Highland Fling 2014

Words by Belinda Althaus.



Twelve weeks of intense training, lots of hill climbing (like crazy amounts), and a few 4hr races had led to this day, the Highland Fling.  Time had come around again, however the day was a contrast difference to 2013 whereby average temperatures were about nine degrees, drizzling light rain, no dust and a few less k's.

 

It was what you would consider ideal climate, sunny with a light breeze.  However this brought with it some downsides.  It was dusty, hot in the exposed areas and the wind only picked up as the morning rolled on.  An extra 6kms were added to this year's Full Fling which in hindsight doesn't sound like much…. What they didn't tell us was that there would be a lot more climbing as well. More singletrack was added in the second loop as well which would test the skills, particularly in my case as this hasn't always been a strong point of mine.  



My goal this year was to ride a sub-six hour race with the 2013 race being 6hr 6mins.  I was feeling confident, I had trained hard, and prepared well.  I was mentally and physically fitter and it had all come down to this race.  I decided I would race with the elite women, noting that these women are strong and brilliant at what they do.  Some of these girls included the likes of Jenny Fay, Peta Mullens, Christy Henderson, Rebecca Locke, Lucy Betchel and Naomi Hansen who was the current leader in the Marathon Maverick series.  I was clearly not within the calibre of these riders, but I wasn't going to let this deter me in racing my best.  The Full Flingers (excluding elite) and 100milers set of 15mins earlier then us, and before long time had rolled around for us to hit the pedals. 



The elite bunch including males and females weren't large (20-30riders) which made for a surprisingly pleasant start.  I was aware of my experience and ensured I stayed out of the main field and instead tacked onto the back.  This may have proved a bad move but I didn't want to be seen as "that rider" so for me it was the safest move.  The start wasn't too hectic and the bunch stayed together for the first 5kms.  I was holding on the wheels of the bunch with relative ease, however clicking it back a notch on approach to a loose sandy corner followed by a moderate pinch the gap began to open and the bunch was spreading out.

 

Naomi Hansen had also fallen from the back and I was holding her wheel.  We both began to lose contact and it was at this point that I made the decision to ride behind her wheel rather then lose contact altogether.  Naomi was a strong rider, consistent pace; however she was lagging on hills which suited me.  I used this to my advantage and therefore was able to ride consistently with her in my sights knowing that I only had to put a few good pedals in on the hills and then just maintain on the flats. This worked well, and it enabled me to ride into Transition 1 directly behind her with having over-done it.



Transition went well, a bottle change and some solid food and I was off ready for the second stage.  At this point I was in front of Naomi and help this position until the first section of single track appeared. I was riding well, except I came to a rock garden which I baulked at which was then followed immediately by several riders coming through with I waiting with no where to go until they passed.  Naomi was in this group and so again I was behind her. No time to give up I got back into rhythm riding with intensity, pushing up the hills where I could.  It was getting hotter, the exposed fire roads weren't helping either and my two water bottles were rapidly emptying.  I was conserving my water with anticipation that the mid way water refill would come soon.  A welcomed relief when I saw it, stopping quickly to refill.  Within 10kms of the finish of Stage 2 I descended a hill to see Naomi on the side repairing a puncture.  This was my opportunity to put some time in and with that I was spurred on to keep pushing all the way home.  

Transition 2 appeared and I was clearly behind my goal time of 4hrs.  It had now been 4hrs 40mins but I wasn't going to let this disappoint me.  I had a race to finish and I just wanted to finish strong. Another brief stop in transition, some more solid food and I were again on my way for the final leg. This could arguably be described as the hardest part of the ride as there is a section of single track within the last 15kms that tests every ounce of your concentration and mental capacity.  After a disastrous finish in 2013 whereby I nearly gave up at the 90km mark due to hitting the wall, I was determined this would not happen again.  Instead I continued to eat, and broke it down into 3 lots of 10kms. You do what you can to get you through and this was my best option on the day.  

It worked and I rode a strong final 30km, riding well against the times of the elite women ahead of me.  The single track seemed to fly by and the "final 5km" was getting closer every minute.  Once I saw this, the pedals were turning with exhilaration and determination knowing that once again the Fling had been flung and I had managed to finish with a sense of strength not to mention contentment in my effort regardless of the finish time.

