Rocky Mountain Bicycles have released a new Element – their flagship XC full-suspension bike, sporting 120mm front travel and 100mm rear. The new frame design is the result of over two decades experience. The new Element has a more efficient suspension design, refined marathon geometry, Ride-9™ adjustability, and room for two bottles inside the front triangle – which […]
Bianchi’s new Methanol CV displayed in Albstadt
On 21st May, Bianchi displayed their new Methanol CV mountain bike in Albstadt ahead of the 2nd round of the World Cup. The Methanol CV extends their Countervail technology to the MTB world. The new frame has been optimised to assist with shock control – something many modern hardtails are doing. BMC, Trek, Canyon, Focus and more […]
English and Smith crush the Convict 100
I wasn’t supposed to race the Convict 100 – not at all. Instead, I was supposed to be at a team training camp with my road team to prepare for the NRS race Battle on the Border. BUT it turned out that I was going to be in Canberra last week for some skills training […]
Cannondale officially release the Scalpel Si
Last month we noticed that the stage winning bike of Cannondale Factory Racing on stage 7 of the Cape Epic was in fact something different. This shot of Manuel Fumic laying his bike over through a corner highlighted that this wasn’t a standard Cannondale Scalpel. It was something new. And today, Cannondale have announced the release […]
Cannondale reveal new 29er full-suspension bike
After Cannondale launched their new hardtail last year, replacing the very popular F29, we had to wonder when the Scalpel would get an overhaul. While the Scalpel has been a very popular bike, it often wasn’t seen as the competitive XC full-suspension bike that it could be. Sure, that’s an opinion, but it’s also one held […]
Team Bulls’ Wild Edge Cape Epic bikes
Understanding what bike to take to an important race isn’t a science – but it’s very important. And as the saying goes – you don’t take a knife to a gun fight. While some readers expressed their surprise that Fanny Bourdon would race the Cape Epic on a hardtail, it’s also what she is used […]
Fanny Bourdon’s Look 989 Cape Epic bike
What bike should I take to the Cape Epic? It’s a pretty major question, and not one with a universal answer. While the course does demand something tough, reliable, and hopefully with some sort of rear suspension – riders still race on hardtails. A hardtail will give lower weight and potentially greater reliability thanks to […]
Team dynamics in Toowoomba
On the first weekend of March, the final round of the Subaru MTBA National Series was run in Toowoomba, about an hour and a half inland of Brisbane, in Queensland. With four riders spread over 3 states on the Subaru-MarathonMTB.COM Team for 2016, it’s pretty rare that paths cross many times through the year, given […]
Swiss Epic Pro Bike: Robert Mennen’s Canyon Lux CF 29
The Swiss Epic attracted some of the very best MTB racers in the World, from XC, to Marathon and Enduro in the first edition in 2014. While there were lots of very special bikes within the field, I caught up with the Topeak-Ergon team to capture Robert Mennen’s Lux CF 29. Robert was racing with Alban Lakata and […]
The Best Stage Races for Amateurs
Updated August 2017! “What are the best stage races to do?” It’s a question that is often asked, and can be broken down many different ways. What makes a race ‘the best’ anyway? It’s a very personal criteria. While one may rate the quality of accommodation available, others might go purely on the amount of […]