full sus - vol 5 - aug 2013

24
August 2013 Bike Review pg18 MTB Going Wrong pg8 Needles Q&A pg17 Glove Review pg21 Young Guns pg6 WIN! Ocean Eyewear SI Sunnies MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY Saffa’s to Watch at the World Champs Yip it’s that time of the year again, says Seamus Allardice but this time we’re hosting it. The end of August sees the top pros from around the world descend on the Cascades MTB Park to compete for the coveted Rainbow Jerseys. Read on to find out who will be up on the podium. FREE full sus GAMEPLAN MEDIA I f you can, you have to make your way to Pietermaritzburg from the 26th of August to the 1st of September 2013 because hosting a World Championship is a rarity. Yes you can see Christoph Sauser in the Epic and Gee Atherton in the World Cup event in Maritzburg again next year. But it’s not the same is it? The World Champs are the pinnacle of the annual calendar and the who’s who of mountain biking will be there, trusting that all those hundreds of hours of training this year will have them peaking right when it matters most. As Cycling South Africa’s General Manager Mike Bradley says: “It is the single most important event South Africa has ever had the privilege of hosting. No cycling event this size nor this spectacular has ever taken place here before.” So you’re convinced about its importance but what exactly goes down at the World Champs? Well there are 5 disciplines, most of you will be familiar with the Cross Country (XCO) and Downhill (DHI), but there will also be medals available in the Cross Country Eliminator (XCE), Cross Country Relay (XCR) and Trials. The XCE format is raced over a shortened version of the XCO course and groups of four riders dice it out with the top two progressing on to the next round – think track sprinting at the Olympics. The XCR is a team event with each nation submitting a team of four riders – an elite male, an elite female, an U23 male and a junior male – who each race a lap of the cross country course, the first nation to finish the four laps wins. Trials meanwhile is like something out of the Unbeatable Banzuke, and it’s best left up to the World Champs website to explain how it works: “The objective of this sport is to get over obstacles grouped into sections, without setting foot on the ground or any part of the bicycle (only the wheels) touching the ground as this incurs penalties. After negotiating a series of sections, the rider who has the fewest penalty points is declared the winner.” Those are the events but who are the riders to watch? In the trials 26 class the top three finishers from both the World Cup events thus far are Gilles Coustellier, Guillaume Dunand and Aurelien Fontenoy all Reigning World Champ and PMB local Greg Minnaar in action. turn to page 4

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In the August issue of Full Sus we build-up to the UCI MTB World Champs, discuss what's wrong with MTB and introduce 3 of SA's rising stars. There's also a great Q & A with Andrew Neethling and all the regulars.

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Page 1: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

1

August 2013

Bike Reviewpg18

MTB Going Wrongpg8

Needles Q&Apg17

Glove Reviewpg21

Young Gunspg6

WIN!Ocean Eyewear

SI Sunnies

MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY

Saff a’s to Watch at the World Champs Yip it’s that time of the year again, says

Seamus Allardice but this time we’re hosting it. The end of August sees the top

pros from around the world descend on the Cascades MTB Park to compete for

the coveted Rainbow Jerseys. Read on to fi nd out who will be up on the podium.

August 2013

MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLY

FREEfullsusG

AM

EP

LA

N M

ED

IA

I f you can, you have to make your way to Pietermaritzburg from the 26th of August to the 1st of

September 2013 because hosting a World Championship is a rarity. Yes you can see Christoph Sauser in the Epic and Gee Atherton in the World Cup event in Maritzburg again next year. But it’s not the same is it?

The World Champs are the pinnacle of the annual calendar and the who’s who of mountain biking will be there, trusting that all those hundreds of hours of training this year will have them peaking right when it matters most. As Cycling South Africa’s General Manager Mike Bradley says: “It is the single most important event South Africa has ever had the privilege of hosting. No cycling event this size nor this spectacular has ever taken place here before.”

So you’re convinced about its importance but what exactly goes down at the World Champs? Well there are 5 disciplines, most of you will be familiar with the Cross Country (XCO) and Downhill (DHI), but there will also be medals available in the Cross Country Eliminator (XCE), Cross Country Relay (XCR) and Trials. The XCE format is raced over a

shortened version of the XCO course and groups of four riders dice it out with the top two progressing on to the next round – think track sprinting at the Olympics. The XCR is a team event with each nation submitting a team of four riders – an elite male, an elite female, an U23 male and a junior male – who each race a lap of the cross country course, the first nation to finish the four laps wins. Trials meanwhile is like something out of the Unbeatable Banzuke, and it’s best left up to the World Champs website to explain how it works:

“The objective of this sport is to get over obstacles grouped into sections, without setting foot on the ground or any part of the bicycle (only the wheels) touching the ground as this incurs penalties. After negotiating a series of sections, the rider who has the fewest penalty points is declared the winner.”

Those are the events but who are the riders to watch? In the trials 26 class the top three finishers from both the World Cup events thus far are Gilles Coustellier, Guillaume Dunand and Aurelien Fontenoy all

Reigning World Champ and PMB local Greg Minnaar in action.

turn to page 4

Page 2: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

2

FS Editorial & News

Winter rolling

the teamPublishing Editor: Shayne Dowling

[email protected]

Content Editor: Seamus [email protected]

Art Director: Megan [email protected]

Advertising: Shayne Dowling

PR & Promotions: Julia [email protected]

Photography: Julia Andrade, Jacques Marais, Thinkstock.com and

Oakpics.com – Fanus Oosthuizen.

Regulars: David George, Meurant Botha, Stirling Kotze Snr & Jnr,

Alex Blair, Jacques Marais.

Contributor: David Bristow.

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.

Head Offi ce | Cape Town Tel: 021 685 0285Address: Suite WB03 Tannery Park23 Belmont Road, Rondebosch, 7700Postal Address: PO Box 31649, Tokai, 7945

Full Sus uses the iON AIR PRO WiFi

MOUNTAIN BIKE MONTHLYfullsus

FROM THE editor newsnews

On the 20th and 21st of July the SA XCO and DHI championships took place at

Hayterdale Trails. Saturday saw the XCO riders fi ght it out for the right to compete in the SA Champion’s jersey at the World Champ in late August. In the Elite divisions Philip Buys and Samantha Sanders were in a class of their own winning the elite men’s and ladies titles. The U23 men’s race was the most tightly contested of the day with

Rourke Croeser piping James Reid by a wheel, while in the young ladies division Mariske Strauss was in dominant form. The juniors were won by Alan Hatherly and Bianca Haw, while the youth division was won by Julian Jessop and Frankie Du Toit. While on the DHI front Tiaan Odendaal claimed the Elite men’s title with Gina Nixon proving to be the quickest lady down the hill. Congratulations from Full Sus to all the new SA Champs!

If you’re an avid reader (the signs are promising) and you enjoy MTB (that’s a given) then you should give The race that measures it all a read. It’s an autobiographical account by Neil Fourie of his quest to overcome a life changing injury and conquer the world’s toughest MTB race. It’s a poignantly personal tale written in a conversational tone. Bruce Reyneke said: “I think this book can be recommended to anybody who

is doing the Cape Epic for the first time, and also anybody that has suffered from adversity, not just cyclists.” While Kevin Vermaak was honoured by the role the Epic played in Neil’s life saying: “Congratulations on your determination and achievement. I’m humbled by the role that the Epic plays in your amazing life-story.”

The Race that Measures it all

SA CHAMPS

So I'm lying in bed feeling sorry for myself and like all man-flu victims the only

people who seem to care are complete strangers who I have been emotionally telling how sick I am - sympathy is like antibiotics for us blokes! So just another reason not to get on the bike despite knowing that we are entered into Wine2Whales and that getting ready is going to be a bitch. Winter in the Cape sure makes it easy to find excuses not to ride and frankly some of them are valid. A good friend of mine who has transformed himself from a 102kg average joe (depending of course on your definition of average) into a slim 80kg riding machine, was up and riding the Noordhoek Peak, alone, at 5am with lights and pouring rain when he came to the realisation that "this is crazy!" he thought: "I'm not enjoying this, I'm soaked and its bloody dangerous" his answer - he hung up his bike, put on his walking shoes and chilled. Exactly as David G said in last months article. Those of us that feel we take the sport seriously run the risk of becoming jaded - we don't get paid to do this, we have to get up at odd hours to train in between work and family commitments, watch our diet, drink lite beer - I am starting to see the point David Bristow makes in his article in this issue.

We also dont want to go backwards but this is a great time

for a bit of gym work, cross-training and a good excuse to dust off that static trainer lying in the garage. My cycle partner and I have and it's actually been fun - we got hold of a couple of training videos and have been making our way around some interesting sites in California while sweating up a storm. Having a mate to train with also makes things a lot easier, its a lot harder to make up an excuse when your bud/s are outside waiting on the pavement. Prob ably a good time to apologise again to our mad mate Dion who ventured out from the North to tackle Tokai only to be told halfway here that we are not going to be tackling the rain but staying warmly tucked up in bed... D we really thought our bikes would rust!

Enjoy this issue of Full Sus, once again Seamus has done a great job putting together some top features, thanks to the guys at ASG for the Pinnarello and to all you guys for all the great feedback. PE and East London you guys are next, we have sorted out distribution for the Eastern Cape so let your buds know Full Sus is coming!

See you on the trails!

Cheers

PHILLIP BUYS WILL RACE WORLD CHAMPS IN THE SA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS JERSEY

DARREN GODDARD/CYCHO MEDIA

Page 3: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

3

SUS THE FEEDBACKSUS THE FEEDBACK

Where to Find Full SusGood Day to you. Trust you are well.Please advise where I could possible obtain my dose of Full Sus monthly.I am based in Westrand, Roodepoort, Gauteng.Thanking you kindly.Regards, Belinda Stevens

Shot for the letter Belinda, you can fi nd our list of distributers on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FullSussa, in

Where to Find Full SusGood Day to you. Trust you are well.Please advise where I could possible obtain my dose of Full Sus monthly.I am based in Westrand, Roodepoort, Gauteng.Thanking you kindly.Regards, Belinda Stevens

the “Notes”. Also look out for Full Sus in the Eastern Cape bike shops in September. If your bike shop doesn’t stock Full Sus, ask them why…

Full Sus’s photographic partners Oakpics are off ering a couple of photographic workshops for beginner and intermediate

level photographers. If you’d like to spend either 3 or 5 days at the beautiful Drie Kuilen Private Nature Reserve in the Klein Karoo working on your photography skills then give Fanus a shout at [email protected] or 082 3732 830.