 Unfortunately the goal of sub-6hrs wasn't met, and instead I rode a 6hr 29min.  This was the case for many riders including the elite riders however with many saying it was a lot harder and many riding a 1/2hr longer race.  This was a relief knowing that it too was a tough day for them.  

Overall I had a good day.  Will I do it again in 2015, well I would hope so!  It's a challenging race, but it's a race that can suit a lot of different riders.  For now though, it's just about the end of a season in what has been quite a lot of racing and travelling.  I'm very much looking forward to putting my feet up for a few weeks and just enjoying some sleep-ins and some social rides (or no rides). 2015 looks to be an exciting year of improving my skills and tackling that singletrack!!

 

Many thanks go to the team at BerryMountain Cycles for their continued support and service, they always keeping my Fate in tiptop shape. In addition I would like to thank Lawrence Drummond from Origin Fitness for his guidance and coaching and pushing me consistently to be stronger and fitter. This race proved that Effort = Results.

Rocky Trail Shimano Mountain Bike Grand Prix - Stromlo

Words by: Belinda Althaus

Mt Stromlo trails, need I say more?  A satisfying 4hrs or racing with a combination of trails which would put a smile on any eager endurance rider.

The RT crew picked a course which had a superb balance of leg pumping climbing, followed by equally fun berms and flowing singletrack and let's not forget "skyline"!

270 odd riders, ascended on the day and the competition was fierce being the last round of the Shimano GP series.  Rival competitor Wendy Stevenson was quick to gain front position and managed to hold this lead ahead of Erin Zimmer and the rest of the 4hr elite women competitors.  I managed to hold 4th position behind these two and local Kim Smith for most of the race. 

My lap times were consistent, and my legs were feeling good. Coming round for my final lap and I had Kim in my sights and I was spurred on to draw her back. 

A steady climb ahead proved a valuable opportunity and with that I made the pass and opened up a 3 min gap. 

Podium time.

I came in behind Wendy and Erin to gain 3rd on the podium and another successful day on the mountain bike.  A great event, and its nice to meetso many encouraging people of all abilities. 

What more could you want when your grinding it out for 4 hrs....  

General Graph of the GP4 Elite Woman lap times.

Specialized Women’s Cascades – XC MTB Shoes

Words by Belinda Althaus.

Slippers, super-light, rigid, and down-right cool looking.  This is my take on the Specialized Cascades. 

I’ve used them in a few endurance races now and they’re incredibly light weight for a mountain bike shoe and with a carbon sole are incredibly stiff - increased power transfer, done!  These bad boys are only 40gms heavier per shoe compared to the S Works XC shoe and have a carbon sole stiffness index of 11.0 compared to 13.0 of the S Works model.  The other bonus is they are primarily black, which when it comes to mountain biking always goes down well when weather can unpredictable. The shoes come with the main boa dial plus two Velcro straps.  Extra grip lugs are also provided and as with all Specialized products replacements for most working components are available in the case of misfortune. 

Whether you’re a weekend trailblazer, recreational racer, out to set PB’s or podium these Cascades will win you over in comfort, stiffness and looks and most of all make you feel faster.

#Berrymountaincycles #SpecializedAustralia #WomensCascadeXC

Chocolate Foot Singletrack Mind Series – Rnd 4 Coondoo Nowra

Words by Belinda Althaus.


Flowing, fast, super fun, and amazing weather. This was round 4 of the Chocolate Foot STM Series at Coondoo in a nutshell.  The weather put on a show after what had been a pretty miserable week and even had the organisers on their toes right till the last minute. However the correct decision was made to keep the race going ahead and I’m glad they did!

BMC Setup.

I was keen for this race, it was my local track and that meant one thing….I knew it!!  This eased the anxiety and allowed for a relatively cruisy morning for the travelling and setup.   After helping the BerryMountain Cycles crew a little to set up their shop tent, it was time to prep the bike, sort my food and get in a warm up – Done!  Before long we were all riding up Coondoo road in anticipation for the start.  With minutes to spare, we were off and racing. 

