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 […]
How to set your bike up for The Pioneer
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 […]
Gravel or bust at the Michigan Coast to Coast
Related Event: Michigan Coast to Coast Gravel Grinder
The sport of a cycling used to be a reasonably straightforward and easy to follow sport. There was road racing with track and cyclocross being the winter alternatives. Also since the 1990s there has been mountain biking with usually either XC for the fitness oriented shaved leg variety of rider and downhill for the more […]
Snow Bike Festival and a winter wonderland
Related Event: Snow Bike Festival
There are few days where everything that needs to fall into place, falls into place. It can happen on race days, it can happen on social rides, but even with the best preparation it doesn’t always happen. Having the the right mix of motivation, conditions, equipment and experiences does not always happen. I’m lucky that […]
Snow Bike Festival Prologue – a comedy of errors
Related Event: Snow Bike Festival
The Snow Bike Festival is the the first UCI S1 mountain bike stage race of the year, and also the only UCI race that is held on snow (although professional road racers might disagree some years when Paris-Nice gets hit hard by the weather!). With a home in the Swiss resort town of Gstaad, the […]
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 […]
Full gas to Wetherby Station at the Crocodile Trophy
Related Event: Crocodile Trophy
Day 6 of the 2017 Crocodile Trophy marks the start of our march towards the coast. For the past few years the Crocodile Trophy has ended at Port Douglas, instead of Cooktown, with a run from Wetherby Station down the Bump Track. This 2017 stage plan has us spend two nights at Wetherby Station, one […]
Mongolia Bike Challenge Stage 1- Report. Out of Ulan Bator
Related Event: Mongolia Bike Challenge
After a preparation day in the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator riders for the 2017 Mongolia Bike Challenge were today greeted with the first day of racing in this 6 day stage race across the Mongolian steppe. This year marks the 8th running of the MBC and race director Willy Mulonia states this is shaping up […]
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: […]
How to pack your bike for plane travel
I have travelled with my own mountain bike to countless mountain bike races and riding destinations over the past 14 years. Bike hire is always an option, but if you’re going to compete, or do more than riding for a few days in one place – taking your own bike makes more sense. I’ve used a […]