Rapid Ascent’s off-road weekend in Forrest, Victoria, is back again in 2025. With the Otway Odyssey taking centre stage on Saturday 22nd February, the following Sunday is all about gravel. The Great Otway Gravel Grind (GOGG) was launched in 2017, with two event distances on the gravelled forest roads between Forrest and the Great Ocean […]
7 Tips for Success at the Otway Odyssey
The Rapid Ascent Otway Odyssey is one of the toughest and most rewarding mountain bike marathons in Australia. The event has earnt a reputation as a true test piece, one where riders know that a top performance isn’t a fluke – it’s an achievement worth recognition. With its steep climbs, technical descents, and challenging singletrack, […]
The curious appeal of gravel racing
The now iconic Dirty Warrny was held over the weekend, a 250km grind over dirt roads and trails between Geelong and Warrnambool in Victoria. Traversing the Otway ranges, the race also features close to 3800m of elevation gain. The race takes most riders over ten hours to complete. This was my first time competing in […]
What bike for Sunday Creek Classic?
The Sunday Creek Classic is a young event in Queensland, and 2024 will see the 3rd edition held on May 25 from Kenilworth. Like a classic marathon, the event starts and finishes in the one spot, and like a quality rural event in Australia, that spot is the local showground. The course covers about 120km […]
Tips for racing the Appenninica MTB Stage Race
Photos: The Outdoor Lab The Appenninica MTB Stage Race celebrated its 5th edition in September 2023, with many riders returning for another epic mountain bike experience in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy. From the outset I was attracted to this mountain bike stage race as it focussed not just on the riding experience, but […]
Top 5 mountain bike races that no longer exist
What race do you miss the most? Team rider and contributor Justin Morris reflects on some of the races we longer get to pin a number on for.
Bikepacking the Swiss Alpine Bike #1 MTB Route
Last week I set off to ride the Swiss Alpine Bike #1 MTB route, which runs across Switzerland from Scuol to Aigle (or Aigle to Scuol), covering 670km and 24700m of climbing. It is suggested to cover the route in 16 days, but I planned around 8, booked my accommodation on Booking.com and arrived in […]
BC Bike Race 2023 – Back to the Future
The BC Bike Race has it all. End of story. Except obviously not because there are continual tweaks, adjustments, and a relentless pursuit of the perfect week on trails that thrill, please, and surprise taking place behind the scenes. Started in 2007 to showcase perhaps the rowdiest and toughest region of trail in North America […]
6 reasons to ride The Redback this August
Mountain bike stage races and Alice Springs go together like red wine and cheese. The city in the centre of Australia has hosted mountain bike stage races for two decades, with riders visiting from the edges of the continent to ride the sweet singletrack in the red centre. In 2023 The Redback runs from 18-21 […]
9 things I learnt from an overnight bikepacking trip
This weekend I packed up my bike and a few key things and joined a mate for a bikepacking meet up, called the Jimna Escape. The concept is simple – everyone meets at Jimna Base Camp, which is a school in a timber town that has passed it’s use by date. So now the school […]