The race as usual had a mass start followed by single-track which created the well-known bottleneck and slowed to snail’s pace, but I had managed to stay near the front bunch and this provided a good position going into the laps.  I knew I had at least three other competitors, but in reality I only really new who one of these were.  The girls I was up against had been challenging each other over the whole series and therefore I was the dark horse.

Race Reporter, Bel Athaus.

The first lap went well…until the mud. We had been warned about this, and true to their word we just had to suck it up and grind it out.  I still to this day vouch that this was the hardest part physically of the entire lap...No not really it, it just slowed me down  Coming round to the end of the first lap and I found Eva Boland approaching my tail.  She had been scanning for competitors coming up the snake track.  I made the mistake of identifying myself as her fellow competitor in the 4hr open female category, and this was my first mistake. She followed me to the climb and at this point opened up a gap which was going to make me work hard. I held back fearing we were only on the first lap and had quite a few to go and came up towards the “Bridge” at transition. Pedal hard, power up and don’t think too hard about it. Down the other side and I was relieved to have successfully gotten over it.  Lap 2 saw me approach Eva again in the mud section.  I stayed with her, but again she hit it on the climbs, and slowly creeped away.  I knew at this time that the only thing holding me back was some fitness, and therefore settled into a comfortable but consistent pace.  My goal now was to ensure no other competitors in my category passed me.  The laps went well, I was racing pretty well and about mid-way learned I was in second place. I was determined to stay at this position and pushed on to the end.  The final hour saw me squeeze in the last two laps and bring my total to 7.  I was relieved to finish, and congratulated Eva on her ride well done.  Melissa Nuttal came home in third place. 

Photo: Dave Bateman

Another great and successful day out on the bike.  The girls were fair, raced hard and proved to be worthy competitors.  The team at Chocolate Foot did an amazing job with organising and I’m glad they held the race even against the weather gods.  The amazing trail blazers from South Coast United Mountain bikers had the track mickey-mouse and have worked tirelessly over recent months to build new tracks and refresh the older ones, and this day was a showcase of some awesome trails.  I’m glad to have the privilege to ride them whenever! Thanks also to the continued support from BerryMountain Cycles for keeping me geared up, my bike tuned and just for the encouragement.  You guys rock! 

The final round of the CF series sees it heading to Orange in October. I’ve locked this one in because they too have some amazing trails, and I can’t wait to get back there…Till next time.

Shimano Grand Prix 4hr – Mt Annan

Words by: Belinda Althaus.

A little nervous and apprehensive was an understatement for this event for me.  Lack of training over winter, a bout of the lingering cold and I wasn’t exactly feeling tiptop shape for a 4hr race.  However I was determined to change my mind set from the past few months and instead of worrying about what I hadn’t done, I decided I was going to think about what I would do.  That would be, “get out and go for a ride”.  So I did. 

The morning was an early one, packing the last few things before it was a two hour drive to the event.  On the upside the drive was really straight forward, so I didn’t have to think which turn to take, or trying to read maps on the trip; this was a bonus and lowered the anxiety.  I arrived at the botanical gardens, got a park close to the start and cruised up to the event centre.  After popping into a few fellow riding friends, I managed to secure a position close by the track to setup my feed station.  I was cruising around having a great ole’ time, until I overheard the microphone advising us that rider briefing was in five minutes with the race starting immediately after….It had come to my attention all of a sudden that the race was starting an hour earlier then I had anticipated!! No time to waste or go for a final nervous toilet stop. I sorted out the remainder of my bottles, stuffed gels in the back and removed any unnecessary clothing.  It was race time.

Having no great expectations except to just get out and go for a ride, I held back in positioning in the pack.  I had never ridden at Mt Annan, and hadn’t managed a practice so I was aware to try not getting in the way of the fast riders.  The race started rather calmly.  It was a nice cruise around the car park which unfortunately didn’t split the pack up and then a bottle neck into the single track.  This could be a slow first lap, but I was happy because this gave me a nice opportunity to check out all the twists and turns, pinch climbs and descends, hairpins upon hairpins and an approximate timing of each lap.

