What do you take on an all day epic?

Handy side pockets are stuffed with muesli bars or favourite on-the-bike food.

Early starts means setting out with lights fitted, attached the saxon capped Ay-Ups to the backpack via the helmet clip, the battery along with any extra food and hydration supplementation is stored in the large elastic pouch.

Hydration reservoir, hand pump, dry bag containing a light rain jacket, and a mini first aid kit. 

Tube repair kit which also contains a side wall sticker, a plastic Australian domination and a Presta to Shrader converter. Tyre levers, CO2 canister, extra tube and multi tool, within the multi tool case is a spare chain link.

Mobile Phone and EPURB or PLB.

Other items you might include: a small bottle of chain lube, spare spoke and derailleur hanger

Scott Airstrike Hydro Pro Backpack

While some of us have never been a Hydration pack/Backpack kind of people, we’ve carried a fair share commuting, during 100km events and generally during our mountainbiking adventures.

When we received the Scott Airstrike Hydro Pro Backpack, we gladly retired a previously well used muddy old backpack.

A suitable challenge was issued, a 500km week, this would be the base line for the test of the backpack.

The Airstrike comes with a two litre bladder which can be easily filled and turned inside out for cleaning thanks to the large opening.

With the bladder full of water the main compartment is just big enough to squeeze in a pump, light wet weather jacket and mini first aid kit. The main compartment also has a small zippered pocket for those small miscellaneous items.

Outside the main compartment there is a lined pocket for your glasses or phone and a compartment big enough for a multi tool, tyre levers, repair kit and spare tube. This low compartment has a loop for clipping on a back light, but the loop seemed to be to large and loose for any off road ventures for fear of loosing the light. The other thing this pack doesn't do well is some reflective strips or reflective piping.

The Airstrike has great mesh pockets located low on the side of the pack perfect for all our snacks on-the-go and the large mesh pocket on the back of the pack could be stuffed with any of our additional items.

Most of all we liked the pre-shaped back panel with its six mesh pads, these pads allowed for airflow between the body and the remainder of the pack. The pads sat comfortably and the pack seemed to sit evenly, even when fully packed (no hot blob on your back). The mesh pads were complemented by the mesh and lightly padded shoulder straps, again allowing for good airflow.

The Scott Airstrike Hydro Backpack easily sits in the small pack category but it retains the ability for all day epics with its neat storage capability. The pre-shaped back panel, light meshed padding, secure hip and chest straps sees this pack never squirm around during our more demanding rides. The convenience of having an extra two litres of water on the bike saw us attempt more remote areas than previous (when just using bottles) and ride the bike for longer without stopping.

After completing the 500km in a week challenge this neat "MTB black" Hydro Backpack is a welcome replacement and we look forward to getting out on more epic rides using the Airstrike.

WSMTB 4hr Summer Series

Nice bike.

The 4hr Summer Series draws competitors, families and beginners alike for the fun and festivities held at WSMTB's home trail of Yellomundee.

A well mixed selection of trails had been selected to provide firetrails for many of the climbs, fun descents and a range of technical challenges.

While the weather was being its unpredictable self and grey morning skies greeted riders, Yarramundi stayed dry and much cooler than previous days.

With over 120 competitors present most categories were competitive, (the Solo Male category had close to 50 entries,) many people had travelled from as far as the Central Coast and the Southern Highlands for this round of the annual series.

Out on the trail there was a relax vibe with everyone enjoying the conditions, WSMTB have been busy continually improving the Yellomundee trails after the serious wet and thrashing it received in early 2012.

Steve competed in the 2012 Croc Trophy and blitzed the solo field.

Seems epic riding in 2012 has setup many riders for a quality 2013, with two of the top four Solo Male riders having competed in the 2012 Croc Trophy.

The Pairs Male category provided very close racing, these guys had extra speed and were visiting the First Aid providers more often.

I had a good ride, starting comfortably in the middle of the pack. Over the next three and a half hours I worked my way through the field, consistent lap times were my goal, not where I placed.

I was having fun, a bucket load of fun, many of the riders I passed rode until they cracked or figured they were riding outside their comfort zone.

Looking down at my Bryton I could see my fun was at a cost, I was working pretty hard too (Avg >155 for the 4hrs).

Turns out all my fun placed me on the podium, first race of the year.

Photos from Weatherboard Photography

All podium places took home a goody bag from the Round Sponsors Bike Minded and many people made good use of the local Yarramundi RFS manned BBQ.

Round 3, a twilight event, will be held at the Mt Annan Botanic Gardens, 16 February.

Data on Strava

Items on test: 

• Custom Hand Built Carbon Rim Wheel
• X-Fusion Slide 29er Fork
• Conti Race King Tyres
• Truvativ Noir T30 Carbon Flatbar
• Enduro Ceramic Derailier Jockey Wheels