Full Sus October 2015

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FullSussa

Masters World Champs page 16

FR

full sus

Oct 2015, Vol 28

www.issuu.com /FullSussa

Bike Review Page 20

@FullSussa

Race to Rhodes Page 18

FullSussa #MTB

#TyreReview Page 36

Isuzu MTB Fest Page 24

An Island Adventure FS

REUNION

MTB Recce It’s a tropical island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, with three calderas, an active volcano, awesome beaches and they want you guys to join us on a recce for MTBing potential, Carel and Liezl Neethling of Adventure Travel Reunion told Shayne Dowling. So he packed his bike box for Reunion.

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e had to make some hasty arrangements, but a really cool thing about Reunion is that South Africans don’t need a visa!

So bike boxes, flippers, goggles and snorkels, a sarong (in Carel’s case), couple of baggies, T’s, GoPro (thanks Nic) and the all-important riding gear!

The team who tackled Reunion and unanimously agreed it’s an adventure of a lifetime.

FLTR (Back) Carel Neethling, Stephen O’Brien, Jaques Nel, Shayne Dowling, (Front) Adrian Winsor and Richard Pieterse.

Reunion is not a chilled resortdriven beach island; it’s a stunningly modern, clean, safe little bit of French heaven with a kickass dollop of adrenaline thrown in! Oh and you can chill on the beach if you want to...

This is a small island with massive contrasts; not only does it go from sea level to 3 100m, but it has tropical beaches, volcanic moonscapes, an active volcano and huge forests which cover the calderas. It’s a beach holiday meets Jurassic Park!

"It's a beach holiday meets Jurassic Park!"

It’s so difficult to explain the size of the mountains and the drama that

the calderas present – it’s so raw and massive that you really just stand and gape. But we were there to ride our bikes, so let’s get to it already.

We all knew about the Megavalanche, the downhill blast from caldera to the beach, certainly the biggest MTB event on the island and well known to South Africans and riders across the globe – the only difference was those guys have huge travel. I looked around warily as the guys unpacked their bikes for a jaunt around the stunning little seaside town of St Giles - I had the most travel at 140mm, the rest were either between 100mm and 120mm – phew! After a leisurely ride along the beachfront and a great dinner on the sand we got some kip and prepared our gear for our first ride the next day.

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FS Editorial

VOLCANOES,

Spioenkop & Newbies…

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e have just come back from what had to be one of the highlights in my mountain biking experience – Reunion was an absolute blast and I hope I managed to give you a little taste of what this “little-big” island has to offer in our cover feature this issue. Once again thanks to Callie, Steve, Rich, Adrian and Jacques (“Careltjie”) for making it such a great trip – proof that half the experience is sharing it with great people!

Things are certainly hotting up around the country, not only on the weather front but most certainly on the MTB calendar. There are just so many events happening right now

and some really great ones coming up. I am taking part in my first Berg and Bush and although desperately unprepared I am really looking forward to it – there is a massive prize on offer for the fastest time up the now infamous Spioenkop climb and its 14 bumps – I reckon I may be testing my trail shoes’ rubber soles on this beast... The KZN beauty is closely followed by my third Wines2Whales – I believe Johan (Kriegler) has one or two surprises in store for us – ek kan nie wag nie! It’s always a brilliantly organised event and W2W’s brags about having one of the best race villages of all stage events in SA, quite a statement but

I can say they probably aren’t far off. There is something about the compulsory portage of Gantouw Pass that makes this race really special. See you at the top!

I’d like to welcome our latest contributor to the fold, she is embarking on the journey of mountain biking. Our “stig” in that we are keeping her identity under wraps for now and will be sharing her journey, inner thoughts and experiences as she starts from scratch. I am sure that you will all agree it can be an intimidating journey and we have made it quite clear to her that we won’t be helping – she needs to find her own way. So good luck newbie, we look forward to following your adventure. Enjoy this packed issue of Full Sus and keep the contributions coming in.

Don’t forget if you are in the Western Cape on 17 October to book your space for our Bike Test Day – an opportunity to test out your favourite

bikes on the Dirtopia trails around Delheim. Not to be missed!

See you on the trails!

SUS Editor’s Review: Mountainsmith Bike Cube Deluxe

Mountainsmith BIKE CUBE O

k so what’s a Bike Cube?

In the old days we would call it a kit bag, but hold your horses this is not just any kit bag – this is a bike specific, luxury, sexy, kit bag! How many times have you got to the trailhead or parking lot and realised you don’t have your buff with you, you forgot your socks or heaven forbid your shoes or helmet. We’ve all been there.

What I love about the Bike Cube is you have special pockets for your helmet and your shoes, a myriad of pockets for your goodies, a padded pouch for your sunnies and a wet compartment for your bottles and sweaty gear after. There are two versions and the Deluxe also comes with a nifty little mat to stand on to change as well as a handy tool pouch – which I have used for all my GoPro goodies. The Cube is designed to fit into the overhead storage bins in a plane and I can confirm it fits in perfectly – I used it on our recent Reunion trip and it was brilliant, not only did I have my

SUS The team

Publishing Editor: Shayne Dowling shayne@integratedmedia.co.za Content Editor: Seamus Allardice seamus@integratedmedia.co.za Editorial Assistant: Molly Fitz-Patrick Art Director: Megan Merifield megan@integratedmedia.co.za Designer: Shannon Flewellen Sales: Jess Nosworthy jess@integratedmedia.co.za PR & Promotions: Ashley Attwood ash@integratedmedia.co.za Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa NPC

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sunnies, helmet and shoes with me in the cabin (priorities!) but also my tab, book etc. I only use my Bike Cube now – it is a brilliant design with great functionality – five stars!

Oh and if its gets dirty you can give it a good wash with soap and water.

Brilliant!

RRP: Bike Cube R1500 and Bike Cube Deluxe R1700.

Sus the Mountainsmith Bike Cube

Regulars: Meurant Botha, Stirling Kotze Snr & Jnr, Jacques Marais, Dr Mike Posthumus, Amy Burton, Molly Fitz-Patrick, Rudolf Zuidema and Craig Kolesky, Erik Kleinhans, Diana Carolin & Joëlle Sleebos Rogue Contributor: David Bristow Photography: Ashley Attwood, Oakpics.com, Red Bull Content Pool, Chris Hitchcock, Cherie Vale, Newsport Media and thinkstock.com.

Contributors: Kathryn Fourie, Caren Henschel and Volume Photography.

Printing: Paarl Coldset (Pty) Ltd Published by: Integrated Media Disclaimer: The views expressed by the contributors and columnists do not necessarily represent the views of Full Sus or Integrated Media.

The Bike Cube can comfortably fit all your riding gear with convenient spaces for each item.

Go to: The standard version (left) comes without a changing mat and the tool pouch.

Head Office | Cape Town Tel: 021 685 0285 Address: Suite WB03 Tannery Park 23 Belmont Road, Rondebosch, 7700 Postal Address: PO Box 259, Rondebosch 7701

Full Sus ALLIANCE PARTNERS

www.bicyclegear.co.za or call 021 790 8548 for more details.

COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS: The Prize/s is as indicated, no alternatives or cash will be provided. The decision of Integrated Media will be final and no correspondence will be entered into. Under no circumstances shall Integrated Media or its appointed representatives and the prize donors be liable to anyone who enters these Prize Draws for an indirect or consequential loss howsoever arising which may be suffered in relation to the Prize Draws. By entering these competitions you make yourself subject to receiving promotional information. Entrants are deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions. Prize Draw Rules: The prize draw is only open to residents in South Africa. Employees of Integrated Media and their respective advertising, media and PR agencies, as well as the family members, consultants, directors, associates and trading partners of such organisations and persons are ineligible for the draw. Prize style and colour may vary.

s w e n

#POOT

The pro mountain bikers will once again be out to have fun during Origin of Trails.

BH South Africa open first concept store

On the 2nd of September BH South Africa’s new distributors, The Motorlease Group, opened their first BH Bicycles Concept Store in Diep River, Cape Town. Despite the great food, excellent company and Motorlease Group Director Ray Wilson’s Maserati Mistral being on display the BH Bikes were at the centre of attention.

For Full Sus the highlight of the 2016 BH range is the Lynx 4.8 Carbon 29er 9.9 – it’s a bike we’ll be testing for the November issue so if you can wait a bit you’ll find out more then, but if not head on

down to the BH Concept Store at 228 Main Road, Diep River, Cape Town. If 120mm travel full suspension bikes aren’t your thing they also have a few really cool road and e-bikes on display, plus there’s the feather light BH Ultimate 29er Carbon 9.9, a race ready carbon hard tail which can be stripped down to a meagre 9kg for the race snakes.

If you can’t make it to the BH Concept Store check them out online at: www.bhsouthafrica.co.za

BOTH PICTURES BY VOLUME PHOTOGRAPHY

FS News

to be completely accurate), Erik Kleinhans is already marshalling the pro riders to get their baggies ready.

POOT? Pennypinchers Origin of Trails! It’s nearly silly season again when the mountain biking calendar suddenly goes bare – from an abundant choice of events every weekend to five in a province over December and January. Just as the Attakwas book marks the start of the MTB year in January, Origin of Trails has come to mark the end of the MTB year in November.

This year Stillwater Sports have tweaked the route to make it even more fun (no slog up Botmaskop) and riders are preparing themselves for two days of jolling on Stellenbosch’s best trails. The unofficial captain of the cheese and wine team (or bacon and eggs at the Ride In, wine at the water points, and cheese, ice cream and craft beer at the finish

Colin van Zyl supermaning his way towards the Ride In on 2014’s day one.

You’re probably no stranger by now to Red Bull’s live webcast of the UCI MTB World Cup events, and you quite possibly even caught the South African MTB Champs live on the internet, but in September Bigshot Media and Dryland Events took live webstreaming outside the confines of lap or downhill racing and into the mountains.

Bigshot tested the technology in the largely urban environment at Ironman South Africa in East London, but the Outeniqua Mountains of Dryland’s Tour of Homewood made the cell phone

data driven system far more complicated. But with three cameras (one in a helicopter and two on motorbikes) and three presenters (one at the finish line and two out on route - in the chopper and on a motorbike) the coverage proved ground-breaking.

Hopefully this means the days of fixed webcam footage from the finish line are soon to be over!

To view the live footage from the Tour of Homewood visit: www.tourofhomewood.co.za and keep an eye on Full Sus’ Facebook page for updates on other races which will feature live streaming.

To join in the fun go to www.stillwatersports.com.

Live streaming of MTB events

Twitter @bh_southafrica

BOTH PICTURES BY SHAUN BENJAMIN

BH South Africa.

Check out the full range of BH offerings at the new Concept Store.

Ray’s Maserati Mistral fitted with roof racks to transport a BH Lynx.

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Full Sus Reader Bike Test Day

FS News

If you’re in the market for a new bike but don’t know where to begin with all the new models being released for 2016 you’d better make a plan to attend the Full Sus Reader Bike Test Day!

from page 6

TROY DAVIS | RETROYSPECTIVE

The Cyclotec Adventure Centre staff celebrating their grand opening.

When: 17 October 2015 Where: Delheim Wine Estate, Stellenbosch What’s on offer: A morning of bike testing, trail riding and good vibes, followed by lunch and an optional longer ride.

To download the Full Sus Reader Bike Test Day booking form scan this QR code.

More info: www.fullsus.co.za/reader-bike-test-day

The Specialized Bicycles network of Elite and Concept Stores grew by three in September with the revamping of Cyclotec Adventure Centre (Windhoek) and the opening of Centurion Cyclery (Pretoria) and Tailwind Cycles (Klerksdorp).

Cyclotec Adventure Centre and Tailwind Cycles are both Specialized Elite Stores, while Centurion Cyclery (the sister store to Lynnwood Cyclery) is a Specialized Concept Store. All three feature

separate road, MTB and ladies’ specific sections, as well as top notch workshops, Body Geometry Fitment studios and coffee shops in store.

2015

The 2015 Rocky Fest also kicks off the Afriski Altitude weekends, a series of MTB events to be held once a month. Riders will earn points at every event with the overall winner crowned in April.

There’s a host of riding options from cross country laps to full on downhill, with Enduro and marathon rides in between. To find out more visit the Afriski website at www.afriski.net and with both rider and spectator packages available it promises to be a lekker weekend for the whole family.

For more info on the three stores visit their websites: www.cycletec.com.na www.centurioncyclery.co.za www.tailwindcycles.co.za follow @SpecializedZA on Twitter for regular updates on all things Specialized Bicycles.

Rocky Fest

SUPPLIED

The Afriski Mountain Resort in the northern Lesotho Highlands will be holding their second Rocky Mountain Festival from 27 to 29 November 2015. The event promises two days of amazing riding with ski-lifts to take the sting out of the Lesotho Highlands climbing.