The three day workshop is from the 4 - 6 Oct and the fi ve day, from 1 - 4 Nov 2013. The fees include transport, accommo-dation, meals and the workshops. All you need is your equipment, enthusiasm and an open mind.

Founded in December 2012 the premise behind Lionel Murray and Richard Coram’s Freewheel

Cycology LBS was the need for a high-end service centre. But the idea soon

grew into a full on shop specialising in the Cannondale, GT, Trek, Merida, Swift, Fondriest and Titan brands. Another added bonus is their test-ride policy where you can ride-before-you-buy on some of the top end bikes in their shop. Check them out online at www.freewheel.co.za.

Following an incident in the Northern San Francisco Bay Area which left Lisa Zeppegno

of Oakland in a critical condition Full Sus would like to remind you again to be aware of other trail users. In the case in question 2 young riders – who fl ed the scene and haven’t been identifi ed, but who appeared to be between the ages of 10 and 12 – where riding a path where MTB is prohibited in the Indian Tree Open Space Preserve. They startled Zeppegno and her companion, Nicole Devito, who were both thrown from their horses. Zeppegno is currently recovering in hospital from her spinal fractures while Devito also suff ered trauma to her spine, but fortunately did not need to be airlifted to hospital as Zeppegno was. The incident has

sparked a heated debate about safe trail use in the Bay Area and Full Sus would like to urge you to obey the rules of the trail and respect the rights and personal safety of others on the trails. Accidents happen quickly, but most can be avoided with the use of common sense by both parties. Oh and obviously don’t ride illegal trails.

So the results of the ‘reader’s favourite trails competition’ are in and leading the way is the Oak Valley trail in the winelands of Elgin. The trails on the Oak Valley wine estate have been used for the Cape Epic, Wine2Whales

and the Houw Hoek MTB Tour amongst others, so they’re popular with the race organisers too. Next on the list of reader’s favourite places to ride so far is Jonkershoek, but with the massive MTB contingent in Stellenbosch that’s hardly surprising. There are some great trails which we were surprised didn’t get a mention though, and a few like Welvanspas with far too few votes, so we’re taking to Twitter to get you involved.

Tweet @FullSussa with #FavTrail. Let’s hear where you like to ride and even better tweet us a pic too. Best pic gets published in the September issue!

SA’s best trailsaccording to you

Cycology Service

Ride Safely

Work on your Photography Skills

Flevel photographers. If you’d like to spend either 3 or 5 days at the beautiful Drie Kuilen Private Nature Reserve in the Klein Karoo working on your photography skills then give Fanus a shout at [email protected] or 082 3732 830.

The three day workshop is from the 4 - 6 Oct and the fi ve day, from 1 - 4 Nov 2013. The fees include transport, accommo-dation, meals and the workshops. All you need is your equipment,

high-end service centre. But the idea soon grew into a full on shop specialising in the Cannondale, GT,

Cycology ServiceCycology ServiceCycology

RESPECT THE PERSONAL SAFETY OF OTHERS ON THE TRAILS

OAKPICS.COM

OAKPICS.COM

JULIA ANDRADE

Lionel Murray and Richard Coram

News FS

Page 4: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

4

FS World Champs Preview

from France. While in the 20 class Abel Garcia, leads the rankings over fellow Spaniard Benito José Ros Charral and Dutchman Rick Koekoek, however Vincent Hermance who finished 3rd in Walbrzych, Poland, shouldn’t be discounted.

In the XCR I’d like to think that our local guys and gals will be able to give the podium a shot, but with the massively strong teams from Switzerland and Italy particularly, and a couple of other European nations it’d be a tough nut to crack. Looking at the team that Cycling South Africa has selected it seems likely that the XCR team will be made up of Philip Buys, Yolande Speedy, Rourke Croeser and Alan Hatherly. Going on the World Cup rankings alone the Swiss team could be made up by Nino Schurter, Esther Süss, Reto Indergand and Fabian Strittmatter, but at this stage this is pure speculation. What is clear however is that the European nations have formidable strength in depth when it comes to the cross country disciplines.

The XCE and the XCO races will be difficult to pick but local poduim hopes can be pinned with relative confidence on the young shoulders of Mariske Strauss and Rourke Croeser while Yolande Speedy is over her Epic induced injuries and should be in contention too, while Philip Buys and Matthys Beukes will be looking to prove the UCI form books wrong and upset the more favoured international competitors. Our U23 squads in particular are pretty strong, with Croeser saying that he wouldn’t be surprised by “possibly even having four riders finish in the top 20” in the U23 men’s division. If that’s to be the case keep an eye out for James Reid in the men’s race, while Candice Neethling has Olympic experience and is currently sweeping all before her on the local scene from a U23 ladies perspective.

On the international front in the elite ladies podium could well be dominated by three of these four names: Tanja Zakelj, Eva Lechner, Alexandra Engen and Julie Bresset from Slovenia, Italy, Sweden and France respectively. While the top ranked elite men thus far this season have been the Swiss duo of Nino Schurter and Lukas Fükiger, followed by Italian Marco Fontana and Frenchman Julien Absalon.

It is in the downhill division that South Africa has the best chance of claiming a rainbow jersey. The double world champion - Greg Minnaar is the reigning World Champ having won the title in Leogang, Austria, last year and is currently in 2nd place in the World Cup rankings. Maritzburg is also Greg’s local stomping ground

so look for him to give it horns on the redesigned Cascades downhill course. Also in contention though is fellow Saffa Andrew Neethling (Read more about Needles in our Q & A on page 17), and the internationals led by Gee Atherton – who has been in all conquering form in 2013 – and Needles’s team-mate Danny Hart – who has struggled for form this year but is too quick to ever discount completely.

CoursesThe cross country course measures 4.9km in length and features a nasty looking profile with riders being asked to either climb at maximum power or descend at break-neck speeds throughout. It’s made up of two loops with the start located at the lowest point of the route. The initial drag race up the first 350m climb could be essential as there will inevitably be a bottle-neck on the left hand corner turning up into Red Face Hill. The start/finish is also located on the most accessible and open part of the course so expect it to be a spectator hot spot for more than just the usual reasons. With riders having to guts it out up the deceptive rise over the last 300m expect on the line drama.

The downhill course is 3.02km long and drops nigh on 400m making for a -13.32% gradient (if you’re into that sort of thing). What’s really important though is that course designer Nick Floros has been hard at work resculpting drops and jumps to provide the sternest test the geography of the Cascades will allow. The course can be divided into three sections with the first providing a high speed (up to 80kph) bust over the Haibo road gap to the N3 tabletops, the second is a lung busting 40-second sprint pedal section before the gradient drops again into Air-odrome bridge drop before ending with the massive Moneymaker hip, a 15-metre step-down hip designed to wow the crowds.

Spectator FriendlyAll access is free but for the weekend of the 30th, 31st and 1st so get down to the Cascades to support our guys and gals. The training sessions for the World Champs start on Monday the 26th of August and the full programme is on the event website. I would advise you to book online using ROAG though as the final weekend will get busy.

Also because of the limited space spectators have been asked to park their cars at the Settler’s Park which is 1km from the event venue. There will be shuttle buses to transport you to and from this parking.

Downhill Profi le

Downhill Course

StartEye Boggler

Eish!Cloud 9

Haibo

Dr EvilThe GulleyN3

Khatala

Jugs Big One

Bomb HoleAir-O-Drome

Slip n Slide

The MoneymakerFinish

“IT IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT EVENT SOUTH AFRICA HAS EVER

HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF HOSTING.”

Master’s World ChampsBut first… there’s the little matter of the Masters World Champs to handle! The old bullets of the MTB scene (they’re not all that old… the masters event is open to anyone without any UCI points in 2013 over the age of 30) have a chance to strut their stuff. From the 21st to the 25th of August our local rides will be taking on the best amateurs in the world for their chance at MTB glory. So go support them too.

AT WORLDSFull Sus won’t just be

represented in words and images at the World Champs,

our very own downhilling nutter Kathryn Fourie will be taking part

in the Masters World Champs and after a selection which

surprised her (but not us) in the Elite Ladies DHI competition too.

Go say hi and buy her a good luck beer – I gather they don’t say break a leg in downhill –

she’ll have a Label.

fullsus

Follow the Action LiveFollow the Action LiveStay up-to-date with all the action from the 2013 World Championships. Visit the offi cial website at www.mtbworldchamps.co.za.

@RourkeCroeser@StraussMariske@candle_bear (Candice Neethling)@alanhatherly@MountainBikerSA (Mylene Loumeau CSA)@SeamusAllardiceAnd of course @FullSussa

Kim’s Corner

Noogies Knoll

Rapid Rocks

Feed/Tech Zones

Corkscrew

Pick Up Sticks

Treehouse rock Garden

Shale Climb

The Amphitheatre Extension

Sharka’s Playground

The Amphitheatre

Halfway

Finish

Start

Red Face Hill

or follow the news on Twitter @MTBWorlds2013

like the offi cial Facebook page:www.facebook.com/UCIMTBWorldChamps2013

FOR THE SOCIALLY ACTIVE:

For inside scoops follow:(Explanations only follow the non-self-explanatory) @philbuys@MatthysBeukes@GregMinnaar@andrewneethling@Yolandes (Yolande Speedy)@CherieVale@james_reid01

Page 5: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013
Page 6: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

to Full Sus by Diana Carolin (of the Hessequa MTB feature in the July issue fame) and given his exploits in his first MTB race we thought we should find out more.

I met up with James in the Tokai Forrest and he was more than happy to talk about his MTB ambitions, but he did make it clear that in the next few years his focus would remain on the road. His Nu Water team were happy to let him switch the slicks for knobblies in the winter months when the road calendar thinned out and it didn’t take much to get James into the competitive MTB scene.

The Hessequa was his first MTB race and he managed to place 6th, but topped that with a 3rd in the AmaRider 100 Miler in May, showing that his MTB talent might well lie with

the long fast rides. Given his roadie background it’s not surprising that at this point of his MTB development that James favours the less technical gravel road dominated races, but technical skills are something he’s keen to work on.

James recons that he’ll be moving into the competitive MTB scene full time, in a few years’ time (once he’s made a good fist of the roadie career and worked on his single track skills). And when he does commit we suspect he’ll prove to be a force to be reckoned with – given how far he’s come so quickly. But for now it’ll

be a winter break bit of fun, though that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put a wager on the name Tennent should it crop up in a MTB race line up in the next 24 months or so.

team for all UCI events, as the support that a European based team can offer would allow her to focus on the business of riding far more. Not that riding for Orange Monkey means the end of Mariske in the Contego kit. After our chat she was off to Knysna, for the Oyster Festival, where she was crowned the top female cyclist – racing in Contego colours once more, having placed second in the MTB and Road races behind Anriette Schoeman and Candice Neethling respectively.

