as the CPA then has you
covered.
Time to
upgrade
...continued
15
Responsibility FS
I
n 2013 the “PPA and Claremont
Rotary shared over R5.5 million in
Cycle Tour proceeds” for example,
while their 63 associated charities
have raised millions for their various
causes through their association with
the Cycle Tour. In purely MTB terms
the Epic and the Sani2C probably
lead the way in terms of cash
raised for charity, with the 2013 Epic
associated charities raising over 3
million rand through the event. While
the Sani raised a massive R7.8 million
in 2012, in addition to the estimated 31
million Rand that the event generates
for the KZN region through rider
spending, and 2013 is set to top these
already impressive figures.
But it’s not just about the volume
of cash, and there is a vast difference
between an event being established as a
vehicle to raise funds or awareness for a
charity, or simply allowing charities to
associate themselves with the event.
Both are surely worthy of praise, but
events like Ride the Rhino and the Wild
Ride which are specifically geared, first and
foremost, towards raising funds for charity
deserve more than just a doff of the cap.
Ride the Rhino aims to improve the
financial position of the Renosterveld
Trust which looks after the Cape
Floristic Kingdom, with the main focus
on the endangered Renosterveld
habitat. Currently “less than 2% of
Renosterveld vegetation types are
formally conserved, making these
some of the most threatened types
of vegetation in the world.” The
Rhino doesn’t just raise funds for the
conservation of the Renosterveld –
and it’s 1 700 endemic plant species,
and countless unique birds and
insects – however, they also help
Ons Nessie, the Darling Outreach
Foundation, and !Khwa ttu raise
funds for the essential work they do.
The former helps children from local
disadvantaged families in the Darling
area, while the latter helps “restore and
display San heritage, culture, folklore,
visual arts, cosmology and languages.”
Ride the Rhino also provides for
the animal that arguably gave the
veld, and therefore the race its name,
by donating to the Fairy Glen Rhino
Fund which looks after a couple of
rhinos named Lady and Higgins.
Both of these rhinos had their horns
tragically hacked off by poachers and
the race organisers, Renosterveld
Events, are currently raising funds to
pay for Higgins’s eye surgery to repair
the eye damage caused during the
traumatic removal of his horn.
Like the Rhino, the Imana Wild Ride
has a massive social consciousness,
which is very heartening to see. The
event organisers, together with title
sponsor Imana Foods, have worked
closely with the community in building
classrooms and providing improved
learning facilities for the children
of one of South Africa’s poorest
areas. Through generous donations
from the riders, which have been
channelled through the Wild Ride
Education Company (WREC), proceeds
raised from the event have built 22
classrooms by the end of 2012.
Although, initially reluctant to share
their discovery of mountain biking
along this beautiful, unspoilt stretch
of wild coast, farmers Steve Stamp
“Events like Ride the Rhino
and the Wild Ride are
specifically geared
towards raising funds
for charity.”
South African mass
participation sports
events have long
been vehicles for
charity. Our nation’s
flagship events like
the Cycle Tour and the
Comrades Marathon
raising millions for
charity directly and
even more indirectly.
MTB has taken a leaf
out of these great
events’ books writes
Seamus Allardice.
mountain bike
charity
and Glen Haw launched the Imana Wild Ride in 2000. Their aim of creating the event was to responsibly
organise an eco-adventure, promote
the conservation of and tourism in
the highly ecologically sensitive Wild
Coast, and develop by co-involving
the local population, improved
awareness of the natural assets of the
area. As the race evolved, the WREC
was officially registered at the end of
2005 and the first two classrooms
were built in Elliotdale (Tongani
school) and Willowvale (Mgcawezulu
school). A combined effort between
the race participants, Imana Foods,
the race organisers and the WREC, a
total of over two million Rand have
been channelled directly back into the
communities in building classrooms
and providing educational needs to
over thirty-six schools touched by the
Imana Wild Ride.
In the May issue of Full Sus we asked
if stage races were too expensive and
one of the reader’s response cuts
poignantly to the heart of not only the
cost of stage races issue, but also to
the core of the charitable work some
of the races do. Talking about the
Wild Ride he answered that for him,
“stage races are too expensive, where
they don't involve the community
and plough the proceeds back into
the local communities, but where the
locals are involved and where they see
a profit in the cyclists riding through
their communities, they cannot be too
expensive.”
The Renosterveld T rust
The trust aims to inform and educate the public to increase the
number of people actively involved
in saving the Renosterveld. You
can get involved by:
• By donating funds
• By donating land for
rehabilitation
• By taking part in conservation
activities such as hacking
(eradicating foreign plant species).
• Or by simply spreading the
word and supporting our cause.
For more information or to get
involved you can email them at
[email protected]
Rider’s Challenge
Take the Rider’s Challenge and sponsor a child’s education, it’s one of the surest ways to help
improve South Africa. The Wild
Coast region of the Eastern Cape
is one of the most beautiful
regions in the country but its
children suffer due to a lack of
educational infrastructure. You
don’t have to ride the Wild Ride
to help out, get involved in the
Rider’s Challenge.
Go to www.wildride.co.za and
click to the ‘Rider’s Challenge’
section to find out how.
www.jonivins.com
Siya Njiva
doing his
bit on the
Wild Ride
Riding for charity
on the 2012
Ride the Rhino
Responsibility FS
I
n 2013 the “PPA and Claremont
Rotary shared over R5.5 million in
Cycle Tour proceeds” for example,
while their 63 associated charities
have raised millions for their various
causes through their association with
the Cycle Tour. In purely MTB terms
the Epic and the Sani2C probably
lead the way in terms of cash
raised for charity, with the 2013 Epic
associated charities raising over 3
million rand through the event. While
the Sani raised a massive R7.8 million
in 2012, in addition to the estimated 31
million Rand that the event generates
for the KZN region through rider
spending, and 2013 is set to top these
already impressive figures.
But it’s not just about the volume
of cash, and there is a vast difference
between an event being established as a
vehicle to raise funds or awareness for a
charity, or simply allowing charities to
associate themselves with the event.
Both are surely worthy of praise, but
events like Ride the Rhino and the Wild
Ride which are specifically geared, first and
foremost, towards raising funds for charity
deserve more than just a doff of the cap.
Ride the Rhino aims to improve the
financial position of the Renosterveld
Trust which looks after the Cape
Floristic Kingdom, with the main focus
on the endangered Renosterveld
habitat. Currently “less than 2% of
Renosterveld vegetation types are
formally conserved, making these
some of the most threatened types
of vegetation in the world.” The
Rhino doesn’t just raise funds for the
conservation of the Renosterveld –
and it’s 1 700 endemic plant species,
and countless unique birds and
insects – however, they also help
Ons Nessie, the Darling Outreach
Foundation, and !Khwa ttu raise
funds for the essential work they do.
The former helps children from local
disadvantaged families in the Darling
area, while the latter helps “restore and
display San heritage, culture, folklore,
visual arts, cosmology and languages.”
Ride the Rhino also provides for
the animal that arguably gave the
veld, and therefore the race its name,
by donating to the Fairy Glen Rhino
Fund which looks after a couple of
rhinos named Lady and Higgins.
Both of these rhinos had their horns
tragically hacked off by poachers and
the race organisers, Renosterveld
Events, are currently raising funds to
pay for Higgins’s eye surgery to repair
the eye damage caused during the
traumatic removal of his horn.
Like the Rhino, the Imana Wild Ride
has a massive social consciousness,
which is very heartening to see. The
event organisers, together with title
sponsor Imana Foods, have worked
closely with the community in building
classrooms and providing improved
learning facilities for the children
of one of South Africa’s poorest
areas. Through generous donations
from the riders, which have been
channelled through the Wild Ride
Education Company (WREC), proceeds
raised from the event have built 22
classrooms by the end of 2012.
Although, initially reluctant to share
their discovery of mountain biking
along this beautiful, unspoilt stretch
of wild coast, farmers Steve Stamp
“Events like Ride the Rhino
and the Wild Ride are
specifically geared
towards raising funds
for charity.”
South African mass
participation sports
events have long
been vehicles for
charity. Our nation’s
flagship events like
the Cycle Tour and the
Comrades Marathon
raising millions for
charity directly and
even more indirectly.
MTB has taken a leaf
out of these great
events’ books writes
Seamus Allardice.
mountain bike
charity
and Glen Haw launched the Imana Wild Ride in 2000. Their aim of creating the event was to responsibly
organise an eco-adventure, promote
the conservation of and tourism in
the highly ecologically sensitive Wild
Coast, and develop by co-involving
the local population, improved
awareness of the natural assets of the
area. As the race evolved, the WREC
was officially registered at the end of
2005 and the first two classrooms
were built in Elliotdale (Tongani
school) and Willowvale (Mgcawezulu
school). A combined effort between
the race participants, Imana Foods,
the race organisers and the WREC, a
total of over two million Rand have
been channelled directly back into the
communities in building classrooms
and providing educational needs to
over thirty-six schools touched by the
Imana Wild Ride.
In the May issue of Full Sus we asked
if stage races were too expensive and
one of the reader’s response cuts
poignantly to the heart of not only the
cost of stage races issue, but also to
the core of the charitable work some
of the races do. Talking about the
Wild Ride he answered that for him,
“stage races are too expensive, where
they don't involve the community
and plough the proceeds back into
the local communities, but where the
locals are involved and where they see
a profit in the cyclists riding through
their communities, they cannot be too
expensive.”
The Renosterveld T rust
The trust aims to inform and educate the public to increase the
number of people actively involved
in saving the Renosterveld. You
can get involved by:
• By donating funds
• By donating land for
rehabilitation
• By taking part in conservation
activities such as hacking
(eradicating foreign plant species).
• Or by simply spreading the
word and supporting our cause.
For more information or to get
involved you can email them at
[email protected]
Rider’s Challenge
Take the Rider’s Challenge and sponsor a child’s education, it’s one of the surest ways to help
improve South Africa. The Wild
Coast region of the Eastern Cape
is one of the most beautiful
regions in the country but its
children suffer due to a lack of
educational infrastructure. You
don’t have to ride the Wild Ride
to help out, get involved in the
Rider’s Challenge.
Go to www.wildride.co.za and
click to the ‘Rider’s Challenge’
section to find out how.
www.jonivins.com
Siya Njiva
doing his
bit on the
Wild Ride
Riding for charity
on the 2012
Ride the Rhino
July
2013
Gear
pg20
Trails
pg10
joBurg & Sani 2c
pg8
Nutrition
pg17
Tuli
pg6
WIN!
one of two pairs
of Ocean Eye-
wear SJ 840’s.
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
turn to page 4
T
o the West of the twin cities, the
Southern our nation’s economic
capital and the Northern the
political, lies the Hartbeespoort
Dam. It’s about 45 minutes – traffic
dependent, like everything in Gauteng
– from both Jozi and Pretoria and offers
enough riding potential to keep you
busy for weeks, let alone a weekend.
The heart of mountain biking in the
area is undoubtedly the Van Gaalen
Cheese Farm, where trail builder and
co-owner, Erik Schipper has worked
his magic. The network of trails
crosses 30 private properties, with
styles typically traversing the fences,
so you don’t have to dismount, and
measure an impressive 120km or so in
total. Most of which is mouth-watering
single track.
Full Sus’s local contact Sharlene
Vallance did issue a warning though,
the riding is very technical at times, so
make sure you’re skills are up to the test
or you might lose a couple of teeth. Not
at the hand of a local though, Sharlene
says they’re an extremely friendly bunch
and they’ve jumped into action to help
many a rider who came short. With the
warnings aside let’s get into the nitty-
gritty of riding around the Dam.
Located at the intersection of the
R560 and the R512, on the southern
banks of the Dam, is the village of
Skeerpoort and in the village – is the
Van Gaalen Cheese Farm. Nestled
in the Magaliesriver Valley, the trails
through the farms feature the majestic
Magalies mountain range to the North
and the Cradle of Humankind World
Heritage Site to the South (but more
about both of these later). The trails
are accessed off the Cheese Farm,
where there is safe parking, through
the purchase of a day pass for R 40.
And these trails play host to events like
the Tracker Corporate MTB Challenge,
the TLC Ladies MTB Day, the Route
66 MTB Experience and the Impi
Challenge events every year, so should
your competitive nature strike you can
sign up for a race too.
The Cheese Farm, Sharlene says,
is also a great place to start should
you be training for a big race. South of
the Hartbeespoort Dam you’ll find a
maze of gravel roads, which follow the
irrigation canals, and if you know your
way around you’ll be able to navigate
all the way to Sun City on gravel with
just a few tar road crossings. If you’re
new to the area though, you’d better
take a GPS along when you go on your
long training ride over the weekend.
If you’re just looking to put in serious
kays for distance, she suggests that
Busting out of the City on your MTB
The Hartbeespoort Dam isn’t just a hangout
for local shamans as Seamus Allardice found
out, there is a myriad of jeep track and great
single track to keep you MTB enthusiasts
in a trance too. And that’s only the start of
mountain biking west of the big Gauteng cities.
FREE
fullsus
Cherie Vale/Newsport Media
“Northern Farms is
billed as one of Joburg’s
best kept secrets.”
2013
Gear
pg20
Trails
pg10
joBurg & Sani 2c
pg8
Nutrition
pg17
Tuli
pg6
WIN!
one of two pairs
of Ocean Eye-
wear SJ 840’s.
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
turn to page 4
T
o the West of the twin cities, the
Southern our nation’s economic
capital and the Northern the
political, lies the Hartbeespoort
Dam. It’s about 45 minutes – traffic
dependent, like everything in Gauteng
– from both Jozi and Pretoria and offers
enough riding potential to keep you
busy for weeks, let alone a weekend.
The heart of mountain biking in the
area is undoubtedly the Van Gaalen
Cheese Farm, where trail builder and
co-owner, Erik Schipper has worked
his magic. The network of trails
crosses 30 private properties, with
styles typically traversing the fences,
so you don’t have to dismount, and
measure an impressive 120km or so in
total. Most of which is mouth-watering
single track.
Full Sus’s local contact Sharlene
Vallance did issue a warning though,
the riding is very technical at times, so
make sure you’re skills are up to the test
or you might lose a couple of teeth. Not
at the hand of a local though, Sharlene
says they’re an extremely friendly bunch
and they’ve jumped into action to help
many a rider who came short. With the
warnings aside let’s get into the nitty-
gritty of riding around the Dam.
Located at the intersection of the
R560 and the R512, on the southern
banks of the Dam, is the village of
Skeerpoort and in the village – is the
Van Gaalen Cheese Farm. Nestled
in the Magaliesriver Valley, the trails
through the farms feature the majestic
Magalies mountain range to the North
and the Cradle of Humankind World
Heritage Site to the South (but more
about both of these later). The trails
are accessed off the Cheese Farm,
where there is safe parking, through
the purchase of a day pass for R 40.
And these trails play host to events like
the Tracker Corporate MTB Challenge,
the TLC Ladies MTB Day, the Route
66 MTB Experience and the Impi
Challenge events every year, so should
your competitive nature strike you can
sign up for a race too.
The Cheese Farm, Sharlene says,
is also a great place to start should
you be training for a big race. South of
the Hartbeespoort Dam you’ll find a
maze of gravel roads, which follow the
irrigation canals, and if you know your
way around you’ll be able to navigate
all the way to Sun City on gravel with
just a few tar road crossings. If you’re
new to the area though, you’d better
take a GPS along when you go on your
long training ride over the weekend.
If you’re just looking to put in serious
kays for distance, she suggests that
Busting out of the City on your MTB
The Hartbeespoort Dam isn’t just a hangout
for local shamans as Seamus Allardice found
out, there is a myriad of jeep track and great
single track to keep you MTB enthusiasts
in a trance too. And that’s only the start of
mountain biking west of the big Gauteng cities.
FREE
fullsus
Cherie Vale/Newsport Media
“Northern Farms is
billed as one of Joburg’s
best kept secrets.”
4
FS City MTB Escapes – Part I
that you try the Hartbeeshoek Road
(R400), it’s a quite tar road where you’ll
be able to pound out the kilometres
without the usual big city worries of
crazy drivers swerving across the
yellow line, onto the hard shoulder.
Safety, Sharlene rates isn’t something
you need to worry too much about;
she’s more than happy riding the gravel
roads alone, as there is a fair amount of
farming traffic about – but they’re used
to the MTB and horse-back traffic so
they keep an eye out for non-motorised
road users.
Further South West of Harties, you’ll
find the Buffelspoort Valley, Sparling
Waters and the Maanhaarrand Pass.
The Maanhaarrand Pass, which is
often called Breedt’s Nek, is a great
place to put in the hard climbing work
you’ll need to do if you’re taking on
a stage race like the Epic. In fact the
route is used for the annual Magalies
Monster MTB Classic, which is named
after the massive 9km lung and leg
busting climb. The climb isn’t the only
MTB option in the Buffelspoort Valley
however, and between the valley and
Sparkling Waters you’ll find some great
riding. One of the star attractions is the
Mountain Sanctuary Park’s 12km’s of
trail, which augments the plethora of
4X4 track options on offer.
A little closer to home than Harties,
but still in a Western direction from the
big smoke, is the Cradle of Humankind
World Heritage Site. The Cradle,
over and above its archaeological
importance, is worth a visit with your
MTB. The 27km, Cradle of Humankind,
MTB trail is in a loop format and will
keep you going for 2 to 4 hours. It’s also
technically a lot easier to ride than the
Van Gaalen trails, so if you’re still new to
the sport it’s a better bet.
Still closer, in the Diepsloot Nature
Reserve, you’ll be able to ride the trails
of Northern Farms. Although close to
town, you’ll only be able to ride over
weekends or public holidays due to
the opening times. With the only down
side out of the way – let’s get into
the positives of Northern Farms. The
2500 hectare reserve offers trails for all
skill levels, the ride lengths vary from
12km to 35km, and it is billed as one
of Joburg’s best kept secrets. It’s the
perfect stop for a day of riding over the
weekend, with lots to keep the non-
riders in the family busy too. A single
entry ticket will cost you R 30, but there
are also multiple entry passes on offer
for the regulars.
So there you have it, there are plenty
of MTB options to the West of the big
city lights. Get out there and check them
out, the trails are just waiting for you to
ride them…
Rider Feedback: Full Sus loves to hear from you. If you’ve recently visited
one of the spots or if we’ve skipped your favourite trail to the West of Jozi and
Pretoria let us know. We’re going to be starting a Facebook debate on the
10th of July, so go to www.facebook.com/fullsussa
to get involved, or email us
at [email protected].
SUS THE Coordinates & ContactsSUS THE Coordinates & Contacts
Van Gaalen Cheese Farm
25º 47’27.1” S, 27º 46’ 32.7” E
(012) 207 1289
www.vangaalen.co.za
Buffelspoort Valley
25° 45’ 27” S, 27° 29’ 22” E
(079) 119 0789
www.buffelspoortvalleyinfo.com
Maanhaarrad Pass
25º 51’ 45.4”S, 27º 26’ 32.7” E
It’s a public road so there is no contact
but you can check out the route at:
www.magaliesmonster.co.za
Sparkling Waters
25° 49’ 51” S, 27° 24’ 43” E
(014) 535 0000
www.sparklingwaters.co.za
Cradle of Humankind
25° 56’ 57.2” S, 27° 47’ 03.3” E
(011) 355 1208
www.cradleofhumankind.co.za
Northern Farm
25°56’ 20.5” S, 27° 57’ 57.2” E
(083) 879 4449
www.northernfarm.co.za
For more info on all the possible accommodation options go to
www.magaliesbergmap.co.za
“The Van Gaalen MTB tracks
measure an impressive 120km
or so in total, most of which is
mouth-watering single track.”
It’s not all single track and rocky 4x4 tails in Buffelspoort,
there are plenty of decent gravel roads too.
The Magaliesberg is rugged and you’ll need to be too if
you want to take on its varied and challenging terrain.
www.oakpics.com
Cherie Vale/Newsport Media Cherie Vale/Newsport Media
Cherie Vale/Newsport Media
FS City MTB Escapes – Part I
that you try the Hartbeeshoek Road
(R400), it’s a quite tar road where you’ll
be able to pound out the kilometres
without the usual big city worries of
crazy drivers swerving across the
yellow line, onto the hard shoulder.
Safety, Sharlene rates isn’t something
you need to worry too much about;
she’s more than happy riding the gravel
roads alone, as there is a fair amount of
farming traffic about – but they’re used
to the MTB and horse-back traffic so
they keep an eye out for non-motorised
road users.
Further South West of Harties, you’ll
find the Buffelspoort Valley, Sparling
Waters and the Maanhaarrand Pass.
The Maanhaarrand Pass, which is
often called Breedt’s Nek, is a great
place to put in the hard climbing work
you’ll need to do if you’re taking on
a stage race like the Epic. In fact the
route is used for the annual Magalies
Monster MTB Classic, which is named
after the massive 9km lung and leg
busting climb. The climb isn’t the only
MTB option in the Buffelspoort Valley
however, and between the valley and
Sparkling Waters you’ll find some great
riding. One of the star attractions is the
Mountain Sanctuary Park’s 12km’s of
trail, which augments the plethora of
4X4 track options on offer.
A little closer to home than Harties,
but still in a Western direction from the
big smoke, is the Cradle of Humankind
World Heritage Site. The Cradle,
over and above its archaeological
importance, is worth a visit with your
MTB. The 27km, Cradle of Humankind,
MTB trail is in a loop format and will
keep you going for 2 to 4 hours. It’s also
technically a lot easier to ride than the
Van Gaalen trails, so if you’re still new to
the sport it’s a better bet.
Still closer, in the Diepsloot Nature
Reserve, you’ll be able to ride the trails
of Northern Farms. Although close to
town, you’ll only be able to ride over
weekends or public holidays due to
the opening times. With the only down
side out of the way – let’s get into
the positives of Northern Farms. The
2500 hectare reserve offers trails for all
skill levels, the ride lengths vary from
12km to 35km, and it is billed as one
of Joburg’s best kept secrets. It’s the
perfect stop for a day of riding over the
weekend, with lots to keep the non-
riders in the family busy too. A single
entry ticket will cost you R 30, but there
are also multiple entry passes on offer
for the regulars.
So there you have it, there are plenty
of MTB options to the West of the big
city lights. Get out there and check them
out, the trails are just waiting for you to
ride them…
Rider Feedback: Full Sus loves to hear from you. If you’ve recently visited
one of the spots or if we’ve skipped your favourite trail to the West of Jozi and
Pretoria let us know. We’re going to be starting a Facebook debate on the
10th of July, so go to www.facebook.com/fullsussa
to get involved, or email us
at [email protected].
SUS THE Coordinates & ContactsSUS THE Coordinates & Contacts
Van Gaalen Cheese Farm
25º 47’27.1” S, 27º 46’ 32.7” E
(012) 207 1289
www.vangaalen.co.za
Buffelspoort Valley
25° 45’ 27” S, 27° 29’ 22” E
(079) 119 0789
www.buffelspoortvalleyinfo.com
Maanhaarrad Pass
25º 51’ 45.4”S, 27º 26’ 32.7” E
It’s a public road so there is no contact
but you can check out the route at:
www.magaliesmonster.co.za
Sparkling Waters
25° 49’ 51” S, 27° 24’ 43” E
(014) 535 0000
www.sparklingwaters.co.za
Cradle of Humankind
25° 56’ 57.2” S, 27° 47’ 03.3” E
(011) 355 1208
www.cradleofhumankind.co.za
Northern Farm
25°56’ 20.5” S, 27° 57’ 57.2” E
(083) 879 4449
www.northernfarm.co.za
For more info on all the possible accommodation options go to
www.magaliesbergmap.co.za
“The Van Gaalen MTB tracks
measure an impressive 120km
or so in total, most of which is
mouth-watering single track.”
It’s not all single track and rocky 4x4 tails in Buffelspoort,
there are plenty of decent gravel roads too.
The Magaliesberg is rugged and you’ll need to be too if
you want to take on its varied and challenging terrain.
www.oakpics.com
Cherie Vale/Newsport Media Cherie Vale/Newsport Media
Cherie Vale/Newsport Media
1
August
2013
Bike Review
pg18
MTB Going Wrong
pg8
Needles Q&A
pg17
Glove Review
pg21
Young Guns
pg6
WIN!
Ocean Eyewear
SI Sunnies
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
Saffa’s to Watch at the World Champs
Yip it’s that time of the year again, says
Seamus Allardice but this time we’re
hosting it. The end of August sees the top
pros from around the world descend on
the Cascades MTB Park to compete for
the coveted Rainbow Jerseys. Read on to
find out who will be up on the podium.
FREE
fullsus
Gameplan Media
I
f you can, you have to make your
way to Pietermaritzburg from
the 26th of August to the 1st of
September 2013 because hosting a
World Championship is a rarity. Yes
you can see Christoph Sauser in the
Epic and Gee Atherton in the World
Cup event in Maritzburg again next
year. But it’s not the same is it?
The World Champs are the pinnacle
of the annual calendar and the who’s
who of mountain biking will be there,
trusting that all those hundreds of
hours of training this year will have
them peaking right when it matters
most. As Cycling South Africa’s
General Manager Mike Bradley
says: “It is the single most important
event South Africa has ever had the
privilege of hosting. No cycling event
this size nor this spectacular has ever
taken place here before.”
So you’re convinced about its
importance but what exactly goes
down at the World Champs? Well
there are 5 disciplines, most of you
will be familiar with the Cross Country
(XCO) and Downhill (DHI), but there
will also be medals available in the
Cross Country Eliminator (XCE),
Cross Country Relay (XCR) and
Trials. The XCE format is raced over a
shortened version of the XCO course
and groups of four riders dice it out
with the top two progressing on to
the next round – think track sprinting
at the Olympics. The XCR is a team
event with each nation submitting a
team of four riders – an elite male, an
elite female, an U23 male and a junior
male – who each race a lap of the
cross country course, the first nation
to finish the four laps wins. Trials
meanwhile is like something out of
the Unbeatable Banzuke, and it’s best
left up to the World Champs website
to explain how it works:
“The objective of this sport is to get
over obstacles grouped into sections,
without setting foot on the ground
or any part of the bicycle (only the
wheels) touching the ground as this
incurs penalties. After negotiating a
series of sections, the rider who has
the fewest penalty points is declared
the winner.”
Those are the events but who are
the riders to watch? In the trials 26
class the top three finishers from
both the World Cup events thus
far are Gilles Coustellier, Guillaume
Dunand and Aurelien Fontenoy all
Reigning World Champ and PMB
local Greg Minnaar in action.
turn to page 4
August
2013
Bike Review
pg18
MTB Going Wrong
pg8
Needles Q&A
pg17
Glove Review
pg21
Young Guns
pg6
WIN!
Ocean Eyewear
SI Sunnies
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
Saffa’s to Watch at the World Champs
Yip it’s that time of the year again, says
Seamus Allardice but this time we’re
hosting it. The end of August sees the top
pros from around the world descend on
the Cascades MTB Park to compete for
the coveted Rainbow Jerseys. Read on to
find out who will be up on the podium.
FREE
fullsus
Gameplan Media
I
f you can, you have to make your
way to Pietermaritzburg from
the 26th of August to the 1st of
September 2013 because hosting a
World Championship is a rarity. Yes
you can see Christoph Sauser in the
Epic and Gee Atherton in the World
Cup event in Maritzburg again next
year. But it’s not the same is it?
The World Champs are the pinnacle
of the annual calendar and the who’s
who of mountain biking will be there,
trusting that all those hundreds of
hours of training this year will have
them peaking right when it matters
most. As Cycling South Africa’s
General Manager Mike Bradley
says: “It is the single most important
event South Africa has ever had the
privilege of hosting. No cycling event
this size nor this spectacular has ever
taken place here before.”
So you’re convinced about its
importance but what exactly goes
down at the World Champs? Well
there are 5 disciplines, most of you
will be familiar with the Cross Country
(XCO) and Downhill (DHI), but there
will also be medals available in the
Cross Country Eliminator (XCE),
Cross Country Relay (XCR) and
Trials. The XCE format is raced over a
shortened version of the XCO course
and groups of four riders dice it out
with the top two progressing on to
the next round – think track sprinting
at the Olympics. The XCR is a team
event with each nation submitting a
team of four riders – an elite male, an
elite female, an U23 male and a junior
male – who each race a lap of the
cross country course, the first nation
to finish the four laps wins. Trials
meanwhile is like something out of
the Unbeatable Banzuke, and it’s best
left up to the World Champs website
to explain how it works:
“The objective of this sport is to get
over obstacles grouped into sections,
without setting foot on the ground
or any part of the bicycle (only the
wheels) touching the ground as this
incurs penalties. After negotiating a
series of sections, the rider who has
the fewest penalty points is declared
the winner.”
Those are the events but who are
the riders to watch? In the trials 26
class the top three finishers from
both the World Cup events thus
far are Gilles Coustellier, Guillaume
Dunand and Aurelien Fontenoy all
Reigning World Champ and PMB
local Greg Minnaar in action.
turn to page 4
4
FS World Champs Preview
from France. While in the 20 class
Abel Garcia, leads the rankings over
fellow Spaniard Benito José Ros
Charral and Dutchman Rick Koekoek,
however Vincent Hermance who
finished 3rd in Walbrzych, Poland,
shouldn’t be discounted.
In the XCR I’d like to think that
our local guys and gals will be able
to give the podium a shot, but with
the massively strong teams from
Switzerland and Italy particularly, and
a couple of other European nations
it’d be a tough nut to crack. Looking
at the team that Cycling South Africa
has selected it seems likely that
the XCR team will be made up of
Philip Buys, Yolande Speedy, Rourke
Croeser and Alan Hatherly. Going
on the World Cup rankings alone
the Swiss team could be made up
by Nino Schurter, Esther Süss, Reto
Indergand and Fabian Strittmatter, but
at this stage this is pure speculation.
What is clear however is that the
European nations have formidable
strength in depth when it comes to
the cross country disciplines.
The XCE and the XCO races will
be difficult to pick but local poduim
hopes can be pinned with relative
confidence on the young shoulders
of Mariske Strauss and Rourke
Croeser while Yolande Speedy is
over her Epic induced injuries and
should be in contention too, while
Philip Buys and Matthys Beukes will be
looking to prove the UCI form books
wrong and upset the more favoured
international competitors. Our U23
squads in particular are pretty strong,
with Croeser saying that he wouldn’t
be surprised by “possibly even having
four riders finish in the top 20” in the
U23 men’s division. If that’s to be
the case keep an eye out for James
Reid in the men’s race, while Candice
Neethling has Olympic experience
and is currently sweeping all before
her on the local scene from a U23
ladies perspective.
On the international front in the
elite ladies podium could well be
dominated by three of these four
names: Tanja Zakelj, Eva Lechner,
Alexandra Engen and Julie Bresset
from Slovenia, Italy, Sweden and
France respectively. While the
top ranked elite men thus far this
season have been the Swiss duo of
Nino Schurter and Lukas Fükiger,
followed by Italian Marco Fontana and
Frenchman Julien Absalon.
It is in the downhill division that
South Africa has the best chance of
claiming a rainbow jersey. The double
world champion - Greg Minnaar is
the reigning World Champ having
won the title in Leogang, Austria, last
year and is currently in 2nd place in
the World Cup rankings. Maritzburg
is also Greg’s local stomping ground
so look for him to give it horns on
the redesigned Cascades downhill
course. Also in contention though is
fellow Saffa Andrew Neethling (Read
more about Needles in our Q & A on
page 17), and the internationals led
by Gee Atherton – who has been in
all conquering form in 2013 – and
Needles’s team-mate Danny Hart –
who has struggled for form this year
but is too quick to ever
discount completely.
Courses
The cross country course measures
4.9km in length and features a nasty
looking profile with riders being asked
to either climb at maximum power
or descend at break-neck speeds
throughout. It’s made up of two loops
with the start located at the lowest
point of the route. The initial drag
race up the first 350m climb could
be essential as there will inevitably
be a bottle-neck on the left hand
corner turning up into Red Face Hill.
The start/finish is also located on the
most accessible and open part of the
course so expect it to be a spectator
hot spot for more than just the usual
reasons. With riders having to guts it
out up the deceptive rise over the last
300m expect on the
line drama.
The downhill course is 3.02km long
and drops nigh on 400m making
for a -13.32% gradient (if you’re into
that sort of thing). What’s really
important though is that course
designer Nick Floros has been hard
at work resculpting drops and jumps
to provide the sternest test the
geography of the Cascades will allow.
The course can be divided into three
sections with the first providing a high
speed (up to 80kph) bust over the
Haibo road gap to the N3 tabletops,
the second is a lung busting
40-second sprint pedal section before
the gradient drops again into Air-
odrome bridge drop before ending
with the massive Moneymaker hip, a
15-metre step-down hip designed to
wow the crowds.
Spectator Friendly
All access is free but for the weekend
of the 30th, 31st and 1st so get down
to the Cascades to support our guys
and gals. The training sessions for
the World Champs start on Monday
the 26th of August and the full
programme is on the event website.
I would advise you to book online
using ROAG though as the final
weekend will get busy.
Also because of the limited space
spectators have been asked to park
their cars at the Settler’s Park which is
1km from the event venue. There will
be shuttle buses to transport you to
and from this parking.
Downhill Profile
Downhill Course
Start
Eye Boggler
Eish!
Cloud 9
Haibo
Dr Evil
The Gulley
N3
Khatala
Jugs Big One
Bomb Hole
Air-O-Drome
Slip n Slide
The Moneymaker
Finish
“It is the single most important
event South Africa has ever
had the privilege of hosting.”
Master’s World Champs
But first… there’s the little matter of the Masters World Champs to handle! The old bullets of the MTB scene (they’re not all that old… the masters event is open to anyone without any
UCI points in 2013 over the age of
30) have a chance to strut their stuff.
From the 21st to the 25th of August
our local rides will be taking on the
best amateurs in the world for their
chance at MTB glory. So go support
them too.
at Worlds
Full Sus won’t just be
represented in words and
images at the World Champs,
our very own downhilling nutter
Kathryn Fourie will be taking part
in the Masters World Champs
and after a selection which
surprised her (but not us) in the
Elite Ladies DHI competition too.
Go say hi and buy her a good
luck beer – I gather they don’t
say break a leg in downhill –
she’ll have a Label.
fullsus
Follow the Action LiveFollow the Action Live
Stay up-to-date with all the
action from the 2013 World
Championships.
Visit the official website at
www.mtbworldchamps.co.za. @RourkeCroeser
@StraussMariske
@candle_bear (Candice Neethling)
@alanhatherly
@MountainBikerSA
(Mylene Loumeau CSA)
@SeamusAllardice
And of course @FullSussa
Kim’s Corner
Noogies Knoll
Rapid Rocks
Feed/Tech Zones
Corkscrew
Pick Up Sticks
Treehouse
rock Garden
Shale Climb
The Amphitheatre Extension
Sharka’s Playground
The
Amphitheatre
Halfway
Finish
Start
Red Face Hill
or follow the news on
Twitter @MTBWorlds2013
like the official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ UCIMTBWorldChamps2013
For the socially active:
For inside scoops follow:
(Explanations only follow the
non-self-explanatory)
@philbuys
@MatthysBeukes
@GregMinnaar
@andrewneethling
@Yolandes (Yolande Speedy)
@CherieVale
@james_reid01
FS World Champs Preview
from France. While in the 20 class
Abel Garcia, leads the rankings over
fellow Spaniard Benito José Ros
Charral and Dutchman Rick Koekoek,
however Vincent Hermance who
finished 3rd in Walbrzych, Poland,
shouldn’t be discounted.
In the XCR I’d like to think that
our local guys and gals will be able
to give the podium a shot, but with
the massively strong teams from
Switzerland and Italy particularly, and
a couple of other European nations
it’d be a tough nut to crack. Looking
at the team that Cycling South Africa
has selected it seems likely that
the XCR team will be made up of
Philip Buys, Yolande Speedy, Rourke
Croeser and Alan Hatherly. Going
on the World Cup rankings alone
the Swiss team could be made up
by Nino Schurter, Esther Süss, Reto
Indergand and Fabian Strittmatter, but
at this stage this is pure speculation.
What is clear however is that the
European nations have formidable
strength in depth when it comes to
the cross country disciplines.
The XCE and the XCO races will
be difficult to pick but local poduim
hopes can be pinned with relative
confidence on the young shoulders
of Mariske Strauss and Rourke
Croeser while Yolande Speedy is
over her Epic induced injuries and
should be in contention too, while
Philip Buys and Matthys Beukes will be
looking to prove the UCI form books
wrong and upset the more favoured
international competitors. Our U23
squads in particular are pretty strong,
with Croeser saying that he wouldn’t
be surprised by “possibly even having
four riders finish in the top 20” in the
U23 men’s division. If that’s to be
the case keep an eye out for James
Reid in the men’s race, while Candice
Neethling has Olympic experience
and is currently sweeping all before
her on the local scene from a U23
ladies perspective.
On the international front in the
elite ladies podium could well be
dominated by three of these four
names: Tanja Zakelj, Eva Lechner,
Alexandra Engen and Julie Bresset
from Slovenia, Italy, Sweden and
France respectively. While the
top ranked elite men thus far this
season have been the Swiss duo of
Nino Schurter and Lukas Fükiger,
followed by Italian Marco Fontana and
Frenchman Julien Absalon.
It is in the downhill division that
South Africa has the best chance of
claiming a rainbow jersey. The double
world champion - Greg Minnaar is
the reigning World Champ having
won the title in Leogang, Austria, last
year and is currently in 2nd place in
the World Cup rankings. Maritzburg
is also Greg’s local stomping ground
so look for him to give it horns on
the redesigned Cascades downhill
course. Also in contention though is
fellow Saffa Andrew Neethling (Read
more about Needles in our Q & A on
page 17), and the internationals led
by Gee Atherton – who has been in
all conquering form in 2013 – and
Needles’s team-mate Danny Hart –
who has struggled for form this year
but is too quick to ever
discount completely.
Courses
The cross country course measures
4.9km in length and features a nasty
looking profile with riders being asked
to either climb at maximum power
or descend at break-neck speeds
throughout. It’s made up of two loops
with the start located at the lowest
point of the route. The initial drag
race up the first 350m climb could
be essential as there will inevitably
be a bottle-neck on the left hand
corner turning up into Red Face Hill.
The start/finish is also located on the
most accessible and open part of the
course so expect it to be a spectator
hot spot for more than just the usual
reasons. With riders having to guts it
out up the deceptive rise over the last
300m expect on the
line drama.
The downhill course is 3.02km long
and drops nigh on 400m making
for a -13.32% gradient (if you’re into
that sort of thing). What’s really
important though is that course
designer Nick Floros has been hard
at work resculpting drops and jumps
to provide the sternest test the
geography of the Cascades will allow.
The course can be divided into three
sections with the first providing a high
speed (up to 80kph) bust over the
Haibo road gap to the N3 tabletops,
the second is a lung busting
40-second sprint pedal section before
the gradient drops again into Air-
odrome bridge drop before ending
with the massive Moneymaker hip, a
15-metre step-down hip designed to
wow the crowds.
Spectator Friendly
All access is free but for the weekend
of the 30th, 31st and 1st so get down
to the Cascades to support our guys
and gals. The training sessions for
the World Champs start on Monday
the 26th of August and the full
programme is on the event website.
I would advise you to book online
using ROAG though as the final
weekend will get busy.
Also because of the limited space
spectators have been asked to park
their cars at the Settler’s Park which is
1km from the event venue. There will
be shuttle buses to transport you to
and from this parking.
Downhill Profile
Downhill Course
Start
Eye Boggler
Eish!
Cloud 9
Haibo
Dr Evil
The Gulley
N3
Khatala
Jugs Big One
Bomb Hole
Air-O-Drome
Slip n Slide
The Moneymaker
Finish
“It is the single most important
event South Africa has ever
had the privilege of hosting.”
Master’s World Champs
But first… there’s the little matter of the Masters World Champs to handle! The old bullets of the MTB scene (they’re not all that old… the masters event is open to anyone without any
UCI points in 2013 over the age of
30) have a chance to strut their stuff.
From the 21st to the 25th of August
our local rides will be taking on the
best amateurs in the world for their
chance at MTB glory. So go support
them too.
at Worlds
Full Sus won’t just be
represented in words and
images at the World Champs,
our very own downhilling nutter
Kathryn Fourie will be taking part
in the Masters World Champs
and after a selection which
surprised her (but not us) in the
Elite Ladies DHI competition too.
Go say hi and buy her a good
luck beer – I gather they don’t
say break a leg in downhill –
she’ll have a Label.
fullsus
Follow the Action LiveFollow the Action Live
Stay up-to-date with all the
action from the 2013 World
Championships.
Visit the official website at
www.mtbworldchamps.co.za. @RourkeCroeser
@StraussMariske
@candle_bear (Candice Neethling)
@alanhatherly
@MountainBikerSA
(Mylene Loumeau CSA)
@SeamusAllardice
And of course @FullSussa
Kim’s Corner
Noogies Knoll
Rapid Rocks
Feed/Tech Zones
Corkscrew
Pick Up Sticks
Treehouse
rock Garden
Shale Climb
The Amphitheatre Extension
Sharka’s Playground
The
Amphitheatre
Halfway
Finish
Start
Red Face Hill
or follow the news on
Twitter @MTBWorlds2013
like the official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ UCIMTBWorldChamps2013
For the socially active:
For inside scoops follow:
(Explanations only follow the
non-self-explanatory)
@philbuys
@MatthysBeukes
@GregMinnaar
@andrewneethling
@Yolandes (Yolande Speedy)
@CherieVale
@james_reid01
to Full Sus by Diana Carolin (of the
Hessequa MTB feature in the July
issue fame) and given his exploits
in his first MTB race we thought we
should find out more.
I met up with James in the
Tokai Forrest and he was more
than happy to talk about his MTB
ambitions, but he did make it clear
that in the next few years his focus
would remain on the road. His Nu
Water team were happy to let him
switch the slicks for knobblies in
the winter months when the road
calendar thinned out and it didn’t
take much to get James into the
competitive MTB scene.
The Hessequa was his first MTB
race and he managed to place 6th,
but topped that with a 3rd in the
AmaRider 100 Miler in May, showing
that his MTB talent might well lie with
the long fast rides. Given his roadie
background it’s not surprising that
at this point of his MTB development
that James favours the less technical
gravel road dominated races, but
technical skills are something he’s
keen to work on.
James recons that
he’ll be moving into
the competitive MTB
scene full time, in a few
years’ time (once he’s
made a good fist of
the roadie career and
worked on his single
track skills). And when
he does commit we
suspect he’ll prove
to be a force to be
reckoned with – given
how far he’s come so
quickly. But for now it’ll
be a winter break bit of fun, though
that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t
put a wager on the name Tennent
should it crop up in a MTB race line
up in the next 24 months or so.
team for all UCI events, as the support
that a European based team can
offer would allow her to focus on the
business of riding far more. Not that
riding for Orange Monkey means the
end of Mariske in the Contego kit.
After our chat she was off to Knysna,
for the Oyster Festival, where she was
crowned the top female cyclist – racing
in Contego colours once more, having
placed second in the MTB and Road
races behind Anriette Schoeman and
Candice Neethling respectively.
With her first semester’s BSc Sport
Science exams behind her, Mariske
can now afford to focus on training
for the SA Champs in July and the
World Champs in August. The varsity
holidays means no 3am wake-up
calls – so she can put in a 3 hour ride
before heading to 8am classes – for
a while at least, (or doing pracs until 5
before shooting back to Durbanville for
a quick 2 hour training session in the
early evening winter darkness).
The life of a pro athlete, it’s not all
globe-trotting and spraying Champaign
on podiums. The training schedule is
demanding, the traveling is relentless
and the racing competition is by all
accounts fiercer than you’d imagine.
Apparently waiting at single track
bottle necks can be perilous to your
calves as pushy riders jump the queue
and Mariske has caught a chainring to
the leg in one such encounter. Queues
aside the ladies racing is pretty agro
all round and one of the adjustments
she’s learnt to make is to not fall into
the trap of being nice on the course.
After a disappointing 2012 she
decided to relocate home from the USA
and although none of her American uni
credits were transferable back to Stellies
the change seems to have been for the
best all round. With an 8th place in the
Albstadt World Cup event and a 6th in
Nove Mesto na Morave to go with her
African Champs title, 2013 has been a
good year so far for Mariske.
2014 will see her step up into the
Elite ladies class and I’m sure she’ll take
to the task with her usual high energy
aplomb. But for now here’s hoping she
adds the U23 XCO World Champion title to her CV in 2013.
FS MTB Young Guns
Sus the Stars
of the Near Future
We all want to know who the next South African MTB star will be.
So Seamus Allardice caught up with a few young riders who have been
making waves in the scene of late.
Chic
I
t would be difficult to describe Mariske without over using synonyms for a ball of energy. She
seems like a perpetual motion device and I got the feeling that she’d be at somewhat of a loss if she wasn’t trying
to fit a full time degree into the life of a
pro athlete.
The 22 year old from Durbanville is
from good riding stock, with her old man Bryan having had a successful career on the bike before taking over as
the manager of the national MTB team
over a decade ago, and her brothers are
riders too. She’s been racing for over
ten years herself and she’s been pretty
successful locally too, so much so that
her local team, Contego, rates her as
“currently the most promising female
mountain biker in South Africa”.
That assessment probably had a
hand in them letting Mariske sign for the UK based Orange Monkey
Contego, rates her as
“currently the most
promising female mountain
biker in South Africa”.
Mariske
Strauss
Roadie
James
Tennent
T
he 24 year old is the oldest of
our group of young guns, but
with his road racing current
focus and marathon MTB future
goals, time is still very much on his
side. James Tennent was introduced
Race face: Mariske
focusing all that energy
Orange Monkey Pro Team
www.oakpics.com
6
James Tennent
going into the red
on the AmaRider
100 Miler
Hessequa MTB feature in the July
issue fame) and given his exploits
in his first MTB race we thought we
should find out more.
I met up with James in the
Tokai Forrest and he was more
than happy to talk about his MTB
ambitions, but he did make it clear
that in the next few years his focus
would remain on the road. His Nu
Water team were happy to let him
switch the slicks for knobblies in
the winter months when the road
calendar thinned out and it didn’t
take much to get James into the
competitive MTB scene.
The Hessequa was his first MTB
race and he managed to place 6th,
but topped that with a 3rd in the
AmaRider 100 Miler in May, showing
that his MTB talent might well lie with
the long fast rides. Given his roadie
background it’s not surprising that
at this point of his MTB development
that James favours the less technical
gravel road dominated races, but
technical skills are something he’s
keen to work on.
James recons that
he’ll be moving into
the competitive MTB
scene full time, in a few
years’ time (once he’s
made a good fist of
the roadie career and
worked on his single
track skills). And when
he does commit we
suspect he’ll prove
to be a force to be
reckoned with – given
how far he’s come so
quickly. But for now it’ll
be a winter break bit of fun, though
that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t
put a wager on the name Tennent
should it crop up in a MTB race line
up in the next 24 months or so.
team for all UCI events, as the support
that a European based team can
offer would allow her to focus on the
business of riding far more. Not that
riding for Orange Monkey means the
end of Mariske in the Contego kit.
After our chat she was off to Knysna,
for the Oyster Festival, where she was
crowned the top female cyclist – racing
in Contego colours once more, having
placed second in the MTB and Road
races behind Anriette Schoeman and
Candice Neethling respectively.
With her first semester’s BSc Sport
Science exams behind her, Mariske
can now afford to focus on training
for the SA Champs in July and the
World Champs in August. The varsity
holidays means no 3am wake-up
calls – so she can put in a 3 hour ride
before heading to 8am classes – for
a while at least, (or doing pracs until 5
before shooting back to Durbanville for
a quick 2 hour training session in the
early evening winter darkness).
The life of a pro athlete, it’s not all
globe-trotting and spraying Champaign
on podiums. The training schedule is
demanding, the traveling is relentless
and the racing competition is by all
accounts fiercer than you’d imagine.
Apparently waiting at single track
bottle necks can be perilous to your
calves as pushy riders jump the queue
and Mariske has caught a chainring to
the leg in one such encounter. Queues
aside the ladies racing is pretty agro
all round and one of the adjustments
she’s learnt to make is to not fall into
the trap of being nice on the course.
After a disappointing 2012 she
decided to relocate home from the USA
and although none of her American uni
credits were transferable back to Stellies
the change seems to have been for the
best all round. With an 8th place in the
Albstadt World Cup event and a 6th in
Nove Mesto na Morave to go with her
African Champs title, 2013 has been a
good year so far for Mariske.
2014 will see her step up into the
Elite ladies class and I’m sure she’ll take
to the task with her usual high energy
aplomb. But for now here’s hoping she
adds the U23 XCO World Champion title to her CV in 2013.
FS MTB Young Guns
Sus the Stars
of the Near Future
We all want to know who the next South African MTB star will be.
So Seamus Allardice caught up with a few young riders who have been
making waves in the scene of late.
Chic
I
t would be difficult to describe Mariske without over using synonyms for a ball of energy. She
seems like a perpetual motion device and I got the feeling that she’d be at somewhat of a loss if she wasn’t trying
to fit a full time degree into the life of a
pro athlete.
The 22 year old from Durbanville is
from good riding stock, with her old man Bryan having had a successful career on the bike before taking over as
the manager of the national MTB team
over a decade ago, and her brothers are
riders too. She’s been racing for over
ten years herself and she’s been pretty
successful locally too, so much so that
her local team, Contego, rates her as
“currently the most promising female
mountain biker in South Africa”.
That assessment probably had a
hand in them letting Mariske sign for the UK based Orange Monkey
Contego, rates her as
“currently the most
promising female mountain
biker in South Africa”.
Mariske
Strauss
Roadie
James
Tennent
T
he 24 year old is the oldest of
our group of young guns, but
with his road racing current
focus and marathon MTB future
goals, time is still very much on his
side. James Tennent was introduced
Race face: Mariske
focusing all that energy
Orange Monkey Pro Team
www.oakpics.com
6
James Tennent
going into the red
on the AmaRider
100 Miler
racing rather than just focusing
purely on results. And to that
effect he’s been trying out a new
training programme in 2013 too.
With the 360Life team dissolving
in late 2012 James felt the time
was right to make the change,
saying that he’d tried the distance
based approach favoured by his
then senior team mates and he’s
now trying a more intensity based
approach. It’s perhaps surprising
then that his big result of the year
came in a longer race, but these
things take time and James still has
plenty of that with 2014 being his
last year in U23, and Rio 2016 as
his current mid-term goal.
In the short term there’s the SA
XCO Championships, the UCI World
Cup event 4 in Andorra, and the Illovo
Eston MTB Marathon (the first two will
be well over before Full Sus makes it
to your hands – so check how James
Dude
J
ames Reid does not come across as 20. And while the word he repeated most often
in our chat was “sustainability,” if I was pressed to pick a word it would be intelligent.
From discussing his current
approach to training to dealing with the emotional peaks and troughs as a professional athlete; and talking
about his big plans for the future
to the fallout from David George’s
positive test which left him a privateer
in 2013. He expresses himself with
quiet confidence and seems to
give not only his riding, but also the
peripheral issues that go hand in
hand with being an elite rider, a great
deal of thought.
On the bike 2013 has been a
mixed year for James, he’s been successful locally – most notably in the place he least expected it
winning the SA Marathon Champs
– but internationally he’s failed to
reach his 2012 levels. When we
spoke the national XCO champs
were just over a week away, and
he was not eager to oversell his
chances. After having it widely
reported that “he would win
nationals” in a previous year, he
was understandably reticent to be
brash about his prospects. I got the
feeling though that while the Worlds
are a major goal (he said top 5, but
I suspect he’s aiming higher) he’s
more of a long term planner.
Under 23, he says is about
learning the skills and honing your
MTB Young Guns FS
Get involved
in XCO
Get involved
in XCO
SponsorsSponsors
Cross country isn’t really big on
the local scene despite being
the Olympic discipline. With DH
not on the Olympic radar at this
stage and our nation’s love for
MTB, Full Sus would love to see
more youngsters competing at
the XCO discipline. The technical
skills honed on the XCO courses
will also stand you in good stead
should you make the switch to
stage racing later in your career.
Pro athletes, and young ones
in particular, would be nowhere
without their sponsors and so
from the James’s and Mariske,
Full Sus would like to extend a
massive thank-you to Nu Water,
Contego and Orange Monkey. But
special words of praise must go
to 360Life, despite pulling their
team sponsorship in the wake
of David George’s positive test
they have continued to honour
their agreement with James Reid,
paying his monthly retainer until
the contract’s completion after
World’s. In a time of decreased
corporate expenditure and narrow
focus on the bottom line, it’s great
to see a massive company show
compassion for a young athlete
who could otherwise have easily
fallen by the wayside of SA MTB.
Junior Men
Alan Hatherly
Dylan Rebello
Sybrand Strauss
Nicol Carstens
Carlo Marzoppi
Ivan Venter
Louw Kriel
Junior Women
Bianca Haw
Marie-Christin Kempf
Marne Botha
Catherine Colyn
Michelle Benson
Jessica Alcock
Hazel Magill
Looking even
further to the
future
Here are the
South African juniors
selected to take part in
the World Champs, and if
I were pressed to pick just
one to watch I’d suggest
you keep an eye on the
young Bianca Haw.
Under 23, he says is about
learning the skills and
honing your racing
rather than just focusing
purely on results.
Action photo
Leatt
®
3DF products
uses a soft and flexible
impact foam that absorbs
energy upon impact. Then
covers it with moisturecool
wicking fabric and aramid
fiber for abrasion resistance.
Producing comfortable light CE
certified protection! Combined
with good hydration, will keep
your mind on your ride.
© Leatt Corporation 2013
Available in JR, S/M, L/XL & XXL Available in JR, S/M, L/XL & XXL
www.leatt.com
3DF Knee
3DF Elbow
H4 Hydration
Backpack
Guard
Guard
leatt® 118-13
did) before the once in a lifetime
opportunity of a home World Champs.
While I’d put money on James
placing well in both the SA and
World XCO Champs I’d suggest
that James Reid is a name to watch
for the long term, rather than just
a World Champs flavour of the
month. If Mariske is our best young
female MTB prospect James is our
best young MTB representative.
On and off the bike James Reid is a
name to watch.
James Reid on his way to
victory in the SA XCM Champs
James
Reid
purely on results. And to that
effect he’s been trying out a new
training programme in 2013 too.
With the 360Life team dissolving
in late 2012 James felt the time
was right to make the change,
saying that he’d tried the distance
based approach favoured by his
then senior team mates and he’s
now trying a more intensity based
approach. It’s perhaps surprising
then that his big result of the year
came in a longer race, but these
things take time and James still has
plenty of that with 2014 being his
last year in U23, and Rio 2016 as
his current mid-term goal.
In the short term there’s the SA
XCO Championships, the UCI World
Cup event 4 in Andorra, and the Illovo
Eston MTB Marathon (the first two will
be well over before Full Sus makes it
to your hands – so check how James
Dude
J
ames Reid does not come across as 20. And while the word he repeated most often
in our chat was “sustainability,” if I was pressed to pick a word it would be intelligent.
From discussing his current
approach to training to dealing with the emotional peaks and troughs as a professional athlete; and talking
about his big plans for the future
to the fallout from David George’s
positive test which left him a privateer
in 2013. He expresses himself with
quiet confidence and seems to
give not only his riding, but also the
peripheral issues that go hand in
hand with being an elite rider, a great
deal of thought.
On the bike 2013 has been a
mixed year for James, he’s been successful locally – most notably in the place he least expected it
winning the SA Marathon Champs
– but internationally he’s failed to
reach his 2012 levels. When we
spoke the national XCO champs
were just over a week away, and
he was not eager to oversell his
chances. After having it widely
reported that “he would win
nationals” in a previous year, he
was understandably reticent to be
brash about his prospects. I got the
feeling though that while the Worlds
are a major goal (he said top 5, but
I suspect he’s aiming higher) he’s
more of a long term planner.
Under 23, he says is about
learning the skills and honing your
MTB Young Guns FS
Get involved
in XCO
Get involved
in XCO
SponsorsSponsors
Cross country isn’t really big on
the local scene despite being
the Olympic discipline. With DH
not on the Olympic radar at this
stage and our nation’s love for
MTB, Full Sus would love to see
more youngsters competing at
the XCO discipline. The technical
skills honed on the XCO courses
will also stand you in good stead
should you make the switch to
stage racing later in your career.
Pro athletes, and young ones
in particular, would be nowhere
without their sponsors and so
from the James’s and Mariske,
Full Sus would like to extend a
massive thank-you to Nu Water,
Contego and Orange Monkey. But
special words of praise must go
to 360Life, despite pulling their
team sponsorship in the wake
of David George’s positive test
they have continued to honour
their agreement with James Reid,
paying his monthly retainer until
the contract’s completion after
World’s. In a time of decreased
corporate expenditure and narrow
focus on the bottom line, it’s great
to see a massive company show
compassion for a young athlete
who could otherwise have easily
fallen by the wayside of SA MTB.
