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RADAR® PATH™ WITH VR50™ PHOTOCHROMIC LENS

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MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION Magazine (ISSN 0895-8467Canada GST 12500#9266RT: CPC INT’L. PUB MAIL40024492) MAY 2009, volume #24, issue #5, is publishedmonthly by Daisy/Hi-Torque Publishing Company, Inc.,with editorial offices at 25233 Anza Dr., Valencia, CA91355. Subscriptions $19.98 for 12 issues (one year).Canada add $12 additional postage for one year, $24 fortwo years. Foreign add $15 additional postage for oneyear, $30 for two years. Foreign subscriptions areshipped by surface mail and may take up to 15 weeks toreceive. Copyright ©2009 by Daisy/Hi-Torque PublishingCompany, Inc. All rights reserved. Nothing in this maga-zine may be reprinted in whole or in part, by any means,without the express permission of the publisher.Contributors: Photographs should be submitted in digitalform on CD or DVD. Images should be 4 megapixels orhigher. High-quality, low-compression JPEG images arepreferred. Please limit submissions to no more than 20photos at one time. Transparencies and prints will nolonger be accepted for consideration; such imagesshould be scanned and submitted as high-resolutiondigital files. Captions should accompany all submis-sions. Make sure the photographer’s name, address,phone number and e-mail address are clearly labeled oneach CD or DVD. Submissions will not be returned.Written articles should be submitted on CD (unless otherarrangements have been made with the editors), savedas “text” files, and accompanied by a printed version.Written submissions, both on paper and CD, will not bereturned. The publisher does not assume responsibilityfor unsolicited material. PERIODICALS: Postage paid atSanta Clarita, CA 91383, and at additional mailingoffices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes toMountain Bike Action Magazine, P.O. Box 958, Valencia,CA 91380-9058. Printed in U.S.A. For Canadian returnsmail to: Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542 London,ON N6C 6B2.

WARNING: Much of the actiondepicted in this magazine is potential-ly dangerous. Virtually all of the rid-ers seen in our photos are experi-enced experts or professionals. Donot attempt to duplicate any stuntsthat are beyond your own capabili-ties. Always use discretion and wearthe appropriate safety gear.

126 Ray’s Indoor MTB ParkThe only reason riders lookforward to winter.

TECHNICAL

110 The Garage FilesMore cable tricks.

114 Inside The Pros’ BikesPetr Hanak’s paid-in-fullCommencal

118 Fleet FoxRiding the 2009 Fox Racing Shox40 RC2 fork.

122 The Gates Carbon DriveThe silent, longer-lasting alter-native to the roller chain.

TRAINING & FITNESS

62 Joe Lawwill’s ManualsMade EasyForget wheelies and learn a skillthat matters.

DEPARTMENTS

14 Happy TrailsThe trials of two guys.

18 Mac AttackGetting to the heart of the matter.

22 Hard TalesStan takes a close look at wheels.

28 TrailgramsExpensive bikes and smarttune-ups.

32 Trail MixSaying goodbye to winter.

38 Thrash TestsShoes, tires, wheels and more.

42 Inside LineDeep thinking from Dave Weagle.

116 Subscribe To MBA NowThe absolute best value in moun-tain biking.

142 Quick ReleasesProtection and style foryour eyes.

146 Down The TrailSanta Cruz: The beginningof greatness.

VOLUME 24, NUMBER 5MAY 2009

ON THE COVER

Danny Milner threads a fine linedown one of Whistler’s manychallenging and spectacular trails.Photo by Sterling “I rode this sectionwith a 30-pound camera bag on myback” Lorence. The Titus X gets atotal makeover, and cross-countryracers are going to love it. Photo byJohn “Green Machine” Ker.

contents

6 www.mbaction.com

BIKE TESTS

88 Titus XA cross-country racer for riderswho want to win.

$2500 TRAILBIKE

SHOOTOUT

44 Read, Ride and RejoiceFive bikes go fork-to-fork overone tough course.

46 The Haro Sonix CompListening for the Sonix boom.

48 The SpecializedStumpjumper FSR CompTwenty-five years andcounting.

50 The Santa Cruz HecklerSimple, effective and lots of fun.

54 The Giant Trance X2Riding Giants.

56 The Gary Fisher HiFi PlusWill it be the repeatchampion?

58 And, The ShootoutWinner IsWe are not going to spoil thesurprise here.

2009 PARK DIRECTORY

94 Spend Summer On TheSlopesA guide to North Americanmountain bike resorts

104 The Pros’ Guide ToWhistler And BeyondLife is more than downhills,jumps, and drops.

PEOPLE

86 Riders Who InspireVictor Walter’s single-handedmission.

DESTINATIONS

70 America’s Top MountainBiking TownOver 35 reasons why we want tomove to this place.

MBA STAFF

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT

JIM McILVAIN • EDITOR

RICHARD CUNNINGHAM • EDITOR-AT-LARGE

JODY WEISEL • FEATURE EDITORS

ZAPATA ESPINOZA

SEAN McCOY • MANAGING EDITOR

JOHN KER • ASSISTANT EDITORS

RYAN CLEEKKATHARINE McCOY

ED ARNET • CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

JEFF SPENCER • TRAINING CONSULTANT

JOHN TOMAC • CONSULTANTS

MIKE BELLJOHN PERRY

BRAD ROE • ONLINE [email protected]

TOM [email protected]

ART DEPARTMENT

ANTJE SCHROEDER-ERNST• DESIGNER

ALMA MARTíNEZ de DICSö • ASSISTANT DESIGNER

EDUARDO GUTIERREZVICKY BERTRAND

JIM ALGAR • COPY EDITOR

KAY DEICKEN • PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

PAT CARRIGAN • PHOTO ARTIST

RYAN D’ERRICO

WILLIAM C. HAWLEY IV • PRELIM COORDINATORS

ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT

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DIRECTOR, [email protected]

ROLAND HINZ • PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

LILA HINZ • ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

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Any change of address or subscriptionproblems please contact us by e-mail:

[email protected] or call (800) 767-0345.

KHS Co-Sponsors:

Whistler has something for every kind of rider—from paved valley trails,

technical singletrack, spectacular forest trails to a jaw-dropping bike park.

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sponsored by:

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Grand Prize Includes:• 2 KHS bicycles

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humility. After two and a half decades,I have yet to ride every switchback,rock garden or washed-out section ofthe route without taking a foot off apedal—a feat that they duplicatedoften, usually while discussing nextweek’s destination or the post-ridelunch menu. I followed their lines, andas often as I remember exiting a diffi-cult section victoriously for the firsttime, I can recall tumbling down someprecarious slope.

I cannot pedal that mountain with-out envisioning Dave and Bob, wheelto wheel, locked in conversation andgliding down the trail so effortlessly.Today, I wondered how much easierthey could have negotiated the 13-mile descent had they owned thebicycle I was riding: an all-mountainNorco Six One. I breezed down aonce-vicious section of stair-steps thatcontinued around a Cliffside switch-back, braking with one finger as thebike’s six inches of suspension ranthrough its travel. Back then, ourfully rigid bikes, ineffective tires andoverheated rim brakes did not allowsuch fluidity. Each stair step, everytight turn or large rock required indi-vidual attention, precise timing andbody English. I remember my handscramping from a combination ofsqueezing the not-so-effective brakelevers while trying to mute thepounding of the steel fork for the

Twenty-five years ago,

Dave Evans and Bob

Nickelsen took me up

into the San Gabriel

Mountains and showed me a

ride that took my breath away.

The route began with a seven-

mile fire road ascent into the

clouds above the Los Angeles

Basin. The return was almost

entirely on hiking trails that at

the time were nearly forgotten.

It was an eye-opening ride for

me. Dave and Bob were life-

long friends, and both national

motorcycle observed trials

champions—which taught the

still-competitive duo a two-

wheeled skill set that made the

narrow trails and often precip-

itous switchbacks seem dis-

armingly simple to ride.

hour-long descent. Armed with its2.35-inch tires, disc brakes and dualsuspension, the Norco would havebecome a weapon of mass humiliationin the hands of Dave and Bob.

Today, although I didn’t makeevery section without “dis-pegging aboot” (as they say in motorcycle trialscompetition), I did get the chance toglide down the mountain with muchof the gracefulness that Dave and Bobpossessed on their fully rigidmachines. I’ll admit that most of myimprovement can be attributed tosuperior technology, but I am okaywith that. Twenty-five years hastaught me that mountain biking, likeplaying a musical instrument, cannever be completely mastered.

We are at once inspired and hum-bled by a performance which is farbeyond our talent, and we live forthat particular moment—like today’sride—when body, mind and machineharmonize and we can experience forjust a little while how a great perfor-mance might feel. By now I can bepretty sure that I will never ride aswell as Dave Evans or Bob Nickelsen,but if a bike like the Norco Six pre-sents the opportunity to feel what itmay have been like to stay on theirwheels for just one trip down themountain—well, I’m not going to letpride get in the way of the best rideof my life.

I learned a lot from Dave and Bob—about choosing lines, trusting the bike,and staying relaxed through technicalsections, but most of all, I learned

14 www.mbaction.com

HAPPY TRAILS By Richard J. Cunningham

Santa Cruz Bicycles: 104 bronson st. #22 santa cruz, ca 95062 santacruzbicycles.com [email protected]

Cross country race performance should not be a compromise. Riding bikes fast shouldn’t involve t iptoeing through rock gardens, crowding the brakes down hi l ls, worry ing about whether your bike is strong enough to get a l i t t le air, or feel ing your energy get sapped when stomping up the cl imbs. But more often than not, those are the kinds of compromise that plague l ight bikes designed to be pedaled hard.

Introducing the new Santa Cruz Blur XC. 105mm of VPP suspension travel fed through a feathery 4.2 pound carbon f iber frame that is stronger and st i f fer than just about anything else we’ve ever made. I t bui lds up into an ul tra- l ight, stable, smooth, eff ic ient, fast as hel l , ass kicking machine. Kick some ass, win races, f l ip compromise the bird.

Now, we’ve all heard that tired cliché: “At least he died doing something he loved.” I understand this sentiment, but at the same time have to wonder how many rides were left unridden because of an untimely death that might have been prevented.

Cyclists have long subscribed to an unwritten rule that a rider should ride through the pain. The most famous and saddest example would have to be the death of British cyclist Tom Simpson in the 1967 Tour de France. It was the 13th stage on July 13th and the peloton was racing up Mont Ventoux (nicknamed the Sugar Loaf). It was a blistering hot day, and once the pace got serious, racers noticed Tom’s er-ratic behavior. He had a blank look on his face. He would attack for no reason. He started to ride like a novice, paperboy’ing up the steeper inclines. He fell a number of times, and fans would put him back on the bike and push him. Then he fell again.

Listen To Your Heart

Folklore has it that Tom’s last words were, “Put me back on my bike.” (A journalist who was not present reported those last words. Tom’s mechanic remembers them as “Go on, Go on!”) Tom was determined to ride through the pain and fi nish the race. He died of exhaustion that day on the side of the road.

A more recent example of this press-on-regardless attitude is Lance Arm-stong. The guy rode for months with pain and discomfort that would have kept most people bedridden. It was later found that the source of Lance’s discomfort was a little thing called non-seminomatous testicular cancer.

What does this have to do with a mountain biker who died while trail riding? There may have been warning signals that were either discounted or ignored because of our tough-guy attitude. The American Heart Association says that unlike the heart attacks you see in movies, most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren’t sure what’s wrong and wait too long be-fore getting help. Knowing and reacting to the warning signals could save your life or the life of a riding partner:

The American Heart Association also warns that you don’t have a lot of time once a heart attack strikes. Minutes mat-ter. Don’t wait more than fi ve minutes to call 9-1-1, almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment. Emer-gency medical services (EMS) staff can begin treatment when they arrive—up to an hour sooner than if someone gets to the hospital by car. EMS staff are also trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped. Patients with chest pain who arrive by ambulance usually receive faster treatment at the hospital, too.

Now, I’m not presuming that the rider’s death this weekend could have been prevented, but maybe a future death can be. Use your mountain bike to get a great workout, clear out the cobwebs and discover new places. Just don’t ignore unusual pains believing you will ride through it. While moun-tain biking might be a good way to die, it is a better way to live.

Cyclist Riding On Mountain Trail Dies

Authorities were investigating the death of a bicyclist Saturday after-noon on a trail in the Santa Monica Mountains in Ventura County.

Shortly after fi ve in the afternoon, county fi refi ghters responded to a report of a mountain biker who had suffered cardiac arrest on a trail near the junction of Yerba Buena Road and Little Sycamore Canyon Road, according to the Ventura County Fire Department.