With her first semester’s BSc Sport Science exams behind her, Mariske can now afford to focus on training for the SA Champs in July and the World Champs in August. The varsity holidays means no 3am wake-up calls – so she can put in a 3 hour ride before heading to 8am classes – for a while at least, (or doing pracs until 5 before shooting back to Durbanville for a quick 2 hour training session in the early evening winter darkness).

The life of a pro athlete, it’s not all globe-trotting and spraying Champaign on podiums. The training schedule is demanding, the traveling is relentless and the racing competition is by all accounts fiercer than you’d imagine. Apparently waiting at single track bottle necks can be perilous to your calves as pushy riders jump the queue and Mariske has caught a chainring to the leg in one such encounter. Queues aside the ladies racing is pretty agro all round and one of the adjustments

she’s learnt to make is to not fall into the trap of being nice on the course.

After a disappointing 2012 she decided to relocate home from the USA and although none of her American uni credits were transferable back to Stellies the change seems to have been for the best all round. With an 8th place in the Albstadt World Cup event and a 6th in

Nove Mesto na Morave to go with her African Champs title, 2013 has been a good year so far for Mariske.

2014 will see her step up into the Elite ladies class and I’m sure she’ll take to the task with her usual high energy aplomb. But for now here’s hoping she adds the U23 XCO World Champion title to her CV in 2013.

FS MTB Young Guns

SuS the Stars oF THe NeAR FuTuRe

We all want to know who the next South African MTB star will be. So Seamus Allardice caught up with a few young riders who have been

making waves in the scene of late. Chic

It would be difficult to describe Mariske without over using synonyms for a ball of energy. She

seems like a perpetual motion device and I got the feeling that she’d be at somewhat of a loss if she wasn’t trying to fit a full time degree into the life of a pro athlete.

The 22 year old from Durbanville is from good riding stock, with her old man Bryan having had a successful career on the bike before taking over as the manager of the national MTB team over a decade ago, and her brothers are riders too. She’s been racing for over ten years herself and she’s been pretty successful locally too, so much so that her local team, Contego, rates her as “currently the most promising female mountain biker in South Africa”.

That assessment probably had a hand in them letting Mariske sign for the UK based Orange Monkey

CoNTeGo, RATeS HeR AS “CuRReNTlY THe MoST

pRoMISING FeMAle MouNTAIN BIkeR IN SouTH AFRICA”.

Mariske Strauss

Roadie James Tennent

The 24 year old is the oldest of our group of young guns, but with his road racing current

focus and marathon MTB future goals, time is still very much on his side. James Tennent was introduced

Race face: Mariske focusing all that energy

OrAnge MOnkey PrO TeAM

WWW.OAkPicS.cOM

6

James Tennent going into the red on the AmaRider 100 Miler

Page 7: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

racing rather than just focusing purely on results. And to that effect he’s been trying out a new training programme in 2013 too. With the 360Life team dissolving in late 2012 James felt the time was right to make the change, saying that he’d tried the distance based approach favoured by his then senior team mates and he’s now trying a more intensity based approach. It’s perhaps surprising then that his big result of the year came in a longer race, but these things take time and James still has plenty of that with 2014 being his last year in U23, and Rio 2016 as his current mid-term goal.

In the short term there’s the SA XCO Championships, the UCI World Cup event 4 in Andorra, and the Illovo Eston MTB Marathon (the fi rst two will be well over before Full Sus makes it to your hands – so check how James

Dude

James Reid does not come across as 20. And while the word he repeated most often

in our chat was “sustainability,” if I was pressed to pick a word it would be intelligent.

From discussing his current approach to training to dealing with the emotional peaks and troughs as a professional athlete; and talking about his big plans for the future to the fallout from David George’s positive test which left him a privateer in 2013. He expresses himself with quiet confi dence and seems to give not only his riding, but also the peripheral issues that go hand in hand with being an elite rider, a great deal of thought.

On the bike 2013 has been a mixed year for James, he’s been successful locally – most notably in the place he least expected it winning the SA Marathon Champs – but internationally he’s failed to reach his 2012 levels. When we spoke the national XCO champs were just over a week away, and he was not eager to oversell his chances. After having it widely reported that “he would win nationals” in a previous year, he was understandably reticent to be brash about his prospects. I got the feeling though that while the Worlds are a major goal (he said top 5, but I suspect he’s aiming higher) he’s more of a long term planner.

Under 23, he says is about learning the skills and honing your

MTB Young Guns FS

Get involved in XCOGet involved in XCO

SponsorsSponsors

Cross country isn’t really big on the local scene despite being the Olympic discipline. With DH not on the Olympic radar at this stage and our nation’s love for MTB, Full Sus would love to see more youngsters competing at the XCO discipline. The technical skills honed on the XCO courses will also stand you in good stead should you make the switch to stage racing later in your career.

Pro athletes, and young ones in particular, would be nowhere without their sponsors and so from the James’s and Mariske, Full Sus would like to extend a massive thank-you to Nu Water, Contego and Orange Monkey. But special words of praise must go to 360Life, despite pulling their team sponsorship in the wake of David George’s positive test they have continued to honour their agreement with James Reid, paying his monthly retainer until the contract’s completion after World’s. In a time of decreased corporate expenditure and narrow focus on the bottom line, it’s great to see a massive company show compassion for a young athlete who could otherwise have easily fallen by the wayside of SA MTB.

Junior MenAlan HatherlyDylan RebelloSybrand StraussNicol CarstensCarlo MarzoppiIvan VenterLouw Kriel

Junior Women Bianca HawMarie-Christin KempfMarne BothaCatherine ColynMichelle BensonJessica AlcockHazel Magill

Looking even further to the future Here are the South African juniors selected to take part in the World Champs, and if I were pressed to pick just one to watch I’d suggest you keep an eye on the young Bianca Haw.

UNDER 23, HE SAYS IS ABOUT LEARNING THE SKILLS AND HONING YOUR RACING RATHER THAN JUST FOCUSING PURELY ON RESULTS.

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Guard Guard

leatt® 118-13

did) before the once in a lifetime opportunity of a home World Champs.

While I’d put money on James placing well in both the SA and World XCO Champs I’d suggest that James Reid is a name to watch for the long term, rather than just a World Champs flavour of the month. If Mariske is our best young female MTB prospect James is our best young MTB representative. On and off the bike James Reid is a name to watch.

James Reid on his way to victory in the SA XCM Champs

JamesReid

Page 8: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

8

FS What’s wrong with MTB

David Bristow knows he’s not alone in thinking that the local MTB scene isn’t what

it used to be. And he’s not scared to voice his opinions either… Photo by Oakpics.com

I learned mountain biking with my mate Mad Dog Maddock who insisted we “ride the trail, don’t

make the trail rideable”. I didn’t even have front shocks in those days, but we rode the single tracks like brown-dirt cowboys.

Everything was cool, the trails were rugged and mostly empty, and we just rode as we liked. Then, I guess it was around the time of the first Cape Epic back in 2004 that things started to change. Suddenly everyone wanted to be like a pro racer, smoothing out the single tracks so they could go faster. You had to ride a race every weekend and you just had to buy all the latest sh*t to blend in with the pack. To keep up you had to get a heart-rate monitor and consume small fortunes of energy supplements and recovery drinks.

When people ask me about my heart rate numbers, I say I use a colour-coded system: when I’m

Do you have a bone to pick?If you feel strongly about David’s opinions, get involved on in the Facebook debate at

www.facebook.com/fullsussa. Is MTB in South Africa losing touch with its roots or is the change for the better? Maybe you’re not sold on either polar view, and want to act as the voice of reason?

The guy rIDIng pAST AcTuAlly ShouTeD AT her:

“FAll To The leFT”

David Bristow has buckets of MTB experience having ridden and written the Spine of the Dragon. He’s also the webmaster of www.dragontrax.co.za, a site which aims to be the countries

go-to, free, repository of the mountain biking GPS tracks.

how numbers and Sh*t AreStuffing up Mountain Biking

Me? I use a tried and tested formula refined by Doctor Castle, along with a medically formulated cheeseburger. But no, South African mountain bikers these days seem to think they’ll all Olympians who can use only expensive sh*t from the snake-oil salespeople of the sporting world.

Riding in Tokai on Sundays used to be a social event, a light-hearted pleasure outing (with the aroma of baboon cabbage often permeating the dank forest). Nowadays it’s a friggin race and piss of out the way when I’m coming down. Riding one day along the single track with a female friend, she hit something and went down. The guy riding past actually shouted at her: “Fall to the left!”

Then there’s all the sh*t. We all like nice bikes with frictionless gears and lots of ratios to discuss over naff milky lattés with our helmets on. The biking industry reads us like they’ve got crystal balls. We LOVE stuff, we love new stuff best. Now we all have to have 29ers, don’t we? In fact the jury is still out. The only time there is a calculable advantage with a 29er is on open roads. That people, is valley cycling, not mountain biking. If you don’t believe me ask the Brits, who have not bought the new craze wholesale.

Admit it, if you bought a 29er it was because you love new sh*t, and you don’t want to be left behind by the crowd. And all this time I thought moun-tain biking was about being a maverick, not a sheep. Clearly I was wrong.

In a past issue of Full Sus a female rider (and I’m sure she’s a lovely person) actually admitted she had not started riding single track until very recently. Well then, that ain’t mountain biking, is it ma’m! In the school where I learned, if you did not even try riding a downhill trail where there was one, you were not the grapes on a mountain biker’s bum.

Now many of the people I know are getting up in the dark a few times a week, not to ride their bikes, oh no, but to go to the gym to do cadence training. “Trying to be the new Lance Armstrong. I’d rather just take the drugs,” I say. They all talk about their cadence numbers, and their wattage numbers, like they’re riding the frigging Olympics.

Me? I get up at around sunrise and actually go mountain biking. When people ask me what my numbers are I say “083-762-0000 – give me a call and maybe we can actually go riding.”

