“Journeyman: A worker or sports player who is reliable but not outstanding”. This sums me up to a T, I think. Find a small enough cycling-related pond and I can be a big fish, but in the very big pond that is the XCM Worlds, I have no illusions – I expect to be the smallest […]
Meda 100 – exploring new territory
I’ve always said that one of the best things about mountain bike racing is the places it takes you. For a road race, I might make it as far from my home in London as the surrounding counties, or the occasional foray to northern France or Belgium. Fun, but not exactly an adventure. The UCI […]
The ABSA Cape Epic from a distance
I hope you’ve been enjoying the live feeds, updates, Instagram photos, Tweets, Facebook coverage, etc. etc., from the ABSA Cape Epic this week. I say “enjoying” – it’s a particular type of “enjoyment” when you’re stuck at your desk (if you’re in the northern hemisphere) or up late at night at home (southern hemisphere). It’s particular because […]
Ucka UCI marathon – the sales pitch
Sometimes a report is all about the racing action – the struggle for the lead, the sprint finish, the mechanical and human dramas. But on this occasion I find myself wanting to write something of a sales pitch. This is a race that has it all – amazing scenery, post-race swimming in the sea, superb […]
Syntace W30 wheelset and finishing kit review
Syntace W30 wheels The wheels are stiff, with very smooth-running bearings, and a lovely, almost Hope-matching freewheel buzz. 30mm (external) rims mean WIDE. So tyres come up with a bit more volume than they would otherwise. The wheels took a few hits through the week, particularly on my bad-stomach day when all energy and technical […]
Reviewed: Open 1.0 – Cape Epic Build
Related Event: ABSA Cape Epic
Bikes of the 2014 Absa Cape Epic – Open 1.0 There were six Opens in the race – two on Team Open-Rotor-Asterion, and four on the two Assos teams. Here is the bike of Subaru-MarathonMTB.com’s Will Hayter (guesting for the Open-Rotor-Asterion team) in its Cape Epic guise. Six Opens is probably more than you’ll generally […]
Bikes of the 2014 Absa Cape Epic
Related Event: ABSA Cape Epic
Bikes of the 2014 Absa Cape Epic The Absa Cape Epic is always a good opportunity to get a good idea of what’s going on in the world of cross-country mountain bike technology. It’s such a testing event on both riders and kit that you get a mix of super-light and more real-world equipment, all […]
Roc Ardennes – dust in Belgium
Rolling hills. Lush forests. Small rivers meandering through narrow valleys. Picturesque towns with attractive squares and ruined castes. Sunshine. Dust. These were not things I was really expecting when I came to Belgium. But they were among the things I found when making the road trip from London to the legendary Houffalize for the first […]
2014 Absa Cape Epic review and wrap-up
Related Event: ABSA Cape Epic
2014 Cape Epic review A big adventure What an adventure. For a very small minority of the participants, the Absa Cape Epic is a race, pure and simple. Nino Schurter, Jose Hermida, Rudi van Houts, Christoph Sauser – those guys are all racing, throwing it down every day for eight days, sprinting for stage wins, […]
2014 Roc Laissagais
“You’re going to do what? After the last couple of times? Are you sure?” Such was the comment of various riding mates upon hearing that I would be returning to the Roc Laissagais in 2014. 2012 – one week after the Cape Epic. It turns out that one week isn’t really long enough to recover […]