No details were immediately avail-able. The California Highway Patrol, park rangers and the Ventura County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Offi ce also were involved, offi cials said.

The headline in the Ventura

County Star Sunday paper

was not one that any

mountain biker wants to read.

. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pres-sure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

..

..

THE MAC ATTACK

18 www.mbaction.com

You can reach Jimmy while he is not short of breath at

[email protected].

The new XC-One Stem

The new Sunline XC-One stem is the latest lightweight creation from Sunline. Weighing in at only 119 grams in the 90mm length. Available in 3 lengths in 10mm increments in both Sunline XC light grey and black. Can be ! ipped for a +/- 6 degree rise. The tapered body gives it a unique look and strength. The inside of the faceplate is bead blasted with chamfered edges for a secure and safe

hold on carbon bars. Look for it now at your local dealer.

visit us at SUNLINERACING.COM or call 661 257 2756in Canada call 604 542 5661

- Lightweight Aluminum construction- +/- 6 degree rise- Chamfered clamping edges for carbon bars- Bead blasted on the inside of the faceplate for better grip on handlebars- Available in Sunline dark grey or black- 90mm (119g), 100mm (122g), or 110mm (125g) extensions

Crack up: Stan noticed it was always the drive-sidespokes that would begin to pull through the rim overtime. This got him thinking.

HARD TALES

Future WheelsThinkers

Does the name Stan Koziatek

ring a bell? No? How about

Stan’s? You got it. Stan Koziatek is

the guy behind NoTubes, and

there is no doubt the man from Big

Flats, New York, (no, that is not a

lame attempt at humor) will one

day be honored in the Mountain

Bike Hall of Fame for saving so

many riders from the pain of fixing

a flat tire while on the trail.

While you might think Stan stays

busy enough thinking about rubber,

a recent discussion with the man

revealed he has been trying to do for

wheels what he has done for tires.

MBA: So what have you been working on?Stan Koziatek: “I have been working with different hubs

and lacing patterns that make the wheel more efficient. Oncurrent wheels, the drive-side spokes are tensioned muchhigher than the non-drive side spokes. This means with a32-hole rim we are driving (or pulling) mostly with theeight drive-side spokes.”MBA:What does that mean to the rider?Stan: “With every pedal, you twist the rim sideways and

put most of the strain on the eight drive-side spokes. Overtime, this will start cracking the rim where the drive-sidespokes attach. By making 16 spokes drive, we eliminatesome of the rim twisting and convert that energy into for-ward motion. With 16 spokes doing the work, it will takelonger to crack the rims.”MBA: Are there other areas of concern?Stan: “When you pedal with a chain crossover, especially

if you stand and sprint, this angled chain line is not onlyless efficient, but it pulls outward on the frame. We can takesome of that wasted energy and channel it into better for-ward momentum.

We know that an efficient spin is the quickest way up aclimb. The fact that it’s the most efficient way to cyclenotwithstanding, have you ever considered that a steadyspin might be faster because it also eliminates wheel andframe flex, instead using what could be wasted energy foradded forward motion?MBA: So it sounds like you’d be a ten-speed cassette advocate.Stan: Not really. Fewer cogs powering lighter hubs that

drive the rim through revised lacing patterns that make theeight non-drive spokes work will eliminate rim twist, reduceframe flex, and improve chainline. If this is possible, we willgain a few percent more on the climbs or during a sprint.We will be working with energy that we have always lostand gain speed while exerting the same force.

We can do this by: 1) improving the chainline so that dur-ing heavy power we are not pulling the frame outwards withevery pedal stroke; 2) finding lacing patterns that allow the

22 www.mbaction.com

Chain out of line: A poorchainline pulls the frame out-wards with every pedalstroke, and this steals yourforward momentum. Can anew hub design and fewercogs really be the answer?Stan thinks so.

non-drive spokes to gain tension while pedaling; 3) using hubswith equal tension side-to-side and different spoke lacing thatallows all 16-drive spokes to share the workload; 4) using cas-settes with fewer gears so we can improve the chainline,which will reduce much of the frame twist.MBA: So what is the Stan’s solution?Stan: We are currently testing a six-ounce, six-speed cas-

sette built on a Stan’s ZTR Race 7000 series rim with differ-ent spoke lacing and hub flange offsets. With equal spoketension, I can even make lighter rims. More gears are not theanswer for racing mountain bikes. My job is to make my rac-ers faster, and if by using fewer gears we can gain speed withenergy currently lost, I feel it’s worth a try.

The man: Stan Koziatek

helped tubeless-tire tech-

nology deliver on its promise.

He hopes to make the same

impact on wheels.Test lab: This hand-fabricated test machine allows Stanto detect and measure the forces at play while pedalinga mountain bike.

Twisting the night away: Oneof Stan’s goals is to reduce oreliminate the rim twisting thatoccurs during hard efforts likeclimbing or sprinting.Spreading the work over morespokes might do the job.

May 2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 23

For 2009

Designed, Built & Tested in Barnoldswick, England

Check out other HOPE products at www.hopetechusa.com

For information call

800.303.6863All brakes built, bled and ready to mount.

Mini Pro X2

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Tech M4

Tech V2

Where AreThey Now?

An avid mountain bike collector andformer product manager at HaroBicycles, Mike Varley left congestedSouthern California two years ago for thesmall-town tranquility of Point ReyesStation in Marin County. While themountain biking is limited, the views areawesome and it is a good excuse to cruiseby Mike’s bike shop and check out hisnot-for-sale vintage mountain bike collec-tion. You’ll find Black Mountain Cycles,(415) 663-8125, behind the abandonedbrick building, off Pacific Coast Highway,in the heart of Point Reyes Station. Don’tblink or you’ll miss it (the town, notMike’s shop).

Come on in: Mike Varley andhis Black Mountain Cyclesoffer western Marin Countyriders more expertise thanmost bike shops in the heartof San Francisco. Mike alsodoes consulting for bikecompanies looking for solidTaiwanese connections.

Where legends hang out:

Don’t be surprised if one of mountainbiking’s founding fathers shows upduring your visit to Black MountainCycles. The legendary Steve Potts(right) stopped by the shop duringour visit.

Friends

It Keeps

YourEarsWarm,

Too

Weird

JonesPriceReduction

Money

HARD TALES

If you freaked out at the price of theJones Spaceframes in our 2009 buyer’sguide, that’s because our price reflectedcomplete build kits, not just the frame. Now,the frame-only price isn’t what we’d callaffordable, but the frames are a work of art.Jeff Jones will handcraft you a Spaceframe for amere $5500. You can reach him at (541) 535-2034.

24 www.mbaction.com

A Simple No-HassleBike Rack

Tricks

Why would youthrow your beautifulbike into the bed ofyour pickup when there is a rackas simple as the Rec-Rac bikerack for pickups? The Rec-Racis easy to install, requires nodrilling, takes up less bedspace and, best of all, doesnot require the bike’s frontwheel to be removed. Thebasic kit goes for $65 andfits most popular pickups.You can get more informa-tion at (800) 867-7764.

Fox IssuesAWarning

Smarts

We recently saw a rider with a Fox 32fork that was modified to accept a 29-inchfront wheel. It looked sketchy to us and wewere right. Fox has issued a warning aboutsuch modifications, explaining that ridersshould never remove material from anyportion of a Fox fork and they should useonly 26-inch wheels with Fox 32, 36 or 40bicycle forks. Those forks are designed andtested for use only with 26-inch mountainbike wheels and tires. Using these forkswith any other wheel size will subjectthem to loads and forces they have notbeen designed or certified to meet.

These modifications would void anywarranty, but worse, you are really tempt-ing fate. These sliced and diced forks arenot safe to ride. The Fox 32 F29 fork isthe only Fox fork designed specifically for29-inch wheels.

Passion Driven.

Our brand was

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your passion.

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28 www.mbaction.com

SETTING PRIORITIESThanks to MBA for reviewing high-

dollar bikes. Riders have to know thatthe R&D on these expensive bikes willbe passed down to less expensive mod-els in just a couple of years. If you can’tafford a $1K bike, I must question yourpriorities. It always brings a smile to myface when I see a $1500 bike on the topof a $200 rusted-out Subaru. Now that’sprioritizing! My recently purchased2008 Specialized Enduro SL Comp iseverything MBA said it would be. Ialready had my eye on it, but the reviewMBA did was the final confirmationthat I“needed” it. I love this bike! My worldis a better place because of it. Pleasecon-tinue reviewing bikes of all priceranges, especially the exotic ones.Maybe then someday I’ll have myenclosed-transmission, seven-inch-travel, 22-pound bike that I thoughtcouldn’t be made.

Wayne WittrockAnchorage, Alaska

WORTH ITTo all those who write complaining

about the price of the bikes tested inMBA, I say this: Bikes don’t cost toomuch. The rest of your life costs toomuch. What’ll ya have?

Ben SokolskiLeadville, Colorado

BIKES “R” METhe rider explaining his issue with

the high cost of bikes being reviewedinMBA is missing the point of themag. Sure, the bikes tested are prettyhigh zoot. I’m glad. I want to see thebest of the best. I want to knowwhat’s so great about the latest look-ma-no-bob suspension. It’s entertain-ing. Otherwise, just read the Toys “R”Us flyers and see what’s hot in theirbike department.

Phil HallahanOntario, Canada

TEST THE PORSCHE,NOT THE KIA

Do riders who complain aboutexpensive bike tests in MBA alsocomplain when Car and Driver orMotor Trend test drives a Ferrari ora Porsche? Do they write letters ask-ing, “Why don’t you test drive moreKias or Hyundais?” If you wanttests on cheap mountain bikes, buyConsumers Reports. Unlike a Ferrarior Porsche, a Santa Cruz or anIntense is far more obtainable.

Roger DRancho Cucamonga, California

MBA,February, 2009tain bikes. Using dif-ferent boutique brandsas examples in thechart would not havegiven these riders thesame opportunity forcomparison.

TUNE-UP UPGRADEI commendMBA for the straight talk

and sound advice to riders contemplat-ing upgrading an old mountain bike(“Reeling In The Years,” February,2009). While there are always excep-tions to rules, many riders find them-selves throwing good money after badwhen upgrading an old bike. I wouldsuggest that any rider thinking ofembarking on an expensive upgradejourney have the bike tuned-up by aprofessional bicycle mechanic first.Many times a new chain, trued wheelsand fresh tires are all it takes to giveyour tired ride a new lease on life.

David LennonUtica, New York

AFFORDABLE CARBONIn “Price War” (MBA, February

2009), you state, “The entry level for acarbon-fiber-framed bike is $5000(and the price goes into the stratos-phere from there).” Just a friendlyreminder that the Fuel EX 9.8, theGary Fisher Superfly, and the GaryFisher HiFi Carbon all have carbonframes, and all sell for below $5000.

Jason McDowellSalt Lake City, Utah

FEELING LEFT OUTI just re-read your 2009 buyer’s

guide (MBA, February 2009) anddid not find any mention of the$199 Titan Trailblazer. How couldyou guys leave out a bike that, in thewords of its producer, offers a frontsuspension design that means con-stant contact with the road andgives this hardtail bike greater dura-bility for smooth on- or off-road rid-ing? It even comes with a waterbot-tle. Gotcha! Thank you for notincluding bikes below the $500 levelin your buyer’s guide. Riders don’tneed a guide to cheap bikes, becausethey are all the same. Keep showingus real mountain bikes.

Ryan FergusonPocatello, Idaho

FUN FLOW CHARTThe flow chart for buying the

right mountain bike (MBA February2009) was fun to follow and veryaccurate. My only question is, whywere so many of the example bikeslisted at the bottom of the flow chartmade by Specialized?

Ted OsbourneNorman, OklahomaSpecialized’s wide model selection

makes it easy for someone new to moun-tain biking to compare and understandthe differences between types of moun-

wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww knucklebox ccccccccccooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmm

30 www.mbaction.com

GT GOLDENRACE SERIES

4/19

SEA OTTER CLASSICMONTEREY, CA

5/3

GHORBA BIG RING

CHALLENGECOLDSPRING, TX

5/16

SPRING THAWASHLAND, OR

6/7

MASSANUTTEN

HOO-HA!

MASSANUTTEN, VA

7/4

FIRECRACKER 50BRECKENRIDGE, CO

8/8

ORE TO SHOREMARQUETTE, MI

9/13

LANDMINE CLASSICHINGHAM, MA

GET TUBEDIn your January 2009 “Garage

Files,” Paul Thomasberg uses 1/8th-inch nylon tubing to seal the cablesfrom dirt. Where can I purchase thattubing?

Sean TuckerMeridian, OregonPaul purchases the tubing from

McMaster-Carr, (562) 463-4277. It isdescribed in their catalog as abrasion-resistant type sleeving. You need to havean account to purchase the sleeving, butwith over 480,000 products, you willfind McMaster-Carr a great resourcefor other projects.