VOLUME PHOTOGRAPHY

Specialized Bicycles launch three concept stores in September

Bradley Weiss in action during the 2014 Fedhealth XTERRA Grabouw.

Fedhealth Xterra 2016 growth

Honestly it was one of the most fun events we’ve done so far this year.

It’s challenging, it’s a little scary (the swim is terrifying as a firsttimer to be honest) and it gives you a reason to run and swim too so it keeps you mentally fresh for riding. It’s the Fedhealth Xterra SA series and it’s grown for 2016.

Local Xterra organisers, Stillwater Sports, have added a

Port Elizabeth leg to the series, sandwiched nicely between the traditional season opener at Buffelspoort and the Xterra African Champs in Grabouw. There are kiddies, Lite and full race distances at each of the events and entries recently opened too. Trust us, enter one of the Xterra races next year; if you’re new to triathlons do the Lite, you will love it!

Sus the Fedhealth Xterra SA 2016 Dates: 22 January:

Fedhealth XTERRA Kids – Buffelspoort (North West)

23 January:

Fedhealth XTERRA Full – Buffelspoort (North West)

24 January:

Fedheatlh XTERRA Lite – Buffelspoort (North West)

29 January:

Fedhealth XTERRA Kids – Port Elizabeth (Eastern Cape)

30 January:

Fedhealth XTERRA Full – Port Elizabeth (Eastern Cape)

31 January:

Fedheatlh XTERRA Lite – Port Elizabeth (Eastern Cape)

19 February:

Fedhealth XTERRA Kids – Grabouw (Western Cape)

20 February:

Fedhealth XTERRA Full – Grabouw (Western Cape)

21 February:

Fedheatlh XTERRA Lite – Grabouw (Western Cape)

FS An Island Adventure

from page 1 Creamed up and ready to roll we loaded our van with our bikes and gear, the trailer never arrived but being boytjies we made a plan and tumbled into what was to be our “interesting” recce vehicle for the week. A two hour drive later and we found ourselves in the picturesque little town of L’Entre Deux. Callie casually told the driver that we will start at the top car park, Steve (our race snake and weight weenie) looked disappointed, but his demeanour definitely changed when the top car park turned out to be 7km later and 650m of climbing straight up, an average gradient of between 10 and 13%.

We were at well over 1 000m above sea level and our first ride was a jeep track that climbed for 9kms with 800m of ascent. I felt every carb I had ever consumed on the climb! The road was wet in places and so steep that you could hear the tyres spinning on the surface. We ground it out to the top to be rewarded with a great view of Cilaos, a village deep inside a caldera at 1 200m above sea level and our destination for the next few days. The view was breath-taking but everyone was itching to go down! Exhilarating and scary, wet and slippery, but instantly a lot of smiles, laughter and weird noises as we barrelled down (without stopping at the top car park!), 1 425m of descent in 13km! Awesome!

A quick dip in the sea at St Pierre and we started on the hectically windy and steep road to Cilaos. The road is narrow, beautiful and scary…

The hectic drive to Cilaos is well worth it and once again illustrates the diversity of this gem of an island!

Within a couple of hours we had left the beach and were at 1 200m above sea level wearing sweatshirts. The scenery is incredible – Jurassic Park on ‘roids! So green and completely surrounded by huge mountains.

I don’t know how we got this far without me telling you about our bike guide: Ug! (Well Hugo actually but we affectionately called him our mountain goat.) If ever there was an Energiser bunny incarnated, (just not as pretty) it’s Ug. His English is

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House of Herbert, who was across the road playing Boulles! Cafés are a great place to have a beer and meet the locals.

Robocops! Stephen O’Brien and Jaques Nel getting ready for the Megavalance Maxi Route.

Exploring the quaint and beautiful harbour at St Giles. Cycling is a great way to explore towns.

Heading through Cilaos to the trail head.

Inside the caldera you could be in Jurassic Park sans the dinos.

"I felt every carb I had ever consumed on the climb!" passable at best, but his enthusiasm is infectious and his rating of difficulty scale got all of us kissing the big ball a few times. Steve was convinced that he only knew how to count to three! He introduced us to our first bit of singletrack on the outskirts of Cilaos, which is a hiking path but it’s manicured and imminently rideable. However, Callie had a nice encounter with

a rockery on one of the extremely sharp switchbacks, but we survived and left the track with a smile only to have another torturous little road climb back to the trailhead. The ride was essentially on jeep track with some road thrown in – very similar to riding in Knysna. Our route back in gave us the option of doing some “Ug singles” – needless to say that not even 140mm of travel would

2354m above sea level at the viewpoint of Pito de la Fournaise; one of the worlds most active volcanoes which had erupted the day before.

have helped here. It’s essentially a converted hiking path that is only for the most experienced and able downhill riders. It’s steep and gnarly, no trail sculpting and can also be dangerous. The full-face helmet boys will love it.

On leaving Cilaos the guys decided it would be silly not to take the opportunity to ride down to the coast.

This is the insanely twisty road that, although tarred and in excellent condition, would have Tahrs shaking their heads. It is a fast descent from 1 200m to sea level, with lots of blind and super sharp corners. What a jol!

Roadies would love it too but you have to be on your toes at all times because it’s so easy to go into a corner too hot and you end up having to cross the middle line – we had a few close encounters!

Fortunately we all managed to get down safely and with massive grins found the van at the bottom and headed off to our next destination – the highlands and the town of la Plain des Cafres. It should be said that, at this stage, this was a working trip so we were taken to as many sites as possible and this day it proved to be a day of hard work; visiting various towns and beaches, the miracle of Notre Dame des Laves (Our Lady of the Lava) a church that in 1977, had lava run either side of it and survived. There were more snaking roads that go from sea level to 1 600m in a flash. I have to admit to succumbing to motion sickness, and coupled with the high altitude it was not a pleasant experience – take motion sickness tablets! The only other remedy was to get on my bike… which I did.

Piton de la Fournaise is one of the world’s most active volcanoes, it had erupted the previous day and like true tourists, what does one do when the volcano erupts? You rush up to go and have a look of course! We started the ride at an altitude just on 1 600m, well the rest of the gang did, Carel and I met up with them 5km of climbing later and off we went to get to the top and see the active volcano.

turn to page 12

FS An Island Adventure from page 10

The Reunion Tourism Board and their Press Attaché, Sarah Hugon-Manglou, were excellent hosts.

Shayne testing his soles. The singletracks were pretty much hiking paths in places.

All on tar and then finally on sand road, the ride was a gentle climb with a few bumps in it to eventually end up in what can only be described as a lunar landscape. The aftermath of the eruption and the massive lava streams were harsh, remote and hauntingly beautiful.

We also reached the highest point of the trip at a viewpoint that overlooks the massive crater, which makes up the active volcano, but at 2 354m the weather is fairly unpredictable and we found a misty, gloomy vista awaiting us. We did the tourist thing but didn’t dally as it got quite cold (below 10°C) so we mounted up and rode back down in a light rain. Steve and Jacques were persuaded by Ug to try the “singles” on the way down and they had a ball – and a couple of crashes too! Again this is something for longer travel and the more technically proficient rider. This was one of the nicest rides, despite being mainly a road cycle, which we had on our trip. It’s definitely something worth doing.

Back into the van, another windy, but shorter road to the coast and we headed back to St Giles. It has to be my favourite town with its great vibe, holiday feel, white beaches and quaint harbour; the town I would certainly suggest making your base in. We were back to tackle the famed Megavalanche trails – a ride with the van to the top and then by bike straight back down from 2 100m to sea level! Let’s do this thing!

“You want a long travel bike and some body armour?” asked Ug in his best English…

Steve and Jacques, our two

"'You want a long travel bike and some body armour?'asked Ug in his best English" 12

cowboys, gamely suited up and looking like cheap Robocops and feeling bulletproof, convinced everyone the “Maxi” route was for us. Nervously we carried our bike over the 800mm retaining wall from the road onto the old lava rock field. “100 of those steps” said Ug pointing back at the retaining wall drop-off, “and the first 2km on these rocks. Keep your ass over your back wheel and you will be fine,” he said, grinning. Out the corner of my eye I could see Jacques’ armour starting to lose its shine and Adrian putting his bike back over the retaining wall. The decision was unanimous – Classic for us please. Armour off and back to reality!

We hit the jeep track and started what turned out to be an absolute jol! 33km, 60m of climbing and wait for it, 1 950m of descent! Sublime!

From forested track to remote district roads that cut through the sugar cane fields, back roads through some of the more impoverished areas of little towns clinging to the side of the mountain, we flew down to St Giles. I can honestly say it was one of the most entertaining rides I have ever had and it capped off what was a tough week of riding, exploring, eating, chilling on the beach, snorkelling and sampling one or ten local beverages – tough, but hey, someone had to do it!

Reunion is really an amazing place.

It has huge potential for mountain biking – I mean this is a mountain in the middle of a warm ocean that offers something for everyone. If the Reunion Tourism Board is serious about MTB then they need to open a few more trails that offer riding for the majority of riders, and believe me, the opportunity is there. This could become the bike park of the world! For South Africans it’s a really good holiday destination; no visas, a 3 ½ hour flight from Oliver Tambo, no malaria and awesome in our winter. Finally, thanks to the team at Adventure Travel Reunion for making our trip possible – Callie and Liezl you guys are superstars!

You have to know how wide your vehicle is!

Public transport on the nerve-wracking but stunning road to Cilaos.

The lookout at the trailhead of Megavalance. A ride from 2100m above sea level to the coast, on awesome trails awaits.

Stunning white sandy beaches dot the West coast of Reunion and offer the perfect winter getaway for Saffers.

Jaques and Shayne capturing the scenery. Riding along beach roads provided fantastic photo opportunities.

An Island Adventure FS SUS Out Reunion Size: 2 500km² (slightly bigger than Mauritius) Population: ±840 000 (2015) Capital: St Denis Currency: Euro Nationality: France (French overseas Department) Language: French

dient cks, gra de u and altit

a Switchb Above: Adrian Windsor chilling with the road to Piton de la Fournaise in the background.

Below: Looking back at Cilaos from the trail. RIding inside a caldera is a unique experience.

Above: Packing the can was an interesting exercise. For Tetris champs Steve and Jaques it was a sinch.

Below: Patrice and Steve working out the best route.

full sus Thanks Full Sus would like to thank the following team members and brands for their support on this trip: ◆ Adventure Travel Reunion www.adventuretravelreunion.com 021 553 1831 ◆ Reunion Tourism www.welcometoreunionisland.com ◆ GoPro www.goprosouthafrica.co.za ◆ FOX Head South Africa Attack shorts www.foxhead.com/za ◆ Bicycle Gear: Mountainsmith Bike Cube www.bicyclegear.co.za ◆ Photography: Shayne Dowling, Jacques Nel and Adrian Winsor.

FS Trails

Ride light as some of the Tuli jeep tracks are a bit sandy.

Jacques tackling one of the Tuli singletracks on his new Giant Trans.

TULI TRAILS

worse than being microwaved by a sub-continental solar flare.

Plan B: don’t go during summer; get your arse out of your sleeping bag at the crack of dawn; start riding by sunrise, take lots of water and sunscreen, and you’ll be good to go.

One thing to keep in mind, however, is that this arid land is infested with beasts of all shapes and sizes, many of whom might view you as a tasty ‘Meal on Wheels’.

With that in mind, your best option is to ride with one of the existing Adventure Operators who run MTB Safaris up here. Top of the list are Cycle Mashatu (www.mtbsafaris.com) and the new kids on the mountain biking block, Cycle Tuli (www.tuligamereserve.com). Both these crews offer a world-class experience, so get ready to ride.

Tuli… the word means Local Buzz: Hot. Damn hot. That pretty much ‘dust’ in Setswana, sums up the temperatures you can expect up in the Tuli Block and and you will know this goes for just about any time exactly why if you of the year. At the recent #TDT, Day 1 peaked at a ridiculous 43.8 have ever done the Degrees Celsius (that was midAugust) and from the local intel, annual Nedbank I hear that mid-summer can go Tour de Tuli. Problem really silly, into the high 50s.

Now if I could play Mother Hen for is, with less than just a moment I would suggest that (a) you wear a full-body UV suit and 350 spots on the (b) stay in the bar and drink cold beer event, you need to (the St. Louis in Botswana is not too shabby). Problem is, then you don’t find another way to get to ride your bike, and that’s even go and ride it - here’s "Plan B: don't go during summer; get your how. Photographs arse out of your sleeping bag at the crack of and words by dawn; and start riding by sunrise."

Jacques Marais.

Trail Low-Down: Welcome to a land of big-ass views, endless skies, gnarly trails and ‘snarly’ wildlife. It is highly likely that you will bump into animals, either in Mashatu Game Reserve, or in the adjacent Tuli Game Reserve. Both of these Botswana destinations offer either multi-day or shorter outrides, and you can expect pretty much the same kind of terrain.