So I ride my bike, anyhow, anywhere, any time. And afterwards I tuck into a medically approved frosty and a snake-oil fried cheeseburger. As for numbers, I leave them to the accountants.

breathing easy it’s green; when I’m gasping it’s orange; when my heart starts breaking ribs to get out it’s red. How simple is that, and it didn’t cost a cent. Energy drinks? I drink Coke, it’s cheap and actually tastes nice. If I feel like a savory treat I mix up a bottle of Mate (the energy drink of gauchos and all South American soccer players). Even trail guru, AmaRider Meurant, shakes his head and agrees: local mountain bikers are event bevok. Overseas you race for the fun and maybe a beer and let the real pros contest the races.

Among the most cynical of industries is the pharmaceutical supplement business. Real scientist know they are worth sh*t, and pretty much the same goes for sports supplements as well as all the recovery junk. Sure, you need recovery calories, but you can buy what you need off any restaurant menu or supermarket sweet shelf.

www.OAkPicS.cOM

Tweet your views on #Valleycycling

Page 9: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

99

Ride Reports FS

Namib QUESTING

Navigating the DUSI

On the 19th of June a select group of riders gathered at the Windhoek Country Club for the 3rd Windhoek Lager Namib Quest and this is what went down as they road to Swakopmund.

If you want to fi nd out more about Farmer Glen’s latest race and to book your place for 2014 (you know how quickly his events fi ll up) check out www.dusi2c.co.za.

David le Roux had the privilege of riding the inaugural Dusi2c, a 2 day mountain bike race following the Dusi Canoe Marathon route and had a lot of preconceived ideas on what

the route would be like: district roads, with a few portages and maybe a goat trail. How wrong he was…

In the 6 day adventure through the Khomas Hochland and the Namib Desert riders enjoyed rustic race villages every evening with all the best

home comforts laid on as an added bonus – like hot showers, massages, three course meals and bike maintenance service – all surrounded by the unspoilt African bush.

The 40 riders were treated to a bit of clay pigeon shooting, something to add to the bush and Namibian experience, on day one. And every evening the talented PD Stoman strummed out tunes on his guitar around the campfi re for entertain the multinational group featuring riders from SA, Namibia, Angola and Zimbabwe.

The eventual winners were Heinrich Krohne and Costa Seibeb, while the fi rst ladies team were Charmaine Shannon and Elke Jagau. Full Sus’s Jacques Marais and his ride partner Johan Fourie fi nished in 3rd overall.

Check it out: If you’re keen to fi nd out more about the Namib Quest or to view all the spectacular photos from the 2013 event go to www.africanextremepromotions.com.

Navigating theDusi2c, a 2 day mountain bike race following the Dusi Canoe

Devlin Fogg from D.U.C.T along with Glen and his “2c” team had been working fl at out on the route, cutting in

loads of fl owing single track, and constructing a brilliant race village out of Mfula Store. I was blown away by the quality and quantity of single track on stage one, which contained nearly no district road at all. Stage 2 had a little less track, but the section along the Inanda dam was spectacular. The highlight of the race though was the concept of GPS Navigation, no

signs or markers on the route at all - only the odd marshal for safety.

I don’t own a GPS myself, and my dad carelessly let a truck smash his, but I was lucky enough to be able to ride with Tamika Haw, who turned out to be a magnifi cent navigator. Tamika Columbus I will call her from now on. The GPS navigation added a great dimension to the ride - you always had to keep one eye on the map otherwise you would soon fi nd yourself turning back to fi nd the turn off you missed.

We had a little race going on with Dusi canoe champ Lance Kime and Owen Gandar – it was tough racing and we had two minutes to make up on the short 2nd stage, but Lance punctured near the end and we managed to sneak in a win. Train harder next year lads!

As a fi nal thought, I think that the Dusi2c is a great entry into stage racing for anyone looking to move up from single day classics, and the GPS navigation is the way of the future. Great event Farmer Glen!

Beautiful midlands mornings on the Msunduzi

Riders and a tributary snaking along the valley

Farmer Glen with his daughters,

Bianca (left) and Tamika (right),

and David le Roux

Page 10: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

10

FS TrailsFS Trails

Bergplaas Garden Route R’nR

Jacques Marais is the author of

Top MTB Trails, and will be keeping you up to speed with the best rides

in SA. You can fi nd out more at www.jacquesmarais.co.za

SUS THE STATSSUS THE STATS

Here goes if you’re keen on some proper, off -the-beaten track Garden Route R’nR … Book in at the 7 Passes Tented Camp and get ready to explore (or Jacques Marais says, get lost within) the vast Bergplaas

plantations near Hoekwil. Photography by Jacques Marais

Local Buzz:The 7 Passes Tented Camp on the Mandalay Road makes for a perfect base if you’re keen to ride some of the Garden Route’s lesser-known routes. Although most of the fat-trackers in the region gravitate towards the well-known Knysna trails, the recently laid-out trails in Farleigh Forest and the endless forestry roads of Bergplaas make for a superb endurance session on the

Grading: Easy to Intermediate (steep climbing)

Duration: 1 - 7hrs

Confi guration: Circular/Return Options – 18/80km

Start Point: 7 Passes Tented Camp 

Terrain: Forestry tracks, 4x4 routes, secret single-track

Post-Ride Beer: Zucchini’s at Timberlake Village - www.timberlake.co.za

Must-Do-Event: Kingfi sher MTB Challenge - www.hoekwilprimary.co.za

Access: Open access along 7 Passes Road; permit may be required for Bergplaas

Cell Reception: Good

Accommodation: All options covered at  www.7passes.co.za   

Local Contact:  MTB Guide Jan van der Westhuizen +(82) 959 8767

GPS: 33° 57’ 01.48” S / 22° 39’ 42.65” E

bike. Once back at the tented camp, you can chillax on your wooden decks overlooking the dam, indulge in some bass fi shing, check out the resident fi sh eagles, or head on down to Timberlake Village for one of the best cups of java on Planet Earth.

Trail Low-Down:Sho boet, I’m not sure where to start, hey… With all the riding options along the 7 Passes Road,

the best is probably to concentrate on just one option, so let’s make it Bergplaas. This section of Cape Pine plantation stretches along the Outeniqua ranges to the north of Karatara, Woodville and Hoekwil. (And if you don’t know where this is, think around 15km or so inland from Sedgefi eld and Wilderness.) Access to the plantations and the Bergplaas State Forest is blissfully easy from 7 Passes Camp. Saddle

up and turn left out of the parking lot for a quick 1.3km crank to the main tarmac track, and nudge right along the shoulder from here for 500m. On your left, you will notice the Woodville General Dealer and a gravel road heading into the hills through farmland… this is where you’re going. You’ll reach the Cape Pine signs after a further 1.5km; keep left into the indigenous forest and ignore the road to Woodville to your right. A few dips and climbs later you’ll be able to check out a kick-ass panorama over the farmlands below the forest as you ess-bend to the summit of your first big climb (6km). Forestry gates to the left and tight allow you to explore off the main drag, but keep

Page 11: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

THE PRIZE: Ocean Eyewear, celebrating 25 years in South Africa. Best known for their rugged by stylish sunglasses which are designed to

withstand the elements – made with corrosive resistant materials and scratch resistant lenses – Ocean Eyewear sunnies will keep your eyes protected from UV glare with their UV 400 lenses. Enter Full Sus’s “Top Saff a at the World Champs” competition and stand a chance to win 1 of 2 pairs of Ocean Eyewear’s, top of the range, SI sunglasses. The SI range feature exchangeable lenses, meaning you’ll be able to select light

COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS Competition submissions should reach us no later than 20 August 2013. The Prize/s is that indicated, no alternatives or cash will be provided. The decision of Integrated Media will be fi nal and no correspondence will be entered

into. Under no circumstances shall Integrated Media, Tri Ocean Trading 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 suff ered 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 adidas 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.

Nina Swiegelaar (Stellenbosch) and Jorg Knorrwere (Plumstead) are our lucky winners of a pair of Ocean Eyewear SJ840 sunnies

each for their quirky responses in July, and now you have another chance to win. Let us know who you think is going to be the highest placed Saff a at the

world champs and stand a chance of winning one of two pairs of Ocean Eyewear SI’s.

enhancing lenses for those low light winter afternoon rides, or a nice dark shade if you’re lucky enough to be able to slip out for a ride while the sun is shining. Check them out at www.oceaneyewear.co.za or grab a pair at your nearest Sportsman’s Warehouse.

HOW TO WIN: Drop us an email by the 20th of August, with the subject: “Top Saff a” to [email protected] and give us your view on who’ll be the highest placed South African at the World Champs. Remember to include your full name, ID number, physical address and a contact number.

Ocean Eyewear sunglasses are available in all Sportmans Warehouse Retail outlets.

11

Trails FS

an eye out for access control signs warning you of areas where tree-felling may be happening.The second gate to your right takes you past the fire lookout point, with a nice little bomb along a dippy forest track which loops anti-clockwise to take you back to the main gravel stretch (10km). If you keep right, you’ll drop down towards the river past the original Bergplaas homestead, with literally hours of riding pleasure awaiting

you across the valley. There you go, buddy, and don’t miss the Diek’s Brew Blonde at Timberlake!

Getting there:Take the Hoekwil turn-off off the N2 at Wilderness Caltex garage, and continue up this (7 Passes) tar road for 15km. Pass through Hoekwil and the Woodville Big Tree, and then look out for a Mandalay sign indicating a right turn. The tented camp is 1.3km down this gravel road.

“SHO BOET, I’M NOT SURE WHERE TO START, HEY, WITH

ALL THE RIDING OPTIONS ALONG THE 7 PASSES ROAD…”

A room with a view.

Tented luxury, what more can you ask for?

Ocean Eyewear sunglasses are available in all Sportmans Warehouse Retail outlets.

DOUBLE your chances by liking us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fullsussa

Ocean Eyewear sunglasses are available in all Sportmans Warehouse Retail outlets.

win

Page 12: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

27 – 29 SEPTEMBER 2013

With a total of 668 rhinos poached across South Africa in 2012 each Ride the Rhino participant will receive a plastic rhino horn that can be attached to their bicycles. The horn will serve as a personal, symbolic tribute to the individual rhino they will be racing in memory of.

Resolution Health and Zurreal are the proud partners of the Resolution Ride the Rhino cycling event. As part of their new strategy they believe in the drive to conserve our natural vegetation for generations to come. They believe that conservation plays an important part in the overall preservation of our environment and ultimately our health and are dedicated to increasing awareness of the plight of the Renosterveld through events such as the Resolution Health Ride the Rhino.

The Resolution Health Ride the Rhino encompasses the core principles of the medical scheme which are to preserve the environment, educate members and encourage participation in meaningful healthy entertainment in order to promote a healthier tomorrow.