[email protected] is ouremail or hard copy us at MBATrailgrams, 25233 Anza Drive,Valencia, Ca. 91355. Include thetown and state where you live.

Trailgrams tip of the month:Run at least one tear-off on your gog-gles, even while practicing. This pre-vents your lens from getting scratched.It only takes a second to switch tear-offs between runs as opposed to min-utes required to clean the lens. Yourlens will last longer too.

TRAILGRAMS

PURPLE HAZELove the mushroom photo in the

January 2009 “Trail Mix,” but theAmanita Muscaria isn’t food.Although not totally poisonous, it ishallucinogenic and can make youvery sick if not prepared correctly.

FlookOakley, California

PRICE IS RIGHTThanks for the “Price War” story in

your February issue. I own a bike shopand on more than one occasion havecaught one of my sales staff hesitatingwhen a customer asks the price ques-tion (“Why is this bike so much moreexpensive?”). I now make sure that mysales staff reads the “Price War” story,because it explains clearly what youget for the bucks. Finally, your tip topick the right shop should have been atthe beginning of the article.

Name withheld upon requestCarmel, Indiana

LOST IN THE WOODSThe guys from New Orleans (in

your February 2009 “Trail Mix”)misidentified their location. That isTsali in North Carolina, notTennessee. I’ve been there and eventaken photos in the same spot they arein. That’s Lake Fontana in the back-ground, and it is a great place to ride.

Rick WilsonBrevard, North Carolina

NO NOSE RINGDo you ever feel as if society has

securely attached a brass ringthrough our noses and is leading us,browbeaten and crestfallen, with aniron chain? On the trail, nose ringand iron chain fall away, leaving usto determine direction and speed,when we stop or go, and what weobserve and absorb along the way.Find a trail. Ride it. Live.

Ed McCainVentura, California

32 www.mbaction.com

TRAIL MIX

FROZEN TOESCold weather? No problem! Jones Park in Vestal,

New York. Perfect weather at 25 degrees, softbreeze and sunny.

Dan “Slipstream” MicholychakJohn “Trailmaker” HajnyVestal, New York

DESERT RIDINGRick Watts, Latenite Trail in Las Vegas. Yes, that Las

Vegas.Rick WattsLas Vegas, Nevada

DON’T STOP TOO LONGMountain Top, Pennsylvania, enjoying our first snow

ride of the season. Just completed the first climb in thesnow and were catching our breath. Riders are (fromleft): Dave “Sammy” Scott, Alain “Taco” LaPrade, GeorgPescher and Denis Jacques.

Jeff BruellMountain Top, Pennsylvania

As we ride into May with its longer days and warmer

temperatures, we take a look back at the riders who

never dreamed of putting their bikes into storage.

NO WEAK LINKRiding doesn’t have to stop when it

snows in Southwest Idaho. My tirechains allow me to keep on pedalingduring the winter. The chains are alsoa good conversation starter when Istop in at local java shops.

Tyler WelshimerNampa, Idaho

FREAKING OUT THE FISHWhat were the fish thinking when I locked up

my Nokian Freddies Revenze studded tires onthe ice at Silver Lake? Temperature was 20degrees, bright and sunny. A beautiful day for aride. The night shot (I like to go for a ride onceit cools off) is one of my favorites. My ridingbuddy, Roy Edelstein, took the photos.

Dave BoyntonLynn, Massachusetts

POWDER COATINGMy son, Josh Hayes, captured

this awesome image while waitingfor the rest of us to catch up.

Jeffrey L. HayesVancouver, B.C., Canada


TRAIL MIX

OUR MEN IN UNIFORMDrew and I, both members of the

Ramstein Area Cycling Clubs, on thefirst snow ride of the year in thePfälzerwald Mountain Bike Park inKaiserslautern, Germany.

Rick Gilbert, TSgt, USAFRamstein Air Base, Germany

NEED TRACTIONSteve Keller in the Cuyamaca area of San

Diego. Do they make snow chains for mountainbikes?

John WhitesideRamona, California

SALINAS HILLBILLIESI had the privilege of meeting up and riding with the Hwy.

68 Hillbillies from Salinas, California, for a great weekend ofriding on Mount Ashland in Southern Oregon. UsingAshland Mountain Adventures for our shuttle service up themountain, we were able to get in some of the last runs of theyear before the snow set in. In three days of riding, wejumped, slid and hammered our way down over sixty milesof singletrack! What a blast!

Scott McKnightGresham, Oregon

ONE LAST RUNClosing day at Mammoth Mountain Bike Park, 2008.

Tom, Josh, Cory, Evan and Rob ignored the weather reports,grabbed a case of Mammoth Double Nut and made theannual trip a success yet again. Cold, windy and wet, butstill managed to tear the flow-drop and the mountain! Goodtimes.

Robert “Noondog” NooneyWarrensburg, Missouri

BECOMEALMOSTFAMOUS

We want to

make you a star.

HERE’S HWOW:

1) Image file size

needs to be 600 KB

or larger.

2) Tell us what is going

on in your photo (include

names).

3) Include your name and

the city and state where

you live.

4) E-mail it to

[email protected]

Trail Mix rider of the

month: Victor Vincente of

America.

34 www.mbaction.com

The good fight. cannondale.com

BATTLE PROVEN.The HollowGram SI Crankset. The lightest, stiffest production crankset on the planet.

Standard on the Cannondale Factory Racing Team Scalpel.

A picture is worth a thousand words...

* NOTE - Both crankset weights include 175mm crank arms, spindles, complete bottom bracket sets, 44/32/22T chainrings and all hardware.

raceface.com/next

or in our case 53 grams.

DT SWISS X 1800 WHEELSET""""#Hoops built to take a dunking

Wheel builders are a busy bunch these days. As bicycle com-panies offer models with specific travel lengths for unique rid-ing experiences, wheel builders have to create hoops that matchthese experiences. DT Swiss released the $568 X 1800wheelset to meet the needs of riders looking for a mix of per-formance and durability (think high-performance trail riding).Tech features: The X 1800 starts out with hubs that accept

either IS (International Standard six-bolt) disc rotors or cen-ter-lock rotors using the DT Swiss center-lock adaptor. Thereis a 15-millimeter axle option for the front hub. Spokes aredouble butted, made with DT Swiss’ cold forging technology.Rims are constructed using DT Swiss’ sleeve joint technique,which is their way of keeping the wheels affordable whilecoming close to the performance of their SBWT (StrengthBoost Welding Technique) wheels. Our front wheel withquick-release skewer and center-lock adaptor (but without rimtape, tire and brake rotor) weighed one pound, 14 ounces. Therear came in at two pounds, seven ounces. You can reach DTSwiss at (970) 242-9232.After the thrashing:We ran into a compatibility issue

before slapping the wheels on the bike. The sexy MaguraVentidiscs on the Titus Moto Lite test sled wouldn’t fit on theX 1800 hub. Bummer. Those things are so pretty. Honestly, theVentidiscs may be the only discs that will create a compatibilityissue with these wheels. Just our dumb luck. We had to grab apair of conventional rotors that snapped on the center-lockadaptors easily and snugged up without further protest.

The wheels clamp into the frame and fork using DT Swiss’snug clamping, easy-to-adjust, silky smooth quick releases. Theinitial roll out was greeted by the unique sound of DT Swiss’two-pawl system freehub. Some freehubs are so loud that theycan be downright annoying. Not these. It is the sound of preci-sion. Now, DT Swiss has to be wondering what happened tothese wheels, because the wrecking crew has been passingthem around for over six months. The wheels are no worse for

FIZIK TUNDRA SADDLE""""#Don’t let the name fool you. This is an easy saddle for

a cross-country racer to warm up to

The newest mountain-bike-specific saddle from Fizikbegan registering U.S. National cross-country series victoriesin 2007 underneath Geoff Kabush. Can a saddle this fastoffer an adequate perch for a regular rider?Tech features: The Tundra is Fizik’s lightest cross-coun-

try-specific saddle to date and is offered in two versions. Theall-white carbon braided rail version (tested) sells for $199,and the black Tundra with Fizik’s proprietary kium railssells for $159. The white carbon Tundra weighs 6.7 ounces(1.4 ounces lighter than the black version) and has a slightlywider nose for increased comfort. The Tundra uses a newfoam formulation for its low-profile padding and a newMicrotex cover that is lighter than leather, durable, water-resistant, and won’t fade. The Tundra has an Integrated ClipSystem (I.C.S.), allowing for quick attachment and removalof ICS accessories, like the Fizik Saddle Pack and Blink light.You can reach Fizik at (877) 395-8088.After the thrashing: Unlike many cross-country race

saddles, the Fizik Tundra offers a wider, more comfortable

THRASH TESTS

38 www.mbaction.com

base for a rider’s sit bones. When setting up the saddle,you’ll notice what appears to be black hockey tape coveringthe carbon rails. This is to improve the clamp’s grip on therail and reduce the chance of damaging the carbon by over-tightening. The Microtex cover offers good traction (for lackof a better word) on cycling shorts, but it’s still smoothenough to allow shifting your position forward on extendedclimbs. The Fizik Tundra gets four stars because it isimpressively comfortable for a weight-oriented cross-countryracing saddle, but it should not be confused with a trailbikesaddle, where more comfort is essential.

the wear. They havenever even needed tru-ing, although we donot recommend thatyou ride any newwheel for six monthswithout having awheel builder throw atrue on them.

DT Swiss wantedthe X 1800 wheelset to deliver a lively, sporty feel while stillbeing strong enough to be used and abused on a daily basis bythe 15-pound-overweight trail rider. Mission accomplished, DTSwiss. Of course, the true test of a wheelset comes three yearsdown the trail. While we didn’t want to wait that long to bringyou our review of the X 1800, we are well on our way, andthey are rolling right along without breaking a sweat or spoke.

Thrash test rating:""""" Perfection""""# Delivers above average value and performance"""## Recommended for intended application""### Shows potential but has drawbacks"#### Save your hard-earned bucks

Unlock Your

Bike’s Potential

The Cane Creek Double Barrel shock uses

exclusive Twin Tube technology and 4-way

independent adjustment that brings you

custom tunability for your course and

conditions. Whether you ride a 5-inch trail bike

or World Cup Downhill machine, the Double

Barrel’s tuning precision gives you the power to

maximize your bike’s suspension performance.

Get more from your shock.

We’ll build one for you.

WWW.CANECREEK.COM

SPECIALIZED PRO CARBONMTB SHOE"""""The popular road shoe gets a fat tire makeover

Specialized claims their Pro Carbon MTB shoe istheir best-fitting, highest performance shoe for moun-tain bikers. It sells for $260.Tech features: Raced by World Champion

Christoph Sauser, the Pro Carbon MTB Shoe featuresSpecialized Body Geometry (BG) contoured footbeds,a patented X-Link closure system, and a durable ther-moplastic rubber outsole for confident traction. ThePro Carbon is available in black and white, and also inplus widths. The Pro Carbon shoe has a full-lengthFACT carbon midsole and two toe cleats. A pairweighs 1.6 pounds. The shoes are sold exclusively atSpecialized dealers. You can get more information at(877) 808-8154.After the thrashing: Specialized has been hitting

home runs with their cycling shoes for several years,and the Pro Carbon continues the streak. In fact, thePro Carbon hits it out of the park. It takes a specialshoe to make the wrecking crew give up wearing a well-worn, comfortable favorite (the shoe you’d throw on for anepic ride), but the Pro Carbon shoes made it easy to moveon. They became our first choice for every ride. The carbonsole is ultra stiff, which is crucial in acceleration and for pro-viding support for bombing technical terrain. The X-Link,ratchet-like closure system is reliable and easy to operate,while the BG footbeds keep your shin and thighbones in line

THRASH TESTS Thrash test rating:""""" Perfection""""# Delivers above average value and performance"""## Recommended for intended application""### Shows potential but has drawbacks"#### Save your hard-earned bucks

MAXXIS ARDENT""""#A new tread from a trusted name

The Ardent is the latest addition to the Maxxis downhilltire line. Available in sizes 2.25, 2.4 and 2.6 inches, theArdent sells for $47.95.Tech features: Geared towards downhill riding on loose

and wet conditions, the Ardent was developed to fill the voidin the Maxxis line between the Minion, High Roller and WetScream (which returned to the line this year). The tire hasaggressive tread and high-volume casing, with side knobsoffering multiple edges. The center tread, intended for brak-ing and accelerating traction, has ramped knobs to minimizerolling resistance. Depending on the size, the Ardent tiresrange in weight from 1.4 pounds to 1.9 pounds. You can con-tact Maxxis at (770) 962-5932.After the thrashing: This was a truly global test, as we

were able to ride the 2.4-inch and 2.6-inch Ardent tires onthe wet and rocky terrain of Alicante, Spain, as well as theloose, dry conditions of Southern California. Althoughintended for tacky dirt, the Ardent has remarkable bite insandy and soft conditions. The 2.4-inch version is capableof running on both the front and rear wheels of a downhillbike; however, we also opted for the 2.6 up front for a larg-er contact patch. Budget racers should note that theArdent’s 60-durometer rubber lasts longer than moreexpensive and disposable race-oriented tires, without amajor compromise in traction and control. This tire is morethan suitable for racing and park riding. Depending on theterrain, our best results came when running between 25and 30psi front and rear. Although the Ardent has a rather

unassuming tread, don’t underestimate its bite. This is aserious downhill performance tire, and we’d venture tobet the 2.25-inch version would be the ticket for aversatile all-mountain tire, too.