Junior Men
Alan Hatherly
Dylan Rebello
Sybrand Strauss
Nicol Carstens
Carlo Marzoppi
Ivan Venter
Louw Kriel
Junior Women
Bianca Haw
Marie-Christin Kempf
Marne Botha
Catherine Colyn
Michelle Benson
Jessica Alcock
Hazel Magill
Looking even
further to the
future
Here are the
South African juniors
selected to take part in
the World Champs, and if
I were pressed to pick just
one to watch I’d suggest
you keep an eye on the
young Bianca Haw.
Under 23, he says is about
learning the skills and
honing your racing
rather than just focusing
purely on results.
Action photo
Leatt
®
3DF products
uses a soft and flexible
impact foam that absorbs
energy upon impact. Then
covers it with moisturecool
wicking fabric and aramid
fiber for abrasion resistance.
Producing comfortable light CE
certified protection! Combined
with good hydration, will keep
your mind on your ride.
© Leatt Corporation 2013
Available in JR, S/M, L/XL & XXL Available in JR, S/M, L/XL & XXL
www.leatt.com
3DF Knee
3DF Elbow
H4 Hydration
Backpack
Guard
Guard
leatt® 118-13
did) before the once in a lifetime
opportunity of a home World Champs.
While I’d put money on James
placing well in both the SA and
World XCO Champs I’d suggest
that James Reid is a name to watch
for the long term, rather than just
a World Champs flavour of the
month. If Mariske is our best young
female MTB prospect James is our
best young MTB representative.
On and off the bike James Reid is a
name to watch.
James Reid on his way to
victory in the SA XCM Champs
James
Reid
14
Q&A on the Fly FS
Q&AQ&A
The Needles Interview
Andrew Neethling,
the Somerset Local
rides for the Giant
Factory Off-Road
Team. You can
follow his exploits
on facebook.com/
andrewneethling00
or on Twitter @
andrewneethling.
Andrew Neethling is a difficult oke to pin down, if
he’s not bombing downhill at top speed he’s on a
plane to somewhere with big hills with a narrow
trail carved into them. With an eye on the World
Champs Full Sus managed to get him to answer a
few questions on the life of a DH globe trotter.
Q So how the ribs? (Andrew
swan-dived down a rocky drop
a couple of weeks before we
caught up with him.)
A They are doing a ton better
thanks. Luckily nothing was fractured.
There was a bit of a displacement of
a joint, and muscle damage. Recovery
has been good, and I have managed
to get back to most of my training.
Q How’s the prep for the
World Champs coming along
after the crash at Val Di Sole?
A Prep is coming along as
planned, as I didn't lose much
time, which was lucky. I should be
back to full health for the next few
rounds of the World Cups.
Q What you looking forward
to most about competing at
home?
A The fans are really great at home.
They get behind us and it helps
up my game.
Q Will the Maritzburg course
suit your style?
A I guess you can say so. I do well
with holding and carrying speed. I also
work very hard on my fitness, so the
pedalling should not be a problem.
Q Who’s going to be the main
competition?
A The usual suspects will on the
PMB course will be up there. Minnaar,
Gwin, Gee, Stevie, Hannah. I really
have to try to just focus on my race. I
know that if I can ride as I know I can, I
should do well.
Q Any SA kids knocking
on the door of the World Cup
DH series that we should be
keeping an eye out for?
A I would love to say yes, but I think
we’re a few years off as far as the
youngsters go. Don't get me wrong.
We have some great talent, and the
SA riders ride so well at home. The
problem is the experience, and the
nature of the courses overseas. It
takes time to adapt to them. Johan
Potgieter, my brother Jonty have put in
some good rides overseas, so I think
they will continue to improve.
Q Are we doing enough to
cultivate DH talent in SA?
A Unfortunately not. We need to try
start helping way earlier. The World
Cups now have a junior category.
This is a great opportunity to get
the Juniors some early international
experience. The Aussie federation
brought over a squad to the first 2
World Cup rounds. It is a pity that
downhill does not get the same
support as road and XC. It’s a
shame when Greg Minnaar gave the
continent, if I am not mistaken, its
first World Championship gold medal
back in 2003 and showed what
downhillers can achieve.
Q What does the future beyond
World Champs hold for you?
A Racing, Bikes, Travelling, Fun -
much the same as now. I am working
hard, enjoying it as much as I can,
which is key. I still have racing goals
to achieve. I would like to stay in the
industry, and give back after racing
though. I enjoy testing and feel I can
help younger riders.
Q Will you ever pack the
gravity bike in and switch it for
a cross country machine and
take on stage racing?
A Haha. Competitive XC is a bit
out of reach but Enduro seems like a
logical step. Enduro is, I guess, mini
stage racing for downhill. You race
couple DH/XC type stages over a
weekend on a smaller bike.
Q Any tips for would be DH
riders coming to the sport at
an older age or DH skill tips for
the average rider?
A Stay within your limits in the
beginning. DH Bikes are very
capable, but you need to learn how
capable, if you know what I mean.
Quick pointers: Remember to drop
those heels for added stability when
descending. Try look far enough
ahead in the trail to make provision for
what is coming up.
World Champs Downhill
Check Andrew and co. in action at the Cascades MTB Park
as they race for the title of 2013 World Champion.
Date Time Event
28 Aug 13:00 - 15:00 On Foot Course Inspection
29 Aug 08:30 - 11:30 Official Training
30 Aug 12:00 - 15:00 Official Training
31 Aug 07:45 - 08:15 Official Training
31 Aug 08:30 - 10:30 Official Timed Session
1 Sep 13:00 - 13:30 Official Training
1 Sep 15:00 Downhill World Championships
Q&A on the Fly FS
Q&AQ&A
The Needles Interview
Andrew Neethling,
the Somerset Local
rides for the Giant
Factory Off-Road
Team. You can
follow his exploits
on facebook.com/
andrewneethling00
or on Twitter @
andrewneethling.
Andrew Neethling is a difficult oke to pin down, if
he’s not bombing downhill at top speed he’s on a
plane to somewhere with big hills with a narrow
trail carved into them. With an eye on the World
Champs Full Sus managed to get him to answer a
few questions on the life of a DH globe trotter.
Q So how the ribs? (Andrew
swan-dived down a rocky drop
a couple of weeks before we
caught up with him.)
A They are doing a ton better
thanks. Luckily nothing was fractured.
There was a bit of a displacement of
a joint, and muscle damage. Recovery
has been good, and I have managed
to get back to most of my training.
Q How’s the prep for the
World Champs coming along
after the crash at Val Di Sole?
A Prep is coming along as
planned, as I didn't lose much
time, which was lucky. I should be
back to full health for the next few
rounds of the World Cups.
Q What you looking forward
to most about competing at
home?
A The fans are really great at home.
They get behind us and it helps
up my game.
Q Will the Maritzburg course
suit your style?
A I guess you can say so. I do well
with holding and carrying speed. I also
work very hard on my fitness, so the
pedalling should not be a problem.
Q Who’s going to be the main
competition?
A The usual suspects will on the
PMB course will be up there. Minnaar,
Gwin, Gee, Stevie, Hannah. I really
have to try to just focus on my race. I
know that if I can ride as I know I can, I
should do well.
Q Any SA kids knocking
on the door of the World Cup
DH series that we should be
keeping an eye out for?
A I would love to say yes, but I think
we’re a few years off as far as the
youngsters go. Don't get me wrong.
We have some great talent, and the
SA riders ride so well at home. The
problem is the experience, and the
nature of the courses overseas. It
takes time to adapt to them. Johan
Potgieter, my brother Jonty have put in
some good rides overseas, so I think
they will continue to improve.
Q Are we doing enough to
cultivate DH talent in SA?
A Unfortunately not. We need to try
start helping way earlier. The World
Cups now have a junior category.
This is a great opportunity to get
the Juniors some early international
experience. The Aussie federation
brought over a squad to the first 2
World Cup rounds. It is a pity that
downhill does not get the same
support as road and XC. It’s a
shame when Greg Minnaar gave the
continent, if I am not mistaken, its
first World Championship gold medal
back in 2003 and showed what
downhillers can achieve.
Q What does the future beyond
World Champs hold for you?
A Racing, Bikes, Travelling, Fun -
much the same as now. I am working
hard, enjoying it as much as I can,
which is key. I still have racing goals
to achieve. I would like to stay in the
industry, and give back after racing
though. I enjoy testing and feel I can
help younger riders.
Q Will you ever pack the
gravity bike in and switch it for
a cross country machine and
take on stage racing?
A Haha. Competitive XC is a bit
out of reach but Enduro seems like a
logical step. Enduro is, I guess, mini
stage racing for downhill. You race
couple DH/XC type stages over a
weekend on a smaller bike.
Q Any tips for would be DH
riders coming to the sport at
an older age or DH skill tips for
the average rider?
A Stay within your limits in the
beginning. DH Bikes are very
capable, but you need to learn how
capable, if you know what I mean.
Quick pointers: Remember to drop
those heels for added stability when
descending. Try look far enough
ahead in the trail to make provision for
what is coming up.
World Champs Downhill
Check Andrew and co. in action at the Cascades MTB Park
as they race for the title of 2013 World Champion.
Date Time Event
28 Aug 13:00 - 15:00 On Foot Course Inspection
29 Aug 08:30 - 11:30 Official Training
30 Aug 12:00 - 15:00 Official Training
31 Aug 07:45 - 08:15 Official Training
31 Aug 08:30 - 10:30 Official Timed Session
1 Sep 13:00 - 13:30 Official Training
1 Sep 15:00 Downhill World Championships
17
Racing on and off your bike FS
T
rail running in particular fits well
with mountain biking events,
and the plethora of one day rides
adding a trail run on the other day of the
weekend goes to show that there is a
very real overlap between the mountain
disciplines. I’m sure I’m not the only one
in a MTB/trail running split household,
and when checking out event details if
there is a run for the old lady and a MTB
for myself it’s a massive draw card.
Or even better, how about a relay?
We did the Xterra Lite in Kynsna over
the Oyster Festival week and it was
an absolute blast. The missus ran the
two, 3km trail runs either side of the
12km MTB. I must warn you though,
it’s not as chilled as the distances
make it sound – the trail run is steep
to the point of nearing vertical (ok
that’s an exaggeration) on the first leg
and the MTB route would be drier if it
was held underwater.
The other two local Xterra events kick
off with swims rather than another run,
and the classic full format is a 1.5 km
Swim, 30 km Mountain Bike, 11 km trail
run – though distances do vary from
event to event. The SA Xterra Champs,
for example, take place in Grabouw
every February, and they are held over
a standard length course apart from the
MTB which measures 27km rather than
30. For the first timers there is also the
Owning a mountain bike doesn’t make you a mountain biker
exclusively. And with spring very much in the air, Seamus Allardice
suggests, now might well be the time to mix things up a bit and take on
some cross training or even multi-sport racing.
“I must warn you
though; it’s not as
chilled as t he
distances make it sound”
Get off your
bike and run
Sus THE EVENTSSus THE EVENTS
6 – 7 September: Lilyfontein School Adventure Race (Eastern Cape).
24hour, 30km & 60km options
21 – 23 September: Adventure Man (Western Cape).
190km
29 September: Kinetic Adventure (Gauteng)
25km
12 October: WCAD Series 5 (Western Cape)
55km & 120km options
19 – 20 October: Kinetic Full Moon Adventure (Gauteng)
120km
26 October: The Merrell Eden Duo (Western Cape)
150km and 50km options
27 October: Spur Adventure Sprint #1 (Western Cape)
2 – 3 hours
Sus it outSus it out
Xterra
basically an off-road triathlon,
it’s loads of fun and a great
intro to multi-sports especially if
you’re not overly competitive.
Adventure Racing
Multi sport off-road racing
featuring a combination of
trail running, mountain biking,
canoeing and abseiling.
Scan the QR code and
watch the video.
Lite option of a 400m swim, 12km MTB
and a 5km trail run (Again though the
Grabouw course is notoriously tough,
so don’t underestimate it). For those of
you up North you can check out the
Buffelspoort Xterra. The great thing
about the Xterra events is that you can
do the Full or Lite as a team (of 2) or on
your ace.
Another event which offers team
entries is the Western Cape Adventure
(WCAD) 30km Adventure Race. It’s
a great intro to adventure racing and
forms part of the epically fun Gravity
Adventure Festival. It requires entrants
to navigate by map as they trail run,
MTB and paddle the 30 kay course.
WCAD organises a 6 event adventure
racing series annually, with races
typically featuring a ±50km and a
±100km option.
After dipping your toes in the world of
Xterra you might well find the adventure
racing bug a hard one to shake as it
offers a great diversity of activities. And
with Farmer Glen predicting a move
towards GPS based navigation in stage
races the navigation experience you pick
up there might well help you gain time in
future MTB events too.
If you’re keen to give Adventure
Racing a try check out www.ar.co.za
it’s a wonderful source of information
and should cover everything you
need to know. And if you’re really up
for a challenge why not dive in head
first and take on the The Merrell Eden
Duo? It’s only 150km of mountain
biking, paddling and trail running –
which you have 24 hours to complete.
Easy peasy!
christophercombrink.co.za
Racing on and off your bike FS
T
rail running in particular fits well
with mountain biking events,
and the plethora of one day rides
adding a trail run on the other day of the
weekend goes to show that there is a
very real overlap between the mountain
disciplines. I’m sure I’m not the only one
in a MTB/trail running split household,
and when checking out event details if
there is a run for the old lady and a MTB
for myself it’s a massive draw card.
Or even better, how about a relay?
We did the Xterra Lite in Kynsna over
the Oyster Festival week and it was
an absolute blast. The missus ran the
two, 3km trail runs either side of the
12km MTB. I must warn you though,
it’s not as chilled as the distances
make it sound – the trail run is steep
to the point of nearing vertical (ok
that’s an exaggeration) on the first leg
and the MTB route would be drier if it
was held underwater.
The other two local Xterra events kick
off with swims rather than another run,
and the classic full format is a 1.5 km
Swim, 30 km Mountain Bike, 11 km trail
run – though distances do vary from
event to event. The SA Xterra Champs,
for example, take place in Grabouw
every February, and they are held over
a standard length course apart from the
MTB which measures 27km rather than
30. For the first timers there is also the
Owning a mountain bike doesn’t make you a mountain biker
exclusively. And with spring very much in the air, Seamus Allardice
suggests, now might well be the time to mix things up a bit and take on
some cross training or even multi-sport racing.
“I must warn you
though; it’s not as
chilled as t he
distances make it sound”
Get off your
bike and run
Sus THE EVENTSSus THE EVENTS
6 – 7 September: Lilyfontein School Adventure Race (Eastern Cape).
24hour, 30km & 60km options
21 – 23 September: Adventure Man (Western Cape).
190km
29 September: Kinetic Adventure (Gauteng)
25km
12 October: WCAD Series 5 (Western Cape)
55km & 120km options
19 – 20 October: Kinetic Full Moon Adventure (Gauteng)
120km
26 October: The Merrell Eden Duo (Western Cape)
150km and 50km options
27 October: Spur Adventure Sprint #1 (Western Cape)
2 – 3 hours
Sus it outSus it out
Xterra
basically an off-road triathlon,
it’s loads of fun and a great
intro to multi-sports especially if
you’re not overly competitive.
Adventure Racing
Multi sport off-road racing
featuring a combination of
trail running, mountain biking,
canoeing and abseiling.
Scan the QR code and
watch the video.
Lite option of a 400m swim, 12km MTB
and a 5km trail run (Again though the
Grabouw course is notoriously tough,
so don’t underestimate it). For those of
you up North you can check out the
Buffelspoort Xterra. The great thing
about the Xterra events is that you can
do the Full or Lite as a team (of 2) or on
your ace.
Another event which offers team
entries is the Western Cape Adventure
(WCAD) 30km Adventure Race. It’s
a great intro to adventure racing and
forms part of the epically fun Gravity
Adventure Festival. It requires entrants
to navigate by map as they trail run,
MTB and paddle the 30 kay course.
WCAD organises a 6 event adventure
racing series annually, with races
typically featuring a ±50km and a
±100km option.
After dipping your toes in the world of
Xterra you might well find the adventure
racing bug a hard one to shake as it
offers a great diversity of activities. And
with Farmer Glen predicting a move
towards GPS based navigation in stage
races the navigation experience you pick
up there might well help you gain time in
future MTB events too.
If you’re keen to give Adventure
Racing a try check out www.ar.co.za
it’s a wonderful source of information
and should cover everything you
need to know. And if you’re really up
for a challenge why not dive in head
first and take on the The Merrell Eden
Duo? It’s only 150km of mountain
biking, paddling and trail running –
which you have 24 hours to complete.
Easy peasy!
christophercombrink.co.za
Wooden bike
pg12
Nutrition
pg19
Rudy Project Proflow
sunglasses
pg28
Trails - Namaqua
pg14
FullSussa
@FullSussa
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLYMOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
FREE
fullsus
October
2013, Vol 7
WIN!
turn to page 8
L
ying on my stomach just above
A-Frame, right eye squished
into the viewfi nder, my camera is
gripped fi ercely between sweaty hands.
Mark periodically yells to me from the other side of the track “RIDER!”, my cue to focus and listen for the thundering of 2.5 inch DH tyres. Elite men ride hard and fast, I only get one chance to snap a decent picture. “Don’t mess it up!” Mark adds. I laugh, sort of.
Alasdair Fey, the blonde 20 year
old from Howick, is on his way down the hill and I focus on the
Kathryn Fourie
dodged a wayward
rider, endured
the questionable
assistance of Mark
Millah and survived
her own Master’s
World Champs
experience to bring
you the Mzansi World
Championships story.
turn to page 4
How much do you
know about your bike?
Are you an avid tinkerer
or are you at the mercy
of your local bike
shop when it comes
to getting your prized
possession maintained.
Seamus Allardice
looked into how to
avoid getting
ripped off .
ARE YOU BEING
ripped
OFF?
GOLD FOR GREG MINNAR AND
BRONZE FOR KATHRYN FOURIE AT
Mzansi’ s World
Champs
Mzansi’ s World
Champs
KATH FROURIEB
icycle services are a necessity;
you shouldn’t need to be told
that – you wouldn’t drive your
car for years without a service, so why would you not do the same to your bike? So that’s sorted then, you have to service your bike – but now let’s get into the nitty gritty of avoiding getting burnt when doing so.
Greg Minnaar three
time world champ!
As Stirling Senior wrote in his
column in the August issue (“Buy your bike, buy your store”), you have to have a personal relationship with
your bike shop. I went by Freewheel
Cycology to get the ins and outs
of bike services and Lionel Murray
made the same point. If you’re
friends with the guys in your local
bike shop they’re more likely to
discuss the issues your bike is
having and you’ll feel comfortable
enough to hang about (as opposed
to lurking – if you’re not friendly
with the LBS staff ) when your bike is
having a minor service.
Bike shops don’t make a massive
amount on new bike sales, their
margins are in the services and on the
parts, so yes there is room for sharks
to rip you off but the industry is small
and riders tend to talk – so very few
places will knowingly provide poor
service or rip you off . That being said it
still pays to be vigilant, Lionel suggest
you ask for your old parts back – that
way you can see that you’re bearings
were gritty and needed replacing or
that your cassette teeth were worn
to hooks. Lionel also suggests you
check your receipt against what the
guys say they did, one sneaky move
is to fi t a SLX cassette and bill for an
XT. Short of removing the cassette
to double check, you’re unlikely to
discover that you’d been taken for an
extra R100.
Cherise Stander
Column
pg22
EXCLUSIVE
pg12
Nutrition
pg19
Rudy Project Proflow
sunglasses
pg28
Trails - Namaqua
pg14
FullSussa
@FullSussa
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLYMOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
FREE
fullsus
October
2013, Vol 7
WIN!
turn to page 8
L
ying on my stomach just above
A-Frame, right eye squished
into the viewfi nder, my camera is
gripped fi ercely between sweaty hands.
Mark periodically yells to me from the other side of the track “RIDER!”, my cue to focus and listen for the thundering of 2.5 inch DH tyres. Elite men ride hard and fast, I only get one chance to snap a decent picture. “Don’t mess it up!” Mark adds. I laugh, sort of.
Alasdair Fey, the blonde 20 year
old from Howick, is on his way down the hill and I focus on the
Kathryn Fourie
dodged a wayward
rider, endured
the questionable
assistance of Mark
Millah and survived
her own Master’s
World Champs
experience to bring
you the Mzansi World
Championships story.
turn to page 4
How much do you
know about your bike?
Are you an avid tinkerer
or are you at the mercy
of your local bike
shop when it comes
to getting your prized
possession maintained.
Seamus Allardice
looked into how to
avoid getting
ripped off .
ARE YOU BEING
ripped
OFF?
GOLD FOR GREG MINNAR AND
BRONZE FOR KATHRYN FOURIE AT
Mzansi’ s World
Champs
Mzansi’ s World
Champs
KATH FROURIEB
icycle services are a necessity;
you shouldn’t need to be told
that – you wouldn’t drive your
car for years without a service, so why would you not do the same to your bike? So that’s sorted then, you have to service your bike – but now let’s get into the nitty gritty of avoiding getting burnt when doing so.
Greg Minnaar three
time world champ!
As Stirling Senior wrote in his
column in the August issue (“Buy your bike, buy your store”), you have to have a personal relationship with
your bike shop. I went by Freewheel
Cycology to get the ins and outs
of bike services and Lionel Murray
made the same point. If you’re
friends with the guys in your local
bike shop they’re more likely to
discuss the issues your bike is
having and you’ll feel comfortable
enough to hang about (as opposed
to lurking – if you’re not friendly
with the LBS staff ) when your bike is
having a minor service.
Bike shops don’t make a massive
amount on new bike sales, their
margins are in the services and on the
parts, so yes there is room for sharks
to rip you off but the industry is small
and riders tend to talk – so very few
places will knowingly provide poor
service or rip you off . That being said it
still pays to be vigilant, Lionel suggest
you ask for your old parts back – that
way you can see that you’re bearings
were gritty and needed replacing or
that your cassette teeth were worn
to hooks. Lionel also suggests you
check your receipt against what the
guys say they did, one sneaky move
is to fi t a SLX cassette and bill for an
XT. Short of removing the cassette
to double check, you’re unlikely to
discover that you’d been taken for an
extra R100.
Cherise Stander
Column
pg22
EXCLUSIVE
FS MTB Services
Generally speaking bike shops want
your loyal business and they’ll work
hard at keeping you a happy client.
But part of that is you being a decent
customer too, so try not to make their
jobs any harder. Most of the guys
working in your local bike shop are
acutely aware of just how expensive
it is to run a bike and don’t want to
shock you with a three grand bill.
So here are a few common practice
tips to keep your service costs down
(most of you will know this already,
but too many people still use the high
pressure hose after a ride…)
◆
Lube, lube, lube – before and after
every ride and make sure you’re using
the right lube for the conditions.
◆
Change your chain – keep an eye
on your chain wear, if it stretches
beyond 0.75 it’s time for a change.
◆
Stick to your brand – the bit you
saved by buying a chain that wasn’t
made by the manufacturer of the rest
of your drivetrain could lead to faster
wear so just buy the genuine part.
◆ Avoid the high pressure hose –
you’re just blasting grit into your
bearings and washing all the lube off
your drivetrain.
A good principal to stick to is to
take your bike in for a mini service
whenever your shifters are getting
out of sync, that way your LBS guys
can catch any potentially costly
issues before they arise. Or fi nd
out about bike service courses in
your area – Freewheel Cycology
have been off ering their customers
evening classes on DIY bike
maintenance covering essential
quick fi xes on the trail and the basics
of home servicing. Your bike is like
your car – the more you know the
more you’ll get out of it and for less
at that, so consider enrolling in Bike
University.
from page 1
MTB Services
“GENERALLY SPEAKING BIKE SHOPS
WANT YOUR LOYAL BUSINESS AND
THEY’LL WORK HARD AT KEEPING
YOU A HAPPY CLIENT.”
The service costsSUSSUS
BIKE SHOP
Wash &
Lube
Mini
Service
Major
Service
Revolution Cycles (Cape Town) R150 R400 R600
Crown Cycles (Claremont) R95 R275 R450
Chris Willemse (Durbanville) R60 R375 R475
Toms Sport and Cycle (Oudshoorn) R85 R250 R420
Johnson Cycle Works (Johannesburg)N/A R430 R710
Action Cycles (Port Elizabeth) R75 R250 R400
Park Cycles (Bloemfontein) R75 R150
(excl W&L)
R250
(incl W&L)
WHAT YOU GET FOR A SERVICE
Using a bike shop that we trust
(Revolution Cycles) as a guide here
is a breakdown of what you can
expect from a Wash & Lube, Mini
and Major Service.
Wash & Lube
Comprehensive wash and lube,
followed by test ride.
Mini Service
Comprehensive wash and lube,
followed by test ride. Check, replace
& set brake pads, rotors, cables,
levers. Fit new brake cables and
housing if required – (Road and
V-Brake, excl Parts). Adjust gears
– barrels, derailleur front and rear
– straighten hanger. Fit new gear
cables and housing if required.
Clean and lube seat post and secure
saddle. Fit new tubes and/or tyres
or add sealant or rotate tyres – if
required/requested. Maintenance
Report if we fi nd issues.
Major Service
All as indicated in Mini Service and…
Remove, clean, grease and refi t
headset (or replace). Remove, clean,
grease and refi t bottom bracket (or
replace). True wheels, tighten & lube
spoke nipples, replace few spokes –
minor wheel work. Service/replace
drive train – chain, cluster, crankset,
chainrings, jockey wheels. Remove,
clean, lube and grease pedals. Check
and adjust air pressure in fork and
shock, set remote lock. Torque rear
triangle and lube pivots and shock
bushes. Refi ll tubeless tyres, fi t new
tubeless conversion, rim seal and
valves (excl Parts).
NOTE: While we tried to compare
apples with apples, not all bike
shops off er all the trimmings with
their services.
4
Join the service debate on
http://bit.ly/fullsus_03
4
FS News
H
ere at Full Sus we’re always
keen to see the fairer sex out
there on the trails – even when
they’re motoring past us on a climb –
and a rider who shares our sentiments
is Joanna Dobinson. Joanna is the
founder of an organisation called
Biking in the Bosch, which runs MTB
skills clinics and organises social rides
for ladies in Jonkershoek. So if you’re in the Stellenbosch area or want to
expand your MTB horizons (and skills)
and take in the beautiful Jonkershoek
trails then she’s the lady to contact.
Biking in the Bosch offers
beginners, intermediate and progressive skills courses, all for the ladies (there are a few guys’ classes
in the pipeline), and you can find out more by looking them up on Facebook at Biking in the Bosch or
give Joanna a ring on 074 169 4376.
skills clinics
LADIES
African Cycle Fair
I
f you love bikes and want to check out the
latest in cycling trends, then make your way to the inaugural African Cycle
Fair. Organised by Ross Douglas, who puts together the FNB Joburg Art
and the FoodWineDesign Fairs, the Cycle Fair aims to boost the local cycling
industry and spread the passion for all things self-propelled on two wheels.
The fair takes place from the 25th to the 27th of October at the Blue
Hills Equestrian Estate, north of Kyalami and you can find out
more at
www.africacyclefair.com.
newsnews
We’d like to hear from you,
get involved on http://bit.ly/fullsus_04
and tell us what bike you’d love to be riding.
W
ith Eurobike 2013 having
taken place from the 27th
to the 30th of August most
you with a keen interest in new MTB
technology will have scoped out all
the 2014 models and prototypes.
As usual the big boys of the cycling
industry were strutting their stuff and
competing for the converted Eurobike
Awards. 496 products were entered
in ten categories but the one that
matters most to us was the Mountain
Bike of the Year. Gold was taken
back to Torrance, California by Niner
Bikes for their RIP 9 RDO. This is
what the Eurobike judges had to say
about the RIP 9 RDO: “There is a clear philosophy behind this mountain bike.
The RIP 9 RDO is perfect in form, with an eye-catching colour, bright and smart - an impressive calling card for the rider - and certainly something very out of the ordinary!”
It’s certainly a bike to inspire
envious gawking on the trails!
EUROBIKE MTB
of the year
EUROBIKE/FRIEDRICHSCHAFEN
Generally speaking bike shops want
your loyal business and they’ll work
hard at keeping you a happy client.
But part of that is you being a decent
customer too, so try not to make their
jobs any harder. Most of the guys
working in your local bike shop are
acutely aware of just how expensive
it is to run a bike and don’t want to
shock you with a three grand bill.
So here are a few common practice
tips to keep your service costs down
(most of you will know this already,
but too many people still use the high
pressure hose after a ride…)
◆
Lube, lube, lube – before and after
every ride and make sure you’re using
the right lube for the conditions.
◆
Change your chain – keep an eye
on your chain wear, if it stretches
beyond 0.75 it’s time for a change.
◆
Stick to your brand – the bit you
saved by buying a chain that wasn’t
made by the manufacturer of the rest
of your drivetrain could lead to faster
wear so just buy the genuine part.
◆ Avoid the high pressure hose –
you’re just blasting grit into your
bearings and washing all the lube off
your drivetrain.
A good principal to stick to is to
take your bike in for a mini service
whenever your shifters are getting
out of sync, that way your LBS guys
can catch any potentially costly
issues before they arise. Or fi nd
out about bike service courses in
your area – Freewheel Cycology
have been off ering their customers
evening classes on DIY bike
maintenance covering essential
quick fi xes on the trail and the basics
of home servicing. Your bike is like
your car – the more you know the
more you’ll get out of it and for less
at that, so consider enrolling in Bike
University.
from page 1
MTB Services
“GENERALLY SPEAKING BIKE SHOPS
WANT YOUR LOYAL BUSINESS AND
THEY’LL WORK HARD AT KEEPING
YOU A HAPPY CLIENT.”
The service costsSUSSUS
BIKE SHOP
Wash &
Lube
Mini
Service
Major
Service
Revolution Cycles (Cape Town) R150 R400 R600
Crown Cycles (Claremont) R95 R275 R450
Chris Willemse (Durbanville) R60 R375 R475
Toms Sport and Cycle (Oudshoorn) R85 R250 R420
Johnson Cycle Works (Johannesburg)N/A R430 R710
Action Cycles (Port Elizabeth) R75 R250 R400
Park Cycles (Bloemfontein) R75 R150
(excl W&L)
R250
(incl W&L)
WHAT YOU GET FOR A SERVICE
Using a bike shop that we trust
(Revolution Cycles) as a guide here
is a breakdown of what you can
expect from a Wash & Lube, Mini
and Major Service.
Wash & Lube
Comprehensive wash and lube,
followed by test ride.
Mini Service
Comprehensive wash and lube,
followed by test ride. Check, replace
& set brake pads, rotors, cables,
levers. Fit new brake cables and
housing if required – (Road and
V-Brake, excl Parts). Adjust gears
– barrels, derailleur front and rear
– straighten hanger. Fit new gear
cables and housing if required.
Clean and lube seat post and secure
saddle. Fit new tubes and/or tyres
or add sealant or rotate tyres – if
required/requested. Maintenance
Report if we fi nd issues.
Major Service
All as indicated in Mini Service and…
Remove, clean, grease and refi t
headset (or replace). Remove, clean,
grease and refi t bottom bracket (or
replace). True wheels, tighten & lube
spoke nipples, replace few spokes –
minor wheel work. Service/replace
drive train – chain, cluster, crankset,
chainrings, jockey wheels. Remove,
clean, lube and grease pedals. Check
and adjust air pressure in fork and
shock, set remote lock. Torque rear
triangle and lube pivots and shock
bushes. Refi ll tubeless tyres, fi t new
tubeless conversion, rim seal and
valves (excl Parts).
NOTE: While we tried to compare
apples with apples, not all bike
shops off er all the trimmings with
their services.
4
Join the service debate on
http://bit.ly/fullsus_03
4
FS News
H
ere at Full Sus we’re always
keen to see the fairer sex out
there on the trails – even when
they’re motoring past us on a climb –
and a rider who shares our sentiments
is Joanna Dobinson. Joanna is the
founder of an organisation called
Biking in the Bosch, which runs MTB
skills clinics and organises social rides
for ladies in Jonkershoek. So if you’re in the Stellenbosch area or want to
expand your MTB horizons (and skills)
and take in the beautiful Jonkershoek
trails then she’s the lady to contact.
Biking in the Bosch offers
beginners, intermediate and progressive skills courses, all for the ladies (there are a few guys’ classes
in the pipeline), and you can find out more by looking them up on Facebook at Biking in the Bosch or
give Joanna a ring on 074 169 4376.
skills clinics
LADIES
African Cycle Fair
I
f you love bikes and want to check out the
latest in cycling trends, then make your way to the inaugural African Cycle
Fair. Organised by Ross Douglas, who puts together the FNB Joburg Art
and the FoodWineDesign Fairs, the Cycle Fair aims to boost the local cycling
industry and spread the passion for all things self-propelled on two wheels.
The fair takes place from the 25th to the 27th of October at the Blue
Hills Equestrian Estate, north of Kyalami and you can find out
more at
www.africacyclefair.com.
newsnews
We’d like to hear from you,
get involved on http://bit.ly/fullsus_04
and tell us what bike you’d love to be riding.
W
ith Eurobike 2013 having
taken place from the 27th
to the 30th of August most
you with a keen interest in new MTB
technology will have scoped out all
the 2014 models and prototypes.
As usual the big boys of the cycling
industry were strutting their stuff and
competing for the converted Eurobike
Awards. 496 products were entered
in ten categories but the one that
matters most to us was the Mountain
Bike of the Year. Gold was taken
back to Torrance, California by Niner
Bikes for their RIP 9 RDO. This is
what the Eurobike judges had to say
about the RIP 9 RDO: “There is a clear philosophy behind this mountain bike.
The RIP 9 RDO is perfect in form, with an eye-catching colour, bright and smart - an impressive calling card for the rider - and certainly something very out of the ordinary!”
It’s certainly a bike to inspire
envious gawking on the trails!
EUROBIKE MTB
of the year
EUROBIKE/FRIEDRICHSCHAFEN
Bike Review
pg28
Trails
pg12
A Purple GT
pg18
FullSussa
@FullSussa
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLYMOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
FREE
November
2013, Vol 8
Skills Column
pg14
NEW
turn to page 4
Cherise Stander
Column
pg22
EXCLUSIVE
W
e all want to ride the best
trails, they don’t always have
to be perfectly manicured
– sometimes rough and ready is far more fun – but we’re not always aware of what really goes into building and maintaining great MTB trails. Hence riders acting like they believe in what Meurant Botha calls “trail fairies”. I’m sure most of the time it’s not a conscious thing, it’s just that it’s easy to take for granted that someone built
your favourite bit of trail (unless you did it yourself) or that someone comes out on a Saturday morning and fi xes the braking bumps.
So with the Origin of Trails coming
up at the end of the month I went to speak to the route planner, Corrie Muller and Specialized’s Bobby Behan about the work that they’ve been putting into the trails around Stellenbosch. And got James Thornhill- Fisher to chip in with information on
how the highly successful Tygerberg MTB Club manages their trails, but let’s start with the Origins…
In 2012 a group of avid riders from
Stellenbosch, including 2009 Dakar Rally champion Giniel de Villiers and Stillwater Sport’s Michael Meyer, got together to raise money to expand the Jonkershoek trails. With the help of a fundraiser coordinated by one of the local bike shops, Bike Marathon Triathlon, and Specialized chipping in quite signifi cantly they managed to raise R160 000 which they turned over to Bennet Nel of Ace Of Spades to build new trails.
This planted the seed of what
was to become the Origin of Trails concept. To host a world class MTB event in the town used as a base for many top riders, including Christoph Sauser (a long time Stellenbosch summer resident), Nino Schurter and Jaroslav Kulhavy, and to use the funds to contribute directly to
the trails in the region. As any old MTB hand from the Winelands will tell you – Stellenbosch is the spiritual home of MTB in South Africa. So it’s essential that they keep building quality trails to ensure that Stellenbosch keeps attracting and starts producing the world’s top riders. But let’s get down and dirty
looking at what goes into laying trails
for you to enjoy.
Origin’s route director, Corrie
Muller, is usually a dentist by day, but a MTB crash left him with torn ligaments in both his thumbs and so while booked off work for three months Michael Meyer roped him in to liaise the route. This involved getting permission from 55 land owners to organise two 70km stages and as Corrie found there are no trails without lengthy land
Trail fairies are the sprites which miraculously fi x
and build trails while the rest of us are sleeping –
dreaming in single track. They cut berms, sculpt
features and even construct bull and chicken runs to
accommodate a variety of skills. These hard working
imps are very real but not in the form you thought
and as Seamus Allardice found out they need more
cash and hands to keep up their essential work.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN
trail fairies?
www.issuu.com
/FullSussa
full sus
pg28
Trails
pg12
A Purple GT
pg18
FullSussa
@FullSussa
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLYMOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
FREE
November
2013, Vol 8
Skills Column
pg14
NEW
turn to page 4
Cherise Stander
Column
pg22
EXCLUSIVE
W
e all want to ride the best
trails, they don’t always have
to be perfectly manicured
– sometimes rough and ready is far more fun – but we’re not always aware of what really goes into building and maintaining great MTB trails. Hence riders acting like they believe in what Meurant Botha calls “trail fairies”. I’m sure most of the time it’s not a conscious thing, it’s just that it’s easy to take for granted that someone built
your favourite bit of trail (unless you did it yourself) or that someone comes out on a Saturday morning and fi xes the braking bumps.
So with the Origin of Trails coming
up at the end of the month I went to speak to the route planner, Corrie Muller and Specialized’s Bobby Behan about the work that they’ve been putting into the trails around Stellenbosch. And got James Thornhill- Fisher to chip in with information on
how the highly successful Tygerberg MTB Club manages their trails, but let’s start with the Origins…
In 2012 a group of avid riders from
Stellenbosch, including 2009 Dakar Rally champion Giniel de Villiers and Stillwater Sport’s Michael Meyer, got together to raise money to expand the Jonkershoek trails. With the help of a fundraiser coordinated by one of the local bike shops, Bike Marathon Triathlon, and Specialized chipping in quite signifi cantly they managed to raise R160 000 which they turned over to Bennet Nel of Ace Of Spades to build new trails.
This planted the seed of what
was to become the Origin of Trails concept. To host a world class MTB event in the town used as a base for many top riders, including Christoph Sauser (a long time Stellenbosch summer resident), Nino Schurter and Jaroslav Kulhavy, and to use the funds to contribute directly to
the trails in the region. As any old MTB hand from the Winelands will tell you – Stellenbosch is the spiritual home of MTB in South Africa. So it’s essential that they keep building quality trails to ensure that Stellenbosch keeps attracting and starts producing the world’s top riders. But let’s get down and dirty
looking at what goes into laying trails
for you to enjoy.
Origin’s route director, Corrie
Muller, is usually a dentist by day, but a MTB crash left him with torn ligaments in both his thumbs and so while booked off work for three months Michael Meyer roped him in to liaise the route. This involved getting permission from 55 land owners to organise two 70km stages and as Corrie found there are no trails without lengthy land
Trail fairies are the sprites which miraculously fi x
and build trails while the rest of us are sleeping –
dreaming in single track. They cut berms, sculpt
features and even construct bull and chicken runs to
accommodate a variety of skills. These hard working
imps are very real but not in the form you thought
and as Seamus Allardice found out they need more
cash and hands to keep up their essential work.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN
trail fairies?
www.issuu.com
/FullSussa
full sus
4
access debates – on average
two hours per kilometre…
It’s not that land owners don’t want
MTBers on their property; they are
just understandably particular about
where the trails go.
Corrie approached 58 land owners,
so just three no’s are really pretty
good going. Private land owners are
actually easy to deal with apparently.
It just takes some negotiating.
Sometimes they want to show off
a particular feature of their farm, or
take the route past the wine cellar to
plant the meme for future sales. As
the ex-chair of the Tygerberg MTB
Club and new Full Sus contributor,
James Thornhill-Fisher explained,
land owners have found that having
MTBers on their land act as extra
eyes to spot trespassers and other
potential issues. While there will
always be the nitwit who makes a
nuisance of himself by straying off
the designated path, for the most part
land owners have found riders to be
keen to protect their trail resources.
And at the end of the day trails are
an expensive resource. Corrie says
that it cost around R2 500 per day to
cut trail high in Jonkershoek, which
when you consider that it took 15 days
to construct three switch-backs, which
don’t measure up to anywhere near a
kilometre, you’re looking at a R37 500
bill. Terrain as you’d imagine is the
most important factor in infl uencing
the cost of trail building, and James
Thornhill-Fisher concurs, at the time
of Tygerberg’s major expansion
they were budgeting R30 000 per
kilometre over rough virgin ground.
Which is why jeep tracks, gravel roads
and traverses along orchard or vine
rows are more common than single
tracks through natural veld.
So it’s not just bottle necks
which stop event organisers fi lling
a race with quality single track. Just
consider the eff ect of 1 000 plus
pairs of wheels rolling over the
carefully manicured trails – which
cost around R1 000 per kilometre to
fi x – during a large MTB event. Some
races use their profi le to leverage
trail access without contributing to
their maintenance, which means
that the land owners or the original
builders are saddled with the burden
of putting up the cash for fi xing the
damage incurred. This leaves a rather
sour taste in the mouth. So the more
responsible organisers are keen to
avoid burning their bridges with land
owners, to ensure that the race can
return year after year to the same
farms and rather than the amount of
single track decreasing every year
the opposite can happen.
And on that note, a reminder is due
when you’re out for a training ride or
just a fun crank – don’t sneak around
the pay point – if you ride the trail be
prepared to pay for it, or in the case
of public access trails maybe you
should consider volunteering for a
Saturday morning. Contact your local
bike shop and see if they’ve got a
trail maintenance programme, if they
don’t they should be able to direct
you in the direction of the relevant
local trail builder. And if nobody else
is doing it, maybe you should start a
fund raising project to look after your
local trails.
Corrie Muller is a Stellenbosch old
hand; his family have been in town
since the turn of the nineteenth century
and his love of the place is abundantly
apparent. He’s a dentist by day and was
talked into upgrading from his old 26er
by Bobby Behan during the interview,
so if you see Corrie on a fancy new
Specialized Epic you can ask him for a
fi rst-hand review.
Riding in Stellenbosch
If you’re planning a trip to the spiritual home of MTB in SA and can’t
take your bike with you drop in at the Ride In. Conveniently located
just outside town on the Jonkershoek road the Ride In Café off ers: bike
rentals (the full carbon Specialized Stumpjumper FSR will set you back
R450 per day while the alu model is R250 per day), great Häzz coff ees,
healthy meals, a spot to shower and a bike wash. All of which can be
enjoyed while taking in the spectacular views across the vineyards at
the Stellenbosch mountains. Look them up at www.ridein.co.za or check
them out on Facebook.com/RideInJonkershoek.
FS The origin of MTB trails
“IT’S NOT
JUST BOTTLE
NECKS WHICH
STOP EVENT
ORGANISERS
FILLING A RACE
WITH QUALITY
SINGLE TRACK.”
from page 1
The iconic Cape Fold Mountains of Stellenbosch
set the scene for the Origin of Trails but make
trail building costly.
ALL PHOTOS BY CHERIE VALE/NEWSPORT MEDIA
access debates – on average
two hours per kilometre…
It’s not that land owners don’t want
MTBers on their property; they are
just understandably particular about
where the trails go.
Corrie approached 58 land owners,
so just three no’s are really pretty
good going. Private land owners are
actually easy to deal with apparently.
It just takes some negotiating.
Sometimes they want to show off
a particular feature of their farm, or
take the route past the wine cellar to
plant the meme for future sales. As
the ex-chair of the Tygerberg MTB
Club and new Full Sus contributor,
James Thornhill-Fisher explained,
land owners have found that having
MTBers on their land act as extra
eyes to spot trespassers and other
potential issues. While there will
always be the nitwit who makes a
nuisance of himself by straying off
the designated path, for the most part
land owners have found riders to be
keen to protect their trail resources.
And at the end of the day trails are
an expensive resource. Corrie says
that it cost around R2 500 per day to
cut trail high in Jonkershoek, which
when you consider that it took 15 days
to construct three switch-backs, which
don’t measure up to anywhere near a
kilometre, you’re looking at a R37 500
bill. Terrain as you’d imagine is the
most important factor in infl uencing
the cost of trail building, and James
Thornhill-Fisher concurs, at the time
of Tygerberg’s major expansion
they were budgeting R30 000 per
kilometre over rough virgin ground.
Which is why jeep tracks, gravel roads
and traverses along orchard or vine
rows are more common than single
tracks through natural veld.
So it’s not just bottle necks
which stop event organisers fi lling
a race with quality single track. Just
consider the eff ect of 1 000 plus
pairs of wheels rolling over the
carefully manicured trails – which
cost around R1 000 per kilometre to
fi x – during a large MTB event. Some
races use their profi le to leverage
trail access without contributing to
their maintenance, which means
that the land owners or the original
builders are saddled with the burden
of putting up the cash for fi xing the
damage incurred. This leaves a rather
sour taste in the mouth. So the more
responsible organisers are keen to
avoid burning their bridges with land
owners, to ensure that the race can
return year after year to the same
farms and rather than the amount of
single track decreasing every year
the opposite can happen.
And on that note, a reminder is due
when you’re out for a training ride or
just a fun crank – don’t sneak around
the pay point – if you ride the trail be
prepared to pay for it, or in the case
of public access trails maybe you
should consider volunteering for a
Saturday morning. Contact your local
bike shop and see if they’ve got a
trail maintenance programme, if they
don’t they should be able to direct
you in the direction of the relevant
local trail builder. And if nobody else
is doing it, maybe you should start a
fund raising project to look after your
local trails.
Corrie Muller is a Stellenbosch old
hand; his family have been in town
since the turn of the nineteenth century
and his love of the place is abundantly
apparent. He’s a dentist by day and was
talked into upgrading from his old 26er
by Bobby Behan during the interview,
so if you see Corrie on a fancy new
Specialized Epic you can ask him for a
fi rst-hand review.
Riding in Stellenbosch
If you’re planning a trip to the spiritual home of MTB in SA and can’t
take your bike with you drop in at the Ride In. Conveniently located
just outside town on the Jonkershoek road the Ride In Café off ers: bike
rentals (the full carbon Specialized Stumpjumper FSR will set you back
R450 per day while the alu model is R250 per day), great Häzz coff ees,
healthy meals, a spot to shower and a bike wash. All of which can be
enjoyed while taking in the spectacular views across the vineyards at
the Stellenbosch mountains. Look them up at www.ridein.co.za or check
them out on Facebook.com/RideInJonkershoek.
FS The origin of MTB trails
“IT’S NOT
JUST BOTTLE
NECKS WHICH
STOP EVENT
ORGANISERS
FILLING A RACE
WITH QUALITY
SINGLE TRACK.”
from page 1
The iconic Cape Fold Mountains of Stellenbosch
set the scene for the Origin of Trails but make
trail building costly.
ALL PHOTOS BY CHERIE VALE/NEWSPORT MEDIA
Conservation
Column
pg14
Bike Review
pg16
FullSussa
@FullSussa
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLYMOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
FREE
December
2013, Vol 9
Building an XCO
course
pg20
turn to page 2
Cherise Stander Column
pg22
www.issuu.com
/FullSussa
full sus
Enduro Racing
pg8
Guide to buying your FIRST NEW BIKE
T
here are a host of factors
to take into account. Just
like buying anything else of
considerable cost, it pays to do your research. There is so much to get through, so let’s jump right in.
In our fi rst entry level bike article we
look at hard-tail 29ers because they are versatile, cost-eff ective, simple to set-up, cheaper to service and to be honest, despite the lower specifi cation
components, some are really very
capable. If you need convincing, just
give Dylan Chilcott’s account of riding
fi ve of the six days of the Lesotho Sky
race on a rigid bike a read. Not that
we want to turn all of you into steel
frame, single speed mountain biking
purists (you might read that as snobs,
depending on your prerogative.)
First off you need to consider the
type of riding you are going to be doing. Most manufacturers produce bicycles not only for price points, but with an intended use in mind too. So where will you be riding? Will you be riding for fi tness or commuting mostly on tar and the odd gravel road? Will you be riding on gravel roads and the odd bit of single track? Or are you keen on jumping headlong into this mountain biking malarkey, riding rooty and rocky single track at every opportunity? The type of riding you
intend doing will be the over-riding factor in your choice of bike.
If you’re going to throw a set
of slicks on your new steed and
use it to get back to your teenage
fi gure, or even complete an Argus
or 94.7 Cycle Tour, you won’t need
to be concerned with tubeless
compatibility, tapered head tubes
and front shock (commonly referred
to as the fork) specifi cations. You
can safely purchase a bike from a
reputable store safe in the knowledge
that there isn’t much you’ll be able
to do to cause it signifi cant damage.
For this usage a cheaper model isn’t
going to aff ect your riding pleasure.
We’d suggest going for as big a
range of gears as possible though,
as you might need the smaller
gears for getting up climbs like
Suikerbossie, especially if you’re unfi t,
and the bigger gears for maintaining
a good tempo on the fl ats.
If you’re planning on getting out
into nature on your new bike, riding
gravel roads in nature reserves like
the West Coast National Park, De
Hoop Nature Reserve or Golden
Gate Highlands National Park, then
you’ll need to look for a slightly more
capable machine. Looking at bikes
in and around the R10 000 mark
there are a host of options. You will
probably not want to spend extra
on tyres so choose a bike which
is already fi tted with tyres with a
medium profi led knobbly. The rule is
lower profi led knobblies for smoother
terrain and more aggressive protrusions for the rough stuff . For
gravel road riding go for a middle of
the range tyre. It’s worthwhile to note
that the width of your tyre is also
going to aff ect your rolling resistance.
So if you’re not intending on going
seriously off -road you could do
without the extra resistance that the
added grip of wide tyres provides.
Gravel road biking is a good way
to get out into nature and maybe
the MTB bug will bite while you’re
out there… It is for this reason you
should seriously consider spending
an extra R2 000 to R3 000 which
will take you out of the realm of true
entry level bikes and into the realm
of capable budget machines.
These bikes have sadly felt the
Rand/Dollar weakness quite
badly with distributors having
to push up the prices quite a
bit between 2013 and 2014.
So perhaps the best tip of this
article, and this goes for those
of you in the market for high-end
Guide to buying your
probably not want to spend extra
on tyres so choose a bike which
is already fi tted with tyres with a
medium profi led knobbly. The rule is
lower profi led knobblies for smoother
terrain and more aggressive
protrusions for the rough stuff . For
gravel road riding go for a middle of
the range tyre. It’s worthwhile to note
that the width of your tyre is also
Avalanche
XXIX Zero
IF YOU’RE GOING TO THROW A SET OF
SLICKS ON YOUR NEW STEED AND USE IT
TO GET BACK TO YOUR TEENAGE FIGURE YOU WON’T NEED TO BE CONCERNED
WITH TUBELESS COMPATIBILITY, TAPERED
HEAD TUBES AND FRONT SHOCK SPECIFICATIONS.
If you’re picking this up as you peruse your fi rst
mountain bike purchase, in what is to become
your local bike shop, this article is especially for
you. Get them to make you a coff ee and put
your feet up as you read the Full Sus guide to
purchasing an entry level bike.
Momsen
AL429
reputable store safe in the knowledge
to do to cause it signifi cant damage.
For this usage a cheaper model isn’t
Suikerbossie, especially if you’re unfi t,
and the bigger gears for maintaining
will take you out of the realm of true
entry level bikes and into the realm
of capable budget machines.
These bikes have sadly felt the
Rand/Dollar weakness quite
article, and this goes for those
of you in the market for high-end
Scott
aspect 910
Column
pg14
Bike Review
pg16
FullSussa
@FullSussa
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLYMOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
FREE
December
2013, Vol 9
Building an XCO
course
pg20
turn to page 2
Cherise Stander Column
pg22
www.issuu.com
/FullSussa
full sus
Enduro Racing
pg8
Guide to buying your FIRST NEW BIKE
T
here are a host of factors
to take into account. Just
like buying anything else of
considerable cost, it pays to do your research. There is so much to get through, so let’s jump right in.
In our fi rst entry level bike article we
look at hard-tail 29ers because they are versatile, cost-eff ective, simple to set-up, cheaper to service and to be honest, despite the lower specifi cation
components, some are really very
capable. If you need convincing, just
give Dylan Chilcott’s account of riding
fi ve of the six days of the Lesotho Sky
race on a rigid bike a read. Not that
we want to turn all of you into steel
frame, single speed mountain biking
purists (you might read that as snobs,
depending on your prerogative.)
First off you need to consider the
type of riding you are going to be doing. Most manufacturers produce bicycles not only for price points, but with an intended use in mind too. So where will you be riding? Will you be riding for fi tness or commuting mostly on tar and the odd gravel road? Will you be riding on gravel roads and the odd bit of single track? Or are you keen on jumping headlong into this mountain biking malarkey, riding rooty and rocky single track at every opportunity? The type of riding you
intend doing will be the over-riding factor in your choice of bike.
If you’re going to throw a set
of slicks on your new steed and
use it to get back to your teenage
fi gure, or even complete an Argus
or 94.7 Cycle Tour, you won’t need
to be concerned with tubeless
compatibility, tapered head tubes
and front shock (commonly referred
to as the fork) specifi cations. You
can safely purchase a bike from a
reputable store safe in the knowledge
that there isn’t much you’ll be able
to do to cause it signifi cant damage.
For this usage a cheaper model isn’t
going to aff ect your riding pleasure.
We’d suggest going for as big a
range of gears as possible though,
as you might need the smaller
gears for getting up climbs like
Suikerbossie, especially if you’re unfi t,
and the bigger gears for maintaining
a good tempo on the fl ats.
If you’re planning on getting out
into nature on your new bike, riding
gravel roads in nature reserves like
the West Coast National Park, De
Hoop Nature Reserve or Golden
Gate Highlands National Park, then
you’ll need to look for a slightly more
capable machine. Looking at bikes
in and around the R10 000 mark
there are a host of options. You will
probably not want to spend extra
on tyres so choose a bike which
is already fi tted with tyres with a
medium profi led knobbly. The rule is
lower profi led knobblies for smoother
terrain and more aggressive protrusions for the rough stuff . For
gravel road riding go for a middle of
the range tyre. It’s worthwhile to note
that the width of your tyre is also
going to aff ect your rolling resistance.
So if you’re not intending on going
seriously off -road you could do
without the extra resistance that the
added grip of wide tyres provides.
Gravel road biking is a good way
to get out into nature and maybe
the MTB bug will bite while you’re
out there… It is for this reason you
should seriously consider spending
an extra R2 000 to R3 000 which
will take you out of the realm of true
entry level bikes and into the realm
of capable budget machines.
These bikes have sadly felt the
Rand/Dollar weakness quite
badly with distributors having
to push up the prices quite a
bit between 2013 and 2014.
So perhaps the best tip of this
article, and this goes for those
of you in the market for high-end
Guide to buying your
probably not want to spend extra
on tyres so choose a bike which
is already fi tted with tyres with a
medium profi led knobbly. The rule is
lower profi led knobblies for smoother
terrain and more aggressive
protrusions for the rough stuff . For
gravel road riding go for a middle of
the range tyre. It’s worthwhile to note
that the width of your tyre is also
Avalanche
XXIX Zero
IF YOU’RE GOING TO THROW A SET OF
SLICKS ON YOUR NEW STEED AND USE IT
TO GET BACK TO YOUR TEENAGE FIGURE YOU WON’T NEED TO BE CONCERNED
WITH TUBELESS COMPATIBILITY, TAPERED
HEAD TUBES AND FRONT SHOCK SPECIFICATIONS.
If you’re picking this up as you peruse your fi rst
mountain bike purchase, in what is to become
your local bike shop, this article is especially for
you. Get them to make you a coff ee and put
your feet up as you read the Full Sus guide to
purchasing an entry level bike.
Momsen
AL429
reputable store safe in the knowledge
to do to cause it signifi cant damage.
For this usage a cheaper model isn’t
Suikerbossie, especially if you’re unfi t,
and the bigger gears for maintaining
will take you out of the realm of true
entry level bikes and into the realm
of capable budget machines.