I knew who some of my competitors were but I hadn’t seen them before the race and therefore I didn’t know how I was going in position.  I kept my pace consistent and my second lap was remarkably quicker then the first.  This can be a positive thing but then again a negative as it means you have more laps to do….Either way 4 hours is 4 hours, it beats doing 7hrs (compliment to all those 7hr riders, you’re an inspiration!).  Around the 3rd lap I came across another female rider.  She was consistent.  Many times I passed on the climbs, and then she would catch me on the downhill rock gardens.  I figured by the end of the 4th lap this was a fellow competitor and put the foot down to make a clear gap.  Three hours rolled around and the hands were a little sore, the legs were yelling a little at me, and I was questioning myself “why hadn’t I ridden a little more recently…”  This wasn’t the time to question however, it was time to dig deep, grimace a little more and just get the job done.  So I did.  The fire inside had ignited and I was happy being out riding, pushing out of the comfort zone and just having a GREAT DAY OF RIDING.

I came through the finishing chute after 7 laps, more then spent but proud of my efforts.  I passed on the beer, this was not the time…After a quick clean up and a feed I checked out the results, and was surprised to see that I had made it to the bottom step of the podium.  I was a clear lap behind 1st place rider Brooke Rowlands and 2nd place rider Wendy Stevenson, but considering my lack of preparation this was to be expected, not to mention these girls are masters of the game!

Mt Annan is a great track.  The trails pack their punch in challenges and I was more then impressed with its flow.

Well done to all the ladies in the 4hr Elite category, and to the many other fellow riders.  Many thanks also to the great team at Rocky Trail Entertainment for another stella event and to Berry Mountain Cycles for their continued support and assistance in keeping my bike running top notch.

SCUM XC Round 3 Race Report by Bel Althaus.

Race reporter, Bel Althaus (BMC). 

On Sunday the 22 June, SCUM held its 3rd round of XC racing at the flowing Coondoo track. I was keen to race on this track as I had missed on the first round, and therefore had only managed to race the Butterfly trails. I woke up a little indecisive and in two minds about whether I wanted to race due to a disappointing pull out from the GP series Round 3 which was held at Ourimbah the day before.
I had travelled a few hours to the event late Friday afternoon, set up camp and then hit the sack for the night hoping to get a decent rest for what was to be my first 7hr solo experience (and first ever ride at Ourimbah…lesson 1 learnt). I woke the Saturday and decided to head out for a steady practice lap which quickly turned into a long “am I actually going to finish this lap before race starts” adventure. Within the first 1-2km’s the track was testing me mentally, and I was off the bike walking. Not a good start to say the least. I kept going and found myself baulking at much of the trail, stuff that in hindsight I may have usually ridden, and all the while in the back of my mind I was thinking, 7hours of this!! (Let alone 4hrs if I had decided to change category). I made my mind up pretty early on that today wasn’t my day, and decided to pull the pin…after a lot more walking and finally making it to the end of the track. I returned to the event centre, packed up my gear and instead became a photographer for a few hours, taking shots of all the other riders and of fellow friend Michael Crummy who was having a comeback from a few months of little riding competing in the 4hr category. As disappointing as it was to pull out, I was glad to have had the opportunity to check out what is the most technical track I’ve seen, but one that could be extremely fun and rewarding if the heart and mind is in the right place! Maybe I’ll get back there and next time I’ll smash it
A long drive back Saturday afternoon allowed me to think a little and I was keen to get back on the bike, probably in pure revenge for giving up…I had the option to either race a local road race or the local MTB race. Sunday came, a little more thinking and decided it was time to give the MTB a crack again. So a steady ride out to the track, a quick practice and it wasn’t long before the race was starting. The trail crew had done some amazing work cleaning and rebuilding the track after damage from local motorcyclists. This round was also a youth orientated event, which meant the ankle biters had come out in force all to have a go, and it was great to see the many smiling faces waiting in anticipation. The track was shortened for them to a 1.1km circuit.  
We headed to the start area which was about 200metres down the fire road, making it for a uphill start - that always works well. I wasn’t sure if I had any fellow competitors as some of the ladies were hanging back. We kicked off the race along with the elite men (5laps) and expert men (4laps). The race started and I looked back to find I had one competitor that I could see, Liz Smith. She had lagged behind a little, which meant I was able to enter the single track in a good position. She was closing in on me very quickly though, so decisions were made quickly about how to ride the race. She stayed in my sights for ¾ of the first lap and on the long climb out of “rock and roll” I managed to open up a small gap. Heading into the 2nd, I put the pedal down to increase this lead using the small climbs to my advantage and riding my fastest lap for the day. I knew I was in a good position towards the end of this lap and found my rhythm over the final two laps. Little did I know until the end that I actually had a third competitor, Danielle Pollock who had an unfortunate start which meant her first lap was nearly double time. She quickly picked up the pace however for the final 3 laps and her lap times would have had me fighting if she had started with us. I knew what sort of rider she was from a previous race, the Ginja Ninja 250 where she pipped me at the podium by 2 minutes. Today however I managed to hold onto the lead and rode a good race. A nice comeback from a disappointing day earlier. 
Some great trails meant some fast racing for many of the riders. Local rider Jake Whitton took out the Elite men category ahead of Douglas Pollock, with other local rider Mark Astley coming in third. Their times were extremely close, so a race well run. Nicole Fellows again took out first place for the Expert female which means a few wins now for Nicole. In the expert men, David Bell had a clear win from fellow competitors managing to come in ahead of Matt Smith and Dion Carter with a 5.5min lead. Unfortunately there were a few DNF from local riders Liam Dooley and Kane Barrett due to mechanicals. As usual the expert category was a tight field with minimal time between riders. For full results of all the categories, head to www.scum.asn.au where you will also find details about upcoming races and events.
78 riders including the young guns came and shredded the trails, and it was great to see such a diverse mix out on the local trails. Round 4 will be held again at Butterfly on the 20th July, but this is also the Chocolate Foot at Mogo 4 and 7hr race. I will be heading to Mogo for this one, hoping to regain my passion of endurance racing Stay tuned!

