We’re faced with a bewildering range of suspension systems, each claiming to be the best thing since sliced bread. Steve Hinchliffe takes an independent look at the popular designs to separate the fact from fiction.
It was only a decade or so ago that dual suspension bikes were largely the domain of elite semi-or fully-professional riders, or those with too much disposable cash burning a hole in their pockets. These machines were relatively expensive, not always reliable or durable, and many recreational riders just didn’t bother with them, happy to have their weekend trail entertainment on a quality hardtail of some description.
16th May 2013 · · More »
Melroseis enticing mountain bikers to their tiny rural community with a terrific network of trails and some big plans for the future. We all love to ride new trails. It doesn’t have to be the most thrilling or spectacular trail—simply being ‘new’ is enough in many cases.
After years persistent campaigning by Sydney mountain bikers, the tide may finally be turning in favour of those crying out for more singletrack in Australia’s biggest city.
At a recent race I was chatting with a couple of mates who were wondering why I hadn’t been around the endurance racing scene as much as in previous years. I responded that I’d been spending my weekends going ‘bikepacking’. The response was swift, ‘why bother?’ they asked ‘if I want to ride I ride, if I want to hike I hike, why would anyone combine the two?’
“Don’t go and spend loads of money on the internet equipping your spare room or garage as a gym, because this will be the biggest white elephant you’ve ever spent your hard-earned cash on.”
More than just a novel trick, being able to ride ‘skinnies’ is a skill that can provide real benefits on the trail.
You’ve probably noticed that ‘top whatever it may be lists’ are all the rage these days. Just this week I read a list of the ‘50 Rules of Cycling’. Not road rules or legalities, but anecdotal rules like ‘look where you want to go, not at the obstacle’ and things like that. It made me think for a moment about what my own list would look like. Initial thoughts were that it’d resemble a derailleur moments after being sucked into a rotating rear wheel; a mess!