Huge mashatu (nyala-berry) trees, extensive plains covered in dense stands of mopane bush, sandy river beds, arid savannah plains and dramatic sandstone outcrops lording over the semidesert surrounds… this all comes as a pretty much standard part of the view you will have over the bars.

If you’re keen on a bush experience, but with a morning or afternoon of mountain biking added into the mix – the Tuli Game Reserve is known as ‘Africa’s Finest’ for a reason. Few experiences can rival exploring this quintessential African destination, with riding options along

SUS the Tuli Block Trails: Grading: Beginner to Expert Duration: 2-6 hours per day Configuration: Riding can be tailor-made to suit the group Start Point: Tuli & Mashatu Game Reserves Terrain: Singletrack, game tracks and wild riding Post-Ride Beer: Camps & Lodges in Reserve, Self Catering Must Do Event: The Nedbank #TourDeTuli – www.tourdetuli.com

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Access: All trips must be booked well in advance Cell Reception: Very Limited Accommodation: From wilderness- and tented camps,

to upmarket lodges

Contact: Get in touch via www.mtbsafaris.com or www.tuligamereserve.com.

GPS: (Pontdrift) 22°12’53”S / 29°08’18”E Jacques Marais is the South African trail guru. If he’s not scouting a new MTB trail he’s trail running a new route in the Drakensberg.

His new book More Top MTB Trails has just hit the shelves of all good book shops and you can purchase a copy for R250. Follow him on Twitter @ JacqMaraisPhoto

Trails FS

Where are we?

The first Tour de Tuli or Tour de Kruger as it was then known, because it was located in Kruger National Park rather than in the Tuli Block, took place in August 2005. Then, as now, the tour’s aim was to raise funds for Children in the Wilderness (CITW), an environmental and life skills education programme that focuses on the next generation of rural decision makers.

Zimbabwe

SUS

Botswana

◆

Northern Tuli Game Reserve

South Africa Mokopane

Pretoria Lion isn’t just the king of the jungle in Tuli, it’s still a beer too!

jeep track, singletrack, elephant tracks or even completely off-track!

Here upon the open plains, you will be surrounded by herds of animals, roaming free within natural habitats, ranging from sandstone kopjes and leadwood forests to Mopane bush and riverine forest.

Follow your front wheel along the banks of the mighty Shashe and Limpopo Rivers, stop for a break in the shade of imposing baobab giants, all the while finding new trails along the network of animal footpaths. Non-riders have a number of activities to keep them busy; from game drives and walking safaris, to just chilling at one of the camps or lodges.

For those adventurers keen on a multi-day riding experience, a range of options are offered by both Cycle Tuli and Cycle Mashatu. Their guided riding traverses similar terrain in both Tuli and Mashatu Game Reserves, with overnight stops under starry

Ride early, stop for refreshments often and to reapply sunscreen…

African skies at any number of unique wilderness camps set within a truly pristine African environment.

These riding experiences combine everything that is unforgettable, as far as both mountain biking and the environment go, with knowledgeable guides sharing their bush wisdom and cultural insights. For more information on either of the above options, check out: www.mtbsafaris.com or www.tuligamereserve.com.

Getting There: Follow the N1 north towards Polokwane, and then turn onto the R521 in the direction of Seshego before following the sign towards Mogwadi/Vivo/ Alldays. You will reach Alldays after 145km; at the T-junction, turn right to the Pontdrift Border Post (59km). You will meet your guides there, and your vehicle can stay in the car park.

FS UCI Masters World Champs

SAFFAs Going DOWN HILL Friend: “What are you going to do again?”

Me: “We’re going to race in the Masters World Championships for Downhill in Andorra.”

Friend: “Wow, that’s amazing! Well done for being selected to represent SA!” Me: “Er, no, it’s actually not amazing because the Masters event is a week before the main event; it’s for anyone over the age of 30 who can pay for themselves to enter. Like the World Champs for old people? You don’t have to be selected; it’s basically like going on a riding holiday that ends with a big race. South Africa had no choice in the matter actually.”

Friend: “Oh.”

Champs, has become a winning formula and in 2014 the Masters and Elite World Champs were held in Hafjell, Norway and in 2015 at Vallnord, in the teeny tiny principality of Andorra. And this is where our story begins.

Rika Olivier (40 – 44), Joanne Hicks (30 – 34), Nigel Hicks (35 – 39), Peter Hoyer (55 – 59), Mark Millar (35 – 39), Cobus Truter (30 – 34) and myself (30 – 34) formed a merry band of misfits that headed off to Europe to what has been dubbed “one of the steepest tracks on the circuit” to give the ballies World Champs a crack. As much as I tried to tell myself that this was just a riding holiday with a race tagged on the end, I will admit that I kept having flashbacks to my experience at the Masters World Champs in 2013 but, more specifically to the full body bruising I had managed to create from falling off my bike so much.

Nerves, bicycles and I don’t always go so well together.

We arrived in Barcelona about five days prior to the start of the event, and Mark, Rika and I were sharing a van to haul our bike boxes, kit and tools from El Prat International to Andorra. Andorra is really a country (or principality to be precise) about 300km inland from Barcelona. It’s a tax haven where one can buy cheap beer and ciggies, and the local folks speak Spanish, French and Catalan. There are about 75 000 people who live in Andorra, but only

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The ladies all brought home medals, Kath and Rika took silver while Jo claimed bronze.

25 000 are Andorran – the rest are imports. In fact the population of La Massana where the Vallnord bike park is found has only ±5 000 local people. Another little known fact is that Andorrans have the highest life expectancy age in the world, at 81 years average. Which is astounding to me, considering the entire minination basically chain smoke all day and drink a lot of alcohol. Maybe at the average altitude of 1 996 metres above sea level it cancels out stuff like lung cancer and liver cirrhosis?

La Massana reminded me a lot of Morzine in France; well set up for riding in summer, skiing in winter and the locals are used to seeing streams of trail bikes and DH bikes cruising down the main road into the town centre to catch the gondola up the mountain. Accommodation spots know that mountain bikers provide their bread and butter in the summer, and many of the places are well set up for bikers with permanent bike stands, accessible tools and bike wash bays on hand. The place we stayed at prided

KATH FOURIE

VALLNORDWORLDCHAMPIONSHIPS.COM

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hat conversation has taken place many times in 2015, ever since my partner Mark and I decided we would join five other South Africans in entering the UCI Mountain Bike Masters World Championships. I figured that since a lot of people were confused about exactly what the event was, it was worth explaining in an article what all this Masters jazz is about!

In 1999 the first official ‘Masters’ event was held in Bromont, Quebec.

People were able to simply sign up, get their A’s into G, and head on over to the host country to race against other nations in both the DH and XC disciplines. It’s a liberating feeling really, no-one to tell you that you are or are not a good enough rider and if you have the bucks, you can just pull in and gooi mielies down a top notch DH track.

Initially the Masters event was held at a different time of year to the main event, and at a different track. Bromont was the venue from 1999 to 2003, and then it moved over to Brazil for some years, then to Pra Loup in France for three years, then back to Brazil for another three years until a landmark decision was taken to run the Masters event directly before the main Elite event in 2013. Ring a bell? Why yes, that is when Pietermaritzburg had won the bid to host the World Champs!

Turned out we did such a good job of it in attracting rider numbers that combining it with the Elite World

NIGEL HICKS

Andorra didn’t just host the Elite UCI MTB and Trials World Champs, the week before the trails of Vallnord played host to the Masters World Championships and Kathryn Fourie lead the charge for South Africa.

Mark keeping it rubber side down for the camera.

Jo enjoying a beer for her fear.

itself on being “bike friendly”, and they genuinely were. The reception manager sold us reduced price ski lift passes through the establishment, which still worked out at R786 for a three day pass. Not cheap! By the time we’d unpacked bikes, bought food, figured out how stuff worked etc., we decided to ride for three days and take a rest day on registration day when we would go and walk the track.

The riding in this area is interesting; in that the main mountain is broken into three sections, with three ski lifts, and each section of mountain tends to differ in gradient and geology to the next. To say the tracks were rough would be an understatement, in that I had to actually go and buy rigid strapping tape to secure my old rock climbing tendon injuries under my gloves. I literally couldn’t hang onto my bars after the second day of riding. I felt like I’d been slammed with a meat tenderising hammer for 48 hours. In desperation, we would head down to the river after riding and dunk our arms up to our smelly pits until they went numb in the frigid water, to try to relieve the fatigue. It was rough, but rad, and by day three we had all grown in confidence.

The buzz of La Massana certainly started to grow and by Sunday all the XC and DH Masters entrants were in town and ready to rumble. The local police had their hands full with jaywalking foreigners. We managed to register and headed up the hill for a track walk as we were now allowed to walk down the entirety of the track. All went well for the first third, even half of the track, with Jo saying “I don’t feel so worried now, I think I can handle this” and we all agreed… until we came around a corner and watched the world disappear at our feet. Our timid, quavering feet

photographs (and multiple nervous trips to the portaloo).

And then it was time, we were ready to go. The first women got on their way (both in their late 50s I’ll add), and then Rika was out the gate like a shot of lightening, and a couple minutes later I saw the back of Jo’s head. And then it was my turn. I have never come so close to puking in my helmet. I don’t know how the hell the top riders do this over and over and over all year long, year after year. My mind would be shot.

Anyway, long story short – I crashed twice, in places I’d had no problem with before (sigh), was passed by the speedy ex-World Cup racer behind me, and then caught up with the other riders near the front where it was too technical to pass. My time was not what I wanted, but that seems to be the story of every rider unless you’re the winner. Rika had a clean run, but took it easy due to her arm. Jo’s run was clean, as was Nigel’s.

Mark crashed properly twice (seems like we do things in pairs – I fall out of the Start gate, he falls off the finish jump) and Cobus kept his focus to get down in one piece too. We were all elated! Not one trip to hospital!

It was truly awesome bouncing around the finish area, smiling,

UCI Masters World Champs

FS

large part of the radical; and I’d go again in a heart beat.

Next year the Masters World Champs is set to be in Val di Sole (Italy), and it’s a super gnarly track that chews people up for breakfast.

I’m not sure if I’ll be there, but part of me is already wondering if it’s not the worst idea I’ve ever had… sorry Mom. If you were born anytime before 1985 you may want to consider it too!

sweaty, relieved, high-fiving the new friends we’d made, getting our hands on beers as fast as possible, cheering others coming over the finish line… and watching Cesar Rojo from Spain taking his category win and the overall fastest time with a 4:31.35. Jo and I came third and second in the 30 – 34 category, and Rika took second in the 44 – 49 category (and was third fastest overall). It’s such a pity about her wrist as she was certainly a main contender for fastest overall woman.

Nige came in 40th and Mark 50th in the 35 – 39 age category, and Cobus came 62nd in the 30 – 34 age group.

It was pretty awesome to hop up on the stadium wearing the SA flag on our shirts, have a Spanish man completely mispronounce our names on a loud speaker, wave flowers around and see our friends cheering away. Kind of unreal actually.

The trip was radical. I don’t have other words to describe it, just radical in the true sense of the word. You get to live like a child for ten days, riding, eating cheese and drinking beer. Eat, ride, sleep, meet cool people, get scared, progress, push, crash, get frustrated, do it better, get elated… it’s something I hope that every person over the age of 30 get’s a chance to experience.

To be fair, going over with Nigel, Jo, Peter, Mark, Rika and Cobus was a

SUPPLIED

"Nerves, bicycles and I don't always go so well together."

Jo’s race face.

Read The Blog

If you’d like to read more about our exploits visit: www.southafricansgoingdownhill. wordpress.com

NIGEL HICKS

that were now straining to keep our calves in a position that would allow us to not fall on our faces due to the fact that the track drops 700m in 2.5km. Needless to say, the wind had efficiently been taken out of our sails. We thought the best approach was to take Jo’s advice and purchase a “beer for the fear” which we then drank - the perks of being a Master.

There were 278 entrants on the results list, a few of those were DNS or DNF, but a fair amount of people dropped out during the course of the practice days. I would say originally there were 300 entrants, which would make sense as practice days felt like going to battle against 299 other people set on ripping your head off with their knobbly tyres.

It was frikking carnage. I wrote a blog post about it called “Running of the Bulls” and honestly, from my perspective, that is what it felt like. I know I was riding conservatively and stiffly, but I had two Welshmen on Day One screaming at me to move out of the way in an area that was not particularly easy to stop. I was so mad that when I pulled over I may or may not have screamed “£@%& you assholes! It’s Day One of practice, chill the £@%& out!” …not my finest moment I’ll admit.