SCUM XC Round 2

Words by: Belinda Althaus

Dawn light in Nowra. Photo: Bel Althaus

SCUM put on another day full of mountain biking fun, holding round 2 of the XC series this time at Butterfly track. 57 competitors all up contended the tight and twisty track, and with perfect weather, the racing was bound to be fast and furious.

Elite men and Elite women started the race first along with other categories completing 4 laps, with the novice and junior categories following. Seven men contended the elite men’s race of 5 laps, however only 4 finished. Callum Carson made great lap times finishing the total race in 1:32:50 sec, however he was chased right to the end with Glen Sinnot coming in only 15 seconds later. Two other riders followed in what were still very respectful times.

The Elite women’s race was held over 4 laps, and started with 3 women. Belinda Althaus came back for the challenge after the 3hr Enduro which was held in March and took out the women’s elite race with consistent lap times. She finished the race in 1 hr 31min 1 sec. Unfortunately the other two elite women pulled out after three laps.

Womans Elite star Bel Althaus. Photo: CrummyMTB

The Expert Men’s race was hotly contested with a line-up of 15 riders. These guys raced furiously over four laps as well, and skilled local Kane Barrett showed some of the younger guys how to race, finishing the race in 1:17:11secs, 29secs ahead of local teenager Liam Dooley. David Bell and Andrew Mein followed in 1:18min, and 1:22min respectively. Great race guys!

Local riders Nicole Fellows and Jennifer Thompson raced for the Expert women’s race over 3 laps, however Jennifer succumbed to a minor fall in the last lap and with other previous injuries couldn’t make up the time against Nicole. Both women raced well, and it’s good to see women out having a go. Masters Males also contended three laps, with Nicholas Smee, Brad stein and David Stuart taking the podium spots, with local fat bike rider Greg Lewis following not far behind. Not bad times for these guys either. 