40 www.mbaction.com

for efficient pedaling output. The Pro Carbon is an excellent,high-performance mountain bike shoe that is ideal for cross-country, but more than capable of being used for gravity rac-ing. If you’ve yet to try the Body Geometry shoes fromSpecialized, we recommend visiting a dealer and slipping afoot in to feel the difference they can make. Comfort andperformance don’t always come together, but they do in thePro Carbon MTB Shoe.

42 www.mbaction.com

INSIDE LINE

WHAT A DRAGI ride a five-inch-travel, 2007 Specialized Stumpjumper

equipped with a Fox fork that adjusts from 5.5 inches downto 3.1 inches of travel. When I’m climbing and drop the forkto its lowest travel setting, I immediately feel drag in the dri-vetrain. Pop it back to full travel and the drag is gone. Whatis going on? Is there a way to prevent this feeling?Dan NewmanSacramento, California

One guy who probably spends way too much timethinking about stuff like this is the inventor of thedw-link, Mr. Dave Weagle. Dave agreed to try to get tothe bottom of your problem.

“So I took a look at our question here and this is what Ihave. I’ve started by setting some constraints. I’ve con-strained that the bike is sitting on level ground in all scenar-ios, and that the rider’s position on the bike does not change(i.e. he is not moving forward or backward on the seat.)Then, I equated this perceptible change to a requirement forthe rider to exert more force to move the same distance. Thisultimately works out as a perceived drop in efficiency. Anefficiency drop is predictable mathematically, measurablewith data acquisition, and perceptible at some levels by rid-ers.

It’s funny, I couldn’t recall observing any efficiency dropin regards to travel adjust (TA) on my personal bikes, so Iplayed around with my Pivot Mach 5 and Ibis Mojo traveladjusts to see what I could find. I went as far as to run thedata acquisition system on the Mojo to see if any observabledifferences existed between the extended and compressedtravel adjust settings. I could not find any real observableeffects of or evidence of this phenomenon on my dw-linkbikes. I think that there may be a reason why I can’t see it

on the dw bikes, but it may be observable on other designs.Rather than get into a comparison, the first thing that I didwas try to characterize Dan’s specific problem with as muchinformation as possible.

From here on is purely mathematical hypothesis. I took alook at the chassis and suspension geometry on Dan’sStumpjumper. Its design is much different from any of thedw-link bikes, and this could be a contributing factor in theperception of this phenomena.

The Stumpjumper has very little anti-squat. At sag withthe TA extended to 5.5 inches of travel, the bike developsabout 8.5 percent anti-squat. With the TA compressed to 3.9inches, the bike develops about 5.9 percent anti-squat. Thiscould definitely contribute to an efficiency loss, but the riderwould have to have very tuned-in legs to feel that little of achange. The difficulty of perception is compounded by thefact the FSR bikes feature a significant amount of low-speedcompression damping to control the rear suspension duringacceleration. This compression damping deadens the travelthrough the ranges where one would typically be able to feelthe difference.

Some riders talk about axle path and assume that a rear-ward axle path will absorb bumps better than a forward axlepath. While this is true on the mathematical level, axle pathangle is one of the less important factors that contribute inthis area. With the TA in the 5.5-inch position, the axle pathtangent is about 92 degrees from the ground. With the TA inthe 3.9-inch position, the axle path tangent is about 89degrees from the ground plane. When factoring in thatbumps act on your suspension through your wheel (which issupported on very efficient bearings), and that the bumpshifts your tire-to-ground contact patch forward, both ofthese angles reduce to less than 90 degrees. Realistically, thedifference between the two settings is almost immeasurable.Again, in order for a rider to feel this, he would have to bevery, very attuned to his senses on a level that few people inthe world are.

Another thing to consider is Center of Mass (CM) shift: thelocation of the CM in relation to the contact patches. The CMshift directly influences weight distribution and could changesag and suspension settings. With the TA extended to 15.5inches, the weight distribution is about 62.5 percent towardsthe rear. When the TA compresses to 3.9 inches, the weightdistribution is about 60 percent towards the rear. This meansthat your rear suspension is compressed less with your TA inthe compressed (3.9 inch) position when on an identicalgrade. If anything, this is going to make your suspension moreefficient, but again, the difference is so little that it would bevery difficult to perceive.

These are the major factors at work. All in all, I don’t seeany differences that the vast majority of riders could feel. Ihave a simpler (and kind of joking) explanation to consider:typically riders use travel adjusts when climbing hills. Perhapsthe grade has increased and Dan is just working that muchharder against gravity. Sometimes the simplest answer is theright one, or at least Sherlock Holmes thinks so.

My conclusion is that either Dan is superhuman, or thatthe problem exists more in his mind than on the bike. Eitherway, I wouldn’t suggest spending too much time thinkingabout it. Just get out and ride for fun!”

Dave Weagle

“Inside Line” is your chance to get the inside scoop from some of the most knowledgeable folks who moun-tain bike. E-mail a question to us at [email protected] and we’ll get it answered. You can also get more

answers to your pressing issues by visiting our website and clicking on the “Ask R.C.” link.


PAY TO PLAYHow is all the economic turmoil

going to affect the cost of new moun-tain bikes and parts?Randy BurglingSeattle, Washington

We went to two bike brands thataccount for the lion’s share ofmountain bikes on the trail today;Specialized and Giant.

SPECIALIZED

Ben Capron, in charge ofSpecialized’s Global Marketing and aracer on the Sho-Air Team, says, “Firstoff, no matter what the economic cli-mate, we always strive to offer themost performance for the money possi-ble. That’s what we think of as value.

“When measured against this yard-stick, there has never been a better timeto buy (or ride) mountain bikes. Ourbikes today offer so much more perfor-mance than ever before, and ridingthem has never been more fun. We allneed more fun in our lives right now,with all the dark economic news thesedays. All of our bikes and equipmentare backed by the best warranty againstdefects in material and workmanship inthe business, so riders can be confidentin any Specialized purchase.

“Specialized dealers are ready, willingand able to help riders get onto the rightbike for their need. They also have theexpertise to dial in the fit and suspen-sion and point out the best local-knowledge trails. It is up to each dealeras to how they handle pricing, so ridersshould head down to their neighbor-hood dealer and see what the scoop isthere, but the reality is that the experi-ence that riding offers is priceless.”

GIANT

Dennis Lane, Global ProductDevelopment Director for GiantBicycles, explains, “The current U.S.economic downturn won’t have as muchof an effect as recent global pricingincreases. Generally speaking, we’veseen up to a 20 percent increase in pricefrom model year 2008 to 2009. Thisincludes an increase in the raw materi-als (aluminum, steel, rubber and evencardboard for our packaging), manufac-turing costs (labor is unionizing and get-ting more expensive) and shipping (air,ship and truck fuel is more expensivethan last year). Surprisingly, it’s the neg-ative exchange rate (up 30 percent from2008) that’s affected prices the most. Allthese incremental cost increases add upto the bottom-line price that the con-sumer pays for our bikes at the dealer.

Ben Capron

“It’s not a matter of Giant trying togain a greater profit—in some cases,we’ve had to lose a few points off our2008 margin in order to stay competi-tive with market expectations (forexample: raising the price of a $300 bikeanother $40 wouldn’t fly for the mostprice-conscious dealers and consumers,so we only raised the price $25).

“Like most economic forces, theseissues are almost completely out of ourcontrol. Sure, we could resort to usingmore affordable (i.e. poorer quality)materials or transferring production tocommodity-type factories, but we’llnever sacrifice our quality just to makeour margins.

“The only difference I see occurringin the price of bikes in America is thatthe consumer probably has more nego-tiating power when he walks into ashop. Maybe not on the outright priceof a bike, but maybe in the overallpackage (accessories/service/upgrades)that they walk out the door with. Ingeneral, we don’t see retailers hurtingtoo badly from the downturn, butwhen it comes to high-end product, it’sa buyer’s market right now.”

Dennis Lane

44 www.mbaction.com

MBA est SHOOTOUT

There are countless variables when shop-

ping for a mountain bike, such as

which brand, how much travel, what’s

the latest technology, and how can you get the

most for your money? We took those concerns

into consideration when planning this

shootout, and rounded up a handful of mid-

travel trailbikes from leading manufacturers at

their most popular price point: $2500.

This is a wonderful time to be in the market

for a trailbike, because manufacturers are pack-

ing more value into each bike and making the

latest technologies found on $5000 bikes avail-

able at a more real-world cost. The bikes in

this shootout range in travel from 4.7 to 5.9

inches and have an assortment of the most

advanced suspension and component technolo-

gies. The contenders are the Gary Fisher HiFi

Plus, Haro Sonix Comp, Santa Cruz Heckler,

Giant Trance X2, and Specialized Stumpjumper

FSR Comp. Each trailbike has an advertised

retail price of approximately $2500.

The best part of this shootout was seeing

what great bikes are available for $2500, but

the toughest part was ranking them. Read on to

see what separated the best from the rest.

Read,Ride&RejoiceThe $2500 trailbike shootout


Shootout at theBig Buck Corra

l: (from bottom) The Gary Fisher HiFi

Plus, Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp, S

anta Cruz Heckler, Giant

Trance X2 and Haro Sonix Comp ready to s

hoot it out.

46 www.mbaction.com

MBA est SHOOTOUT

Sonix BoomThe Haro Sonix Comp

The Haro Sonix Comp falls into Haro’s cross-coun-try/trail category of bikes designed for technicalsingletrack, mild climbs and aggressive descents.

There are three Sonix bikes in the line, ranging from$1630 to $2935. Our Comp test bike falls in the mid-levelprice point. Each Sonix frame utilizes Haro’s patentedVirtual Link suspension system and has 4.7 inches of rearwheel travel.

NUTS AND BOLTSThe green Sonix Comp (Humboldt Green, officially) fea-

tures a Fox Float shock, Shimano hydraulic disc brakeswith Centerlock rotors, a Shimano XT Shadow rearderailleur, and 3.9-inch-travel Fox 32F R fork. Mountedon the WTB SpeedDisc rims are Kenda’s 2.1-inch SmallBlock 8 tires, and the cockpit offers A Ritchey Comp riserbar and stem. The WTB Rocket V-Comp saddle has Kevlartrim and is supported by a Ritchey seat post.

DID YOU KNOW?While Haro was developing the Sonix, they discovered

what they believe to be the proper sag setup for theVirtual Link suspension: ten millimeters—no more, noless. Also, if you’re a rider in-between two sizes, Haro rec-ommends going with the larger frame. This is becauseraising the seat dramatically increases the effective toptube length (because of the slack seat tube angle).

When the effective top tube length is increased thatmuch, it throws the balance of the bike off by forcing therider to sit too far over the rear wheel.

FIT AND FEELThe 25-inch-wide handlebar and thick WTB grips give a

cramped feel to the Sonix’s cockpit. The bike has 4.7 inch-es of rear wheel travel and a 3.9-inch-travel Fox Shox fork.The fork spec, combined with its 100-millimeter stem,conveys a strong forward weight bias and speaks to thebike’s traditional cross-country feel.

CLIMBING AND TRACTIONThanks to the Haro’s Virtual Link suspension, a rider

won’t notice any unwanted suspension movement whilespinning along. Out-of-the-saddle acceleration is also impres-sive. The Haro is equipped with a Fox Float R shock, butdoesn’t have the common ProPedal feature. Setting up theshock with Haro’s recommended ten millimeters of sag madefor a firm ride, and more than likely contributed to its effi-cient acceleration. We mentioned before how the Sonix has across-country race feel. The Kenda Small Block 8 tires drivethis point home, as their turf-shoe-like knobbies roll fast, butdon’t have the bite for aggressive trail riding. If you ride pri-marily slick rock or extreme hardpack trails, the Small Blockswill suffice. If your trails are more dynamic, then throw on aKenda Nevegal up front.


