About 14 months after CeramicSpeed unveiled their radical drivetrain concept that they said would reduce the large amounts of friction in drivetrains, they have made a rideable version that shifts. And it’s possibly even better than they expected. CeramicSpeed are pretty much the company devoted to marginal gains. Having spent time on their bearings in […]
Jolanda Neff’s all-new Trek XC bike
For anyone following the World Cup cross-country racing this year, you will have seen XCO phenom (and 2016 XCM World Champion) Jolanda Neff racing on a new full-suspension bike. There’s nothing totally crazy about that, but until the racing at the UCI XCO World Championships in Canada on the weekend, the shock and linkage on […]
A closer look at the MarathonMTB.com Team Norco Revolvers
Since 2016, our team riders have chosen to ride and race on Norco Revolver frames. We moved from Bianchi after 2015 as the Australian importer was no longer importing the high end mountain bikes. Choosing a new frame was both fun and difficult. What to pick? What’s available? What can we afford? What features are […]
A closer look at the 2020 Norco Revolver FS
In December, I was lucky enough to spend some time test riding the yet-to-be-released updated Norco Revolver. At a glance it looked really similar to the current frame, and that’s why their Factory Team were able to race it without too many people noticing. Look closer and you realise how much has changed. From a […]
What bike for the Crocodile Trophy?
Related Event: Crocodile Trophy
It’s a fair question: what bike should I take to the Crocodile Trophy? Unfortunately there isn’t a one word answer. Like any mountain bike stage race, the Crocodile Trophy has its own unique challenges. And each rider has their own unique requirements. But let’s break down the kind of choices to make, and what might […]
First rides on Shimano XTR M9100
About 12 months ago, Shimano released a much-anticipated version of XTR – the new 12-speed M9100. It offered what so many people wanted – a wider range from Shimano, and they delivered with a 10-51 cassette. But they also delivered a 10-45 cassette, 4-pot XTR Trail brakes and a lighter Race brake, a new crank […]
Trek and Pivot release new XC bikes
Trek and Pivot have just released updates to their cross-country full-suspension bikes, and the trend towards longer travel, longer reach, slacker head angles and all-round more capable bikes doesn’t look to be slowing down. We think this is another great step, with more companies building bikes that probably suit their world-class riders, but really do […]
Pro Bike Check: The Pivot LES of the Stan’s-Pivot Pro Team p/b Maxxis
The Pivot LES hardtail proves efficiency can be effective in a world of full-suspensions.
On test: Camelbak Ultra 10 Vest
The world of marathon and stage racing has some unique demands on equipment, especially when weather, nutrition and self-sufficiency come into play. After Mike raved about the Camelbak Octane 10, it was time to find a large but light pack for myself. The Camelbak Ultra 10 is superlight at just 280g for the bag, and […]
First rides on the 2020 Norco Revolver
The Norco Revolver FS has been the bike of choice for the MarathonMTB.com Team since 2016. After we finished racing on Bianchi mountain bikes when they were no longer available in Australia, we needed a bike that climbed well, was light, and easy to service. The Norco Revolver 29 FS was all those things, with […]