Super Masters Males had a great turnout with 11 riders, and the racing was tight with little time between finishes. Ross Winley and Anthony Rigney battled it out, with Anthony missing out on first place by 1 sec!! Michael Smith came in third in just under 1 min after the leaders. These guys could give many a run for their money…

Some of the SCUM XC Rnd 2 racers. Photo: SCUM

A few juniors contested the under 13, under 15 and under 17 races. Alastair Urquhart was the only rider in the Under 13 but still did a great job. The Under 15’s completed two laps and the under 17’s completed 3. These young ones had some great times, and it will be interesting to see their development in a few years.
Natalie Sleeman was the only veteran female, but raced well over three laps, and William Brook, Russell Rodrigues and Glen Aldridge raced Veterans men’s over three laps too with impressive lap times that would have contested many of the expert men’s times.
All up it was a superb turnout from the riders on what is a challenging track with plenty of climbing that creeps up on you ever so slowly. A great effort from the team at SCUM, and the race was friendly and fun. Finally the mud-flickers did what the kids do, having fun racing against each other and just getting out there and having a go, great to see!
Next round of the XC series is a youth orientated event, however is open to all ages. This will be held on the 22 June at Coondoo track. Rego from 7.45am with racing starting from 8.45 am for the mud-flickers and 9.15am for all other age groups. Hope to see you there!

SCUM's Andrew Fellows 3hr Day Enduro

Words by: Belinda Althaus



SCUM held its first event for the 2014 year on 22 March with a 3 + 3 hr Enduro at Butterfly track.  This even was a memorial event for the late Andrew Fellows who was an active member of SCUM in the early days. 

The event was a combination of a 3hr day Enduro, and a 3hr evening Enduro, with an hour split in between. For the first event there was a decent turnout. It’s hoped with a new event committee, rejuvenation of the trails from dedicated trail builders; they anticipate a XC race every 1-2 months. 

The field consisted of 27 soloists- male and females, 6 pairs consisting of male, females and mixed as well as 2 trio teams and a bunch of kids getting out there and having a go.  The Fat bikes were also well represented with a local team “3 Fat Ladies” made up of Greg Lewis, Adrian Whitehead and Simon Finlay flattening out the trail. It was going to be tight racing amongst all teams.

The other fat bike representing was ridden by soloist Marty Strozik from Newcastle, who placed second overall completing 9 laps in 3.17hrs.  Douglas Pollock completed a neat 9 laps in 3.06hrs ahead of Marty and local Scott Barrett wrapping up the solos men.  With his first lap time of 19.04, Douglas also clinched the quickest lap of the day but it was only just with Mark Astley (Team Smoff) riding a lap time of 19.19.  Solo ladies also rode well, with the clear winner out of the 4 contenders being Liz Smith who completing 7 laps in 2.45hrs. This was ahead of Danielle Cardile and Lyn Pavlich competing 4 and 3 laps each respectively. 

The race, which was supposed to commence at 1pm started about 20mins late and this, would prove a surprise to one particular rider, as you will read later.  I rode as part of Team Smoff (representing ADCC) with Mark Astley.  We started the race of well with Mark taking the first laps.  We had decided it was wise to ride two laps and then swap over, to avoid any warming up/down issues.  Towards the end of the first lap, Mark came through in 3^rd place behind Douglas and Marty. The second lap rolled around and it was my turn to roll. Ahead of me was Fat Bike rider Marty Strozik who provided a good pacing option around the track, and proved to me that tyre width has no barriers!  I managed to hold consistent lap times, and by the end of lap 4 we had moved into second place overall.  Racing was tense amongst the field, but our team’s consistent laps kept us in a good position.  As I was coming into the finishing straight of lap 8, I knew we were still within the time frame to head out for a 9^th lap to hold our position.  Coming into the transition, I noticed that Mark wasn’t there to handover to!  In the midst of the day’s events, he was unawares to the fact that the race had started late. It was only after lead rider Douglas Pollock had headed out for his 9^th lap with a handful of minutes to spare before the 3 hr time lapsed did he realise that we still had time for another lap. The rush was on then for Mark to get his bike back out of the car and get back into kit before my return.  Credit to Mark for achieving what was likely the quickest kit-up time ever. With minimal delay he was on his bike, minus a few details and managed to nearly make up a 2min gap between him and Douglas.  All round it was a great ride by Team Smoff, we only missing out 1^st place overall by 11 seconds.  We rode the race to finish 1^st in mixed pairs, and 1^st in pairs overall, and 2^nd overall on the 3hr Day Enduro.  Next time we will just make sure our timings are confirmed. 