At the end of practice on day one we realised this track was serious, but ultimately, were extremely relieved we could get down the track upright. Might I say we were even upbeat! Nige and Mark, who had been hoping for a Top 10 result initially, started saying “er… maybe Top 20…” And by the end of day two were saying “Top 30 would be incredible”. The skill levels were high, the speed was nuts, and the crashes were plentiful to say the least. It was not nice seeing the helicopter dispatched a few times a day to retrieve people with neck injuries, nor was it confidence-inspiring.

As you may have gathered the competition was stiff and serious, and when race day dawned we were hella nervous and pretty keen to be done with all the waiting and sonic boom butterflies gnawing at our guts. The vibe at the top of the hill was jovial, friendlier than the day before, with loads of fist bumps and

Nigel, Mark, Kath and Jo awaiting the starter’s orders for their race day runs.

Kath Fourie is an environmental consultant, a Masters student, a double UCI Masters World Champs medal winner and soon to be regular contributor to Full Sus. She can be found on the trails of Howick with her little pack of trail dogs, and Mark Millar, chasing down KOMs.

FS Ride Report - Race to Rhodes Part II

Race to Rhodes

Part II

Race to Rhodes takes riders through the heart of rural South Africa.

ANDREW KING

In the September issue Caren Henschel told us about her Race to Rhodes Experience, explaining the route and her race plan. In this issue she delves into the nitty gritty of riding, hiking and climbing from Pietermaritzburg to Rhodes.

narratives I got to the Minerva lunch stop, through the beautiful Umkomaas River Valley and up Hella Hella Mountain to the overnight stop at Allendale, around sunset. On arrival I did the mandatory check in: text the vigilant race office and fill in the time sheet.

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Day 2

Being Self-Sufficient but Light Well, first of all, you prepare to be absolutely self-sufficient; whether it’ll be clothing, nutrition, bike maintenance or navigation in the way our forefathers did it – with a compass and a map. Then, arrive at the race start in Pietermaritzburg with as little as possible but as much as you need.

The recommended kit can be summarised as “one fits all”.

Meaning that except for the luxury of two pairs of socks and two pairs of good cycling shorts I only had one set of clothing that I would wear in various combinations of layers (not to impress my fellow riders but) according to weather requirements!

Day One

Pietermaritzburg to Allendale: ±96km with 2 500m ascent All eight riders in our start group set off together in the dark

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at 06:00 from the Town Hall in Pietermaritzburg towards Rhodes.

There is not an official start line, rather a loose gathering point. We rode together to the outskirts of town, where the ‘field’ started to spread out.

I was in no particular hurry bearing in mind the long day ahead of me.

About 5kms into the ride I stopped to take out some grass out of my hub and when I looked up again I found myself alone but for one other rider. This wasn’t what I had ‘planned’ for: I assumed that riders would stick together for a little longer and I would be able to benefit at least for the first day from the detailed route knowledge of the more experienced riders and just tag along. Well, wrong, I had to navigate my own way from the first hour.

After a little anxious moment I got excited about the adventure ahead and then got even more excited when I found my first ‘bokkie’: a tiny, 10x5cm Freedom Challenge sign high on a telephone pole indicating that I was on the right track.

Yeah, what a relief!

I didn’t find another ‘bokkie’ that day but following my maps and

Allendale to Ntsikeni: ±100km with 2 700m ascent I started the day before dawn, prepared for a long day ahead of me.

Two fellow riders and I got lost within the first kilometre. We followed a cattle track to the wrong fence-line which resulted in a little detour in the dark which cost us an hour. We finally reoriented ourselves to make it to Donnybrook, reversing up some sani2c route. Then we got lost again on our way down to the mission station in Centecow.

The forestry roads are tricky and confusing and the maps are not always accurate because the plantations change. We could see Centecow in the valley below but couldn’t find the direct route down. We went backwards and forwards before we went bundu-bashing down along a fence-line. Another hour or so lost.

A regrettably quick lunch stop at the friendly mission station and back onto the climbing road again aiming for Bosholweni Peak. We were hoping to get to our next support station in the Ntsikeni Nature Reserve in daylight but eventually made it through the Reserve in the

"I found my first 'bokkie': a tiny, 10x5cm Freedom Challenge sign high on a telephone pole indicating that I was on the right track."

HAYDEN BROWN

icture this… a race of approximately 500km, in the middle of winter, in the outback of South Africa, with no tracking chip, no timing mats, no route markers, no GPS and no water points every 20km or so. It took me 5 days, 10 hours and 45 Minutes. The record holder Mike Woolnough did it in 3 days, 8 hours and 50 minutes!

You’ll definitely learn the best way to carry a bike in the Freedom Challenge.

dark. Luckily we found the remains of the overgrown track leading to the lodge. What a happy sight it was to spot the welcoming lights in the far distance!

Day 3

Ntsikeni to Masakala: ±100km with 2 400m ascent The day started with a surprise, a new experience for me: when I opened the door at 04:30 I was not only greeted by an icy wind but also found the world around me, including my bike, covered in snow!

I wrapped myself in several layers of clothing, felt warm and comfy despite the harsh conditions and was soon enjoying the ride in the dark and snow. The snow melted in beautiful sunshine later in the day, but the temperatures stayed cold and the wind icy. A hearty lunch at Famous Sheila (Glen Edward farm) was more than welcome and we were tempted to stay but had to keep moving.

We got to the wattle forest before Masakala (our next sleepover stop) just after sunset and too late to be

Xxxxxxxx Ride Report - Race to Rhodes Part II FS

U

"We could see dwellings' lights in the far distance and were looking for our next landmark, a tower, when suddenly Eskom intervened."

Masakala to Malekgolonyane: ±60km with 1 000m ascent I got up tired knowing that another big day lay ahead and that I shouldn’t dawdle. Instead I took my time over an interesting breakfast (fish fingers, beans and steamed bread) and only got going at dawn just before 07:00 with two fellow riders. Navigation was pretty straight forward at first but got tricky from the spur overlooking the floodplain. Following cattle trails we crossed the floodplain and some rivers, before getting back onto a district road and passing a few villages as we made our way to Queen’s Mercy Shop.

The shop is an indicated landmark in the route description but disappointingly doesn’t exist anymore. We left the village, passed Maria Linden Mission Station and following footpaths climbed up a ridge. The hard work getting up to the top was rewarded with a stunning 360˚ view from the peak.

On our way to Maria Zell Mission Station we got lost again in a wattle assembly on Gladstone Farm.

Eventually back on the district road to Malekgolonyane we were met by a group of cheerful young boys, who were proudly showing off their bright yellow Quebeka bikes.

I was hanging on to Marnitz’s (w)heels, who seemed to know the route blind folded. But shortly after Black Fountain and Tinana Mission I lost contact with the group; I panicked a bit and had to sit down to collect and orientate myself. Vuvu Valley, a place where even experienced riders get lost, lay ahead of me.

In the middle of the valley I had a little argument with my compass which showed North to be in a different direction to that which the sun was indicating. I chose to trust the sun and accompanied by a couple of boys riding up to the village on their mules I got to Vuvu School (where we had dinner) just after sunset. Accommodation is arranged in the private homes of local people, who let you move in with them for the night. It offered me a once-in-a-life-time opportunity to get a brief insight into life in rural Vuvu.

Day 6

Vuvu to Rhodes: ±54km with 1650m ascent I left the heights of Vuvu at a beautiful rosy-orangey dawn with

Day 5

Pietermaritzburg

◆

Cape Town

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Rhodes N2 N2

the surrounding mountains covered in frost. After a short ride on gravel roads I arrived at the foot of Lehana’s Pass at about 08:00. After a hearty snack I shouldered my bike and set off to conquer the 1 000 metre hike over the mountain. There is no path, only cattle tracks (which lead you the wrong way) as one aims towards a blue container on top of the mountain. It looks like a little Lego block when it first comes into sight after about an hour of hiking.

I chose a line-up over a ridge, passing two shepherd kraals and patches of snow. I reached the top of Lehana’s at about lunchtime, proud of having picked a hard but great line of ascent!

On the way down I stopped for coffee at the comforting Tenahead Lodge, tempted to stay in the luxury accommodation over the achievement of finishing the ride.

However, I pulled myself together for the final stretch of 40km (not all downhill) down to the village of Rhodes and the end of what was an unforgettable experience.

Where are we?

Ride to Rhodes is part of the greater Freedom Challenge, and challenges riders to selfnavigate from Pietermaritzburg to Rhodes. If you’re not up for the cold, unsupported Ride to Rhodes you can enter the Spring Ride to Rhodes which offers a guided ride, with fully catered overnight accommodation and vehicle support along the route.

Find out more at: www.freedomchallenge.org.za.

Next up, the full Freedom Challenge Race Across South Africa!

Race to Rhodes boasts fantastic rural hospitality.

Malekgolonyani to Vuvu School: ±70km with 1 700m ascent

Kwazulu Natal

HAYDEN BROWN

Day 4

Navigation is easier in a group, but fellow riders don’t always wait should you start to slow.

HAYDEN BROWN

Three more riders, including Marnitz Nienaber who has completed the full Freedom Challenge more times than anyone else and who had started the race a day later than me, caught up with us at Malekgolonyani and joined us for the night. We decided to all set off together in the pitch dark at 05:00 in the morning. We found ourselves bundu-bashing, climbing through steep dongas and fighting through wattles and other obstacles by the light of our headlamps.

Idyllic Eastern Cape scenes.

A F R I CA

TH

SO

HAYDEN BROWN

able to navigate by the landmarks described in the narratives so we got badly lost again. We were lucky to have a clear sky, a sickle of the new moon, with Jupiter and Venus alongside it, to guide us through the wattle thickets and dongas. We eventually emerged around 20:00 with the temperature and my energy levels dropping quickly but relieved to have found the district road to Masakala. We could see dwellings’ lights in the far distance and were looking for our next landmark, a tower, when suddenly Eskom intervened: at 21:00 load shedding kicked in and all our landmarks vanished in the darkness. We were lost again!

Cold, tired and hungry we arrived at Masakala Guesthouse’s two traditional rondavels in a traditional village with welcoming hostesses and ample food waiting for us. It felt like a blessing. The cold shower was hardcore, but I couldn’t have done without it before falling into my bunk bed.

Caren Henschel has been a cycling enthusiast since her childhood in Germany.

In South Africa she found the perfect match for cycling with her love for nature. Her next big adventure will be 2016 Freedom Challenge.

19

FS Bike Review

Aclimatising to

ALTITUDE Rocky Mountain’s Altitude 730 is a bike that grows on you, Seamus Allardice found out, especially when you start playing with its Ride-9 system. Photos by Ashlee Attwood.

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ith its 650B wheels, 160mm travel X-Fusion fork, 150mm travel Fox Float DPS rear shock, slack angles and bright red (Cherry red? Fire truck red? It’s a mountain bike I’m sure just red will do) colourway the Rocky Mountain Altitude 730 is an eye- catching bike. It looks like the archetypal aggressive trail bike – and that’s because it is.

For the first few rides I was a little underwhelmed though. It climbed remarkably well and it felt quick on the trails, but Strava confirmed it was a little off my usual pace. I couldn’t quite figure it out… The Continental Mountain King tyres are a confidence-inspiring, terrain-gripping 2.4 inches wide, plus the X-Fusion fork was proving to be exceptionally plush and performing beyond my expectations. But the bike felt a little twitchy, especially on technical rocky trails.

So I prepared to write a review on how 29ers have dulled the need to hone technical skills; as they let you bash over obstacles, but to ride a 27.5 wheeled bike fast, you need to know how to bunny hop and boost over obstacles. Returning from my second or third ride on the Altitude a little disappointed (in my own lack of technical skills more than anything else), I decided that I would have to fiddle with the Ride-9 system before settling down to write the review. And wow, am I glad I did!

It changed the bike entirely! And I ended up doing another five or six rides on it because I loved it so much.

If you’re not familiar with Rocky’s Ride-9 system, it’s two interlocking cubes through which the rear shock bolts to the frame. But unlike the other bikes I’ve ridden with links or some other mechanical wizardry which can be flipped to adjust the bike’s geometry – Rocky’s Ride-9 system doesn’t just offer two settings; it offers a mind boggling nine. The Altitude 730 came set-up in the middle of the nine settings; I wanted to see what the bike could really do, so I switched it to the most aggressive setting. With the bolt now in the furthest forward position the head angle slackened to 66.6° and the saddle felt like it was out over the back wheel somewhere. Just rolling down the road, the bike felt totally different, and when I preloaded to boost off the first bump I couldn’t believe it was the same bike! My every move elicited a response from the rear shock, turning the bike into a playful tyke intent on taking to the air at

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Rocky boasts one of the coolest badges in cycling.

every opportunity.

Pedalling efficiency and the once phenomenal ease of climbing suffered as the suspension began to work overtime.