These bikes have sadly felt the
Rand/Dollar weakness quite
article, and this goes for those
of you in the market for high-end
Scott
aspect 910
2
Bike Frame Fork Drivetrain Brakes Wheels Sizes
Axis A10 Triple Butted 6061 Alloy
Suntour Axon, remote
lockout
Shimano SLX 3 x 10
Shimano Deore Hydraulic
Disc
Kore XCD SL 29 15”, 17”, 19”, 21”
Fuji Nevada 29 1.1 Custom Butted Alloy Suntour SF14-XCR-RL
Drivetrain: Shimano Deore
3 x 10
Hayes Dyno Hydraulic
Disc
Vera DPD22 15”, 17”, 19”, 21”, 23”
Ghost SE2950 SE 29 7005 DB Suntour Raidon 29 Air Shimano Deore 3 x 10 Tektro Hydraulic Disc Wheels: DT Swiss 1.8 16”, 17.5”, 19”, 20.5”, 22”
GT Zaskar 9R Sport
Hydroformed GT Speed
Metal
RockShox XC30 TK Solo
Air
Shimano/Sunrace mix
2 x 10
Avid DB1 Hydraulic DiscJalco XCD22 Double Wall S, M, L, XL
KTM Ultra Sport 29 6061 Alloy TB
Suntour SF13 Raidon RL-R
Air
Shimano M552 3 x 10
Shimano M445 Hydraulic
Disc
Ryde Taurus 21 Disc 15”, 17”, 19”, 21”, 22,5”
Merida Big Nine
TFS 900
TFS-D-Single Manitou 29 Tower LTD AirShimano/Sram mix 3 x 10Avid Elixir 1 Hydraulic DiscBig Nine Pro D 15”, 17”, 19”, 21”, 23”
Momsen A429 Alloy 6061 Butted Tubeset
Suntour SR Raidon XC
RL Air
Shimano Deore 3 x 10
Shimano M395 Hydraulic
Disc
Stan’s ZTR Rapid S, M, L, XL
Scott Aspect 910 6061 Alloy RockShox XC32TK 29 Shimano Deore 3 x 10
Shimano BRM447
Hydraulic Disc
Syncros X-39 Disc Sizes: S, M, L, XL
Specialized Rockhopper
Comp 29
A1 Premium Aluminium RockShox XC28 Sunrace 2 x 10
Tektro Draco 2 Hydraulic
Disc
RH Disc 29” Alloy Double
Wall
15.5”, 17.5”, 19”, 21”, 23”
Titan Trail 29R Hydro X6 Disc Suntour 14 XCM MLO Shimano Alivio 3 x 9
Shimano BRM395
Hydraulic Disc
Titan Disc 29er 17”, 19”, 21”, 23”
BIKES BETWEEN R10 000 & R15 000
FS Entry Level Bikes 101
from page 1
Coil vs Air Forks:
There are pros and cons
for the new rider to both
methods of absorbing the
bumps in the trail. Coil
forks are super simple
and require hardly any
maintenance, but they’re
heavier and can’t be
adjusted to suit as wide
a variety of riders and
conditions. Air forks are
lighter and readily adjusted
to your weight or the terrain
but they do require more
attention both in terms of
services and the odd pre-
ride adjustment. So if you’re
after hassle free, go for coil
and if you’re into riding on
varied terrain, go for air.
bikes too, buy 2013 models while
you can. You can always upgrade
specifi cations later. So speak to
your local bike shop about that
model that’s been sitting on the
showroom fl oor for six months…
Bike Frame Fork Drivetrain Brakes Wheels Sizes
AvalancheXXIX Zero 6061 Alloy Raidon-x3-lo29 Air
Shimano Deore/Alivio/
Acera
Tekto Hydraulic Disc
Alex Disc Hubs
Double Wall
16”, 18”, 20”, 22”
Bergamont Revox 5.3 Double Butted 6061 Alloy Rockshox XC-28 29” Sram/Shimano mix 3 x 10
Shimano M395 Hydraulic
Disc
Alex DP-20, 622-19, Disc47cm, 51cm, 56cm, 60cm
Bianchi Kuma 29.1 Kuma 29” Aluminium Suntour XCM RL DS 29” Shimano Acera 3x9
Shimano M395 Hydraulic
Disc
Inferno 25 – 29 15”, 17”, 19”, 21”
Giant Revel 29er 1
ALUXX-Grade Butted
Aluminium
Suntour XCM MLO Sram/Shimano mix 3 x 8
Tektro Novela Mechanical
Disc
Giant XC Alloy XS,S,M,L,XL
GT Karakoram Sport
Hydroformed 6061 T6
Aluminium
Suntour XCT-MLO Suntour/Sunrace 3 x 9
Promax Decipher
Hydraulic Disc
Alex MD 17, Double Wall S, M, L, XL
Momsen A229 Alloy 6061 Butted Tubeset Suntour SR XCR AIR Sram X5 3 x 10
Tektro HDC 300 Hydraulic
Disc
Weinmann Double Wall S, M, L, XL
Mongoose Tyax 29 Mongoose XC Aluminium Suntour XCT ML Shimano 3 x 8 Promax Hydraulic Disc Alex TD25 Double Wall S, M, L, XL
Titan 29R Trail X6 Alloy
Suntour XCM MLO
100mm
Shimano Alivio 3x9 Shimano M395 Titan Disc 29er S, M, L, XL
Silverback Vida 3 6061 Custom Butted Alloy RockShox XC30 Shimano 3 x 9
Shimano M446 Hydraulic
Disc
Shimano RM66 15.5”, 16.5”, 19”, 21.5”
Trek Mamba Alpha Gold Aluminium RockShox XC32 Shimano Alivio 3 x 9
Hayes Dyno Hydraulic
Disc
AT-850 Double Wall 15.5”, 17.5”, 19”, 21”, 23”
Raleigh Talus
29 Sport
Custom Butted Aluminium Suntour XCR Shimano Alivio 3 x 9
Hayes MX5 Mechanical
Disc
Weinmann XM280 S, M, L, XL
SUS THE BIKE GUIDE:SUS THE BIKE GUIDE:
BIKES UNDER R10 000
the ride is one you’d like to avoid, so
going for a bike with rims and tyres
that are tubeless compatible is a
good idea.
While frames are all fairly similar
across the Sport, Elite, Expert and
Pro versions of the various models
(just as the WV Polo 1.4 and 1.6 have
the same body work and chassis)
the diff erence in pricing and ride
quality comes from the components.
The bullet proof entry level
drivetrains shouldn’t let you down,
but always go for the best wheelsets
you can. The cheaper wheels don’t
roll as well as the more expensive
models, partly because of bearing
quality but mostly because the rims
just aren’t as rigid. The rigidity (and
weight saving) is why people are
willing to fork out over R10 000 for
a set of carbon rims. If you’re keen
on getting into riding in a big way
speak to the sales person in the bike
shop, and go for the bike with the
best spec wheels you can aff ord.
Specialized
Rockhopper
The lower cost, capable bikes are
surprisingly good. Bikes like the
GT Zaskar 9R Sport and the Trek
Mamba share their more expensive
stable mates’ geometry (the length
and proportions of the various tubes
that make up the frame of the bike),
so you’re getting expensive R&D
for a budget price. Bikes like the
Momsen AL429 come with higher
specifi cation rims and tubeless
ready tyres which is an
important point to
consider if you’re
going to be riding
any serious trails.
The nightmare
of punctures and
replacing tubes on
Bike Frame Fork Drivetrain Brakes Wheels Sizes
Axis A10 Triple Butted 6061 Alloy
Suntour Axon, remote
lockout
Shimano SLX 3 x 10
Shimano Deore Hydraulic
Disc
Kore XCD SL 29 15”, 17”, 19”, 21”
Fuji Nevada 29 1.1 Custom Butted Alloy Suntour SF14-XCR-RL
Drivetrain: Shimano Deore
3 x 10
Hayes Dyno Hydraulic
Disc
Vera DPD22 15”, 17”, 19”, 21”, 23”
Ghost SE2950 SE 29 7005 DB Suntour Raidon 29 Air Shimano Deore 3 x 10 Tektro Hydraulic Disc Wheels: DT Swiss 1.8 16”, 17.5”, 19”, 20.5”, 22”
GT Zaskar 9R Sport
Hydroformed GT Speed
Metal
RockShox XC30 TK Solo
Air
Shimano/Sunrace mix
2 x 10
Avid DB1 Hydraulic DiscJalco XCD22 Double Wall S, M, L, XL
KTM Ultra Sport 29 6061 Alloy TB
Suntour SF13 Raidon RL-R
Air
Shimano M552 3 x 10
Shimano M445 Hydraulic
Disc
Ryde Taurus 21 Disc 15”, 17”, 19”, 21”, 22,5”
Merida Big Nine
TFS 900
TFS-D-Single Manitou 29 Tower LTD AirShimano/Sram mix 3 x 10Avid Elixir 1 Hydraulic DiscBig Nine Pro D 15”, 17”, 19”, 21”, 23”
Momsen A429 Alloy 6061 Butted Tubeset
Suntour SR Raidon XC
RL Air
Shimano Deore 3 x 10
Shimano M395 Hydraulic
Disc
Stan’s ZTR Rapid S, M, L, XL
Scott Aspect 910 6061 Alloy RockShox XC32TK 29 Shimano Deore 3 x 10
Shimano BRM447
Hydraulic Disc
Syncros X-39 Disc Sizes: S, M, L, XL
Specialized Rockhopper
Comp 29
A1 Premium Aluminium RockShox XC28 Sunrace 2 x 10
Tektro Draco 2 Hydraulic
Disc
RH Disc 29” Alloy Double
Wall
15.5”, 17.5”, 19”, 21”, 23”
Titan Trail 29R Hydro X6 Disc Suntour 14 XCM MLO Shimano Alivio 3 x 9
Shimano BRM395
Hydraulic Disc
Titan Disc 29er 17”, 19”, 21”, 23”
BIKES BETWEEN R10 000 & R15 000
FS Entry Level Bikes 101
from page 1
Coil vs Air Forks:
There are pros and cons
for the new rider to both
methods of absorbing the
bumps in the trail. Coil
forks are super simple
and require hardly any
maintenance, but they’re
heavier and can’t be
adjusted to suit as wide
a variety of riders and
conditions. Air forks are
lighter and readily adjusted
to your weight or the terrain
but they do require more
attention both in terms of
services and the odd pre-
ride adjustment. So if you’re
after hassle free, go for coil
and if you’re into riding on
varied terrain, go for air.
bikes too, buy 2013 models while
you can. You can always upgrade
specifi cations later. So speak to
your local bike shop about that
model that’s been sitting on the
showroom fl oor for six months…
Bike Frame Fork Drivetrain Brakes Wheels Sizes
AvalancheXXIX Zero 6061 Alloy Raidon-x3-lo29 Air
Shimano Deore/Alivio/
Acera
Tekto Hydraulic Disc
Alex Disc Hubs
Double Wall
16”, 18”, 20”, 22”
Bergamont Revox 5.3 Double Butted 6061 Alloy Rockshox XC-28 29” Sram/Shimano mix 3 x 10
Shimano M395 Hydraulic
Disc
Alex DP-20, 622-19, Disc47cm, 51cm, 56cm, 60cm
Bianchi Kuma 29.1 Kuma 29” Aluminium Suntour XCM RL DS 29” Shimano Acera 3x9
Shimano M395 Hydraulic
Disc
Inferno 25 – 29 15”, 17”, 19”, 21”
Giant Revel 29er 1
ALUXX-Grade Butted
Aluminium
Suntour XCM MLO Sram/Shimano mix 3 x 8
Tektro Novela Mechanical
Disc
Giant XC Alloy XS,S,M,L,XL
GT Karakoram Sport
Hydroformed 6061 T6
Aluminium
Suntour XCT-MLO Suntour/Sunrace 3 x 9
Promax Decipher
Hydraulic Disc
Alex MD 17, Double Wall S, M, L, XL
Momsen A229 Alloy 6061 Butted Tubeset Suntour SR XCR AIR Sram X5 3 x 10
Tektro HDC 300 Hydraulic
Disc
Weinmann Double Wall S, M, L, XL
Mongoose Tyax 29 Mongoose XC Aluminium Suntour XCT ML Shimano 3 x 8 Promax Hydraulic Disc Alex TD25 Double Wall S, M, L, XL
Titan 29R Trail X6 Alloy
Suntour XCM MLO
100mm
Shimano Alivio 3x9 Shimano M395 Titan Disc 29er S, M, L, XL
Silverback Vida 3 6061 Custom Butted Alloy RockShox XC30 Shimano 3 x 9
Shimano M446 Hydraulic
Disc
Shimano RM66 15.5”, 16.5”, 19”, 21.5”
Trek Mamba Alpha Gold Aluminium RockShox XC32 Shimano Alivio 3 x 9
Hayes Dyno Hydraulic
Disc
AT-850 Double Wall 15.5”, 17.5”, 19”, 21”, 23”
Raleigh Talus
29 Sport
Custom Butted Aluminium Suntour XCR Shimano Alivio 3 x 9
Hayes MX5 Mechanical
Disc
Weinmann XM280 S, M, L, XL
SUS THE BIKE GUIDE:SUS THE BIKE GUIDE:
BIKES UNDER R10 000
the ride is one you’d like to avoid, so
going for a bike with rims and tyres
that are tubeless compatible is a
good idea.
While frames are all fairly similar
across the Sport, Elite, Expert and
Pro versions of the various models
(just as the WV Polo 1.4 and 1.6 have
the same body work and chassis)
the diff erence in pricing and ride
quality comes from the components.
The bullet proof entry level
drivetrains shouldn’t let you down,
but always go for the best wheelsets
you can. The cheaper wheels don’t
roll as well as the more expensive
models, partly because of bearing
quality but mostly because the rims
just aren’t as rigid. The rigidity (and
weight saving) is why people are
willing to fork out over R10 000 for
a set of carbon rims. If you’re keen
on getting into riding in a big way
speak to the sales person in the bike
shop, and go for the bike with the
best spec wheels you can aff ord.
Specialized
Rockhopper
The lower cost, capable bikes are
surprisingly good. Bikes like the
GT Zaskar 9R Sport and the Trek
Mamba share their more expensive
stable mates’ geometry (the length
and proportions of the various tubes
that make up the frame of the bike),
so you’re getting expensive R&D
for a budget price. Bikes like the
Momsen AL429 come with higher
specifi cation rims and tubeless
ready tyres which is an
important point to
consider if you’re
going to be riding
any serious trails.
The nightmare
of punctures and
replacing tubes on
8
or hard-tail 29ers. And the reason for
that is simple economics.
Yes, you could downgrade your
car to ride the 2014 Epic, like one
of the Full Sus readers’ mates is
supposedly doing, but for most of
us, especially those of us driving a
2005 Toyota Tazz, that’s not really
an option. Normal mountain bikers
have to make the realistic choice
of what they can afford and go for
the most capable bike in that price
bracket. Often that’s going to be
the best hard-tail 29er. As you saw
from the table in the December issue
(recap at www.issuu.com/fullsussa),
there are quite a few options to
choose from – and you should bear
in mind that we didn’t list every
single bike, but kept it to one per
manufacturer to keep it manageable.
The Basics
If you’re in the market for a hard-tail
29er with ride anywhere capabilities
(anywhere bar a downhill course that
is) then these are the following points
you need to look for:
◆ A tapered head tube
With a wider base, a tapered head
tube offers strength and stiffness,
where you need it most – where the
fork, head tube and down tube join.
◆ Quality wheels
You’re going to want to go for the
best specification hubs, rims and
tyres you can afford, better wheels
roll faster and are worth every cent if
you don’t want to be pedalling your
legs off to keep up with your mates
when they’re freewheeling. Cheap
wheels pretty much negate the
benefits of the big 29er wheels – so
if you can’t afford decent new wheels
rather shop second hand.
◆ Tubeless tyres
If you’re going to be riding on any
trails of any consequence you’re
going to want tubeless ready rims
and tyres. Get your local bike shop
to do the conversion before you
take the bike home, it’ll make
your life so much easier. Tubeless
tyres allow you to run lower air
pressures, which allow your tyres
to grip better, and help you avoid
those pesky punctures.
◆ Air sprung fork
While there nothing wrong with
the coil sprung forks on some of
the bikes in this price range, the
benefit of an air sprung fork is
the adjustability. You can set the
suspension recoil and air pressure
to suit your weight, riding style
and the terrain you’re riding. Yes
it’s going to cost you a bit more in
maintenance, mainly in the effort of
remembering to check the pressure
regularly, but if you take good care
of your bike (as you should) you
won’t have any issues.
FS Entry Level Bikes 102
Y
es we’d all like a full suspension bike – or even better a full suspension XC
bike, a full suspension trail bike and a steel framed single speed (if you’re going to dream) – but for most of us that’s just not financially feasible. If you look around you, on the start line of a Saturday 45km race, you’ll notice that the majority of riders aren’t on high end full suspension, full carbon 29ers. There certainly are riders on full sus 29ers, but chances are the majority are riding the more reasonably priced aluminium models - full sus 26ers
Last month Full Sus launched its guide to buying
your first bike by discussing the hard-tail 29er
options for the new mountain bike rider. With the
recreational mountain bikes out the way, let’s
take a closer look at the bikes in the R10 000 to
R15 000 – because if you choose wisely from the
bikes in this range you’ll have a bike capable of
conquering just about any mountain obstacle.
CAPABLE
hard-tails
A tapered
head tube
continued on page 9
JULIA ANDRADE
Momsen’s AL429 – it’ll take you
anywhere on the mountain and
ensure you have a blast too.
or hard-tail 29ers. And the reason for
that is simple economics.
Yes, you could downgrade your
car to ride the 2014 Epic, like one
of the Full Sus readers’ mates is
supposedly doing, but for most of
us, especially those of us driving a
2005 Toyota Tazz, that’s not really
an option. Normal mountain bikers
have to make the realistic choice
of what they can afford and go for
the most capable bike in that price
bracket. Often that’s going to be
the best hard-tail 29er. As you saw
from the table in the December issue
(recap at www.issuu.com/fullsussa),
there are quite a few options to
choose from – and you should bear
in mind that we didn’t list every
single bike, but kept it to one per
manufacturer to keep it manageable.
The Basics
If you’re in the market for a hard-tail
29er with ride anywhere capabilities
(anywhere bar a downhill course that
is) then these are the following points
you need to look for:
◆ A tapered head tube
With a wider base, a tapered head
tube offers strength and stiffness,
where you need it most – where the
fork, head tube and down tube join.
◆ Quality wheels
You’re going to want to go for the
best specification hubs, rims and
tyres you can afford, better wheels
roll faster and are worth every cent if
you don’t want to be pedalling your
legs off to keep up with your mates
when they’re freewheeling. Cheap
wheels pretty much negate the
benefits of the big 29er wheels – so
if you can’t afford decent new wheels
rather shop second hand.
◆ Tubeless tyres
If you’re going to be riding on any
trails of any consequence you’re
going to want tubeless ready rims
and tyres. Get your local bike shop
to do the conversion before you
take the bike home, it’ll make
your life so much easier. Tubeless
tyres allow you to run lower air
pressures, which allow your tyres
to grip better, and help you avoid
those pesky punctures.
◆ Air sprung fork
While there nothing wrong with
the coil sprung forks on some of
the bikes in this price range, the
benefit of an air sprung fork is
the adjustability. You can set the
suspension recoil and air pressure
to suit your weight, riding style
and the terrain you’re riding. Yes
it’s going to cost you a bit more in
maintenance, mainly in the effort of
remembering to check the pressure
regularly, but if you take good care
of your bike (as you should) you
won’t have any issues.
FS Entry Level Bikes 102
Y
es we’d all like a full suspension bike – or even better a full suspension XC
bike, a full suspension trail bike and a steel framed single speed (if you’re going to dream) – but for most of us that’s just not financially feasible. If you look around you, on the start line of a Saturday 45km race, you’ll notice that the majority of riders aren’t on high end full suspension, full carbon 29ers. There certainly are riders on full sus 29ers, but chances are the majority are riding the more reasonably priced aluminium models - full sus 26ers
Last month Full Sus launched its guide to buying
your first bike by discussing the hard-tail 29er
options for the new mountain bike rider. With the
recreational mountain bikes out the way, let’s
take a closer look at the bikes in the R10 000 to
R15 000 – because if you choose wisely from the
bikes in this range you’ll have a bike capable of
conquering just about any mountain obstacle.
CAPABLE
hard-tails
A tapered
head tube
continued on page 9
JULIA ANDRADE
Momsen’s AL429 – it’ll take you
anywhere on the mountain and
ensure you have a blast too.
Spec Bonuses
It’s not just the Momsen AL429
which features surprising
specifi cation highlights. The
2014 Suntour Raidon 29er forks
feature remote lockout across
the range. If you’re looking for a
feature to make your life a little
easier on the bike that’s a good
option, which you’ll fi nd on the
KTM Ultra Sport and Ghost SE2950
too. The Axis A20 goes one better
though, featuring the surprisingly
light Suntour Axon fork with a 15mm
through axle. As yet none of the
other lower cost bikes have caught
onto this trend, but look for others
to follow suit later in the year.
On the drivetrain front, most
of the manufacturers have gone
for 3 x 10 set-ups, which provide
a great range of gears. If you’re
new to the sport then the range
is going to be a great help, but if
you’re planning on racing (this is
especially important if the bike
is for a teenager) you should
consider one of the 2 x 10 equipped
machines rather. There is less gear
duplication and less to go wrong
(i.e. a broken chain caused by
crossing the chain too diagonally,
from the chainring to the cassette,
under power).
For the Smaller Riders
If you’re slight of stature and have
found the 29 inch wheels a bit much
to handle, you should consider the
650B (27.5 inch wheel) off erings.
Giant’s ladies specifi c Tempt 27.5
(from R6 750) and men’s Talon 27.5
(from R6 995), Avalanche Bond
27.5 (sorry no pricing info), Merida’s
ladies specifi c Juliet 10 and men’s
Big Seven (sorry no pricing info),
Momsen’s ladies specifi c LA 651
(from R6 000) and men’s AL655
(from R7 000), Silverback’s ladies
specifi c Splash (from R4 999) and
men’s Slade (from R5 850) and
Titan’s ladies specifi c 650b men’s
Calypso Trail (from R6 499) and
650b Comp (from R9 499), are all
worth a closer look.
Possible Problems
My concern with the entry lower cost
bikes is the bottom bracket quality.
Maybe it’s a symptom of being used to
the look of the oversized BB30 bottom
brackets, but the little bottom brackets
on the lower cost bikes did have me
worried. The lack of a protective collar
joining the crank arm to the frame
leaves the bearings vulnerable to grit
and grime too. However with some
online shopping research, my fears
were quickly dispelled. The Shimano
BB Spline ES25, as used on the
Momsen AL429, will only cost you R141
on buycycle.co.za or R150 on evobikes.
co.za. So while it’s not a particularly
sustainable way to go about it, you
can always ride it ‘til the grinding gets
too much and then replace it for a very
reasonable cost.
10
FS Entry Level Bikes 102
Across the Price Ranges
Using Momsen as example
here is a list of models and
prices across the hard-tail
29er off erings.
MODEL PRICE
AL029 R5 999
AL129 R7 150
AL229 R9 995
AL329 R11 995
AL429 R11 995
AL529 R17 995
AL629 R19 500
Momsen
AL229AL229
JULIA ANDRADE
For the smaller riders,
check out the Merida
Big Seven 100 bikes.
The entry level Momsen testSUSSUS
Momsen bikes very kindly let Full
Sus ride a couple of their value
models to research this story and
they were honestly great rides.
The AL229 model is priced at
R9 995, and comes well spec’d
with just the Kenda Small Block
Eight tyres letting the bike down
a bit. I took it up the Berg Pad
above Stellenbosch, around and
down to the plantations of Eden
(above Paradyskloof, just outside
Stellenbosch) were it handled
excellently on the gravel roads,
climbing as well as it’s big AL429
brother, but struggled a bit on the
loose single tracks of the pine
forests and the rooty, rocky single
tracks of the Blue Gums plantations.
The increased wheel stiff ness of
the Stan’s ZTR Rapid on the AL429
compared to the Weinmann/
Momsen Double Wall on the AL229
become increasingly noticeable as
the terrain becomes rougher. The
Schwalbe Racing Ralphs off ered
signifi cantly more grip to the
AL429 than the Kendas did for the
AL229. The diff erence between
the two Momsens nicely illustrated
the diff erent bikes for diff erent
predominant riding conditions
approach to bike buying that we
advocated in the previous article.
If you’re going to be riding gravel
roads to keep fi t and enjoy being
out in nature then the AL229 is the
bike for you. Even if you venture
off along the odd short section of
single track the stock standard
AL229 won’t let you down, but
if you’re going to enter races,
tackle anything rocky or negotiate
technical trails, then spend the extra
cash on the Momsen AL429.
The AL429 is one of the most fun
bikes I’ve ever ridden. It just wants
to ride. In fact it felt rather similar
to the Trek Stache in the simple
but responsive ride feel. The only
negative for me on the bike, which
I feel could have been fi xed at the
price point, is the rather unsightly
cable routing, which would have
looked better in a frame matching
tubing colour rather than the
white which stands out rather
glaringly. But on ride quality, trail
handling capability and component
specifi cations you can’t fault it,
especially at the R11 995 price. Yes,
it’s not the lightest and you’ll feel
the nearly 13kg weight on longer
climbs – but it’ll get you fi t, strong
and teach you trail riding skills.
There is an undeniable logic to the
‘do it the hard way on a hard-tail
to develop the base skills’ school
of thought, rather than learning
bad habits on a forgiving full
suspension (though if you do
ride a soft-tail there is no harm in
learning in more comfort).
I took the AL429 on a few rides,
the longest of which was a crank in
the torrential rain on the limestone
hard-dunes around Arniston. The
route featured plenty of short sharp
climbs and slick rock shelves made
treacherously slippery by the rain,
but the AL429 never missed a beat.
Its virtues against its AL229 stable-
mate have already been noted, but
the fact that it comes tubeless ready
is an essential feature while the
remote lockout on the Suntour SR
Raidon fork is a nice bonus.
from page 8
It’s not just the Momsen AL429
which features surprising
specifi cation highlights. The
2014 Suntour Raidon 29er forks
feature remote lockout across
the range. If you’re looking for a
feature to make your life a little
easier on the bike that’s a good
option, which you’ll fi nd on the
KTM Ultra Sport and Ghost SE2950
too. The Axis A20 goes one better
though, featuring the surprisingly
light Suntour Axon fork with a 15mm
Entry Level Bikes 102 For the smaller riders,
check out the Merida
Big Seven 100 bikes.
For the smaller riders,
check out the Merida
Big Seven 100 bikes.
from page 8
Spec Bonuses
The Axis A20, featuring the Suntour Axon
fork with a 15mm through axle.
It’s not just the Momsen AL429
which features surprising
specifi cation highlights. The
2014 Suntour Raidon 29er forks
feature remote lockout across
the range. If you’re looking for a
feature to make your life a little
easier on the bike that’s a good
option, which you’ll fi nd on the
KTM Ultra Sport and Ghost SE2950
too. The Axis A20 goes one better
though, featuring the surprisingly
light Suntour Axon fork with a 15mm
through axle. As yet none of the
other lower cost bikes have caught
onto this trend, but look for others
to follow suit later in the year.
On the drivetrain front, most
of the manufacturers have gone
for 3 x 10 set-ups, which provide
a great range of gears. If you’re
new to the sport then the range
is going to be a great help, but if
you’re planning on racing (this is
especially important if the bike
is for a teenager) you should
consider one of the 2 x 10 equipped
machines rather. There is less gear
duplication and less to go wrong
(i.e. a broken chain caused by
crossing the chain too diagonally,
from the chainring to the cassette,
under power).
For the Smaller Riders
If you’re slight of stature and have
found the 29 inch wheels a bit much
to handle, you should consider the
650B (27.5 inch wheel) off erings.
Giant’s ladies specifi c Tempt 27.5
(from R6 750) and men’s Talon 27.5
(from R6 995), Avalanche Bond
27.5 (sorry no pricing info), Merida’s
ladies specifi c Juliet 10 and men’s
Big Seven (sorry no pricing info),
Momsen’s ladies specifi c LA 651
(from R6 000) and men’s AL655
(from R7 000), Silverback’s ladies
specifi c Splash (from R4 999) and
men’s Slade (from R5 850) and
Titan’s ladies specifi c 650b men’s
Calypso Trail (from R6 499) and
650b Comp (from R9 499), are all
worth a closer look.
Possible Problems
My concern with the entry lower cost
bikes is the bottom bracket quality.
Maybe it’s a symptom of being used to
the look of the oversized BB30 bottom
brackets, but the little bottom brackets
on the lower cost bikes did have me
worried. The lack of a protective collar
joining the crank arm to the frame
leaves the bearings vulnerable to grit
and grime too. However with some
online shopping research, my fears
were quickly dispelled. The Shimano
BB Spline ES25, as used on the
Momsen AL429, will only cost you R141
on buycycle.co.za or R150 on evobikes.
co.za. So while it’s not a particularly
sustainable way to go about it, you
can always ride it ‘til the grinding gets
too much and then replace it for a very
reasonable cost.
10
FS Entry Level Bikes 102
Across the Price Ranges
Using Momsen as example
here is a list of models and
prices across the hard-tail
29er off erings.
MODEL PRICE
AL029 R5 999
AL129 R7 150
AL229 R9 995
AL329 R11 995
AL429 R11 995
AL529 R17 995
AL629 R19 500
Momsen
AL229AL229
JULIA ANDRADE
For the smaller riders,
check out the Merida
Big Seven 100 bikes.
The entry level Momsen testSUSSUS
Momsen bikes very kindly let Full
Sus ride a couple of their value
models to research this story and
they were honestly great rides.
The AL229 model is priced at
R9 995, and comes well spec’d
with just the Kenda Small Block
Eight tyres letting the bike down
a bit. I took it up the Berg Pad
above Stellenbosch, around and
down to the plantations of Eden
(above Paradyskloof, just outside
Stellenbosch) were it handled
excellently on the gravel roads,
climbing as well as it’s big AL429
brother, but struggled a bit on the
loose single tracks of the pine
forests and the rooty, rocky single
tracks of the Blue Gums plantations.
The increased wheel stiff ness of
the Stan’s ZTR Rapid on the AL429
compared to the Weinmann/
Momsen Double Wall on the AL229
become increasingly noticeable as
the terrain becomes rougher. The
Schwalbe Racing Ralphs off ered
signifi cantly more grip to the
AL429 than the Kendas did for the
AL229. The diff erence between
the two Momsens nicely illustrated
the diff erent bikes for diff erent
predominant riding conditions
approach to bike buying that we
advocated in the previous article.
If you’re going to be riding gravel
roads to keep fi t and enjoy being
out in nature then the AL229 is the
bike for you. Even if you venture
off along the odd short section of
single track the stock standard
AL229 won’t let you down, but
if you’re going to enter races,
tackle anything rocky or negotiate
technical trails, then spend the extra
cash on the Momsen AL429.
The AL429 is one of the most fun
bikes I’ve ever ridden. It just wants
to ride. In fact it felt rather similar
to the Trek Stache in the simple
but responsive ride feel. The only
negative for me on the bike, which
I feel could have been fi xed at the
price point, is the rather unsightly
cable routing, which would have
looked better in a frame matching
tubing colour rather than the
white which stands out rather
glaringly. But on ride quality, trail
handling capability and component
specifi cations you can’t fault it,
especially at the R11 995 price. Yes,
it’s not the lightest and you’ll feel
the nearly 13kg weight on longer
climbs – but it’ll get you fi t, strong
and teach you trail riding skills.
There is an undeniable logic to the
‘do it the hard way on a hard-tail
to develop the base skills’ school
of thought, rather than learning
bad habits on a forgiving full
suspension (though if you do
ride a soft-tail there is no harm in
learning in more comfort).
I took the AL429 on a few rides,
the longest of which was a crank in
the torrential rain on the limestone
hard-dunes around Arniston. The
route featured plenty of short sharp
climbs and slick rock shelves made
treacherously slippery by the rain,
but the AL429 never missed a beat.
Its virtues against its AL229 stable-
mate have already been noted, but
the fact that it comes tubeless ready
is an essential feature while the
remote lockout on the Suntour SR
Raidon fork is a nice bonus.
from page 8
It’s not just the Momsen AL429
which features surprising
specifi cation highlights. The
2014 Suntour Raidon 29er forks
feature remote lockout across
the range. If you’re looking for a
feature to make your life a little
easier on the bike that’s a good
option, which you’ll fi nd on the
KTM Ultra Sport and Ghost SE2950
too. The Axis A20 goes one better
though, featuring the surprisingly
light Suntour Axon fork with a 15mm
Entry Level Bikes 102 For the smaller riders,
check out the Merida
Big Seven 100 bikes.
For the smaller riders,
check out the Merida
Big Seven 100 bikes.
from page 8
Spec Bonuses
The Axis A20, featuring the Suntour Axon
fork with a 15mm through axle.
Trails
pg14
Check it out
online now
FullSussa
@FullSussa
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLYMOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
FREE
February
2014, Vol 11
Q&A Ladies in MTB
pg10
Bike Review
pg26
www.issuu.com
/FullSussa
full sus
Sani Pass
pg8
turn to page 4
LIVE
www.fullsus.co.za
T
o be fair, even with a sizable
loan, a great many of us,
myself included, wouldn’t be
able to aff ord a high end full carbon bike. So the loan option is a great prospect to get you on a well kitted, but reasonably priced aluminium full suspension bike. So having seen a profusion of bike loan fl iers strapped to the bars of bikes on the shop fl oor of local bike shops, and advertised online, Full Sus decided to look into the bike loan business and give you the low down.
Companies behind the loans
There are currently two companies whose rates you’ll see adorning bikes on your LBS shop fl oor, FinYou and Bike Life Finance. They’re by no means you’re only option, but they’re the most convenient. You could also get a loan from your bank. In fact FinYou is very open about the fact that they act as facilitators between you, the fi nancial institution and the retailer, rather than providing the loan themselves. The idea is that rather
than risk you getting led astray by the lure of a sizable cash deposit being made into your bank account, FinYou and Bike Life Finance pay the loan directly over to the retailer, in this case that’d be your local bike shop, removing the possibility of you spending the money on cases of craft beer instead.
Bike Life Finance meanwhile is
not acting as a facilitator but putting their own money on the line to get you on a shiny new bike.
We all want that full
carbon, super light do it
all bike with the latest
and greatest in bicycling
technology. But it
comes at a price… With
the exponential growth
of mountain biking,
more and more people
are fi nding that they
need to take out a loan
to get themselves on
the bike they want (or
need), so here’s Full Sus
look at the bike fi nance
options available to you.
Term Payment Interest
12
Higher installment lower
overall cost
10%
24
Middle of the price
range but can I aff ord it?
12%
36
Low installment but
higher overall cost
17%
Includes downpayment of 20%
Total cost of my
dream bike
wish list
◆ 29inch Full Suspension bike
◆ Carbon Frame
◆ Latest and greatest group set
◆ Superlight remote lockout fork
◆ Super stiff carbon wheels
Retail price: More than I can aff ord
But I can aff ord it
over 36months!
What kind of loans
Bicycle fi nance is, at this point in
time, in the form of a personal loan.
This means that it’s an unsecured
loan and is granted to you, based
on your integrity and ability to pay
it back. This means that if you’re
already heavily exposed to credit,
have a poor history of paying back
your loans or, if you’re like me and
have no credit history at all (the
worst type of credit history if you
want a loan) you’ll struggle to obtain
credit. But don’t be disheartened,
mountain bikers (I was told cyclists
in general to be fair) make very good
customers.
Financers like you because
you’re eager to make the purchase.
Because of this you’re more likely
to get the necessary documentation
to the credit providers in good time
and receive the yay or nay quickly
too. Typically within three hours for
FinYou’s provisional authorisation
(the average time is 65 minutes) and
if you go with Bike Life, you could
be riding your new steed in under
two days. You stand a good chance
of getting the yay too, with FinYou
approving 50% of their bicycle loan
applications, compared to their
average across the business rate of
only 20%. While Bike Life Finance
approval is currently averaging
around 75%.
This rate could be on the up too,
apparently Wesbank are looking at
a model to provide secured loans
for high end bikes. That’ll make it
easier to obtain fi nance as the bank
will have an asset to resell should
you default on your loan, thereby
reducing their risk.
bike finance
BUYING A BIKE ON CREDIT
pg14
Check it out
online now
FullSussa
@FullSussa
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLYMOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
FREE
February
2014, Vol 11
Q&A Ladies in MTB
pg10
Bike Review
pg26
www.issuu.com
/FullSussa
full sus
Sani Pass
pg8
turn to page 4
LIVE
www.fullsus.co.za
T
o be fair, even with a sizable
loan, a great many of us,
myself included, wouldn’t be
able to aff ord a high end full carbon bike. So the loan option is a great prospect to get you on a well kitted, but reasonably priced aluminium full suspension bike. So having seen a profusion of bike loan fl iers strapped to the bars of bikes on the shop fl oor of local bike shops, and advertised online, Full Sus decided to look into the bike loan business and give you the low down.
Companies behind the loans
There are currently two companies whose rates you’ll see adorning bikes on your LBS shop fl oor, FinYou and Bike Life Finance. They’re by no means you’re only option, but they’re the most convenient. You could also get a loan from your bank. In fact FinYou is very open about the fact that they act as facilitators between you, the fi nancial institution and the retailer, rather than providing the loan themselves. The idea is that rather
than risk you getting led astray by the lure of a sizable cash deposit being made into your bank account, FinYou and Bike Life Finance pay the loan directly over to the retailer, in this case that’d be your local bike shop, removing the possibility of you spending the money on cases of craft beer instead.
Bike Life Finance meanwhile is
not acting as a facilitator but putting their own money on the line to get you on a shiny new bike.
We all want that full
carbon, super light do it
all bike with the latest
and greatest in bicycling
technology. But it
comes at a price… With
the exponential growth
of mountain biking,
more and more people
are fi nding that they
need to take out a loan
to get themselves on
the bike they want (or
need), so here’s Full Sus
look at the bike fi nance
options available to you.
Term Payment Interest
12
Higher installment lower
overall cost
10%
24
Middle of the price
range but can I aff ord it?
12%
36
Low installment but
higher overall cost
17%
Includes downpayment of 20%
Total cost of my
dream bike
wish list
◆ 29inch Full Suspension bike
◆ Carbon Frame
◆ Latest and greatest group set
◆ Superlight remote lockout fork
◆ Super stiff carbon wheels
Retail price: More than I can aff ord
But I can aff ord it
over 36months!
What kind of loans
Bicycle fi nance is, at this point in
time, in the form of a personal loan.
This means that it’s an unsecured
loan and is granted to you, based
on your integrity and ability to pay
it back. This means that if you’re
already heavily exposed to credit,
have a poor history of paying back
your loans or, if you’re like me and
have no credit history at all (the
worst type of credit history if you
want a loan) you’ll struggle to obtain
credit. But don’t be disheartened,
mountain bikers (I was told cyclists
in general to be fair) make very good
customers.
Financers like you because
you’re eager to make the purchase.
Because of this you’re more likely
to get the necessary documentation
to the credit providers in good time
and receive the yay or nay quickly
too. Typically within three hours for
FinYou’s provisional authorisation
(the average time is 65 minutes) and
if you go with Bike Life, you could
be riding your new steed in under
two days. You stand a good chance
of getting the yay too, with FinYou
approving 50% of their bicycle loan
applications, compared to their
average across the business rate of
only 20%. While Bike Life Finance
approval is currently averaging
around 75%.
This rate could be on the up too,
apparently Wesbank are looking at
a model to provide secured loans
for high end bikes. That’ll make it
easier to obtain fi nance as the bank
will have an asset to resell should
you default on your loan, thereby
reducing their risk.
bike finance
BUYING A BIKE ON CREDIT
4
FS Bike fi nance
from page 1
Terms of fi nance
With the national credit act providing
strict guidelines, there’s no hocus
pocus or attempts to confuse you.
If there are, then you’re not using
a reputable lender and you should
back track, out of the dark alley you
went down to fi nd them, fast. All
loans should be simply laid out with
information on the deposit (20% for
Bike Life) and the period of repayment
(typically 12, 24 or 36 months), the
monthly payment and the total cost
clearly displayed. The quicker you
endeavour to pay back the loan the
lower your interest rate will be. Bike Life
Finance charges 10% for a 12 month
loan repayment period, 12% for 24
months and 15% or 17% for 36 months,
depending on the cost of the bike. As
an example, if you purchase a Bike Life
fi nanced carbon Giant Anthem ADV
X 29er 1 from Cyclesphere in Durban
with a retail price of R45 000, you’ll be
expected to pay R3 165 per month over
a year, R1 695 per month over two years
and R1 248 per month over three years.
The incentive to pay over a shorter
period is that the price increases from
the initial 45K to R46 980 over 12
months, R49 671 over 24 months and
to R53 926 over 36 months.
FinYou meanwhile list the price over
36 months on the tags you’ll spot
on the bikes, but that doesn’t mean
you can’t tailor the repayment period
to suit your budget. As they liaise
between you and the bank they’ve
got the ability to facilitate virtually any
sized loan, up to R230 000, so more
than enough for any bicycle.
You should also bear in mind though
that there could be an initiation fee
to add to the cost of the loan and
perhaps a monthly admin fee too.
FinYou for example does not charge
either, but Bike Life does. But these
also have to be clearly displayed in
accordance to the credit act. In fact
if you’re not already familiar with the
rights provided to you by the National
Credit Act of 2005, you should pay the
National Credit Regulator’s website a
visit (www.ncr.org.za).
Ease of procedure
Applying for a loan through FinYou
and Bike Life is similar to the process
that you’d follow if going to a bank.
They still need all your details,
including three months’ worth of
fi nancial statements, proof of address
and your banking details. Both
providers will provisionally approve
your loan in double quick time, but if
you don’t get the necessary additional
information to them soon enough
you’ll lose out on your bike. So the
onus lies with you to complete the
forms entirely, get the bank’s rubber
stamp to confi rm your fi nancial
information is correct and provide a
certifi ed copy of your pay slip.
I’d suggest that if you’re keen
to speed up the purchase of your
bike that you get the admin in order
before applying for the provisional
approval, that’ll shave precious time
off your application process. Chances
also are that while getting all the
paper work in order you’ll have the
time to double check your fi nances
and see if you really can aff ord the
bike you’re lusting after…
Insuring your bike or the loan
You don’t have to insure your bike
or the loan, but remember that you
or your estate, should the worst
happen, are still liable to make the
repayments if the bike is stolen or
broken. You don’t want to be making
repayments on a bike you no longer
have the joy of riding, so refer back
to the article Full Sus did on bike
insurance in the May issue (you can
fi nd it on www.issuu.com/fullsussa).
It’s never just a bike…
While you’re getting a loan for a bike
you might as well throw in some
extras too. Okay that’s irresponsible,
but the option is there. You can
bundle the bike, accessories and
riding kit in the same loan to make
the repayments really easy. You can
even bundle purchases from diff erent
stores into one loan.
So what are you waiting for?
Getting fi nance to purchase a bike
has never been as simple. You can
drop in to your local bike shop and
grab the forms or check out all the
details online at www.fi nyou.com or
www.bikelife.co.za. You can read up
on all the terms and conditions, as
you should, before you make your
now informed decision.
The responsible lendingSUSSUS
While Full Sus would like to see you out on the trails, riding and
loving the best bike you can possibly aff ord, we would hate to hear
of your family going hungry for it. Yes dropping some kilograms
might help you improve your power to weight ratio, but it won’t
help if you’re starving off the weight because you overspent on a
bike and now can’t aff ord to eat.
So please exercise some common sense before taking out a loan. Don’t
be irresponsible with your fi nances. Don’t buy into the “we have to buy our
way out of the recession school of thought”, it’s true on a macro level, but
you don’t want to be the micro guy making the big over commitment.
Yes your perfect bike might be the Superfl y FS or the S-Works Enduro,
but remember the best bike is the one you already own… Unless you’ve
got the money for it…. Then go crazy (and send us photos!)
FS News
newsnews
Xterra Kids
The Xterra series got underway again
at the end of January, and if you’re
not familiar with the format here’s
a reminder. It’s an off -road triathlon
series with events on the banks of
the Buff elspoort Dam in the North
West Province, amongst the fynbos
of Grabouw and the plantations of
Knysna (both in the Western Cape).
There are full and lite options for the
big kids and a kiddie option too.
Known as the Xterra Kids the races
off er the following options:
◆ 50m Swim, 1,5km Cycle and 500m
Run, for the six to eight years olds
◆ 100m Swim, 5km Cycle, 2km Run,
for the nine to eleven year olds.
◆ 200m Swim, 10km Cycle, 3km
Run, for the twelve to fourteen
year olds.
With Spur coming aboard as a
sponsor for all the fun Xterra Kids
events in 2014, the young ones can
look forward to some extra special
treats in the race goody bags. The
Xterra Kids races will take place on
the 21st of February at the Grabouw
Country Club. The Xterra Lite takes
place on the 22nd and the full Xterra
race takes place on the 23rd of
February, at the same venue.
Follow @xterrasa on twitter or go to www.stillwatersports.com for more info.
If you’re looking for added value to your riding experience look
no further than the Trek Rider’s Club. It’s free to join, you don’t have to own a Trek bike and off ers free mechanical support at all major multi-stage mountain bike events in South Africa (parts are charged – but you can’t get everything for free). As a member of the club you get invites to group rides with Trek sponsored riders, like James Reid and the Team Fedgroup, and to Trek new bike launches.
If you’re set to take part in the Garden Route 300, from the 21st to the
23rd of February, you’d be well served to sign up. You’re sure to be too exhausted from riding the fantastic Garden Route trails all day, to bother with servicing your own bike.
Go to www.thebicyclecompany.co.za and click on the Trek Rider’s Club
to fi nd out more and to sign up.
CHERIE VALE/NEWSPORT MEDIA
FS Bike fi nance
from page 1
Terms of fi nance
With the national credit act providing
strict guidelines, there’s no hocus
pocus or attempts to confuse you.
If there are, then you’re not using
a reputable lender and you should
back track, out of the dark alley you
went down to fi nd them, fast. All
loans should be simply laid out with
information on the deposit (20% for
Bike Life) and the period of repayment
(typically 12, 24 or 36 months), the
monthly payment and the total cost
clearly displayed. The quicker you
endeavour to pay back the loan the
lower your interest rate will be. Bike Life
Finance charges 10% for a 12 month
loan repayment period, 12% for 24
months and 15% or 17% for 36 months,
depending on the cost of the bike. As
an example, if you purchase a Bike Life
fi nanced carbon Giant Anthem ADV
X 29er 1 from Cyclesphere in Durban
with a retail price of R45 000, you’ll be
expected to pay R3 165 per month over
a year, R1 695 per month over two years
and R1 248 per month over three years.
The incentive to pay over a shorter
period is that the price increases from
the initial 45K to R46 980 over 12
months, R49 671 over 24 months and
to R53 926 over 36 months.
FinYou meanwhile list the price over
36 months on the tags you’ll spot
on the bikes, but that doesn’t mean
you can’t tailor the repayment period
to suit your budget. As they liaise
between you and the bank they’ve
got the ability to facilitate virtually any
sized loan, up to R230 000, so more
than enough for any bicycle.
You should also bear in mind though
that there could be an initiation fee
to add to the cost of the loan and
perhaps a monthly admin fee too.
FinYou for example does not charge
either, but Bike Life does. But these
also have to be clearly displayed in
accordance to the credit act. In fact
if you’re not already familiar with the
rights provided to you by the National
Credit Act of 2005, you should pay the
National Credit Regulator’s website a
visit (www.ncr.org.za).
Ease of procedure
Applying for a loan through FinYou
and Bike Life is similar to the process
that you’d follow if going to a bank.
They still need all your details,
including three months’ worth of
fi nancial statements, proof of address
and your banking details. Both
providers will provisionally approve
your loan in double quick time, but if
you don’t get the necessary additional
information to them soon enough
you’ll lose out on your bike. So the
onus lies with you to complete the
forms entirely, get the bank’s rubber
stamp to confi rm your fi nancial
information is correct and provide a
certifi ed copy of your pay slip.
I’d suggest that if you’re keen
to speed up the purchase of your
bike that you get the admin in order
before applying for the provisional
approval, that’ll shave precious time
off your application process. Chances
also are that while getting all the
paper work in order you’ll have the
time to double check your fi nances
and see if you really can aff ord the
bike you’re lusting after…
Insuring your bike or the loan
You don’t have to insure your bike
or the loan, but remember that you
or your estate, should the worst
happen, are still liable to make the
repayments if the bike is stolen or
broken. You don’t want to be making
repayments on a bike you no longer
have the joy of riding, so refer back
to the article Full Sus did on bike
insurance in the May issue (you can
fi nd it on www.issuu.com/fullsussa).
It’s never just a bike…
While you’re getting a loan for a bike
you might as well throw in some
extras too. Okay that’s irresponsible,
but the option is there. You can
bundle the bike, accessories and
riding kit in the same loan to make
the repayments really easy. You can
even bundle purchases from diff erent
stores into one loan.
So what are you waiting for?
Getting fi nance to purchase a bike
has never been as simple. You can
drop in to your local bike shop and
grab the forms or check out all the
details online at www.fi nyou.com or
www.bikelife.co.za. You can read up
on all the terms and conditions, as
you should, before you make your
now informed decision.
The responsible lendingSUSSUS
While Full Sus would like to see you out on the trails, riding and
loving the best bike you can possibly aff ord, we would hate to hear
of your family going hungry for it. Yes dropping some kilograms
might help you improve your power to weight ratio, but it won’t
help if you’re starving off the weight because you overspent on a
bike and now can’t aff ord to eat.
So please exercise some common sense before taking out a loan. Don’t
be irresponsible with your fi nances. Don’t buy into the “we have to buy our
way out of the recession school of thought”, it’s true on a macro level, but
you don’t want to be the micro guy making the big over commitment.
Yes your perfect bike might be the Superfl y FS or the S-Works Enduro,
but remember the best bike is the one you already own… Unless you’ve
got the money for it…. Then go crazy (and send us photos!)
FS News
newsnews
Xterra Kids
The Xterra series got underway again
at the end of January, and if you’re
not familiar with the format here’s
a reminder. It’s an off -road triathlon
series with events on the banks of
the Buff elspoort Dam in the North
West Province, amongst the fynbos
of Grabouw and the plantations of
Knysna (both in the Western Cape).
There are full and lite options for the
big kids and a kiddie option too.
Known as the Xterra Kids the races
off er the following options:
◆ 50m Swim, 1,5km Cycle and 500m
Run, for the six to eight years olds
◆ 100m Swim, 5km Cycle, 2km Run,
for the nine to eleven year olds.
◆ 200m Swim, 10km Cycle, 3km
Run, for the twelve to fourteen
year olds.
With Spur coming aboard as a
sponsor for all the fun Xterra Kids
events in 2014, the young ones can
look forward to some extra special
treats in the race goody bags. The
Xterra Kids races will take place on
the 21st of February at the Grabouw
Country Club. The Xterra Lite takes
place on the 22nd and the full Xterra
race takes place on the 23rd of
February, at the same venue.
Follow @xterrasa on twitter or go to www.stillwatersports.com for more info.
If you’re looking for added value to your riding experience look
no further than the Trek Rider’s Club. It’s free to join, you don’t have to own a Trek bike and off ers free mechanical support at all major multi-stage mountain bike events in South Africa (parts are charged – but you can’t get everything for free). As a member of the club you get invites to group rides with Trek sponsored riders, like James Reid and the Team Fedgroup, and to Trek new bike launches.
If you’re set to take part in the Garden Route 300, from the 21st to the
23rd of February, you’d be well served to sign up. You’re sure to be too exhausted from riding the fantastic Garden Route trails all day, to bother with servicing your own bike.
Go to www.thebicyclecompany.co.za and click on the Trek Rider’s Club
to fi nd out more and to sign up.
CHERIE VALE/NEWSPORT MEDIA
Check it out
online now
FullSussa
@FullSussa
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLYMOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
FREE
March
2014, Vol 12
XCO Response
pg10
Full Sus kit
pg27
www.issuu.com
/FullSussa
full sus
Pysch’ of MTB
Partnerships
pg8
Physio Column
pg21
turn to page 4
LIVE
NEW
www.fullsus.co.za
W
hen the riders line up at
Meerendal Wine Estate on
Sunday the 23rd of March
they’ll have put in the hard kays in training, raced build-up events which most people would have to train specifi cally for and climbed a seemingly impossible number of meters. Preparation is key you see, we all know it. But as FedGroup-Itec team rider, and Epic team manager, Bridgette Stewart says, there is so much that can go wrong and with the intensity and the emotion of the Epic, something usually does. Like in the 2013 Epic when Neil McDonald and Brandon Stewart got separated in the dust cloud driven up by the ferociously turning wheels of the lead bunch at the start of a stage. Brandon was riding amongst the fi rst fi ve riders, in search of clear air, while Neil was misinformed that Brandon had experienced mechanical
diffi culties and ended up turning around to look for him.
It doesn’t have to be as dramatic
as getting separated and being handed a time penalty to crack the team spirit. A simple mechanical failure at an inopportune moment can cost a team the race. And when a tremendous amount of time and money has been invested in getting to the Epic in the best possible form with the aim of securing a big result, failings that might be laughed off at the Sani2c become bitter divides within the team. That’s where the back-up staff becomes so important.
Kandice Buys has been in the
game for twelve years and her key to keeping RE:CM’s Epic bids trouble free, is meticulous preparation. Having years of experience to draw upon clearly helps and having a team where everyone knows their roles leads to a situation where, baring
the unexpected, things run like clockwork. I watched her in action at the Tankwa Trek in February and she comes across as unfl appable, organised and a calming infl uence on the riders – even when they’re all worked up.
A typical day at the Epic
for the RE:CM team:
The riders are up two hours before the start
to eat breakfast, meaning that they’ll be
up before fi ve am most mornings.
The mechanics run a fi nal check
on the bikes. The bikes are given a
full service after every stage, but in
the morning before the start, they
run another once over to ensure
everything is tightened down, lubed
up and running smoothly.
After breakfast the riders get their
race food and bottles ready with the
help of support crew.
Ariane Kleinhans likes to go for a
decent warm-up ride before the start
and this did cause the support crew a
bit of stress initially, but over the years
they’ve got used to Ariane’s routine and have now factored her longer warm-up into their morning schedule.
Twenty minutes before the race
start the whole team heads down to the start chute after doing a last
check to ensure they’ve got their gels
and CO2 bombs for the day.
If everyone has stuck to their
systems, then the riders should have
everything they need for the stage.
BEHIND THE SCENES AT
THE EPIC
There’s no getting around it, March is Epic month.
If you’re not riding you’ll be watching. It’s watched
all over the world on television and thousands of
column inches are dedicated to how tough it is
on the riders. But what about the support crews?
What goes on behind the scene to ensure the
guys and girls on the bikes cross the fi nish line at
Lourensford? Full Sus spoke to RE:CM’s Kandice
Buys and FedGroup-Itec’s Bridgette Stewart to
fi nd out what it really takes to fi nish an Epic.
Stage Race Support Crews FS
RE:CM riders, Nico Bell, Lourens Luus, Erik Kleinhans, Ariane Kleinhans and Cherise Stander all
benefi t tremendously from Kandice Buys’ tireless work behind the scenes.
“HER KEY TO KEEPING RE:CM’S EPIC
BIDS TROUBLE FREE, IS METICULOUS
PREPARATION.”
PHOTO SUPPLIED
online now
FullSussa
@FullSussa
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLYMOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
FREE
March
2014, Vol 12
XCO Response
pg10
Full Sus kit
pg27
www.issuu.com
/FullSussa
full sus
Pysch’ of MTB
Partnerships
pg8
Physio Column
pg21
turn to page 4
LIVE
NEW
www.fullsus.co.za
W
hen the riders line up at
Meerendal Wine Estate on
Sunday the 23rd of March
they’ll have put in the hard kays in training, raced build-up events which most people would have to train specifi cally for and climbed a seemingly impossible number of meters. Preparation is key you see, we all know it. But as FedGroup-Itec team rider, and Epic team manager, Bridgette Stewart says, there is so much that can go wrong and with the intensity and the emotion of the Epic, something usually does. Like in the 2013 Epic when Neil McDonald and Brandon Stewart got separated in the dust cloud driven up by the ferociously turning wheels of the lead bunch at the start of a stage. Brandon was riding amongst the fi rst fi ve riders, in search of clear air, while Neil was misinformed that Brandon had experienced mechanical
diffi culties and ended up turning around to look for him.
It doesn’t have to be as dramatic
as getting separated and being handed a time penalty to crack the team spirit. A simple mechanical failure at an inopportune moment can cost a team the race. And when a tremendous amount of time and money has been invested in getting to the Epic in the best possible form with the aim of securing a big result, failings that might be laughed off at the Sani2c become bitter divides within the team. That’s where the back-up staff becomes so important.
Kandice Buys has been in the
game for twelve years and her key to keeping RE:CM’s Epic bids trouble free, is meticulous preparation. Having years of experience to draw upon clearly helps and having a team where everyone knows their roles leads to a situation where, baring
the unexpected, things run like clockwork. I watched her in action at the Tankwa Trek in February and she comes across as unfl appable, organised and a calming infl uence on the riders – even when they’re all worked up.
A typical day at the Epic
for the RE:CM team:
The riders are up two hours before the start
to eat breakfast, meaning that they’ll be
up before fi ve am most mornings.
The mechanics run a fi nal check
on the bikes. The bikes are given a
full service after every stage, but in
the morning before the start, they
run another once over to ensure
everything is tightened down, lubed
up and running smoothly.
After breakfast the riders get their
race food and bottles ready with the
help of support crew.