Thanks to SCUM for holding a great event.  I hope the evening Enduro was as much fun for the riders that participated.  I certainly look forward to racing around some of the other local tracks around this great South Coast region.

Product Review - Specialized Fast Trak Control Tyres

Words by: Belinda Althaus

Nothing can get up your nose than an unresponsive tyre, or one that feels like it wants to run away from you.  Most importantly for me when I’m riding or racing is to feel in control, to know that my tyre is contacting the ground with maximum traction but minimal rolling resistance.  The trails I ride are fast, fairly compact and therefore I want a tyre that has a relative all-over tread pattern. 

Specialized Fast Trak tyres provide just that with two smaller knobs down the middle, along with 2 moderate knobs each side along the outer edges. The direction of the knobs also plays an integral part to providing better traction when needed, with a more direct 90 degree wall on the braking side and a sloping wall on the rear to allow smooth rolling, and little resistance.  The slightly larger side knobs provide substantial traction on smooth hard packed surfaces but are also ready to step up to the plate when trails turn a little loose or sandy.  

These tyres are great competitive XC tyres which are built and designed for the fast-paced rider.  They come 2Bliss ready (tubeless compatible), in various tyre widths and if your weight conscious, the S-Works Fast Trak is available for 60g less.  Key differences between the two is a lighter tyre, however this is a trade off with a lighter rubber and therefore less puncture resistance.  How do I run them you ask?  S-Works Fast Trak on the front, less weight where it’s not as subjected to the brunts of the rear, and Fast Trak Control on the rear where we want all the protection. 

Putting the tyres to the test. Photo: CrummyMTB

Keep in mind, Specialized offers a 90-day replacement guarantee on all their tyres.  If you’re not happy with the tyre, you can return it no questions asked.

WSMTB XC Rd 1

Words by: Bel Althaus

WSMTB started the 2014 cross country race year off with Round 1 of their XC series held at Yellomundee on the 16th March.  A sudden and decent downpour on the Saturday afternoon before the race did little to dampen the spirits, but it was enough to smooth out the dust for the fast paced race around the 7km track. 

All smiles before race start. Photo: CrummyMTB

The track layout was slightly different to that of the Weld-tite 4hr Summer Series, with the inclusion of a short rocky climb before descending onto the goat track.  This removed the long fire road climb, meaning it was straight from the goat track and Max’s Bridge onto the moto-trail bends. Three women contended the 4 lap A Grade women's race, Larri Wallbridge, Sarah Mills and I.

We started off directly after the B grade men and it was tight racing for the first lap.  Larri held the lead, with Sarah following and me on the back.  Considering this was my first ever XC race, not to mention A Grade, nor ever having raced against these women, I sat on the tail. I watched their strengths, their weaknesses and surveyed my opportunities. Towards the end of the first lap, I scored the opportunity to pass Sarah and move into second place. It was still tight racing with Larri and I slowly opened the gap to around a minute from Sarah.

First lap. Photo: CrummyMTB

Coming into the second lap I again followed closely refraining from making a wrong move or going too early. As we approached the main fire road climb, I knew this was my chance to make a move and ascended into first place.  With descending not being my strong point I put the pedal down to try and open up a lead before coming back into the technical section. The move worked in my favour and the now the race was really on!  That was until... I came into the sweeping moto-trail, failed miserably in trying to put my water bottle back into its cage, become unstuck and side planted into the ground. Thank god there was lots of grass and no trees! Ever watchful of my two competitors I kept an eye out to ensure I was maintaining the lead I had built. I charged on keeping a consistent pace and using my advantages where I could.

Open trails and leading. Photo: CrummyMTB

By the end of the third lap I was confident that I had this one in the bag, after my previous misadventure I tried to keep calm and focus, riding as smooth as possible to the end. I came across the line in first place, with Larri two minutes behind and Sarah finishing a few minutes after her. It was a great fast paced race with some positive and friendly competitors, and an inspiring youngster who will go far. Thanks Larri and Sarah for a good spirited race. 

Lastly to keep in tradition with mountain biking we didn't get away without the rain coming down, by luck it was timed to perfection, the end of presentations.  With that I was up and out for another day!  Round 2 of the XC Series will be held on the 13th April, and although I won't be available for that one, its set to be another morning of glorious racing.  Good luck to the girls in the next race!