In the centre Ride-9 setting the Fox shock’s ‘firm’ setting was near rigid. In the aggressive forward Ride-9 setting ‘firm’ was nearer the original medium. Adding another 10psi to the shock made it more efficient, though my primary concern was blowing through the travel. With the super slack head and seat tube angles, climbing was tough. Long gradual climbs were easy as you can just grind them with the ample two by ten gearing offered by the SRAM X9 drivetrain, but when it gets steep it becomes near impossible to get weight over the front wheel (a Dual Position RockShox Pike would be ideal to counter this). But honestly, I didn’t miss the pedalling efficiency or the climbing ability one bit, not even on the torturous climbs of the Isuzu MTB Festival Enduro – I was having far too much fun going downhill!

In the Ride-9’s most aggressive setting the Altitude just grips and grips, it conquered everything I threw at it; from

"I didn't miss the pedalling efficiency or the climbing ability one bit - I was having far too much fun going downhill!"

Ride-9 is made possible by these two clever interlocking cubes.

the washed out and rocky section at the top of Contermanskloof, to the silky smooth berms and gaps of G-Spot, plus a little off-piste adventure on the Heuningberg outside Bredasdrop were I missed a trail marker and ended up following a firebreak. If I’d been more mechanically inclined I’d have tried it in the ‘light’ and

‘heavy’ Ride-9 settings too, but don’t let my lack of mechanical skills put you off. Switching out the Ride-9 shouldn’t take you more than 10 minutes the first time and you’ll probably get it down to under two after a couple of tries (Rocky say a few seconds, but that seems a bit ambitious).

At R29 000 there’s no faulting

Bike Review FS SUS the Rock Mountain Altitude 730 Geometry ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE FOR A MEDIUM FRAMED BIKE IN DEGREES OR MM. Head Tube .................................. 120mm Top Tube ......................................585mm Seat Tube ....................................457mm Chainstay ...................................428mm Head Angle ...................... 66.6 to 68.3˚ Seat Tube Angle .............. 73.6 to 75.3˚ Standover Height .................... 734mm Wheelbase ................................ 1142mm Reach ...............................410 to 427mm Stack ............................. 596 to 604mm RRP R29 000

Ride- 9 Explained Scan this QR Code to see how Rocky Mountain explain their Ride-9 System.

RIDE-9TM enables riders to choose 1 of 9 different geometry and suspension configurations to suit their riding style, terrain, and weight.

LIGHTER

EFFICIENT

AGGRESSIVE

HEAVIER

The grips and saddle are sourced from Rocky’s own in-house stock, while the stem, bars and seatpost are from Race Face.

There’s no doubting the model with Rocky’s bold graphics.

Rocky Moutain’s SMOOTHLINK™ looks (a bit) and works like a Horst Link suspension system.

the X-Fusion fork, SRAM X9 drivetrain or Avid Elixir 3’s, though a chainstay protector is a missing necessity. The Altitude 730 also lacks a dropper seatpost, again, at the price it’s not a surprise, but with a quick release seat-clamp rather than a hex-key bolted one, dropping the saddle for a downhill blast

is no sweat. If you’ve got fewer budget constraints though, I’d suggest taking a closer look at the higher spec carbon models; all of which boast single chainrings, 11 speed drivetrains and dropper seatposts as standard – plus, with less weight to keep you earthbound they must really fly.

The drivetrain is made up wholly by SRAM components rather than a mix as we’ve become used to seeing on bikes in this price bracket.

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FS Yoga & Pilates – brought to you by Concept Studio

Listen To Your Body Have you been doing Joëlle Sleebos’s core exercises from the last issue? You should be feeling your abdominals getting stronger.

Now it’s time to strengthen the other side of your core, your back.

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n this issue, I thought to give you the chance to continue your core workout by adding two more core exercises based on a combination of yoga poses. These two focus more specifically on your back muscles.

Among the different exercises and poses, you will notice a pose called “child’s pose” (Balasana). As you probably know, yoga is much more than a physical exercises regime. For many people it also becomes a mental and spiritual practice or disciple.

An aspect I love about yoga is that you learn to listen to the body. Some days you have lots of energy and you

feel great, while other days you just don’t feel as energetic and strong.

I absolutely love the fact that we can decide how we move, and yoga provides so many options to fit in with how you’re feeling on the day. Some days your practice will be strong and you will do all the advanced options, while other days you might just take it a little easier and do the less advanced options – that’s perfectly fine as long as you’re listening to your body.

While doing yoga you can always, whenever you want, come in to child’s pose. Child’s pose is a resting pose. You can hold it from

30 seconds to a few minutes.

Knowing when to take a rest during exercise, letting the body be your guide instead of your mind, your will, your (sometimes) stubbornness

Sus Joëlle’s Yoga Training Plan If you have enough time each time you do these yoga poses, try to do your Sun Salutation A from the June/July issue and the two exercises from the September issue. Just add on these two exercises to your workout. If you do this routine four times a week, you will feel the difference quickly!

Scan this QR Code to download a printable version of Joëlle’s Yoga Training Plan.

or whatever other external reason, is a beautiful thing to learn to do. It has taught me to adapt my practice according to my needs and to apply the same in my other daily activities.

Check it out and it will hopefully help you connect more with your true self.

It’s all about balance!

More Core

For more yoga core exercises scan this QR Code or visit: www.fullsus.co.za/ category/yoga/ Joëlle Sleebos has 16 years of experience in the fitness industry as a group fitness instructor and became a personal trainer in 2012. She’s been teaching yoga since 2010, when it also became her main form of exercise. Follow Joëlle on Twitter at @JoelleSleebos or on Facebook: Joelle Sleebos – Getting Personal.

Balancing out your Core: Yoga Poses to Strengthen Your Back

PHOTOS BY ASHLEE ATTWOOD

Warm-up: Suryanamaskara A series – scan this QR code to view it online.

Horse pose

D) Stretch out arm and leg

G) Horse pose

Inhale: Reach arm & leg even further.

Inhale

E) Cross over

H) Chaturanga on knees

Exhale: Left knee, Right elbow, Nose together underneath the body.

Exhale

After warming up by doing Sun Salutation A) start in the Horse Pose.

B) Reach right arm forward Inhale: Keep lower back flat, pull belly in.

Exhale & Hold pose: Keep your body still, use your core muscles, hold for 3-4 breaths.

Inhale

Exhale

C) Reach left leg back Inhale: Keep lower back flat, pull belly in.

Exhale & Hold pose: Keep your body still, use your core muscles, hold for 3-4 breaths.

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F) Repeat poses D & E Inhale & Exhale as you alternate between poses D & E 3-4 times.

I) Child’s pose Rest

www.conceptstudio.co.za | 021 434 2266 | @ConceptStudioSA Book your altitude training package for FNB Wines2Whales now.

u n yo whe ike.

– g b inin your s tra sh Cros e to pu v ha

FS

photo of the month

Oakpics is a Strand based photographic company.

They shoot a vast array of events, covering everything from wild horses to weddings. But it’s in MTB that they’ve carved out a niche as one of the leaders in the field. If you spot them on the trails, usually when you’re picking yourself up after an unexpected brush with the ground, you can purchase the photos directly from their website.

Or book them to shoot your event. Call them on 021 854 8723 or visit www.oakpics.com.

23

FS Ride Report - Isuzu MTB Festival & Fedhealth MTB Challenge

A Festival of

MTB Fun Fedhealth MTB Challenge riders summiting the Dorst Berg before taking on the last descent to Meerendal.

With an Enduro, a relay, a kiddies race and the Fedhealth MTB Challenge events to choose from at the Isuzu MTB Festival local mountain bikers were spoilt for choice, and Volume Photography was there to capture the action.

ISUZU Enduro speedblur.

Sus the Isuzu MTB Festival & Fedhealth MTB Challenge When: 5th and 6th of September 2015 Where: Meerendal Wine Estate Events: ISUZU Enduro | Ybike Kiddies Trail Event | ISUZU Team Relay | Fedhealth Kids MTB | Fedhealth MTB Challenge Organisers: Stillwater Sports Website: www.stillwatersports.com Social Media: @FedhealthMTB | @MTBFEST | @StillwaterMTB_EventsÂ

The organised chaos complete with moms and dads in the Ybike Kiddies Trail Event.

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For the older kids the Meerendal singletracks awaited.

Ride Report - Isuzu MTB Festival & Fedhealth MTB Challenge FS The Fedhealth MTB Challenge route took in the amazing Berm Ally.

Soaking up the sun and enjoying the views at the summit of Dorst Berg.

It might not be an Olympic medal but that didn’t dampen this young man’s spirits.

Farmland singletracks at their most picturesque.

Ask Dr Mike:

Do I need a powermeter?

In this issue Dr Mike Posthumus answers a reader’s training related question about whether or not he needs a powermeter.

D

ear Dr Mike All my riding partners seem to have recently purchased powermeters. They have all been convinced that you are not able to train without one. I would like to know how much better power training is compared to heart rate training.

Regards, Justin Dear Justin Recent price drops in powermeters, and the advent of cost effective powermeter’s (like Stages) has certainly caused a gain in the number of powermeters seen on our local trails. I do however feel that the true benefit of powermeters is not fully understood. If you had to ask one of your friends who had just purchased a powermeter, their response would probably be down the lines of being able to “train to power” or to “perform power training”. Although I acknowledge that there is a time and place for training at a certain power,

FS Healthful Amy

Carrot Cake Overnight Oatmeal

This month Amy Burton is talking about breakfast.

And it turns out your mum was right when she said it is the most important meal of the day!

F

or athletic folks breakfast is even more important. A healthy, filling, nourishing one is an imperative when you are about to embark on a training ride, or get your game face on for race day.

So what exactly is the perfect ‘athlete orientated’ breakfast comprised of? Well let’s look at what you need from your breakfast first: Muscles need to be stocked up

26

there really isn’t much benefit over and above using either heart rate or perceived exertion.

Dr Jeroen Swart and his colleagues performed a very interesting research study, which was published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. In this study they compared intervals performed at a specific power output, and compared this to intervals performed to a heart rate equivalent intensity. Most interesting was the notable difference of how intervals were performed. Compared to the power groups that performed constant power efforts, the heart rate group started off much harder to get their heart rate up, followed by a gradual drop in power while maintaining a constant heart rate.

The interval average power was identical between the two groups.

When the responses to these intervals were compared the study demonstrated a tendency for the heart rate group to improve more with Glycogen, Fatty Acids and Protein, all of which are ‘burned’ for energy during exertion.

The brain needs Good Fats, Protein, Complex Carbohydrates, Micronutrients, Vitamins, Minerals and Phytonutrients so as to remain focused and awake during exercise.

All other bodily systems need an abundance of various Minerals, Nutrients and Water so as to function at an optimum level whilst training.

Sounds like a tall order? No worries! I have you covered with this recipe, which includes all the different elements you need and is far from boring or bland!

Carrot Cake Overnight Oatmeal Ingredients: Oats:

½ cup grated carrots and apple (1 apple, 1 large carrot) ½ cup mashed bananas 1 cup organic rolled oats ¾ cup coconut milk 2 tablespoons vanilla pea protein powder/hemp protein powder (Optional) ½ teaspoon mixed cinnamon

prefer to encourage athletes to simply do the best they can, to be able to achieve the highest possible interval average power (average of each interval). This interval average may then be used as a performance indicator. It will both detect an improved performance and track progression, and be an early indicator of inadequate recovery. This is the primary reason I personally train with a powermeter.

than the power group.

Although this was only a tendency, it indicates that there is no rationale for advocating intervals to a specific power. The reason for the greater adaptation in the heart rate group may have been due to the high power at the start of the interval. This just simply illustrates that the primary benefit of a powermeter is not, as many advocate, to perform training at a certain power. The true benefit of a powermeter, in my opinion, is to receive objective feedback and monitor progression.

During last month’s column I explained that the best training adaptations are made when you “push past” your limits. If you start an interval session with the objective of performing 3 x 10 minute intervals at 400 watts and you end up doing exactly 300 watts for each interval, this session, in my opinion, was probably not performed to your limit.

If you were still able to perform the same power output on your last interval you most probably did not push yourself to your limit. I therefore

The introduction of Stages powermeters has made power based training more accessible than ever.

Dr. Mike Posthumus is an accomplished academic with UCT’s Exercise Science and Sports Medicine faculty and a coach with Science 2 Sport. He was a provincial rugby player before switching togs for cleats and taking up competitive mountain biking. He has an exceptional knowledge of training periodisation and scientific training principles. Find out more at: www.sciencetosport.com

Questions for Dr Mike: If you have any coaching or sports science related questions you’d like to ask Dr Mike please send them to sussed@fullsus.co.za and Dr Mike Posthumus will answer them in Full Sus. and nutmeg 1-2 tablespoons healthy sweetener of choice (Honey, maple syrup, dates etc.)