Ariane Kleinhans likes to go for a
decent warm-up ride before the start
and this did cause the support crew a
bit of stress initially, but over the years
they’ve got used to Ariane’s routine and have now factored her longer warm-up into their morning schedule.
Twenty minutes before the race
start the whole team heads down to the start chute after doing a last
check to ensure they’ve got their gels
and CO2 bombs for the day.
If everyone has stuck to their
systems, then the riders should have
everything they need for the stage.
BEHIND THE SCENES AT
THE EPIC
There’s no getting around it, March is Epic month.
If you’re not riding you’ll be watching. It’s watched
all over the world on television and thousands of
column inches are dedicated to how tough it is
on the riders. But what about the support crews?
What goes on behind the scene to ensure the
guys and girls on the bikes cross the fi nish line at
Lourensford? Full Sus spoke to RE:CM’s Kandice
Buys and FedGroup-Itec’s Bridgette Stewart to
fi nd out what it really takes to fi nish an Epic.
Stage Race Support Crews FS
RE:CM riders, Nico Bell, Lourens Luus, Erik Kleinhans, Ariane Kleinhans and Cherise Stander all
benefi t tremendously from Kandice Buys’ tireless work behind the scenes.
“HER KEY TO KEEPING RE:CM’S EPIC
BIDS TROUBLE FREE, IS METICULOUS
PREPARATION.”
PHOTO SUPPLIED
4
FS Stage Race Support Crews
from page 1
Remember at the Epic riders aren’t
allowed outside assistance, even in
the tech-zones so the team spares
boxes, which the race organisers
ferry about, also need to be
meticulously packed and restocked
every evening.
If the race is moving race villages,
once the riders are off the team
has to pack up and move on pretty
quickly to have everything set-up
again in time for the riders’ return.
But if they’re staying put, the
support crew has a few options.
Some prefer to chill, or go for a ride
themselves like the Bulls back-up
crew like to do, others go to the tech-
zones or supporters points. Kandice
likes to watch from spectator
points on the Epic and she’s always
updating @Team_RECM’s twitter
feed with race updates, so follow
them if you want to know what’s
happening live.
At two pm every afternoon there’s
a team manager’s meeting with the
Epic organisers.
Fifteen minutes before the riders
are expected at the fi nish the support
crew is in place and waiting. In big
teams this could mean that they
have to leave the fi nal spectator
or tech-zone before the last team
member has passed through.
As soon as the riders come in, the
mechanics take the bikes off to be
serviced while the riders get to the
task of rehydrating and feeding.
The bonus for the team manager
is a pair placing in the top three of a
category at the end of a stage, which
means the riders are whisked off to
the interviews and looked after by the
race organisers. But the Epic is really
good at looking after all the riders, so
even if the riders don’t podium the
support crew’s job is easier than it
would be at most other races.
For the riders at the end of the
stage the to do list is: shower,
massage, lunch, sleep/chill, supper
at half past six. The RE:CM team like
to share a bottle of wine over supper,
to help everyone relax completely.
They also eat supper with the
masses, unlike many of the other top
teams. After supper the riders stay
for prize giving and chat to the other
riders for a bit before turning in.
The support crew meanwhile
wind down after supper, if the bikes
weren’t in too much of a mess after
the stage.
When it’s written down like that it
seems rather simple. But, when you
see Kandice in action you realise
just how hard team managers have
to work. Bridgette Stewart often
jokes that she’d fi nd riding the Epic
easier than providing backup to the
FedGroup-Itec riders. That’s probably
because she goes above and beyond
for the Epic.
In fact at the 2013 Epic, while
watching her pack the next day’s
essentials into, husband, Brandon
Stewart’s jersey pockets, Kevin
Evans remarked that he couldn’t wait
for that treatment too. And now that
Kevin’s over his appendix issues,
he’ll be getting just that when he
lines up with Brandon on the 2014
start line.
Bridgette says that the diff erence
between their team and most of the
others is the fact that they’re a really
tightknit group of friends. She sees
her role not only as organiser and
facilitator but also as sounding board
for tactics and a shoulder to cry on
when things get really tough.
As a professional cyclist herself,
she knows what the guys are going
through on the bike and as a result
when she fulfi ls the role of support
chief she does everything she can to
make the rider’s lives easier. Virtually
the only thing the FedGroup guys
will have to do at the 2014 Epic is
pedal. In fact the fi ve star treatment
they get would put most top hotels
to shame.
The party piece for the FedGroup
team is undoubtedly the Crusader
Logistics Pantechnicon, known as
the “Chill Box”. It’s a massive fully
equipped ten sleeper camper van,
which makes the hassle of packing
up between race villages a minor
inconvenience rather than the epic
logistical exercise which needs to be
executed with military precision.
The Chill Box doesn’t just make
moving camps easier; with the fully
equipped kitchen it helps the support
crew prepare all the team meals in a
hygienic environment. Stage races
are notorious breeding grounds
for bugs and as Darren Lill found
out last year, they can all but end a
rider’s hopes of a good fi nish. To help
prevent the FedGroup riders picking
up a nasty stomach bug, the guys
won’t be eating in the race village
and all their meals will be prepared in
the Chill Box.
Speaking of getting sick,
Kandice’s fi nal words on the Epic
were on the aftermath. After the
highs of the race with the constant
adrenaline and frantic atmosphere
it’s almost inevitable that everyone
comes down with a bit of a cold
after the big race wraps up. It takes
a few days to readjust to the pace
of everyday life after the manic all
action week, a minor collapse of
the immune system and a layoff
enforced by a doctor is just the tonic
for the hard working behind the scenes guys and gals.
Hump Day:
Day three is by all accounts the hardest day for the support crews. The stress and lack of sleep have begun to catch up but the daily rhythm hasn’t overridden the body’s basic physiological warning signs yet. 2014’s day three coincides with the move of race village from Arabella Wines in Robertson to The Oaks Estate in Greyton so it’ll be a testing day for the support crews.
Kandice Buys is a multi-discipline
team manager, plying her skills for
Lange-Sports on the road for Bonitas
Pro Cycling and off it for RE:CM. Her
work has taken her to 24 countries and
she’s super-effi cient, once uploading a
ride report in under twelve minutes.
Follow her @KandiceBuys.
Brigdette Stewart is a pro
mountain biker, team manager, wife
and mother of two mountain biking
grommets. She’s an ex-downhill nutter
(she’s Greg Minnaar’s sister after all)
and current cross country marathon
suff erer. She describes herself as
“permanently full throttle princess of
note!” Follow her @BridgStewart.
“THE FIVE STAR
TREATMENT
THEY GET WOULD
PUT MOST TOP
HOTELS TO
SHAME.”
The 2014 FedGroup line-up: Neil McDonald,
Bridgette Stewart, Kevin Evans and Brandon
Stewart with their Trek Superfl y FS race
machines. Below: The impressive Chill Box.
Kandice and Morne van Rensburg seeing to Ariane and Cherise’s hydration needs on the Tankwa Trek.
ALL PHOTOS SUPPLIED SEAMNUS ALLARDICE
FS Stage Race Support Crews
from page 1
Remember at the Epic riders aren’t
allowed outside assistance, even in
the tech-zones so the team spares
boxes, which the race organisers
ferry about, also need to be
meticulously packed and restocked
every evening.
If the race is moving race villages,
once the riders are off the team
has to pack up and move on pretty
quickly to have everything set-up
again in time for the riders’ return.
But if they’re staying put, the
support crew has a few options.
Some prefer to chill, or go for a ride
themselves like the Bulls back-up
crew like to do, others go to the tech-
zones or supporters points. Kandice
likes to watch from spectator
points on the Epic and she’s always
updating @Team_RECM’s twitter
feed with race updates, so follow
them if you want to know what’s
happening live.
At two pm every afternoon there’s
a team manager’s meeting with the
Epic organisers.
Fifteen minutes before the riders
are expected at the fi nish the support
crew is in place and waiting. In big
teams this could mean that they
have to leave the fi nal spectator
or tech-zone before the last team
member has passed through.
As soon as the riders come in, the
mechanics take the bikes off to be
serviced while the riders get to the
task of rehydrating and feeding.
The bonus for the team manager
is a pair placing in the top three of a
category at the end of a stage, which
means the riders are whisked off to
the interviews and looked after by the
race organisers. But the Epic is really
good at looking after all the riders, so
even if the riders don’t podium the
support crew’s job is easier than it
would be at most other races.
For the riders at the end of the
stage the to do list is: shower,
massage, lunch, sleep/chill, supper
at half past six. The RE:CM team like
to share a bottle of wine over supper,
to help everyone relax completely.
They also eat supper with the
masses, unlike many of the other top
teams. After supper the riders stay
for prize giving and chat to the other
riders for a bit before turning in.
The support crew meanwhile
wind down after supper, if the bikes
weren’t in too much of a mess after
the stage.
When it’s written down like that it
seems rather simple. But, when you
see Kandice in action you realise
just how hard team managers have
to work. Bridgette Stewart often
jokes that she’d fi nd riding the Epic
easier than providing backup to the
FedGroup-Itec riders. That’s probably
because she goes above and beyond
for the Epic.
In fact at the 2013 Epic, while
watching her pack the next day’s
essentials into, husband, Brandon
Stewart’s jersey pockets, Kevin
Evans remarked that he couldn’t wait
for that treatment too. And now that
Kevin’s over his appendix issues,
he’ll be getting just that when he
lines up with Brandon on the 2014
start line.
Bridgette says that the diff erence
between their team and most of the
others is the fact that they’re a really
tightknit group of friends. She sees
her role not only as organiser and
facilitator but also as sounding board
for tactics and a shoulder to cry on
when things get really tough.
As a professional cyclist herself,
she knows what the guys are going
through on the bike and as a result
when she fulfi ls the role of support
chief she does everything she can to
make the rider’s lives easier. Virtually
the only thing the FedGroup guys
will have to do at the 2014 Epic is
pedal. In fact the fi ve star treatment
they get would put most top hotels
to shame.
The party piece for the FedGroup
team is undoubtedly the Crusader
Logistics Pantechnicon, known as
the “Chill Box”. It’s a massive fully
equipped ten sleeper camper van,
which makes the hassle of packing
up between race villages a minor
inconvenience rather than the epic
logistical exercise which needs to be
executed with military precision.
The Chill Box doesn’t just make
moving camps easier; with the fully
equipped kitchen it helps the support
crew prepare all the team meals in a
hygienic environment. Stage races
are notorious breeding grounds
for bugs and as Darren Lill found
out last year, they can all but end a
rider’s hopes of a good fi nish. To help
prevent the FedGroup riders picking
up a nasty stomach bug, the guys
won’t be eating in the race village
and all their meals will be prepared in
the Chill Box.
Speaking of getting sick,
Kandice’s fi nal words on the Epic
were on the aftermath. After the
highs of the race with the constant
adrenaline and frantic atmosphere
it’s almost inevitable that everyone
comes down with a bit of a cold
after the big race wraps up. It takes
a few days to readjust to the pace
of everyday life after the manic all
action week, a minor collapse of
the immune system and a layoff
enforced by a doctor is just the tonic
for the hard working behind the scenes guys and gals.
Hump Day:
Day three is by all accounts the hardest day for the support crews. The stress and lack of sleep have begun to catch up but the daily rhythm hasn’t overridden the body’s basic physiological warning signs yet. 2014’s day three coincides with the move of race village from Arabella Wines in Robertson to The Oaks Estate in Greyton so it’ll be a testing day for the support crews.
Kandice Buys is a multi-discipline
team manager, plying her skills for
Lange-Sports on the road for Bonitas
Pro Cycling and off it for RE:CM. Her
work has taken her to 24 countries and
she’s super-effi cient, once uploading a
ride report in under twelve minutes.
Follow her @KandiceBuys.
Brigdette Stewart is a pro
mountain biker, team manager, wife
and mother of two mountain biking
grommets. She’s an ex-downhill nutter
(she’s Greg Minnaar’s sister after all)
and current cross country marathon
suff erer. She describes herself as
“permanently full throttle princess of
note!” Follow her @BridgStewart.
“THE FIVE STAR
TREATMENT
THEY GET WOULD
PUT MOST TOP
HOTELS TO
SHAME.”
The 2014 FedGroup line-up: Neil McDonald,
Bridgette Stewart, Kevin Evans and Brandon
Stewart with their Trek Superfl y FS race
machines. Below: The impressive Chill Box.
Kandice and Morne van Rensburg seeing to Ariane and Cherise’s hydration needs on the Tankwa Trek.
ALL PHOTOS SUPPLIED SEAMNUS ALLARDICE
turn to page 4
TRAILS Misty
Valley
pg12
RIDER REPORT
Garden Route
pg26
FullSussa
@FullSussa
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLYMOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
FREE
April
2014, Vol 13
Giro Gloves pg25
PRODUCT REVIEW
www.issuu.com
/FullSussa
full sus
Wet weather
GEAR
pg27
Erik Kleinhans
pg23
NEW
I
t kicked off with the prologue at
Meerendal Wine Estate on Sunday
the 23rd of March. The pros and age
group category favourites raced for the stage win and the right to start in the various leaders’ jerseys, while the normal riders rode to conserve their energy for the notorious stage one. In the elite men’s race the Multivan Merida Biking duo of Jose Hermida and
Rudi van Houts claimed the prologue win, while in the ladies race; RECM’s Ariane Kleinhans and Annika Langvad overcame Langvad’s dramatic crash down the stairs of the Meerendal manor house to claim the victory.
Stage one was set to be a
dramatic day of suff ering for all. In 2013 Dr Evil tested the worth of every
rider in the fi eld to take on the ABSA Cape Epic with a day of sand in the
mountains of Citrusdal. In 2014 the
good doctor topped the misery induced
by thick sand by leading the fi eld
through a sea of thorns and sharp
climbs (the climbs weren’t part of the
sea - it’s a mixed metaphor). The thorns
played havoc with the race favourites,
with the RECM ladies puncturing three
times and losing nearly 25 minutes
on their Meerendal sponsored rivals,
Esther Suss and Sally Bigham. In the
men’s race RECM’s Erik Kleinhans
and Nico Bell worked exceptionally
hard to limit the losses of Meerendal-
Songo-Specialized’s Christoph Sauser
and Frantisek Rabon, eventually riding
them into a position to claim second
on the day.
Line honours and the yellow
jerseys went to Centurion-Vaude on
the day, with the fi rst incident of the
‘curse of the yellow jersey’ striking
Multivan Merida’s race hopes down.
Jose Hermida suff ered a suspected
allergic reaction which ended his
hopes of victory and nearly ended his
race entirely.
Stage two was meant to be an
easier day, but Mother Nature and
a mean cut-off low pressure system
battering the Cape had other ideas.
Torrential rain throughout the night
turned the red dust of the Breede
River Valley into near impassable mud
baths. Centurion-Vaude were struck
down by the ‘curse’ when they broke
a frame and RECM’s ladies showed
their class by taking nearly nine
minutes out of their Meerendal rivals.
Stage two also saw the emergence
of Topeak-Ergon Racing at the head
of the fi eld. Topeak’s Robert Mennen
and Kristian Hynek claimed the
stage win while the second placed
Team Bulls duo, of Karl Platt and Urs
Huber, inherited the yellow jerseys
from unfortunate Centurion, but not
without doing themselves some
damage in the process. Early on stage
two Platt crashed hard on his knee
and sustained an injury which would
eventually end his race.
After the rain of stage two the sun
came out for
stage three and
the race left the Breede River Valley
traversing the Sonderend Mountains
on its way to the Oaks Estate in
Greyton. With the stage billed as
a roadie stage Meerendal-Songo-
Specialized were buoyed by Rabon’s
dominance on a day where the Team
Bulls, in yellow couldn’t keep up with
the pace. Platt’s knee was in pain and
the ‘curse’ had stuck again. Meerendal-
Songo-Specialized claimed the stage
victory, with Topeak-Ergon Racing
inheriting the cursed yellow jerseys
and the RECM ladies clawing back a
meagre two minutes from Suss and
Bigham of Meerendal on a day that
didn’t allow Kleinhans and Langvad to
show their strength.
Stage four off ered the slower
riders in the fi eld a chance to enjoy
the race for a change, on a singletrack
fi lled day of riding around the trails
of Greyton and Genadendal. There
was drama when ten times Cape Epic
fi nisher and four times winner Karl
Platt withdrew on the road, unable to
pedal another stoke due to debilitating
knee pain. While in the African Riders
Jersey competition Kevin Evans
ABSA CAPE EPIC
2014
Notes from the best Epic yet… FS
The 2014 ABSA Cape Epic has been one for the
history books. From the race for fi ve between
Karl Platt and Christoph Sauser, to the equal prize
money for the women in the build-up, and the ever
changing lead in the early phases of the race all
made the 2014 Epic the best yet.
Victorious
Annika Langvad
being doused in
Champaign by her
RECM crew.
Kristian Hynek and Robert Mennen
celebrate their Epic victory.
GREG BEADLE/CAPE EPIC/SPORTZPICS
KARIN SCHERMBRUCKER/CAPE EPIC/SPORTZPICS
TRAILS Misty
Valley
pg12
RIDER REPORT
Garden Route
pg26
FullSussa
@FullSussa
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLYMOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
FREE
April
2014, Vol 13
Giro Gloves pg25
PRODUCT REVIEW
www.issuu.com
/FullSussa
full sus
Wet weather
GEAR
pg27
Erik Kleinhans
pg23
NEW
I
t kicked off with the prologue at
Meerendal Wine Estate on Sunday
the 23rd of March. The pros and age
group category favourites raced for the stage win and the right to start in the various leaders’ jerseys, while the normal riders rode to conserve their energy for the notorious stage one. In the elite men’s race the Multivan Merida Biking duo of Jose Hermida and
Rudi van Houts claimed the prologue win, while in the ladies race; RECM’s Ariane Kleinhans and Annika Langvad overcame Langvad’s dramatic crash down the stairs of the Meerendal manor house to claim the victory.
Stage one was set to be a
dramatic day of suff ering for all. In 2013 Dr Evil tested the worth of every
rider in the fi eld to take on the ABSA Cape Epic with a day of sand in the
mountains of Citrusdal. In 2014 the
good doctor topped the misery induced
by thick sand by leading the fi eld
through a sea of thorns and sharp
climbs (the climbs weren’t part of the
sea - it’s a mixed metaphor). The thorns
played havoc with the race favourites,
with the RECM ladies puncturing three
times and losing nearly 25 minutes
on their Meerendal sponsored rivals,
Esther Suss and Sally Bigham. In the
men’s race RECM’s Erik Kleinhans
and Nico Bell worked exceptionally
hard to limit the losses of Meerendal-
Songo-Specialized’s Christoph Sauser
and Frantisek Rabon, eventually riding
them into a position to claim second
on the day.
Line honours and the yellow
jerseys went to Centurion-Vaude on
the day, with the fi rst incident of the
‘curse of the yellow jersey’ striking
Multivan Merida’s race hopes down.
Jose Hermida suff ered a suspected
allergic reaction which ended his
hopes of victory and nearly ended his
race entirely.
Stage two was meant to be an
easier day, but Mother Nature and
a mean cut-off low pressure system
battering the Cape had other ideas.
Torrential rain throughout the night
turned the red dust of the Breede
River Valley into near impassable mud
baths. Centurion-Vaude were struck
down by the ‘curse’ when they broke
a frame and RECM’s ladies showed
their class by taking nearly nine
minutes out of their Meerendal rivals.
Stage two also saw the emergence
of Topeak-Ergon Racing at the head
of the fi eld. Topeak’s Robert Mennen
and Kristian Hynek claimed the
stage win while the second placed
Team Bulls duo, of Karl Platt and Urs
Huber, inherited the yellow jerseys
from unfortunate Centurion, but not
without doing themselves some
damage in the process. Early on stage
two Platt crashed hard on his knee
and sustained an injury which would
eventually end his race.
After the rain of stage two the sun
came out for
stage three and
the race left the Breede River Valley
traversing the Sonderend Mountains
on its way to the Oaks Estate in
Greyton. With the stage billed as
a roadie stage Meerendal-Songo-
Specialized were buoyed by Rabon’s
dominance on a day where the Team
Bulls, in yellow couldn’t keep up with
the pace. Platt’s knee was in pain and
the ‘curse’ had stuck again. Meerendal-
Songo-Specialized claimed the stage
victory, with Topeak-Ergon Racing
inheriting the cursed yellow jerseys
and the RECM ladies clawing back a
meagre two minutes from Suss and
Bigham of Meerendal on a day that
didn’t allow Kleinhans and Langvad to
show their strength.
Stage four off ered the slower
riders in the fi eld a chance to enjoy
the race for a change, on a singletrack
fi lled day of riding around the trails
of Greyton and Genadendal. There
was drama when ten times Cape Epic
fi nisher and four times winner Karl
Platt withdrew on the road, unable to
pedal another stoke due to debilitating
knee pain. While in the African Riders
Jersey competition Kevin Evans
ABSA CAPE EPIC
2014
Notes from the best Epic yet… FS
The 2014 ABSA Cape Epic has been one for the
history books. From the race for fi ve between
Karl Platt and Christoph Sauser, to the equal prize
money for the women in the build-up, and the ever
changing lead in the early phases of the race all
made the 2014 Epic the best yet.
Victorious
Annika Langvad
being doused in
Champaign by her
RECM crew.
Kristian Hynek and Robert Mennen
celebrate their Epic victory.
GREG BEADLE/CAPE EPIC/SPORTZPICS
KARIN SCHERMBRUCKER/CAPE EPIC/SPORTZPICS
4
FS Notes from the best Epic yet…
from page 1
incurred an hour time penalty for
his FedGroup Itec team, eff ectively
removing himself and teammate Max
Knox from the race to be the highest
place all African team. The penalty
for taking an illegal shortcut occurred
when Evans cut across a switchback
to gain places over a number of riders,
some of whom were Outcast riders
(pro riders whose teammates have
withdrawn from the race and therefore
are disallowed from having an impact
on the race).
With the help of a considerable
amount of GoPro footage the
Commissaires’ Panel made the
following statement with regard
to the incident in support of their
decision to measure out an hour time
penalty to FedGroup Itec (Team 13):
“Review of Go-Pro camera footage
from the rider immediately behind the
rider in question, as well as footage
from team 13’s own Go-Pro (attached
to the bicycle of the accused rider)
confi rms that the incident occurred, and
that an unfair advantage was gained.”
RECM’s ladies meanwhile
overturned their defi cit retaking the
women’s leader’s jerseys that they’d
lost on stage one. South Africans
looking for positive news were
delighted by Phillip Buys who rode
the ride of his life to claim the stage
victory with his Swiss powerhouse
partner Nino Schurter for Scott-Odlo
MTB Racing. Topeak-Ergon broke the
curse of the yellow jersey to become
the fi rst team to retain the general
classifi cation lead for consecutive
days on the fi fth day of the 2014 race.
Stage fi ve took riders over
the biggest climb of the race, the
infamous Rusty Gate. For the leaders
there was drama when Kristian
Hynek of Topeak double fl atted,
and with their race seemingly in
tatters up stepped Centurion-Vaude.
Markus Kaufmann and Jochen
Kaess kindly donated Hynek two
wheels which allowed Topeak to
chase down the charging Meerendal-
Songo-Specialized who sensed their
opportunity to eradicate Topeak’s
general classifi cation lead. The stage
victory went to Torpado Factory
Racing’s Roel Paulissen and Riccardo
Chiarini, riding 608B shod Topado
bikes over the Scott-Odlo team on
their 27.5 Scott Sparks.
Stage six around Elgin was the
favourite stage of the riders on Day
Trippers’ Epic Trial rides. And it will
probably prove to be the favourite
stage of the majority of the 2014 Epic
fi eld once the dust settles and they
regain complete range of movement
in their legs too. In the elite race Phillip
Buys and Nino Schurter showed off
their XCO skills racing to victory,
while the RECM ladies continued their
dominance over the women’s race.
The grand fi nale into
Lourensford had some riders wishing
for a neutralised Tour de France
style last day of racing. Topeak again
punctured having to rely again on
the Centurion-Vaude for a wheel
change, showing that sportsmanship
is still alive and well at the Epic,
despite the best (or should that be
worst) eff orts of some. The race for
the stage victory was fought out by
the 650B gang with Torpado racing,
Scott Factory Racing and Scott-Odlo
for the honour to cross the fi nish line,
with the eyes of the MTB world on
them, fi rst. The Epic had a last sting
in its tail though; Torpado missed
a route marker having fallen off
the relentless pace set by Schurter,
leaving the Scott boys to content the
victory amongst themselves.
Buys and Schurter then took
their feet off the throttle, took some
time to soak in the Lourensford
atmosphere and allowed Matthys
Beukes and Gert Heyns, who’d
supported them ably all week to roll
across the line fi rst. For Beukes it
was a particularly sweet moment
making up for the loss he suff ered
on the very spot a year earlier when
Jose Hermida and Rudi van Houts of
Multivan Merida outsprinted Beukes
and then partner Phillip Buys.
In the general classifi cation the
RECM ladies proved that they’re
quite probably the strongest female
stage racers in the word right now,
coming home in 23rd place overall
and 37 minutes ahead of their nearest
rivals for the Sasol ladies jerseys.
Topeak-Ergon Racing might have had
Centurion-Vaude’s generosity to thank
for their general classifi cation victory
but they raced hard and consistently all
week, showing all assembled that the
talk of Platt vs Sauser and the race for
fi ve was rather disrespectful to the rest
of the pro fi eld.
As for Sauser and Platt? They’ll be
back in 2015. In fact during the post-
race interview with Rabon, Sauser’s
gaze was fi xed somewhere beyond
the confi nes of the press room,
beyond the towering Hottentots-
Holland Mountains even. What the
most decorated man in mountain
bike marathon racing was thinking,
his grey eyes didn’t give away. But
you can be sure the 2015 ABSA Cape
Epic formed a large part of it.
Christoph Sauser attempting to
fi x a mud induced mechanical.
A desolate Karl Platt consoled
by teammate Urs Huber.
NICK MUZIK/CAPE EPIC/SPORTZPICSGREG BEADLE/CAPE EPIC/SPORTZPICS
FS News
T
he unique Altech Autopage
Jozi2kozi Cycling challenge is
part cultural experience, part
game viewing trip and part mountain
biking stage race. Riders of the
2014 event are set to experience
hard riding, awesome company and
make memories to last a life-time in
an unexplored part of South Africa.
In what other event can you ride
through a game reserve, stocked
with the Big Five, overnight in a Zulu
Kraal and stop at a rural shebeen for
a drink all in one day?!?
The route traverses the mielielande
of Southern Gauteng, the rolling
grasslands of Mpumalanga,
descends down a scarily named
“Vuil Onderbroek pas”, crosses the
Mkhunyane Nature Reserve and the
Pongola River before heading towards
the coast and the Mozambican boarder where Kosi Bay is located.
Entries are open and you can enter
online by going to www.jozi2kozi.co.za.
news
Jozi2Kozi
E
nergy drinks company and supporters of all things extreme sports, Red Bull have
put their fi nancial might behind the
fantastically viewer friendly sounding
Wide Open race. Organised by H5
Events, the team behind the Red Bull
Rampage, the Wide Open race will
mark the dawning of the Mountain
Bike Supercross format. It’s part
downhill, part free ride and part 4X.
It pits six riders a heat against each
other and the 500m long supercross-
style downhill course, which features
60 foot gaps, 20 foot berms, wall
rides and rock waterfalls (the mean
big brother of the rock garden).
South Africa will be represented by
Andrew Neethling and Greg Minnaar
when the racing kicks off at Bike
Park Mottolino in Livigno, Italy on
July 11th to July the 13th.
Red Bull
Wide Open
Steve Smith will be facing off against Minnaar and Neethling in the Red Bull Wide Open.
RED BULL CONTENT POOL
FS Notes from the best Epic yet…
from page 1
incurred an hour time penalty for
his FedGroup Itec team, eff ectively
removing himself and teammate Max
Knox from the race to be the highest
place all African team. The penalty
for taking an illegal shortcut occurred
when Evans cut across a switchback
to gain places over a number of riders,
some of whom were Outcast riders
(pro riders whose teammates have
withdrawn from the race and therefore
are disallowed from having an impact
on the race).
With the help of a considerable
amount of GoPro footage the
Commissaires’ Panel made the
following statement with regard
to the incident in support of their
decision to measure out an hour time
penalty to FedGroup Itec (Team 13):
“Review of Go-Pro camera footage
from the rider immediately behind the
rider in question, as well as footage
from team 13’s own Go-Pro (attached
to the bicycle of the accused rider)
confi rms that the incident occurred, and
that an unfair advantage was gained.”
RECM’s ladies meanwhile
overturned their defi cit retaking the
women’s leader’s jerseys that they’d
lost on stage one. South Africans
looking for positive news were
delighted by Phillip Buys who rode
the ride of his life to claim the stage
victory with his Swiss powerhouse
partner Nino Schurter for Scott-Odlo
MTB Racing. Topeak-Ergon broke the
curse of the yellow jersey to become
the fi rst team to retain the general
classifi cation lead for consecutive
days on the fi fth day of the 2014 race.
Stage fi ve took riders over
the biggest climb of the race, the
infamous Rusty Gate. For the leaders
there was drama when Kristian
Hynek of Topeak double fl atted,
and with their race seemingly in
tatters up stepped Centurion-Vaude.
Markus Kaufmann and Jochen
Kaess kindly donated Hynek two
wheels which allowed Topeak to
chase down the charging Meerendal-
Songo-Specialized who sensed their
opportunity to eradicate Topeak’s
general classifi cation lead. The stage
victory went to Torpado Factory
Racing’s Roel Paulissen and Riccardo
Chiarini, riding 608B shod Topado
bikes over the Scott-Odlo team on
their 27.5 Scott Sparks.
Stage six around Elgin was the
favourite stage of the riders on Day
Trippers’ Epic Trial rides. And it will
probably prove to be the favourite
stage of the majority of the 2014 Epic
fi eld once the dust settles and they
regain complete range of movement
in their legs too. In the elite race Phillip
Buys and Nino Schurter showed off
their XCO skills racing to victory,
while the RECM ladies continued their
dominance over the women’s race.
The grand fi nale into
Lourensford had some riders wishing
for a neutralised Tour de France
style last day of racing. Topeak again
punctured having to rely again on
the Centurion-Vaude for a wheel
change, showing that sportsmanship
is still alive and well at the Epic,
despite the best (or should that be
worst) eff orts of some. The race for
the stage victory was fought out by
the 650B gang with Torpado racing,
Scott Factory Racing and Scott-Odlo
for the honour to cross the fi nish line,
with the eyes of the MTB world on
them, fi rst. The Epic had a last sting
in its tail though; Torpado missed
a route marker having fallen off
the relentless pace set by Schurter,
leaving the Scott boys to content the
victory amongst themselves.
Buys and Schurter then took
their feet off the throttle, took some
time to soak in the Lourensford
atmosphere and allowed Matthys
Beukes and Gert Heyns, who’d
supported them ably all week to roll
across the line fi rst. For Beukes it
was a particularly sweet moment
making up for the loss he suff ered
on the very spot a year earlier when
Jose Hermida and Rudi van Houts of
Multivan Merida outsprinted Beukes
and then partner Phillip Buys.
In the general classifi cation the
RECM ladies proved that they’re
quite probably the strongest female
stage racers in the word right now,
coming home in 23rd place overall
and 37 minutes ahead of their nearest
rivals for the Sasol ladies jerseys.
Topeak-Ergon Racing might have had
Centurion-Vaude’s generosity to thank
for their general classifi cation victory
but they raced hard and consistently all
week, showing all assembled that the
talk of Platt vs Sauser and the race for
fi ve was rather disrespectful to the rest
of the pro fi eld.
As for Sauser and Platt? They’ll be
back in 2015. In fact during the post-
race interview with Rabon, Sauser’s
gaze was fi xed somewhere beyond
the confi nes of the press room,
beyond the towering Hottentots-
Holland Mountains even. What the
most decorated man in mountain
bike marathon racing was thinking,
his grey eyes didn’t give away. But
you can be sure the 2015 ABSA Cape
Epic formed a large part of it.
Christoph Sauser attempting to
fi x a mud induced mechanical.
A desolate Karl Platt consoled
by teammate Urs Huber.
NICK MUZIK/CAPE EPIC/SPORTZPICSGREG BEADLE/CAPE EPIC/SPORTZPICS
FS News
T
he unique Altech Autopage
Jozi2kozi Cycling challenge is
part cultural experience, part
game viewing trip and part mountain
biking stage race. Riders of the
2014 event are set to experience
hard riding, awesome company and
make memories to last a life-time in
an unexplored part of South Africa.
In what other event can you ride
through a game reserve, stocked
with the Big Five, overnight in a Zulu
Kraal and stop at a rural shebeen for
a drink all in one day?!?
The route traverses the mielielande
of Southern Gauteng, the rolling
grasslands of Mpumalanga,
descends down a scarily named
“Vuil Onderbroek pas”, crosses the
Mkhunyane Nature Reserve and the
Pongola River before heading towards
the coast and the Mozambican boarder where Kosi Bay is located.
Entries are open and you can enter
online by going to www.jozi2kozi.co.za.
news
Jozi2Kozi
E
nergy drinks company and supporters of all things extreme sports, Red Bull have
put their fi nancial might behind the
fantastically viewer friendly sounding
Wide Open race. Organised by H5
Events, the team behind the Red Bull
Rampage, the Wide Open race will
mark the dawning of the Mountain
Bike Supercross format. It’s part
downhill, part free ride and part 4X.
It pits six riders a heat against each
other and the 500m long supercross-
style downhill course, which features
60 foot gaps, 20 foot berms, wall
rides and rock waterfalls (the mean
big brother of the rock garden).
South Africa will be represented by
Andrew Neethling and Greg Minnaar
when the racing kicks off at Bike
Park Mottolino in Livigno, Italy on
July 11th to July the 13th.
Red Bull
Wide Open
Steve Smith will be facing off against Minnaar and Neethling in the Red Bull Wide Open.
RED BULL CONTENT POOL
16
FS Ride South Africa
E
vents can be expensive,
singletrack queues
are inevitable, tented
accommodation is uncomfortable and event dates are fixed. So, as much as the iRide crew (Jennie Stenerhag and Daniel Dobinson)
love racing, in fact Jennie came third
in the ladies category of the 2014
Epic, they also saw the need for
customised mountain biking tours,
where quality singletracks can be
enjoyed with friends, followed by
good food and wine in beautiful
surroundings.
iRide Africa offers high quality bike
rentals, skills clinics and mountain bike and road riding tours in and around the Western Cape. The tours are customized to the group’s needs, with dates, length of trip, level of riding, food and accommodation costs all taken into account, to ensure the best rides with the minimum amount of fuss.
The established name in South
African cycling tours is undoubtedly Daytrippers. They’ve been going since 1992 and in addition to their daily excursions around the Cape Peninsular they also do day trips to Hermanus and the Winelands, scheduled road and mountain biking tours ranging in length from a weekend to two weeks. They also do custom events too, so if you have a
route in mind but need back-up and someone to cook your meals give them a call.
If you work in a MTB mad office
here’s an idea to plant in your boss’s head. MTB Adventures (of the Houwhoek MTB fame) do corporate MTB adventures. So leave your copy of Full Sus suggestively open on this page, in a spot where you know
your boss will see it and before you
know it you’ll be on a corporate team
building day, scoring time out of the
office and time on the trails of Paul
Cluver, Thandi, Lebanon and Oak
Valley. They can cater for groups of
up to 35 riders and will look after
your every need while you’re there.
If you’ve got a hankering for
getting out on your bike in the
Karoo though there’s only one
company for the job, Makadas. The
rather odd name is taken from a
steam locomotive that used to run
the narrow branch line between
Touwsriver and Ladismith from 1925
to 1981. They run events and tours
into the heart of the Karoo using,
owner, Mitzi Knipe’s extensive
exclusive network of Karoo farm
contacts to create unique routes into
the hinterland.
Or if you’re keen on mixing
cycling with a scenic trip through the
Winelands to partake in a classic
Western Cape activity, wine tasting,
then give The Bikes ’n Wines crew a
TRY A
tour
South African mountain bikers are incredibly
fortunate to have a jam-packed race calendar
throughout the year. These races are a great
reason to explore our country, focus your training
regime and squeeze in a few ‘mini-holidays’ into
your year. But, if racing isn’t for you there are a few
other options.
SUS the Tour Operators:SUS
iRide Africa
www.irideafrica.com
(079) 396 4064
Daytrippers
www.daytrippers.co.za
(021) 511 4766
MTB Adventures
www.mtb-adventures.co.za
082 807 5895
Makadas
www.makadasadventures.co.za
(021) 981 9535
The Bikes ’n Wines
www.bikesnwines.com
021 823 8790
Soweto Bicycle Tours
www.sowetobicycletours.com
(011) 936 3444
call. They’re the only carbon negative
tour of the Cape Winelands so if
you’re carbon conscious that’s a big
plus. If you’re only interested in wine,
you shouldn’t worry about getting to
drunk to ride… the guides keep an
eye on you, plus you’re exercising so
you’ll metabolize the alcohol faster
than you normally would.
You can explore the urban
environment on a bike too, with most
of the afore mentioned companies
offering city and township tours, but
if you want to enjoy an authentic
township tour then Lebo’s Soweto
Backpackers is the place to visit for
their Soweto Bicycle Tours. Visit the
only street in the world where two
Nobel Peace Laureates have lived,
the site of the 1976 student uprising
and the Hector Pieterson Memorial
amongst other local attractions.
So there you have it: races aren’t
the only way to see great new trails,
visit new places or push your riding
abilities. Why not book your spot on
a tour and experience a different side
of mountain biking this winter.
Soak up the Winelands on our bike.
Some of the tour group
orgnaisers offer skills in
coaching too, so you can
learn while you tour. DANIEL DOBINSON IRIDE AFRICA
DANIEL DOBINSON IRIDE AFRICA
FS Ride South Africa
E
vents can be expensive,
singletrack queues
are inevitable, tented
accommodation is uncomfortable and event dates are fixed. So, as much as the iRide crew (Jennie Stenerhag and Daniel Dobinson)
love racing, in fact Jennie came third
in the ladies category of the 2014
Epic, they also saw the need for
customised mountain biking tours,
where quality singletracks can be
enjoyed with friends, followed by
good food and wine in beautiful
surroundings.
iRide Africa offers high quality bike
rentals, skills clinics and mountain bike and road riding tours in and around the Western Cape. The tours are customized to the group’s needs, with dates, length of trip, level of riding, food and accommodation costs all taken into account, to ensure the best rides with the minimum amount of fuss.
The established name in South
African cycling tours is undoubtedly Daytrippers. They’ve been going since 1992 and in addition to their daily excursions around the Cape Peninsular they also do day trips to Hermanus and the Winelands, scheduled road and mountain biking tours ranging in length from a weekend to two weeks. They also do custom events too, so if you have a
route in mind but need back-up and someone to cook your meals give them a call.
If you work in a MTB mad office
here’s an idea to plant in your boss’s head. MTB Adventures (of the Houwhoek MTB fame) do corporate MTB adventures. So leave your copy of Full Sus suggestively open on this page, in a spot where you know
your boss will see it and before you
know it you’ll be on a corporate team
building day, scoring time out of the
office and time on the trails of Paul
Cluver, Thandi, Lebanon and Oak
Valley. They can cater for groups of
up to 35 riders and will look after
your every need while you’re there.
If you’ve got a hankering for
getting out on your bike in the
Karoo though there’s only one
company for the job, Makadas. The
rather odd name is taken from a
steam locomotive that used to run
the narrow branch line between
Touwsriver and Ladismith from 1925
to 1981. They run events and tours
into the heart of the Karoo using,
owner, Mitzi Knipe’s extensive
exclusive network of Karoo farm
contacts to create unique routes into
the hinterland.
Or if you’re keen on mixing
cycling with a scenic trip through the
Winelands to partake in a classic
Western Cape activity, wine tasting,
then give The Bikes ’n Wines crew a
TRY A
tour
South African mountain bikers are incredibly
fortunate to have a jam-packed race calendar
throughout the year. These races are a great
reason to explore our country, focus your training
regime and squeeze in a few ‘mini-holidays’ into
your year. But, if racing isn’t for you there are a few
other options.
SUS the Tour Operators:SUS
iRide Africa
www.irideafrica.com
(079) 396 4064
Daytrippers
www.daytrippers.co.za
(021) 511 4766
MTB Adventures
www.mtb-adventures.co.za
082 807 5895
Makadas
www.makadasadventures.co.za
(021) 981 9535
The Bikes ’n Wines
www.bikesnwines.com
021 823 8790
Soweto Bicycle Tours
www.sowetobicycletours.com
(011) 936 3444
call. They’re the only carbon negative
tour of the Cape Winelands so if
you’re carbon conscious that’s a big
plus. If you’re only interested in wine,
you shouldn’t worry about getting to
drunk to ride… the guides keep an
eye on you, plus you’re exercising so
you’ll metabolize the alcohol faster
than you normally would.
You can explore the urban
environment on a bike too, with most
of the afore mentioned companies
offering city and township tours, but
if you want to enjoy an authentic
township tour then Lebo’s Soweto
Backpackers is the place to visit for
their Soweto Bicycle Tours. Visit the
only street in the world where two
Nobel Peace Laureates have lived,
the site of the 1976 student uprising
and the Hector Pieterson Memorial
amongst other local attractions.
So there you have it: races aren’t
the only way to see great new trails,
visit new places or push your riding
abilities. Why not book your spot on
a tour and experience a different side
of mountain biking this winter.
Soak up the Winelands on our bike.
Some of the tour group
orgnaisers offer skills in
coaching too, so you can
learn while you tour. DANIEL DOBINSON IRIDE AFRICA
DANIEL DOBINSON IRIDE AFRICA
30
Seamus Allardice joined a bunch of mates for
what promised to be a great day of riding in
the farmlands and Renosterveld of Darling for
the Darling Brew Extreme MTB Challenge.
“THE 23KM OF SINGLETRACK IS
NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TOO,
SO YOU CAN GO RIDE IT AT YOUR
CONVENIENCE.”
where are we?
Darling in the Western Cape
Swartland might be better known
for wheat, Evita se Perron and
wind farms. But with the growing
craft beer movement and the
inception of Darling Brew there’s
now another great reason to know
where Darling is. Plus there are some great MTB trails there too!
S
O
U
T
H
AFRICA
Western
Cape
Cape Town
Northern
Cape
N1
N2
◆Darling
FS Ride Report Darling Brew Extreme
T
he morning of the 31st of May
was misty to say the least,
in fact I’ve ridden in rain that
was slower to soak you to the bone, but nothing could detract from the amazing trails the organisers of the Darling Brew Extreme had in store.
The mist even delayed the start as
race entrants had trouble navigating the narrow roads to Darling. We got underway heading out towards the king of the mountain climb, and the
spot prize, at the 7km mark. The wet
clay roads of the valley gave way to
rocky jeep track for the climb and
once we crested the summit we
were soon in the fi rst stretch of great
singletrack. To get there the route
crossed the fi rst of many styles and
as would become the norm on the
ride there was a rider lying prone at
the foot of the style.
Now it was wet and slippery under
tyre, but the styles were all simple with a straight run in and out. Even if you’re nervous all you have to do is grit your teeth, forget the brakes and let your momentum carry you up and over the style. Locking up at the top is a sure fi re way to get yourself hospitalised. Fortunately, as I’ve subsequently heard, none of the
injuries were as serious they at fi rst looked, and all the riders in question will be back on their bikes in no time. I wasn’t immune to a bit of a fall
myself mind you…
Riding the Cannondale F29 hardtail
with Cannondale’s new leftie fork,
I had a blast on the fl ats and the
climbs, but the narrow Kendra tyres
with their small block tread pattern
just accumulated clay until they
eff ectively became slicks. On the fi rst
switch-back descent down a little
valley I lost the front end on a tight
corner and ended up going over the
bars in spectacular fashion. I’ve got
a nice yellow and purple bruise to
show for the eff ort which is a great
souvenir – as Stirling Junior says in
his column in the “if you’re not falling
at least every ten rides you’re not
learning.”
The route then took us into the
amazing Wolwefontein MTB Trail
sculpted by Darling Brew Extreme
route designer Gabri Steyn. The 23km
of singletrack is now open to the
public too, so you can go ride it at
your convenience. And I’d suggest
you do! There are sections that in
the mist looked other worldly, with
granite boulders, moss and aloes
with Darling Brew fl owing freely and
artisan food stalls catering for that
post-race hunger.
I’d suggest you remember to
keep an eye out for the Darling
Brew Extreme Challenge on the
2015 mountain biking calendar, or
enter the Resolution Health Ride
the Rhino in September if you’ve got
a hankering to ride those amazing
trails again.
creating a natural garden even the most skilled landscape designer would be proud of.
After the singletrack the route
looped through Darling before heading out on the fi rst of three big climbs. The second of which was a real dusi. It went straight up a steep koppie on a badly eroded farm road. The fi nal climb had me cursing the
co-worker’s farewell party of the
night before (don’t drink cream
based shots, skip breakfast and
think you’ll have sustained energy
levels for a 50km plus ride the next
day). Once I’d reached the top our
little group of four - featuring the
Bigshot Media guys, David and Doug
Le Roux, Andrew Robb and myself
found ourselves leading a little
peloton of tired riders into the icy
North Wester. After bombing through
the scenic streets of Darling we
were faced with an agonising fi nal
stretch across the small holdings
behind town towards the Gabriel
Pharaoh Sports Grounds where the
race village was already pumping
The wet styles caused a few riders
consignation but if you kept your wheels
rolling there was no danger and could enjoy
the scenic Swartland valleys.
The misty conditions made
for chilly riding and the
post-race Darling Brew all
the more rewarding.
EXTREME(LY) FUN
trails in Darling
Seamus Allardice joined a bunch of mates for
what promised to be a great day of riding in
the farmlands and Renosterveld of Darling for
the Darling Brew Extreme MTB Challenge.
“THE 23KM OF SINGLETRACK IS
NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TOO,
SO YOU CAN GO RIDE IT AT YOUR
CONVENIENCE.”
where are we?
Darling in the Western Cape
Swartland might be better known
for wheat, Evita se Perron and
wind farms. But with the growing
craft beer movement and the
inception of Darling Brew there’s
now another great reason to know
where Darling is. Plus there are some great MTB trails there too!
S
O
U
T
H
AFRICA
Western
Cape
Cape Town
Northern
Cape
N1
N2
◆Darling
FS Ride Report Darling Brew Extreme
T
he morning of the 31st of May
was misty to say the least,
in fact I’ve ridden in rain that
was slower to soak you to the bone, but nothing could detract from the amazing trails the organisers of the Darling Brew Extreme had in store.
The mist even delayed the start as
race entrants had trouble navigating the narrow roads to Darling. We got underway heading out towards the king of the mountain climb, and the
spot prize, at the 7km mark. The wet
clay roads of the valley gave way to
rocky jeep track for the climb and
once we crested the summit we
were soon in the fi rst stretch of great
singletrack. To get there the route
crossed the fi rst of many styles and
as would become the norm on the
ride there was a rider lying prone at
the foot of the style.
Now it was wet and slippery under
tyre, but the styles were all simple with a straight run in and out. Even if you’re nervous all you have to do is grit your teeth, forget the brakes and let your momentum carry you up and over the style. Locking up at the top is a sure fi re way to get yourself hospitalised. Fortunately, as I’ve subsequently heard, none of the
injuries were as serious they at fi rst looked, and all the riders in question will be back on their bikes in no time. I wasn’t immune to a bit of a fall
myself mind you…
Riding the Cannondale F29 hardtail
with Cannondale’s new leftie fork,
I had a blast on the fl ats and the
climbs, but the narrow Kendra tyres
with their small block tread pattern
just accumulated clay until they
eff ectively became slicks. On the fi rst
switch-back descent down a little
valley I lost the front end on a tight
corner and ended up going over the
bars in spectacular fashion. I’ve got
a nice yellow and purple bruise to
show for the eff ort which is a great
souvenir – as Stirling Junior says in
his column in the “if you’re not falling
at least every ten rides you’re not
learning.”
The route then took us into the
amazing Wolwefontein MTB Trail
sculpted by Darling Brew Extreme
route designer Gabri Steyn. The 23km
of singletrack is now open to the
public too, so you can go ride it at
your convenience. And I’d suggest
you do! There are sections that in
the mist looked other worldly, with
granite boulders, moss and aloes
with Darling Brew fl owing freely and
artisan food stalls catering for that
post-race hunger.
I’d suggest you remember to
keep an eye out for the Darling
Brew Extreme Challenge on the
2015 mountain biking calendar, or
enter the Resolution Health Ride
the Rhino in September if you’ve got
a hankering to ride those amazing
trails again.
creating a natural garden even the most skilled landscape designer would be proud of.
After the singletrack the route
looped through Darling before heading out on the fi rst of three big climbs. The second of which was a real dusi. It went straight up a steep koppie on a badly eroded farm road. The fi nal climb had me cursing the
co-worker’s farewell party of the
night before (don’t drink cream
based shots, skip breakfast and
think you’ll have sustained energy
levels for a 50km plus ride the next
day). Once I’d reached the top our
little group of four - featuring the
Bigshot Media guys, David and Doug
Le Roux, Andrew Robb and myself
found ourselves leading a little
peloton of tired riders into the icy
North Wester. After bombing through
the scenic streets of Darling we
were faced with an agonising fi nal
stretch across the small holdings
behind town towards the Gabriel
Pharaoh Sports Grounds where the
race village was already pumping
The wet styles caused a few riders
consignation but if you kept your wheels
rolling there was no danger and could enjoy
the scenic Swartland valleys.
The misty conditions made
for chilly riding and the
post-race Darling Brew all
the more rewarding.
EXTREME(LY) FUN
trails in Darling
32
FS Xxxxxxxxxx
T
here’s a heck of a lot more to the
Trans Karoo than the toughest
day of riding you’ll experience
all year though. It’s an emotional experience, with the broad Karoo
plains providing the perfect landscape
for introspection – and that’s before
the going gets really tough on the
slopes of the Ouberg Pass…
The Trans Karoo alternates
annually in direction with ‘up’ and ‘down’ rides between Ceres and
Sutherland. The 2014 edition was
an ‘up’ year, meaning riders had to
conquer the Ouberg Pass which
climbs 820 meters in 10.4km from the
fl at Tankwa Karoo to the undulating
Karoo Hoogland.
The race started at the mountain
biking Mecca that is Eselfontien, as the sun crested the Martroosberg
Mountains. The 200 odd riders set off
in a Northerly direction, traversing the
Ceres Karoo, before climbing up into
the Tankwa Karoo.
The riders looking to compete
for the win formed a small peloton to help maintain a high tempo, and with Johan Kruger aiming for Raynard Tissink’s up ride record the pace was phenomenal. While the riders whose only goal would be to fi nish conserved their energy for the challenges ahead.
The Tankwa Karoo boasts a
scenic landscape. Its broad vistas, hardy Karoo shrubs, conical koppies and red soil all make for a landscape that has an unchanging beauty to it. It’s not a landscape of features jostling for attention; it’s a sparse beauty and one that you feel and sense as much as you see. For riders, the feeling of uncluttered
Challenging
the Karoo
In South Africa we love to
bill things as The Toughest this or that.
And there are a few mountain biking races which make
a claim to be the toughest single day marathon event. But the
race that currently deserves the title of the country’s toughest
single day of MTB racing is arguably the Trans Karoo.
SUSSUS The Results
Men:
1. Johan Kruger ................ 09:30:06
2. Izak Visagie .................09:38:03
3. Hermias ......................09:48:11
Nieuwoudt
Ladies:
1. Liesbet Kristafor..........11:58:15
2. Elizma Kock ................13:44:07
3. Nan Kirtley ...................14:17:39
where are we?
The Northern Cape town of Sutherland, better
known for star gazing, was the location of
the 2014 Trans Karoo fi nish. In 2015 riders
will start in Sutherland as they attempt
the ‘down’ ride – much like the ‘up’ and
‘down’ runs of the ultimate South African
endurance event the Comrades Marathon.
freezing too, just for good measure.
If it sounds tough to you when
you’re reading this, you’re right. It’s
probably one of the toughest races
in the county, if not the toughest
single day race. But that shouldn’t
scare you off . Completing the Trans
Karoo is like completing a full Iron
Man triathlon. It’ll probably take
you in excess of fi fteen hours. You’ll
have to put in months of training.
You’ll need to pack well for the
extreme temperatures you might
face. You’ll need all the mental
strength you can muster. Finishing
the Trans Karoo is a feat worthy of
much praise.
It’s a massive challenge but one
worth the eff ort of every pedal
stroke.
WWW.OAKPICS.COM
WWW.OAKPICS.COM
space that the Karoo arouses must
be near on overwhelming…
The mountains marking the climb
to the Hoogland were ever in view
but agonisingly slow in approaching.
Wishing away the fl ats of the
Tankwa Karoo wasn’t necessarily
a great idea though. The Ouberg
Pass snaked up into the Hoogland
and every rider was reduced to
walking, pushing their bikes with a
weary trudge. While the race leaders
crested the pass in daylight, for the
majority of the fi eld the sun set well
before they began to climb. In the
dark there was no agonising false
summit or even hint of the top, it
was simply a case of head down and
soldier on, riding where possible and
walking where not.
From the top of the Ouberg Pass
to the fi nish line at Sutherland the
riders cross the undulating Karoo
Hoogland. For the majority of the race
fi eld this 40km section of the race
was completed in nearly absolute
darkness Except for the sliver of
moon and usual stunning Karoo
stars hidden by patchy cloud cover.
The temperature plummeted to near
A lonely windpump is one of the iconic
Karoo images as the Trans Karoo fi nisher,
Andre Botha, will always remember.
where are we?
The Northern Cape town of Sutherland, better
known for star gazing, was the location of
the 2014 Trans Karoo fi nish. In 2015 riders
endurance event the Comrades Marathon.
S
O
U
T
H
AFRICA
Western
Cape
Northern
Cape
Sutherland
N1
N2
◆
Cape Town
FS Ride report Trans Karoo
FS Xxxxxxxxxx
T
here’s a heck of a lot more to the
Trans Karoo than the toughest
day of riding you’ll experience
all year though. It’s an emotional experience, with the broad Karoo
plains providing the perfect landscape
for introspection – and that’s before
the going gets really tough on the
slopes of the Ouberg Pass…
The Trans Karoo alternates
annually in direction with ‘up’ and ‘down’ rides between Ceres and
Sutherland. The 2014 edition was
an ‘up’ year, meaning riders had to
conquer the Ouberg Pass which
climbs 820 meters in 10.4km from the
fl at Tankwa Karoo to the undulating
Karoo Hoogland.
The race started at the mountain
biking Mecca that is Eselfontien, as the sun crested the Martroosberg
Mountains. The 200 odd riders set off
in a Northerly direction, traversing the
Ceres Karoo, before climbing up into
the Tankwa Karoo.
The riders looking to compete
for the win formed a small peloton to help maintain a high tempo, and with Johan Kruger aiming for Raynard Tissink’s up ride record the pace was phenomenal. While the riders whose only goal would be to fi nish conserved their energy for the challenges ahead.
The Tankwa Karoo boasts a
scenic landscape. Its broad vistas, hardy Karoo shrubs, conical koppies and red soil all make for a landscape that has an unchanging beauty to it. It’s not a landscape of features jostling for attention; it’s a sparse beauty and one that you feel and sense as much as you see. For riders, the feeling of uncluttered
Challenging
the Karoo
In South Africa we love to
bill things as The Toughest this or that.
And there are a few mountain biking races which make
a claim to be the toughest single day marathon event. But the
race that currently deserves the title of the country’s toughest
single day of MTB racing is arguably the Trans Karoo.
SUSSUS The Results
Men:
1. Johan Kruger ................ 09:30:06
2. Izak Visagie .................09:38:03
3. Hermias ......................09:48:11
Nieuwoudt
Ladies:
1. Liesbet Kristafor..........11:58:15
2. Elizma Kock ................13:44:07
3. Nan Kirtley ...................14:17:39
where are we?
The Northern Cape town of Sutherland, better
known for star gazing, was the location of
the 2014 Trans Karoo fi nish. In 2015 riders
will start in Sutherland as they attempt
the ‘down’ ride – much like the ‘up’ and
‘down’ runs of the ultimate South African
endurance event the Comrades Marathon.
freezing too, just for good measure.
If it sounds tough to you when
you’re reading this, you’re right. It’s
probably one of the toughest races
in the county, if not the toughest
single day race. But that shouldn’t
scare you off . Completing the Trans
Karoo is like completing a full Iron
Man triathlon. It’ll probably take
you in excess of fi fteen hours. You’ll
have to put in months of training.
You’ll need to pack well for the
extreme temperatures you might
face. You’ll need all the mental
strength you can muster. Finishing
the Trans Karoo is a feat worthy of
much praise.
It’s a massive challenge but one
worth the eff ort of every pedal
stroke.