Product Review - Lezyne Trigger Speed Drive Co2 Inflator - Belinda Althaus

I have had this little piece of kit for a few months now, but up till this point I haven’t had a chance to use it in a race scenario where time is crucial.  I have my MTB tyres set up as tubeless and although I always take one spare tube on a race, I prefer not o have to use it.  During the recent Ginja Ninja 250 MTB race in Orange , I found my front wheel was falling from underneath me and steering was becoming difficult and unco-ordinated, not to mention the wet and muddy track which wasn’t helping.  I pulled over and decided to test out the tubeless capabilities and the Lezyne Trigger Speed Drive ; I was trying to avoid putting in a tube in these conditions….
With a quick screw in of the canister onto the inflator, the inflator slides straight onto the valve with no other attachment required.  From here the adaptor is compressed and the tyres are quickly inflated.  This whole process took about a minute. Absolutely brilliant, particularly combined with the tubeless tyres.  In addition the Inflator takes both threaded Lezyne and specialized canisters of both 16g and 25g for road/mtb tyres, and I could imagine other brands to.  This particular model services presta valves only, however other models are available which are compatible with schrader valves.  If time is crucial to you, these are a must for your back pocket.  Lightweight and small, these little beauties won’t break the budget.  http://www.lezyne.com details the other products available in the range, as well as spare parts.

Ginja Ninja Race Report - Belinda Althaus

Last Sunday the 16 Feb 14, riders descended on the trails of Kinross State Forest in Orange for the annual Ginja Ninja 250, held by Rocket on 2 Wheels.  Unfortunately the weather proved a deterrent for some riders with a handful of non-starters, however for those that did turn-up on the drizzly Sunday morning the race was going to prove a challenge in all aspects. With the rain setting in, there was a possibility of a delayed start, but to the luck of us eager riders the rain cleared half hour prior to race start and it was a case of go-hard or go home.  

150 odd riders competing as solos, single-speeders, pairs and trios contended the fast flowing 9km circuit around the forest.  There were 4 females contending the solo elite women. With minimal fire road and maximum single track, the race was tight, semi technical due to the wet, but loads of fun.  

The race started with a mass start up a fire-road before we traversed through the single track.  The first lap sorted the riders out, with a decent section of single track up a climb in the first kilometre giving those with speed a chance to gain a break from the field. The mud was a plenty, as were the various puddles that had popped up over the morning, however this didn’t bother the determined and we charged on.

Bel is having fun mist the mud.

I was able to get into a rhythm early; however parts of the track were quickly getting chewed up after all the rain.  Corners required careful execution, descents were a little slippery but overall the track held up, and I was able to hold consistent lap times.  Around the half way mark I was keen to know my position, and when I asked my assistant I was under the assumption that the leader was about half a lap (20mins) in front of me.  In the conditions, this was going to be a massive task; therefore I made the decision to keep at the pace I was going and prevent any other ladies from lapping me.  

Lap 6 concluded at a time of 4hr 4min, and I was at the point of making a decision to push out another lap, or roll in for the day.  Still under the assumption that I wasn’t near the leader I procrastinated before making the decision to head out again.  The final lap was quiet with many riders already finished, this made for a good lap.  I finally came through transition for the final time, relieved to be finished and to finally get some of the mud that had caked to my body off.  

A quick clean up and it was off to presentations.  At this point I still had no idea where I was sitting, but was pretty certain I had a podium spot.  To my surprise, Laura Renshaw who I thought was in first came in third, myself in second and Danielle Pollock pipping me on the post by a mere two minutes with us both totally 7 laps.  

Downside for the day was getting a flat around 4 laps, however with my trusty Lezyne Trigger Co2 pump, and tubeless tyres I was rolling within a few minutes.  It was a great day out with everyone enthusiastic and friendly even amongst all the mud.  Rodney Farrell did a superb job with organising the event, and the timing was efficient.  All the volunteers were friendly and the photographers and spectators/fellow cyclist were encouraging.  I will certainly try get back there in 2015 to give this one another go!