Pinch of Kalahari rock salt/ Himalayan salt

Topping: A handful of almonds 2 tablespoons coconut milk/almond milk 1 tablespoon coconut flakes ½ a chopped apple 1 teaspoon maca powder Cinnamon to taste

Method: In a small bowl, mix all of the ‘oats’ ingredients together. Divide between two mason jars. Cover and refrigerate so the oats soften and absorb the liquid (activating).

If you prefer a warm breakfast you can heat on the stove for about 3 minutes, but I prefer it cold. Top with the almonds, cinnamon, coconut milk, coconut flakes, apple, maca and cinnamon. Take a seat and enjoy a protein-rich breakfast which will pack a tasty punch, deliver all the needed nutrients and keep you sated throughout your ride/run/workout.

"A healthy, filling, nourishing one is an imperative when you are about to embark on a training ride, or get your game face on for race day."

AMY BURTON

FS Coaching

Amy Burton is a mountain biker, trail runner, graphic designer and foodie.

She has recently of opened a Rawfood and Superfood smoothie bar at Trail and Tar in Tokai so drop by for a great healthy treat.

When she is not riding her bike, running or running her own business, she posts amazing recipes and photos on Instagram, so follow her at @healthful_amy.

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The Lion King and an Ellie.

ALL PHOTOS BY ERIK KLEINHANS

FS Kleinhans Muesli

To iSimangaliso & BEYOND!

The daily shuttle back to Phinda was a game drive in itself.

Erik Kleinhans has done more than a few races, but the iSimangaliso race briefing contained a first for him… survival tips on how to handle an encounter with one of the Big Five.

W

hat is the correct procedure when one of the Big Five decides it’s time to make flapjacks out of you? Stand your ground, put your bike in between you and the wildling, and if it charges throw your bike at it and climb a tree fast. But if it is a big old “Ellie” you are basically stuffed!

At the recent RECM Knysna 200 I met Kevin Pretorius, the Regional Director of the &Beyond Safari group, who kindly invited me to come participate in the four day MTB stage race through the iSimangaliso Wetland park. And even more special; the invite included a five night stay in the amazing Phinda Private Game Reserve, which is managed by &Beyond Safaris and is part of the race route.

I teamed up with former professional soccer player, Gordon Gilbert, who is an ambassador for conservation and preservation of the area. I came with high hopes of venturing off course looking for wild animals, stopping at water points and walking through every sandy section – but Gordy had different ideas, after getting lost and finishing second the year before, the team talk before the start was easy: “Erik, this is my home race, I would like to win.”

Simple enough and a change in game plan was in order!

The Phinda Private Game Reserve is absolutely spectacular. I am definitely not used to that kind of luxury and we hardly managed to put

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our bags in our rooms before setting out on our first, of many, game drives around the park. We had some great animal sightings, almost managed the full Big Five, just the leopard evaded us. The highlight for me was witnessing cheetahs hunting and devouring a carcass.

The riding, well, I guess it ended up being racing, was great fun. Each day offered a different type route and vastly different terrain. Day one was around the St Lucia estuary, it was flat and slightly sandy, the route followed hippo trails and we routinely spotted the trail builders chilling in the estuary.

Day two we rode along the lakes, rivers and through some endemic forestry sections which have survived the alien vegetation invasion. The good news for next year and the years thereafter is that they are currently clearing the aliens so hopefully the vegetation will return to its natural state soon.

Day three was when the fun really started for me. From early on we jumped on some amazing animal trodden singletrack before arriving at Phinda where it seems the animals where all on strongly fermented Amarula. If that wasn’t exhilarating

Gordon Gilbert and Erik with their unique Zulu drum trophies.

enough, the night before, on our game drive, we spotted Elephants, Lions and Cheetah literally meters away from the race route. Needless to say, we were all extra focused and fast on day three!

The last day it was mostly cattle trails and footpaths through the local rural communities. We even had great crowds along the way and once again, the singletrack was super exciting with the added bonus of a few steep climbs.

With my travel partners Paul Ingpen, Farmer Glen and some classy new friends, being spoilt by &Beyond at the Phinda Reserve was definitely the highlight of our five days at iSimangaliso. We were even treated to dinner in the middle of the bush on our last night, and it was the cherry on the cake! I love events like these, and there are so many of them available in South Africa. I hope every mountain biker in this country gets the chance to ride one of them so they can realise how privileged we are!

"On our game drive we spotted Elephants, Lions and Cheetah literally meters away from the race route."

Race or ride Gordon and Erik had a jol at iSimangaliso.

Maybe it’s his famously wild hair, his chilled and approachable manner or a combination but Erik Kleinhans is definitely one of SA’s most popular professional mountain bikers. If you don’t already follow him on Twitter you can rectify that now by looking him up at @erikkleinhans.

Molly’s Challenge FS

L L I H P It’s all U from here

Meet Molly Fitz-Patrick, she’s the newest member of the Full Sus editorial team and we’ve set her a challenge: to complete the Houw Hoek MTB Tour in May 2016. There’s only one problem: Molly has never mountain biked before…

Y

ou would never describe me as active; I certainly would never describe myself as such.

In fact, I would lean more towards lazy. Exercise has always been a real effort for me, particularly since I’ve lost all my natural fitness and energy from childhood. As much as I (sometimes) enjoyed school sports, I never took it seriously. Mostly I was actively against the fact that it was compulsory, although now I understand why. To exercise, I have to try to find all sorts of motivation; guilt, rewards (mostly in the form of food), the thought of finally feeling comfortable wearing that crop top in summer. I constantly try to remind myself how good I feel after I have exercised, but not even that gives me the motivational boost I need.

It’s a chore; I exercise because I have to, because I know it’s good for me, because I know if I don’t I’ll feel lazy and disappointed in myself. I joined a gym at the end of last year, I aim to go three times a week and I have noticed some differences (not, however, on the desire to exercise front) but I still wouldn’t really describe myself as active or fit.

Cycling, however, is different.

I have always enjoyed cycling; I especially loved cycling around Amsterdam (which someone

described as a city without cyclists but full of people who cycle) and wished that I could cycle more at home in Cape Town, but I don’t feel safe on the roads, so mountain biking is the way to go. But mountain biking is no joke, its hectic, a serious sport. People don’t do it casually, they do it. No half measures.

I may never have got around to actually doing anything about cycling without some intervention: It began as an idea about a beginner’s column; about me starting mountain biking, as a complete novice. It was exciting, if not a little daunting. But then it got scary. The casual chat about a beginner’s column turned into talks of taking part in an organised ride; not just any ride, but a two day stage

ride, covering 50kms each day. I’m not sure if I’ve made this clear yet but I am no athlete. Even though said stage ride (the Houw Hoek Tour) is eight months away, I still struggle to imagine myself doing it. Of course I know it’s possible though, as much as I don’t feel it; if others can do it, why not me too?

So yes, I am excited at the prospect in some ways, but the fear far outweighs the enthusiasm. Where do I even start? My mom has been trying to get into mountain biking for years now, so she’s thrilled, but she’s no more capable than me. Mountain biking is about so much more than just being able to ride a bike. You need a suitable bike, all sorts of gear and thighs of steel. I have none of those things. I’m not sure what intimidates me more, going out and getting all clued up on gear and equipment or building those thighs of steel.

I think the best way to approach this venture is to be organised, prepared and well researched.

Naturally, the internet is the first

"It began as an idea about a beginner's column; about me starting mountain biking, as a complete novice. It was exciting, if not a little daunting. But then it got scary."

Molly’s Useful MTB Websites: ◆ www.fullsus.co.za ◆ www.totalwomenscycling.com ◆ www.forums.teamestrogen.com ◆ www.mtb4her.com ◆ www.sacredrides.com/blog/women/womens-guide-to-mountain-biking

"...not just any ride, but a two day stage ride, covering 50kms each day." port of call. I’ve already found some useful websites. But as I have discovered, the internet can only take you so far. You actually have to get off your arse (I’m sure that phrase will become very familiar to me over the next few months), especially in a situation like this. I’ll start with the most obvious, and surely the most important – the bike. Money is a huge factor for me, as it is for anyone I suppose, so I think it’ll take a few trips to different bike shops before I come to a decision. In fact there are going to many trips, all over, for all sorts of things and reasons. I’ll be recounting them all to you so bear with me. I may be alone in this adventure, but I can still try to take you with me.

We’re keeping Molly Fitz-Patrick anonymous for now so she can go undercover when bike shopping.

She’s a Cape Town girl, a UCT graduate and in her first year of her working life as Integrated Media’s editorial assistant. She may be an amateur mountain biker but she’s a keen cook, writer and baker.

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Craig tearing up his local Tygerberg MTB Club trails.

Stage Racing 101 Next March the most organised man in the world, Craig Kolesky will be taking part in his fourth ABSA Cape Epic. For his partner, Rudolf Zuidema, it’s Epic number two. Over the next few month’s they’ll be sharing some hard earned wisdom with you – wisdom that’ll see you through the Epic, Wines2Whales, sani2c or the Cape Pioneer Trek.

FS: Are you guys riding any races before the Epic?

Craig: Yes, a few actually, especially stage races. It is important to get your body in that rhythm of riding days in a row. You learn a lot about your partner, how your gear handles, getting ready fast and packing properly by doing races.

FS: Is training with your partner important and what are your options if you can’t train together?

Rudy: If you can it makes you a better team as you get to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and even more importantly to read their body language. As guys we don’t always like to admit when we’re struggling, so knowing when your partner is, means you won’t push them when they can’t give any more. If you can’t train together often platforms like Strava and Garmin Connect are great tools to use to monitor each other’s progress and stay accountable to your team mate.

FS: What's your one strength and weakness?

Craig: That’s a tough one, I think although I suffer… a lot… I can pull through. I find I get stronger the longer I ride. I have what I like to call the 60km slump; I always seem to hit it but at around 80km it all comes back… I still suffer though.

FS: How do you mentally prepare yourself to ride a stage race?

Rudy: For me it starts with 30

setting a realistic goal and then training to achieve it. For me that means training six days a week leading up to Epic, so when I get to the start line I know that I can ride day in and day out because I’ve been doing it for the last six months!

FS: Why would you put yourself through a stage race like the Cape Epic?

Craig: It’s a huge achievement finishing an Epic. It one of those races that is on any mountain biker’s bucket list. It puts you in another league of riding.

Rudy: I’ve done one before so I’m not quite sure why?! I guess it’s a bit of FOMO and taking the easy option; I’ve been working at the event since 2010 and I can attest to the fact that riding this event is easier than working it.

FS: 1x11 or 2x10 and why?

Craig: 2x10… I have seen a lot of riders arrive on stage one with a 1x11 and the next day they’re on a 2x10.

If you riding the Epic to finish, why suffer more?

Rudy: Been toying with this decision for a while. Both have their pro’s & con’s; working for Trek I’ve been lucky to be able to ride both setups side by side and with the new front derailleur design on Shimano 2x11 gruppo’s the increased gear ratio far outweighs the potential drawbacks of a dual ring setup.

FS: What makes a stage race so special to you?

Craig: It’s the challenge to get

ALL PHOTOS BY RETROYSPECTIVE

FS Craig & Rudy’s Epic Stage Race Tips

Rudy is a big fan of fat bikes and the trails they open up for riding.

through the days. You also inevitably end up riding with the same group of riders every day and great friendships are formed.

FS: What are you looking forward during the Epic?

Craig: To finish and not cry… again…

Rudy: The vibe and camaraderie that you build up with the guys you end up riding with day in and day out.

No other event is quite like it when it comes to the excitement, fear and sheer scale of the Epic.

FS: How have things changed since your first Epic?

Rudy: My first Epic was in 2009 and just about the only thing that hasn’t changed is the cloverleaf format and the amount of preparation it takes to complete an Epic. The whole race experience has changed in every way, from the bikes and equipment we used to the services and facilities in the race village. I believe Kevin’s dream of creating the Tour de France of Mountain biking has come true in the last two to three years.

FS: What are you not looking forward to?

Craig: The dark times. Every rider will go through this at some point during the race and if you don’t, you’re not normal.

FS: How do you know if you are ready for a stage race?

Rudy: For me it usually comes during a lull in a long tough ride, when I have time to reflect on what my body is telling me. If it’s not screaming at me to stop anymore that’s when the light goes green and I know I can do this!

FS: How do you get on with your partner?

Craig: Well, where do I start… We ride well together, we rode Wines2Whales last year and that was fun. I think we understand each other’s riding style. Rudy has been my support with bikes and advice since my first Cape Epic so I think we will work well together.

Rudy: I’ve known Craig for almost five years now and have been privileged to help him on his

previous Epic campaigns in one way or another. We’ve become good friends during that time and have ridden together often. I think we’ll make a good team as we’re both experienced riders and have similar temperaments. So I guess the answer is that we get along well and will hopefully still be friends at the end of March.

