2013-05-17 21:04:34

* *CONVICT 100; TRISTAN’S REVIEW

“Convict 100 2013 was my third MTB race since leaving school, and after having a good result last year and a dismal failure in Capital Punishment this year (for reasons beyond me), I set myself to do well this year. Specifically, after a time of around 4:45 last year, it was my goal to hit 4:30 this year, if not even 4:20, as well as get top 3 in Senior. The supporting factors were all there for this to happen: a) I had become fitter and a better rider since then, b) I’d experienced the course this time so had a better idea of how to attack it and c) I now have obtained the proper nutrition/hydration gels and electrolytes (thanks Hawkeye!).

And I trained. My standard 2 gorges 45km road loop time had improved by a rather major margin in a matter of weeks, and I had done as much training as possible in all other forms. My new ‘training concept’ was what I call “easy speed” (no, it’s not an oxymoron!). It’s the idea of remembering to get speed before a shortish hill, and essentially be able to hold whatever gear/cadence to the top (usually around 2-4). The “easy speed” idea also came into play in remembering to power gentle descents with as much power as I could where speeds in the high 40s could be obtained. Longer ascents, of course, had to be attacked in a more manageable gear, in one that I could hold for 4km, and all this I worked at long and hard both on and off road.

The only glitch was my managing to get my brake lever through my thigh, thus keeping me off the bike for my last weekend worth of bike training. Despite that, it all went together well and by Friday night, I felt well-trained, in good health, and my bike was… well, in as good condition as a 3 year old Anthem X3 can really be!”

Read the rest at nobmob.com


* *SURFING LESSON

“Never turn your back on your main market, namely passionate surfers.”

“Most surfers will know you can never really have enough surfboards.”

Substitute the word ’MTB’ers and ‘Bikes’ for surfers and surfboards, and they could be quotes from someone in the MTB community.

These are taken from an article about the 2 boys who set up a company that’s innovating Surfing’s business model and helping the local industry by pushing back against the flood of cheaper board imports.

I like their concept – something akin to what Nike have brought in overseas for custom running shoes – allowing each customer to build a bespoke surfboard online and have it delivered and supported by the local shop – and wonder if it would work for MTB’s? At the very least, the current bike shop versus online model is not going to work for very long, and you know which side is going the way of the dinosaur…

Aspiring surfers and entrepreneurs, read more at smh.com.au


* *TRAIL NOTES: QUARRY ROAD, THE GROVE

> >QUARRY ROAD: Jamie - Rode here on Saturday 4th of May, really enjoyed it, the track is fast and fun but not too tough. It is clearly signposted as to which direction you need to go. I found the Black trail very challenging but the blue trail was perfect for my 29’er hardtail. It took me an my friends a couple of hours ( with breaks) to do 7 laps. Rating: 4/5

> >THE GROVE SAGA CONTINUES…

Grant Crossley - That's a good point [Ed: Editorial 2 weeks ago], passing on the info about the parking to other riders. I have already mentioned it to several riders I met. Even though the trail has been removed from Trailflix you can still Google it and the original site comes up having the wrong info about parking. And there are still people parking in Hawthorne and Scanlon. Word of mouth and this forum is one way to get the word out.

Good point about the hootin’ and hollerin’. I was out the other day and the sound travels a fair way: I could hear people yelling from the other side of the trail!

Also, watch out for the snakes, they haven't gone to hibernation yet!!

Grant Byrne - Park in the sports ground car park in Warwick Fairfax Drive and then a short ride up the Harrington Parkway bike path.

- If you happen to see riders parked in the nearby streets have a quick word with them about the above.
- Do not enter the area via Hawthorne Crt - use the entrance at the big timber gate on Harrington Parkway (between Hawthorn Crt and Forestgrove Drv).

Are you guys happy for the above quote to be used as the parking info?

Andrew - Yep. Good idea. The more awareness it gains (to park at the sports ground) the better.

Grant Crossley - I'm worried that people might leave the gate open. Jumping the fence at the roundabout at the Forestgrove Drv would be better.

Grant Crossley - Guess what: somebody has cut down trees with a chainsaw to block side trails.

This is not a good idea. It makes no sense to cut down a tree just to block a side trail. If you want block something use old sticks and scrub. Harrington Grove and Camden Council would not take a good view of trees being cut down. This could lead to the trail being shut down. What has been done is not trail maintenance; it looks like vandalism. Please just ride the trail and only clear sticks if they fall onto the trail. There has been a lot of effort to ensure minimal impact on the bush by sticking to old animal trails and only clearing grass and small foreign weeds. Do not cut down any more trees!

Grant Byrne - I wouldn‘t be surprised if it has been done by someone who doesn't want MTB’ers in there, but made it look like it has been done by MTB’ers to give them [us] a bad name.


* *WOODFORD TO GLENBROOK CLASSIC FOR CAREFLIGHT

The Careflight Fundraising Ride is on again on Sunday 30th June. This is an opportunity to run or cycle through the scenic Blue Mountains while supporting a charity that saves lives. The Classic is a professionally run event suitable for both novice and professional competitors.

The event finishes with a community fair-style reception in the beautiful Euroka Clearing with fun activities for kids, food stalls and displays throughout the day. Registration is just $45 for adults and $20 for juniors with the option to fundraise additional funds for CareFlight. To sign up for this fantastic event, visit careflight.org


* *ROTORUA’S WHAKAREWAREWA MTB TRACKS AMONGST THE WORLDS BEST

Rotorua’s world-renowned mountain bike trails have won global praise from Red Bull as one of the eight top mountain biking destinations on earth the only place awarded such recognition in the Southern Hemisphere.

Red Bulls The Red Bulletin magazine, released world-wide this week, ranks Rotorua among the best mountain bike destinations and describes the city’s 60 trails, which span more than 130 kilometres, as a dream destination for beginners and thrill-seekers alike.

The Kiwi mountain biking mecca set amongst unbeatable scenery in 55,000 hectares of the Whakarewarewa Forest boasts a variety of graded tracks. Other worldwide destinations to make Red Bulls prestigious list include iconic regions like Whistler in Canada, Big Water in the United States, the Himalayan Foothills in Nepal, and the Gobi Desert in China.

Read the entire article here

Cheers
Grant