The Pioneer is just days away, and all in a rush it was time to actually make the changes to the bikes Imogen Smith and I are taking to The Pioneer for 2018. We’ve both done a number of mountain bike stage races, but this is the most ‘trail’ we have set up our race […]
Oz Trails Offroad, Fat Tire Criterium
Bentonville Arkansas is an old town with its sleepy tales squeezed into a corner of the ancient Ozark mountains in NW Arkansas. Famous as being the home of the founding family of Walmart, Bentonville is putting it’s wealth to work building mile after mile of shred ready singletrack. What followed has been a renovation Bentonville’s […]
Maxxis release the Rekon Race
Just as we’re getting some trail time on the Maxxis Rekon in a marathon friendly 29×2.25″ size, Maxxis have released the tyre we’ve seen the likes of Nino Schurter on for close to 12 months – the all-new Maxxis Rekon Race. While the Rekon has taller, ramped knobs and strong L-shaped edge knobs, the Rekon […]
Bike Check: Nino Schurter’s Scott Scale from Albstadt
Did you miss the 2nd round of the World Cup in Albstadt? It was a muddy and intense race, but one where both current XCO World Champions came out on top. Jolanda Neff rode away from all her rivals winning over 2 minutes ahead of Yana Belamoina. In the men’s race Nino Schurter came back […]
How Nino Schurter sets up his Scott Spark for the Cape Epic
Related Event: ABSA Cape Epic
Now that the first round of the UCI World Cup in Stellenbosch is out of the way, many pro riders are finalising their preparation for the Cape Epic. With Nino Schurter and Matthias Stirnemann the reigning champions, there will be some pressure on the team to perform! Here’s a look at how the SCOTT-SRAM Team […]
Bikes of the Crocodile Trophy: Grant Webster’s Apollo Arctec 9
Related Event: Crocodile Trophy
The Crocodile Trophy brings in a range of riders from around the globe. Everyone is there for their own reasons. Be it to finish their racing season, have a huge outback adventure, knock off a bucket list race – or test themselves against riders from home and abroad. In 2017, Grant Webster brought his Apollo […]
Bikes of the Crocodile Trophy: Mike Blewitt’s Norco Revolver 29 FS
Related Event: Crocodile Trophy
The 23rd Crocodile Trophy finished last Saturday, and as usual it was a test of the support crew, riders and their bikes. The 8 day race takes in a huge variety of terrain with about 13000m of climbing and over 600km of racing. I have done the Crocodile Trophy 3 times before, so have a […]
Bike Check: Justin Morris’ Norco Revolver set for Mongolia Bike Challenge
The Mongolia Bike Challenge gets underway in the nations capital Ulaan Batar this Sunday. This race is a unique affair for most MTB stage racers. Hence, a few modifications to my trusty Norco Revolver FS have been made in preparation for the 6 day, 700km stage race across the tundra of the Mongolian Steppe. Rider: […]
UPDATED: What’s the best Maxxis tyre for marathon and cross-country racing?
The age-old question of “what tyres should I run” transcends marathon mountain biking to just about any facet of bicycle riding and racing. And so often, when asked why people choose one model over another, it’s not always based on sound reasoning. If you look into tyre testing, while French and German magazines have often […]
SCOTT-SRAM to new heights in 2017
It’s early 2017 and the world of mountain biking is alight with who is riding what, and what teams have gained or lost riders. With two current Olympic and World XCO champions, the Scott team could only go up, and their new extended partnership with SRAM, plus a new rider, shows they will be the strongest […]