Rob Parbery is a Sydney, Australia, based Mountain Biker who has completed most Australian Mountain Bike Events singlespeed, on a ‘cross bike, fixed – or a combination of all of those. If you have had the chance to relax post-race with ‘Parbs’ and part of the cold selection from his Esky – count yourself lucky. Right now Parbs is down in Tasmania, ready to start the Wildside MTB Stage Race. We will hear more from him along the way.
Even for the casual racer preparation is key to a good time at a stage race, but some time work and life gets in the way, so we’re heading down the highway trying to get a tyre to seal in the back of the bus. Last night there was frantic brake bleeding happening before giving up and pulling a set off another bike and a quick stop. But now we’ve safely arrived registered, put bikes together, eaten and are kicking back in holiday mode, with just a little trash talking in our group over post dinner drinks.
Seal, come on, seal! Last minute prep. Photo: Rob Parbery
This is my second Wildside and fith stage race, and it’s good to see a few familiar faces amoung the crowds; a few fast races and some just friendly faces. It looks like the singlespeed field is huge, possibly 20+ riders – I lost count after 5. There was once a time were I would turn up at these races and I’d be the only one on one gear, but it
seems many now have embraced the simplicity of just riding, especially with the the muddy conditions Tassie can through at you.
Tomorrow however it looks like will be dry and dusty for the start. Two short stages, the first a short 18km blast from Cradle Mountain with a mixture of 4wd farm tracks and single track. The single speed categore starts last so we’ll get to see most groups start, and have the line round the hard parts. I can’t remember anything particulary about this stage except suffering from double flats, and the climbs on the roadon the cruise stage that follows. The second stage should be a spin fest starting along the Que River. Let the preparation continue!