As a leader in the medical schemes industry they are committed to the holistic health of their members and communities at large. In conjunction with their Wellness and Loyalty partner Zurreal, they provide you with access to bene­ts that will assist you in living the life you want, starting today!

About our SponsorsThe Race

The race will kick o� at 08:00 and the route is the ­rst of its kind on the West Coast. Cyclists can expect unsurpassed views, breath-taking scenery and close encounters with the area’s fauna and �ora as they wind through the panoramic Darling and Malmesbury to their ­nal destination of Durbanville. The route o�ers some of the best terrain available from Mother Nature, ranging between rough back roads and jeep tracks to koppies and mountains.

The Renosterveld is a disappearing habitat and poses a dire threat to the survival of the 9 600 species who call it home, 12 of which are either classi­ed as endangered or already extinct. This includes the Black Rhino, Cape Lion, Ghost Frog and Dwarf Chameleon. Over the past years the Renosterveld has shrunk by a staggering 96% due to its endangered state.

With a total of 668 rhinos poached across South Africa in 2012 each Ride the Rhino participant will receive a plastic rhino horn that can be attached to their bicycles. The horn will serve as a personal, symbolic tribute to the individual rhino they will be racing in memory of.

Resolution Health and Zurreal are the proud partners of the Zurreal are the proud partners of the ZurrealResolution Ride the Rhino cycling event. As part of their new

About our Sponsors

What is the Renosterveld?

The Route

The Resolution Health and Zurreal Ride the Rhino mountain bike event is aimed at raising much needed funds in answer to the plight of the rhino and to curb the disappearance of the endangered Renosterveld region in the Western Cape.

Taking place over the September school holidays from 27 to 29 September in the Western Cape – the race serves as a unique family outing in support of a very worthy cause. Family points are scattered throughout each stage of the race to provide spouses, children and friends with a bird’s eye view of certain race sections.

Ride the Rhino 27-29 September 2013

Visit www.ridetherhino.co.za to enter

Ride for a Rhino

Plus join us for Race the Rhino in

Gauteng on 21 September

C

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Y

CM

MY

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rtr dps advert.pdf 1 2013/06/27 1:14 PM

Page 13: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

27 – 29 SEPTEMBER 2013

With a total of 668 rhinos poached across South Africa in 2012 each Ride the Rhino participant will receive a plastic rhino horn that can be attached to their bicycles. The horn will serve as a personal, symbolic tribute to the individual rhino they will be racing in memory of.

Resolution Health and Zurreal are the proud partners of the Resolution Ride the Rhino cycling event. As part of their new strategy they believe in the drive to conserve our natural vegetation for generations to come. They believe that conservation plays an important part in the overall preservation of our environment and ultimately our health and are dedicated to increasing awareness of the plight of the Renosterveld through events such as the Resolution Health Ride the Rhino.

The Resolution Health Ride the Rhino encompasses the core principles of the medical scheme which are to preserve the environment, educate members and encourage participation in meaningful healthy entertainment in order to promote a healthier tomorrow.

As a leader in the medical schemes industry they are committed to the holistic health of their members and communities at large. In conjunction with their Wellness and Loyalty partner Zurreal, they provide you with access to bene­ts that will assist you in living the life you want, starting today!

About our SponsorsThe Race

The race will kick o� at 08:00 and the route is the ­rst of its kind on the West Coast. Cyclists can expect unsurpassed views, breath-taking scenery and close encounters with the area’s fauna and �ora as they wind through the panoramic Darling and Malmesbury to their ­nal destination of Durbanville. The route o�ers some of the best terrain available from Mother Nature, ranging between rough back roads and jeep tracks to koppies and mountains.

The Renosterveld is a disappearing habitat and poses a dire threat to the survival of the 9 600 species who call it home, 12 of which are either classi­ed as endangered or already extinct. This includes the Black Rhino, Cape Lion, Ghost Frog and Dwarf Chameleon. Over the past years the Renosterveld has shrunk by a staggering 96% due to its endangered state.

With a total of 668 rhinos poached across South Africa in 2012 each Ride the Rhino participant will receive a plastic rhino horn that can be attached to their bicycles. The horn will serve as a personal, symbolic tribute to the individual rhino they will be racing in memory of.

Resolution Health and Zurreal are the proud partners of the Zurreal are the proud partners of the ZurrealResolution Ride the Rhino cycling event. As part of their new

About our Sponsors

What is the Renosterveld?

The Route

The Resolution Health and Zurreal Ride the Rhino mountain bike event is aimed at raising much needed funds in answer to the plight of the rhino and to curb the disappearance of the endangered Renosterveld region in the Western Cape.

Taking place over the September school holidays from 27 to 29 September in the Western Cape – the race serves as a unique family outing in support of a very worthy cause. Family points are scattered throughout each stage of the race to provide spouses, children and friends with a bird’s eye view of certain race sections.

Ride the Rhino 27-29 September 2013

Visit www.ridetherhino.co.za to enter

Ride for a Rhino

Plus join us for Race the Rhino in

Gauteng on 21 September

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

rtr dps advert.pdf 1 2013/06/27 1:14 PM

Page 14: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

14

FS Nutrition

Are you getting enough protein

in your diet?

FAREWELL TO Miss BlairFull Sus would like to thank Alex Blair for her excellent contributions to

the fi rst 5 issues of the publication. She’s unfortunately found running

her own business to be all consuming and so this will be her last monthly

column. Please keep her in mind should you need to consult a dietician in

preparation for your upcoming stage race.

Thanks again from all of us at Full Sus and good luck with your future endeavours!

PROTEIN IN COMMON FOODS:

Food source Serving size Grams per serving

Egg 1 large 7

Low fat cottage cheese

½ cup 14

Skim milk 1 cup / 250 ml 8

Fish/Chicken/Red meat

120 g 28

Yoghurt 1 cup 8

Peanut butter 1 tablespoon 4.5

Kidney beans ½ cup 6

Hummus ½ cup 6

Tofu 110 g 11

Baked beans 1 cup 14

Almonds 12 nuts 3

Cheddar cheese 30 g 7

Alex Blair is a registered dietician, working

out of the 360 Specialized Training Gym

in Woodstock. She specialises in Sports’

Nutrition, Diabetes, Hypertension, High

Cholesterol and Weight Loss. Find her on

Facebook at Alex Blair Dietician

or email [email protected].

Excess protein will be used as a primary fuel source or be stored as fat if it is not burnt off . All

proteins are made up of amino acids that your body needs to help build tissue. Your body can make some amino acids, but needs to get the rest from food.

The average protein intake for male endurance athletes should be between 1.2 - 2 g per kg of body weight, females 1.1 – 1.8 g per kg per day. For example, if you are a male weighing 70 kg, you would require between 84 g to 140 g per day. Prolonged daily training will increase your need for protein; therefore use the higher value of 2 g/kg per day. High protein intakes (over 2.8 g/kg per day) can accelerate the progression of pre-existing kidney disease as well as increase the amount of calcium excreted in the urine therefore putting you at risk for

The misguided theory is that if you eat a lot of protein, you will build more muscle. Alex Blair debunks this and reveals

the real truth in her last column for Full Sus.

IF YOU ARE A MALE WEIGHING 70 KG, YOU WOULD REQUIRE BETWEEN 84g TO 140g PER DAY

kidney stones. But if you don’t eat adequate amounts of protein and you train for prolonged periods, your body will break down your muscle so that there is a continual supply of amino acids. This further causes loss of strength and can compromise your performance.

If you are not sure whether you are getting your daily amount of protein, consume 2 cups of low fat milk/yoghurt per day plus three protein-rich meals. Vegetarians need to make sure that their daily diet consists of tofu, beans, chickpeas, peanut butter, egg, nuts, cheese, yoghurt and soy milk.

Protein SupplementsWhey protein supplements can also help to reach your protein goal for the day. Drink a quick shake after your training session in order to help repair muscles. Aim for an

intake of 10-25 grams of protein for your post-exercise meal. The eff ect of post-exercise protein is best seen when protein is combined with carbohydrates. Carbohydrates stimulate the muscle to take up the amino acids which in turn stops the breakdown of protein. A bowl of high fi bre cereal and skim milk instead of the protein shake can also help with muscle building and recovery. Remember, chocolate milk is also a great recovery drink!

Keep a food journal in order to keep track of the amount of protein

you are having daily. Make sure your diet consists of a healthy balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats in order to give your body the best fuel for optimal performance.

Page 15: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

15

Amarider FS

Most riders simply do not stay within the limits of their skills set, or that of their

equipment. But invariably we get blamed for ‘dumbing down’ the trails and not catering for the advanced riding community.

If riders could be left to ‘self-govern’ and look after themselves we would not be having this discussion. Unfortunately, Medi-Clinics around the country are doing a roaring trade thanks to riders running out of talent.

To ‘control your bicycle’ means that you are able to react to any given situation appropriately and with the least consequence should any external factor cause you to change direction or hit the eject button.

Obviously, the level of control is directly related to your skill level and advanced riders like Greg Minnaar and Andrew Neethling are proof that you can go extremely fast on a trail and still maintain a high level of control. Of course they do this in a controlled environment and not the local arboretum. And they have 15+ years of experience.

It is interesting to note that even the top DH riders have conceded that the Enduro riders like Jerome Clementz are able to read lines and adjust/react quicker and this is clearly evident in the results from the current Enduro World Series. It also proves that reaction to trail variables is an important skill that can certainly be improved through practice.

Take a quick look at the BMX and dirt jumping fraternity and you’ll realize that these riders rarely get injured despite the level of difficulty involved in the stunts they are attempting as they are experienced in falling off, bailing, ejecting etc.

Knowing how to crash is probably the most important skill in your riding arsenal and yet we find that some of the worst wrist and ankle injuries occur when riders fail at something basic as unclipping from the pedals.

It is important to note that the consequence from an expected incident (trying a tailwhip) is generally much less severe than that from an unexpected event like a fallen tree or other ‘sniper’.

With experience, a rider can judge what level of vigilance is required in any given situation.

Generally, one can expect that a well-managed and designed trail system would have less unforeseen hazards than perhaps that first ride down an obscure Wild Coast cattle path.

Similarly, most event routes run by reputable organizers would be well

cleared of stick traps and bamboo whips. (Don’t quote me...)

Being in control means nothing, if your equipment cannot back up your skill set. There has been much debate around the fact that many riders have ‘bought speed’ thanks to long travel bikes and the super stopping devices mounted on them nowadays.