HARO

SONIXCO

MPDESCENDING AND TECHNICAL RIDINGWe really enjoyed how the Haro’s rear suspension soaked

up hits as we were cruising rolling hills. However, we had ahard time achieving a balanced suspension feel between the3.9-inch-travel fork and the firm 4.7-inch-travel rear end. Wewere able to tune the shock for plush travel, but on technicalterrain we found ourselves overriding the fork’s capabilities.Descending at speed once again presented problems for thelow-profile Kenda Small Block tires. Our best results camewhen running 28psi, giving the tiny knobbies more contactwith the trail. The Haro’s 71-degree, 100-millimeter stemand 23.6-inch-long top tube made for quick steering andhampered the Haro’s descending capabilities. The front endof the bike didn’t seem to meld with the capabilities of theVirtual Link suspension.

The Haro Sonix was the first bike we’ve tested in 2009with Shimano’s M575 hydraulic disc brakes. The levers wereeasily adjusted to the desired reach; however, the grips areon the bulky side and kept some riders from being able toset up their brakes for one-finger braking. The M757 brakesproved reliable, and riders didn’t notice any negative effectsof the brakes firming up the rear suspension. When cominginto technical sections at speed, it’s important to brake earlyso you can roll through the terrain and let the suspension doits thing. When getting into the binders, the already short-travel fork had noticeable dive, further compromising someof the descending capabilities of the Sonix.

Price $2395Country of origin TaiwanWeight 29.3 poundsHotline (800) 289-4276Frame tested 18"Bottom bracket height 12.5"Chainstay length 16.3"Top tube length 23.6"Head tube angle 71°Seat tube angle 73.5°Standover height 31"Wheelbase 42.5"Suspension travel (front) 3.9"Suspension travel (rear) 4.7"Frame material AluminumFork Fox Shox 32F RShock Fox Float RRims WTB SpeedDisc XCTires Kenda Small Block 8 (2.1")Hubs Shimano 535 CenterlockBrakes Shimano M575 hydraulicCrankset Truvativ Fire-XHandlebar Ritchey Comp Riser (25" wide)Shifters Shimano Deore RapidFireRear derailleur Shimano XT ShadowChainrings Truvativ Fire-X (42/32/22)Cassette Shimano SLX (11-34)Pedals Shimano M520

Virtual performance: The Sonix uses Haro’s Virtual Linkrear suspension with 4.7 inches of rear wheel travel. TheHaro pedals efficiently, but the 3.9-inch-travel fork hurt itsall-around trailbike performance.

WHAT BUGGED USMost noticeably, the Sonix Comp had some spec choices

that hurt the bike’s overall performance. A 4.7-inch fork,more aggressive tire tread, and a wider handlebar wouldgreatly improve the bike’s all-mountain handling.

It should also be noted that the Shimano brakes and shiftersare limited in how they can be configured at the grip.

THE VERDICTThe Haro Sonix Comp is a bike for the rider looking for

a traditional cross-country cockpit, but with nearly fiveinches of rear wheel travel. If you’re a rider who frequentsflowy singletrack, you’ll love how the Sonix Comp carriesspeed and carves hard-packed terrain.

Link it up: TheVirtual Link suspen-sion eliminates theneed for a ProPedal

feature on theshock. Yes, it pedalsthat well. A quick-release seatpost

binder would be anice addition.

48 www.mbaction.com

MBA est SHOOTOUT

Twenty-Five YearsAnd CountingSpecialized’s Stumpjumper FSR Comp

Triple play: The Fox Triadshock has three dampingpositions: ProPedal, fullopen and lockout. Use thesag-measuring deviceSpecialized includes withthe bike to make sure yourshock is properly set up.

Over the years, the Stumpjumper FSR has won its shareof shootouts and received plenty of praise in the pagesofMBA. For 2009, the Specialized Stumpjumper FSR

line has eight models, including a couple of 29ers and threewith carbon fiber frames. Last month. we reviewed the top-of-the-line S-Works Stumpjumper FSR Carbon ($7700), and nowwe throw a leg over its $2500 sibling.

NUTS AND BOLTSThe Stumpy FSR Comp has 4.7 inches of front and rear

travel. However, unlike the flagship S-Works models featuringSpecialized’s own suspension components, the Comp’s suspen-sion duties are handled by Fox’s Float 120 RL fork and customTriad shock. The cockpit features an array of Specialized prod-ucts, such as their XC low-rise handlebar, 90-millimeter stem,

and their thin, lock-on grips. The Stumpy Comp is built withCustom Avid Elixir R SL brakes with alloy backed organicpads and Specialized’s own Direct Mount front derailleurhanger (DMD). We’ve had good results with Specialized’s2Bliss (tubeless ready) S-Works The Captain tires on a varietyof bikes. So, we were happy to see the new 2.2-inch version onthe front wheel and the two-inch width on the rear.

DID YOU KNOW?The Stumpjumper FSR was the first bike Specialized com-

pletely developed together with other components as a “sys-tem.” They focused on the interface where components con-nect together and were able to cut weight and increasestrength and stiffness. Specialized says the Stumpy FSR Compframe is actually lighter than the Epic cross-country race frameof just a few years ago.

FIT AND FEELThe Stumpy Comp inspires you to push your riding bound-

aries from the first time on the bike. More than one riderdescribed the cockpit positioning as “perfect,” especially for


extended climbs and high-speed descents, and the sloped top-tube enhanced the bike’s handling on technical trails. TheSpecialized stem has an eight-degree rise, so we used only onespacer underneath the stem to help balance our weight overthe front of the 4.7-inch-travel fork. The thin lock-on gripshave been a longtime favorite; however, a wider handlebarwould be appreciated. If you ride tight singletrack trails linedwith trees, the stock 25-inch-wide handlebar will be adequate.

CLIMBING AND TRACTIONSpecialized includes a sag measurement device for the

Fox shock. Be sure to use this so you can get the most per-formance out of the FSR suspension. You’ll also want touse a tape measure to calculate ten millimeters of fork sag.These are the first steps to balancing the suspension forthe front and the rear of the bike.

Under power, the Stumpy Comp is snappy and responsive.The relatively lightweight 27-pound setup is noticeable whengrinding up steep hills. The Fox Triad shock has three posi-tions: open, ProPedal and lockout. We experienced virtually nounwanted suspension movement while climbing in the saddlewith the ProPedal employed; however, on low-speed technicalclimbs, the additional traction available with the ProPedalturned off makes a notable difference. The S-Works Captaintires have a raised center tread, keeping rolling resistance to aminimum, while the crisp shifts of the trustworthy SRAM X.7shifters and X.9 rear derailleur kept the drivetrain humming.And even after hours of climbing in the saddle, we wereimpressed with the comfortable cockpit.

DESCENDING AND TECHNICAL RIDINGThe Stumpy Comp flat-out rips going downhill. The low,

27-inch standover height and balanced suspension makethe bike disappear beneath you, transferring your focus tothe trail features ahead.

The 68.5-degree head angle makes for precise and pre-dictable steering, and the S-Works Captain 2.2 front tire has anice side knob bite for a trailbike tire. The FSR suspension

Turntable: The Stumpjumper FSR Comp rails corners at speed.The Specialized S-Works The Captain tires have good side-knob bite with a fast-rolling center tread.

SPECIALIZ

EDSTUM

PJUM

PERFSRCO

MP Price $2500Country of origin TaiwanWeight 27.4 poundsHotline (877) 808-8154Frame tested MediumBottom bracket height 13"Chainstay length 16.5"Top tube length 22.25"Head tube angle 68.5°Seat tube angle 71°Standover height 27"Wheelbase 43.8"Suspension travel (front) 4.7"Suspension travel (rear) 4.7"Frame material AluminumFork Fox Float 120 RLShock Fox TriadRims DT Swiss X420SLTires S-Works The Captain (2.2"/2" rear)Hubs Specialized disc (f), Shimano M525 SBrakes Custom Avid Elixir R SLCrankset Shimano FC-M542Handlebar Specialized XC (25" wide)Shifters SRAM X.7Rear derailleur SRAM X.9Chainrings Shimano FC-M542 (42/32/22)Cassette Shimano HG61 (11-34)Pedals Shimano M520

keeps the rear end active should you need to cool your jets onrocky terrain or brake late into a whooped-out corner. Fromthe handlebar to the rear wheel, the Stumpy is balanced. Thisis a bike you can flick around and attack with on any terrain.Only when the suspension nearly bottomed did we notice alittle flex in the rear end of the frame

The custom DT Swiss wheels feel really light, but wenever dinged a rim on our extremely rocky and technicalcross-country trails. Thanks to the 13-inch bottom bracket,supple suspension and relaxed head angle, this bike railscorners like a dual slalom bike.

WHAT BUGGED USIt is really difficult to find flaws in a bike that does every-

thing so well, but here goes! We feel bikes in the ballpark offive inches of travel handle best with 26-inch-wide (orwider) handlebars. This is ideal for open singletrack andflowy trails, not those surrounded by trees just inches fromyour handlebar. The Fox Triad shock’s ProPedal lever caneasily be knocked out of position, locking out the shock.This happened a few times while flipping the shock from“open” to ProPedal while riding.

THE VERDICTThe Specialized Stumpy FSR Comp is a complete trailbike

package. It comes in at a respectably light weight, has a time-tested suspension design, and geometry that’s spot onwhether grinding along in the granny gear or swoopingthrough your favorite trails at top speed. Riders of all ageswill love the Stumpy’s acceleration and appreciate its dialedsuspension performance. Trailbikes have come a long waysince the original Stumpjumper 25 years ago, but theStumpjumper remains at the forefront of the category.

50 www.mbaction.com

MBA est SHOOTOUT

The Santa Cruz Heckler

Simple But EffectiveI

n a time of some pretty funky suspension designs, thebasic single-pivot frame is a rare but welcomed sight.People often get caught up in the hype of the latest sus-

pension designs and overlook the durable single-pivot. TheHeckler frame isn’t flashy, but it won’t creak or come looseand is as durable as a hammer.

The Santa Cruz Blur LT2 is a super popular trailbike featur-ing Virtual Pivot Point suspension, and has received a lot ofpraise for its handling capabilities. You won’t be able to throwa leg over a Blur LT for less than $3000; however, the newHeckler shares the geometry and can be yours out-the-door for$2700.

NUTS AND BOLTSThe Heckler matches its 5.9 inches of rear wheel travel with

a 5.5-inch-travel RockShox Revelation 426 fork with a stan-dard quick-release axle. This Heckler has SRAM’s fingerprintsall over it, from the RockShox fork to the SRAM X.9 rearderailleur, Avid Juicy Five brakes and Truvativ Stylo cranks.The Fox Float RP23 shock features ProPedal damping, whichis activated by flipping the blue lever. A Race Face handlebar,stem and seatpost round out the cockpit componentry.

DID YOU KNOW?It’s been said that the Heckler name comes from a short-

lived beer company in Lake Tahoe, California, called HecklerBrau, named after its owner. In a roundabout way, Santa Cruz

Bicycles president Rob Roskopp knew “Mr. Heckler” (a friendof a friend type of thing). And rumor has it that at some point,someone went drinking with someone else, and someonedecided it would be a good idea to name the bike “Heckler.”Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise you that the Heckler frame hasa bottle opener at the rear dropout.

FIT AND FEELIn the saddle, the Heckler feels as sturdy as saddling up a pit

bull. The short, 21.5-inch top tube and 70-millimeter long stemare perfect for aggressive riding. With practically six inches oftravel, the Heckler can blur the lines between trailbikes andall-mountain designs. On more than one occasion, our calvesmade contact with the swingarm.

CLIMBING AND TRACTIONThe single-pivot Heckler with Fox Float RP23 shock

scoots along impressively for a six-inch design. The 2.35-inch Kenda Nevegal tires are the most versatile tires on themarket and are a nice touch on any bike. Their rampedknobs and aggressive tread pattern roll smoothly and hookup ridiculously well. Uphills are when you’ll feel the shortcockpit and stem. The efficient suspension soaks up trailobstacles and encourages you to take more challenging lineswhile climbing. Extended climbs are best in the saddle. Ifyou do find yourself standing and hammering, you’ll want tolock out the Revelation fork; otherwise, it will be mush


SANT

ACRUZ

HECK

LER Price $2700

Country of origin TaiwanWeight 32 poundsHotline (831) 459-7560Frame tested MediumBottom bracket height 13.5"Chainstay length 17.1"Top tube length 21.5"Head tube angle 69°Seat tube angle 72°Standover height 30"Wheelbase 42.7"Suspension travel (front) 5.5"Suspension travel (rear) 5.9"Frame material AluminumFork RockShox Revelation 426Shock Fox Float RP23Rims Mavic 321Tires Kenda Nevegal 2.35"Hubs Shimano XTBrakes Avid Juicy FiveCrankset Truvativ StyloHandlebar Bontrager Race OS (25" wide)Shifters SRAM X.7Rear derailleur SRAM X.9Chainrings Truvativ Stylo (42/32/22)Cassette SRAM PG950 (11-34)Pedals None (weighed with Shimano 520)

No hassle: TheSanta Cruz Heckler’slow-maintenancesingle-pivot suspen-sion means there arevery few parts tocome loose or bend.The Fox Shox RP23shock’s ProPedalfeature is handy forextended climbs onhard-packed trails.

underneath you. The SRAM X.7 shifters offer crisp and reli-able gear changes and are easily maneuvered around theAvid Juicy Five brakes for customizing your cockpit configu-ration. The leggy Heckler climbs better than its heftyappearance suggests, and hides its weight well.

