Shimano have been in the mountain bike shoe game a while. In fact, they are celebrating 25 years of the SPD (Shimano Pedaling Dynamics) system this year, which gives you a good understanding of their time in the game – that’s not much less time than production mountain bikes have been around. In late 2013 Shimano […]
Six days in the Valais – the Swiss Epic highlight video
The 2015 Perskindol Swiss Epic has come and gone, with new category winners, hard fought battles, countless corners shredded, carved and railed, and much food and drink consumed. Let’s not mince words here – the Swiss Epic is a premium stage race that offers one of the best mountain biking, and racing, experiences out there. […]
The Off-season
The off-season can be paradoxical at times. One minute you’re glad to have some time off the bike to pursue other activities, like eating chocolate cake, and the next all you want to do is get back on the bike! After a long season skipping along to the, at times, monotonous beat of wake up […]
Tips for finding the right stage race partner
Undertaking a big paired stage race might be the highlight of your mountain biking year – but if you pair up with the wrong person, it might be a real low point. Just because you’re great friends with a rider, it doesn’t mean you will end up as a good team. Stage races exist around […]
Bike Odyssey – your journey through the Greek mountains
A mountain bike stage race can be the ideal vehicle to discover new places, and meet new friends. The Greek Odyssey is an 8 day stage race in the Pindos mountain range that covers 600km and a huge 25 000m of climbing. It’s a pairs race, and offers a great opportunity to ride in, and […]
Anton Cooper to contest The Pioneer
Related Event: The Pioneer
One of the most exciting new marathon stage races heads to the South Island of New Zealand in 2016 – the Pioneer is attracting interest around the world, including from Olympic hopeful Anton Cooper. Anton Cooper is fast establishing a reputation as one of the world’s leading mountain bike riders, having won world titles in […]
Perskindol Swiss Epic – Stage Four
Related Event: Perskindol Swiss Epic
Nothing hurts quite the same as watching a race from the sidelines. But the truth is that watching a race on the 5th day from the sidelines is a pretty sombre affair anyway. Despite the excellent trails, and the great accommodation and food, there were a lot of tired people in the start block today. […]
Perskindol Swiss Epic – Stage Two, Tour of Leukerbad
Related Event: Perskindol Swiss Epic
Whenever we get in a group of fast riders, challenging us, I always tell Mike that we have to ‘ride the wave, as long as we can’. We were feeling a little battle-worn when we finally turned out the lights last night. We’d had a very tough day: things had gone wrong, we’d both dipped […]
Perskindol Swiss Epic Rider Diary – the mind
Related Event: Perskindol Swiss Epic
When you stand on a start line and look around you one thing is always the same: everyone looks fitter, calmer, better dressed, and more prepared than you do. You can try numerous strategies to overcome your nerves: a friendly chat, a thousand-mile stare, some tweaks to your gear – but your heart will hammer […]
2015 Sudety MTB Challenge Video
Related Event: Sudety MTB Challenge
There’s not much left to say about the Sudety MTB Challenge. We all love it. The trails are what you hope for at a mountain bike stage race. The organisation are caring, efficient, and organised. The racing is hot. And the experience… hard to beat.