That said, in terms of control, having better components that actually work is preferable to carrying too much speed with inferior equipment. Ensuring that your equipment is maintained and in proper working order is critical, not only for your own safety but for the others who share the trail with you too.

Of course, being in control of the bike makes you a more considerate trail user as your lack of judgement can of course cause a loss for another trail user. And yes, they can and probably will sue if they deem their loss as sufficiently unacceptable and directly related to your delinquency.

Don’t be the rider who rode across the dog’s leash. Yes. It happened. And yes, the owner had the dog on the leash and the leash in her hand...

Meurant Botha is the founder and director of AmaRider. AmaRider is a South

African non-profit company with the aim of improving MTB opportunities on the

African continent. Contact them at 021 8844547 or [email protected] or visit the website at www.amarider.co.za

Knowing how to crAsh is proBABly the Most iMportAnt sKill in your riding ArsenAl

Rule #3control your Bicycle

Many riders ask Meurant Botha why AmaRider doesn’t build more technical trails, especially in the higher frequented trail sites as well as the most popular races. His answer is simple…

oAkpiCS.CoM

Page 16: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

16

FS Stirling Revolution

You’ll debate and diScuSS eveRYthing fRom doping, touRS and mtb Stage RaceS to YouR favouRite RideRS, pRefeRRed tiRe choice and dReam bicYcle.

if you have any

questions for the

Stirlings send an email

to [email protected] and

we’ll get them to answer on the

full Sus facebook page

www.facebook.com/fullsussa.

buy your bike buy your store

StiRling

SenioR

buying a new bike today can happen in many ways. You can buy it overseas because it

was cheaper there than at home. You could buy it on-line. You could have a 'connection' at one of the importers-distributors (a few importers still do this but shouldn't). You can buy it from a discount store that buys up old/distressed/overstocked bike models. Finally, you could buy it at your Local Bicycle Shop (LBS).

When you buy your bicycle you should also "buy" the shop. In other words, your choice of shop and bike brand should be by assisting that shop's investment in cycling in your 'hood'. So, you must at least like the guys at your LBS, chat over a complimentary coffee and join them for beer on Friday afternoon. Visit your shop for no reason at all even if it's just to shoot the bicycling breeze!

Most importantly the shop will look after your bicycle and keep it running as well as it can. So find out if the service charges are affordable? Is the service check-in procedure professional? Is the turnaround time good? Is the workshop properly "tooled" and are the mechanics happy, friendly and experienced? Do you have access to the workshop (or is your beloved bike whisked off to closed-

door surgery)? Do you know what you're paying for when you select your service option? Will they fast-track your bike for an emergency or your impending stage race?

Does the owner (or manager) of the shop also get involved with you, your bike, your needs and your riding stories? The salesperson who sold you the bike should establish your needs and let you do some of the talking! When you buy a bike for under R10 000 you should feel just as important as the guy who bought a R50K high-end carbon bicycle.

Does the shop have a good and varied selection of product for your on-going cycling needs: tires, tools, lights, gloves, bar-ends, tubes, pumps - especially technical stuff like spokes, hubs, bearings, bottom brackets and chains to repair your bike quickly and efficiently? Are their prices reasonable? Will they, unsolicited, give you a surprise "regular-customer" discount when you're paying for your goodies? Will they order stuff for you, follow up and keep you updated on your special request and, on bigger ticket items, give you a special price for your special order? Will they put product aside for your pay-day?

You will spend a lot more time at your bike store than at the dealer

As a local bike shop owner, Stirling Senior might be a little biased on this matter, but as Full Sus heartily

agrees with his sentiments so we’d like you to know why you should be supporting your LBS.

to be a true lbS you have to be part of the hood’s cycling culture. So get involved, organise weekly rides, make an effort to educate your clients and generally keep in touch, or you just might lose a valued customer to a rival shop who really is embracing the role of lbS.

fullsus ’s advice to lbS owners

where you bought that big-ticket motor vehicle. You will ask for more advice. You'll debate and discuss everything from doping, tours and MTB stage races to your favourite riders, preferred tire choice and dream bicycle. You will especially share your thrills and spills and your on-ride technical issues.

Having read this article so far you will understand there is a 'but'. This relationship requires you to become part of the process - understanding that bike shops are also 'human' and they will sometimes make a mistake or forget to return a call. Tell them; remind them that you need an answer. A good bike shop will always try to resolve an issue.

As you become familiar with the store you will get to understand its character and its way of doing things. As a regular you will expect special service but you will also be more patient when the staff are busy with other customers (often where new relationships are being built). As an established customer you will have become a friend and ambassador of the store. And they in turn will respect you and love your bike.

Wherever you are you WILL find a passionate, friendly and knowledgeable LBS. But, you have to look carefully to find one in this hurried, wired and wacky world! And when you do, nurture the relationship; it is, after all, a two-way affair. Just like family...

Stirling Kotze, aka Stirling Senior

Years in the saddle: 27 Favourite ride/trail:

Table Mountain, Cape TownRecurring MTB nightmare:

Dirty, worn chains

Page 17: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

17

Xxxxxxxx FS Q&A on the Fly FS

Q&AQ&AThe Needles Interview

Andrew Neethling, the Somerset Local rides for the Giant Factory Off -Road Team. You can follow his exploits on facebook.com/andrewneethling00 or on Twitter @andrewneethling.

Andrew Neethling is a diffi cult oke to pin down, if he’s not bombing downhill at top speed he’s on a

plane to somewhere with big hills with a narrow trail carved into them. With an eye on the World

Champs Full Sus managed to get him to answer a few questions on the life of a DH globe trotter.

Q So how the ribs? (Andrew swan-dived down a rocky drop a couple of weeks before we caught up with him.)

A They are doing a ton better thanks. Luckily nothing was fractured. There was a bit of a displacement of a joint, and muscle damage. Recovery has been good, and I have managed to get back to most of my training.

Q How’s the prep for the World Champs coming along after the crash at Val Di Sole?

A Prep is coming along as planned, as I didn't lose much time, which was lucky. I should be back to full health for the next few rounds of the World Cups. 

Q What you looking forward to most about competing at home?

A The fans are really great at home. They get behind us and it helps up my game. 

Q Will the Maritzburg course suit your style?

A I guess you can say so. I do well with holding and carrying speed. I also work very hard on my fi tness, so the pedalling should not be a problem. 

Q Who’s going to be the main competition?

A The usual suspects will on the PMB course will be up there. Minnaar, Gwin, Gee, Stevie, Hannah. I really have to try to just focus on my race. I know that if I can ride as I know I can, I should do well. 

Q Any SA kids knocking on the door of the World Cup DH series that we should be keeping an eye out for?

A I would love to say yes, but I think we’re a few years off as far as the youngsters go. Don't get me wrong. We have some great talent, and the SA riders ride so well at home. The problem is the experience, and the nature of the courses overseas. It takes time to adapt to them. Johan Potgieter, my brother Jonty have put in some good rides overseas, so I think they will continue to improve.

Q Are we doing enough to cultivate DH talent in SA?

A Unfortunately not. We need to try start helping way earlier. The World Cups now have a junior category. This is a great opportunity to get the Juniors some early international experience. The Aussie federation brought over a squad to the fi rst 2 World Cup rounds. It is a pity that downhill does not get the same support as road and XC. It’s a shame when Greg Minnaar gave the continent, if I am not mistaken, its fi rst World Championship gold medal back in 2003 and showed what downhillers can achieve.

Q What does the future beyond World Champs hold for you?

A Racing, Bikes, Travelling, Fun - much the same as now. I am working hard, enjoying it as much as I can, which is key. I still have racing goals to achieve. I would like to stay in the industry, and give back after racing though. I enjoy testing and feel I can help younger riders.

Q Will you ever pack the gravity bike in and switch it for a cross country machine and take on stage racing?

A Haha. Competitive XC is a bit out of reach but Enduro seems like a logical step. Enduro is, I guess, mini stage racing for downhill. You race couple DH/XC type stages over a weekend on a smaller bike. 

Q Any tips for would be DH riders coming to the sport at an older age or DH skill tips for the average rider?

A Stay within your limits in the beginning. DH Bikes are very capable, but you need to learn how capable, if you know what I mean. Quick pointers: Remember to drop those heels for added stability when descending. Try look far enough ahead in the trail to make provision for what is coming up.

17

World Champs DownhillCheck Andrew and co. in action at the Cascades MTB Park as they race for the title of 2013 World Champion.Date Time Event28 Aug 13:00 - 15:00 On Foot Course Inspection29 Aug 08:30 - 11:30 Offi cial Training30 Aug 12:00 - 15:00 Offi cial Training31 Aug 07:45 - 08:15 Offi cial Training31 Aug 08:30 - 10:30 Offi cial Timed Session1 Sep 13:00 - 13:30 Offi cial Training1 Sep 15:00 Downhill World Championships

JACOB GIBBONS

Page 18: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

1818

FS Bike test

drooling over the

DOGMA XC 9.9

Page 19: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

1818

FS Bike test

drooling over the

DOGMA XC 9.9

19

Bike Test FS

I’m sure, like me, most of you recognize or rather associate the name with their stunning ‘drool’

factor road bikes, whether you consider yourself a roadie or not.

The good news is that Pinarello has released, in my view, a mountain bike that equals their road bikes not only in the wow factor and the “must have one” stakes but also in the ride quality and innovations. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to test ride the new Dogma XC 9.9 because my cycling partner, the Full Sus publisher, was sent a test bike that was too small for him, a bugger for him but an absolute pleasure for me.

The bike itself is pretty light, a little over 10kg although with a wheel upgrade I would guess you could get it sub 10. From a ride handling perspective the Pinarello Dogma XC is quick, in fact, super quick. This was very evident due to the amount a moaning I got from my cycling partner in his attempt to try to keep up with me, bearing in mind that the two of us are not the quickest on the trails. What this would mean for someone who is not as “well rounded” as me is that this bike will ‘fly’. Besides being quick this bike is really responsive and has fantastic handling. This was the one point that surprised me coming off my dual suspension Pivot Mach 429 especially when bombing down one of the tracks on my local trail. The bike provided an unbelievably smooth and controlled ride over terrain that I would normally approach with caution.

The other factor that was superb was the shifting and braking quality provided by the XTR group set, not to

An interesting fact that Richard Pieterse was not aware of is that new Pinarello Dogma XC 29er in not Pinarello’s fi rst

step onto the mountain bike scene. They have in fact made mountain bikes in the past, although this is their fi rst 29er.