WWW.OAKPICS.COM
WWW.OAKPICS.COM
space that the Karoo arouses must
be near on overwhelming…
The mountains marking the climb
to the Hoogland were ever in view
but agonisingly slow in approaching.
Wishing away the fl ats of the
Tankwa Karoo wasn’t necessarily
a great idea though. The Ouberg
Pass snaked up into the Hoogland
and every rider was reduced to
walking, pushing their bikes with a
weary trudge. While the race leaders
crested the pass in daylight, for the
majority of the fi eld the sun set well
before they began to climb. In the
dark there was no agonising false
summit or even hint of the top, it
was simply a case of head down and
soldier on, riding where possible and
walking where not.
From the top of the Ouberg Pass
to the fi nish line at Sutherland the
riders cross the undulating Karoo
Hoogland. For the majority of the race
fi eld this 40km section of the race
was completed in nearly absolute
darkness Except for the sliver of
moon and usual stunning Karoo
stars hidden by patchy cloud cover.
The temperature plummeted to near
A lonely windpump is one of the iconic
Karoo images as the Trans Karoo fi nisher,
Andre Botha, will always remember.
where are we?
The Northern Cape town of Sutherland, better
known for star gazing, was the location of
the 2014 Trans Karoo fi nish. In 2015 riders
endurance event the Comrades Marathon.
S
O
U
T
H
AFRICA
Western
Cape
Northern
Cape
Sutherland
N1
N2
◆
Cape Town
FS Ride report Trans Karoo
turn to page 6
FullSussa
@FullSussa
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLYMOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
FREE
August
Issue 2014,
Vol 16
www.issuu.com
/FullSussa
full sus
Bike Review
pg16
MTN National
Series
pg14
Dusi2c
pg24
Coaching
pg18
Sani2c by cyclocross
pg08
W
e’re very fortunate in
South Africa to be spoilt with
a massive array of mountain
biking events. From the world’s biggest stage race in terms of sheer participation numbers, in the sani2c, to the host of weekend races,
conveniently held nearly every weekend
in the Western Cape and KZN in
particular. Most of those races are well
organised and the more established
races are world leaders. The MTN
National Series for example is the envy
of marathon racers the world over. But
while there is room for improvement
in even the slickest running local race,
sadly there is signifi cant room for
improvement in other races. Others are
just down right terrible.
If you’re an event organiser, you
need to take an honest look at your events and fi x where you’re going wrong before riders simply stop entering your events.
You should have ridden a
fat bike
Technical routes, though a constant
source of complaints due to the
perceived inability of fellow riders to
navigate technical challenges with
enough speed, aren’t an issue in
themselves and the matter is actually
quite easily resolved. But more on
that later…
The real issues arise from long
sections of unrideable terrain. Kilometres of soft sand, unless it’s Stage One of the Epic (where the
aim is to sort the wheat from the
chaff ) should be a major no. A couple
of sandy stretches are okay, but
when then entire fi eld is reduced to
trudging along pushing their bikes for
20 out of the 60 kilometres you’ve
got it wrong. And you should have
known better! Sand is avoidable
too, it’s not like things suddenly
become sandy overnight, riders are
understanding if torrential rain turns
a route to a mud bath or washes
dongas into your trail, that’s nature.
Planning your route along a sandy
road is stupidity.
Route markers?
Where were they?!?
The second route issue that kills
the enthusiasm of a fi eld is poor
route marking. Now as I heard an
organiser say recently, “[you] can’t
mark for stupidity”, and that’s true,
some people can get lost even with
ideal route marking. But the general
rule of having a clearly designated
route with arrow boards at every
intersection is a must, unless your
route is GPS navigated. Go for bright
contrasting colours and place them
in highly visible locations, not half
behind bushes. An odd bit of red or
yellow duct tape on bushes or trees
lining the route will let riders know
they’re still on the right track between
the markers; just remember to
remove them after the race.
Then it’s also important to brief the
marshals. They have to know which
direction riders need to go and it’s
especially important where various
distances split.
And fi nally, how about a bit of route
marking improvement, why not introduce
pre-signals for high speed corners?
Safety
The safety of every rider in the fi eld
should be your number one priority.
I was told by a friend about a race
he did in June where there was not
a single medic on the route. That’s
bordering on criminal negligence.
Accidents happen and as a race
organiser you need to be prepared to
deal with worst case scenarios.
You should mitigate the risk by
off ering chicken runs for potentially
dangerous route features, and if
that’s not possible communicate
clearly to the riders that they will
need to be able to safely navigate
that particular challenge in order to
We’re sure you’ve done at least one. A shocker. A race that’s poorly
organised. A route that’s poorly marked. A course that’s generally
unrideable. We’ve used some of our reader survey data and
Seamus Allardice spoke to a bunch of riders about what bugs them
about, and on, mountain bike races and used that information to
produce a guide for race organisers to help get all little local races up to
a general standard.
Where to
Improve
Single Day
Races
WWW.OAKPICS.COM
Make use of clear and highly visible route marking to keep race entrants safe and on the right track.
FullSussa
@FullSussa
MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLYMOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY
FREE
August
Issue 2014,
Vol 16
www.issuu.com
/FullSussa
full sus
Bike Review
pg16
MTN National
Series
pg14
Dusi2c
pg24
Coaching
pg18
Sani2c by cyclocross
pg08
W
e’re very fortunate in
South Africa to be spoilt with
a massive array of mountain
biking events. From the world’s biggest stage race in terms of sheer participation numbers, in the sani2c, to the host of weekend races,
conveniently held nearly every weekend
in the Western Cape and KZN in
particular. Most of those races are well
organised and the more established
races are world leaders. The MTN
National Series for example is the envy
of marathon racers the world over. But
while there is room for improvement
in even the slickest running local race,
sadly there is signifi cant room for
improvement in other races. Others are
just down right terrible.
If you’re an event organiser, you
need to take an honest look at your events and fi x where you’re going wrong before riders simply stop entering your events.
You should have ridden a
fat bike
Technical routes, though a constant
source of complaints due to the
perceived inability of fellow riders to
navigate technical challenges with
enough speed, aren’t an issue in
themselves and the matter is actually
quite easily resolved. But more on
that later…
The real issues arise from long
sections of unrideable terrain. Kilometres of soft sand, unless it’s Stage One of the Epic (where the
aim is to sort the wheat from the
chaff ) should be a major no. A couple
of sandy stretches are okay, but
when then entire fi eld is reduced to
trudging along pushing their bikes for
20 out of the 60 kilometres you’ve
got it wrong. And you should have
known better! Sand is avoidable
too, it’s not like things suddenly
become sandy overnight, riders are
understanding if torrential rain turns
a route to a mud bath or washes
dongas into your trail, that’s nature.
Planning your route along a sandy
road is stupidity.
Route markers?
Where were they?!?
The second route issue that kills
the enthusiasm of a fi eld is poor
route marking. Now as I heard an
organiser say recently, “[you] can’t
mark for stupidity”, and that’s true,
some people can get lost even with
ideal route marking. But the general
rule of having a clearly designated
route with arrow boards at every
intersection is a must, unless your
route is GPS navigated. Go for bright
contrasting colours and place them
in highly visible locations, not half
behind bushes. An odd bit of red or
yellow duct tape on bushes or trees
lining the route will let riders know
they’re still on the right track between
the markers; just remember to
remove them after the race.
Then it’s also important to brief the
marshals. They have to know which
direction riders need to go and it’s
especially important where various
distances split.
And fi nally, how about a bit of route
marking improvement, why not introduce
pre-signals for high speed corners?
Safety
The safety of every rider in the fi eld
should be your number one priority.
I was told by a friend about a race
he did in June where there was not
a single medic on the route. That’s
bordering on criminal negligence.
Accidents happen and as a race
organiser you need to be prepared to
deal with worst case scenarios.
You should mitigate the risk by
off ering chicken runs for potentially
dangerous route features, and if
that’s not possible communicate
clearly to the riders that they will
need to be able to safely navigate
that particular challenge in order to
We’re sure you’ve done at least one. A shocker. A race that’s poorly
organised. A route that’s poorly marked. A course that’s generally
unrideable. We’ve used some of our reader survey data and
Seamus Allardice spoke to a bunch of riders about what bugs them
about, and on, mountain bike races and used that information to
produce a guide for race organisers to help get all little local races up to
a general standard.
Where to
Improve
Single Day
Races
WWW.OAKPICS.COM
Make use of clear and highly visible route marking to keep race entrants safe and on the right track.
FS Guide for Race Organisers
6
from page 1
complete the race. If they can’t do
so, they can’t enter. Don’t downplay
the danger for fear of losing out on
potential race entrants. Surely having
someone seriously injure themselves
(or worse) at your race is far worse
than having a half fi lled fi eld?
Another safety issue is road
closers and road crossings. Make
sure your marshals are switched on
to the very real danger. One of South
Africa’s top multisport athletes was
very nearly hit by a car at a road
crossing because the marshal was
taken by surprise at his early arrival.
Communicate
Here we get into the Doctor Phil stuff ,
but it needs to be said so read on.
Providing a race briefi ng in
Afrikaans isn’t ideal. Even if you’re
organising a race in a small town,
with the growth of mountain biking
in SA, there will be a foreigner or two
in the fi eld. And if you speak only
Afrikaans they won’t know what’s
potting, I’m afraid. So for the sake
of clarity please do the race briefi ng
in English, or at least repeat the key
points, like what colour markers to
follow, in English.
If you go to the expense of hiring
an MC, brief them well. And if you
get a chatty mate to do it, don’t let
them waffl e on, get the essential
information across rather than let
them go on until everyone realises
how disorganised things are behind
the scenes.
Communication includes making
eff ective use of the media. If
you’re organising a small event it
might sound daunting, but it really
shouldn’t be. Here’s what you need
to do. If you can’t aff ord a website,
and even if you can, set up a
Facebook fan page. Not a Facebook
event. Then produce press releases
about your event, one to announce
its launch at least six months before
the race date, monthly reminders
about the event – try to keep them
fresh and interesting – a prerace
briefi ng in the week before the race
and a post-race report. If you don’t
know who to send the press releases
to you can start by sending them to
[email protected] and if you’re
nice the Full Sus team might just
give you the contact information
for the relevant people at the other
publications too.
Yes not all your press releases will
be published everywhere. But every
little bit helps. And if you can aff ord
a bit of advertising it’ll greatly help
ensure your content get published
too. It might sound a bit “you scratch
my back and I’ll scratch yours”, but
remember that the publications are
businesses too and although all we
want to do is ride too, we need to fi nd
a way of paying the bills, just like you.
Then start building a database of
email addresses of race entrants.
Send them newsletters about your
races, it’s the most powerful way of
building a loyal group of riders – if
you keep them happy by providing
good quality races, that is. But please
don’t just send a normal email, make
it look good. An easy way to do that
is to sign up for a free ChimpMail
newsletter creation account.
Added Value
People love free stuff . And as a result
goodie bags are always appreciated,
but it’s still a good idea to keep the
products vaguely mountain biking
related. If you really want to treat
your entrants, give us a call a month
before the event and let us know that
you’d like copies of Full Sus for your
goodie bags. If we haven’t allocated
them all for that month yet (the earlier
you ask the better for you) we’ll send
you copies of the latest issue.
The great technical debate
Everyone likes to moan about
slow riders holding them up in the
singletrack. But singletrack bottle
necks are an inevitability, they even
happen in the Elite Men’s races in
UCI World Cup events. There are
a few ways of reducing the issues.
Firstly institute batch starts. Secondly
spread the fi eld with a good few
kilometres of jeep track or gravel
road and ideally a sharp climb before
the fi rst stretch of singletrack. Thirdly
if you’ve got a technical feature
that’s sure to cause riders to slam
on the brakes off er a chicken run
and brief the riders and the marshals
thoroughly.
If you’re reading this and have
never been held up in the singletrack,
go book a skills session now
because you’re holding everyone else
up. And if you’re the one moaning
after every ride about being held
up lay off the beer and ride more,
if you’re fi tter you’ll be ahead of
those riders you love moaning about
next time you get to a stretch of
singletrack.
For race organisers you also need
to communicate the technicality
of the trails to the race entrants.
The easiest way is to grade the
trails according to the International
Mountain Biking Association’s “Trail
Diffi culty Ratings and Signs” criteria,
that way races around the country
can be judged relatively objectively
against each other. Again be honest
though, don’t promise black diamond
and deliver green, or vice versa.
A fi nal word
According to the responses to the
Full Sus reader survey only 15% of our
readers want a fi nishers medal, 23% would prefer a unique trinket (like a wire bicycle – but those are getting
tired quickly too), 24% of riders would
rather you didn’t charge that extra R40 or so that the medal costs and make do with only a cup Coke after crossing the fi nish line. The largest number of riders though, 38%, would prefer a photo of themselves in the race, so advice we’d give race organisers is to spend the cash on event photographers and send each rider a nice photo of themselves. If you add subtle branding you’ll be getting free advertising all year from those photos too as riders use them as profi le photos or hang them up in their offi ces.
Beg to diff er?
If you’ve got a complaint, a question or just looking for a sounding board for improving and growing your small event give us a shout. Email [email protected] or join the debate on Twitter by tweeting @FullSussa with your #RaceImprovement.
How often do you
enter MTB Races?
More than once a month
Once a month
Once every two months
Once every three months or less
If you have the choice which of the
following would you like?
A fi nisher’s medal
A commemorative trinket (like a wire bicycle)
A discounted race entry (to the value of the medal
or trinket)
A photo of yourself from the event
What type of race do you
enter most often?
Short single day races (15km or less)
Medium length single day races (+35km)
Single day marathon races (45km+)
Single day marathon races that form
part of a national series
Short stage races (2-3 days long)
Long stage races ( 4 days+)
Enduro races
27%
27%
22%
24%
38%
15%
23%
24%
55%
9%
8%
6%
19%
1%
2%
Scan the QR code to read the
IMBA trail grading guide.
6
from page 1
complete the race. If they can’t do
so, they can’t enter. Don’t downplay
the danger for fear of losing out on
potential race entrants. Surely having
someone seriously injure themselves
(or worse) at your race is far worse
than having a half fi lled fi eld?
Another safety issue is road
closers and road crossings. Make
sure your marshals are switched on
to the very real danger. One of South
Africa’s top multisport athletes was
very nearly hit by a car at a road
crossing because the marshal was
taken by surprise at his early arrival.
Communicate
Here we get into the Doctor Phil stuff ,
but it needs to be said so read on.
Providing a race briefi ng in
Afrikaans isn’t ideal. Even if you’re
organising a race in a small town,
with the growth of mountain biking
in SA, there will be a foreigner or two
in the fi eld. And if you speak only
Afrikaans they won’t know what’s
potting, I’m afraid. So for the sake
of clarity please do the race briefi ng
in English, or at least repeat the key
points, like what colour markers to
follow, in English.
If you go to the expense of hiring
an MC, brief them well. And if you
get a chatty mate to do it, don’t let
them waffl e on, get the essential
information across rather than let
them go on until everyone realises
how disorganised things are behind
the scenes.
Communication includes making
eff ective use of the media. If
you’re organising a small event it
might sound daunting, but it really
shouldn’t be. Here’s what you need
to do. If you can’t aff ord a website,
and even if you can, set up a
Facebook fan page. Not a Facebook
event. Then produce press releases
about your event, one to announce
its launch at least six months before
the race date, monthly reminders
about the event – try to keep them
fresh and interesting – a prerace
briefi ng in the week before the race
and a post-race report. If you don’t
know who to send the press releases
to you can start by sending them to
[email protected] and if you’re
nice the Full Sus team might just
give you the contact information
for the relevant people at the other
publications too.
Yes not all your press releases will
be published everywhere. But every
little bit helps. And if you can aff ord
a bit of advertising it’ll greatly help
ensure your content get published
too. It might sound a bit “you scratch
my back and I’ll scratch yours”, but
remember that the publications are
businesses too and although all we
want to do is ride too, we need to fi nd
a way of paying the bills, just like you.
Then start building a database of
email addresses of race entrants.
Send them newsletters about your
races, it’s the most powerful way of
building a loyal group of riders – if
you keep them happy by providing
good quality races, that is. But please
don’t just send a normal email, make
it look good. An easy way to do that
is to sign up for a free ChimpMail
newsletter creation account.
Added Value
People love free stuff . And as a result
goodie bags are always appreciated,
but it’s still a good idea to keep the
products vaguely mountain biking
related. If you really want to treat
your entrants, give us a call a month
before the event and let us know that
you’d like copies of Full Sus for your
goodie bags. If we haven’t allocated
them all for that month yet (the earlier
you ask the better for you) we’ll send
you copies of the latest issue.
The great technical debate
Everyone likes to moan about
slow riders holding them up in the
singletrack. But singletrack bottle
necks are an inevitability, they even
happen in the Elite Men’s races in
UCI World Cup events. There are
a few ways of reducing the issues.
Firstly institute batch starts. Secondly
spread the fi eld with a good few
kilometres of jeep track or gravel
road and ideally a sharp climb before
the fi rst stretch of singletrack. Thirdly
if you’ve got a technical feature
that’s sure to cause riders to slam
on the brakes off er a chicken run
and brief the riders and the marshals
thoroughly.
If you’re reading this and have
never been held up in the singletrack,
go book a skills session now
because you’re holding everyone else
up. And if you’re the one moaning
after every ride about being held
up lay off the beer and ride more,
if you’re fi tter you’ll be ahead of
those riders you love moaning about
next time you get to a stretch of
singletrack.
For race organisers you also need
to communicate the technicality
of the trails to the race entrants.
The easiest way is to grade the
trails according to the International
Mountain Biking Association’s “Trail
Diffi culty Ratings and Signs” criteria,
that way races around the country
can be judged relatively objectively
against each other. Again be honest
though, don’t promise black diamond
and deliver green, or vice versa.
A fi nal word
According to the responses to the
Full Sus reader survey only 15% of our
readers want a fi nishers medal, 23% would prefer a unique trinket (like a wire bicycle – but those are getting
tired quickly too), 24% of riders would
rather you didn’t charge that extra R40 or so that the medal costs and make do with only a cup Coke after crossing the fi nish line. The largest number of riders though, 38%, would prefer a photo of themselves in the race, so advice we’d give race organisers is to spend the cash on event photographers and send each rider a nice photo of themselves. If you add subtle branding you’ll be getting free advertising all year from those photos too as riders use them as profi le photos or hang them up in their offi ces.
Beg to diff er?
If you’ve got a complaint, a question or just looking for a sounding board for improving and growing your small event give us a shout. Email [email protected] or join the debate on Twitter by tweeting @FullSussa with your #RaceImprovement.
How often do you
enter MTB Races?
More than once a month
Once a month
Once every two months
Once every three months or less
If you have the choice which of the
following would you like?
A fi nisher’s medal
A commemorative trinket (like a wire bicycle)
A discounted race entry (to the value of the medal
or trinket)
A photo of yourself from the event
What type of race do you
enter most often?
Short single day races (15km or less)
Medium length single day races (+35km)
Single day marathon races (45km+)
Single day marathon races that form
part of a national series
Short stage races (2-3 days long)
Long stage races ( 4 days+)
Enduro races
27%
27%
22%
24%
38%
15%
23%
24%
55%
9%
8%
6%
19%
1%
2%
Scan the QR code to read the
IMBA trail grading guide.
8
FS Body Geometry Bike Fitment
T
he seed for Body Geometry
Fit, as Peet explained, was
conceptualised by Doctor
Andrew Pruitt in the Seventies. As anassistant athletic trainer at the University of Colorado he saw many cyclists with overuse injuries
and started to wonder if prevention
might not be better than treatment.
The science of bicycle fi tment was
in its infancy at the time and the
dominant model for determining
how a cyclist’s bike should be set up
was taken from a study done on a
group of Italian professional roadies.
You don’t need a degree in anatomy
to know that the fl exibility and other physical capabilities of a professional cyclist are vastly removed from those of the average person, especially
given the “lower is better” school of
thought at the time – when it came to
saddle to bar drop. So Dr Pruitt went
to work developing a bike fi tment
programme that took in the individual
rider’s unique personal anatomy.
The Body Geometry fi tment
session, is not something you can rush and can take up to three hours, which seems like a lot, but my fairly straightforward fi tment took two and a half hours so I’d strongly suggest budgeting the time. It starts with a chat about your riding goals, aches and pains, and injuries. Then the fi tment expert takes you through a strength, fl exibility and anatomical measurement programme, to establish key data like the distance between your ischial tuberosities (the width of your sit bones), your hip and hamstring fl exibility, and leg length discrepancy.
Armed with the data and the
knowledge of what’s bothered you in the past and what you’d like to achieve you move across to the bike. Now in the ideal situation you’ll be fi tted on a Retül Müve sizing cycle, but given the cost of the Retül bikes it’s more likely that the fi tment will be done on your bike, clipped into a stationary trainer. The Retül Müve
sizing cycle makes it easy for the fi tment expert to quickly adjust and one of the parameters at the turn of a handle, whereas on your bike the
process is slowed by you needing to
dismount and wait as the saddle is
raised or the bar dropped.
On the bike the fi tment starts with
the side view. The fi tment expert
determines your ideal saddle height,
based on your feedback regarding
comfort and a measurement of your
knee angle. The measurement is
taken when the pedal is at its furthest
point from the saddle (near the fi ve
o’clock position). The ideal knee
angle is 30 degrees, but due to the
fact that most of us have a slight leg
length discrepancy (anything below
3mm doesn’t require special action
from the bike fi tter), in reality it’s likely
that the compromise will result in
one leg having a slightly more acute
or obtuse angle. Your saddle angle
(normally it will be perfectly horizontal
for maximum comfort), handle bar
height, stem length and cleat position
are all adjusted in turn. After each
adjustment you’ll have to spin at
60% of your maximum pace to reset
yourself on the bike and you’ll be
asked if you’re comfortable – before
the next adjustment is made or you
fi nalise a setting. It’s a lot like being at
the optometrist – sometimes you just
can’t tell what’s more comfortable.
Next up is the frontal view, where
the fi tment expert will check your
hip, knee and foot alignment. This
could mean special inserts in
your shoes to combat your knees
rotating during the pedal stroke.
Finally from behind your placement
and squareness on the saddle is
checked, before setting up your
suspension and fork for your weight
and riding style.
To help with the analysis of your
body in motion the fi tment expert
will make use of a Body Geometry
Clipboard App which captures video
and allows the expert to review your
cycling form in slow-motion which
guide lines inserted to check for
Setting yourself
up for comfort
Seamus Allardice has always been DIY in his
approach to setting up a bike, relying on a
quick peddle around the parking area and a
few adjustments of the saddle height to get
comfortable. But a recent back injury from a
hastily set up bike made him realise that a
more comprehensive approach was necessary,
so he booked a Body Geometry fi tment
session with Specialized Body Geometry Fit
professor Peet le Roux.
Peet le Roux is
Specialized South
Africa’s Body
Geometry Fit
professor, he teaches
the principals of Body
Geometry fi t to the
fi tment experts who’ll
be getting you comfortable on the bike.
Before joining Specialized he practiced as
a physiotherapist and now heads up the
Specialized retail department.
Specialized South
Africa’s Body
professor, he teaches
the principals of Body
fi tment experts who’ll
deviations from the ideal.
A Body Geometry fi tment session
is above all a personal experience,
an interaction with a professional
who’s there to help you be as
comfortable, effi cient and injury free
on the bike. I went into the session
with back pain from a poorly set up
bike and afterwards spent nearly ten
hours over the next three days riding
without a single niggle. From being
a sceptic and believer in a quick,
what Specialized call a bike sizing
(set the saddle height and maybe fl ip
the stem to change the drop), there
is no way I’d ride any signifi cant
distance on a bike without setting it
up properly again.
The Retül Müve sizing cycle allows the bike fitment expert to make
a multitude of adjustments at the simple turn of a handle
The ideal knee angle is 30°, but often a compromise
is required to allow for leg length discrepancies
SUS the body geometry bike fi tment:SUS the body geometry bike fi tment:
◆ Lynnwood Cyclery
◆ Concept Cyclery Cedar Square
◆ Helderberg Cycle World
◆ Concept Cyclery Ballito
◆Concept Cyclery Melrose Arch
◆West Rand Cycles
◆ Cyclotech Bloem
◆ Complete Cyclist Bryanston
◆ Concept Cyclery Waterfall
Time: ±3 Hours
Cost: R1 000 – R2 000 (depending on time, the fi tment expert’s
experience and excluding new components)
Value: Save a fortune in physiotherapy and doctor’s bills
Body Geometry Accredited Fitment Studios:
(The new Cape Town Specialized Concept stores will also have an accredited
Body Geometry Fitment Expert in store)
PHOTOS SUPPLIED
FS Body Geometry Bike Fitment
T
he seed for Body Geometry
Fit, as Peet explained, was
conceptualised by Doctor
Andrew Pruitt in the Seventies. As anassistant athletic trainer at the University of Colorado he saw many cyclists with overuse injuries
and started to wonder if prevention
might not be better than treatment.
The science of bicycle fi tment was
in its infancy at the time and the
dominant model for determining
how a cyclist’s bike should be set up
was taken from a study done on a
group of Italian professional roadies.
You don’t need a degree in anatomy
to know that the fl exibility and other physical capabilities of a professional cyclist are vastly removed from those of the average person, especially
given the “lower is better” school of
thought at the time – when it came to
saddle to bar drop. So Dr Pruitt went
to work developing a bike fi tment
programme that took in the individual
rider’s unique personal anatomy.
The Body Geometry fi tment
session, is not something you can rush and can take up to three hours, which seems like a lot, but my fairly straightforward fi tment took two and a half hours so I’d strongly suggest budgeting the time. It starts with a chat about your riding goals, aches and pains, and injuries. Then the fi tment expert takes you through a strength, fl exibility and anatomical measurement programme, to establish key data like the distance between your ischial tuberosities (the width of your sit bones), your hip and hamstring fl exibility, and leg length discrepancy.
Armed with the data and the
knowledge of what’s bothered you in the past and what you’d like to achieve you move across to the bike. Now in the ideal situation you’ll be fi tted on a Retül Müve sizing cycle, but given the cost of the Retül bikes it’s more likely that the fi tment will be done on your bike, clipped into a stationary trainer. The Retül Müve
sizing cycle makes it easy for the fi tment expert to quickly adjust and one of the parameters at the turn of a handle, whereas on your bike the
process is slowed by you needing to
dismount and wait as the saddle is
raised or the bar dropped.
On the bike the fi tment starts with
the side view. The fi tment expert
determines your ideal saddle height,
based on your feedback regarding
comfort and a measurement of your
knee angle. The measurement is
taken when the pedal is at its furthest
point from the saddle (near the fi ve
o’clock position). The ideal knee
angle is 30 degrees, but due to the
fact that most of us have a slight leg
length discrepancy (anything below
3mm doesn’t require special action
from the bike fi tter), in reality it’s likely
that the compromise will result in
one leg having a slightly more acute
or obtuse angle. Your saddle angle
(normally it will be perfectly horizontal
for maximum comfort), handle bar
height, stem length and cleat position
are all adjusted in turn. After each
adjustment you’ll have to spin at
60% of your maximum pace to reset
yourself on the bike and you’ll be
asked if you’re comfortable – before
the next adjustment is made or you
fi nalise a setting. It’s a lot like being at
the optometrist – sometimes you just
can’t tell what’s more comfortable.
Next up is the frontal view, where
the fi tment expert will check your
hip, knee and foot alignment. This
could mean special inserts in
your shoes to combat your knees
rotating during the pedal stroke.
Finally from behind your placement
and squareness on the saddle is
checked, before setting up your
suspension and fork for your weight
and riding style.
To help with the analysis of your
body in motion the fi tment expert
will make use of a Body Geometry
Clipboard App which captures video
and allows the expert to review your
cycling form in slow-motion which
guide lines inserted to check for
Setting yourself
up for comfort
Seamus Allardice has always been DIY in his
approach to setting up a bike, relying on a
quick peddle around the parking area and a
few adjustments of the saddle height to get
comfortable. But a recent back injury from a
hastily set up bike made him realise that a
more comprehensive approach was necessary,
so he booked a Body Geometry fi tment
session with Specialized Body Geometry Fit
professor Peet le Roux.
Peet le Roux is
Specialized South
Africa’s Body
Geometry Fit
professor, he teaches
the principals of Body
Geometry fi t to the
fi tment experts who’ll
be getting you comfortable on the bike.
Before joining Specialized he practiced as
a physiotherapist and now heads up the
Specialized retail department.
Specialized South
Africa’s Body
professor, he teaches
the principals of Body
fi tment experts who’ll
deviations from the ideal.
A Body Geometry fi tment session
is above all a personal experience,
an interaction with a professional
who’s there to help you be as
comfortable, effi cient and injury free
on the bike. I went into the session
with back pain from a poorly set up
bike and afterwards spent nearly ten
hours over the next three days riding
without a single niggle. From being
a sceptic and believer in a quick,
what Specialized call a bike sizing
(set the saddle height and maybe fl ip
the stem to change the drop), there
is no way I’d ride any signifi cant
distance on a bike without setting it
up properly again.
The Retül Müve sizing cycle allows the bike fitment expert to make
a multitude of adjustments at the simple turn of a handle
The ideal knee angle is 30°, but often a compromise
is required to allow for leg length discrepancies
SUS the body geometry bike fi tment:SUS the body geometry bike fi tment:
◆ Lynnwood Cyclery
◆ Concept Cyclery Cedar Square
◆ Helderberg Cycle World
◆ Concept Cyclery Ballito
◆Concept Cyclery Melrose Arch
◆West Rand Cycles
◆ Cyclotech Bloem
◆ Complete Cyclist Bryanston
◆ Concept Cyclery Waterfall
Time: ±3 Hours
Cost: R1 000 – R2 000 (depending on time, the fi tment expert’s
experience and excluding new components)
Value: Save a fortune in physiotherapy and doctor’s bills
Body Geometry Accredited Fitment Studios:
(The new Cape Town Specialized Concept stores will also have an accredited
Body Geometry Fitment Expert in store)
PHOTOS SUPPLIED
23
Ride Report - Potberg and De Hoop FS
Day Two
Day two started at De Hoop and
took in a 5km long rocky jeep track
descent and with the gathering
South Easter behind us it was easy
to fl y down it. At the bottom my
riding partner, Warren Fincham
and I had to stop to remove leg
warmers in anticipation for the
crossing of the Vlei, where it had
fl ooded the low water causeway.
A compulsory portage across the
Melk Vlei was followed by 15km
of farmland riding, among wheat,
barley, canola and oat fi elds before
the route turned for home. The climb
onto the hard dunes that separate
De Hoop Nature Reserve from the
fertile farmland of the Rûens was
a challenging one, to say the least.
It was a snaking singletrack climb
across broken limestone which
demanded your full attention for
every pedal stroke. I for one will
23
N
ot to make light of the matter, the fire gutted the De Hoop Collection
restaurant (which could have
spoilt the riders’ lunch a bit) just
minutes before the start of the two
day Potberg and De Hoop MTB
Challenge. The fire burnt through
the thatch roof of the 200 year old
building in minutes, but fortunately
with the race starting at Potberg
there weren’t too many people to
be evacuated from the restaurant.
The amazing thing about the
aftermath was that in the four
short hours between the start of
the fire and the leader’s finishing
the De Hoop Collection folks had
moved lunch onto the lawns and
turned the smouldering ruin of
the restaurant into a proof of their
excellent organisation. The only
change to the plan was the menu
adaptation from mac and cheese to
lasagne, a far superior pasta based
meal in my opinion anyway.
But let’s focus on the riding,
which was amazing! Entrants
should be warned that there isn’t
a racing vibe, and I’d suggest that
you rather relax a little if you enter
the Potberg and De Hoop MTB
Challenge next year. Take your
time to enjoy the scenery.
An Overberg Experience
While gearing up
for the start of the
Potberg and De Hoop
MTB Challenge on
the morning of day
one Seamus Allardice
overheard the game
rangers parked
nearby speaking
frantically about a
fi re at the De Hoop
Opstal. The story was
soon confi rmed by
event organiser Patric
Mosterd of Garden
Route Events at the
race briefi ng – but
to the credit of the
De Hoop Collection,
Cape Nature and
Garden Route Events
they didn’t let near
catastrophe interfere
with the important
business of a
mountain bike race.
The highlight for me was the near shear
drop back into the Reserve, it was skiddy
under tyre and a real test of concentration.
SUS the Potberg
and De Hoop MTB:
SUS the Potberg
and De Hoop MTB:
Sus the Distances:
75km and 50km
Organiser: Garden Route Events
Website:
www.gardenrouteevents.co.za or
www.dehoopcollection.com
where are we?
De Hoop Nature Reserve is
located in the Overberg region of
the Western Cape. It features the
biggest marine reserve in South
Africa and is known as one of the
world’s best snorkelling spots
outside of the tropics.
where are we?
S
O
U
T
H
AFRICA
Cape
Town
De Hoop
Nature
Reserve
N2
◆
Western Cape
N1
Peter Hesseling grinding up the early
phases of the fi nal serious climb of the race
Gert Van Eeden and
Marius Wasserfall
crossing the fl ooded
Melk Vlei on day two
JULIE ANN PHOTOGRAPHY
SEAMUS ALLARDICE
be back just for that climb and the
rocky jeep track descent.
Impeccable Organisation
To say the race organisation
was impeccable would be an
understatement. Few events are
beset with a catastrophe of the kind
Garden Route Events and the De
Hoop Collection had to overcome at
the 2014 Potberg and De Hoop MTB
Challenge and I’m sure not many
would have been able to recover
as well. I’d like to congratulate all
involved on their quick thinking and
ability to recover from the chaos.
For the riding alone it’s a ride
I’d gladly recommend, but for the
manner in which the organisers
proved their metal it’s one that
I can’t help but gush in my
endorsement thereof. If you can,
enter the Potberg and De Hoop MTB
in 2015!
Day One
Day one starts at the Potberg manor house, near the environmental education centre you might have visited on a school outing as a kid.
From Potberg the route crosses
farmlands interspersed with patches
of fynbos on its way towards the
Breede River on jeep tracks with
numerous styles crossing the pesky
farm fences. Once down on the
river the route followed the district
road towards Infanta but with the
calming waters of the Breede fl owing
alongside and the thought of 50
more kays to come nobody was
moaning about the usually dreaded
district road. After the Sijnn Wines
water point (yes, there’s a wine farm
on the Breede River and their red
blend in particular is very good) the
route climbed the back of the Potberg
before dropping almost straight down
to an old farm in the nature reserve
called Elands Pad. From there it was
a mixture of scenic nature reserve
gravel roads, animal paths through
the farmlands and a bit more district
roads across the energy sapping
undulations of the De Hoop hard
dunes towards the fi nish at the De
Hoop Opstal. The highlight for me
was the near shear drop back into the
Reserve, it was skiddy under tyre and
a real test of concentration.
Ride Report - Potberg and De Hoop FS
Day Two
Day two started at De Hoop and
took in a 5km long rocky jeep track
descent and with the gathering
South Easter behind us it was easy
to fl y down it. At the bottom my
riding partner, Warren Fincham
and I had to stop to remove leg
warmers in anticipation for the
crossing of the Vlei, where it had
fl ooded the low water causeway.
A compulsory portage across the
Melk Vlei was followed by 15km
of farmland riding, among wheat,
barley, canola and oat fi elds before
the route turned for home. The climb
onto the hard dunes that separate
De Hoop Nature Reserve from the
fertile farmland of the Rûens was
a challenging one, to say the least.
It was a snaking singletrack climb
across broken limestone which
demanded your full attention for
every pedal stroke. I for one will
23
N
ot to make light of the matter, the fire gutted the De Hoop Collection
restaurant (which could have
spoilt the riders’ lunch a bit) just
minutes before the start of the two
day Potberg and De Hoop MTB
Challenge. The fire burnt through
the thatch roof of the 200 year old
building in minutes, but fortunately
with the race starting at Potberg
there weren’t too many people to
be evacuated from the restaurant.
The amazing thing about the
aftermath was that in the four
short hours between the start of
the fire and the leader’s finishing
the De Hoop Collection folks had
moved lunch onto the lawns and
turned the smouldering ruin of
the restaurant into a proof of their
excellent organisation. The only
change to the plan was the menu
adaptation from mac and cheese to
lasagne, a far superior pasta based
meal in my opinion anyway.
But let’s focus on the riding,
which was amazing! Entrants
should be warned that there isn’t
a racing vibe, and I’d suggest that
you rather relax a little if you enter
the Potberg and De Hoop MTB
Challenge next year. Take your
time to enjoy the scenery.
An Overberg Experience
While gearing up
for the start of the
Potberg and De Hoop
MTB Challenge on
the morning of day
one Seamus Allardice
overheard the game
rangers parked
nearby speaking
frantically about a
fi re at the De Hoop
Opstal. The story was
soon confi rmed by
event organiser Patric
Mosterd of Garden
Route Events at the
race briefi ng – but
to the credit of the
De Hoop Collection,
Cape Nature and
Garden Route Events
they didn’t let near
catastrophe interfere
with the important
business of a
mountain bike race.
The highlight for me was the near shear
drop back into the Reserve, it was skiddy
under tyre and a real test of concentration.
SUS the Potberg
and De Hoop MTB:
SUS the Potberg
and De Hoop MTB:
Sus the Distances:
75km and 50km
Organiser: Garden Route Events
Website:
www.gardenrouteevents.co.za or
www.dehoopcollection.com
where are we?
De Hoop Nature Reserve is
located in the Overberg region of
the Western Cape. It features the
biggest marine reserve in South
Africa and is known as one of the
world’s best snorkelling spots
outside of the tropics.
where are we?
S
O
U
T
H
AFRICA
Cape
Town
De Hoop
Nature
Reserve
N2
◆
Western Cape
N1
Peter Hesseling grinding up the early
phases of the fi nal serious climb of the race
Gert Van Eeden and
Marius Wasserfall
crossing the fl ooded
Melk Vlei on day two
JULIE ANN PHOTOGRAPHY
SEAMUS ALLARDICE
be back just for that climb and the
rocky jeep track descent.
Impeccable Organisation
To say the race organisation
was impeccable would be an
understatement. Few events are
beset with a catastrophe of the kind
Garden Route Events and the De
Hoop Collection had to overcome at
the 2014 Potberg and De Hoop MTB
Challenge and I’m sure not many
would have been able to recover
as well. I’d like to congratulate all
involved on their quick thinking and
ability to recover from the chaos.
For the riding alone it’s a ride
I’d gladly recommend, but for the
manner in which the organisers
proved their metal it’s one that
I can’t help but gush in my
endorsement thereof. If you can,
enter the Potberg and De Hoop MTB
in 2015!
Day One
Day one starts at the Potberg manor house, near the environmental education centre you might have visited on a school outing as a kid.
From Potberg the route crosses
farmlands interspersed with patches
of fynbos on its way towards the
Breede River on jeep tracks with
numerous styles crossing the pesky
farm fences. Once down on the
river the route followed the district
road towards Infanta but with the
calming waters of the Breede fl owing
alongside and the thought of 50
more kays to come nobody was
moaning about the usually dreaded
district road. After the Sijnn Wines
water point (yes, there’s a wine farm
on the Breede River and their red
blend in particular is very good) the
route climbed the back of the Potberg
before dropping almost straight down
to an old farm in the nature reserve
called Elands Pad. From there it was
a mixture of scenic nature reserve
gravel roads, animal paths through
the farmlands and a bit more district
roads across the energy sapping
undulations of the De Hoop hard
dunes towards the fi nish at the De
Hoop Opstal. The highlight for me
was the near shear drop back into the
Reserve, it was skiddy under tyre and
a real test of concentration.
turn to page 4
Safety First FS
GEAR: Energy Gel
Review
pg 29
Mountain Bike Orienteering
pg 8
Ride the Rhino
pg 24
FullSussa
@FullSussa
HASHTAG MOUNTAIN BIKING
www.issuu.com
/FullSussa
full sus
HASHTAG MOUNTAIN BIKINGsus
FREE
November
2014, Vol 19
F
irst and foremost it’s
essential that as cyclists,
road and mountain, we take
responsibility for ourselves whenever we get on the bike. Yes, the roads of South Africa are dangerous and bike-jacking seems to be on the rise too, and we have to put pressure on government, locally and nationally, to make it safer to spend time on our bikes but ultimately it’s your life and you should be responsible for it, not some politician.
So how do you keep
yourself safe?
Well, the fi rst thing you can do is give it
some thought. Don’t be a nit-wit, don’t
follow blindly the advice you read on
Twitter or in your favourite publication
– you need to start critically examining
the information you take in. Take cycling abreast for example… it’s just not safe on South African roads. It might work in bicycle friendly European countries, but in SA where the roads are fi lled with notoriously impatient drivers do you really think it’s sensible to protrude into traffi c that generally fl ows at, or over, 60km/h when you’re moving at less than 40km/h? It doesn’t matter how visible you are, it’s a recipe for disaster and will remain so until our driving culture changes. So possibly never.
GENERAL RULES OF
THE ROAD AND TRAIL
No helmet no ride – ever!
Also don’t be afraid to tell off a fellow
cyclist who’s riding without a helmet.
Even hipsters need to protect their
heads – how else are they going
to follow the next trend? Seriously
though, don’t get on a bike without a
helmet on, even if you’re just nipping
around the corner to the shops.
Industry folks should be setting an
example and bike shops should be
asking if you own a helmet when you
buy a bike.
Light up.
If you’re going to be including any
roads in your ride, day or night get
yourself lights. A fl ashing red tail light
and a fl ashing white front light will
dramatically increase your visibility
to other road users. If you spend a
signifi cant amount of time on the
road especially at dusk, dawn or at
night invest in lights with external
rechargeable battery packs.
Staying Safe on the
Roads and Trails Exercise caution
It’s always good to assume that
everyone else using the road are
complete idiots and anticipate
accordingly. Just like how you
drive more cautiously around taxis,
because you never know when
they’re likely to stop in the middle
of the road or make an abrupt,
unsignalled U-turn, you should
be acutely aware of the vehicles,
pedestrians and other cyclists
around you when you’re on your
bike. Remember you’re exceptionally
vulnerable on your bike and while
it’d be great if other road users would
look after you, you have to look after
yourself fi rst and the fi rst step in
doing so is exercising caution.
Think Bike – Think Car
Most of us (unless you’re very young
or the most hard-core cyclist) are
drivers as well as cyclists. But we
think exclusively like cyclists when
we’re on the bike. Try to keep in mind
what the drivers of cars are likely to be thinking when you’re cycling and don’t act like you own the road –
cars, trucks, busses and taxis are the
primary road users and you need to
adjust your behaviour accordingly.
Rules for the Roadies
Whether you’re a full-on roadie or a
mountain biker who just rides on the
road to get to the mountain, here are a few guidelines to help keep you out
of harm’s way.
◆ Always use cycle lights and riding
kit with high-visibility tabs and trim.
◆ Plan your ride to use roads with
With the recent spate of cyclists being hit
by cars or robbed of their bikes we thought
we’d take a sensible approach and rather
than play the blame game look at how you
can take precautions to keep yourself safe
on the roads and trails around Mzansi.
Win an Axis A40 MTB pg28
WIN
GEAR: Energy Gel GEAR: Energy Gel
Safety First FS
GEAR: Energy Gel
Review
pg 29
Mountain Bike Orienteering
pg 8
Ride the Rhino
pg 24
FullSussa
@FullSussa
HASHTAG MOUNTAIN BIKING
www.issuu.com
/FullSussa
full sus
HASHTAG MOUNTAIN BIKINGsus
FREE
November
2014, Vol 19
F
irst and foremost it’s
essential that as cyclists,
road and mountain, we take
responsibility for ourselves whenever we get on the bike. Yes, the roads of South Africa are dangerous and bike-jacking seems to be on the rise too, and we have to put pressure on government, locally and nationally, to make it safer to spend time on our bikes but ultimately it’s your life and you should be responsible for it, not some politician.
So how do you keep
yourself safe?
Well, the fi rst thing you can do is give it
some thought. Don’t be a nit-wit, don’t
follow blindly the advice you read on
Twitter or in your favourite publication
– you need to start critically examining
the information you take in. Take cycling abreast for example… it’s just not safe on South African roads. It might work in bicycle friendly European countries, but in SA where the roads are fi lled with notoriously impatient drivers do you really think it’s sensible to protrude into traffi c that generally fl ows at, or over, 60km/h when you’re moving at less than 40km/h? It doesn’t matter how visible you are, it’s a recipe for disaster and will remain so until our driving culture changes. So possibly never.
GENERAL RULES OF
THE ROAD AND TRAIL
No helmet no ride – ever!
Also don’t be afraid to tell off a fellow
cyclist who’s riding without a helmet.
Even hipsters need to protect their
heads – how else are they going
to follow the next trend? Seriously
though, don’t get on a bike without a
helmet on, even if you’re just nipping
around the corner to the shops.
Industry folks should be setting an
example and bike shops should be
asking if you own a helmet when you
buy a bike.
Light up.
If you’re going to be including any
roads in your ride, day or night get
yourself lights. A fl ashing red tail light
and a fl ashing white front light will
dramatically increase your visibility
to other road users. If you spend a
signifi cant amount of time on the
road especially at dusk, dawn or at
night invest in lights with external
rechargeable battery packs.
Staying Safe on the
Roads and Trails Exercise caution
It’s always good to assume that
everyone else using the road are
complete idiots and anticipate
accordingly. Just like how you
drive more cautiously around taxis,
because you never know when
they’re likely to stop in the middle
of the road or make an abrupt,
unsignalled U-turn, you should
be acutely aware of the vehicles,
pedestrians and other cyclists
around you when you’re on your
bike. Remember you’re exceptionally
vulnerable on your bike and while
it’d be great if other road users would
look after you, you have to look after
yourself fi rst and the fi rst step in
doing so is exercising caution.
Think Bike – Think Car
Most of us (unless you’re very young
or the most hard-core cyclist) are
drivers as well as cyclists. But we
think exclusively like cyclists when
we’re on the bike. Try to keep in mind
what the drivers of cars are likely to be thinking when you’re cycling and don’t act like you own the road –
cars, trucks, busses and taxis are the
primary road users and you need to
adjust your behaviour accordingly.
Rules for the Roadies
Whether you’re a full-on roadie or a
mountain biker who just rides on the
road to get to the mountain, here are a few guidelines to help keep you out
of harm’s way.
◆ Always use cycle lights and riding
kit with high-visibility tabs and trim.
◆ Plan your ride to use roads with
With the recent spate of cyclists being hit
by cars or robbed of their bikes we thought
we’d take a sensible approach and rather
than play the blame game look at how you
can take precautions to keep yourself safe
on the roads and trails around Mzansi.
Win an Axis A40 MTB pg28
WIN
GEAR: Energy Gel GEAR: Energy Gel
FS Safety First
4
from page 1
FS News
news
wide hard shoulders (ride in the
yellow lines).
◆
Ride in a group but not in a bunch.
◆ Anticipate vehicles breaking the
rules of the road – especially at
intersections.
◆
Take responsibility for yourself –
don’t expect other road users to look
after you.
◆
Learn to handle your bike – learn
to bunny-hop onto pavements,
control a skid and corner sharply, you
never know when you’ll need those
skills in an emergency situation.
◆
If there is a cycle lane – use
it (We’re confused, angered and
fl abbergast at the number of
people riding in the road next to
the separate, dedicated bike lanes
between Cape Town CBD and
Tableview.)
Crime Watch
Crime is an issue in South Africa in
general and cyclists make for soft
targets. Whether you’re on the road
or the trail you need to be crime
conscious. Here are a few tips for
avoiding the criminal elements.
◆
Avoid known hotspots – don’t put
yourself at an unnecessary risk.
◆ Ride as a group or at least in pairs
whenever possible.
◆ Keep your eyes peeled – be on the
lookout for suspicious people and
avoid them.
◆
Don’t act like a victim – moving
decisively to avoid criminals
especially if they’re on foot (if they
don’t have guns) can get you out of
danger before it has the chance to
develop properly.
◆
Carry mace –but don’t be a hero,
don’t risk your life for your bike. If it’s
one assailant and you can mace him
and escape fi ne, but sometimes it’s
just best to give up your possessions
without a fi ght and take a walk home.
◆
Insure your bike – knowing your
bike is insured will take the sting out
of the theft and stop you from doing
something silly.
Trail Safety
Without vehicles to worry about and
with our criminal avoidance tips
in mind your greatest concern on
the trails is your own ability to get
yourself into trouble. Here’s how to
keep yourself safe if and when you
crash.
◆ Tell someone where you’re going
and when you should be back.
◆ Always carry ID and emergency
info – there are plenty of companies
doing apps, ID bands and crash
sensors. Or just get your emergency
details printed and laminated, then
remember to keep them in your
pocket on every ride.
◆ If you can’t ride with someone ride
trails with lots of rider traffi c.
◆ Always carry a phone – being able
to call for help could save your or
someone else’s life.
◆ Do a fi rst-aid course.
◆ Push your limits on trails you know
with riding buddies nearby – not on
trails you don’t know when you’re on
your own.
◆ Remember it’s not just crashes
you need to be weary of – watch out
for snakes in summer (especially for
Mambas in KZN and the Lowveld)
and your body’s warning signs. Don’t
ignore a persistently high heart rate
(if you’re not pushing the intensity)
particularly if you’ve just recovered
from the change of season fl u.
Stay safe out there!
“First and
foremost it’s
essential that
as cyclists, road
and mountain,
we take
responsibility
for ourselves
whenever we get
on the bike.”
If there is a
cycle lane – use it!
Enervit
launch in SA
The Italian sports nutritional
products Enervit were launched
in South Africa in October
and we’ve given their range of
products available locally a try
(read about their gels on page 28). Their high carb counts might
not be for everyone, but if you’re not a banter then they could well
be perfect for you. You’ll see their Pre-Sport, carbo-loader low GI
jelly; Enervitene Sport Cheerpacks (the gel we tested); GT Tablets,
a 32Gi style energy tablet in a great not too sweet lime fl avour;
G Sport energy drink and the R2 Sport recovery drink.
In the competitive sports nutrition market products need to be
top class to gain any market share and Enervit certainly fi ts that
bill. So give their products a try on a training ride.
Visit www.enervit.com for more information or mail Tess
McLoughlin on [email protected] for local dealer enquiries.
Urban Wear
for Cyclists
Surfers have their core clothing
labels, so do skaters and the snow
sports, but there’s not a lot of
cycling inspired leisure clothing
out there for people who like
to pedal for fun. Jungle Now is
changing that though! With their
range of designs, great quality
cotton and cycling inspired
approach you’ll soon be wearing
your love of cycling on your chest.
Jungle Now gear, t-shirts and
hoddies for now are available
from all good bike shops or on-
line from www.junglenow.com.
And in exciting other news you’ll
soon be able to purchase an Erik
Kleinhans supporters T (featuring an awesome caricature of the Lion
King himself) from Jungle Now and Full Sus urban wear too!
E-Bikes
You’ve probably seen some form of electric bike on the road during your time as a cyclist and thought – ‘lazy bugger’ or ‘cool but not for me’. Well trust us, 30 seconds on an Easy Motion bike will change your mind. Built by the Spanish manufacturer BH Bikes the Easy Motion bikes you’ll see popping up on the roads and trails of SA are dirt devouring mountain machines.
Farmer Glen’s wife Mandy has been tearing up the Umkomaas
Valley on three hour plus rides. The beauty of the Easy Motion
4
from page 1
FS News
news
wide hard shoulders (ride in the
yellow lines).
◆
Ride in a group but not in a bunch.
◆ Anticipate vehicles breaking the
rules of the road – especially at
intersections.
◆
Take responsibility for yourself –
don’t expect other road users to look
after you.
◆
Learn to handle your bike – learn
to bunny-hop onto pavements,
control a skid and corner sharply, you
never know when you’ll need those
skills in an emergency situation.
◆
If there is a cycle lane – use
it (We’re confused, angered and
fl abbergast at the number of
people riding in the road next to
the separate, dedicated bike lanes
between Cape Town CBD and
Tableview.)
Crime Watch
Crime is an issue in South Africa in
general and cyclists make for soft
targets. Whether you’re on the road
or the trail you need to be crime
conscious. Here are a few tips for
avoiding the criminal elements.
◆
Avoid known hotspots – don’t put
yourself at an unnecessary risk.
◆ Ride as a group or at least in pairs
whenever possible.
◆ Keep your eyes peeled – be on the
lookout for suspicious people and
avoid them.
◆
Don’t act like a victim – moving
decisively to avoid criminals
especially if they’re on foot (if they
don’t have guns) can get you out of
danger before it has the chance to
develop properly.
◆
Carry mace –but don’t be a hero,
don’t risk your life for your bike. If it’s
one assailant and you can mace him
and escape fi ne, but sometimes it’s
just best to give up your possessions
without a fi ght and take a walk home.
◆
Insure your bike – knowing your
bike is insured will take the sting out
of the theft and stop you from doing
something silly.
Trail Safety
Without vehicles to worry about and
with our criminal avoidance tips
in mind your greatest concern on
the trails is your own ability to get
yourself into trouble. Here’s how to
keep yourself safe if and when you
crash.
◆ Tell someone where you’re going
and when you should be back.
◆ Always carry ID and emergency
info – there are plenty of companies
doing apps, ID bands and crash
sensors. Or just get your emergency
details printed and laminated, then
remember to keep them in your
pocket on every ride.
◆ If you can’t ride with someone ride
trails with lots of rider traffi c.
◆ Always carry a phone – being able
to call for help could save your or
someone else’s life.
◆ Do a fi rst-aid course.
◆ Push your limits on trails you know
with riding buddies nearby – not on
trails you don’t know when you’re on
your own.
◆ Remember it’s not just crashes
you need to be weary of – watch out
for snakes in summer (especially for
Mambas in KZN and the Lowveld)
and your body’s warning signs. Don’t
ignore a persistently high heart rate
(if you’re not pushing the intensity)
particularly if you’ve just recovered
from the change of season fl u.
Stay safe out there!
“First and
foremost it’s
essential that
as cyclists, road
and mountain,
we take
responsibility
for ourselves
whenever we get
on the bike.”
If there is a
cycle lane – use it!
Enervit
launch in SA
The Italian sports nutritional
products Enervit were launched
in South Africa in October
and we’ve given their range of
products available locally a try
(read about their gels on page 28). Their high carb counts might
not be for everyone, but if you’re not a banter then they could well
be perfect for you. You’ll see their Pre-Sport, carbo-loader low GI
jelly; Enervitene Sport Cheerpacks (the gel we tested); GT Tablets,
a 32Gi style energy tablet in a great not too sweet lime fl avour;
G Sport energy drink and the R2 Sport recovery drink.
In the competitive sports nutrition market products need to be
top class to gain any market share and Enervit certainly fi ts that
bill. So give their products a try on a training ride.
Visit www.enervit.com for more information or mail Tess
McLoughlin on [email protected] for local dealer enquiries.
Urban Wear
for Cyclists
Surfers have their core clothing
labels, so do skaters and the snow
sports, but there’s not a lot of
cycling inspired leisure clothing
out there for people who like
to pedal for fun. Jungle Now is
changing that though! With their
range of designs, great quality
cotton and cycling inspired
approach you’ll soon be wearing
your love of cycling on your chest.
Jungle Now gear, t-shirts and
hoddies for now are available
from all good bike shops or on-
line from www.junglenow.com.
And in exciting other news you’ll
soon be able to purchase an Erik
Kleinhans supporters T (featuring an awesome caricature of the Lion
King himself) from Jungle Now and Full Sus urban wear too!
E-Bikes
You’ve probably seen some form of electric bike on the road during your time as a cyclist and thought – ‘lazy bugger’ or ‘cool but not for me’. Well trust us, 30 seconds on an Easy Motion bike will change your mind. Built by the Spanish manufacturer BH Bikes the Easy Motion bikes you’ll see popping up on the roads and trails of SA are dirt devouring mountain machines.
Farmer Glen’s wife Mandy has been tearing up the Umkomaas
Valley on three hour plus rides. The beauty of the Easy Motion
full sus
Fat Bike SHOOTOUT
pg18
INSIDE Full Stride
Running mag!
Win with Junglenow
pg32
sus
FREE
Dec/Jan
2015, Vol 20
GR 300
pg14
turn to page 4
RECM interview
pg10
www.issuu.com
/FullSussa
W
hat makes a great trail
destination? It’s easy – really
great trails and lots of them.
A few nice amenities like a restaurant don’t hurt either, but the idea behind this guide is to give you options of places to ride where you’ll have fun
Take your ride
on vacation
In December many South Africans pack up and
head to the coast for the school holidays. So
Seamus Allardice thought we’d put together
a guide to some great trail destinations on the
coast. But so as to not leave those of you out
who have to stay inland and keep the economy
going, we threw in a few inland gems too.
and maybe push your riding to a new
height too. Which is a particularly good
thing if you’re overindulging on the
tasty treats this festive season because
at least you’ll come out faster downhill
even if your climbing suff ers under the
weight of the Christmas pounds.