DESCENDING AND TECHNICAL RIDINGOne of the most underrated and misunderstood features of

suspension is the negative spring. The RockShox Revelation426 fork features their Dual Air spring, with the positive pres-sure valve atop the left fork leg and the negative on the bottomof the same fork leg. The key to getting supple small bumpabsorption with an air spring is the negative pressure. You’llwant to run about five to eight psi more in the negative thanthe positive. Speed up the rebound a little more than normaland prepare to bomb the most technical cross-country trailsyou can find. As the short cockpit and stem make longerclimbs more of a chore, those same traits improve stability andhandling on descents. The Avid Juicy Five brakes are excellentmid-price stoppers because of their reliable feel and modula-tion. The Heckler’s seven-inch front rotor is a good specchoice, because with nearly six inches of travel, you’ll be flyingdown the most challenging trails.

Setting 25-percent sag in the shock and following theRockShox fork recommended air pressure chart tunes theHeckler for maximum suspension performance. The plush sus-pension and Kenda Nevegal tires allow capable pilots to flickdown the trail and change direction at will. The stabledescending capabilities truly inspire you to push yourself andgrow as a rider.

WHAT BUGGED USThe fact that we repeatedly rubbed our calves on the

swingarm put a damper on longer rides. It is possible tomake a conscious effort to eliminate the leg and frame con-tact, but for most riders this would be a deal-breaker. Also,the Heckler doesn’t come with pedals, so you will have toadd the cost of pedals to this bike’s out-the-door price.

THE VERDICTWe don’t know how Santa Cruz does it. They’ve packed a

ton of value and components into this Heckler package.From the Dual Air RockShox Revelation fork to the FoxFloat RP23 shock and Shimano XT hubs, this Heckler oozesperformance. Although it may be too much bike for riderslooking for a traditional trailbike, the Heckler fulfills theneed for a simple, reliable and high-performance all-moun-tain ascender and descender.

Hook up: No cross-country trail was too daunting aboard theHeckler. Its active fork and 5.9 inches of rear wheel travel easilydevoured rocks and roots.

54 www.mbaction.com

MBA est SHOOTOUT

The Giant Trance X2

Riding GiantsG

iant’s Trance X trailbikes are designed for agileclimbing and aggressive descending. FeaturingGiant’s Maestro suspension, the Trance X has five

inches of rear wheel travel and is available in five modelsranging in price from the $5700 Trance X0 to the $1500Trance X4.

NUTS AND BOLTSThe first thing you’ll notice on the Trance X2 is its

bread-and-butter Maestro suspension using the Fox FloatRP2 shock. Then your eye quickly moves to the Fox Shox32F 120RL fork with 4.7 inches of travel and the 15QR(15-millimeter) thru-axle. Giant was intent on spec’ing thenew trailbike fork on the Trance X2, so to hit theirdesired production cost they decided to make their ownfront hub to accept the 15QR axle. Braking duties are han-dled by custom Hayes Stroker Trail stoppers with a seven-

inch front rotor and a six-inchrear rotor. A Race Face

Evolve XC handlebar,stem and seatpost, plusa WTB Devo saddle,make up the cockpitcomponents. TheWTB LaserDisc

Trail hoops are mounted with Kenda Nevegal 2.1-inchtires, which get rolling when you put down the powerwith Race Face Deus XC cranks.

DID YOU KNOW?In 2007, Giant introduced the 4.2-inch-travel Trance.

Giant claims their 2009 frame is 13.75-percent stiffer thanthe original, 8.6 ounces lighter, and has a full five inches ofrear wheel travel.

FIT AND FEELThe Trance X2 positions the rider in a comfortable trail

riding position with excellent weight placement over thefront of the bike. The 29-inch standover height, WTB Devosaddle, 26-inch-wide Race Face handlebar and 90-millimeterRace Face Evolve stem create a comfortable environment forspending hours in the saddle.

CLIMBING AND TRACTIONGiant recommends setting up the shock with approximate-

ly 25-percent sag, and Fox suggests setting the fork sagbetween 20 to 25 percent of total travel for their 32F 120RLmodel. Making these setup adjustments will put you in theballpark for optimum suspension performance.

Aboard the Trance, you will appreciate how the rear endremains active for optimum traction, yet efficiently propels

Five on it: The Maestro suspension uses aFox RP2 shock with the ProPedal feature.With five inches of rear wheel travel, theTrance X2 soaks up a lot of hits andsmoothes choppy terrain.


GIAN

TTR

ANCE

X2

you forward. When climbing, you’ll have a hard time convinc-ing yourself you’re riding a five-inch-travel bike. How technicalthe climb’s terrain was determined whether we utilized theProPedal feature on the Fox shock. For loose, extremely techni-cal ascents, riding with the ProPedal in the off position provid-ed improved rear wheel traction. However, when a trail’smakeup was largely hardpack, opting for the additional pedal-ing platform was the way to go.

It’s no secret why Kenda Nevegal tires are spec’d on so manytrailbikes; they’re incredibly versatile, and grip like mad on awide range of terrain.

DESCENDING AND TECHNICAL RIDINGThe Trance X2 is an impressive climber, but when the trail

turns downward this Giant truly shines. The precise steeringof the Fox 32F and 15QR axle give you confidence to hit ruts,rocky terrain and moderate drops with gusto often reserved forgravity-specific builds. With the Fox shock in the open setting,the rear end quietly soaked up trail chatter and kept a tightbond between the rear wheel and the dirt. The balanced sus-

Balancing act: The Trance X2 is an extremely efficient climb-ing machine, and eats up descents with ease. The 26-inch-wide Race Face handlebars are ideal for navigating changesin trail terrain.

pension and trustworthy traction of the Kenda Nevegal tiresinspire you to challenge yourself on each descent. On aver-age, we ran between 28 and 30psi in the 2.1-inch Nevegals.You may not believe the Trance X2 has five inches of travelon the climbs, but you’ll be convinced as you plunge throughterrain with precision you hadn’t thought possible aboard abike equipped with a triple chainring.

The Hayes Stroker Trail brakes have a lever that takessome getting used to. However, they are easily adjusted toyour desired reach from the handlebar. After a couple ofrides that featured screaming descents, the Strokers wereburned in and felt better than any set we’ve ridden todate.

WHAT BUGGED USThe Trance X2 has a comfortable cockpit during extended

stints in the saddle. The Giant branded lock-on grips wereuncomfortable and have hard plastic fasteners about 3/8 of aninch thick on each side. This will bug you during descents asyou try to get the widest grip possible on the handlebar.Luckily, replacing the grips with ODI or Lizard Skins Lock-Ongrips is a low-cost modification that can make a big difference.

THE VERDICTFrom the first ride to the last, the wrecking crew was

impressed with how the Giant Trance X2 precisely navi-gated every section of trail. The plush suspension will keepyou grounded as you drive forward during gruelingascents, and, on the flipside, it will wow you with its accu-rate handling and stable suspension. The X2 is built upwith a spot-on cockpit setup and component spec.However, its most impressive attribute is that you simplyset up the bike and go. This isn’t just a capable trailbike;it’s great at everything.

Price $2800Country of origin TaiwanWeight 28.2 poundsHotline (805) 267-4600Frame tested MediumBottom bracket height 13"Chainstay length 17"Top tube length 22.2"Head tube angle 69°Seat tube angle 73.5°Standover height 29"Wheelbase 43.5"Suspension travel (front) 4.7"Suspension travel (rear) 5"Frame material AluminumFork Fox 32F 120 RLShock Fox Float RP2Rims WTB LaserDisc TrailTires Kenda Nevegal 2.1"Hubs Giant Tracker (f), WTB Laser Disc LiteBrakes Hayes Stroker Trail CustomCrankset Race Face Deus XCHandlebar Race Face Evolve XC (26" wide)Shifters Shimano XT RapidFireRear derailleur Shimano XT ShadowChainrings Race Face Deus XC, (44/32/22)Cassette SRAM PG-980 (11-34)Pedals Crank Brothers Smarty

56 www.mbaction.com

MBA est SHOOTOUT

The Gary Fisher HiFi Plus

Repeat Champion?F

isher’s HiFi can be described as a quintessential trail-bike. It has 4.7 inches of front and rear travel, provenRockShox and Fox suspension, and Avid Juicy 3

hydraulic disc brakes. What makes the HiFi unique amongthis group of trailbikes is Fisher’s G2 geometry. What is G2Geometry? It started out as a project to improve the slow-speed handling of Fisher bikes. They believed their existingGenesis Geometry already excelled in climbing, descendingand handling at speed. Where they wanted to improve wasin tight singletrack and on technical climbs. The G2 tackledthis challenge by increasing the amount of fork offset. Thisreduced the amount of trail to make the bike steer quickerwithout changing the rest of its handling characteristics.About a year ago, the HiFi won our $1500 shootout. Does ithave what it takes to repeat?

NUTS AND BOLTSThe Fisher HiFi has the lightest full-suspension frame in

the entire Fisher line. The RockShox Recon 351 Air forkfeatures the custom G2 46-millimeter offset and 4.7 inchesof travel. The aluminum HiFi frame has co-molded carbonfiber seat stays, a linkage-activated shock mount, and cus-tom-tuned Fox RP2 shock. We’ve raved about Bontrager’sRhythm wheels in the past, and the HiFi features the Dusterwheelset, utilizing the same 28-milllimeter wide rims.

DID YOU KNOW?Gary Fisher introduced the HiFi in 2007, and the original

bike was very well received, but they were still looking for away to wring out even more performance from the bike. Thefocus turned to improving the overall stiffness. Fisher wasable to increase the front-to-rear stiffness of the bike by aclaimed 12 percent. This is attributed to the shapely downand top tubes with big intersections at the head tube andbottom bracket.

FIT AND FEELHopping aboard the Fisher HiFi Plus instantly tells you

the best attributes of cross-country and all-mountain bikeswere melded together for this bike. The Bontrager cockpitcomponents were a hit with every rider, and the comfort-able handlebar width and bend put riders in an uprightrelaxed position. It’s worth mentioning that most foundthe HiFi Plus the sharpest-looking bike of the bunch, too.

CLIMBING AND TRACTIONThe HiFi Plus has a very natural and comfortable feel in

the saddle. There is no wasted energy when putting downthe power on this bike. The HiFi is equipped with a FoxFloat RP2 shock with the ProPedal feature. The HiFi ped-als so well we didn’t really need the ProPedal option; how-


FISHE

RHIFIPLUS

Price $2310Country of origin TaiwanWeight 29.7 poundsHotline (920) 478-2191Frame tested Medium (17.5")Bottom bracket height 12.8"Chainstay length 16.5"Top tube length 23.4"Head tube angle 69°Seat tube angle 72°Standover height 29"Wheelbase 43.5"Suspension travel (front) 4.7"Suspension travel (rear) 4.7"Frame material AluminumFork RockShox Recon 351Shock Fox Float RP2Rims Bontrager DusterTires Bontrager XDX 2.2"Hubs Shimano M525Brakes Avid Juicy 3Crankset Shimano M532-LHandlebar Bontrager Race OS (25" wide)Shifters Shimano DeoreRear derailleur Shimano Shadow XTChainrings Shimano Deore (44/32/22)Cassette SRAM PG950 (11-32)Pedals Shimano M505

ever, we used it on extended climbs. On technical single-track climbs we opted to leave the ProPedal off, andappreciated the additional traction. We had a love-haterelationship with the Bontrager XDX 2.2-inch tires. Weloved how the low tread rolled smoothly, but the lack ofside knobs hurt cornering performance.