SUS the geometry

Medium Frame Size = 

18.3 inch

Frame weight = 1 050g

(measurements in mm or °)

Seat Tube ................. 465

Top Tube ....................593

Head tube angle .....70°

Seat tube angle  ..... 73°

Wheelbase ............ 1092

Chain Stay length ..436

Head tube length ......92

Richard Pieterse is a qualifi ed Mechanical Engineer and is a solution architect at Dimension Data - he has been mountain biking for 8 years.

mention how awesome the cranks looks on the bike. As for the set-up the bike came with 2x10 (26/38) chain set up-front with the 10 speed 11-36 cassette on the back providing an ample gear spread. The other notable bits and bobs were the Crank Brothers accessories in the carbon seat post, stem and carbon bars the DT Swiss Spline 1450 wheel set with Schwable Racing Ralph TLR tires.

The bike came with the Fox Factory 32 Float 29 FIT-CTD Remote fork. The CTD system (climb, trial, descend) provides one with simplifi ed suspension tuning. This plus the easy-to-use three-position lever on the bars allows one to easily switch the fork’s compression to ideal settings for the task at hand.

The one small gripe I had with the bike is the cable knocking that was evident when riding over rocky sections on the trail. That said this could be due to the way the internal cable routing was installed on this particular bike and most probably is something that can be corrected without too much hassle.

The bike itself has some really cool innovations like their solution to how they address fork impact on the frame’s down tube with the fork stopper, to how they have reduce vibration from the rear wheel directly to the top tube and their very unusual seat post clamp design. These innovations plus the name defi nitely make you feel like you are riding a high performance bike.

As one would expect from a bike of this pedigree and spec is that it is not going to be cheap. To own one of the new Pinarello Dogma XC 9.9 one should expect to fork out around R75 000. This is defi nitely not small change for the majority of us but if you have the money it will provide you with one sweet ride.

Pinarello explain their Technology(Pardon the Italian English…)PINAFIT with Forkstopper™ On DOGMA XC and DOGMA XM we use the front system PINAFIT with Forkstopper™ to enable you to exploit the full power of the perfect front triangle, a system that today none except us can be proud of. All MTB manufacturers build their own frames on the assumption that the front fork should rotate 360°. This forces them to stretch the main triangle inevitably compromising its own natural stiff ness, contrarily to that of road frames. With PINAFIT pushing on the pedals, you have the unbeatable feeling of riding a road bike, the front triangle has indeed overwhelming lateral stiff ness because it is a perfect triangle.

The traditional frames have the rear stays directly connected to the top tube, this means that every vibration coming from the rear triangle is directly transferred to the top tube and often to the handlebar, thus compromising comfort and handling. We have divided the two main triangles, moving the rear triangle higher. This solution is associated with the asymmetric bifurcated rear stays, drastically reducing the shock from the rear for improved handling and stability. This is the meaning of ONDA XC Twin Arms Asymmetric.

Find out moreGo to www.pinarello.com for all the info or scan this QR Code to watch the Pinarello video highlighting the technological features.

Page 20: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

20

FS photo of the month

Oak Pics 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 fi eld. 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. Contact them at www.oakpics.com or 021 854 8723

photo of the month

Oak Pics is a

This is why we ride – for scenes like this, in the

Seweweekspoort.

FS SUS the Test Rides

Sunnies and Light TESTS

My big orange Ocean – RRP R400 www.oceaneyewear.co.zaAs I had recently donated my evil eyes to the mountain lost property box, I was pretty stoked when my orange Oceans arrived (plus they matched the big orange Santa). The fi rst thing I noticed about the Oceans were that they were nice and light, the arms were fl exible and strong, they look as if they are going to be hardy and last. I have yet to fi nd a pair of sunnies that don’t mist up - despite all claims, particularly when climbing and the temp is down - these were no exception - but I am used to tucking them into my helmet and putting them on for the fl ats and descents. There was only one glaring negative and that is that the ‘clear’ lenses has a tinge that I found really disturbing and as a result I only used them once. While still on the subject of lenses though, the 440uv, orange lenses are exceptional they are great all-rounders and come into their own at dawn and dusk, you will take them off and not believe how dark it actually is. I am not sure what other lenses Ocean eyewear off er, but as they’re available from all Sportman’s Warehouse outlets

you’ll be able to grab a variety of lenses very easily. The interchangeable lens hinge system is extremely simple, quick and the biggest plus for these glasses! The Oceans SJ840’s are exceptionally well-priced and are pretty cool to look at, if you’re in the market for a new pair, defi nitely give Ocean Eyewear a try.

Extreme 2400 – RRP R1 395 Check out the special on www.extremelights.co.zaThis light was the “groot meneer” of the test bunch and with 5 (yes 5) LED’s in the fi tting the light promised to be superb. The fi rst thing I noticed was the size of the light - a lot larger, but still with a sleek and sturdy design, this is defi nitely a handlebar light. My fi rst ride with it immediately showed the ineffi ciency of the o-ring system with this light - it is too heavy and will either dip or point skywards under rough riding - the 2400 must be used with the clamp or quick release system. The light is really effi cient with a great, full light that gives great coverage. I would also recommend the bigger battery pack,

Shayne Dowling got out on the trails of Tokai and tested the latest off erings from Ocean Eyewear and Extreme Lights and this is what he found…

lenses very easily. The interchangeable lens hinge system is extremely simple, quick and the biggest plus for these

got out on the trails of Tokai and

SUS Shayne’s TipIf the way up isn’t too gnarly don’t use the beam on full power, you are going slowly so won’t need it - save the battery and use full brights bombing down!

minimum 6cell. The battery packs are small, light and supplied in neat and easy to attach canvas/neoprene pouches.

Extreme 1200 – RRP R695 www.extremelights.co.zaA single LED is all you get here but hey that’s all I have ever used to date and again the adage of “if it aint broken” springs to mind. This light is what it is and it just grafts. Solid, compact and light. It works for ages on the 4cell battery and the beam is excellent - bright, more than wide enough and a really ‘white’ light. The 1200 also works easily and eff ectively with the o-ring system.

Both lights came with head straps but the 1200 is the one to wear on your pip if this is your want. I personally always use a bar AND headlight when on the mountain, there is a very apparent dark spot when you turn your bars.

Extreme2400

Extreme1200

OceanSJ840’s

Page 21: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

21

Gear FS

Long-fi ngers SUSSED OUTSUSSED OUT

In our fi rst full review of a range of products Full Sus grabbed a bunch of long-fi nger gloves and tried them out. This is what we found:of long-fi nger gloves and tried them out. This is what we found:

CRAFT BIKE CONTROL GLOVE

– RRP R299.00 Comfort/fi t Padding/protection Ventilation/Breathability Design/looks

The Craft gloves really fi t well. They are thin and really breathable

with mesh and holes providing maximum ventilation. This is a

great glove for summer riding and particularly XC rides. As there is

no padding to speak of the gloves aren’t really suitable for gnarly tracks

and DH riding, that said the thin material gives great feel and awesome control - you just

need a really comfortable set of grips.

AVALANCHE BICYCLE CO - RRP R190.00

Comfort/fi t Padding/protection Ventilation/Breathability Design/looks

The Avalanche was defi nitely the surprise package, as it’s a cost eff ective glove that performed really well. The fi t was really good,

comfortable and off ered a nice mix between being warm and excellent breathability, thanks to the well ventilated spandex material on the back of the glove. The palm off ered a generous pad on the heel, all

synthetic leather that is soft and supple. Grip is good and the feel isn’t bad. The glove only comes in one colour, a very bright lumo green with a very

interesting pattern on the palm. Not everyone’s cup of tea but it actually grows on you and those not intimidated by a bit of bling will love them! Durability is

questionable but hey at this price you can aff ord to just get a new pair.

GIRO REMEDY – RRP R530 Comfort/fi t Padding/protection Ventilation/Breathability Design/looks

The Remedy is an all MTB glove, rugged and with hardy leather strategically placed on the heel and around the side of the hand.

A supple suede makes up most of the glove and although ventilated it’s somewhat sacrifi ced for more protection. The

glove fi ts snugly and if you don’t like the tight fi t you should look at going one size up. The glove is not one you are going to wear on a long XC ride but it’s great for gnarly

singletracks, rugged trail riding and bombing downhill. A good looking glove, with great features and it looks to be really durable.

FIRST ASCENT VENTOUX – RRP R499 Comfort/fi t Padding/protection Ventilation/Breathability Design/looks A glove designed by the SA fi rm for our climate and conditions, the glove shows a great balance between protection, ventilation and comfort. The use of, Pittards leather, a soft and “grippy” suede in the palm with a breathable, well ventilated spandex on the back, has made for a really comfortable glove. The Ventoux is a larger fi t and in contrast to other brands consider one size smaller than you would normally – the bunching in the palm was our only gripe but this was more a sizing issue in our opinion. The Ventoux looks great and works great.

GIRO BRAVO LF GEL– RRP R450

Comfort/fi t Padding/protection Ventilation/Breathability Design/looks A great all-round glove. Good fi t with gel padding on the palms and base of fi ngers (palm side of knuckles). The palm leather/suede is soft and light with holes for ventilation, including the fi ngers. The back(top) of the glove is a moisture-wicking material that breathes well, is cool in hot weather and warm if not too cold.

First things fi rst: Always try them on before you buy. Most gloves seem to be a lot smaller than us Saff ers are used to, despite none of us having massive hands some of the Large sizes were just a little too short in the fi ngers. Why long-fi ngers: They’re not only warmer but also provide great protection when you hit the dirt. WHAT WE LOOKED FOR:Comfort/fi t: How the glove feels, on and off the bike. Are the fi ngers fi tting snugly? Is there any bunching? Does the gusset fi t snugly into your thumb/forefi nger space – on and off the bike? Padding/protection: Does the glove off er padding, normally a gel type substance? Do the gloves off er protection when falling or hitting branches etc.

Ventilation/Breathability: Do the gloves breathe and keep your hands cool or warm?

Design/looks: Do the gloves look cool? Are they gloves you’d only use for night riding?

The gloves were rated out of 5 in each of these critera.

Page 22: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

FS The David George EXPERIENCEDavid George made his name as a roadie and since switching his slicks for knobblies he has clocked up many miles at the sharp end of the racing pack.

He’ll be sharing his extensive biking knowledge with Full Sus readers in his monthly column.