WESTERN CAPE
JONKERSHOEK –
STELLENBOSCH
Perfect if you’re holidaying in:
Cape Town or Strand/Somerset West.
Non-riding activities:
Lots of wine tasting, farmers
markets and hiking options
Grab a post-ride bite at:
The Ride In Café
More info: without a dedicated
website for Jonkershoek your best
bet is either www.ridein.co.za or
www.dirtopia.co.za.
I’m biased, but I don’t care. I love
Jonkers. From Canary on the
Northern slopes to the Fire Hut
trail on the Southern Slopes via
Never Ending Story, Lower Ellis
and the Valley Trail with a bit of
doubling back to race Ellis and
Valley Trail 1 again, before crossing
the valley floor to climb to the
Fire Hut trail. Now that’s a lekker
ride. It’s tough mind you – the
climb up the Canary singletrack in
particular is a technical and tiring
test. But it’s worth it! And best of
all there is so much more to riding
around Stellenbosch than just
Jonkershoek. Explore the trails of
Eden (above Paradyskloof), rip it
down G-Spot (above Brandwacht),
check out the new trail network in
the Simonsberg Conservancy or
venture out into the winelands of
the Bottelary Hills. The options are
virtually endless – you’ll want to
relocate for sure.
WELVANPAS –
WELLINGTON
Perfect if you’re holidaying in:
Wellington is 75km from the Cape
Town CBD or 126km from Langebaan
so it’s a ride you’ll have to plan well if
you’re holidaying in Cape Town or on
the Weskus.
Non-riding activities: Wine tasting or
kloofi ng in Bainskloof
Grab a post-ride bite at: Die ou Meul
coff ee shop on the Welvanpas farm
More info: www.welvanpas.co.za
Not many places can lure the Cape
Epic back again and again, but
Welvanpas will be hosting the Epic for
the second time in three years in 2015.
So if you’d like to familiarise yourself
with the trails you’ll be riding in the
Mankele, Nelspruit,
Mpumalanga
WWW.JACQUESMARAIS.CO.ZA | SONY
WIN
NEW
full stride
FullSussa @FullSussa FullSussa #MTB
Fat Bike SHOOTOUT
pg18
INSIDE Full Stride
Running mag!
Win with Junglenow
pg32
sus
FREE
Dec/Jan
2015, Vol 20
GR 300
pg14
turn to page 4
RECM interview
pg10
www.issuu.com
/FullSussa
W
hat makes a great trail
destination? It’s easy – really
great trails and lots of them.
A few nice amenities like a restaurant don’t hurt either, but the idea behind this guide is to give you options of places to ride where you’ll have fun
Take your ride
on vacation
In December many South Africans pack up and
head to the coast for the school holidays. So
Seamus Allardice thought we’d put together
a guide to some great trail destinations on the
coast. But so as to not leave those of you out
who have to stay inland and keep the economy
going, we threw in a few inland gems too.
and maybe push your riding to a new
height too. Which is a particularly good
thing if you’re overindulging on the
tasty treats this festive season because
at least you’ll come out faster downhill
even if your climbing suff ers under the
weight of the Christmas pounds.
WESTERN CAPE
JONKERSHOEK –
STELLENBOSCH
Perfect if you’re holidaying in:
Cape Town or Strand/Somerset West.
Non-riding activities:
Lots of wine tasting, farmers
markets and hiking options
Grab a post-ride bite at:
The Ride In Café
More info: without a dedicated
website for Jonkershoek your best
bet is either www.ridein.co.za or
www.dirtopia.co.za.
I’m biased, but I don’t care. I love
Jonkers. From Canary on the
Northern slopes to the Fire Hut
trail on the Southern Slopes via
Never Ending Story, Lower Ellis
and the Valley Trail with a bit of
doubling back to race Ellis and
Valley Trail 1 again, before crossing
the valley floor to climb to the
Fire Hut trail. Now that’s a lekker
ride. It’s tough mind you – the
climb up the Canary singletrack in
particular is a technical and tiring
test. But it’s worth it! And best of
all there is so much more to riding
around Stellenbosch than just
Jonkershoek. Explore the trails of
Eden (above Paradyskloof), rip it
down G-Spot (above Brandwacht),
check out the new trail network in
the Simonsberg Conservancy or
venture out into the winelands of
the Bottelary Hills. The options are
virtually endless – you’ll want to
relocate for sure.
WELVANPAS –
WELLINGTON
Perfect if you’re holidaying in:
Wellington is 75km from the Cape
Town CBD or 126km from Langebaan
so it’s a ride you’ll have to plan well if
you’re holidaying in Cape Town or on
the Weskus.
Non-riding activities: Wine tasting or
kloofi ng in Bainskloof
Grab a post-ride bite at: Die ou Meul
coff ee shop on the Welvanpas farm
More info: www.welvanpas.co.za
Not many places can lure the Cape
Epic back again and again, but
Welvanpas will be hosting the Epic for
the second time in three years in 2015.
So if you’d like to familiarise yourself
with the trails you’ll be riding in the
Mankele, Nelspruit,
Mpumalanga
WWW.JACQUESMARAIS.CO.ZA | SONY
WIN
NEW
full stride
FullSussa @FullSussa FullSussa #MTB
6
FS Holiday MTB Destinations
chilling on the beach or get a bit of
culture and visit the Ann Bryant Art
Gallery or the East London Museum
where you can check the coelacanth
Grab a post-ride bite at:
The 3 Silos
Café (if it’s finished in time)
More info: Find them on Facebook
by searching 3 Silos MTB Adventure
Trails
We covered the opening of the 3
Silos trails in the very first issue
of Full Sus so we’ve got a soft
spot for them. But sentimentality
aside the 3 Silos trails are well
worth a visit. Think natural veld,
loads of singletrack, styles and
river crossings. They’re also in the
process of building a coffee shop for
your pre- and post-ride refreshment
needs and there’s a kiddies MTB
loop too so you can get the little
ones into mountain biking this
December – or let them work off
some excess energy.
3 RIVER TRAILS– J-BAY
Perfect if you’re holidaying in:
J-Bay,
St Francis or PE
Non-riding activities: Bird Watching,
game viewing, surfing and sailing
Grab a post-ride bite at: Crossways
Country Kitchen at the J-Bay
Zebra Lodge
More info: www.3riverstrails.co.za
J-Bay isn’t just about surfing any more
with the 200km massive 3 River
Trails network nearby. You’ll be able
to get some serious riding in if you’re
holidaying in the area too. Starting
and finishing at the J-Bay Zebra
Lodge just off the R101 is the J-Bay
Bike Park. It’s probably the place
to start your holiday riding with six
routes on offer, with four easy routes,
an intermediate and an advanced
route. Once you’ve got those under
your belt it’s time to head across the
N2 and take in the two short and two
long Crossways trails. And to top it all,
there’s the 20km Woodridge School
trail in PE too.
KZN MIDLANDS
KARKLOOF – HOWICK
Perfect if you’re holidaying in: The
KZN Midlands (or just book your
holiday to ride Karkloof)
Non-riding activities: Canopy tours,
birding, or treat yourself to a spa day
at Indigo Fields or the Fordoun Hotel
Grab a post-ride bite at: Tumble
Downs Café and Restaurant
More info:
www.karkloofmtbtrails.co.za
The trail riding destination in SA,
hands down. If you plan to spend
your vacation in KZN make a plan
to spend some time riding in the
Karkloof. There are 10km, 20km,
and 30km routes plus an Olympic
style cross country course to ride
all packed with berms and features
sculpted for your enjoyment by
the one and only Hylton Turvey. It
all starts at the Karkloof Country
Club where you can purchase a
day permit to ride and tell your
post-ride war stories over a bite to
eat. We probably should mention
it was voted SA’s top trail by a rival
publication so it’s not just Full Sus
telling you to go ride there.
KZN SOUTH COAST
CLEARWATER TRAILS –
PORT EDWARD
Perfect if you’re holidaying in:
Southbroom or Margate
Non-riding activities: Hiking, trail
running, bass fishing and sightseeing
on one of SA’s most beautiful
stretches of coastline
Grab a post-ride bite at:
The Clearwater Café
More info: www.clearwatertrails.co.za
It’s only just-just in KZN as the trails
are on the KZN banks of the Eastern
Cape border forming Mtamvuna
River. Starting and finishing at the
Clearwater Café the longer trails take
in the Beaver Creek Coffee Estate
and Crags View Wild Care Centre too
and all the trails offer stunning Indian
Ocean views as an added bonus.
There is also the spectacular Gorge
View deck which overlooks the
Mtamvuna River gorge which is sure
to take what little post-ride breath
you have away.
KZN NORTH COAST
HOLLA MTB TRAILS –
BALLITO
Perfect if you’re holidaying in: Ballito
or Umhlanga
Non-riding activities: Chill on the
beach, learn to surf or visit uShaka
Marine World.
Grab a post-ride bite at: Fiamma Grill
(in Ballito)
More info: www.hollatrails.co.za
Blast your way along any one of the
three hundred and thirty kilometres
of riding on offer in and around Holla
Trails. There are ten routes on offer
with the longest and toughest one,
the black route, offering a further
three choices so you’re unlikely
Umtamvuna River Gorge,
Clearwater trails, Port Edward
Magaliesberg Trails,
North West
turn to page 8
Karkloof - Howick3 River trails, J-Bay
Holla MTB Trails, Balito
from page 4
WWW.JACQUESMARAIS.CO.ZA | SONY
CLEARWATER TRAILS
3 RIVER TRAILS
ZOON CRONJE | NIKON
HOLLA MTB TRAILS
FS Holiday MTB Destinations
chilling on the beach or get a bit of
culture and visit the Ann Bryant Art
Gallery or the East London Museum
where you can check the coelacanth
Grab a post-ride bite at:
The 3 Silos
Café (if it’s finished in time)
More info: Find them on Facebook
by searching 3 Silos MTB Adventure
Trails
We covered the opening of the 3
Silos trails in the very first issue
of Full Sus so we’ve got a soft
spot for them. But sentimentality
aside the 3 Silos trails are well
worth a visit. Think natural veld,
loads of singletrack, styles and
river crossings. They’re also in the
process of building a coffee shop for
your pre- and post-ride refreshment
needs and there’s a kiddies MTB
loop too so you can get the little
ones into mountain biking this
December – or let them work off
some excess energy.
3 RIVER TRAILS– J-BAY
Perfect if you’re holidaying in:
J-Bay,
St Francis or PE
Non-riding activities: Bird Watching,
game viewing, surfing and sailing
Grab a post-ride bite at: Crossways
Country Kitchen at the J-Bay
Zebra Lodge
More info: www.3riverstrails.co.za
J-Bay isn’t just about surfing any more
with the 200km massive 3 River
Trails network nearby. You’ll be able
to get some serious riding in if you’re
holidaying in the area too. Starting
and finishing at the J-Bay Zebra
Lodge just off the R101 is the J-Bay
Bike Park. It’s probably the place
to start your holiday riding with six
routes on offer, with four easy routes,
an intermediate and an advanced
route. Once you’ve got those under
your belt it’s time to head across the
N2 and take in the two short and two
long Crossways trails. And to top it all,
there’s the 20km Woodridge School
trail in PE too.
KZN MIDLANDS
KARKLOOF – HOWICK
Perfect if you’re holidaying in: The
KZN Midlands (or just book your
holiday to ride Karkloof)
Non-riding activities: Canopy tours,
birding, or treat yourself to a spa day
at Indigo Fields or the Fordoun Hotel
Grab a post-ride bite at: Tumble
Downs Café and Restaurant
More info:
www.karkloofmtbtrails.co.za
The trail riding destination in SA,
hands down. If you plan to spend
your vacation in KZN make a plan
to spend some time riding in the
Karkloof. There are 10km, 20km,
and 30km routes plus an Olympic
style cross country course to ride
all packed with berms and features
sculpted for your enjoyment by
the one and only Hylton Turvey. It
all starts at the Karkloof Country
Club where you can purchase a
day permit to ride and tell your
post-ride war stories over a bite to
eat. We probably should mention
it was voted SA’s top trail by a rival
publication so it’s not just Full Sus
telling you to go ride there.
KZN SOUTH COAST
CLEARWATER TRAILS –
PORT EDWARD
Perfect if you’re holidaying in:
Southbroom or Margate
Non-riding activities: Hiking, trail
running, bass fishing and sightseeing
on one of SA’s most beautiful
stretches of coastline
Grab a post-ride bite at:
The Clearwater Café
More info: www.clearwatertrails.co.za
It’s only just-just in KZN as the trails
are on the KZN banks of the Eastern
Cape border forming Mtamvuna
River. Starting and finishing at the
Clearwater Café the longer trails take
in the Beaver Creek Coffee Estate
and Crags View Wild Care Centre too
and all the trails offer stunning Indian
Ocean views as an added bonus.
There is also the spectacular Gorge
View deck which overlooks the
Mtamvuna River gorge which is sure
to take what little post-ride breath
you have away.
KZN NORTH COAST
HOLLA MTB TRAILS –
BALLITO
Perfect if you’re holidaying in: Ballito
or Umhlanga
Non-riding activities: Chill on the
beach, learn to surf or visit uShaka
Marine World.
Grab a post-ride bite at: Fiamma Grill
(in Ballito)
More info: www.hollatrails.co.za
Blast your way along any one of the
three hundred and thirty kilometres
of riding on offer in and around Holla
Trails. There are ten routes on offer
with the longest and toughest one,
the black route, offering a further
three choices so you’re unlikely
Umtamvuna River Gorge,
Clearwater trails, Port Edward
Magaliesberg Trails,
North West
turn to page 8
Karkloof - Howick3 River trails, J-Bay
Holla MTB Trails, Balito
from page 4
WWW.JACQUESMARAIS.CO.ZA | SONY
CLEARWATER TRAILS
3 RIVER TRAILS
ZOON CRONJE | NIKON
HOLLA MTB TRAILS
8
to get bored at Holla Trails. The
agricultural landscape of the area
is dominated by sugar cane fields
and the trails take in a fair amount
of ‘cane’ trails, but there’s also some
great forest paths and testing farm
roads. If you do one of the longer
rides make sure you take a map if
you’re not familiar with the area.
INLAND
MANKELE – NELSPRUIT
(MPUMALANGA)
Perfect if you’re holidaying in:
The
Lowveld, or for a stop on your way to
Mozam or Kruger
Non-riding activities:
Visit the
Sudwala caves, tube down the river or
chill in the pool
Grab a post-ride bite at:
The Mankele
coffee shop is open throughout the
school holidays
More info:
www.mankele.co.za
The Mankele Trails near Nelspruit
are some of SA’s best loved. Riders
rave about them and with events
like the Isuzu 3 Towers and the
Mankele Avalanche acting as great
advertisements for the trails they’re
sure to be a popular trail riding
destination this festive season. There
are ten route options encompassing
everything from beginner to full
throttle downhill and most of the
routes have short “black dot”
technical detours to add some extra
excitement to your ride. All routes
start and finish at the Mankele
Reception and there’s a coffee shop
and swimming pool too so you’ll be
able to grab a post-ride refreshment
and have a dip to cool off.
MAGALIESBERG TRAILS/
VAN GAALEN’S –
SKEERPOORT
(NORTH WEST)
Perfect if you’re holidaying in:
Staying
in Jozi for the holiday or venturing
down to the Hartbeespoort Dam.
Non-riding activities: Horse riding,
trail running enjoying the relaxed
country living atmosphere.
Grab a post-ride bite at: Van Gaalen’s
Cheese Farm Restaurant
More info: www.vangaalen.co.za
If you’re not fortunate enough to
get out of the big smoke of Jozi or
Pretoria for the December holidays
you should plan a weekend or day
trip to Hartbeespoort to go ride the
Magaliesberg Trails. The trails were
developed by Erik Schipper, who
negotiated access over 30 private
properties to set-up an extensive
network of singletracks that can
offer you massively long rides if
you’re not scared to venture onto the
maze of gravel roads connecting the
farms South West of the dam (take
a GPS to help you find your way
home). The area and trails are also
very popular with riders of the equine
steeds and you should keep in mind that horses have right of way on the Magaliesberg Trails.
CAMELROC –
FOURIESBURG (FREE
STATE)
Perfect if you’re holidaying in:
Lesotho, Eastern Free State or Golden
Gate National Park
Non-riding activities: 4x4 trails,
hiking, bird and game viewing
Grab a post-ride bite at: The Rose
House (Between Clarens
and Fouriesburg)
More info: www.camelroc.co.za
For those of you going somewhere
completely different for your holidays,
the Rooiberge of the Eastern Free
State offer some amazing mountain
biking opportunities. You might
know the area a bit from the National
MTB Series race in Clarens which
is 40km away from the Camelroc
Guest Farm, and its MTB trails, near
the Caledonspoort Border Post.
Camelroc boast a short 10km route
on the property and a tough 30km
route, with options to cut it shorter
to 10 or 20km. With views of the
Maluti Mountains, the two Caledon
rivers and rural Lesotho on offer you
will want to pace yourself when you
tackle the climbs so as to not exhaust
yourself to the point where you can’t take in the scenery. There are also great hiking trails in the area which take in the San rock paintings in the
mysterious “Grot Woning”.
AFRISKI – OXBOW
(LESOTHO)
Perfect if you’re holidaying in:
Lesotho
Non-riding activities: Hiking, sky
running, 4x4 or motor biking, fly
fishing and Abseiling
Grab a post-ride bite at: Gondola Café
More info: www.afriski.net
Reading AfriSki you might be
forgiven for thinking we’ve lost it a
bit – but the lack of year round snow
in the mountain kingdom (it’s the
Drakensberg not the Himalayas)
has encouraged the AfriSki folks
to embrace mountain biking in the
summer months. They’ve put in an
ever expanding network of trails
with the idea of turning the summer
months in Lesotho into a mountain
biker’s dream. There are five downhill
trails and an Enduro route, plus kays and kays of district roads if
you’re keen on getting some altitude
training in. Best of all though is the ski-lift which takes all the hassle (read pedalling) out of getting back to the top of the runs. Could you ask for more? It’s like a mini, local, Morzine just across our border.
FS Holiday MTB Destinations
from page 6
AfriSki, Oxbow,
Lesotho
Mankele, Nelspruit,
Mpumalanga
WWW.JACQUESMARAIS.CO.ZA | SONY
Rider’s tackling the Clarens
MTB Marathon near Camelroc
ZOON CRONJE | NIKON
JASON MAY
to get bored at Holla Trails. The
agricultural landscape of the area
is dominated by sugar cane fields
and the trails take in a fair amount
of ‘cane’ trails, but there’s also some
great forest paths and testing farm
roads. If you do one of the longer
rides make sure you take a map if
you’re not familiar with the area.
INLAND
MANKELE – NELSPRUIT
(MPUMALANGA)
Perfect if you’re holidaying in:
The
Lowveld, or for a stop on your way to
Mozam or Kruger
Non-riding activities:
Visit the
Sudwala caves, tube down the river or
chill in the pool
Grab a post-ride bite at:
The Mankele
coffee shop is open throughout the
school holidays
More info:
www.mankele.co.za
The Mankele Trails near Nelspruit
are some of SA’s best loved. Riders
rave about them and with events
like the Isuzu 3 Towers and the
Mankele Avalanche acting as great
advertisements for the trails they’re
sure to be a popular trail riding
destination this festive season. There
are ten route options encompassing
everything from beginner to full
throttle downhill and most of the
routes have short “black dot”
technical detours to add some extra
excitement to your ride. All routes
start and finish at the Mankele
Reception and there’s a coffee shop
and swimming pool too so you’ll be
able to grab a post-ride refreshment
and have a dip to cool off.
MAGALIESBERG TRAILS/
VAN GAALEN’S –
SKEERPOORT
(NORTH WEST)
Perfect if you’re holidaying in:
Staying
in Jozi for the holiday or venturing
down to the Hartbeespoort Dam.
Non-riding activities: Horse riding,
trail running enjoying the relaxed
country living atmosphere.
Grab a post-ride bite at: Van Gaalen’s
Cheese Farm Restaurant
More info: www.vangaalen.co.za
If you’re not fortunate enough to
get out of the big smoke of Jozi or
Pretoria for the December holidays
you should plan a weekend or day
trip to Hartbeespoort to go ride the
Magaliesberg Trails. The trails were
developed by Erik Schipper, who
negotiated access over 30 private
properties to set-up an extensive
network of singletracks that can
offer you massively long rides if
you’re not scared to venture onto the
maze of gravel roads connecting the
farms South West of the dam (take
a GPS to help you find your way
home). The area and trails are also
very popular with riders of the equine
steeds and you should keep in mind that horses have right of way on the Magaliesberg Trails.
CAMELROC –
FOURIESBURG (FREE
STATE)
Perfect if you’re holidaying in:
Lesotho, Eastern Free State or Golden
Gate National Park
Non-riding activities: 4x4 trails,
hiking, bird and game viewing
Grab a post-ride bite at: The Rose
House (Between Clarens
and Fouriesburg)
More info: www.camelroc.co.za
For those of you going somewhere
completely different for your holidays,
the Rooiberge of the Eastern Free
State offer some amazing mountain
biking opportunities. You might
know the area a bit from the National
MTB Series race in Clarens which
is 40km away from the Camelroc
Guest Farm, and its MTB trails, near
the Caledonspoort Border Post.
Camelroc boast a short 10km route
on the property and a tough 30km
route, with options to cut it shorter
to 10 or 20km. With views of the
Maluti Mountains, the two Caledon
rivers and rural Lesotho on offer you
will want to pace yourself when you
tackle the climbs so as to not exhaust
yourself to the point where you can’t take in the scenery. There are also great hiking trails in the area which take in the San rock paintings in the
mysterious “Grot Woning”.
AFRISKI – OXBOW
(LESOTHO)
Perfect if you’re holidaying in:
Lesotho
Non-riding activities: Hiking, sky
running, 4x4 or motor biking, fly
fishing and Abseiling
Grab a post-ride bite at: Gondola Café
More info: www.afriski.net
Reading AfriSki you might be
forgiven for thinking we’ve lost it a
bit – but the lack of year round snow
in the mountain kingdom (it’s the
Drakensberg not the Himalayas)
has encouraged the AfriSki folks
to embrace mountain biking in the
summer months. They’ve put in an
ever expanding network of trails
with the idea of turning the summer
months in Lesotho into a mountain
biker’s dream. There are five downhill
trails and an Enduro route, plus kays and kays of district roads if
you’re keen on getting some altitude
training in. Best of all though is the ski-lift which takes all the hassle (read pedalling) out of getting back to the top of the runs. Could you ask for more? It’s like a mini, local, Morzine just across our border.
FS Holiday MTB Destinations
from page 6
AfriSki, Oxbow,
Lesotho
Mankele, Nelspruit,
Mpumalanga
WWW.JACQUESMARAIS.CO.ZA | SONY
Rider’s tackling the Clarens
MTB Marathon near Camelroc
ZOON CRONJE | NIKON
JASON MAY
10
FS RECM Interview
Regarding MTB
Sponsorship
You might recognise the name RECM from
the MTB Team featuring Erik and
Ariane Kleinhans, Nico Bell, Lourens Luus
and Cherise Stander but how much do you
know about the company behind the team
sponsorship? Full Sus spoke to RECM co-
owner and CEO,
Jan van Niekerk about
mountain biking, sponsorships and investing
(in sport and the stock market).
If you’ve got a story
of how you “Followed
your conviction” you
can submit it to RECM’s Follow
Your Conviction Competition and
stand a chance to win R10 000
in unit trusts every month. Visit
www.followyourconviction.com
to fi nd out more.
Erik Kleinhans leading
a Cape Epic pace line.
JULIE ANN PHOTOGRAPHY
The ever popular Cherise Stander will once
again be donning the RECM kit in 2015
ZOON CRONJE | NIKON
RECM staff ers enjoying some R&R at the RECM Knysna 200.
F
or RECM as a relatively small
asset manager, the rationale
behind sponsoring a mountain
bike team was quite simple. It is a fantastic way of creating brand awareness with its existing and potential investor base - and yes the fact that most of the senior management are passionate about cycling did play its part in the decision.
The MTB team’s genesis story
involves the conversion of Neil MacDonald and Waylon Woolcock from the road to the mountain for the 2011 season. They proved immediately successful with the pair claiming the 2011 joBerg2c title in their fi rst MTB race! Waylon added the overall National MTB Series champion’s title to their impressive 2011. For 2012 Luke Roberts was added to the team as they expanded their scope. It was in 2013 though that Team RECM really came to prominence with Erik and Ariane Kleinhans defending their ABSA Cape Epic Mixed Category title in the RECM colours. The squad then went on to the Bridge Cape
Pioneer double with Erik and Waylon claiming the men’s GC victory and Ariane teaming up with Danish cyclist Annika Langvad to win the ladies’
title for RECM.
Like many companies involved in
mountain biking, RECM identifi ed
the mountain biking community
as potential clients. They track the
column inches and online coverage
the team generates for them – but
at the end of the day the success of
the sponsorship comes down to how
many people respond when people
hear about RECM these days. Their
fi rst comment normally is: “Are you
the guys involved with the mountain
biking team?” Jan was quick to point
out though that while the name
recognition of RECM gained by the
association with mountain biking is
great, it’s their investment record that
really brings in the clients.
RECM is a global value-based
investment manager, based in
Cape Town. They look to invest in
companies where the share price
does not refl ect the true underlying
value. Most of the time, these
opportunities arise because of
some temporary bad news. They’ve
got a fairly focused range of funds
(but you can read the Financial
Mail or visit their website for more
information on that front.)
Back to mountain biking, RECM
also sponsors the RECM Knysna
200, a 3-day stage race hosted
in and around Knysna in early
June each year. Where the MTB
team off ers mass exposure and
the chance for more people to
become aware of the company, the
RECM Knysna 200 off ers them the
opportunity to interact, socialize and
most importantly ride with potential
RECM clients and friends
of the business.
For 2015 there are a few changes
afoot for Team RECM, with one
notable change in personnel and
the expiration of the Lange Sports
contract. With Lange Sports no
longer managing the team, 2014
team captain and Full Sus columnist
Erik Kleinhans is set to take over
the management role, in addition to
remaining on the riding roster. The
new rider on the squad for 2015 is an
exciting signing… but you’ll have to
read Erik’s column to fi nd out who he
or she is…
For would-be MTB team, or
event, sponsors the lesson to
be learnt from RECM is one of
consistency, clear goal setting,
absolute professionalism and careful
association. RECM don’t expect Erik and the team to sell unit trusts. “Their role is to represent RECM and our co-sponsors and gain exposure
in the media.” says van Niekerk.
“We have been thrilled at the
professionalism of the riders. The
manner in which the team riders
conduct themselves on and off the
bikes has helped build the RECM
brand.” This, coupled with the
success of the team on the bikes,
mean that the only reason Jan can
foresee RECM discontinuing their
team sponsorship is if the team gets
bought out by a higher bidder.
The pair claimed
the 2011 joBerg2c
title in their first
MTB race!
NICK MUZIK/CAPE EPIC/SPORTZPICS
Jan van Niekerk
is the co-owner and
CEO of RECM. He
served as the CIO of
Citadel and the CEO
of Peregrine Holdings
before joining RECM
in 2013, where he heads
up the company’s strategic management.
Outside of the boardroom he’s a keen cyclist
and endurance sport enthusiast.
Follow him on Twitter at @janvnrecm.
Jan van Niekerk
is the co-owner and
served as the CIO of
of Peregrine Holdings
before joining RECM
in 2013, where he heads
up the company’s strategic management.
FS RECM Interview
Regarding MTB
Sponsorship
You might recognise the name RECM from
the MTB Team featuring Erik and
Ariane Kleinhans, Nico Bell, Lourens Luus
and Cherise Stander but how much do you
know about the company behind the team
sponsorship? Full Sus spoke to RECM co-
owner and CEO,
Jan van Niekerk about
mountain biking, sponsorships and investing
(in sport and the stock market).
If you’ve got a story
of how you “Followed
your conviction” you
can submit it to RECM’s Follow
Your Conviction Competition and
stand a chance to win R10 000
in unit trusts every month. Visit
www.followyourconviction.com
to fi nd out more.
Erik Kleinhans leading
a Cape Epic pace line.
JULIE ANN PHOTOGRAPHY
The ever popular Cherise Stander will once
again be donning the RECM kit in 2015
ZOON CRONJE | NIKON
RECM staff ers enjoying some R&R at the RECM Knysna 200.
F
or RECM as a relatively small
asset manager, the rationale
behind sponsoring a mountain
bike team was quite simple. It is a fantastic way of creating brand awareness with its existing and potential investor base - and yes the fact that most of the senior management are passionate about cycling did play its part in the decision.
The MTB team’s genesis story
involves the conversion of Neil MacDonald and Waylon Woolcock from the road to the mountain for the 2011 season. They proved immediately successful with the pair claiming the 2011 joBerg2c title in their fi rst MTB race! Waylon added the overall National MTB Series champion’s title to their impressive 2011. For 2012 Luke Roberts was added to the team as they expanded their scope. It was in 2013 though that Team RECM really came to prominence with Erik and Ariane Kleinhans defending their ABSA Cape Epic Mixed Category title in the RECM colours. The squad then went on to the Bridge Cape
Pioneer double with Erik and Waylon claiming the men’s GC victory and Ariane teaming up with Danish cyclist Annika Langvad to win the ladies’
title for RECM.
Like many companies involved in
mountain biking, RECM identifi ed
the mountain biking community
as potential clients. They track the
column inches and online coverage
the team generates for them – but
at the end of the day the success of
the sponsorship comes down to how
many people respond when people
hear about RECM these days. Their
fi rst comment normally is: “Are you
the guys involved with the mountain
biking team?” Jan was quick to point
out though that while the name
recognition of RECM gained by the
association with mountain biking is
great, it’s their investment record that
really brings in the clients.
RECM is a global value-based
investment manager, based in
Cape Town. They look to invest in
companies where the share price
does not refl ect the true underlying
value. Most of the time, these
opportunities arise because of
some temporary bad news. They’ve
got a fairly focused range of funds
(but you can read the Financial
Mail or visit their website for more
information on that front.)
Back to mountain biking, RECM
also sponsors the RECM Knysna
200, a 3-day stage race hosted
in and around Knysna in early
June each year. Where the MTB
team off ers mass exposure and
the chance for more people to
become aware of the company, the
RECM Knysna 200 off ers them the
opportunity to interact, socialize and
most importantly ride with potential
RECM clients and friends
of the business.
For 2015 there are a few changes
afoot for Team RECM, with one
notable change in personnel and
the expiration of the Lange Sports
contract. With Lange Sports no
longer managing the team, 2014
team captain and Full Sus columnist
Erik Kleinhans is set to take over
the management role, in addition to
remaining on the riding roster. The
new rider on the squad for 2015 is an
exciting signing… but you’ll have to
read Erik’s column to fi nd out who he
or she is…
For would-be MTB team, or
event, sponsors the lesson to
be learnt from RECM is one of
consistency, clear goal setting,
absolute professionalism and careful
association. RECM don’t expect Erik and the team to sell unit trusts. “Their role is to represent RECM and our co-sponsors and gain exposure
in the media.” says van Niekerk.
“We have been thrilled at the
professionalism of the riders. The
manner in which the team riders
conduct themselves on and off the
bikes has helped build the RECM
brand.” This, coupled with the
success of the team on the bikes,
mean that the only reason Jan can
foresee RECM discontinuing their
team sponsorship is if the team gets
bought out by a higher bidder.
The pair claimed
the 2011 joBerg2c
title in their first
MTB race!
NICK MUZIK/CAPE EPIC/SPORTZPICS
Jan van Niekerk
is the co-owner and
CEO of RECM. He
served as the CIO of
Citadel and the CEO
of Peregrine Holdings
before joining RECM
in 2013, where he heads
up the company’s strategic management.
Outside of the boardroom he’s a keen cyclist
and endurance sport enthusiast.
Follow him on Twitter at @janvnrecm.
Jan van Niekerk
is the co-owner and
served as the CIO of
of Peregrine Holdings
before joining RECM
in 2013, where he heads
up the company’s strategic management.
17
FS Bike Review
W
hen you get off ered a bike for
the holiday you jump at the
off er – even if it’s a 140mm
travel 650b, and you’re going to be
spending your hard earned vacation
in Stilbaai, where the gravel roads are
long and the singletracks are very, very
few. In fact you do the right thing and
drive up to the fantastic Garden Route
Trail Park and really put it to the test.
That’s just what I did. And neither bike
nor park disappointed!
The fi rst thing you’ll have to get used
to with the Remedy is the envious
glances, even at the GRTP where
trail superbikes are a dime a dozen.
Comments like, “I love the look of it, it
just looks right” were the order of the
day as I enjoyed a coff ee and waited
for my lost riding partner to discover
his sense of direction. Once on the
trails though I had no problems with
rider envy because I was having too
much fun to notice anyone else.
The Remedy is balanced, light and
even forgiving to ride (I dug a foot
into the side of a trail and got myself
hopelessly out of shape on a jump
without suff ering the consequences
I’d usually expect in those situations
on my normal ride). The super wide
bars (750mm) and the short stem
work in tandem with the mid-sized
wheels to provide a remarkably nippy
ride, especially considering the near
monster wide 2.35 inch tyres while the
Fox CTD suspension front and rear
is tuned to perfection for Trek’s Full
Floater suspension linkage. Rudolf
Zuidema, Trek SA’s ops and marketing
manager, told me the bike feels
bottomless and while I don’t have the
skills to push it to the levels where it
might begin to bottom out I can see
why he’d describe it as such – the
rollers, little jumps, and the myriad
of corrugations on the gravel roads
around Stilbaai were all soaked up
with ease by the Remedy.
The 2.35” tyres inspire so much
confi dence on the trails, and the wider
rims seem to help with that too. The
Bontrager XR 3 and 4 Team Issue tyres
grip like crazy and devour corners. The
wider tyres have another benefi t in that
they fl oat over sandy sections on the
trails with ease, making the Remedy
a great bike to ride on trails built in
the sandy soils of the Western Cape
coastal fynbos.
Equipped with 2x10 Shimano XT
gearing the Remedy has ample gears
for the steepest climbs, while the XT
brakes (180mm rotors front and back)
and RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper
seat-post have descending covered. In
fact going back to a dropper post-less
bike is going to be tough…
There are a couple of things I’d
change if the Remedy was my own.
Firstly the Bontrager Evoke 3 saddle is
too narrow for my ischial tuberosities
and a saddle in the region of 145mm
might be a better fi t for more riders.
But saddle width and your ischial
tuberosity width is something I’d
encourage you to look into before
you purchase any bike, so that’s not
a major drawback on Trek’s part. The
second is the grips, the Bontrager
Rhythm grips are a bit harsh on your
hands and I’d have replaced them with
a set of chunky ESI grips.
Despite the 140mm of travel the
The Trek Remedy 9.8’s GeometrySUSSUS
17.5 Inch frame:
All measurements in mm or °
Seat Tube ............................419
Top Tube .............................582
Head Tube ..........................100
Seat tube angle ............67.5°
Head tube angle ...........67.5°
BB Height ...........................338
Chain Stay .........................435
Wheel base .........................1131
Standover height ............. 758
Stack ....................................694
Reach ...................................394
What has wide tyres, lots of travel and will have
you grinning from ear to ear? Seamus Allardice
found out it’s the remedy for all your trail riding
queries; it’s the Trek Remedy 9.8.
Photography by
Ashlee Attwood.
PERFECT
TRAI
L BIKE
– We have the Remedy
PERFECT
TRAI
L BIKE
“The first thing you’ll have to
get used to with the Remedy is
the envious glances, even at the
GRTP where trail superbikes are
a dime a dozen.”
“The first thing you’ll have to
get used to with the Remedy is
the envious glances, even at the
GRTP where trail superbikes are
a dime a dozen.”
Remedy isn’t limited to trail riding;
I did a few 50km rides on it where
the predominant terrain was district
gravel or suburban tar roads. The
Remedy’s 650b wheels, wide bars, and
slack head and seat angles make it a
comfortable ride on the road, especially
for riders who prefer a more upright
riding position. If you are planning on
riding in a group however you might
fi nd the extra rolling resistance of the
smaller and wider tyres an issue when
trying to keep up with riding buddies
on more marathon-orientated 29ers.
So it’s not the ideal bike if you can only aff ord one bike and most of your riding
is going to be on district roads rather than on the mountain. But if you’re more interested in shredding trails than clocking up the kays then it’s the perfect machine for you, or in an ideal world it’s the perfect second bike for
trips to one of the ever growing number
of trail parks around SA.
16
FS Bike Review
W
hen you get off ered a bike for
the holiday you jump at the
off er – even if it’s a 140mm
travel 650b, and you’re going to be
spending your hard earned vacation
in Stilbaai, where the gravel roads are
long and the singletracks are very, very
few. In fact you do the right thing and
drive up to the fantastic Garden Route
Trail Park and really put it to the test.
That’s just what I did. And neither bike
nor park disappointed!
The fi rst thing you’ll have to get used
to with the Remedy is the envious
glances, even at the GRTP where
trail superbikes are a dime a dozen.
Comments like, “I love the look of it, it
just looks right” were the order of the
day as I enjoyed a coff ee and waited
for my lost riding partner to discover
his sense of direction. Once on the
trails though I had no problems with
rider envy because I was having too
much fun to notice anyone else.
The Remedy is balanced, light and
even forgiving to ride (I dug a foot
into the side of a trail and got myself
hopelessly out of shape on a jump
without suff ering the consequences
I’d usually expect in those situations
on my normal ride). The super wide
bars (750mm) and the short stem
work in tandem with the mid-sized
wheels to provide a remarkably nippy
ride, especially considering the near
monster wide 2.35 inch tyres while the
Fox CTD suspension front and rear
is tuned to perfection for Trek’s Full
Floater suspension linkage. Rudolf
Zuidema, Trek SA’s ops and marketing
manager, told me the bike feels
bottomless and while I don’t have the
skills to push it to the levels where it
might begin to bottom out I can see
why he’d describe it as such – the
rollers, little jumps, and the myriad
of corrugations on the gravel roads
around Stilbaai were all soaked up
with ease by the Remedy.
The 2.35” tyres inspire so much
confi dence on the trails, and the wider
rims seem to help with that too. The
Bontrager XR 3 and 4 Team Issue tyres
grip like crazy and devour corners. The
wider tyres have another benefi t in that
they fl oat over sandy sections on the
trails with ease, making the Remedy
a great bike to ride on trails built in
the sandy soils of the Western Cape
coastal fynbos.
Equipped with 2x10 Shimano XT
gearing the Remedy has ample gears
for the steepest climbs, while the XT
brakes (180mm rotors front and back)
and RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper
seat-post have descending covered. In
fact going back to a dropper post-less
bike is going to be tough…
There are a couple of things I’d
change if the Remedy was my own.
Firstly the Bontrager Evoke 3 saddle is
too narrow for my ischial tuberosities
and a saddle in the region of 145mm
might be a better fi t for more riders.
But saddle width and your ischial
tuberosity width is something I’d
encourage you to look into before
you purchase any bike, so that’s not
a major drawback on Trek’s part. The
second is the grips, the Bontrager
Rhythm grips are a bit harsh on your
hands and I’d have replaced them with
a set of chunky ESI grips.
Despite the 140mm of travel the
The Trek Remedy 9.8’s GeometrySUSSUS
17.5 Inch frame:
All measurements in mm or °
Seat Tube ............................419
Top Tube .............................582
Head Tube ..........................100
Seat tube angle ............67.5°
Head tube angle ...........67.5°
BB Height ...........................338
Chain Stay .........................435
Wheel base .........................1131
Standover height ............. 758
Stack ....................................694
Reach ...................................394
What has wide tyres, lots of travel and will have
you grinning from ear to ear? Seamus Allardice
found out it’s the remedy for all your trail riding
queries; it’s the Trek Remedy 9.8.
Photography by
Ashlee Attwood.
PERFECT
TRAI
L BIKE
– We have the Remedy
PERFECT
TRAI
L BIKE
“The first thing you’ll have to
get used to with the Remedy is
the envious glances, even at the
GRTP where trail superbikes are
a dime a dozen.”
“The first thing you’ll have to
get used to with the Remedy is
the envious glances, even at the
GRTP where trail superbikes are
a dime a dozen.”
Remedy isn’t limited to trail riding;
I did a few 50km rides on it where
the predominant terrain was district
gravel or suburban tar roads. The
Remedy’s 650b wheels, wide bars, and
slack head and seat angles make it a
comfortable ride on the road, especially
for riders who prefer a more upright
riding position. If you are planning on
riding in a group however you might
fi nd the extra rolling resistance of the
smaller and wider tyres an issue when
trying to keep up with riding buddies
on more marathon-orientated 29ers.
So it’s not the ideal bike if you can only aff ord one bike and most of your riding
is going to be on district roads rather than on the mountain. But if you’re more interested in shredding trails than clocking up the kays then it’s the perfect machine for you, or in an ideal world it’s the perfect second bike for
trips to one of the ever growing number
of trail parks around SA.
16
17
FS Bike Review
W
hen you get off ered a bike for
the holiday you jump at the
off er – even if it’s a 140mm
travel 650b, and you’re going to be
spending your hard earned vacation
in Stilbaai, where the gravel roads are
long and the singletracks are very, very
few. In fact you do the right thing and
drive up to the fantastic Garden Route
Trail Park and really put it to the test.
That’s just what I did. And neither bike
nor park disappointed!
The fi rst thing you’ll have to get used
to with the Remedy is the envious
glances, even at the GRTP where
trail superbikes are a dime a dozen.
Comments like, “I love the look of it, it
just looks right” were the order of the
day as I enjoyed a coff ee and waited
for my lost riding partner to discover
his sense of direction. Once on the
trails though I had no problems with
rider envy because I was having too
much fun to notice anyone else.
The Remedy is balanced, light and
even forgiving to ride (I dug a foot
into the side of a trail and got myself
hopelessly out of shape on a jump
without suff ering the consequences
I’d usually expect in those situations
on my normal ride). The super wide
bars (750mm) and the short stem
work in tandem with the mid-sized
wheels to provide a remarkably nippy
ride, especially considering the near
monster wide 2.35 inch tyres while the
Fox CTD suspension front and rear
is tuned to perfection for Trek’s Full
Floater suspension linkage. Rudolf
Zuidema, Trek SA’s ops and marketing
manager, told me the bike feels
bottomless and while I don’t have the
skills to push it to the levels where it
might begin to bottom out I can see
why he’d describe it as such – the
rollers, little jumps, and the myriad
of corrugations on the gravel roads
around Stilbaai were all soaked up
with ease by the Remedy.
The 2.35” tyres inspire so much
confi dence on the trails, and the wider
rims seem to help with that too. The
Bontrager XR 3 and 4 Team Issue tyres
grip like crazy and devour corners. The
wider tyres have another benefi t in that
they fl oat over sandy sections on the
trails with ease, making the Remedy
a great bike to ride on trails built in
the sandy soils of the Western Cape
coastal fynbos.
Equipped with 2x10 Shimano XT
gearing the Remedy has ample gears
for the steepest climbs, while the XT
brakes (180mm rotors front and back)
and RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper
seat-post have descending covered. In
fact going back to a dropper post-less
bike is going to be tough…
There are a couple of things I’d
change if the Remedy was my own.
Firstly the Bontrager Evoke 3 saddle is
too narrow for my ischial tuberosities
and a saddle in the region of 145mm
might be a better fi t for more riders.
But saddle width and your ischial
tuberosity width is something I’d
encourage you to look into before
you purchase any bike, so that’s not
a major drawback on Trek’s part. The
second is the grips, the Bontrager
Rhythm grips are a bit harsh on your
hands and I’d have replaced them with
a set of chunky ESI grips.
Despite the 140mm of travel the
The Trek Remedy 9.8’s GeometrySUS SUS
17.5 Inch frame:
All measurements in mm or °
Seat Tube ............................419
Top Tube .............................582
Head Tube ..........................100
Seat tube angle ............67.5°
Head tube angle ...........67.5°
BB Height ...........................338
Chain Stay .........................435
Wheel base .........................1131
Standover height ............. 758
Stack ....................................694
Reach ...................................394
What has wide tyres, lots of travel and will have
you grinning from ear to ear? Seamus Allardice
found out it’s the remedy for all your trail riding
queries; it’s the Trek Remedy 9.8.
Photography by
Ashlee Attwood.
PERFECT
TRAI
L BIKE
– We have the Remedy
PERFECT
TRAI
L BIKE
“The first thing you’ll have to
get used to with the Remedy is
the envious glances, even at the
GRTP where trail superbikes are
a dime a dozen.”
“The first thing you’ll have to
get used to with the Remedy is
the envious glances, even at the
GRTP where trail superbikes are
a dime a dozen.”
Remedy isn’t limited to trail riding;
I did a few 50km rides on it where
the predominant terrain was district
gravel or suburban tar roads. The
Remedy’s 650b wheels, wide bars, and
slack head and seat angles make it a
comfortable ride on the road, especially
for riders who prefer a more upright
riding position. If you are planning on
riding in a group however you might
fi nd the extra rolling resistance of the
smaller and wider tyres an issue when
trying to keep up with riding buddies
on more marathon-orientated 29ers.
So it’s not the ideal bike if you can only aff ord one bike and most of your riding
is going to be on district roads rather than on the mountain. But if you’re more interested in shredding trails than clocking up the kays then it’s the perfect machine for you, or in an ideal world it’s the perfect second bike for
trips to one of the ever growing number
of trail parks around SA.
16
FS Bike Review
W
hen you get off ered a bike for
the holiday you jump at the
off er – even if it’s a 140mm
travel 650b, and you’re going to be
spending your hard earned vacation
in Stilbaai, where the gravel roads are
long and the singletracks are very, very
few. In fact you do the right thing and
drive up to the fantastic Garden Route
Trail Park and really put it to the test.
That’s just what I did. And neither bike
nor park disappointed!
The fi rst thing you’ll have to get used
to with the Remedy is the envious
glances, even at the GRTP where
trail superbikes are a dime a dozen.
Comments like, “I love the look of it, it
just looks right” were the order of the
day as I enjoyed a coff ee and waited
for my lost riding partner to discover
his sense of direction. Once on the
trails though I had no problems with
rider envy because I was having too
much fun to notice anyone else.
The Remedy is balanced, light and
even forgiving to ride (I dug a foot
into the side of a trail and got myself
hopelessly out of shape on a jump
without suff ering the consequences
I’d usually expect in those situations
on my normal ride). The super wide
bars (750mm) and the short stem
work in tandem with the mid-sized
wheels to provide a remarkably nippy
ride, especially considering the near
monster wide 2.35 inch tyres while the
Fox CTD suspension front and rear
is tuned to perfection for Trek’s Full
Floater suspension linkage. Rudolf
Zuidema, Trek SA’s ops and marketing
manager, told me the bike feels
bottomless and while I don’t have the
skills to push it to the levels where it
might begin to bottom out I can see
why he’d describe it as such – the
rollers, little jumps, and the myriad
of corrugations on the gravel roads
around Stilbaai were all soaked up
with ease by the Remedy.
The 2.35” tyres inspire so much
confi dence on the trails, and the wider
rims seem to help with that too. The
Bontrager XR 3 and 4 Team Issue tyres
grip like crazy and devour corners. The
wider tyres have another benefi t in that
they fl oat over sandy sections on the
trails with ease, making the Remedy
a great bike to ride on trails built in
the sandy soils of the Western Cape
coastal fynbos.
Equipped with 2x10 Shimano XT
gearing the Remedy has ample gears
for the steepest climbs, while the XT
brakes (180mm rotors front and back)
and RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper
seat-post have descending covered. In
fact going back to a dropper post-less
bike is going to be tough…
There are a couple of things I’d
change if the Remedy was my own.
Firstly the Bontrager Evoke 3 saddle is
too narrow for my ischial tuberosities
and a saddle in the region of 145mm
might be a better fi t for more riders.
But saddle width and your ischial
tuberosity width is something I’d
encourage you to look into before
you purchase any bike, so that’s not
a major drawback on Trek’s part. The
second is the grips, the Bontrager
Rhythm grips are a bit harsh on your
hands and I’d have replaced them with
a set of chunky ESI grips.
Despite the 140mm of travel the
The Trek Remedy 9.8’s GeometrySUS SUS
17.5 Inch frame:
All measurements in mm or °
Seat Tube ............................419
Top Tube .............................582
Head Tube ..........................100
Seat tube angle ............67.5°
Head tube angle ...........67.5°
BB Height ...........................338
Chain Stay .........................435
Wheel base .........................1131
Standover height ............. 758
Stack ....................................694
Reach ...................................394
What has wide tyres, lots of travel and will have
you grinning from ear to ear? Seamus Allardice
found out it’s the remedy for all your trail riding
queries; it’s the Trek Remedy 9.8.
Photography by
Ashlee Attwood.
PERFECT
TRAI
L BIKE
– We have the Remedy
PERFECT
TRAI
L BIKE
“The first thing you’ll have to
get used to with the Remedy is
the envious glances, even at the
GRTP where trail superbikes are
a dime a dozen.”
“The first thing you’ll have to
get used to with the Remedy is
the envious glances, even at the
GRTP where trail superbikes are
a dime a dozen.”
Remedy isn’t limited to trail riding;
I did a few 50km rides on it where
the predominant terrain was district
gravel or suburban tar roads. The
Remedy’s 650b wheels, wide bars, and
slack head and seat angles make it a
comfortable ride on the road, especially
for riders who prefer a more upright
riding position. If you are planning on
riding in a group however you might
fi nd the extra rolling resistance of the
smaller and wider tyres an issue when
trying to keep up with riding buddies
on more marathon-orientated 29ers.
So it’s not the ideal bike if you can only aff ord one bike and most of your riding
is going to be on district roads rather than on the mountain. But if you’re more interested in shredding trails than clocking up the kays then it’s the perfect machine for you, or in an ideal world it’s the perfect second bike for
trips to one of the ever growing number
of trail parks around SA.
16
10
FS The Next Big Thing
ZOON CRONJE | NIKON
I
n the December/January issue of
Full Sus we profi led the exquisite
Garden Route 300, which is
packed with forest singletacks, the Du ToitTankwa Trek couldn’t be more diff erent in the terrain it asks entrants to conquer. With the
orchards of the Ceres and Witzenberg
Valleys providing the backdrop for
the fi rst two days and the rugged
Kouebokkeveld Mountains never far
away it’s a race of epic beauty and,
notably, a race of tough challenges.
It’s a race that embraces the heat of
the Karoo rather than the humidity
of the Coastal Forests, but it’s also
a race that off ers an unforgettably
riding experience.
Each stage is as diff erent as the
men who designed them.
Stage One
Stage one is pure mountain biking as envisioned by the Hanekom brothers. Hannes and Sakkie are two of the most formidable amateur racers on the local mountain biking circuit and their loop through their backyards of the Witzenberg Valley shows off what they love – tough climbs, technical trails and ample rewards for the strong and the brave.
Stage Two
Stage two takes in the Ceres Valley and the formidable Merino Monster. It’s been carefully planned by Mauritz Walters, who riders will probably be cursing as they tackle the old Tronsberg Pass followed by the Monster in quick succession. The impish Walters might well be testing if the city folk are tough enough for the Bokkeveld, but he’s not diffi cult
to forgive as any rider conquering stage two has earned the right to tell a war story or two around the Kaleo campfi res.
Stage Three
Stage three is the brain child of Charl van der Merwe and after a 26km liaison it’s hand-cut and hand-built singletrack all day (pretty much). If
there ever was a global advertisement
for mountain biking in the Western
Cape it’s the trails of stage three that
should be used. Van der Merwe’s
trails will have riders squeezing
energy they didn’t know they had out
of their tired legs and booking their
spot in the 2016 Tankwa as soon as
they cross the fi nish line.
More than the trails
The routes are just half of it though,
for on the Tankwa Trek riders will be
camped around the wedding venue of
Kaleo Manor in the Kouebokkeveld
and they’ll be treated to all the bells
and catering whistles we’ve come to
expect from a Dryland race.
But if you’re reading this and
you haven’t managed to secure an
entry there’s a bit of a problem…
you’re going to be missing out.
Well yes and no. The Tankwa
Trek is one of best covered MTB
events in the country. Full Sus will
be providing daily race reports.
Oakpics and Zoon Cronje will be
there to capture every moment for
posterity and Bigshot Media will be
producing a television production
for SuperSport. Plus with wi-fi in the
race village (bear in mind there is
hardly any data coverage anywhere
between Ceres and Pofadder so it’s
a very handy technological oasis)
Now in its third year the Du Toit Tankwa Trek is
kicking on from a race of sheer natural beauty,
singletracks and superb Dryland organisation,
it’s becoming the next big “Must Do” MTB event
and it’s easy to see why.
every socially conscious rider and team manager will be Tweeting, Vining and Instagramming the sights and sounds of the race straight to your phone. Live video streaming is only a couple of pros and some international exposure away, so look out 2016 – because the Du ToitTankwa Trek is very
defi nitely the next big thing on the SA MTB Calendar.
And with a waiting list nearly 300
riders long, it’s easy to see why it’s doubtful that the Du Toit Tankwa Trek will remain a sand alone event in 2016. So keep an eye out a Tankwa Ride or Adventure on our stage race calendar.
SUS the Du Toit Tankwa Trek
Dates: 13 – 15 February 2015
Distances: 88km (1 890m of climbing), 91km (2 300m of climbing) and
63km (860m of climbing)
Format: 3 stage, clover leaf format stage race.
Venue: Kaleo Manor, Kouebokkeveld (32km from Ceres)
Website: www.tankwatrek.co.za
Who to Follow: @tankwatrek, @dryland1, @TeamBulls, @TeamRECM,
@oakpics, @bigshotmediasa, @ZoonCronje & @FullSussa.
SUS
WWW.OAKPICS.COM
Stage three’s singletrack
is one of the best adverts
for mountain biking in SA,
as Cannondale Blend’s
Waylon Woolcock
discovered in 2014.
where are we?
Kaleo Manor is the warm heart of
the Kouebokkeveld. It’s located
32km North of Ceres in a corner of
South Africa that’s very easy to fall
in love with. It’s also a great base for
mountain bikers outside of the Tankwa
Trek, just remember to negotiate trail
entries with the relevant farmers.
Are you
Tankwa
Tough?
Tankwa
Tough?
S
O
U
T
H
AFRICA
Western
Cape
Cape Town
Kaleo
N2
N1
◆
It’ll take some hard work to earn
this view on day two – from the
top of the Merino Monster.
FS The Next Big Thing
ZOON CRONJE | NIKON
I
n the December/January issue of
Full Sus we profi led the exquisite
Garden Route 300, which is
packed with forest singletacks, the Du ToitTankwa Trek couldn’t be more diff erent in the terrain it asks entrants to conquer. With the
orchards of the Ceres and Witzenberg
Valleys providing the backdrop for
the fi rst two days and the rugged
Kouebokkeveld Mountains never far
away it’s a race of epic beauty and,
notably, a race of tough challenges.
It’s a race that embraces the heat of
the Karoo rather than the humidity
of the Coastal Forests, but it’s also
a race that off ers an unforgettably
riding experience.
Each stage is as diff erent as the
men who designed them.
Stage One
Stage one is pure mountain biking as envisioned by the Hanekom brothers. Hannes and Sakkie are two of the most formidable amateur racers on the local mountain biking circuit and their loop through their backyards of the Witzenberg Valley shows off what they love – tough climbs, technical trails and ample rewards for the strong and the brave.
Stage Two
Stage two takes in the Ceres Valley and the formidable Merino Monster. It’s been carefully planned by Mauritz Walters, who riders will probably be cursing as they tackle the old Tronsberg Pass followed by the Monster in quick succession. The impish Walters might well be testing if the city folk are tough enough for the Bokkeveld, but he’s not diffi cult
to forgive as any rider conquering stage two has earned the right to tell a war story or two around the Kaleo campfi res.
Stage Three
Stage three is the brain child of Charl van der Merwe and after a 26km liaison it’s hand-cut and hand-built singletrack all day (pretty much). If
there ever was a global advertisement
for mountain biking in the Western
Cape it’s the trails of stage three that
should be used. Van der Merwe’s
trails will have riders squeezing
energy they didn’t know they had out
of their tired legs and booking their
spot in the 2016 Tankwa as soon as
they cross the fi nish line.
More than the trails
The routes are just half of it though,
for on the Tankwa Trek riders will be
camped around the wedding venue of
Kaleo Manor in the Kouebokkeveld
and they’ll be treated to all the bells
and catering whistles we’ve come to
expect from a Dryland race.
But if you’re reading this and
you haven’t managed to secure an
entry there’s a bit of a problem…
you’re going to be missing out.
Well yes and no. The Tankwa
Trek is one of best covered MTB
events in the country. Full Sus will
be providing daily race reports.
