For 2023, our team riders made the move to the recently released Factor Lando XC full-suspension frames. The bikes were released in 2022, one of two mountain bikes that Factor have designed and built. Given their place in the high end road, gravel and triathlon markets, it is no surprise that both the Factor Lando […]
Bike Check: Imogen Smith’s XTR equipped Norco Revolver for the 2022 Cape Epic
In March 2020, MarathonMTB.com Team rider Imogen Smith was making the final preparations to race the Cape Epic with Briony Mattocks. Her Norco Revolver was prepped, she was fit, they were there in Cape Town – and of course the race was cancelled hours before the start. Countless teams were left wondering what to do, […]
Convict 100 Bike Check: Justin Morris’ Norco Revolver FS 100
After a covid induced hiatus from XCM racing, the races are returning in Australia. The longstanding Convict 100 is underway on May 1. We take a look at team rider Justin Morris’ Norco Revolver prepared for race day.
National XCO titles
For an Australian XCO racer, the National Championships is the biggest race of the year, I have been trying to take the green and gold for 8 years, and have had nothing else on my mind for the last 12 months. This might seem obsessive, and it probably is, but everyone gets into sport for […]
Bike Check: Norco Revolver Hardtail team builds
With two new Norco Revolver hardtails added to the MarathonMTB.com service course, it is worth asking what role does a hardtail play in the mountain bike world? The humble hardtail is often seen as the bike for beginners, for family riders, and for ‘cross-country’. A hardtail can also be seen as a race-only bike, a […]
Sam Fox recaps XCO National Championships
In Australia, The Mountain Bike Australia (MTBA) XCO National Championships is the race that brings out all the big names. 2020 was no exception, with previous winners returning to defend their titles in Elite Men and Women, under 23 Men and Women, and other big names like Cam Ivory (2018 XCO, XCM, XCC champ), Brendan […]
MTB Racing in Jordan: Day One
The Arabian Epic Series popped up a couple of years ago, with an ambitious plan for lots of one day races and a few stage races around the Middle East, including in Jordan. The concept has settled for the current season with 3 marathons and 2 stage races – which is probably about right in […]
A closer look at the MarathonMTB.com Team Norco Revolvers
Since 2016, our team riders have chosen to ride and race on Norco Revolver frames. We moved from Bianchi after 2015 as the Australian importer was no longer importing the high end mountain bikes. Choosing a new frame was both fun and difficult. What to pick? What’s available? What can we afford? What features are […]
First rides on Shimano XTR M9100
About 12 months ago, Shimano released a much-anticipated version of XTR – the new 12-speed M9100. It offered what so many people wanted – a wider range from Shimano, and they delivered with a 10-51 cassette. But they also delivered a 10-45 cassette, 4-pot XTR Trail brakes and a lighter Race brake, a new crank […]
8 things you should know about the new Canyon Lux
A few months ago we put together a feature on what we could pick up from phots of the new bike Canyon team riders were on. But we still had questions. What was the geometry? What was the travel? The weight? Canyon have just released all that information. There are 6 models of the all-new […]