If having watched the Tour de France in July hasn’t inspired you to get out and ride nothing will, says David George! With the end of winter nearing and a sniff of spring it’s time to dust off the cobwebs and get going again. Cape

Pioneer Trek, Wines to Whales and the early races are just around the corner.

Spring is in the air

I often get asked how much and when should I start my base training? The term “base” isn’t really explicative

enough for what I prefer to call the “general preparation” phase. The period where we prepare our bodies for the stress and harder workloads needed to reach peak condition later on in the season. When to start basically depends on when you aim to be at your best. Sorry that can’t be on every ride!

Here are my 3 areas of focus:Endurance is pretty simple, easy hours on the bike but always progressive. Start with short easy rides and always progress to the next level. Most professional athletes train in blocks of two or three days for example 1hour day one, 2hrs day two and 3hrs on day three followed by a recovery day. Rule of thumb with endurance is always progress to your longest day last. As you can imagine if you go out and do a 4hr ride off pat, chances are you won’t have the freshness to complete the next day’s work out. I always prefer to do endurance rides alone or with a partner that is in a similar phase of preparation, there is nothing worse than heading out with a crew full of testosterone to

turn an endurance ride into a threshold session. It takes discipline to hold yourself back but it will pay dividends later when your body is ready to up the load. Some of the biggest performance and physiological gains are derived for just long easy hours on the bike.

Strength training in my experience is always best done on the bike. Strength is such a fundamental aspect of the preparation phase and so easily achieved. Find yourself a steady climb, not too steep as you might find it too hard to focus on the workout when you are just trying to get to the top. Each repetition should last no longer than about 6min, select a big enough gear so that you can pedal between 50-60rpm, but really focusing on muscle tension throughout the whole pedal stroke. This is not a high heart rate work out and requires focus on form and function rather than getting to the top in your personal best time. Maximum 75% of threshold heart rate and strength sessions should always be done at the beginning of a training block on fresh legs. Aim to get at least 2 sessions in a week to stress the body enough to make the required adaption. Gym work

will strengthen muscles that we don’t use during the season but it is very difficult to convert muscle built in the gym to strength on the bike. Obviously the more explosive biking disciplines on the track and BMX are an entirely different kettle. If you enjoy your gym workouts by all means carry on doing them but the only way to get faster on a bike is to ride your bike so time in gym could be better spent out on the bike!

Skills are about repetitive exercises that will increase efficiency and economy on the bike. My favourite, and the most overlooked aspect of training are cadence drills. For years I’ve been pedalling fierce revolutions on the rollers and have seen this as a simple and easy to achieve skill training challenge to improve your performances radically. Get yourself a set of track rollers it will be the best investment you can make to improve your cycling. The Holy Grail of bike

performance is pedal harder, pedal faster! We happily beat ourselves into a pulp trying to pedal harder and neglect the simple cadence skill workouts that will have just as dramatic an effect for even less effort! Half an hour in the morning or at the end of a workday will give great performance gains. If you can’t afford new rollers or find some old school rollers, find a nice stretch of road that you can do some high cadence drills on. If you only own a MTB get down to your local store and get a set of slick or road tires fitted to your MTB wheels. Most, but not all, 29er rims will take a 700c regular road tire but get some advice before you attempt this as some rims aren’t built to take the high pressures of a road tire.

Give yourself at least 6 weeks of general preparation before you even attempt to get stuck into the interval and pre-season builds. Remember that form is like baking a cake, be patient. And most of all have fun!

“RemembeR THaT foRm IS lIke bakInG a cake, So bE PatIENt”

Page 23: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

23

Classifieds FS

Authorised dealer: Cannondale, Trek, Merida, Fondriest, GT

SERVICE! SERVICE! SERVICE!Ride before you buy

www.freewheel.co.za, Tel: 021 762 4472, Email: [email protected], Address: 317 Main Road, Kenilworth, Cape Town.

Freewheel Cycology @freewheelza

Classifiedsfullsus

AdvertiSe in the classified section of full sus and reach over

24 000 MTB readers through a circulation of over 12 500

newspapers distributed countrywide through +140 bike

shops and selected events every month!

The 60 x 112.5mm size is bigger than the traditional classified at

a great price. and if you’re a local Bike shop that great price is

even further reduced! The classifieds offers you the opportunity to

broadcast your specials, highlight the unique products you stock

and attract new customers. To advertise in the full sus classifieds

give Julia a call on 021 685 0285/6 or drop her an email at

[email protected].

fullsusto AdvertiSe here

Contact Julia on 021 685 0285/6 or drop her an email

at [email protected]

Visit us at our shop Uitzicht Centre, Vatican Street,

Uitzicht, Durbanville.Tel: 021 975 9255

www.capetowncycles.co.zaAuthorised dealer for:Momsen, Morewood & GT

Cape Town CyclesCome check out our exciting range of cycles and accessories. We’re committed to outstanding quality and customer service. Bring your bike in for a service and you’ll see, we strive to exceed your expectations.

aUGUsT Must do events10 August: Vori-Berg MTB Series #4With 15, 35 and 70km options this ride along the northern slopes of the Magaliesberg mountain range starts in Brits, a mere 20km from Pretoria central and hour or so from Joburg. The 35km features a man-ageable 400m of climbing while the full 70km option doubles that, and both feature some great single track too. Entry for the 70km will set you back R130 and you can entre online until the 8th of August on www.eventry.co.za.

10 August: Meerendal MTBIf you’re in the Mother City area why not pop out to Meerendal in the Durbanville Hills for their MTB race. There are 28km and 15km MTB along with 10km and 5km trail runs. It’s billed as a day out for the family and if that’s not enough, the excellent trails of the Meerendal estate should lure you there. You can as usual enter online at www.rawpromo.co.za/events or check out the farm itself at www.meerendal.co.za.

17 & 18 August: The CANSA Lost City Cycling WeekendHere’s one to do for charity. Head out to the gem of the North West Province, Sun City and help CANSA South Africa raise funds to assist their work in the North West and Limpopo provinces. There is a selection of MTB events (60, 25 & 1km – the latter is only for the kiddies) on Saturday the 17th and two road races (115 and 66km) on Sunday the 18th. Go find out more at www.cansalostcity.co.za.

25 August: Howick Highlander MTB Challenge With 4 MTB distances (2km – 35km) and 3 trail run options (5km – 20km), a lucky draw for a Merida Titan and a family orientated vibe this is a definite must for any keen outdoor enthusiast in KZN. The race philosophy is based on the fact that the Cubs and Scouts believe that MTB events are becoming too expensive and so they cut out all the extras. It’s not intended as a race, it’s all untimed and the idea is to provide you and your family with a fun filled day of cycling without the cost. Enter online on the event website www.howickhighlander.co.za.

Page 24: Full Sus - Vol 5 - Aug 2013

CALENDARAdvertise your event in Full Sus and we will send you copies of the paper for your goodie bags or registration table. Call Julia on 021 685 0285/6

SUS the best of SEPTEMBER

MPUMALANGA 7 Das Auto 4 14 Mpumalanga Spur School Series # 4

GAUTENG 1 The Vlei 24 hour 7 High School Series Final Tour de Plaas 7 The Pennypinchers Silverstar MTB

Challenge 8 Silver Oaks Cycling Challenge 8 Eqstra Spring Classic 14 Nissan Trailseeker #3 15 Redstone MTB Race #5 28 Babbas Lodge MTB Super Series 2

NORTHERN CAPE 21 Kgalagadi Desert Classic

WESTERN CAPE 1 Greyton Tour 7 Renosterbos MTB Challenge 8 Staalwater MTB Challenge 13 Ride2Nowhere 14 Piket-Bo-Berg MTB Challenge 17 Coast 2 Karoo 19 Dr Evil Classic 21 Arabella Adventure 22 Karoo to Coast 27 Resolution Health Ride the Rhino 29 Spur Lourensford MTB Classic

EASTERN CAPE 14 PE>>Plett 15 Sole Destroyer 21 Wild Coast Chain Re-Action Mountain

Bike Challenge 27 The Rhodes Extreme MTB Race

KZN 7 Kamberg MTB Weekend 8 Lynford Clover Super Classic 14 MPATI Mountain Race 15 Sunday Tribune Jeep Hill 2 Hill

MTB Marathon 21 Spur High School MTB Finals 22 Sugar Rush Corporate Challenge 28 Old Boys Challenge Invitational

Stage Race29 Kwambo Lion Classic

NORTH WEST28 Bosrumoer MTB Race

OUT IN AFRICA 21 Swazi Trac 3 Reserves MTB Classic

(Swaziland) 27 Mauritius Coast to Coast (Mauritius)

Mpumalanga

Limpopo

Northern Cape

Gauteng

Eastern Cape

Free State

Western Cape

KZN

North West

Out in Africa

OctoberRace Calendar

MPUMALANGA 4 Isuzu 3 Towers Stage Race & Challenge 19 Exxaro Middelburg MTB Race 26 Sabie Shenanigan MTB Rally

GAUTENG 2 Moonlight MTB Series 40 3 ASG Night Rider Series # 9 5 Nissan TrailSeeker series #4 9 Moonlight mtb Series 41 12 Bryton Vori-Berg MTB Series #5 16 Moonlight MTB Series 42 19 Beast of the East MTB Challenge 23 Moonlight MTB Series 43 6 Xtrail MTB Series # 10 27 Babba’s Lodge MTB # 10 30 Moonlight MTB Series 44

LIMPOPO 26 3rd Mooketsi MTB Challenge

EASTERN CAPE 6 Fat Tracks Steeltek Enduro in Loerie 19 The Amazing Karoo Cycling Bazaar 26 Langkloof MTB Challenge

FREE STATE 12 MTN National Marathon Series # 8 26 Rhino River Run Mountain Biking

WESTERN CAPE 5 Cipla Cancer Buddies Walk of Hope 12 Ladismith Cheese 7 Weekspoort MTB

Challenge 20 Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek 25 Enduren Eselfontein MTB Festival 26 9th Botrivier Van Der Stel Pass

Challenge 6 Merrell Eden Duo – Multisport event

KZN 5 Homeward Bound 11 FedGroup Berg & Bush Descent

15 FedGroup Berg & Bush Great Trek

19 FedGroup Berg & Bush 2 Day

19 Over The Edge & Back

27 Pam Golding Properties Sani

Transfrontier Epic

27 Gears for Ears

NORTH WEST

5 Magalies Adventure Stage Race

OUT IN AFRICA

9 The LOGICO Swazi Frontier (Swaziland)

12 The Namibian Pick n Pay Cycle Classic

MTB Race (Namibia)

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