Oakpics and Zoon Cronje will be
there to capture every moment for
posterity and Bigshot Media will be
producing a television production
for SuperSport. Plus with wi-fi in the
race village (bear in mind there is
hardly any data coverage anywhere
between Ceres and Pofadder so it’s
a very handy technological oasis)
Now in its third year the Du Toit Tankwa Trek is
kicking on from a race of sheer natural beauty,
singletracks and superb Dryland organisation,
it’s becoming the next big “Must Do” MTB event
and it’s easy to see why.
every socially conscious rider and team manager will be Tweeting, Vining and Instagramming the sights and sounds of the race straight to your phone. Live video streaming is only a couple of pros and some international exposure away, so look out 2016 – because the Du ToitTankwa Trek is very
defi nitely the next big thing on the SA MTB Calendar.
And with a waiting list nearly 300
riders long, it’s easy to see why it’s doubtful that the Du Toit Tankwa Trek will remain a sand alone event in 2016. So keep an eye out a Tankwa Ride or Adventure on our stage race calendar.
SUS the Du Toit Tankwa Trek
Dates: 13 – 15 February 2015
Distances: 88km (1 890m of climbing), 91km (2 300m of climbing) and
63km (860m of climbing)
Format: 3 stage, clover leaf format stage race.
Venue: Kaleo Manor, Kouebokkeveld (32km from Ceres)
Website: www.tankwatrek.co.za
Who to Follow: @tankwatrek, @dryland1, @TeamBulls, @TeamRECM,
@oakpics, @bigshotmediasa, @ZoonCronje & @FullSussa.
SUS
WWW.OAKPICS.COM
Stage three’s singletrack
is one of the best adverts
for mountain biking in SA,
as Cannondale Blend’s
Waylon Woolcock
discovered in 2014.
where are we?
Kaleo Manor is the warm heart of
the Kouebokkeveld. It’s located
32km North of Ceres in a corner of
South Africa that’s very easy to fall
in love with. It’s also a great base for
mountain bikers outside of the Tankwa
Trek, just remember to negotiate trail
entries with the relevant farmers.
Are you
Tankwa
Tough?
Tankwa
Tough?
S
O
U
T
H
AFRICA
Western
Cape
Cape Town
Kaleo
N2
N1
◆
It’ll take some hard work to earn
this view on day two – from the
top of the Merino Monster.
where are we?
The Attakwas Extreme MTB Challenge
crosses from the little Karoo to the
Garden Route coast It’s a race of
diverse scenery from sparse Karoo
scrub to Karoo Mountain fynbos,
and pine plantations to coastal
pastures. It’s a hard race, but it’s
one I’d strongly recommend to
any mountain biker – with the Atta
under your belt you’ll feel ready for
just about anything.
FS Ride Report - Attakwas
22
all pictures by Oakpics.c Om
M
oments earlier i’d been in
a desperate hole, but the
sight of familiar faces got
me out of my slump and i jumped
onto mia’s wheel, commenting as
i did on how strongly the two of
them were finishing. With a smile m
ia responded: “Ja, but men don’t
know how to pace themselves. t
hey’ve got ego’s...”
as i write this i know she’s right,
but on the day i thought i ’d done
well pacing my race. but let me
backtrack a bit more first: When you tell old hands at the
attakwas
that you’ll be attempting your first a
tta the advice is all the same.
“Take it easy for the first 60km.”
“ Leave lots in your legs for the district
roads at the end.”
“ Don’t race the Attakwas section.”
Noted, but it’s easier said than done.
starting in e batch with most of
the other first timers i soft peddled
with the bunch as we traversed
the hard packed farm jeep roads
towards the Outeniqua Nature
r
eserve, but for some reason – i’m
guessing it was the nerves – i just
couldn’t keep my heart rate down.
every time i checked my monitor on
flat roads it was up near 160 bpm…
by water point two at the start of
the attakwas mountain section i
was feeling good. From the route
profile i knew this was where the
proper climbing started. t he road
surface also change for the worse
between water points two and
three. the jeep tracks became
increasingly rugged and while the
valley floor sections were bumpy
but fast the climbs and descents
were very rocky. t his made it
difficult to take it easy as the
terrain keeps you working even
when you’re freewheeling.
at the highest point of the race i
stopped for a chat with s teve smith
and craig kolesky, took a few
photos of other riders posing with
the “k ing of the a ttakwas” sign and
then got going again.
teaming up with c raig and s teve
the first district road phase wasn’t
too bad. t he rolling hills and the
hard packed gravel roads made for
easy going, but then the monster
Di carolin had warned me of
appeared through the trees at the
far end of a valley.
the monster was a long, fairly
steep (i have a feeling that none
of the climbs in the second half
of the race would be that bad on
fresh legs) climb up through a pine
plantation. i slogged up it as far as
i could and then dismounted about
300m from the top and pushed out
the rest with the vast majority of
the riders around me.
Getting off my bike must have
triggered something psychologically
because after that i struggled for
rhythm. i kept following Di’s advice
and soft peddled the downhills to
keep my legs turning over – which
worked because i never cramped
once in eight and a half hours. but
on the remaining flats and hills I
just couldn’t get any force into my
pedal strokes.
by the time m ia and Hein came
past i was not doing well – to say
the least. b ut seeing them gave
me a massive lift and i found that
riding with them i could easily keep
up, so my ails were certainly more
psychological than physical.
i rode with them for a few kays
and even did a turn at the front
of the bunch but then the elastic
Men don’t know how
to pace themselves
somewhere around the 100km mark
mia and Hein m ocke came cruising past
Seamus Allardice, with Hein at the head
of a small peloton tapping out the pace
and mia looking comfortable on his wheel.
behind her the ragged line of riders hung on
for dear life knowing if they fell off the pace
the last 20km of the attakwas extreme
mtb challenge would be hellishly tough.
snapped when we hit a steep climb which only mia, Hein and one other
rider in the group managed to ride out. From there on out it was me against the road, solo to the finish for 15km or so, passing the odd rider and being passed – but never able to team up with anyone of a similar strength. but i was beyond worrying
by that point, it was just head down and keep peddling my little squares in a gear very close to granny.
Without much warning suddenly
a little board appeared at the side of the road saying simply “6km”. i didn’t let myself believe
it could mean 6km to go. b ut then
sure enough a while later there
appeared a “3km” board and i let
my spirits lift slightly.
Dropping out of the hills above
Great brak, craig and steve caught
me and i again found the reserves
to give chase – rolling onto the long awaited finishing straight just behind them.
i don’t usually take medals at
the end of a race, but i took the
attakwas extreme mtb challenge
medal and it’s up on the inside of my cupboard already – until next year when i break 8 hours…
and as for pacing and ego... well
next year i ’ll be riding with a lady,
because i’m clearly hopeless at
managing my own race!
Race Tips and
More Online
There is so much and
more to say about the
Attakwas Extreme MTB
Challenge but there just
isn’t the space to say it
here, so if you’re keen to
read on, go to:
www.fullsus.co.za/atta/
to find out more about this
amazing but tough race.
Oudtshoorn
◆
George
Grootbrak
Rivier
N2
S
O
U
T
H
AFRICA
Western
Cape
pHOtO cra Dit
Linus van Onselen
navigates one of the wetter
sections of the Attakwas
valley, caused by the
torrential downpour two
days before the race.
The early phases of the race
are all about restraining your
impulse to race and enjoying the
Klein Karoo scenery.
The Attakwas Extreme MTB Challenge
crosses from the little Karoo to the
Garden Route coast It’s a race of
diverse scenery from sparse Karoo
scrub to Karoo Mountain fynbos,
and pine plantations to coastal
pastures. It’s a hard race, but it’s
one I’d strongly recommend to
any mountain biker – with the Atta
under your belt you’ll feel ready for
just about anything.
FS Ride Report - Attakwas
22
all pictures by Oakpics.c Om
M
oments earlier i’d been in
a desperate hole, but the
sight of familiar faces got
me out of my slump and i jumped
onto mia’s wheel, commenting as
i did on how strongly the two of
them were finishing. With a smile m
ia responded: “Ja, but men don’t
know how to pace themselves. t
hey’ve got ego’s...”
as i write this i know she’s right,
but on the day i thought i ’d done
well pacing my race. but let me
backtrack a bit more first: When you tell old hands at the
attakwas
that you’ll be attempting your first a
tta the advice is all the same.
“Take it easy for the first 60km.”
“ Leave lots in your legs for the district
roads at the end.”
“ Don’t race the Attakwas section.”
Noted, but it’s easier said than done.
starting in e batch with most of
the other first timers i soft peddled
with the bunch as we traversed
the hard packed farm jeep roads
towards the Outeniqua Nature
r
eserve, but for some reason – i’m
guessing it was the nerves – i just
couldn’t keep my heart rate down.
every time i checked my monitor on
flat roads it was up near 160 bpm…
by water point two at the start of
the attakwas mountain section i
was feeling good. From the route
profile i knew this was where the
proper climbing started. t he road
surface also change for the worse
between water points two and
three. the jeep tracks became
increasingly rugged and while the
valley floor sections were bumpy
but fast the climbs and descents
were very rocky. t his made it
difficult to take it easy as the
terrain keeps you working even
when you’re freewheeling.
at the highest point of the race i
stopped for a chat with s teve smith
and craig kolesky, took a few
photos of other riders posing with
the “k ing of the a ttakwas” sign and
then got going again.
teaming up with c raig and s teve
the first district road phase wasn’t
too bad. t he rolling hills and the
hard packed gravel roads made for
easy going, but then the monster
Di carolin had warned me of
appeared through the trees at the
far end of a valley.
the monster was a long, fairly
steep (i have a feeling that none
of the climbs in the second half
of the race would be that bad on
fresh legs) climb up through a pine
plantation. i slogged up it as far as
i could and then dismounted about
300m from the top and pushed out
the rest with the vast majority of
the riders around me.
Getting off my bike must have
triggered something psychologically
because after that i struggled for
rhythm. i kept following Di’s advice
and soft peddled the downhills to
keep my legs turning over – which
worked because i never cramped
once in eight and a half hours. but
on the remaining flats and hills I
just couldn’t get any force into my
pedal strokes.
by the time m ia and Hein came
past i was not doing well – to say
the least. b ut seeing them gave
me a massive lift and i found that
riding with them i could easily keep
up, so my ails were certainly more
psychological than physical.
i rode with them for a few kays
and even did a turn at the front
of the bunch but then the elastic
Men don’t know how
to pace themselves
somewhere around the 100km mark
mia and Hein m ocke came cruising past
Seamus Allardice, with Hein at the head
of a small peloton tapping out the pace
and mia looking comfortable on his wheel.
behind her the ragged line of riders hung on
for dear life knowing if they fell off the pace
the last 20km of the attakwas extreme
mtb challenge would be hellishly tough.
snapped when we hit a steep climb which only mia, Hein and one other
rider in the group managed to ride out. From there on out it was me against the road, solo to the finish for 15km or so, passing the odd rider and being passed – but never able to team up with anyone of a similar strength. but i was beyond worrying
by that point, it was just head down and keep peddling my little squares in a gear very close to granny.
Without much warning suddenly
a little board appeared at the side of the road saying simply “6km”. i didn’t let myself believe
it could mean 6km to go. b ut then
sure enough a while later there
appeared a “3km” board and i let
my spirits lift slightly.
Dropping out of the hills above
Great brak, craig and steve caught
me and i again found the reserves
to give chase – rolling onto the long awaited finishing straight just behind them.
i don’t usually take medals at
the end of a race, but i took the
attakwas extreme mtb challenge
medal and it’s up on the inside of my cupboard already – until next year when i break 8 hours…
and as for pacing and ego... well
next year i ’ll be riding with a lady,
because i’m clearly hopeless at
managing my own race!
Race Tips and
More Online
There is so much and
more to say about the
Attakwas Extreme MTB
Challenge but there just
isn’t the space to say it
here, so if you’re keen to
read on, go to:
www.fullsus.co.za/atta/
to find out more about this
amazing but tough race.
Oudtshoorn
◆
George
Grootbrak
Rivier
N2
S
O
U
T
H
AFRICA
Western
Cape
pHOtO cra Dit
Linus van Onselen
navigates one of the wetter
sections of the Attakwas
valley, caused by the
torrential downpour two
days before the race.
The early phases of the race
are all about restraining your
impulse to race and enjoying the
Klein Karoo scenery.
14
FS Ride Report - Origin of Trails
T
he fi rst edition of the Origin
of Trails drew a bit of fl ak for
being too diffi cult for that time
of the year. By November most of us are pretty tired and that’s got nothing to do with fi tness, it’s purely work related – the end of the year was chaotic for Full Sus and I’m sure it was for most of you too, there’s a massive list of things to do and time seems to speed up as the end of the year approaches. So the last thing most of us feel like is suff ering on the bike – there’s enough of that in the offi ce thank you.
Day One
For Day One of the 2014 race I feel Stillwater Sports and Entertainment got it spot on. The opening kilometres of the route were dominated by some fairly tough climbs, but on fresh legs in the cool of the morning they were perfectly manageable and, after all, you have to climb to have the fun of descending! Dropping through
the top section of the famed Canary singletrack before making our way down Never-ending Story was totally worth it. More Jonkershoek
fun followed before a trek up a very
rocky climb (read: hike for 95% of
the fi eld) heralded the start of the
real virgin singletrack fun for the
long route riders. The fresh trails of
Dornier Wine Estate off ered loamy
terrain, fertile and fortunately soft
for the odd rider taken unawares
by trail builder and route designer
Corrie Muller’s bridged berms. A
rider ahead of me managed to
awkwardly assault the main feature
of the Dornier section, his body
position into the berm was too
upright causing his tyres to slide
out dramatically before his bars
arrested his slide when they wedged
between the slats of the bridged
berm. Fortunately no damage was
done beyond his ego…
Day One ended with a run
through G-Spot, everyone’s favourite
Stellenbosch trail, before reaching
the Markötter Fields where a lavish
ORIGINS OF
Ice-cream &
Beer Racing
Erik Kleinhans calls November Ice-cream and
Beer Season and it seems the Stillwater Team
largely agree as the second Pennypinchers
Origin of Trails stage race was geared towards
fun as
Seamus Allardice discovered.
"It's clear that Skyfall is the best
singletrack I've ridden in the area."
SUS the Pennypinchers Origin of Trails
2015 Dates: 27 & 28 November 2015
Distances: 2 x 65km, 65km & 40km or 2 x 40km
Website: www.stillwatersports.com
SUS
lunch, beers and, of course, some Ice
Cream Community artisan ice-cream
awaited. I spent the day riding with
Biking in the Bosch’s Jo Dobinson,
which helped the kays click away
quickly as we chatted about
everything mountain biking and
bounced ideas for 2015 around.
Day Two
Day Two was a little less ice-cream
and beer and as it turned out I was
pretty happy to downgrade from
the long route to the 40km in order
to ride with fi rst time racer and
Full Stride Biokineticist Tammy
Reader and her husband Paul. Paul
was back on the bike for the fi rst
time after dislocating his elbow in
a MTB crash a few weeks before
Origins. Setting off at the back of
the fi eld we unfortunately had a bit
of a stop start descent down the
highlight of the race, the Bartinney
Skyfall singletrack. Despite the
hold-ups it’s clear that Skyfall is the
best singletrack I’ve ridden in the
area; it’s manicured, with sturdily
constructed retaining walls on the
downslope side, perfect berms on
each corner and I’m not sure how
many switchbacks dropping into the
Banghoek Valley.
While the 40km route turned
back to Stellenbosch the long route
riders took in a tough extended
rock garden section, which by the
sounds of it was not well received
by some members of the fi eld. For
those of us taking the easy way out
there was a jaunt through Kylemore, though I must admit to casting more than one envious glance at Vanessa
Haywood’s new BMC Fourstroke FS as we climbed towards water point three. From there it was up Old Helshoogte, under the main
road and onto the steep (very steep)
slopes of Botmaskop. For an end of November race maybe an easier return to Stellenbosch would have left everyone feeling a bit better – but there is method in the madness too, it does encourage post-race ice- cream and beer consumption!
where are we?
Origin of Trails is designed to
showcase as many of the
Stellenbosch singletracks as
possible and raise funds for trail
building and maintenance. In 2013
it took in Banghoek, Jonkershoek
and Bottelary Hills. In 2014 it
was Jonkershoek, Dornier and
Banghoek. For 2015… you’ll have to
wait and see…
where are we?
Origin of Trails is designed to
showcase as many of the
was Jonkershoek, Dornier and
Banghoek. For 2015… you’ll have to
wait and see…
S
O
U
T
H
AFRICA
Cape
Town
Stellenbosch
N2
◆
Western Cape
N1
Riders racing down the amazing
Bartinney Skyfall singletrack.
ALL PHOTOS BY CHERIE VALE | NEWSPORT MEDIA
The pro’s (including Theo Blignaut,
Waylon Woolcock and Candice
Neethling) enjoyed a couple of very
chilled days on the bike, stopping for
photos and snacks at every opportunity.
FS Ride Report - Origin of Trails
T
he fi rst edition of the Origin
of Trails drew a bit of fl ak for
being too diffi cult for that time
of the year. By November most of us are pretty tired and that’s got nothing to do with fi tness, it’s purely work related – the end of the year was chaotic for Full Sus and I’m sure it was for most of you too, there’s a massive list of things to do and time seems to speed up as the end of the year approaches. So the last thing most of us feel like is suff ering on the bike – there’s enough of that in the offi ce thank you.
Day One
For Day One of the 2014 race I feel Stillwater Sports and Entertainment got it spot on. The opening kilometres of the route were dominated by some fairly tough climbs, but on fresh legs in the cool of the morning they were perfectly manageable and, after all, you have to climb to have the fun of descending! Dropping through
the top section of the famed Canary singletrack before making our way down Never-ending Story was totally worth it. More Jonkershoek
fun followed before a trek up a very
rocky climb (read: hike for 95% of
the fi eld) heralded the start of the
real virgin singletrack fun for the
long route riders. The fresh trails of
Dornier Wine Estate off ered loamy
terrain, fertile and fortunately soft
for the odd rider taken unawares
by trail builder and route designer
Corrie Muller’s bridged berms. A
rider ahead of me managed to
awkwardly assault the main feature
of the Dornier section, his body
position into the berm was too
upright causing his tyres to slide
out dramatically before his bars
arrested his slide when they wedged
between the slats of the bridged
berm. Fortunately no damage was
done beyond his ego…
Day One ended with a run
through G-Spot, everyone’s favourite
Stellenbosch trail, before reaching
the Markötter Fields where a lavish
ORIGINS OF
Ice-cream &
Beer Racing
Erik Kleinhans calls November Ice-cream and
Beer Season and it seems the Stillwater Team
largely agree as the second Pennypinchers
Origin of Trails stage race was geared towards
fun as
Seamus Allardice discovered.
"It's clear that Skyfall is the best
singletrack I've ridden in the area."
SUS the Pennypinchers Origin of Trails
2015 Dates: 27 & 28 November 2015
Distances: 2 x 65km, 65km & 40km or 2 x 40km
Website: www.stillwatersports.com
SUS
lunch, beers and, of course, some Ice
Cream Community artisan ice-cream
awaited. I spent the day riding with
Biking in the Bosch’s Jo Dobinson,
which helped the kays click away
quickly as we chatted about
everything mountain biking and
bounced ideas for 2015 around.
Day Two
Day Two was a little less ice-cream
and beer and as it turned out I was
pretty happy to downgrade from
the long route to the 40km in order
to ride with fi rst time racer and
Full Stride Biokineticist Tammy
Reader and her husband Paul. Paul
was back on the bike for the fi rst
time after dislocating his elbow in
a MTB crash a few weeks before
Origins. Setting off at the back of
the fi eld we unfortunately had a bit
of a stop start descent down the
highlight of the race, the Bartinney
Skyfall singletrack. Despite the
hold-ups it’s clear that Skyfall is the
best singletrack I’ve ridden in the
area; it’s manicured, with sturdily
constructed retaining walls on the
downslope side, perfect berms on
each corner and I’m not sure how
many switchbacks dropping into the
Banghoek Valley.
While the 40km route turned
back to Stellenbosch the long route
riders took in a tough extended
rock garden section, which by the
sounds of it was not well received
by some members of the fi eld. For
those of us taking the easy way out
there was a jaunt through Kylemore, though I must admit to casting more than one envious glance at Vanessa
Haywood’s new BMC Fourstroke FS as we climbed towards water point three. From there it was up Old Helshoogte, under the main
road and onto the steep (very steep)
slopes of Botmaskop. For an end of November race maybe an easier return to Stellenbosch would have left everyone feeling a bit better – but there is method in the madness too, it does encourage post-race ice- cream and beer consumption!
where are we?
Origin of Trails is designed to
showcase as many of the
Stellenbosch singletracks as
possible and raise funds for trail
building and maintenance. In 2013
it took in Banghoek, Jonkershoek
and Bottelary Hills. In 2014 it
was Jonkershoek, Dornier and
Banghoek. For 2015… you’ll have to
wait and see…
where are we?
Origin of Trails is designed to
showcase as many of the
was Jonkershoek, Dornier and
Banghoek. For 2015… you’ll have to
wait and see…
S
O
U
T
H
AFRICA
Cape
Town
Stellenbosch
N2
◆
Western Cape
N1
Riders racing down the amazing
Bartinney Skyfall singletrack.
ALL PHOTOS BY CHERIE VALE | NEWSPORT MEDIA
The pro’s (including Theo Blignaut,
Waylon Woolcock and Candice
Neethling) enjoyed a couple of very
chilled days on the bike, stopping for
photos and snacks at every opportunity.
6
Aside from racing her
bike for Red Bull South
Africa, Specialized
Bicycles, Sasol Racing
and Aca Joe (hence
the jean shorts)
Bianca Haw
is
also an accomplished
paddler, and harboured hopes of squeezing
the 2015 Dusi Canoe Marathon in
between the Tankwa Trek and the GR300
in February. Follow her exploits on Twitter and Instagram at @biancahaw.
Aside from racing her
bike for Red Bull South
Africa, Specialized
Bicycles, Sasol Racing
and Aca Joe (hence
the jean shorts)
also an accomplished
paddler, and harboured hopes of squeezing
a professional bike rider than
just racing results. She’s aware of
how she represents the brands
that sponsor her and her easy
conversational manner is sure to
make her a fan favourite. That being
said, she’s super-fast too!
Stepping up in distance from
XCO to take on hardened marathon
racers, in their favourite distance,
like Esther Suss, Ariane Kleinhans,
Robyn de Groot and Jennie Stenerhag,
Bianca wasn’t out of her depth at the
Meerendal leg of the National MTB
Series. Only an unfortunate tangle with
Jennie Stenerhag’s bike after Jennie
crashed on the second last climb of
the race prevented her from remaining
with Robyn de Groot when the
Ascendis Health rider made the break
which saw her claim third. But still a
fi fth place fi nish in such lofty company
is a good sign, especially considering
she only started her structured training
with Dr Mike Posthumus the week
after Meerendal.
On our post interview ride, Bianca
went up Jonkershoek’s Canary climb
without breaking a sweat and then
proceeded to blitz Full Sus’s Seamus
Allardice down Never-Ending-Story
(he apparently nearly crashed
spectacularly trying to keep up – but
she was fortunately too far ahead, or
too polite to comment, to notice).
She’s coy about dreams of rainbow
stripes, but the goal of being more famous than her old man is one she’s jokingly set her sights on. It might not be a typical athletic
goal, but maybe that’s a really good
thing. To transform Farmer Glen into
Bianca’s Dad, she’s going to have
to win some big races, be the media
darling, a fan favourite and look like
she’s having fun while doing all of it.
The fi rst one in that list will take lots
of hard work, but the rest look like they’ll come very naturally to her, so Bianca’s Dad: you’ve been warned.
FS Young Gun Interview
Bianca and her now famous jean shorts on the National MTB Series podium with
Ariane Kleinhans, Esther Süss, Robyn de Groot and Jennie Stenerhag.
Gameplan Media
I
t’s astonishing to hear that Bianca
only started racing her mountain
bike late in 2012, and that her
fi rst race was an SA Champs that she went out and won – securing a sponsorship from Velo Life/BMC in the process. Fast forward just over
two years and she’s secured a top ten
fi nish in the Pietermaritzburg 2013
UCI MTB World Champs and suff ered
the heartbreak of watching her shot at
the Junior XCO World Championship
crown slip through her fi ngers when
a broken derailleur scarpered her
chances in Hafj ell last year.
Moving up to the competitive
under 23 ladies category for 2015 her build-up to the year couldn’t have got off to a worse start. A phone call out of the blue from Velo Life, letting her know the company was on its way under left her without a ride for 2015.
Fortunately Bianca was already
part of Red Bull South Africa’s athlete programme and they’re her principal sponsor for 2015. As for a bike… some quick negotiations nearly saw her join a major team, before signing a deal with Specialized South Africa that will see her racing an S-Works Era this year. She’s technically a brand ambassador linked to Helderberg Cycles in Somerset West but Specialized have pledged to help out where they can when she heads over to Europe to compete in the fi rst two rounds of the UCI World Cup in May.
It’s between now and then however
that things will be really interesting
for the young Miss Haw. Having been off ered a spot riding alongside Yolande de Villiers for Sasol Racing in the ABSA Cape Epic, Bianca will
be shifting her normal XCO focus
to marathon stage racing for the
immediate future. By the time you
read this, you’ll have a good idea of
how that shift in focus is going, as
she’ll have turned out with Yolande
in the Du Toit Tankwa Trek and the
Garden Route 300. As a nineteen year
old, Sasol aren’t putting pressure on
Bianca to place to highly in the ultra-
competitive Sasol Ladies Category.
She says the Epic is going to be about
learning, gaining
exposure for herself and her
sponsors and racing smart, maybe
targeting a couple of stages to push
for a stage victory.
Amongst the switch to marathon
stage racing she’s got to fi t in the
academic commitments of a second
year at Stellenbosch University
working towards a BComm Marketing
degree and the intimidating prospect
of undergoing Red Bull’s battery of
Project Endurance testing.
2015 races aside, her goals appear
to be transitional on the bike. She’s
keen on proving herself in order to
secure a full Specialized contract
next year, as she knows that the
support of a major international
team is the only way to realistically
challenge on the World Cup circuit.
What’s abundantly clear from
the way she carries herself is that
she knows there is more to being
She might be better known for being Farmer
Glen’s daughter right now, but Bianca Haw has
her mind fi rmly set on changing that. Keep an
eye on her, soon it’ll be “Farmer who? Oh you
mean Bianca’s Dad”…
Trying to
catch-up with
Bianca Haw
SUSSUS Bianca’s Stats from Dr Mike Posthumus
and Science2Sport:
Bianca racing to 10th place at the 2013 UCI MTB
World Champs in Pietermaritzburg.
Bianca is without a doubt one of the most talented young female
mountain bikers in SA. She is defi nitely a rising start and we are
all looking forward to her growing over the next few years as she
embarks on her quest for a medal at the Rio Olympics. We recently
had Bianca tested at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa’s
High Performance Centre by Ben Capostagnno. Her Peak power
output and VO2 max test highlighted exactly what we have already
know. This young star has huge potential.
VO2 max: 67ml/kg/min
FTP (Functional Threshold Power): 290 Watts (4.7 watt/kg)
1
Peak power output: 355 Watts (5.7 watts/kg)
2
1
The FTP is by defi nition the highest power an individual can sustain
for 60 minutes
2
Peak power output is highest power reached in the incremental
power test. PPO is normally analogous with the highest power that
can be sustained for 5 minutes.
Zoon Cronje | Nikon
Kolesky Nikon Red Bull Content Pool
Aside from racing her
bike for Red Bull South
Africa, Specialized
Bicycles, Sasol Racing
and Aca Joe (hence
the jean shorts)
Bianca Haw
is
also an accomplished
paddler, and harboured hopes of squeezing
the 2015 Dusi Canoe Marathon in
between the Tankwa Trek and the GR300
in February. Follow her exploits on Twitter and Instagram at @biancahaw.
Aside from racing her
bike for Red Bull South
Africa, Specialized
Bicycles, Sasol Racing
and Aca Joe (hence
the jean shorts)
also an accomplished
paddler, and harboured hopes of squeezing
a professional bike rider than
just racing results. She’s aware of
how she represents the brands
that sponsor her and her easy
conversational manner is sure to
make her a fan favourite. That being
said, she’s super-fast too!
Stepping up in distance from
XCO to take on hardened marathon
racers, in their favourite distance,
like Esther Suss, Ariane Kleinhans,
Robyn de Groot and Jennie Stenerhag,
Bianca wasn’t out of her depth at the
Meerendal leg of the National MTB
Series. Only an unfortunate tangle with
Jennie Stenerhag’s bike after Jennie
crashed on the second last climb of
the race prevented her from remaining
with Robyn de Groot when the
Ascendis Health rider made the break
which saw her claim third. But still a
fi fth place fi nish in such lofty company
is a good sign, especially considering
she only started her structured training
with Dr Mike Posthumus the week
after Meerendal.
On our post interview ride, Bianca
went up Jonkershoek’s Canary climb
without breaking a sweat and then
proceeded to blitz Full Sus’s Seamus
Allardice down Never-Ending-Story
(he apparently nearly crashed
spectacularly trying to keep up – but
she was fortunately too far ahead, or
too polite to comment, to notice).
She’s coy about dreams of rainbow
stripes, but the goal of being more famous than her old man is one she’s jokingly set her sights on. It might not be a typical athletic
goal, but maybe that’s a really good
thing. To transform Farmer Glen into
Bianca’s Dad, she’s going to have
to win some big races, be the media
darling, a fan favourite and look like
she’s having fun while doing all of it.
The fi rst one in that list will take lots
of hard work, but the rest look like they’ll come very naturally to her, so Bianca’s Dad: you’ve been warned.
FS Young Gun Interview
Bianca and her now famous jean shorts on the National MTB Series podium with
Ariane Kleinhans, Esther Süss, Robyn de Groot and Jennie Stenerhag.
Gameplan Media
I
t’s astonishing to hear that Bianca
only started racing her mountain
bike late in 2012, and that her
fi rst race was an SA Champs that she went out and won – securing a sponsorship from Velo Life/BMC in the process. Fast forward just over
two years and she’s secured a top ten
fi nish in the Pietermaritzburg 2013
UCI MTB World Champs and suff ered
the heartbreak of watching her shot at
the Junior XCO World Championship
crown slip through her fi ngers when
a broken derailleur scarpered her
chances in Hafj ell last year.
Moving up to the competitive
under 23 ladies category for 2015 her build-up to the year couldn’t have got off to a worse start. A phone call out of the blue from Velo Life, letting her know the company was on its way under left her without a ride for 2015.
Fortunately Bianca was already
part of Red Bull South Africa’s athlete programme and they’re her principal sponsor for 2015. As for a bike… some quick negotiations nearly saw her join a major team, before signing a deal with Specialized South Africa that will see her racing an S-Works Era this year. She’s technically a brand ambassador linked to Helderberg Cycles in Somerset West but Specialized have pledged to help out where they can when she heads over to Europe to compete in the fi rst two rounds of the UCI World Cup in May.
It’s between now and then however
that things will be really interesting
for the young Miss Haw. Having been off ered a spot riding alongside Yolande de Villiers for Sasol Racing in the ABSA Cape Epic, Bianca will
be shifting her normal XCO focus
to marathon stage racing for the
immediate future. By the time you
read this, you’ll have a good idea of
how that shift in focus is going, as
she’ll have turned out with Yolande
in the Du Toit Tankwa Trek and the
Garden Route 300. As a nineteen year
old, Sasol aren’t putting pressure on
Bianca to place to highly in the ultra-
competitive Sasol Ladies Category.
She says the Epic is going to be about
learning, gaining
exposure for herself and her
sponsors and racing smart, maybe
targeting a couple of stages to push
for a stage victory.
Amongst the switch to marathon
stage racing she’s got to fi t in the
academic commitments of a second
year at Stellenbosch University
working towards a BComm Marketing
degree and the intimidating prospect
of undergoing Red Bull’s battery of
Project Endurance testing.
2015 races aside, her goals appear
to be transitional on the bike. She’s
keen on proving herself in order to
secure a full Specialized contract
next year, as she knows that the
support of a major international
team is the only way to realistically
challenge on the World Cup circuit.
What’s abundantly clear from
the way she carries herself is that
she knows there is more to being
She might be better known for being Farmer
Glen’s daughter right now, but Bianca Haw has
her mind fi rmly set on changing that. Keep an
eye on her, soon it’ll be “Farmer who? Oh you
mean Bianca’s Dad”…
Trying to
catch-up with
Bianca Haw
SUSSUS Bianca’s Stats from Dr Mike Posthumus
and Science2Sport:
Bianca racing to 10th place at the 2013 UCI MTB
World Champs in Pietermaritzburg.
Bianca is without a doubt one of the most talented young female
mountain bikers in SA. She is defi nitely a rising start and we are
all looking forward to her growing over the next few years as she
embarks on her quest for a medal at the Rio Olympics. We recently
had Bianca tested at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa’s
High Performance Centre by Ben Capostagnno. Her Peak power
output and VO2 max test highlighted exactly what we have already
know. This young star has huge potential.
VO2 max: 67ml/kg/min
FTP (Functional Threshold Power): 290 Watts (4.7 watt/kg)
1
Peak power output: 355 Watts (5.7 watts/kg)
2
1
The FTP is by defi nition the highest power an individual can sustain
for 60 minutes
2
Peak power output is highest power reached in the incremental
power test. PPO is normally analogous with the highest power that
can be sustained for 5 minutes.
Zoon Cronje | Nikon
Kolesky Nikon Red Bull Content Pool
14 15
Bike Review FSFS Bike Review
I
nitially, side by side, the Epic Expert
Carbon 29 and the Epic Expert
Carbon World Cup 29 are visually
differentiated by the World Cup’s 1 x 11 drive train and the standard Epic’s SWAT storage system. But as the
standard Epic is 1 x 11 compatible and
the World Cup will house a SWAT set-
up, the things you can do aftermarket
shouldn’t be a major consideration –
the real difference is in the geometry.
Ok, so let’s get the semantics out
the way first. The standard Epic is designed by Specialized for what they term “endurance XC racing” while the
Epic World Cup is for “competitive
XC racing”. Technically for our South
African usages that would mean the
Epic is for marathon racing and stage
races and the Epic World Cup is for
the very few riders who actually race
Olympic format cross-country. In the
real world out on the trail though, the
Team RECM guys are all riding World
Cup’s (the ladies are now on Era’s) and
they’re not the only ones. Many riders
further down the racing field are also
choosing World Cups over the standard
Epic, but should they really be?
As you’ll note from the geometry
table the difference between the two is mere millimetres. With only the Reach, Stack, Chainstay length, head and seat tube angles, and the wheel base length offering any difference in measurements. And so you have to ask, what difference lies in the half a degree and a few millimetre change?
The simple answer is 104 seconds.
On a 7.9km route that takes in 715
meters of climbing. But does that
It’s one of the most
desired mountain
bikes in SA. And one
you’ll see a lot of in
stage races up and
down the country, but
which one is better for
you, the Specialized
Epic or the Specialized
Epic World Cup?
Seamus Allardice
found out. Photos by
Ashlee Attwood.
"The simple answer is 104 seconds. On a 7.9km
route that takes in 715m of climbing. But does
that mean it's a better bike...?"
mean it’s a better bike…?
Well, it depends on the
race. If money isn’t an issue and you have a range of bikes to choose from (lucky you) then on its day the Epic
World Cup is the perfect
weapon to have in your
arsenal. But if you are going
to have to choose, because
you’re riding the Cape Epic
or any of the other top
South African stage races,
I’d suggest the Epic is a
safer bet.
The Epic World Cup is
designed for speed, its
handling is nippy to the
point of being twitchy and
skittish (which makes it
faster on technical sections,
most notably on technical
singletrack climbs), while the
Epic is still sharp and fast
but it lacks the World Cup’s
razor edge, so it won’t kill
you if your hand slips. The
steep angles of the World
Cup pull you forward, over
the bottom bracket which
forces you to really power
down on the pedals, while
the ever so slightly more
relaxed Epic is a bit more
comfortable to pedal with
less angry intent.
I found the Epic less
precise on the singletrack
climbs and like the World
Cup it’s 2.2 inch Fast Trak
Controls on the front wheel
took some getting used to,
so I don’t feel I gave either
bike the best I could on the
singletrack descent. But
where the Epic did excel is
that it is noticeably more
EPIC
VS.
EPIC
EPIC
VS.
EPIC
stable and comfortable, with
the softer Brain shock and
fork tuning, than its World
Cup stable mate. Over a
short ride, like the loops I
took the bikes on (scan the
QR codes to view the full ride
stats), the stability isn’t an
issue. But after four hours in
the saddle, try navigating a
tricky descent on a twitchy
bike like the Epic World Cup;
it could turn nasty fast.
Even completing a simple
task like having a sip from
your bottle is tricky on the
World Cup, just clip a rock
a little larger than a pebble
with one hand off the bars
and it could end you in tears.
If you want to win races, go
for the World Cup, but know
it, like any true thoroughbred
stallion, will buck you off
more often than a midfield
runner would. If you’re a racy
amateur looking for a top
100 ABSA Cape Epic finish,
the standard Epic (with its
more stage race orientated
standard specifications) is
the way to go. It’s no old nag
by any means; it’ll get you
from Point A to Point B (or
in ACE terms from Point A
back to Point A) faster than
nearly anything out there.
I do have a final bit of advice
though. After riding the harsh
and rugged Du Toit Tankwa
Trek (with half of the Cape
Epic entrants it seemed) I was
pleasantly surprised to see
the number of longer travel
bikes at the race. Epics and
Scalpels were in abundance,
but there were also lots of Tall
SUSSUSthe Epic vs. Epic Test Ride
I took the bikes up to the Blockhouse along a route I ride often and know well,
which includes a technical singletrack climb, a lung busting steep kick, the
treacherous Plumb Pudding descent and the 4.2km grind from the bottom
of Plumb Pudding Downhill to the Blockhouse. I rode at around the same
perceived effort and both evenings were similarly windy, so the bikes should
be the defining factor. It’s not scientific but it’s the best you’re going to get.
Scan the QR Codes to view each ride
individually on Strava or go to
www.fullsus.co.za/epic-vs-epic.
Boys, Cambers, Fuels and even a Kiwi on
an Orange Segment (or a Five of some
sorts). So it seems that people are coming
around, trail bikes with 110 to 120mm of
travel are more than adequate for stage
racing. In fact they’re more comfortable,
easier to keep on the straight and narrow
when you get tired and they’re more
fun when you get to that hard earned
downhill. I rode my Specialized Camber
and the only bike I’d have traded it for on
the Tankwa Trek was a Camber Evo.
But enough of that, here’s the summary
in case you’re short on attention and just
skipped to the end. If you’re racing to win:
Epic World Cup. If you’re racing for a good
place: Epic. If you’re riding a race to have
fun… you know where I stand.
SUSSUSthe Geometry
Medium frames:
all measurements in mm or °
EPIC EXPERT CARBON
RRP R74 999
Seat Tube ............................................434
Top Tube (Horizontal) .....................593
Top Tube (Actual Length) ..............557
BB Drop .................................................40
BB Height ...........................................332
Chainstay ..........................................448
Seat Tube Angle (Actual) ..........69.25
Seat Tube Angle (Effective) .......73.75
Head Tube Angle ...........................70.5
Wheel Base ........................................1 112
Standover Height ............................774
Head Tube Length ...........................105
Stack ....................................................601
Reach ....................................................418
EPIC WORLD CUP EXPERT CARBON
RRP R76 999
Seat Tube ............................................434
Top Tube (Horizontal) ....................592
Top Tube (Actual Length) ..............557
BB Drop .................................................40
BB Height ...........................................332
Chainstay 4 .........................................39
Seat Tube Angle (Actual) ..........69.75
Seat Tube Angle (Effective) .......74.25
Head Tube Angle ...............................71
Wheel Base .....................................1 103
Standover Height ............................774
Head Tube Length ...........................105
Stack ....................................................597
Reach ...................................................423
Bike Review FSFS Bike Review
I
nitially, side by side, the Epic Expert
Carbon 29 and the Epic Expert
Carbon World Cup 29 are visually
differentiated by the World Cup’s 1 x 11 drive train and the standard Epic’s SWAT storage system. But as the
standard Epic is 1 x 11 compatible and
the World Cup will house a SWAT set-
up, the things you can do aftermarket
shouldn’t be a major consideration –
the real difference is in the geometry.
Ok, so let’s get the semantics out
the way first. The standard Epic is designed by Specialized for what they term “endurance XC racing” while the
Epic World Cup is for “competitive
XC racing”. Technically for our South
African usages that would mean the
Epic is for marathon racing and stage
races and the Epic World Cup is for
the very few riders who actually race
Olympic format cross-country. In the
real world out on the trail though, the
Team RECM guys are all riding World
Cup’s (the ladies are now on Era’s) and
they’re not the only ones. Many riders
further down the racing field are also
choosing World Cups over the standard
Epic, but should they really be?
As you’ll note from the geometry
table the difference between the two is mere millimetres. With only the Reach, Stack, Chainstay length, head and seat tube angles, and the wheel base length offering any difference in measurements. And so you have to ask, what difference lies in the half a degree and a few millimetre change?
The simple answer is 104 seconds.
On a 7.9km route that takes in 715
meters of climbing. But does that
It’s one of the most
desired mountain
bikes in SA. And one
you’ll see a lot of in
stage races up and
down the country, but
which one is better for
you, the Specialized
Epic or the Specialized
Epic World Cup?
Seamus Allardice
found out. Photos by
Ashlee Attwood.
"The simple answer is 104 seconds. On a 7.9km
route that takes in 715m of climbing. But does
that mean it's a better bike...?"
mean it’s a better bike…?
Well, it depends on the
race. If money isn’t an issue and you have a range of bikes to choose from (lucky you) then on its day the Epic
World Cup is the perfect
weapon to have in your
arsenal. But if you are going
to have to choose, because
you’re riding the Cape Epic
or any of the other top
South African stage races,
I’d suggest the Epic is a
safer bet.
The Epic World Cup is
designed for speed, its
handling is nippy to the
point of being twitchy and
skittish (which makes it
faster on technical sections,
most notably on technical
singletrack climbs), while the
Epic is still sharp and fast
but it lacks the World Cup’s
razor edge, so it won’t kill
you if your hand slips. The
steep angles of the World
Cup pull you forward, over
the bottom bracket which
forces you to really power
down on the pedals, while
the ever so slightly more
relaxed Epic is a bit more
comfortable to pedal with
less angry intent.
I found the Epic less
precise on the singletrack
climbs and like the World
Cup it’s 2.2 inch Fast Trak
Controls on the front wheel
took some getting used to,
so I don’t feel I gave either
bike the best I could on the
singletrack descent. But
where the Epic did excel is
that it is noticeably more
EPIC
VS.
EPIC
EPIC
VS.
EPIC
stable and comfortable, with
the softer Brain shock and
fork tuning, than its World
Cup stable mate. Over a
short ride, like the loops I
took the bikes on (scan the
QR codes to view the full ride
stats), the stability isn’t an
issue. But after four hours in
the saddle, try navigating a
tricky descent on a twitchy
bike like the Epic World Cup;
it could turn nasty fast.
Even completing a simple
task like having a sip from
your bottle is tricky on the
World Cup, just clip a rock
a little larger than a pebble
with one hand off the bars
and it could end you in tears.
If you want to win races, go
for the World Cup, but know
it, like any true thoroughbred
stallion, will buck you off
more often than a midfield
runner would. If you’re a racy
amateur looking for a top
100 ABSA Cape Epic finish,
the standard Epic (with its
more stage race orientated
standard specifications) is
the way to go. It’s no old nag
by any means; it’ll get you
from Point A to Point B (or
in ACE terms from Point A
back to Point A) faster than
nearly anything out there.
I do have a final bit of advice
though. After riding the harsh
and rugged Du Toit Tankwa
Trek (with half of the Cape
Epic entrants it seemed) I was
pleasantly surprised to see
the number of longer travel
bikes at the race. Epics and
Scalpels were in abundance,
but there were also lots of Tall
SUSSUSthe Epic vs. Epic Test Ride
I took the bikes up to the Blockhouse along a route I ride often and know well,
which includes a technical singletrack climb, a lung busting steep kick, the
treacherous Plumb Pudding descent and the 4.2km grind from the bottom
of Plumb Pudding Downhill to the Blockhouse. I rode at around the same
perceived effort and both evenings were similarly windy, so the bikes should
be the defining factor. It’s not scientific but it’s the best you’re going to get.
Scan the QR Codes to view each ride
individually on Strava or go to
www.fullsus.co.za/epic-vs-epic.
Boys, Cambers, Fuels and even a Kiwi on
an Orange Segment (or a Five of some
sorts). So it seems that people are coming
around, trail bikes with 110 to 120mm of
travel are more than adequate for stage
racing. In fact they’re more comfortable,
easier to keep on the straight and narrow
when you get tired and they’re more
fun when you get to that hard earned
downhill. I rode my Specialized Camber
and the only bike I’d have traded it for on
the Tankwa Trek was a Camber Evo.
But enough of that, here’s the summary
in case you’re short on attention and just
skipped to the end. If you’re racing to win:
Epic World Cup. If you’re racing for a good
place: Epic. If you’re riding a race to have
fun… you know where I stand.
SUSSUSthe Geometry
Medium frames:
all measurements in mm or °
EPIC EXPERT CARBON
RRP R74 999
Seat Tube ............................................434
Top Tube (Horizontal) .....................593
Top Tube (Actual Length) ..............557
BB Drop .................................................40
BB Height ...........................................332
Chainstay ..........................................448
Seat Tube Angle (Actual) ..........69.25
Seat Tube Angle (Effective) .......73.75
Head Tube Angle ...........................70.5
Wheel Base ........................................1 112
Standover Height ............................774
Head Tube Length ...........................105
Stack ....................................................601
Reach ....................................................418
EPIC WORLD CUP EXPERT CARBON
RRP R76 999
Seat Tube ............................................434
Top Tube (Horizontal) ....................592
Top Tube (Actual Length) ..............557
BB Drop .................................................40
BB Height ...........................................332
Chainstay 4 .........................................39
Seat Tube Angle (Actual) ..........69.75
Seat Tube Angle (Effective) .......74.25
Head Tube Angle ...............................71
Wheel Base .....................................1 103
Standover Height ............................774
Head Tube Length ...........................105
Stack ....................................................597
Reach ...................................................423
14 15
Bike Review FSFS Bike Review
I
nitially, side by side, the Epic Expert
Carbon 29 and the Epic Expert
Carbon World Cup 29 are visually
differentiated by the World Cup’s 1 x
11 drive train and the standard Epic’s
SWAT storage system. But as the
standard Epic is 1 x 11 compatible and
the World Cup will house a SWAT set-
up, the things you can do aftermarket
shouldn’t be a major consideration –
the real difference is in the geometry.
Ok, so let’s get the semantics out
the way first. The standard Epic is
designed by Specialized for what they
term “endurance XC racing” while the
Epic World Cup is for “competitive
XC racing”. Technically for our South
African usages that would mean the
Epic is for marathon racing and stage
races and the Epic World Cup is for
the very few riders who actually race
Olympic format cross-country. In the
real world out on the trail though, the
Team RECM guys are all riding World
Cup’s (the ladies are now on Era’s) and
they’re not the only ones. Many riders
further down the racing field are also
choosing World Cups over the standard
Epic, but should they really be?
As you’ll note from the geometry
table the difference between the two
is mere millimetres. With only the
Reach, Stack, Chainstay length, head
and seat tube angles, and the wheel
base length offering any difference in
measurements. And so you have to ask,
what difference lies in the half a degree
and a few millimetre change?
The simple answer is 104 seconds.
On a 7.9km route that takes in 715
meters of climbing. But does that
It’s one of the most
desired mountain
bikes in SA. And one
you’ll see a lot of in
stage races up and
down the country, but
which one is better for
you, the Specialized
Epic or the Specialized
Epic World Cup?
Seamus Allardice
found out. Photos by
Ashlee Attwood.
"The simple answer is 104 seconds. On a 7.9km
route that takes in 715m of climbing. But does
that mean it's a better bike...?"
mean it’s a better bike…?
Well, it depends on the
race. If money isn’t an issue
and you have a range of
bikes to choose from (lucky
you) then on its day the Epic
World Cup is the perfect
weapon to have in your
arsenal. But if you are going
to have to choose, because
you’re riding the Cape Epic
or any of the other top
South African stage races,
I’d suggest the Epic is a
safer bet.
The Epic World Cup is
designed for speed, its
handling is nippy to the
point of being twitchy and
skittish (which makes it
faster on technical sections,
most notably on technical
singletrack climbs), while the
Epic is still sharp and fast
but it lacks the World Cup’s
razor edge, so it won’t kill
you if your hand slips. The
steep angles of the World
Cup pull you forward, over
the bottom bracket which
forces you to really power
down on the pedals, while
the ever so slightly more
relaxed Epic is a bit more
comfortable to pedal with
less angry intent.
I found the Epic less
precise on the singletrack
climbs and like the World
Cup it’s 2.2 inch Fast Trak
Controls on the front wheel
took some getting used to,
so I don’t feel I gave either
bike the best I could on the
singletrack descent. But
where the Epic did excel is
that it is noticeably more
EPIC
VS.
EPIC
EPIC
VS.
EPIC
stable and comfortable, with
the softer Brain shock and
fork tuning, than its World
Cup stable mate. Over a
short ride, like the loops I
took the bikes on (scan the
QR codes to view the full ride
stats), the stability isn’t an
issue. But after four hours in
the saddle, try navigating a
tricky descent on a twitchy
bike like the Epic World Cup;
it could turn nasty fast.
Even completing a simple
task like having a sip from
your bottle is tricky on the
World Cup, just clip a rock
a little larger than a pebble
with one hand off the bars
and it could end you in tears.
If you want to win races, go
for the World Cup, but know
it, like any true thoroughbred
stallion, will buck you off
more often than a midfield
runner would. If you’re a racy
amateur looking for a top
100 ABSA Cape Epic finish,
the standard Epic (with its
more stage race orientated
standard specifications) is
the way to go. It’s no old nag
by any means; it’ll get you
from Point A to Point B (or
in ACE terms from Point A
back to Point A) faster than
nearly anything out there.
I do have a final bit of advice
though. After riding the harsh
and rugged Du Toit Tankwa
Trek (with half of the Cape
Epic entrants it seemed) I was
pleasantly surprised to see
the number of longer travel
bikes at the race. Epics and
Scalpels were in abundance,
but there were also lots of Tall
SUSSUSthe Epic vs. Epic Test Ride
I took the bikes up to the Blockhouse along a route I ride often and know well,
which includes a technical singletrack climb, a lung busting steep kick, the
treacherous Plumb Pudding descent and the 4.2km grind from the bottom
of Plumb Pudding Downhill to the Blockhouse. I rode at around the same
perceived effort and both evenings were similarly windy, so the bikes should
be the defining factor. It’s not scientific but it’s the best you’re going to get.
Scan the QR Codes to view each ride
individually on Strava or go to
www.fullsus.co.za/epic-vs-epic.
Boys, Cambers, Fuels and even a Kiwi on an Orange Segment (or a Five of some sorts). So it seems that people are coming around, trail bikes with 110 to 120mm of travel are more than adequate for stage racing. In fact they’re more comfortable, easier to keep on the straight and narrow when you get tired and they’re more fun when you get to that hard earned
downhill. I rode my Specialized Camber and the only bike I’d have traded it for on the Tankwa Trek was a Camber Evo.
But enough of that, here’s the summary
in case you’re short on attention and just skipped to the end. If you’re racing to win: Epic World Cup. If you’re racing for a good place: Epic. If you’re riding a race to have fun… you know where I stand.
SUSSUSthe Geometry
Medium frames:
all measurements in mm or °
EPIC EXPERT CARBON
RRP R74 999
Seat Tube ............................................434
Top Tube (Horizontal) .....................593
Top Tube (Actual Length) ..............557
BB Drop .................................................40
BB Height ...........................................332
Chainstay ..........................................448
Seat Tube Angle (Actual) ..........69.25
Seat Tube Angle (Effective) .......73.75
Head Tube Angle ...........................70.5
Wheel Base ........................................1 112
Standover Height ............................774
Head Tube Length ...........................105
Stack ....................................................601
Reach ....................................................418
EPIC WORLD CUP EXPERT CARBON
RRP R76 999
Seat Tube ............................................434
Top Tube (Horizontal) ....................592
Top Tube (Actual Length) ..............557
BB Drop .................................................40
BB Height ...........................................332
Chainstay 4 .........................................39
Seat Tube Angle (Actual) ..........69.75
Seat Tube Angle (Effective) .......74.25
Head Tube Angle ...............................71
Wheel Base .....................................1 103
Standover Height ............................774
Head Tube Length ...........................105
Stack ....................................................597
Reach ...................................................423
Bike Review FSFS Bike Review
I
nitially, side by side, the Epic Expert
Carbon 29 and the Epic Expert
Carbon World Cup 29 are visually
differentiated by the World Cup’s 1 x
11 drive train and the standard Epic’s
SWAT storage system. But as the
standard Epic is 1 x 11 compatible and
the World Cup will house a SWAT set-
up, the things you can do aftermarket
shouldn’t be a major consideration –
the real difference is in the geometry.
Ok, so let’s get the semantics out
the way first. The standard Epic is
designed by Specialized for what they
term “endurance XC racing” while the
Epic World Cup is for “competitive
XC racing”. Technically for our South
African usages that would mean the
Epic is for marathon racing and stage
races and the Epic World Cup is for
the very few riders who actually race
Olympic format cross-country. In the
real world out on the trail though, the
Team RECM guys are all riding World
Cup’s (the ladies are now on Era’s) and
they’re not the only ones. Many riders
further down the racing field are also
choosing World Cups over the standard
Epic, but should they really be?
As you’ll note from the geometry
table the difference between the two
is mere millimetres. With only the
Reach, Stack, Chainstay length, head
and seat tube angles, and the wheel
base length offering any difference in
measurements. And so you have to ask,
what difference lies in the half a degree
and a few millimetre change?
The simple answer is 104 seconds.
On a 7.9km route that takes in 715
meters of climbing. But does that
It’s one of the most
desired mountain
bikes in SA. And one
you’ll see a lot of in
stage races up and
down the country, but
which one is better for
you, the Specialized
Epic or the Specialized
Epic World Cup?
Seamus Allardice
found out. Photos by
Ashlee Attwood.
"The simple answer is 104 seconds. On a 7.9km
route that takes in 715m of climbing. But does
that mean it's a better bike...?"
mean it’s a better bike…?
Well, it depends on the
race. If money isn’t an issue
and you have a range of
bikes to choose from (lucky
you) then on its day the Epic
World Cup is the perfect
weapon to have in your
arsenal. But if you are going
to have to choose, because
you’re riding the Cape Epic
or any of the other top
South African stage races,
I’d suggest the Epic is a
safer bet.
The Epic World Cup is
designed for speed, its
handling is nippy to the
point of being twitchy and
skittish (which makes it
faster on technical sections,
most notably on technical
singletrack climbs), while the
Epic is still sharp and fast
but it lacks the World Cup’s
razor edge, so it won’t kill
you if your hand slips. The
steep angles of the World
Cup pull you forward, over
the bottom bracket which
forces you to really power
down on the pedals, while
the ever so slightly more
relaxed Epic is a bit more
comfortable to pedal with
less angry intent.
I found the Epic less
precise on the singletrack
climbs and like the World
Cup it’s 2.2 inch Fast Trak
Controls on the front wheel
took some getting used to,
so I don’t feel I gave either
bike the best I could on the
singletrack descent. But
where the Epic did excel is
that it is noticeably more
EPIC
VS.
EPIC
EPIC
VS.
EPIC
stable and comfortable, with
the softer Brain shock and
fork tuning, than its World
Cup stable mate. Over a
short ride, like the loops I
took the bikes on (scan the
QR codes to view the full ride
stats), the stability isn’t an
issue. But after four hours in
the saddle, try navigating a
tricky descent on a twitchy
bike like the Epic World Cup;
it could turn nasty fast.
Even completing a simple
task like having a sip from
your bottle is tricky on the
World Cup, just clip a rock
a little larger than a pebble
with one hand off the bars
and it could end you in tears.
If you want to win races, go
for the World Cup, but know
it, like any true thoroughbred
stallion, will buck you off
more often than a midfield
runner would. If you’re a racy
amateur looking for a top
100 ABSA Cape Epic finish,
the standard Epic (with its
more stage race orientated
standard specifications) is
the way to go. It’s no old nag
by any means; it’ll get you
from Point A to Point B (or
in ACE terms from Point A
back to Point A) faster than
nearly anything out there.
I do have a final bit of advice
though. After riding the harsh
and rugged Du Toit Tankwa
Trek (with half of the Cape
Epic entrants it seemed) I was
pleasantly surprised to see
the number of longer travel
bikes at the race. Epics and
Scalpels were in abundance,
but there were also lots of Tall
SUSSUSthe Epic vs. Epic Test Ride
I took the bikes up to the Blockhouse along a route I ride often and know well,
which includes a technical singletrack climb, a lung busting steep kick, the
treacherous Plumb Pudding descent and the 4.2km grind from the bottom
of Plumb Pudding Downhill to the Blockhouse. I rode at around the same
perceived effort and both evenings were similarly windy, so the bikes should
be the defining factor. It’s not scientific but it’s the best you’re going to get.