FS: Tell us about your bikes?

Rudy: We’ve decided to ride Trek Fuel EX’s for Epic, specced with the event in mind. We’ll be riding the carbon version specced with a RockShox Pike Fork, 2x11 Drivetrain and probably light weight Trail Carbon Wheels. We specifically chose the Fuel EX as it offers 120mm of travel and slightly more trail orientated geometry which paired with our chosen components will give us a lightweight bike that will handle even the most technical terrain with confidence. The extra travel and more relaxed geometry will also help ease the fatigue on our bodies, helping us to finish fresher and stronger.

Craig Kolesky is a Cape Town based freelance photographer, shooting with Nikon gear, specializing in adventure sports, lifestyle and portraiture. You’ll have seen his photos on the covers of most mags in SA and he’ll be documenting the 2016 ABSA Cape Epic journey with unique POV stills. Follow him on Twitter @CraigKolesky.

Rudolf Zuidema is the Director of Operations and Marketing for Trek Bicycles and Bontrager in SA. He has an endless wealth of MTB knowledge and is the man to flag down if you have a technical issue on the trail. Follow him on Twitter @rudolfzuidema

FS Di’s Ladies’ Column

ROAD SAFETY

Di Carolin is passionate about riding on dirt, but sometimes even she has to hit the tar.

So to help you stay safe here’s Di’s things to think about when cycling on public roads.

W

hether you are putting in serious hours of training or just riding for fun, riding on the road can be great. There is far less wear and tear on your bike on the road, especially in winter when mud on the trails can chew up your drive train in no time. But tar eats up your MTB tyres much faster than dirt, so if you are going to ride on the road I suggest a road bike or getting a set of slicks (road tyres for the MTB).

Last Sunday I met one of my mountain bike skills students for a lesson, and the first thing she said when I told her we were going to ride on the road, to where the lesson was to begin was, “I am scared of riding on the road!” This seems to be the case for many women, so I apologise

for straying from the trails to the tar but this is an important topic.

Your attitude plays a massive role when riding on the road; being aggressive and rude, riding in big groups across the road and having complete disregard for road rules is not on! We need to co-exist with other road users and all have respect for each other and the laws of the road. Then hopefully one day we’ll all be safer. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t yell at an offending motorist if he or she is about to run you off the road. But try to keep the language out of the gutter. You do need to be assertive, but for the sake of all concerned, let’s do our best to be polite and considerate.

"We need to co-exist with other road users and all have respect for each other and the laws of the road."

Here is something interesting: I have always stuck as far left as possible on the road, but when I was doing some research for this article I realised that one shouldn’t always stay as far left as possible, for these reasons: There is often debris and glass, which could cause you to fall or puncture a tyre. Gutters and drain covers can be hazardous and cause you to fall.

If you ride a metre from the side of the road it forces a vehicle to cross the centre line to pass you.

This prevents them from passing too close to you when there are on-coming vehicles. Though, I have to say, in my experience, this is not always the case. But, one can live in hope. If you have that metre from the side, at least you have space to move away from the vehicle if it is too close.

In windy weather that metre from the curb gives you space to manoeuvre if you get caught by a gust

from side to side. ◆ If you are riding on a public road where there is a bicycle lane you MUST use that bicycle lane.

I hope that this has been informative. Be safe out there, ladies and be sensible.

.

This is what the National Traffic act says about cyclists: ◆ You must be seated on your saddle. ◆ You must ride single file. ◆ You may not deliberately swerve

Sus Di’s #RoadSafetyTips ◆ Be alert at all times and anticipate what drivers may do. Look ahead and assess what could happen; no daydreaming on the bike! ◆ Watch out for busses and trucks, the drivers are high up and less likely to see you than car drivers. Be especially careful on corners, they tend to cut in close to the curb so don’t be there when they turn. Anticipate! ◆ Always indicate with your arms. Look first to see what’s coming, then stick out your hand so that drivers can see your intention. They can’t read your mind! If you are worried about letting go of your handlebar and falling, then practice until you feel confident before you go and ride out on the road. ◆ Be visible! I know we all look slimmer in black but it isn’t easy to see. Invest in clothing with reflective strips.

Have a white light at the front of the bike and a flashing red light at the back at all times! It’s the law now.

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◆ Please make sure you know and obey the traffic laws, they apply as much to you as to the cars. No riding through red lights and stop streets. It’s illegal to ride on motorways! Pavements are a no-no unless there is a bike path painted on them. ◆ When you cycle past parked cars always be aware that someone may open a car door or pull out in front of you. So leave some space between you and the stationary vehicles. ◆ Be careful of painted lines and filled cracks when it is wet. Give yourself more braking time in the wet too. ◆ If a driver is polite and waits to let you go, please thank them with a smile and a wave. Encourage positive behaviour. ◆ Last but not least: Be confident! Be assertive! Be polite!

Diana Carolin has been a long time contributor to Full Sus, submitting race reports and articles on sports massage therapy, but now we’ve focused her talents on everything that is ladies specific in mountain biking. If you have any questions drop her a mail at dicarolin7@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter at @di_carolin.

Product Review FS

USN NRG-BOMB USN’s NRG-Bomb claims to give you an explosive energy boost with its high caffeine formulation; Seamus Allardice put that claim to the test.

O

ver the last few months we’ve been slowly but surely working our way through USN’s new Pure Fit range of products. If you haven’t come across them yet, the Pure Fit range is more in line with the desires of the health conscious cyclist as the products contain no artificial colourants, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives.

The USN Pure Fit NRG-Bomb is no different, boasting a subtle strawberry flavour (I struggle to discern much of a flavour at all) and zero sugar. It’s designed to be a pre-workout supplement primarily, but you can also take it mid-way through longer workouts.

Now you should know that I have a particularly high daily caffeine in-take, and I’m not in the least bit sensitive to its effects – I can happily have a cup of moka pot brewed coffee and go straight to bed. So the NRG-Bomb’s effectiveness on me might be lower than it would be on someone with a lower caffeine tolerance, but I was still pretty impressed by how well it works.

Initially I used it as instructed, putting one 9g scoop in 400ml of cold water 30 minutes before the start of a race. My legs are sometimes slow to get going, though my heart rate climbs quickly in the first 10 to 15 minutes of a race or ride, but the NRG-Bomb definitely kick-starts my legs into action. I haven’t just used it in racing, I’ve also added it to my usual sports drink for short training rides and it provides a noticeable energy boost – which is great for those sessions after a long day at work where you would normally be feeling pretty sluggish.

For marathon races I’ve drank one scoop on its own, as instructed, prior to the start and then I’ve added a scoop to my sports drink for my second bottle. I usually go through a bottle every hour and a half to two hours, depending on the weather and how well I’ve hydrated beforehand,

so I typically start the bottle with the USN NRG-Bomb in it around the halfway mark of a 60km ride. The energy boost for the next hour and a half or so is fantastic, it kicks in a few minutes after each sip and fades out gradually rather than dropping me flat – but maybe that’s just the perceived effect from knowing it’s in my bottle.

In my most recent race I made the mistake of taking a sip of Coke at a water point before starting the second bottle and the combination of the fizzy Coke and the NRG-Bomb wasn’t great on my stomach. It didn’t cause any serious issues, but just left me feeling a little uncomfortable.

You’re best to avoid Coke at water points anyway, as it provides a nasty spike in energy, but doubly so it seems if you have USN NRG-Bomb in your bottle.

Overall it’s a product I’ll definitely continue using and one I’d happily recommend, though you should try it in training first, especially if you are highly sensitive to caffeine.

Visit www.usn.co.za to view the typical nutritional information.

Sus the Caffeine Comparison

Sus the USN NRG-Bomb details

Coke (355ml): ............................. 34mg

Tub size:.......................................... 180g

Red Bull (250ml): ..................... 80mg

Serving size:.......................................9g

Coffee (instant): ......................... 57mg Espresso (single):...................... 77mg USN NRG-Bomb (9g):.............135mg

Servings per tub: ............................. 20

Monster (473ml): .....................160mg

RRP: ................................................ R270

Source: www.caffeineinformer.com

Price per serving: ......................R13.50

FS Stirling Revolution

HORIZONS

Riding a bicycle is a pretty amazing past time. It has allowed SJ Kotze to meet new people, make new friends, stay fit, enjoy many adrenalin rushes, de-stress, and most notably visit some really incredible places.

We have brilliant riding in our own backyards and a short trip to experience some trails in another province is always a jol, but that feeling of boxing your bike for a riding trip to a foreign land is just unbeatable. And I was lucky enough to go to France a few weeks back to hone my skills on some of the steepest, craziest and biggest bike-park, downhill and Enduro runs in and around Morzine and Chatel, high up in the Alps on the French/Swiss border.

The beauty of riding in the Alps is that there is something for everyone. Incredible road rides up and down 25km mountain passes made famous by Le Tour. Day long missions and trans-Alps tours for the marathon and tour riding fans among us. And then of course the bike-park and downhill trails based above the numerous ski-lift stations for the hard core adrenalin junkies.

It was with five other nut cases that I decided to go test the real size of my cahoonas by booking a seven day trip to Morzine in France.

The packing list included a full-face helmet, elbow and knee protection (I wish I had taken more body armour too), bandages, KT-tape strapping, bactroban, painkillers, antiinflammatories, and a couple of extra

1.

pairs of brake pads. We knew this trip was going to be hard on the body and on our bikes given that the riding was going to be very rough and sometimes dangerous, but I never thought that after only one day my hands would be broken. Specifically for me it was my finger joints; they were swollen and in constant pain making holding onto the handle bars and pulling the brakes very difficult. I began strapping each of my knuckles which helped but the trail roughness, 15 minute descents and hard braking through big braking bumps really took its toll.

Strangely though, each of the six of us struggled from something different. The one guy struggled from blisters on his hands, the other from hot foot, and another from shoulder and triceps’ pain (from trying to hold on). And that is not including the injuries from falling. Deep grazes, sprained ankles, impacted shoulders, bruised ribs and whiplash to name just a few of the injuries.

But we all continued to push through and ride each day because what we did have in common was that we all relied on the same daily treatment for our battered bodies: a mixture of beer (lots of it), painkillers and Jacuzzi time. That makes for a jovial concoction!

The beauty of going to do some

2.

ALL PHOTOS BY SA ALPINE ADDICTION

Broadening Your

gravity riding in Europe compared to here in South Africa is that they have Ski Lifts. That means that they can build their tracks steeper (they don’t need to conserve altitude) and you can do multiple downhill runs per session. They also have the funds and infrastructure to maintain the trails and they can cater for thousands of riders a day!

We rode on both sides of Morzine (Pleney and Super Morzine), and we headed out on day missions to Chatel, Les Gets, Avoriaz, Lindarets and even Morgens over the border in Switzerland.

The riding is incredible and the scenery is breath-taking. Green rolling hills and massive alpine mountain back drops with snow on the highest peaks. The riding includes man-made features such as berms taller than you, big table top jumps, steep corkscrews, metre high drop offs, the odd gap jump (some over rivers) and some Northshore bridges. And then of course there are lots of rough natural trails with huge roots, sharp shale stones, big slippery rocks and rutted narrow singletrack all of which is nice and dry out in the open but wet and treacherous in the wooded forest sections. The bike-park stuff never really appealed to me but the guys with a BMX or jump bike background will froth at the sight of the perfectly built jumps and berms.

3.

Naïvely I still thought that packing my trail helmet would be worthwhile. Surely we would do one day out where we didn’t need the big full face helmet. I was wrong.

My trail lid stayed in my pack the entire trip; what a waste of space!

Everything was geared at crazy adrenalin downhill madness and a full face helmet was number one on the list of essentials.

In the end, I did crash hard on the second last day hurting my shoulder and losing a fair bit of skin on my back. It ruled me out of the last day of riding so I woke up at midday to an empty house – the rest of the crew had gone riding – and tidied up a bit. Then I joined one of the guys for lunch and midway through my burger the heavens opened with some of the hardest rain I have ever seen. All the riders came streaming off the mountain including our four other mates and that was that, the end of our riding for the week.

We left content that we’d had an incredible holiday of riding, missioning, jolling, laughing and enduring – and the best news for you is that it is much easier to organise and far less expensive than you would actually guess. If it is not already on your bucket list, you need to add it today.

1.) One of those rooty rough natural trails.

2.) Trail perfection.

3.)The scenery isn’t bad either.

4.)Add it to your bucket list and recruit your mates, it’s the trip of a lifetime.

4.

34

The Stirling Revolution column is penned by the father and son, LBS owning, pair of Stirling “Senior” and Stirling James (SJ) “Junior” Kotze. With years of industry insider knowledge they’re your, and our, link to the retail side of the bicycle trade – and while they might upset the odd sensitive reader their insights prove invaluable time and time again.