DESCENDING AND TECHNICAL RIDINGThe beauty of today’s trailbikes in the ballpark of five

inches of travel is their ability to handle all kinds of ter-rain. The HiFi Plus is a snappy accelerator, and the bal-anced suspension makes maneuvering rock gardens, rainruts and tight corners nearly effortless. On flowy single-track, the HiFi has a classic cross-country bike feel, mean-ing the bike can take whatever the trail throws in yourdirection, but its limitations will be obvious, so you won’tfind yourself riding over your head. The type of terrainyou ride most frequently largely determines tire prefer-ence. The Bontrager XDX tires worked well on hardpacktrails but were easily over-ridden on our favorite loops. Ifyou ride a lot of hardpack terrain, these tires will suit youwell. If your trails vary in makeup, we suggest swappingthe XDX front tire with a 2.25-inch Bontrager Jones XR.

The air-sprung RockShox Recon 351 fork is easy to set upby following the suggested air pressure chart on the left forkleg. The Motion Control damping features a lockoutadjuster atop the right fork leg, but we only used this fea-ture on extended fire road climbs. The 4.7-inch-travel Reconhas supple performance from the first ride to the last; how-ever, more than one crewer commented on how the rearsuspension firms up under braking. The best way to remedy

Down time: Descending on the HiFi highlights the suppleaction of the RockShox Recon fork. If you stay off the brakes,the HiFi remains active, and you can really fly.

No guessing: The HiFi Plus comes with a sag-o-meter. It clips tothe air canister, and when you sit on the bike the rubber ring on theshaft should fall between the 25- and 30-percent of travel indicators.

this is to brake early and before technical sections, lettingthe advanced suspension do what it does best.

WHAT BUGGED USThe HiFi Plus exceeded our expectations in nearly every

aspect; however, when head to head with other top brands,the firming of the rear end under braking was evident. TheHiFi deserves a 34-tooth cassette instead of the stock 11-32-tooth range. These factors, combined with limiting tires, werejust enough to put a chink in the HiFi’s armor.

THE VERDICTFisher did their homework and created an excellent all-

around trailbike. The HiFi Plus is perfect for epic ridesand spending a lot of time in the saddle. It may be theleast expensive of the bunch, but that is not reflected in itson-trail performance.

58 www.mbaction.com

MBA est SHOOTOUT

After the smoke settled

And The ShootoutWinner Is...T

he most interesting aspect of the $2500 shootout

was exploring how different brands equipped bikes

with components they found to be ideal for today’s

trailbike. Riders, however, are the ones who will be rejoic-

ing at the quality and performance packed into bikes in

this price range.

Each of the shootout bikes made strong statements and

showcased their capabilities on a wide variety of terrain.

However, as there can be only one “Highlander,” this

shootout can have only one winner. And, the top per-

former clearly rose to the occasion during testing.

The Giant Trance X2is the most capable andversatile trailbike ofthe group. We putdown numerouslaps on every bike,but no matter howtechnical or

smooth the terrain,the Giant consistentlybested the field. It shouldbe noted that it’s also themost expensive bike ofthe group at $2800.However, for this priceyou get Fox’s 32F forkand 15QR axle, HayesStroker Trail brakes, plusRace Face cockpit compo-

nents and crankset. The 15QR fork is an ideal mate forthe Trance’s five inches of rear wheel travel. We rarelyfound ourselves riding over our head when descendingon the Trance. Before we had time to question a linechoice, we were already through the rough section andfocused on the trail ahead. Whether climbing in thesaddle or over the front of the bike at speed, the Trancefeels stable with clear-cut handling qualities.

The biggest compliment is that at the end of epicrides we still felt fresh. The Trance X2 is an idealbike for the trail rider who never shies away from themost difficult line, whether going uphill or down.

TRANCE MUSICTO OUR EARS

SPLITTING HAIRSThe Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp ($2500)

was indisputably the most fun bike to ride in thisshootout! The geometry is ideal for ripping downhill,and since it was the lightest bike of the group, riderscould find another gear and power it up the mosttechnical climbs. The Stumpy gets up to speed afteronly a couple of cranks and clutches the ground incorners better than any bike in the shootout. TheStumpy’s FRS suspension is second to none when itcomes to tracking variable terrain, and Fox’s Float120 fork with the DT Swiss 10-millimeter axle isnoticeably firmer than those with standard quick-release axles.

Where the Stumpy falls short of the Giant is inrear wheel travel and the precision of the Fox fork’s15QR axle. The Giant may be a tad heavier, but thebike’s overall performance hides any noticeableweight difference.

The Stumpy Comp radiates an exciting trail ridingexperience as it gracefully flows through cross-coun-try singletrack. The Specialized Stumpjumper FSRComp packs incredible performance into the $2500price point. It is a perfect fit for a rider pursuing abike that can handle technical descents and climbwith a lightweight, cross-country bike feel.


HIGH FIDELITY PERFORMANCE

NO HECKLING PLEASE

NOT-SO SUPER SONIX

It wasn’t easy to put the Fisher HiFi ($2310) in third place, as it rarelysquabbled and did everything asked of it. The HiFi responds instantly to inputat the pedals, easily gets up to speed, and perfectly positions riders to be in thesaddle for all-day journeys. We’re fans of the G2 geometry, as its precise naviga-tion of tight switchbacks at speed was evident. Unfortunately, a few of itsattributes were hard for us to look past. The rear suspension firmed underbraking, which caused the rear end to skip on steep, loose descents. TheBontrager XDX tires aren’t versatile enough to hold firm on loose terrain andlack side knob bite for cornering. The rear cassette has a 32-tooth cog insteadof a 34-tooth. The HiFi is a tad heavier than the Giant and Specialized, anddoesn’t conquer technical declines in elevation with the ease and supple sus-pension feel either.

Although we feel the Fisher might not be able to tackle technical downhilllike the top two bikes in this shootout, its comfortable cockpit componentryabsolutely captures the essence of trail riding.

The Haro Sonix ($2395) was a tough bike to figure out. We liked the perfor-mance of the Virtual Link suspension, both pedaling and sucking up terrain fea-tures, but the front end of the bike is where the majority of our handling issuesarose. We found the bend of the 25-inch-wide Ritchey handlebar awkward, plusthe grips and brake levers have a confined feel with little room for rearrange-ment between the brakes and shifters.

In a head-to-head shootout, the Haro wasn’t up to snuff when it came todescending technical terrain, it was sluggish on uphills, and lacked tractionwhen compared to the bikes that captured the top spots. The Haro’s 71-degree,100-millimeter stem, 23.6-inch-long top tube and Kenda’s Small Block 8 tireshurt its versatility on challenging trails. However, the best thing we can sayabout the Sonix is how much room for improvement there is on a bike with aproven suspension design. Simply updating the bike with a wider handlebar,longer travel fork, a tad shorter stem and a tire with a more versatile tread pat-tern would breathe new life into the Sonix and its trail adaptability.

Ah, our old friend, the Heckler. It’s an uncomplicated, single-pivot design that ped-als impeccably with 5.9 inches of travel. What’s there not to love? Very little, but inthe company of these other trailbikes it’s a bit out of place (which is why they makethe Blur LT, but not at this price point). At 32 pounds, it’s four pounds heavier thanthe first-place Giant Trance, and nearly five more than the second-place Specialized.However, you do get an inch or more travel.

The Heckler ($2700) was the best descender in the shootout. Its supple front andrear suspension devoured rocky terrain like a boa constrictor unhinging its jaw toeat a wildebeest. The Dual Air Sprung RockShox Revelation fork is an absolutetreat to ride, while the Kenda 2.35-inch Nevegal tires have so much bite theytempt to you take chances in corners and brake less. The Heckler’s weight wasan issue in this shootout, but not its demise, because spot-on geometry and sus-pension performance can often make a bike’s weight an afterthought. The deal-breaker for most riders was the constant rubbing of their calves on the 6.5-inch-wide swingarm.At the end of the day, the Heckler is just what the doctor ordered for aggressive

riders who want a reliable, no-nonsense, all-mountain rig that they can climb tothe top of any cross-country trail, and beat the tar out of on the descent.

Truvativ Stylo 3.3 Team Crankset ‘08

$10998msrp $190

Sette Ryde ST-850 Suspension DropperSeatpost

$2998msrp $85

Sette Element MTB

Shoes

Sram x.9 Trigger Shifters

w/ X.9 Rear Der. COMBO ‘08

$13498

msrp $190Sram

PC 971 Chain w/ Power Link

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$1798

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Alligator PTFE Galvanized Cable

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$24998msrp $540

Shimano XT M760 SGS Mega-9 Rear Der.

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Crank Brothers Egg Beater SL Pedals

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MBATRAINING

Joe Lawwill’sManuals Made EasyForget wheelies and learn a skill that matters

62 www.mbaction.com

“Awheelie is something for showing off, but it doesn’t have

much use on the trail,” explains BikeSkills instructor

Joe Lawwill, before revealing the trick he finds most

useful during any ride, whether racing against the clock on a downhill

course or on a trail ride with friends. “Learning to manual is an

essential skill that needs to be in every rider’s arsenal.”

Wheelies and manuals are often confused because they both result in raisingthe front wheel off the ground, but that’s where the similarities end. A wheelierequires the rider to increase acceleration by pedaling while pulling up on thehandlebar to raise the bike’s front wheel. A properly executed manual does notrequire pedaling input. Raising the front wheel is accomplished by shifting therider’s weight. Don’t get it? Think of a skateboarder who does not have pedals toincrease his speed. Instead, the skateboarder weights his rear leg to lift the frontof the board. That’s a manual.

Joe Lawwill has taught hundreds of riders how to manual at his BikeSkills clin-ics. “I had a 50-year-old female student manualing before the end of our morningsession,” explained Joe. “If you follow these steps, there is no reason why youshouldn’t be able to master the manual too.”

BIKE SETUPControl over the rear brake isessential for a manual. Adjustyour brake lever assembly farenough inboard and angled onyour handlebar so that yourtrigger finger can always reston the sweet spot of the brakelever. You don’t want to haveto reach down to contact thelever. Also, lower your saddlefar enough that you can sit inthe saddle with your feet flaton the ground.

OFF THE BIKEYou do not pull up on the bar todo a manual because the slight-est unbalanced input will causethe bike to wander to one sideor the other. Instead, use theshifting of your body weight toraise the front wheel. So thefirst exercise is to get thefeeling of the weight shift.Stand to the side of the bikewith your hips touching the han-dlebar. Now, thrust the bikeforward. Do this in one quickmovement. Don’t move your hipsto the bar; bring the bar toyour hips. Remember; push out,don’t pull up.

64 www.mbaction.com

Check out my feet and body.They are still in the same

place as where I started theexercise. I have not moved myfeet. I have bent my knees andpivoted from my hips. Do this afew times to get familiar withthe feel of throwing the bike.

Think like a fighter throwing apunch. That is the same thingyou are doing with the bike.Push the bike forward with com-mitment. Your body stays inrelatively the same place. Itis the bike that gets thrownforward.

MBATRAINING If you are doing this correct-

ly, you will notice that at theend of your bike thrust, thefront wheel naturally comes offthe ground. I’m not pulling upin this sequence, and youshouldn’t either. Throwing thebike forward will naturallylift the front wheel. Note mycrouched position. My ears arehitting my shoulders when I amall the way back.

ON THE BIKEFind a flat area, pedal a fewrotations, and push your bikeforward. You are not trying todo a manual yet. I just wantyou to get the feeling of yourweight being this far back onthe bike. Note that I’ve low-ered the saddle. Also, checkout my left hand. My triggerfinger is always resting on thebrake lever. Check out my posi-tion in the “correct” photo. Inthe “wrong” photo, my head isway too far away from my shoul-ders, I’m looking the wrongway, and my body weight is toohigh. Having a friend video youmight help you find the rightposition.

66 www.mbaction.com

MBA TRAINING Once you get the feel for themanual, you will be able to useyour weight to get the frontwheel higher off the ground andfor a longer period of time.Your rear brake is your bestfriend. I drag and modulate therear brake the whole time I’mriding a manual.

You will find that once youmaster the manual, you will useit all the time. It is a basicskill that will make everytrail ride better. You canwatch my how-to video atwww.bikeskills.com or betteryet, sign up for one of myclinics.

I come up on a small rut, bringmy hips forward and then throwthe bike forward, shifting myweight all the way behind thesaddle. The front wheel comesoff the ground, I push slightlywith my legs (like getting upout of a chair, the rear wheeldrops into the rut and I’m man-ualling. I’m using my bodyweight to make the rear wheelact like a fulcrum.

You only want your front wheelhigh enough to clear theobstacle. The steeper thehill, the higher the wheelwill be from the ground. Onflat ground your front wheelshould just hover a fewinches above the ground.

Availability subject to stock on-hand. Prices subject to change without notice. Not responsible for typographical or pricing errors.