Scan the QR Codes to view each ride
individually on Strava or go to
www.fullsus.co.za/epic-vs-epic.
Boys, Cambers, Fuels and even a Kiwi on an Orange Segment (or a Five of some sorts). So it seems that people are coming around, trail bikes with 110 to 120mm of travel are more than adequate for stage racing. In fact they’re more comfortable, easier to keep on the straight and narrow when you get tired and they’re more fun when you get to that hard earned
downhill. I rode my Specialized Camber and the only bike I’d have traded it for on the Tankwa Trek was a Camber Evo.
But enough of that, here’s the summary
in case you’re short on attention and just skipped to the end. If you’re racing to win: Epic World Cup. If you’re racing for a good place: Epic. If you’re riding a race to have fun… you know where I stand.
SUSSUSthe Geometry
Medium frames:
all measurements in mm or °
EPIC EXPERT CARBON
RRP R74 999
Seat Tube ............................................434
Top Tube (Horizontal) .....................593
Top Tube (Actual Length) ..............557
BB Drop .................................................40
BB Height ...........................................332
Chainstay ..........................................448
Seat Tube Angle (Actual) ..........69.25
Seat Tube Angle (Effective) .......73.75
Head Tube Angle ...........................70.5
Wheel Base ........................................1 112
Standover Height ............................774
Head Tube Length ...........................105
Stack ....................................................601
Reach ....................................................418
EPIC WORLD CUP EXPERT CARBON
RRP R76 999
Seat Tube ............................................434
Top Tube (Horizontal) ....................592
Top Tube (Actual Length) ..............557
BB Drop .................................................40
BB Height ...........................................332
Chainstay 4 .........................................39
Seat Tube Angle (Actual) ..........69.75
Seat Tube Angle (Effective) .......74.25
Head Tube Angle ...............................71
Wheel Base .....................................1 103
Standover Height ............................774
Head Tube Length ...........................105
Stack ....................................................597
Reach ...................................................423
FS Ride Report - National MTB Series #1
8
ALL PHOTOS BY ZOON CRONJE | NIKON
T
o be honest what impressed
me most, pre-race, about the
Meerendal National MTB Series
race was the race booklet. Yip, it’s a bit odd I know, but I also know how much eff ort, and expense, goes into producing a booklet like that, so I
really appreciated the touch from the
organisers to professionally publish
an A5 mag with all the essential
information any rider, or supporter
could need for the big day. But let’s
get away from the publishing nerds
stuff and into the race itself.
Wessel van der Walt from the
race organisers, Advendurance, had kindly organised my riding partner, Warren Fincham and I entries to the Ultra, but when my bravado deserted me (call it a post-Attakwas reality check…) he was more than happy to down-scale the entries to the 70km Marathon. It proved to be a wise choice as the marathon course was anything but easy.
Starting in the C batch, we rolled
through the lower vineyards of Meerendal before crossing the Vissershok Road and heading into the farmlands adjoining Durbanville. The early kays were relatively easy, fl owing jeep tracks allowed
for a steady pace at a comfortable cadence, but that would not be the tone for the day. Soon the route left the farmlands for the
vineyards clinging to the slopes of
the Durbanville Hills, and worse the
Renosterveld above the vineyards
where the ground is too rocky or
steep even for vines.
The King of the Mountain climb
up to the koppie above Hillcrest
was all on a lovely cement road,
which while steep, didn’t require
any heroics to reach the summit.
From there the fun section of the
race started with a twisty singletrack
descent into Hillcrest being followed
by a grinding singletrack climb up
Kliprug. Fortunately for Warren and
myself, the riders around us were
circumspect on the gravel road
descent along the Kliprug ridge
which allowed us to reach the famed
Contermanskloof singletrack without
any riders ahead of us.
For many the Contermans’ section
of the race must have been the
highlight as the trails fl ow beautifully
and unlike some of the other
Tygerberg trails they are in a great
condition right now. Once we crossed
out of Contermans the constant
seesaw of climbing and descending
MEERENDAL
Marathon Racing
It’s hard not to be impressed with the sheer
volume of banners and branding up at a
National MTB Series event, as soon as you
arrive at the race venue you know you’re in for a
professionally run race. And the opening round
of the Ashburton Investments National MTB
Series, held at Meerendal Wine Estate lived up
to that standard as
Seamus Allardice found out.
S
O
U
T
H
AFRICA
Cape
Town
Durbanville
N2
◆
Western Cape
N1
began to take its toll though. The singletracks that followed
seemed (an illusion surely) to be
mostly uphill, apart from a section in
Hoogekraal where a rider ahead of
us took an unintentional shortcut,
headfi rst, down a steep and dusty
switchback section. His fall, though
not serious, was a timely reminder
to keep our energy levels up with an
energy tablet or bar. It’s so easy to lose
concentration when your energy levels/
blood sugar drops and without my
heart rate monitor (the Attakwas killed
its battery) I hadn’t been as good as I
usually am at eating at regular intervals.
Eventually we reached the crest of a
long singletrack climb and descended
towards the Malanshoogte Road
where a couple of soothing kays
of tar awaited us. A detour past the
fascinatingly zef Cape Oval Dirt
Karting track later we were climbing
up and out of the old quarry behind
Meerendal. It was a super diffi cult
climb, partly because of the loose
surface in the early parts and the
dusty surfaces in the latter, but also
because the early morning cloud
cover had burnt off and the African
sun was starting to bake down on us.
After what felt like an age we
slipped through the game fence at the
top of the Dorstberg overlooking the
Meerendal Manor House. The Burry
Stander Memorial Trail was honestly
the disappointment of the route.
Since I last rode it in October or so
the trail has suff ered a lot of wear and
Ignibh ea alisisis
nullaorem ad tie dipit
where are we?
Meerendal in the Durbanville
Winelands is a member of the
extensive network of trails built
and controlled by the Tygerberg
Mountain Bike Club. You can
purchase a day pass to ride
Meerendal for R30 (drop the cash in
the honesty box in the Deli’s
door) or join the Tygerberg MTB
Club, with an annual membership,
to ride all the trails in the area.
tear. It was rough and rocky, killing the fl ow of the trail that is usually so much fun to ride. I hope that Meerendal will be doing some much needed trail maintenance before the Epic, because ending on those trails after 70km was a disappointment, I
shudder to think what it would be like
after eight days of riding!
The Ashburton Investments
National MTB Series now moves
on and out of the Western Cape,
but Advendurance has launched a
Western Cape leg of the Nissan Trail
Seeker Series, which starts in May
with the Helderberg race on the 9th
of that month. And if the National
MTB Series is anything to go by, I’d
suggest you enter the Trail Seeker
Series (the routes are apparently a bit
more chilled too).
Scott Factory Racing’s
Philip Buys leading the
pro fi eld early in the
ultra-marathon.
The misty conditions were
perfect for riding in the
early hours of the race.
Meerendal Wine
Estate ready to host
the biggest MTB
series in the world.
8
ALL PHOTOS BY ZOON CRONJE | NIKON
T
o be honest what impressed
me most, pre-race, about the
Meerendal National MTB Series
race was the race booklet. Yip, it’s a bit odd I know, but I also know how much eff ort, and expense, goes into producing a booklet like that, so I
really appreciated the touch from the
organisers to professionally publish
an A5 mag with all the essential
information any rider, or supporter
could need for the big day. But let’s
get away from the publishing nerds
stuff and into the race itself.
Wessel van der Walt from the
race organisers, Advendurance, had kindly organised my riding partner, Warren Fincham and I entries to the Ultra, but when my bravado deserted me (call it a post-Attakwas reality check…) he was more than happy to down-scale the entries to the 70km Marathon. It proved to be a wise choice as the marathon course was anything but easy.
Starting in the C batch, we rolled
through the lower vineyards of Meerendal before crossing the Vissershok Road and heading into the farmlands adjoining Durbanville. The early kays were relatively easy, fl owing jeep tracks allowed
for a steady pace at a comfortable cadence, but that would not be the tone for the day. Soon the route left the farmlands for the
vineyards clinging to the slopes of
the Durbanville Hills, and worse the
Renosterveld above the vineyards
where the ground is too rocky or
steep even for vines.
The King of the Mountain climb
up to the koppie above Hillcrest
was all on a lovely cement road,
which while steep, didn’t require
any heroics to reach the summit.
From there the fun section of the
race started with a twisty singletrack
descent into Hillcrest being followed
by a grinding singletrack climb up
Kliprug. Fortunately for Warren and
myself, the riders around us were
circumspect on the gravel road
descent along the Kliprug ridge
which allowed us to reach the famed
Contermanskloof singletrack without
any riders ahead of us.
For many the Contermans’ section
of the race must have been the
highlight as the trails fl ow beautifully
and unlike some of the other
Tygerberg trails they are in a great
condition right now. Once we crossed
out of Contermans the constant
seesaw of climbing and descending
MEERENDAL
Marathon Racing
It’s hard not to be impressed with the sheer
volume of banners and branding up at a
National MTB Series event, as soon as you
arrive at the race venue you know you’re in for a
professionally run race. And the opening round
of the Ashburton Investments National MTB
Series, held at Meerendal Wine Estate lived up
to that standard as
Seamus Allardice found out.
S
O
U
T
H
AFRICA
Cape
Town
Durbanville
N2
◆
Western Cape
N1
began to take its toll though. The singletracks that followed
seemed (an illusion surely) to be
mostly uphill, apart from a section in
Hoogekraal where a rider ahead of
us took an unintentional shortcut,
headfi rst, down a steep and dusty
switchback section. His fall, though
not serious, was a timely reminder
to keep our energy levels up with an
energy tablet or bar. It’s so easy to lose
concentration when your energy levels/
blood sugar drops and without my
heart rate monitor (the Attakwas killed
its battery) I hadn’t been as good as I
usually am at eating at regular intervals.
Eventually we reached the crest of a
long singletrack climb and descended
towards the Malanshoogte Road
where a couple of soothing kays
of tar awaited us. A detour past the
fascinatingly zef Cape Oval Dirt
Karting track later we were climbing
up and out of the old quarry behind
Meerendal. It was a super diffi cult
climb, partly because of the loose
surface in the early parts and the
dusty surfaces in the latter, but also
because the early morning cloud
cover had burnt off and the African
sun was starting to bake down on us.
After what felt like an age we
slipped through the game fence at the
top of the Dorstberg overlooking the
Meerendal Manor House. The Burry
Stander Memorial Trail was honestly
the disappointment of the route.
Since I last rode it in October or so
the trail has suff ered a lot of wear and
Ignibh ea alisisis
nullaorem ad tie dipit
where are we?
Meerendal in the Durbanville
Winelands is a member of the
extensive network of trails built
and controlled by the Tygerberg
Mountain Bike Club. You can
purchase a day pass to ride
Meerendal for R30 (drop the cash in
the honesty box in the Deli’s
door) or join the Tygerberg MTB
Club, with an annual membership,
to ride all the trails in the area.
tear. It was rough and rocky, killing the fl ow of the trail that is usually so much fun to ride. I hope that Meerendal will be doing some much needed trail maintenance before the Epic, because ending on those trails after 70km was a disappointment, I
shudder to think what it would be like
after eight days of riding!
The Ashburton Investments
National MTB Series now moves
on and out of the Western Cape,
but Advendurance has launched a
Western Cape leg of the Nissan Trail
Seeker Series, which starts in May
with the Helderberg race on the 9th
of that month. And if the National
MTB Series is anything to go by, I’d
suggest you enter the Trail Seeker
Series (the routes are apparently a bit
more chilled too).
Scott Factory Racing’s
Philip Buys leading the
pro fi eld early in the
ultra-marathon.
The misty conditions were
perfect for riding in the
early hours of the race.
Meerendal Wine
Estate ready to host
the biggest MTB
series in the world.
20 21
Bike Review FSFS Bike Review
SUS the Scott Genius Geometry
The ScoTT GeniuS feaTureS a reviS able chip in The main
SuSpenS ion pivoT, ThaT when flipped chan GeS The GeomeTry
SubTly, So all meaS uremenTS are in deG reeS and mm aS
uSual buT alSo feaTure a l ow/h iGh value where applicable.
aS uSual The valueS are for a medium bike.
head angle ............................................................................................................67.7/68.2
head Tube ............................................................................................................................110
horizontal Top Tube .......................................................................................................600
Seat angle ..............................................................................................................73.8/74.3
Seat Tube ...........................................................................................................................440
BB Offset ...........................................................................................................................10/4
bb height .................................................................................................................346/352
Standover height ............................................................................................................777
Wheelbase ........................................................................................................................1 155
reach ..........................................................................................................................427/431
Stack ..........................................................................................................................599/596
2015 ScoTT GeniuS 740 rrp r34 100
Sus out the
impressive Scott
Genius 740
N
ormally when I get on a new
bike it takes a while to get
comfortable, it could be a few
minutes, a couple of technical sections or in some case it just doesn’t happen at all. But on the Scott Genius 740 I
was at home before I got out of our
office parking area on the first ride.
At 178cm I’m generally in the grey
region between large and medium frame bikes, but my preference is for a more compact feel so I choose
a medium framed bike whenever
possible. With the Genius 740 the fit
and feel on the medium frame was
perfect for me, it could be because
the reach is just 1mm shorter than my
normal ride, but overall the bike feels
very balanced and composed which is
essential to enjoying the ride.
Spec wise the 740 is lower down
the Genius totem pole (the 700 tuned being the top end), so it’s equipped with a lower end but solid Shimano drive
train; featuring a XT Shadow Type /
30 Speed rear derailleur, a Deore front
derailleur, and a Shimano CS-HG50-10
11-36 T cassette. The disappointment
however was the Shimano FC-M622
2-piece Design 40Ax30Ax22T crank
set. I understand that bike brands like
to compete in various price points, but
especially on a bike with 650b wheels,
like the Genius 740, the granny ring is
completely redundant. I never changed
down into it on any ride, despite
tackling some of the steeper climbs
on Table Mountain. If I were riding
the 740 long term the 3 x 10 would
definitely annoy me and it’s the only
major concern I have with the bike. If
you go up a model to the 730, you get a
Shimano XT and SLX mix with a 2 x 10
drive train which on a trail bike like the
Genius makes far more sense to me.
The Genius 740 features Syncros, a
Scott subsidiary, components for the
What make a bike
special? Is it the look?
Is it the name? Or is it
the way it rides? Read
on as
Seamus Allardice
puzzles out what it is
exactly about Scott
Genius 740 that had
him hooked right
away. All photos by
Ashlee Attwood
.
lurches forward when you put the power down making it great fun to ride hard.
Shod with a Schwalbe
Nobby Nic 2.25” at the front and a Rocket Ron 2.25” at the back it grips the trail superbly. The tyre choice is perfect for the dusty Western Cape trails,
but you might want to go
slightly wider if you’re more
serious about challenging
gravity in wetter conditions.
The 740 is constructed from
Scott’s 6061 custom butted
hydroformed aluminium tubes
and while at a stated weight of
12.85kg it’s not light but I didn’t
feel the weight compromised
the ride in the least. Again with
the massive amount of gears
offered by the 3 x 10 set-up
even the most unfit rider should
have no problem climbing. In
its lowest gear the 27.5 wheels
and 22 x 36 gearing combine to
The spec low-light on the 740 is the 3 x 10 drivetrain.
stem, bar, seatpost, saddle, lock-out
lever and grips. The components all feel
really good and the saddle in particular
is great. It’s the right width for me and is
firm, but offers just a hint of flex to help
take the worst out of the trail feedback,
which you only really notice when
fully locked out for climbing. The spec
highlight of the 740 is undoubtedly the
FOX CTD front and rear suspension,
which is controlled by a bar mounted
Syncros TwinLoc Remote.
It’s the first time in a while that I’ve
ridden a bike with remote lock-out and
I’ve missed it! It’s so easy to use on
the fly and a quick lock-out is almost
like dropping down a chain ring when
faced with an unexpected sharp climb.
On the Genius 740 the lock-out and
the masterful suspension design link
to produce a bike that is plush one
moment and taunt like a hard tail the
next. It really is the best of both worlds.
On the ride front the 740 is a nippy
handler which encourages you to search
for flowing lines rather than bash over
rocks and roots as you might on a
29er. Its 150mm of travel is more than
enough for most riders, but it never
feels like a slow long travel bike. The
biggest difference between it and my
normal 29er ride is the marked speed
of acceleration on the Genius, it almost
Scott’s suspension design and the Fox shock work perfectly together.
The TwinLoc Remote makes riding the 740 even more fun.
produce a staggeringly low 16.5 gear inches. So if you’re unfit and want to go up steep hills
that’s good to know.
Coming down the Genius is
magnificent and descends like
a sure footed, nimble mountain
goat. It’ll leave the ground and
land without you even realising
it, with the CTD switched into
descend mode, so plush is the
suspension and so balanced is
the bike in the air. I will admit
to chickening out of a run
down the new Table Mountain
singletrack (the one which
claimed so many names on
the Epic Prologue) but that had
more to do with my poor night
vision and the howling wind
than the bike.
I haven’t spent a tremendous
amount of time on 650b bikes
yet, and I’m still unsure if I
would be able to manage the
type of riding I do with only a
mid-tyre sized bike in my garage. It’s
a concern I’m guessing many South
African riders share. For comfort and
handling I’m struggling to name a
bike I’ve enjoyed riding more, but
I would like to ride a stage race
on it to see if I really could switch
permanently from 29 to 27.5.
It would also be great to ride the big
wheeled Genius 930 back-to-back with
the 740 to see how the bigger wheels,
slightly steeper angles, and 20mm less
travel change the bike.
If we were talking about a second
bike, for trail riding, then I’d jump at
the chance of owning a Scott Genius
740, though I would go 1 x 11 as
soon as possible and add a dropper
seatpost, because what’s a dedicated
trail bike without a 1 by drivetrain and
a dropper seatpost?
Okay, I’m off to go for a last ride before
Scott Sports SA come to reclaim their
bike… if coming back means giving it
back, I might not come back though…
#Scott2LuvIt indeed!
Scott’s Syncros component brand completes the build 150mm of Fox travel up-front.
ALL Mou NTAiN
Tahr
ALL Mou NTAiN
Tahr
Bike Review FSFS Bike Review
SUS the Scott Genius Geometry
The ScoTT GeniuS feaTureS a reviS able chip in The main
SuSpenS ion pivoT, ThaT when flipped chan GeS The GeomeTry
SubTly, So all meaS uremenTS are in deG reeS and mm aS
uSual buT alSo feaTure a l ow/h iGh value where applicable.
aS uSual The valueS are for a medium bike.
head angle ............................................................................................................67.7/68.2
head Tube ............................................................................................................................110
horizontal Top Tube .......................................................................................................600
Seat angle ..............................................................................................................73.8/74.3
Seat Tube ...........................................................................................................................440
BB Offset ...........................................................................................................................10/4
bb height .................................................................................................................346/352
Standover height ............................................................................................................777
Wheelbase ........................................................................................................................1 155
reach ..........................................................................................................................427/431
Stack ..........................................................................................................................599/596
2015 ScoTT GeniuS 740 rrp r34 100
Sus out the
impressive Scott
Genius 740
N
ormally when I get on a new
bike it takes a while to get
comfortable, it could be a few
minutes, a couple of technical sections or in some case it just doesn’t happen at all. But on the Scott Genius 740 I
was at home before I got out of our
office parking area on the first ride.
At 178cm I’m generally in the grey
region between large and medium frame bikes, but my preference is for a more compact feel so I choose
a medium framed bike whenever
possible. With the Genius 740 the fit
and feel on the medium frame was
perfect for me, it could be because
the reach is just 1mm shorter than my
normal ride, but overall the bike feels
very balanced and composed which is
essential to enjoying the ride.
Spec wise the 740 is lower down
the Genius totem pole (the 700 tuned being the top end), so it’s equipped with a lower end but solid Shimano drive
train; featuring a XT Shadow Type /
30 Speed rear derailleur, a Deore front
derailleur, and a Shimano CS-HG50-10
11-36 T cassette. The disappointment
however was the Shimano FC-M622
2-piece Design 40Ax30Ax22T crank
set. I understand that bike brands like
to compete in various price points, but
especially on a bike with 650b wheels,
like the Genius 740, the granny ring is
completely redundant. I never changed
down into it on any ride, despite
tackling some of the steeper climbs
on Table Mountain. If I were riding
the 740 long term the 3 x 10 would
definitely annoy me and it’s the only
major concern I have with the bike. If
you go up a model to the 730, you get a
Shimano XT and SLX mix with a 2 x 10
drive train which on a trail bike like the
Genius makes far more sense to me.
The Genius 740 features Syncros, a
Scott subsidiary, components for the
What make a bike
special? Is it the look?
Is it the name? Or is it
the way it rides? Read
on as
Seamus Allardice
puzzles out what it is
exactly about Scott
Genius 740 that had
him hooked right
away. All photos by
Ashlee Attwood
.
lurches forward when you put the power down making it great fun to ride hard.
Shod with a Schwalbe
Nobby Nic 2.25” at the front and a Rocket Ron 2.25” at the back it grips the trail superbly. The tyre choice is perfect for the dusty Western Cape trails,
but you might want to go
slightly wider if you’re more
serious about challenging
gravity in wetter conditions.
The 740 is constructed from
Scott’s 6061 custom butted
hydroformed aluminium tubes
and while at a stated weight of
12.85kg it’s not light but I didn’t
feel the weight compromised
the ride in the least. Again with
the massive amount of gears
offered by the 3 x 10 set-up
even the most unfit rider should
have no problem climbing. In
its lowest gear the 27.5 wheels
and 22 x 36 gearing combine to
The spec low-light on the 740 is the 3 x 10 drivetrain.
stem, bar, seatpost, saddle, lock-out
lever and grips. The components all feel
really good and the saddle in particular
is great. It’s the right width for me and is
firm, but offers just a hint of flex to help
take the worst out of the trail feedback,
which you only really notice when
fully locked out for climbing. The spec
highlight of the 740 is undoubtedly the
FOX CTD front and rear suspension,
which is controlled by a bar mounted
Syncros TwinLoc Remote.
It’s the first time in a while that I’ve
ridden a bike with remote lock-out and
I’ve missed it! It’s so easy to use on
the fly and a quick lock-out is almost
like dropping down a chain ring when
faced with an unexpected sharp climb.
On the Genius 740 the lock-out and
the masterful suspension design link
to produce a bike that is plush one
moment and taunt like a hard tail the
next. It really is the best of both worlds.
On the ride front the 740 is a nippy
handler which encourages you to search
for flowing lines rather than bash over
rocks and roots as you might on a
29er. Its 150mm of travel is more than
enough for most riders, but it never
feels like a slow long travel bike. The
biggest difference between it and my
normal 29er ride is the marked speed
of acceleration on the Genius, it almost
Scott’s suspension design and the Fox shock work perfectly together.
The TwinLoc Remote makes riding the 740 even more fun.
produce a staggeringly low 16.5 gear inches. So if you’re unfit and want to go up steep hills
that’s good to know.
Coming down the Genius is
magnificent and descends like
a sure footed, nimble mountain
goat. It’ll leave the ground and
land without you even realising
it, with the CTD switched into
descend mode, so plush is the
suspension and so balanced is
the bike in the air. I will admit
to chickening out of a run
down the new Table Mountain
singletrack (the one which
claimed so many names on
the Epic Prologue) but that had
more to do with my poor night
vision and the howling wind
than the bike.
I haven’t spent a tremendous
amount of time on 650b bikes
yet, and I’m still unsure if I
would be able to manage the
type of riding I do with only a
mid-tyre sized bike in my garage. It’s
a concern I’m guessing many South
African riders share. For comfort and
handling I’m struggling to name a
bike I’ve enjoyed riding more, but
I would like to ride a stage race
on it to see if I really could switch
permanently from 29 to 27.5.
It would also be great to ride the big
wheeled Genius 930 back-to-back with
the 740 to see how the bigger wheels,
slightly steeper angles, and 20mm less
travel change the bike.
If we were talking about a second
bike, for trail riding, then I’d jump at
the chance of owning a Scott Genius
740, though I would go 1 x 11 as
soon as possible and add a dropper
seatpost, because what’s a dedicated
trail bike without a 1 by drivetrain and
a dropper seatpost?
Okay, I’m off to go for a last ride before
Scott Sports SA come to reclaim their
bike… if coming back means giving it
back, I might not come back though…
#Scott2LuvIt indeed!
Scott’s Syncros component brand completes the build 150mm of Fox travel up-front.
ALL Mou NTAiN
Tahr
ALL Mou NTAiN
Tahr
20 21
Bike Review FSFS Bike Review
SUS the Scott Genius Geometry
The ScoTT GeniuS feaTureS a reviS able chip in The main
SuSpenS ion pivoT, ThaT when flipped chan GeS The GeomeTry
SubTly, So all meaS uremenTS are in deG reeS and mm aS
uSual buT alSo feaTure a l ow/h iGh value where applicable.
aS uSual The valueS are for a medium bike.
head angle ............................................................................................................67.7/68.2
head Tube ............................................................................................................................110
horizontal Top Tube .......................................................................................................600
Seat angle ..............................................................................................................73.8/74.3
Seat Tube ...........................................................................................................................440
BB Offset ...........................................................................................................................10/4
bb height .................................................................................................................346/352
Standover height ............................................................................................................777
Wheelbase ........................................................................................................................1 155
reach ..........................................................................................................................427/431
Stack ..........................................................................................................................599/596
2015 ScoTT GeniuS 740 rrp r34 100
Sus out the
impressive Scott
Genius 740
N
ormally when I get on a new
bike it takes a while to get
comfortable, it could be a few
minutes, a couple of technical sections
or in some case it just doesn’t happen
at all. But on the Scott Genius 740 I
was at home before I got out of our
office parking area on the first ride.
At 178cm I’m generally in the grey
region between large and medium
frame bikes, but my preference is
for a more compact feel so I choose
a medium framed bike whenever
possible. With the Genius 740 the fit
and feel on the medium frame was
perfect for me, it could be because
the reach is just 1mm shorter than my
normal ride, but overall the bike feels
very balanced and composed which is
essential to enjoying the ride.
Spec wise the 740 is lower down
the Genius totem pole (the 700 tuned
being the top end), so it’s equipped with
a lower end but solid Shimano drive
train; featuring a XT Shadow Type /
30 Speed rear derailleur, a Deore front
derailleur, and a Shimano CS-HG50-10
11-36 T cassette. The disappointment
however was the Shimano FC-M622
2-piece Design 40Ax30Ax22T crank
set. I understand that bike brands like
to compete in various price points, but
especially on a bike with 650b wheels,
like the Genius 740, the granny ring is
completely redundant. I never changed
down into it on any ride, despite
tackling some of the steeper climbs
on Table Mountain. If I were riding
the 740 long term the 3 x 10 would
definitely annoy me and it’s the only
major concern I have with the bike. If
you go up a model to the 730, you get a
Shimano XT and SLX mix with a 2 x 10
drive train which on a trail bike like the
Genius makes far more sense to me.
The Genius 740 features Syncros, a
Scott subsidiary, components for the
What make a bike
special? Is it the look?
Is it the name? Or is it
the way it rides? Read
on as Seamus Allardice
puzzles out what it is
exactly about Scott
Genius 740 that had
him hooked right
away. All photos by
Ashlee Attwood.
lurches forward when you put the
power down making it great fun
to ride hard.
Shod with a Schwalbe
Nobby Nic 2.25” at the front
and a Rocket Ron 2.25” at the
back it grips the trail superbly.
The tyre choice is perfect for
the dusty Western Cape trails,
but you might want to go
slightly wider if you’re more
serious about challenging
gravity in wetter conditions.
The 740 is constructed from
Scott’s 6061 custom butted
hydroformed aluminium tubes
and while at a stated weight of
12.85kg it’s not light but I didn’t
feel the weight compromised
the ride in the least. Again with
the massive amount of gears
offered by the 3 x 10 set-up
even the most unfit rider should
have no problem climbing. In
its lowest gear the 27.5 wheels
and 22 x 36 gearing combine to
The spec low-light on the 740 is the 3 x 10 drivetrain.
stem, bar, seatpost, saddle, lock-out
lever and grips. The components all feel
really good and the saddle in particular
is great. It’s the right width for me and is
firm, but offers just a hint of flex to help
take the worst out of the trail feedback,
which you only really notice when
fully locked out for climbing. The spec
highlight of the 740 is undoubtedly the
FOX CTD front and rear suspension,
which is controlled by a bar mounted
Syncros TwinLoc Remote.
It’s the first time in a while that I’ve
ridden a bike with remote lock-out and
I’ve missed it! It’s so easy to use on
the fly and a quick lock-out is almost
like dropping down a chain ring when
faced with an unexpected sharp climb.
On the Genius 740 the lock-out and
the masterful suspension design link
to produce a bike that is plush one
moment and taunt like a hard tail the
next. It really is the best of both worlds.
On the ride front the 740 is a nippy
handler which encourages you to search
for flowing lines rather than bash over
rocks and roots as you might on a
29er. Its 150mm of travel is more than
enough for most riders, but it never
feels like a slow long travel bike. The
biggest difference between it and my
normal 29er ride is the marked speed
of acceleration on the Genius, it almost
Scott’s suspension design and the Fox shock work perfectly together.
The TwinLoc Remote makes riding the 740 even more fun.
produce a staggeringly low 16.5
gear inches. So if you’re unfit
and want to go up steep hills
that’s good to know.
Coming down the Genius is
magnificent and descends like
a sure footed, nimble mountain
goat. It’ll leave the ground and
land without you even realising
it, with the CTD switched into
descend mode, so plush is the
suspension and so balanced is
the bike in the air. I will admit
to chickening out of a run
down the new Table Mountain
singletrack (the one which
claimed so many names on
the Epic Prologue) but that had
more to do with my poor night
vision and the howling wind
than the bike.
I haven’t spent a tremendous
amount of time on 650b bikes
yet, and I’m still unsure if I
would be able to manage the
type of riding I do with only a
mid-tyre sized bike in my garage. It’s
a concern I’m guessing many South
African riders share. For comfort and
handling I’m struggling to name a
bike I’ve enjoyed riding more, but
I would like to ride a stage race
on it to see if I really could switch
permanently from 29 to 27.5.
It would also be great to ride the big
wheeled Genius 930 back-to-back with
the 740 to see how the bigger wheels,
slightly steeper angles, and 20mm less
travel change the bike.
If we were talking about a second
bike, for trail riding, then I’d jump at
the chance of owning a Scott Genius
740, though I would go 1 x 11 as
soon as possible and add a dropper
seatpost, because what’s a dedicated
trail bike without a 1 by drivetrain and
a dropper seatpost?
Okay, I’m off to go for a last ride before
Scott Sports SA come to reclaim their
bike… if coming back means giving it
back, I might not come back though…
#Scott2LuvIt indeed!
Scott’s Syncros component brand completes the build 150mm of Fox travel up-front.
ALL Mou NTAiN
Tahr
ALL Mou NTAiN
Tahr
Bike Review FSFS Bike Review
SUS the Scott Genius Geometry
The ScoTT GeniuS feaTureS a reviS able chip in The main
SuSpenS ion pivoT, ThaT when flipped chan GeS The GeomeTry
SubTly, So all meaS uremenTS are in deG reeS and mm aS
uSual buT alSo feaTure a l ow/h iGh value where applicable.
aS uSual The valueS are for a medium bike.
head angle ............................................................................................................67.7/68.2
head Tube ............................................................................................................................110
horizontal Top Tube .......................................................................................................600
Seat angle ..............................................................................................................73.8/74.3
Seat Tube ...........................................................................................................................440
BB Offset ...........................................................................................................................10/4
bb height .................................................................................................................346/352
Standover height ............................................................................................................777
Wheelbase ........................................................................................................................1 155
reach ..........................................................................................................................427/431
Stack ..........................................................................................................................599/596
2015 ScoTT GeniuS 740 rrp r34 100
Sus out the
impressive Scott
Genius 740
N
ormally when I get on a new
bike it takes a while to get
comfortable, it could be a few
minutes, a couple of technical sections
or in some case it just doesn’t happen
at all. But on the Scott Genius 740 I
was at home before I got out of our
office parking area on the first ride.
At 178cm I’m generally in the grey
region between large and medium
frame bikes, but my preference is
for a more compact feel so I choose
a medium framed bike whenever
possible. With the Genius 740 the fit
and feel on the medium frame was
perfect for me, it could be because
the reach is just 1mm shorter than my
normal ride, but overall the bike feels
very balanced and composed which is
essential to enjoying the ride.
Spec wise the 740 is lower down
the Genius totem pole (the 700 tuned
being the top end), so it’s equipped with
a lower end but solid Shimano drive
train; featuring a XT Shadow Type /
30 Speed rear derailleur, a Deore front
derailleur, and a Shimano CS-HG50-10
11-36 T cassette. The disappointment
however was the Shimano FC-M622
2-piece Design 40Ax30Ax22T crank
set. I understand that bike brands like
to compete in various price points, but
especially on a bike with 650b wheels,
like the Genius 740, the granny ring is
completely redundant. I never changed
down into it on any ride, despite
tackling some of the steeper climbs
on Table Mountain. If I were riding
the 740 long term the 3 x 10 would
definitely annoy me and it’s the only
major concern I have with the bike. If
you go up a model to the 730, you get a
Shimano XT and SLX mix with a 2 x 10
drive train which on a trail bike like the
Genius makes far more sense to me.
The Genius 740 features Syncros, a
Scott subsidiary, components for the
What make a bike
special? Is it the look?
Is it the name? Or is it
the way it rides? Read
on as Seamus Allardice
puzzles out what it is
exactly about Scott
Genius 740 that had
him hooked right
away. All photos by
Ashlee Attwood.
lurches forward when you put the
power down making it great fun
to ride hard.
Shod with a Schwalbe
Nobby Nic 2.25” at the front
and a Rocket Ron 2.25” at the
back it grips the trail superbly.
The tyre choice is perfect for
the dusty Western Cape trails,
but you might want to go
slightly wider if you’re more
serious about challenging
gravity in wetter conditions.
The 740 is constructed from
Scott’s 6061 custom butted
hydroformed aluminium tubes
and while at a stated weight of
12.85kg it’s not light but I didn’t
feel the weight compromised
the ride in the least. Again with
the massive amount of gears
offered by the 3 x 10 set-up
even the most unfit rider should
have no problem climbing. In
its lowest gear the 27.5 wheels
and 22 x 36 gearing combine to
The spec low-light on the 740 is the 3 x 10 drivetrain.
stem, bar, seatpost, saddle, lock-out
lever and grips. The components all feel
really good and the saddle in particular
is great. It’s the right width for me and is
firm, but offers just a hint of flex to help
take the worst out of the trail feedback,
which you only really notice when
fully locked out for climbing. The spec
highlight of the 740 is undoubtedly the
FOX CTD front and rear suspension,
which is controlled by a bar mounted
Syncros TwinLoc Remote.
It’s the first time in a while that I’ve
ridden a bike with remote lock-out and
I’ve missed it! It’s so easy to use on
the fly and a quick lock-out is almost
like dropping down a chain ring when
faced with an unexpected sharp climb.
On the Genius 740 the lock-out and
the masterful suspension design link
to produce a bike that is plush one
moment and taunt like a hard tail the
next. It really is the best of both worlds.
On the ride front the 740 is a nippy
handler which encourages you to search
for flowing lines rather than bash over
rocks and roots as you might on a
29er. Its 150mm of travel is more than
enough for most riders, but it never
feels like a slow long travel bike. The
biggest difference between it and my
normal 29er ride is the marked speed
of acceleration on the Genius, it almost
Scott’s suspension design and the Fox shock work perfectly together.
The TwinLoc Remote makes riding the 740 even more fun.
produce a staggeringly low 16.5
gear inches. So if you’re unfit
and want to go up steep hills
that’s good to know.
Coming down the Genius is
magnificent and descends like
a sure footed, nimble mountain
goat. It’ll leave the ground and
land without you even realising
it, with the CTD switched into
descend mode, so plush is the
suspension and so balanced is
the bike in the air. I will admit
to chickening out of a run
down the new Table Mountain
singletrack (the one which
claimed so many names on
the Epic Prologue) but that had
more to do with my poor night
vision and the howling wind
than the bike.
I haven’t spent a tremendous
amount of time on 650b bikes
yet, and I’m still unsure if I
would be able to manage the
type of riding I do with only a
mid-tyre sized bike in my garage. It’s
a concern I’m guessing many South
African riders share. For comfort and
handling I’m struggling to name a
bike I’ve enjoyed riding more, but
I would like to ride a stage race
on it to see if I really could switch
permanently from 29 to 27.5.
It would also be great to ride the big
wheeled Genius 930 back-to-back with
the 740 to see how the bigger wheels,
slightly steeper angles, and 20mm less
travel change the bike.
If we were talking about a second
bike, for trail riding, then I’d jump at
the chance of owning a Scott Genius
740, though I would go 1 x 11 as
soon as possible and add a dropper
seatpost, because what’s a dedicated
trail bike without a 1 by drivetrain and
a dropper seatpost?
Okay, I’m off to go for a last ride before
Scott Sports SA come to reclaim their
bike… if coming back means giving it
back, I might not come back though…
#Scott2LuvIt indeed!
Scott’s Syncros component brand completes the build 150mm of Fox travel up-front.
ALL Mou NTAiN
Tahr
ALL Mou NTAiN
Tahr
The Giant Anthem was
at one at a point one of
the go-to choices for
marathon and stage
races, but it’s spent
the last couple of
years drifting from our
collective consciousness
– no more says
Seamus Allardice.
Photos by
Ashlee Attwood.
18
Bike Review FSFS Bike Review
SUS the Giant
Anthem X
The geomeT ry AS liSTed
below iS for A medium
frAmed bike (17.3”) And
All meASuremen TS Are in
millimeT reS or degreeS .
head Angle ..................................71.0
Seat Angle ..................................73.0
Top Tube ........................................594
head Tube ....................................104
Chain Stay ...................................462
wheel base ................................1 105
Standover height .....................770
AnThem X (full Alu) r28 995
AnThem X Adv AnCed 29 er (AS
TeSTed) r45 550.
Shimano XT brakes ensure ample
stopping power.
W
hile Giant is internationally
more focused on the 27.5 wheel
size, having stopped by Giant
Durbanville, the day before I picked up
the Giant Anthem X Advanced 29er,
I’d found out that the Anthem X 29ers
and the XtC 29ers are still the most
popular Giant mountain bikes in the
local market. Their 29ers have seemingly
been forgotten by all but Giant SA – and
rumour has it our local guys have fought
for the 29er revival at Giant’s global HQ,
with something exciting now said to be
on its way, but I digress…
The Anthem X Advanced 29er is
currently the top-end model with the
big hoops, it features a carbon front
triangle, an aluminium rear triangle (Gert
Stander of Giant SA explains that to get
it to the rigidity Giant need aluminium
works out lighter than carbon), Shimano
XT throughout and 100mm of FOX
Float CTD Factory Kashima travel
front and rear. The wheels are Giant’s
P-XCR 1 29er aluminium models (solid,
but for the money you save on the
Anthem compared to a similarly speced
alternative could be well spent towards a
set of carbon wheels, which will put your
Anthem in a truly different class) and
likewise the bar, stem, grips, seatpost,
and saddle are all from Giant’s in-house
component line.
The one let-down on the bike as it
comes out of the box is the Schwalbe
Racing Ralph 29x2.25” EVO tyres. For
my liking they’re just not aggressive
enough and I’d happily sacrifice rolling
resistance for some added confidence in
the corners. They’re also not particularly
hardy, with sidewalls soft enough to
manipulate on and off the rims without
the use of tyre leavers – I should know
I fixed four punctures in two days after
taking on the amazing but thorn laden
!Khwa ttu MTB trails, with a test bike that
hadn’t been converted to tubeless. That
being said the Anthem X Advanced is
tubeless ready out of the box, so I should
Sus the impressively
priced and specced Giant
Anthem X Advanced.
while going up it’s easy to
redirect with perfect control, when
negotiating tricky steep rocky
sections where line choice is vital.
Where the Anthem X Advanced
really surprised me however was
on faster flowing trails, it handled
more like a trail bike and when
taking to the air the Maestro
suspension linkages and Fox
shock combined to provide what
felt like more than just 100mm
of travel. The combination is
unbelievably plush, but at the
same time at the flip of the switch as efficient as the much touted Brain system on the Epic when going uphill – or so my Strava stats tell me (I know someone will moan about that comment).
One problem with the Maestro
suspension is the CTD switch though, and along with new tyres a remote lock-out lever for the shock would make the riding experience more pleasurable. Reaching down to your ankles to flip into descend mode is anything
but easy especially if you’re already on the descent. For serious racers, a remote lock-out lever is probably a must.
The litmus test of any bike for me
is the question of whether or not I’d purchase it myself. And with the Giant Anthem X Advanced 29er the answer is
a resounding yes! If you can only afford one bike, and you want something to race and something to shred fun trails on, it really is the way to go. And that’s purely on performance. When you add the very reasonable price into the mix you’d be a fool not to very strongly consider it.
The Anthem X Advanced
feature a carbon
front triangle. Crisp shifting is ensured with a Shimano XT, Shadow+ rear derailleur.
Fox’s Float CTD Factory Kashima
keeps the rear end under control.
19
Sus out Giant’s OverDrive Tapered
Steerer head tube.
have just converted them quickly myself.
Ridewise the Anthem blew me away.
Initially the stem was raised by three
spacers and in the positive rise position.
This made the bike feel twitchy but not
particularly accurate when climbing
technical singletracks. So I flipped the
stem and removed two of the spacers.
On my second test ride up to the
blockhouse from the Full Sus offices I
beat my personal best, which I’d set on
the Specialized World Cup Edition Epic
Expert Carbon (Tested for the March 2015
Full Sus). Coming down its no slouch
either, I managed to clock PB’s for the
new singletrack and down the horrifically
steep Plum Pudding jeep track. Though
the latter might have more to do with
the massive confidence the XT brakes
inspire.
Under force, with the CTD switched to
climb mode, the bike feels stiff and agile.
And after my minor adjustments I felt
super confident on all but the loosest of
corners (tyres again) coming downhill
NatioNal
a
Nthem
N
atioNal
a
Nthem
at one at a point one of
the go-to choices for
marathon and stage
races, but it’s spent
the last couple of
years drifting from our
collective consciousness
– no more says
Seamus Allardice.
Photos by
Ashlee Attwood.
18
Bike Review FSFS Bike Review
SUS the Giant
Anthem X
The geomeT ry AS liSTed
below iS for A medium
frAmed bike (17.3”) And
All meASuremen TS Are in
millimeT reS or degreeS .
head Angle ..................................71.0
Seat Angle ..................................73.0
Top Tube ........................................594
head Tube ....................................104
Chain Stay ...................................462
wheel base ................................1 105
Standover height .....................770
AnThem X (full Alu) r28 995
AnThem X Adv AnCed 29 er (AS
TeSTed) r45 550.
Shimano XT brakes ensure ample
stopping power.
W
hile Giant is internationally
more focused on the 27.5 wheel
size, having stopped by Giant
Durbanville, the day before I picked up
the Giant Anthem X Advanced 29er,
I’d found out that the Anthem X 29ers
and the XtC 29ers are still the most
popular Giant mountain bikes in the
local market. Their 29ers have seemingly
been forgotten by all but Giant SA – and
rumour has it our local guys have fought
for the 29er revival at Giant’s global HQ,
with something exciting now said to be
on its way, but I digress…
The Anthem X Advanced 29er is
currently the top-end model with the
big hoops, it features a carbon front
triangle, an aluminium rear triangle (Gert
Stander of Giant SA explains that to get
it to the rigidity Giant need aluminium
works out lighter than carbon), Shimano
XT throughout and 100mm of FOX
Float CTD Factory Kashima travel
front and rear. The wheels are Giant’s
P-XCR 1 29er aluminium models (solid,
but for the money you save on the
Anthem compared to a similarly speced
alternative could be well spent towards a
set of carbon wheels, which will put your
Anthem in a truly different class) and
likewise the bar, stem, grips, seatpost,
and saddle are all from Giant’s in-house
component line.
The one let-down on the bike as it
comes out of the box is the Schwalbe
Racing Ralph 29x2.25” EVO tyres. For
my liking they’re just not aggressive
enough and I’d happily sacrifice rolling
resistance for some added confidence in
the corners. They’re also not particularly
hardy, with sidewalls soft enough to
manipulate on and off the rims without
the use of tyre leavers – I should know
I fixed four punctures in two days after
taking on the amazing but thorn laden
!Khwa ttu MTB trails, with a test bike that
hadn’t been converted to tubeless. That
being said the Anthem X Advanced is
tubeless ready out of the box, so I should
Sus the impressively
priced and specced Giant
Anthem X Advanced.
while going up it’s easy to
redirect with perfect control, when
negotiating tricky steep rocky
sections where line choice is vital.
Where the Anthem X Advanced
really surprised me however was
on faster flowing trails, it handled
more like a trail bike and when
taking to the air the Maestro
suspension linkages and Fox
shock combined to provide what
felt like more than just 100mm
of travel. The combination is
unbelievably plush, but at the
same time at the flip of the switch as efficient as the much touted Brain system on the Epic when going uphill – or so my Strava stats tell me (I know someone will moan about that comment).
One problem with the Maestro
suspension is the CTD switch though, and along with new tyres a remote lock-out lever for the shock would make the riding experience more pleasurable. Reaching down to your ankles to flip into descend mode is anything
but easy especially if you’re already on the descent. For serious racers, a remote lock-out lever is probably a must.
The litmus test of any bike for me
is the question of whether or not I’d purchase it myself. And with the Giant Anthem X Advanced 29er the answer is
a resounding yes! If you can only afford one bike, and you want something to race and something to shred fun trails on, it really is the way to go. And that’s purely on performance. When you add the very reasonable price into the mix you’d be a fool not to very strongly consider it.
The Anthem X Advanced
feature a carbon
front triangle. Crisp shifting is ensured with a Shimano XT, Shadow+ rear derailleur.
Fox’s Float CTD Factory Kashima
keeps the rear end under control.
19
Sus out Giant’s OverDrive Tapered
Steerer head tube.
have just converted them quickly myself.
Ridewise the Anthem blew me away.
Initially the stem was raised by three
spacers and in the positive rise position.
This made the bike feel twitchy but not
particularly accurate when climbing
technical singletracks. So I flipped the
stem and removed two of the spacers.
On my second test ride up to the
blockhouse from the Full Sus offices I
beat my personal best, which I’d set on
the Specialized World Cup Edition Epic
Expert Carbon (Tested for the March 2015
Full Sus). Coming down its no slouch
either, I managed to clock PB’s for the
new singletrack and down the horrifically
steep Plum Pudding jeep track. Though
the latter might have more to do with
the massive confidence the XT brakes
inspire.
Under force, with the CTD switched to
climb mode, the bike feels stiff and agile.
And after my minor adjustments I felt
super confident on all but the loosest of
corners (tyres again) coming downhill
NatioNal
a
Nthem
N
atioNal
a
Nthem
The Giant Anthem was
at one at a point one of
the go-to choices for
marathon and stage
races, but it’s spent
the last couple of
years drifting from our
collective consciousness
– no more says
Seamus Allardice.
Photos by
Ashlee Attwood.
18
Bike Review FSFS Bike Review
SUS the Giant
Anthem X
The geomeT ry AS liSTed
below iS for A medium
frAmed bike (17.3”) And
All meASuremen TS Are in
millimeT reS or degreeS .
head Angle ..................................71.0
Seat Angle ..................................73.0
Top Tube ........................................594
head Tube ....................................104
Chain Stay ...................................462
wheel base ................................1 105
Standover height .....................770
AnThem X (full Alu) r28 995
AnThem X Adv AnCed 29 er (AS
TeSTed) r45 550.
Shimano XT brakes ensure ample
stopping power.
W
hile Giant is internationally
more focused on the 27.5 wheel
size, having stopped by Giant
Durbanville, the day before I picked up
the Giant Anthem X Advanced 29er,
I’d found out that the Anthem X 29ers
and the XtC 29ers are still the most
popular Giant mountain bikes in the
local market. Their 29ers have seemingly
been forgotten by all but Giant SA – and
rumour has it our local guys have fought
for the 29er revival at Giant’s global HQ,
with something exciting now said to be
on its way, but I digress…
The Anthem X Advanced 29er is
currently the top-end model with the
big hoops, it features a carbon front
triangle, an aluminium rear triangle (Gert
Stander of Giant SA explains that to get
it to the rigidity Giant need aluminium
works out lighter than carbon), Shimano
XT throughout and 100mm of FOX
Float CTD Factory Kashima travel
front and rear. The wheels are Giant’s
P-XCR 1 29er aluminium models (solid,
but for the money you save on the
Anthem compared to a similarly speced
alternative could be well spent towards a
set of carbon wheels, which will put your
Anthem in a truly different class) and
likewise the bar, stem, grips, seatpost,
and saddle are all from Giant’s in-house
component line.
The one let-down on the bike as it
comes out of the box is the Schwalbe
Racing Ralph 29x2.25” EVO tyres. For
my liking they’re just not aggressive
enough and I’d happily sacrifice rolling
resistance for some added confidence in
the corners. They’re also not particularly
hardy, with sidewalls soft enough to
manipulate on and off the rims without
the use of tyre leavers – I should know
I fixed four punctures in two days after
taking on the amazing but thorn laden
!Khwa ttu MTB trails, with a test bike that
hadn’t been converted to tubeless. That
being said the Anthem X Advanced is
tubeless ready out of the box, so I should
Sus the impressively
priced and specced Giant
Anthem X Advanced.
while going up it’s easy to
redirect with perfect control, when
negotiating tricky steep rocky
sections where line choice is vital.
Where the Anthem X Advanced
really surprised me however was
on faster flowing trails, it handled
more like a trail bike and when
taking to the air the Maestro
suspension linkages and Fox
shock combined to provide what
felt like more than just 100mm
of travel. The combination is
unbelievably plush, but at the
same time at the flip of the switch
as efficient as the much touted
Brain system on the Epic when
going uphill – or so my Strava
stats tell me (I know someone will
moan about that comment).
One problem with the Maestro
suspension is the CTD switch
though, and along with new tyres
a remote lock-out lever for the
shock would make the riding
experience more pleasurable.
Reaching down to your ankles to
flip into descend mode is anything
but easy especially if you’re already on
the descent. For serious racers, a remote
lock-out lever is probably a must.
The litmus test of any bike for me
is the question of whether or not I’d
purchase it myself. And with the Giant
Anthem X Advanced 29er the answer is
a resounding yes! If you can only afford
one bike, and you want something to
race and something to shred fun trails on,
it really is the way to go. And that’s purely on performance. When you add the very reasonable price into the mix you’d be a fool not to very strongly consider it.
The Anthem X Advanced
feature a carbon
front triangle. Crisp shifting is ensured
with a Shimano XT,
Shadow+ rear derailleur.
Fox’s Float CTD Factory Kashima
keeps the rear end under control.
19
Sus out Giant’s OverDrive Tapered Steerer head tube.
have just converted them quickly myself.
Ridewise the Anthem blew me away.
Initially the stem was raised by three
spacers and in the positive rise position.
This made the bike feel twitchy but not
particularly accurate when climbing
technical singletracks. So I flipped the
stem and removed two of the spacers.
On my second test ride up to the
blockhouse from the Full Sus offices I
beat my personal best, which I’d set on
the Specialized World Cup Edition Epic
Expert Carbon (Tested for the March 2015
Full Sus). Coming down its no slouch
either, I managed to clock PB’s for the
new singletrack and down the horrifically
steep Plum Pudding jeep track. Though
the latter might have more to do with
the massive confidence the XT brakes
inspire.
Under force, with the CTD switched to
climb mode, the bike feels stiff and agile.
And after my minor adjustments I felt
super confident on all but the loosest of
corners (tyres again) coming downhill
NatioNal
a
Nthem
N
atioNal
a
Nthem
at one at a point one of
the go-to choices for
marathon and stage
races, but it’s spent
the last couple of
years drifting from our
collective consciousness
– no more says
Seamus Allardice.
Photos by
Ashlee Attwood.
18
Bike Review FSFS Bike Review
SUS the Giant
Anthem X
The geomeT ry AS liSTed
below iS for A medium
frAmed bike (17.3”) And
All meASuremen TS Are in
millimeT reS or degreeS .
head Angle ..................................71.0
Seat Angle ..................................73.0
Top Tube ........................................594
head Tube ....................................104
Chain Stay ...................................462
wheel base ................................1 105
Standover height .....................770
AnThem X (full Alu) r28 995
AnThem X Adv AnCed 29 er (AS
TeSTed) r45 550.
Shimano XT brakes ensure ample
stopping power.
W
hile Giant is internationally
more focused on the 27.5 wheel
size, having stopped by Giant
Durbanville, the day before I picked up
the Giant Anthem X Advanced 29er,
I’d found out that the Anthem X 29ers
and the XtC 29ers are still the most
popular Giant mountain bikes in the
local market. Their 29ers have seemingly
been forgotten by all but Giant SA – and
rumour has it our local guys have fought
for the 29er revival at Giant’s global HQ,
with something exciting now said to be
on its way, but I digress…
The Anthem X Advanced 29er is
currently the top-end model with the
big hoops, it features a carbon front
triangle, an aluminium rear triangle (Gert
Stander of Giant SA explains that to get
it to the rigidity Giant need aluminium
works out lighter than carbon), Shimano
XT throughout and 100mm of FOX
Float CTD Factory Kashima travel
front and rear. The wheels are Giant’s
P-XCR 1 29er aluminium models (solid,
but for the money you save on the
Anthem compared to a similarly speced
alternative could be well spent towards a
set of carbon wheels, which will put your
Anthem in a truly different class) and
likewise the bar, stem, grips, seatpost,
and saddle are all from Giant’s in-house
component line.
The one let-down on the bike as it
comes out of the box is the Schwalbe
Racing Ralph 29x2.25” EVO tyres. For
my liking they’re just not aggressive
enough and I’d happily sacrifice rolling
resistance for some added confidence in
the corners. They’re also not particularly
hardy, with sidewalls soft enough to
manipulate on and off the rims without
the use of tyre leavers – I should know
I fixed four punctures in two days after
taking on the amazing but thorn laden
!Khwa ttu MTB trails, with a test bike that
hadn’t been converted to tubeless. That
being said the Anthem X Advanced is
tubeless ready out of the box, so I should
Sus the impressively
priced and specced Giant
Anthem X Advanced.
while going up it’s easy to
redirect with perfect control, when
negotiating tricky steep rocky
sections where line choice is vital.
Where the Anthem X Advanced
really surprised me however was
on faster flowing trails, it handled
more like a trail bike and when
taking to the air the Maestro
suspension linkages and Fox
shock combined to provide what
felt like more than just 100mm
of travel. The combination is
unbelievably plush, but at the
same time at the flip of the switch
as efficient as the much touted
Brain system on the Epic when
going uphill – or so my Strava
stats tell me (I know someone will
moan about that comment).
One problem with the Maestro
suspension is the CTD switch
though, and along with new tyres
a remote lock-out lever for the
shock would make the riding
experience more pleasurable.
Reaching down to your ankles to
flip into descend mode is anything
but easy especially if you’re already on
the descent. For serious racers, a remote
lock-out lever is probably a must.
The litmus test of any bike for me
is the question of whether or not I’d
purchase it myself. And with the Giant
Anthem X Advanced 29er the answer is
a resounding yes! If you can only afford
one bike, and you want something to
race and something to shred fun trails on,
it really is the way to go. And that’s purely on performance. When you add the very reasonable price into the mix you’d be a fool not to very strongly consider it.
The Anthem X Advanced
feature a carbon
front triangle. Crisp shifting is ensured
with a Shimano XT,
Shadow+ rear derailleur.
Fox’s Float CTD Factory Kashima
keeps the rear end under control.
19
Sus out Giant’s OverDrive Tapered Steerer head tube.
have just converted them quickly myself.
Ridewise the Anthem blew me away.
Initially the stem was raised by three
spacers and in the positive rise position.
This made the bike feel twitchy but not
particularly accurate when climbing
technical singletracks. So I flipped the
stem and removed two of the spacers.
On my second test ride up to the
blockhouse from the Full Sus offices I
beat my personal best, which I’d set on
the Specialized World Cup Edition Epic
Expert Carbon (Tested for the March 2015
Full Sus). Coming down its no slouch
either, I managed to clock PB’s for the
new singletrack and down the horrifically
steep Plum Pudding jeep track. Though
the latter might have more to do with
the massive confidence the XT brakes
inspire.
Under force, with the CTD switched to
climb mode, the bike feels stiff and agile.
And after my minor adjustments I felt
super confident on all but the loosest of
corners (tyres again) coming downhill
NatioNal
a
Nthem
N
atioNal
a
Nthem
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