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GOODIES & DEMOS BY:

FS Gear

Specialized

GEAR #MTBTyreReview Often maligned or completely overlooked your tyre choice has a massive impact on your ride. So with some big stage races in mind Full Sus put six sets of tyres to the test for you – sus out our #MTBTyreReview.

I

t should be said that any tyre review is certainly subjective. We have not experienced any bad tyres but there are certainly tyres that perform better under certain conditions, or for body weights, terrain, and type or style of riding. All these need to be factored in when considering tyres. We haven’t tested the lightweight tyres as we feel the marginal gains in weight are offset by sturdiness and durability – as well as cost. We believe the majority of riders would (or should) rather have an additional 200 grams on a tyre, which will not only perform better but will also last longer and offer greater reliability than the lightweight alternative.

Saguaro

Vittoria

Front: Peyote 2.25 Rear: Saguaro 2.2 RRP R800 www.vittoria.com Tester: Seamus Allardice

The combination of Vittoria’s fast rolling 2.2 inch wide Saguaro at the back and their more aggressively lugged 2.25 inch wide Peyote have clocked up around 150km on all sorts of terrain over the last month. It would have been more but I’ve been testing bikes too. My first Peyote impressions were positive, the tyres roll with less resistance than the 2.3 wide Ground Controls I had on the bike before, and on tar road stretches there is far less road noise. They love dry, rocky and dusty trails, but where they did feel noticeably less secure was on muddy or wet terrain.

That’s exactly what the packaging suggested though, so no surprises there. What impressed me most is their apparent durability, they’re not exactly lightweight (Peyote 720g & Saguaro 780g) and both feature sturdy sidewalls. I rode the harsh trails of Piket-Bo-Berg and never had to worry for an instant about punctures (or a loss of grip). The Piket trails are very much in line with what you can expect on the Tankwa Trek or the Robertson/ Wellington days of the Epic, so they’re tyres I’d highly recommend for harsh, rocky races – where puncture resistance trumps light weight.

Front: Purgatory Grid 2BR 2.3 Rear: Ground Control 2.3 RRP R559 & R489 www.specialized.com/za Tester: Shayne Dowling Specialized take everything about their products seriously so you know you are getting quality and a heap of R&D with their tyres – in fact tyres were the first products to be produced

by Specialized. I found the Ground Control to be superb. It just works on all terrains that I tested it on. I had to play with the air pressure at first and found a sweet spot off-road at about 1.9 bar after which the tyre never gave me a minute’s concern. Traction was excellent in both fast corners and Purgatory Grid. when climbing. I really enjoyed that while accumulating a lot of mileage in training the tyre rolled nicely and never felt heavy. I did on the other hand battle with the Purgatory – it ticks all the boxes when it comes to sidewall technology. The Grid casing ensures no problems in rocky terrain and the tread profile is great for mud that doesn’t have too much clay content, with its chunky side knobs making cornering a synch – however I was never really comfortable on our drier, fast rolling tracks and had to play with the air pressure quite frequently.

This is definitely a tyre for the rough stuff and is superb in the rock garden and gnarly tracks but not something I would want to be on for a 3 hour plus stage ride. It will be my go to tyre when Tokai opens up again for sure though.

Mavic

Front and Rear: Crossmax Quest 29 x 2.35 RRP: R666.90 www.mavic.co.za: Tester: Shayne Dowling This was my first ride with Mavic tyres. As I have said before there are a number of factors which influence your tyre choice and they all came together perfectly for me with the Mavic Quests – I absolutely love them. They are not the fastest rolling tyre out there but they are steady. They have a really soft feeling compound and this may compromise durability. The Mavic sealant which came with the set is sure to take care of any minor punctures but to date I haven’t seen so much as a white speck! The tyres are really sticky and I love that – it inspires confidence. I can run them at really low air pressures and get over, down, around anything I have come across so far – not a burp or a wallow – and I’m not a light guy. I have pumped them up and chugged up Hoogekraal no problem, let them down a bit and murdered the Cobra. Like all the tyres tested side walls are reinforced but the tyre still feels light and is so damn comfortable! I will be taking these bad boys with me on the Berg and Bush for a real test. I can’t see them letting me down.

Innova-Pro

Front and Rear: Team Transformer Boutique 29’r Tires 2.10 RRP R525 | www.2wheelsafrica.co.za Tester: Adrian Winsor When Shayne dropped a couple of new tyres on the table and said ‘try these’. I was immediately suspicious. Words printed on the box such as ‘Boutique’, environmentally friendly plant design’ and ‘we promise to encourage tree planting’ are not normally associated with performance tyres, not to mention that they spell tyres with an ‘i’. Inflating the tyre to 2.5 bars I climbed the Long Green route at Bottelary to give it a workout on one of the steepest climbs in the trail system. Even at that pressure and me standing on the pedals out of the saddle the tyre showed impressive levels of grip, refusing to spin out. Deflating to 2 bars for the descent enhanced the ride comfort and gave it a more planted feeling. The outside lugs grip well in corners and the shorter ones in the centre keep rolling resistance low whilst still giving enough friction to keep you on the trail. The extra weight comes from a thicker carcass, especially the side walls, so expect this tyre to be tough. Buy if you are a tree-hugger who values longevity over performance. Leave on the shelf if you are a weight-weenie, as the 700g weight will upset you greatly.

36

Ground Control.

Ikon 2.2

Maxxis

Front: Ikon 2.2 Rear: Crossmark 2.1 RRP R620 www.maxxis.co.za Tester: Shayne Dowling

At some stage in your MTB career you would probably have ridden on a Maxxis tyre – more than likely the Crossmark or the Ikon. They are probably the go to tyre for most and certainly a tyre you will see on all types of bikes across all terrain. They are lighter than you would expect with good sidewall protection. These two tyres are not as chunky as some of the others we have Crossmark 2.1 tested and the Crossmark is narrower and has a really low rolling resistance. I have done a W2W on this pairing and despite being loose in the mud with less traction in the wet, they behaved superbly. In the dry and on hard surfaces they are a winner. The Ikon certainly gives you more confidence and needed traction on the rockier bits and is still very much a XC tyre that offers good speed. These are dry summer tyres for me, perfect for long distances where you need speed and reliability at good value. If this fits your riding description then the Maxxis Ikon and Crossmark combo are a great choice.

Bontrager

Front: XR2 Team Issue 2.2 Rear: XR1 Team Issue 2.2 RRP R650 www.trekbikes.com/za Tester: Richard Pieterse I have been running the Bontrager Team Issue XR1 rear and XR2 front combination on and off over the past two years and loving them. I have run other brands during this time but always gravitated back to the Bontrager. The tyres have held up well over time, across various terrain and riding surfaces from hard packed dirt, rocky roads and roots, plus a fair amount of road riding. The majority of the wear that is evident can be seen on the XR2 due to tread pattern, but this is by in large from training on the road – which the tyre is not designed for. The knobs don’t tear off like I’ve experienced with some of the other brands, but they do lose their original sharp edge. The tread pattern on the XR1 consist of a simple regular small knob pattern, while the XR2 consist of more shoulder knobs for better cornering traction, while having minimal centre tread for improved rolling speed. The XR1 rolls extremely well, while providing good traction, while the XR2 provides that extra bit of traction on the front when cornering as well as at speed.

Gear FS XR1 Team Issue

XR2 Team Issue

CALENDAR November GAUTENG 1 7 8 28

Babba’s MTB Super Series XCOSA.co.za #4 Momentum 94.7 MTB XCOSA.co.za Grand Final

NORTH WEST PROVINCE 5 ATKV Buffelspoort MTB Challenge WESTERN CAPE FNB Wines2Whales Ride Spur Adventure Sprint and Duo FNB Wines2Whales Race Delheim Outdoor Weekend Nissan TrailSeeker Western Cape #4 Meer & Dal 15 Dirtopia Simonsberg Enduro 27 Pennypinchers Origin of Trails 29 Six in One Challenge 4 8 8 14 14

EASTERN CAPE 15 Crossways Steeltek Classic 19 Assegaai MTB Stage Race 21 Kwelera 2 Kei NORTHERN CAPE 7 Kelrn MTB Classic 27 The Grind LIMPOPO 14 Magoebaskloof MTB Classic

12 19 26 30

28 Roossenekal Yellow Arum Lilly Festival

1 14 22 29 29

KZN Riverlea Drak MTB Xperience KZN Expedition MTB Challenge Sappi Karkloof Trailblazer Easton Xmas Classic Bizhub Virginia Trails

Calling all event organisers Get your event listed here for free! Email all your 2015 event dates and details to sussed@fullsus.co.za to make sure you don’t miss out on the coverage.

Cape Agulhas MTB Classic Wolwedans MTB Hi Sense Hartenbos Wedren Pennypinchers Duo Challenge

EASTERN CAPE 6 Longmore Classic

6 K2K Cycle Race KZN 6 Stihl Sharks Trail Adventure FREE STATE 2 The Munga 2015

The event calendar thins out in December so get your racing in now.

MPUMALANGA 7 Alzu Tour de Farm 14 Trailblazer Series 28 Noon to Moon OUT IN AFRICA 13 Detour Trails RAD Ride (Lesotho)

December RACE CALENDAR GAUTENG 5 Auto Glen BMW 24 HOUR 6 Springbok Plant Hire “Wind Down” Challenge 6 Ultra Triathlon 6 Rockman Ultra X Duathlon 13 Countrywide Medals Christmas Challenge 13 Babba’s Lodge MTB Super Series # 12 WESTERN CAPE 6 Spur Adventure Duo 11 2015 PPA Twilight MTB

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Advertise your event in Full Sus and we will send you copies of the paper for your goodie bags or registration table.

Call Jess on 021 685 0285/6

OCTOBER Must do events ■ 3 & 4 October: Spur High

Schools League National Final The Spur High Schools League reaches its grand final stage, hosted by the Bekker School in Magaliesburg.

Schools from each of the regional series will be out to fight for the overall title, with the defending champions Grey College Bloemfontein (Boys), Menlopark Hoërskool (Girls and Overall) looking to hold off the likes of Hoër Volkskool Potchefstroom and Parel Vallei High School. Riders

CALENDAR KEY Mpumalanga

Free State

Limpopo

Western Cape

Northern Cape

KZN

Gauteng

North West

Eastern Cape

Out in Africa

compete in Sub Juniors B (Under 14), Youth A (Under 15), Youth B (Under 16) and Junior (17 and 18 years old) categories with the overall winners being determined by a points table.

Schools qualify by placing in the top three of their regional competitions and you can find out more by going to www.amarider.co.za/spur.

■ 10 October: Nissan

TrailSeeker Western Cape #3 Hemel & Aarde The third leg of the Nissan TrailSeeker Western Cape series takes place on the amazing trails of the Hemel en Aarde valley. The event is hosted by Sumaridge Estate Wines and there are 70km (with 1 500m of climbing), 40km (with 800m of climbing), 20km (with 400m of climbing) and a very chilled 10km (with just 200m of climbing). Entries and all the route information is up on the Nissan

TrailSeeker series website at www.trailseekerseries.co.za.

The combination of Advendurance’s great organisation and the amazing trails in the Hermanus area make this an event you don’t want to miss.

■ 10 October: STBB 2keep-abreast MTB Challenge The STBB 2keep-a-breast MTB Challenge is an event we love. It’s got something for everyone, the trails of Bottelary Hills just keep improving year on year, Overgaauw Wine Estate is the perfect setting, there’s a distance for every experience or fitness level, and all proceeds go to a worthy cause: the CANSA foundation. Distances and entry fees are as follows: 60km (R220), 45km (R200), 30km (R170), 12km (R80) and 5km (R50). And if you purchase five entries you get the cheapest one for free.

All the info is up on www.stbb.co.za/

mtb-challenge and entries are available online from www.quicket.co.za.

■ 23 & 24 October: Trans Elands 2 Day MTB The historic Ripple Hill Hotel in Patensie, set in the heart of the Gamtoos Valley, hosts the Trans Elands 2 Day MTB stage race. There are Extreme (115km & 135km) and Lite (65km & 60km) options, with the two days offering very different riding. Day one is all about gravel roads as the route follows bits of the Trans Baviaans and Trans Elands routes. Day two is real mountain biking, crossing from the Gamtoos Valley over the Winterberg Mountains, through the Cape Pine forests, into the Elands River Valley and back over the Winterberg Mountains – but beware of the altitude gain… To find out more go to www.baviaans.net and to enter online visit www.offroadevents. co.za.

Directory

FS

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Calling all LBS in Gauteng, Northwest, Limpopo & Mpumalanga!

Pre-order our BRUNOX Retail Starter Pack by Monday 12 October and collect from our BRUNOX ACF Stand. Contact us today for details.