Race to stay on your bike this winter

Last week was the shortest day, that means that summer is coming.

To stay on your mountain bike during winter pick an event or biking trip during or after winter and enter and plan it. It gives you something to aim for and it will keep you honest and training.

You must commit, pay the money, make the bookings – if you plan it, it will come.

Or just commit to one of the winter MTB race series where you can get out almost every weekend and do some of the many shorter events held all over in Gauteng, Cape and KZN.

MTB Races
Previous MTB Tips

Shimano XTR 2011

Visit www.ridextr.com and see the future!!

MtbOnline facebook page

Facebook users can now find us at our new facebook page MTBOnline at Facebook.

We have introduced an MTB page on facebook where you can connect with us to find all the latest updates and posts to our website and blog.

MTB Tip of the Week

MTBOnline MTB Tip of the Week

MtbOnline Updates are back, but with a new name and theme. Our new new weekly update  will be called MTB Tip of the Week.

Every week we will send you a brief MTB tip of the week. Something to inspire, help, teach and motivate you to enjoy your mountain bike more.

It maybe to ride more, faster, further or to fix your bike, understand your bike, buy a new bike, find a new ride buddy or any one of the other thousands of MTB tips that we will dig up.

Subscribe here  http://www.mtbonline.co.za/newsletter.htm

So lets kick it off with a world cup of our own.

2011 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup
April 23-24: Pietermaritzburg, South Africa (XCO/DHI/4X)

Yip its true. If you thought the soccer world cup was hot then you better get organised for the MTB World cup in Pietermaritzburg in 2011.

It was announced last week. Make your plans now for next year. 

Pack those flags away safely and haul them out in April next year to support our SA riders.

www.mtbonline.co.za

Iodine wheels

First ride on the wheels was pretty awesome. Wheels seem really fast despite being heavier than my other sets.
There is no flex and they track really well. I think it has to do with the fact that the weight is more biased toward the centre of the wheel.
More later...

Zula gets a facelift

I will be testing the CrankBrothers Iodine all-mountain wheelset over the next few weeks.
What I can tell you so far is that the orange colour matches the Morewood perfectly.
More later...

Honda Trophy Finish

Plenty mud. Rough tracks. Good fun!!

Day 2 start

Not raining now, but it did overnight! If yesterday is anything to go on the 45km today won't be quick or easy.

Day 1 done

75km of rough untamed tracks! Some of the best singletrack on offer and plenty of rocks and grass!

Morewood handled awesomely well. BAT sealant saved the day, sealing a huge cut in my front tyre allowing me to finish with no worries.

Honda Mountain Trophy

75km today. Weather looks like it might hold. But conditions still look wet.

The 29er vs 26" debate

The debate of the 29er is well on its way, you will see some pros riding them but then they have to? Question is will the average guy take the bait and go for it.

The average guy was challenged with this

http://www.singletrackworld.com/2010/04/pace-129er/

To all the 29" slayers out there: Compare the components (frame, wheels, forks) of a 26" hardtail, 26", 140mm travel trail bike and a 29" hardtail/FS, then you'll see that indeed all 3 of them need different tires, rims, forks and frames. Thus I classify a 29" bike as just a nother category of MTB. And as such, it will be suited to specific terrain, rider sizes and rider styles. So just as I prefer a 140mm travel trail bike over a 100mm bike, someone else might prefer a 29" bike.

I would still like to see a shootout/comparison between a 29" hardtail and 26", 100mm travel FS bike on a XC & Marathon course....

He replied with this;

MBAction did a shoot out between 3 hardtails. 26, 29 and 650b. The main conclusion was that each bike was good for different things. Basically the shootout was a draw.

We need to settle this the FB way!

Let’s ask an ex-SA champ to ride 2 bikes for us on a 5km course at Groenkloof that includes rock gardens, smooth dirt and a steep climb. Let’s take his time on the different bikes and interview him afterwards on how he felt.

The beauty of this plan is that while he is tackling the course, we can set up our lawn chairs and drink beer.

Matt will have to donate the 29er hardtail. Fritz can ride his Ellsworth as the other bike.

Then we can also blindfold him and send him out on the course and see if he can tell us which particular bike he is crashing into a tree. This will obviously be much later in the afternoon when the affects of the amber brew is at its best.

If Mr. P is faster on a 29er Hardtail I will sell my Zula and use the money to buy baggies and grow my leg hairs into beautiful matted fur.

bUndi responded with this;

This is indeed a good plan, but being a bike riding scientist I can confirm that it is fundamentally flawed and is in fact more about entertainment rather than an actual test.

The FBCC has a long and rich heritage and this allows a certain amount of wisdom

This debate is not new, its just dressed differently and our memories are fading

Rigid fork vs suspension fork was the first debate

Hardtail vs full suss was the second one – only recently concluded I might add

Suspension won the first two debates not because it was new but because it was sound technology that works.

The 29er is not new technology nor is it suspension, its just plain new-pooh

If big wheels ruled then we’d all be riding

Pennyfarthings and cars with 100 inch rims and srns (solid rigid no suspension)

Lets also compare apples and pears to see which one tastes better

But let me leave you with this last thought – If you need the 3 inches extra then by all means go for it!

And lastly little Chris had this to say;

Sadly you are missing the point. This debate is based more in the philosophical world. Don't think science, think Top Gear's Cool Wall. Seeing as no member of the FBCC (By constitution I am sure) should ever be a contender for podium spots in a race, the crux of this argument is rather to determine which is cooler to ride, without being hindered by totally useless equipment (If only to reach the post-race beer quicker). And don't let any of the FBCC's other constituents' attempt at clever science talk fool you!

Oh yes, and it is an opportunity to drink beer. Duuhhh!!!

So we anxiously await the results of this “test” and in the meantime the debate rages on!

Niner Jet 9 and SRAM X-0

Good morning ladies,

 

Alas, it has been a while. Did you miss me?

 

Here are some shots of the new Jet9 from Niner. In nice lumo froggy green. Very niiiiceeee!

And then the eagerly anticipated(By those who know anything about mtb drive-trains in any way) 2011 SRAM X-0. Wonder what that will cost?

 

Later,

Captain Calfless.

Purveyor of fine bike porn since 2008

 

Zula loves the west coast.

Schwalbe Albert 2.25

I have had a 4 year sabbatical from Schwalbe tyres. I simply had such bad luck with them that I could no longer afford to run them.
Enter the Albert. Now featuring Snake Skin sidewall protection. This is the feature that has lured me back for another try and so far so good...

These tyres grip! The relatively sparse tread pattern coupled with pretty big knobs make the a joy on the ups. This morning on a 15% gradient over some loose rocks I stood up to give a shot of power. I fully expected the rear wheel to untrack from the burst of power. But it never happened. The Zula simply dug in and powered over the climb.

I have no doubt that this kind of traction will come at the price of longevity but at the moment I am more than happy to enjoy the extra grip.

Sabie 2010

Kevin Evans is once again in the national colours for marathon racing. Yolande Speedy won the ladies title. And the average guy finished.

The route was very tough for someone carrying a bit of extra weight, with 1700m climbing. I took it pretty easy and made it to the end feeling comfortable. It has been a few years since I rode Sabie and they have added very cool bits of singletrack. The Zula loved it! I had no problems navigating the steep singletrack. The roots were an issue but the Morewood was built for this kind of thing and I managed to ride everything and stay upright.

Well done to the organisers. The route was awesome and the weather less of a factor than I expected.