Last November we previewed the build of some Nextie NXT29AS30 rims that would be the new race wheels for MarathonMTB.com Team racer Imogen Smith. Having raced on NoTubes Valor rims for over three seasons, then spent some time on an earlier generation of 30mm Nextie rims, Imogen knew she wanted something wider than the Valors, […]
Livigno Training Camp: Day Six
The rain, which Accuweather tauntingly promised us would clear up today, stuck around so resolutely that by 9am it was clear to me that I was going to need something special. I marched Mike up the road, in the freezing drizzle, to a pasticceria and forced him to order me a filled croissant, then, when […]
Testing the legs on day 3 of the Rothaus Bike Giro
Related Event: Rothaus Bike Giro Hochschwarzwald
You know it’s a bike race when you hear a drone buzzing overhead and a dirt bike kick starts behind you. Standing on a sharp upward slope beneath an enormous Rothaus beer inflatable arch, in start block D is where my Rothaus Bike Giro finally got underway, after a start to our 2018 European trip […]
Reef to Reef stage three
Stage three of Reef to Reef and we’re back. After all the challenges of the last fortnight or so (so sick!), Mike and I finally woke up feeling good. And excited. And not sick! Want to catch up? Check out our reports from Stage 1 and Stage 2 Today was the Queen Stage of the […]
What are you looking forward to in 2018?
Here at MarathonMTB.com we know there are so many things to get excited about each year. From new events, trips planned to some of the world’s iconic races, mountain biking holidays, a new coach or new gear – there’s always something on the horizon to keep you motivated. All of our team riders are just […]
All Orange no lemon
It’s always exciting to see a National Series kick off. It signals the beginning of summer, and a time when riders can start to measure their form against the best and work out their goals and plans for the rest of the season. It’s a time to get some payback for all the pre-season training […]
XCO racing for XCM results
Marathon races in Australia are often mass-participation events, where ‘completers’ outnumber ‘competers’ by huge margins. Cross Country Olympic racing (XCO), on the other hand, usually attracts hard-core racers chasing medals and jerseys. But even if you’re a marathon ‘completer’ when you get out to race, there are lots of reasons to love, watch, and even […]
Shimano XTR mechanical vs XTR Di2 – Part One
Ever since Shimano XTR M9000 and XTR Di2 were released in 2014, riders, bike mechanics, and tech gurus have been weighing up the benefits and disadvantages of each system. And this has also involved, quite literally, weighing the components of each system as well. I have been a long-time user of Shimano’s XTR components, with […]
Upskilling – skills courses for mountain biking
Apart from a few tears of joy, mountain bike racing only made me cry once this year. After our Australian XCM National Champs in Tasmania in April. I’d worked incredibly hard on my fitness for Nationals and thought the course, with a very long climb to be covered twice, would suit me perfectly. On race […]
The Swiss Epic as a ready-made holiday
Related Event: Perskindol Swiss Epic
Imogen Smith explores the Swiss Epic and finds the mountain bike stage race and package holiday together at last. Stage racing is the perfect way to combine a massive mountain bike hit with an overseas experience but, until recently, roughing it and complex logistics have held many of us back from what might otherwise be the perfect […]