1-800-88-BIKES

Phone Order Hrs: M-F 7am-6pm (Pacific), Sat 10-5, Sunday we ride! E-mail us at: [email protected] fax 805-927-5174

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Floor PumpsBLACKBURN AIR TOWER 1 08

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TOPEAK JOE BLOW PRO

LEZYNE ALLOY Floor drive

Frame PumpsCRANK BROS POWER PUMP

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Hydration SystemsCAMELBAK M.U.L.E 100OZ

CAMELBAK HYDROBAK

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HeadlightsNITERIDER MINEWT MINI USB

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Jerseys/ShortsNEMA JEWEL

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TRUVATIVFirex Team 3.3Team Crankset

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Single SpeedComponentsPAUL'S WORD REAR DISC HUB

WHITE INDUSTRIES ECC ENO DISC HUB

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TRUVATIV STYLO 1.1 Single Speed Cranks �

Twenty-Niner ForksROCKSHOX REBA RACE 29ER SL AIR 07

Twenty-Niner WheelsetsAMERICAN CLASSIC 29ER MTB SET

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MBADESTINATION

Thirty-five reasons why Bend, Oregon, rules

America’s TopMountainBikingTown

70 www.mbaction.com


There are plenty of great mountain bike towns in America,

but most have a downside. Moab, Utah, is a slick wonder-

land, but take a wrong turn during the summer months

and you can end up a large slab of beef jerky. Crested Butte,

Colorado, offers majestic views from endless singletrack. The

downside? It has two seasons, winter and the Fourth of July. The

birthplace of mountain biking, Marin, California, is awesome if

you don’t mind dodging the hiking-pole-wielding locals who feel it

is their duty to rid the trails of pesky mountain bikers. Durango,

Colorado, has epic riding right from town, but it also has long

winters, it is hard to get in and out of, it is a tough place to make

a living, and every rider is so darn fit. Whistler is in Canada. That

brings us to our pick for the best mountain biking town in

America. A drum roll, please. Bend, Oregon.

Located in central Oregon at the eastern foothills of theCascade Mountains, Bend, population 81,000, rests at anelevation of 3625 feet and seems like it was founded justfor mountain bikers. It was actually founded by pioneerswho took refuge and kicked back on the banks of theDeschutes River to recover from their trip across themassive plains from the East. The place was originallynamed Farewell Bend, because these early travelers wereso bummed to continue their trip West. All the thingsthat attracted those early pioneers are what attract moun-tain bikers today.

Don’t believe us? We’ve got thirty-five reasons to backup our claim that Bend is the best mountain biking townin America.

Accessibility: The Roberts Field Airport inRedmond, Oregon, serves Bend. If you can’t get a non-stopflight there, then going through Portland, Oregon, from any-where on earth is your simplest option. Driving fromPortland (around three hours) is a beautiful, totally worth itroad trip. Here are distances from some cities in the region:

175 miles from Portland, Oregon130 miles from Salem, Oregon121 miles from Eugene, Oregon500 miles from San Francisco, California330 miles from Boise, Idaho343 miles from Seattle, Washington394 miles from Reno, Nevada

Flowy fun: The trail network closest to town consists of fast,flowy singletrack without too much gut-busting climbing. Bendtrails are missing something the trails on the west side of the

Cascades have plenty of: mud.America’s Top

72 www.mbaction.com

Go Cog Wild: Cog Wild Bicycle Tours is based in Bend. If yourtime in the area is limited, you will get the most out of yourprecious riding time by using Cog Wild. We highly recommendtheir tours.

MBADESTINATION

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Putting the “X” in “XC,” the all-new Giant Anthem Xcranks up the travel while shedding the weight.World Cup-proven geometry, four plush inches ofMaestro travel and the lightest aluminum full-suspender Giant has ever produced. Available nowat your local authorized Giant retailer.

74 www.mbaction.com

Food court: Once you reach this partof the trail heading back to Bend, you

are thinking of one thing, “Are we goingto Deschutes Brewery or the

Downtowners for something to eat?”Kirt and Lindsey Voreis lead the way.

MBADESTINATION

Two years ago, Fulcrum® entered the world of

MTB with a very focused mission: to build the

best cross-country wheel and win the world title.

Done! Fulcrum® makes use of the most advanced

technologies, the best materials, and the

toughest testing, both in the lab and offroad, and

now presents a complete range of offroad wheels

created with the same philosophy and dedicated

to every discipline of offroad.

XC, All Mountain, Freeride/Downhill, Thru Axle and

29”, whatever your way of interpreting offroad,

you deserve the performance of Fulcrum®.

FULLFULCRUMPOWER

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Green Energy Transportation: John “Mr.Bend” Flannery is a cyclist who operates Green EnergyTransportation, (541) 610-6103. He will get you and yourbikes from the airport to town while filling you in on whatis happening.

Lodging: You will not have trouble finding a basecamp in Bend. We stayed at the plush Phoenix Inn on a hilloverlooking downtown. The location is perfect, and theyoffer a bike room. There are plenty of other hotels, campingand other options. One group we rode with (who traveledfrom Canada to sample Bend’s trails) rented a house fortheir week of riding. You can try Bend Vacation Rentals at(877) 355-9492.

Eats: The town is loaded with great places to eat. Westarted our visit at the Deschutes Brewery (a hangout oflocal riders and fitness freaks). The Downtowner offersgreat sandwiches and soup at affordable prices. There areloads of pizza places, Mexican food, and Nancy P’s andJackson’s Corner both understand what mountain bikers’portions need to be.

Bike shops: Bend has the highest number of bikeshops per capita of anywhere we’ve traveled. You’ve gotPine Mountain Sports (Santa Cruz, Fisher and Rocky

Worth the effort: Woody Starr, a local radio DJ, trail advocateand promoter of Bend’s Big Fat Tour, points out to Cog Wild’s

Melanie Fisher the reason why he is never going to leave Bend:riding as far as the eye can see.

Service with a smile: Bend has more bike shops than 7-Elevens.Now that’s our kind of town. If you need to rent a bike, get a bikerepaired, or check out what the locals are riding, you have plentyof options to choose from.

America’s Top

76 www.mbaction.com

MBADESTINATION

78 www.mbaction.com

Mountain), Hutch’s (Specialized, Cannondale and Giant),WebCyclery (Ellsworth and Niner), Northwest Adventures(Diamondback, GT and Schwinn) Bend Bike & Sport (Felt)and Bend Cyclery (Kona). If you have bike trouble, you canget it fixed without missing a day of your riding vacation.

Maps: The Bend mountain bike trail network is welldocumented by Adventure Maps, (503) 559-0051.

Cog Wild Bicycle Tours: If you are not plan-ning on moving to Bend, you will need to make the most ofyour riding time while you are in town. You can try toexplore the trails based on suggestions from bike shops orreading maps, but Bend offers so many choices, we highlyrecommend hooking up with Cog Wild Bicycle Tours, (866)610-4822. This locally owned mountain bike tour companyoperates under Special Use Permits from the Deschutes,Ochoco, Umpqua, Mt. Hood, Willamette and FremontNational Forests. They offer one-day tours, shuttles, moun-tain bike vacations, women’s tours and kids camps.

The MBA wrecking crew used the services of Cog WildBicycle Tours on our three-day Bend visit because the areaoffers such a vast array of trails that we would have missedgreat riding without Cog’s guidance. Their shuttle servicegot us out of town to the Ochoco loop and also allowed us toride the phenomenal Bachelor to Bend route on day three

Rush hour: While Bend’s trails attract a lot of riders, it is neverthis crowded. A group of friends from the Canadian Yukon head

out on the Ochoco Loop with their Cog Wild tour guides.America’s Top

Take a picture:

Just one of the

many “spots”

to be discov-

ered around

Bend.

MBADESTINATION

FOOTPRINT

CARBON

The feel of a 29” wheel mountain bike is unique to any other, and the ride of a Felt NINE is like no other. The monocoque designed NINE Team, made with Felt’s own proprietary ultra-high modulus carbon fiber, is built with geometric o$-road perfection and o$ers unrivaled ride characteristics. With the gyroscopic advantages of a 29” wheel combined with the crisp handling of a 26” wheel, a Felt NINE will take you places you only ever dreamed of. Reconsider your footprint. Take a look at any of Felt’s NINE Series bikes including the NINE Team (shown), Elite, Race, Comp or Solo models.

ROLL…Big. Easy. Clean.

80 www.mbaction.com

Home sweet home: Kirt Voreis, show-ing his wife Lindsey the fast way

through a stream, manuals down one ofBend’s popular trails. The former WorldCup Downhill racer and Dual-SlalomNational Champion calls Bend home.

MBADESTINATION

when an out-and-back trip would have proved exhausting.Do we sound like salesmen for Cog Wild? Guilty. They

are great riders, friendly people, have clean and well-main-tained vans and can set you up with rental equipment.Taking a Cog Wild Bicycle Tour is worth every penny.

The weather: Unlike the wet and moldy side ofthe Cascade Mountains that Oregon is famous for, Bend is ahigh desert environment. Yes, the place gets snow in thewinter (Mt. Bachelor outside of Bend is a ski resort, afterall), but it doesn’t stay around long on the Bend trails. Itgets cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Neither ofthese extremes would keep you from riding. If you had topin us down, May, June, August, September and October arethe best months to plan your visit.

The trails: Like any great riding destination, Bendand the surrounding areas offer a little bit of everything.The flowy, fun trails closest to town are well maintained byCOTA (Central Oregon Trail Alliance). Venturing out to theOchocos provides challenging singletrack (think rocks,ledges, lots of granny gear climbs and total-concentrationdescents). A 20-mile ride in the Ochocos felt like a 50-mileride. The Mt. Bachelor to Bend trails take you past lakes andwaterfalls on singletrack that has you smiling the wholeway. This 45-mile ride feels more like a 20-mile ride.

Water-cooled: The temps get toasty in July and August,so rides that pass some of the area’s many lakes becomevery popular. It seems like around every corner is another

spectacular view.

Bend’s Big Fat Tour: This is an epic three-dayevent that covers over 130 miles of singletrack and takesplace October 16th through the 18th. The event is about thecamaraderie and perseverance rather than head-to-head com-petition. Just one more reason Bend rocks.

The locals: Bend is home to lots of well-known com-petitors, including Olympic rider Adam Craig, Carl Decker,Ryan Trebon, Kirt Voreis, Paul Thomasberg, April Lawyer,Steve Larsen and Paul Biskup. Even if you don’t see a“name” rider on the trail, the locals are a friendly mix of sin-gle-speeders, regional racers, weekend warriors and riders inlove with the wide open space around Bend.

The water: You may think that mountain bikes andwater don’t mix. Still, you can’t ride every minute of yourtrip to Bend. That’s why the Deschutes River is our finalreason for picking Bend as our number one mountain biketown in America. The river is a great place to cool downwhen the riding is done.

America’s Top

82 www.mbaction.com

MBADESTINATION

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Showing amputeesthe best line downthe trail

86 www.mbaction.com

Victor Walter lost his left

arm to cancer in 1980,

the year he graduated

from high school. An athlete

who played tennis, golf and prac-

ticed martial arts, Victor tried

mountain biking in 1990 and,

like many of us, got the urge to

start racing. His first dual-slalom

race turned out to be more

expensive than he was expecting.

“I destroyed two of my regular

prosthetic arms during practice,”

Walter remembers today with a

chuckle. “I realized right then

that I would need a custom-built,

dedicated riding arm.”

Victor and his dual-slalom prostheticarm went on to race for the next fouryears. Victor scored a win in a BritishColumbia Cup Race during that time,and that win did not come in the one-arm class. The riders Victor beat allhad two arms and two legs.

Victor documented his progress as aracer with a prosthetic arm on his per-sonal website. There was so muchinterest from other amputees that heexpanded the website into a hub forthese riders. Mountain Bike Amputeewas founded.

Mountain Bike Amputee (www.mtb-amputee.com) is an organization toencourage and inform both amputeesand the general public about prostheticand mountain bike innovations andmodifications. The site is not limited

VictorWalter’s

You can contact Victo

r Walter at

www.mtb-amputee.com

MBA

RIDERS

WHOInspire

to hardware. Victor addresses moun-tain biking and road cycling skills andtechnique for amputee, injured, anddisabled riders.

Victor keeps things simple. There isno charge for the information and ser-vices provided by Mountain BikeAmputee. There are no membershipfees. All that a rider needs to partici-pate on the site is a willingness toencourage, inspire and share informa-tion with other riders. In fact, youdon’t even have to ride bikes or be anamputee to benefit from Victor’s infor-mation.

“I found that the prosthetic modifi-cations and devices we use for moun-tain biking can be adapted and applied

to many other sports,” explains Victor.“This is why I have added pages formotorcycle, ATV and snowmobileenthusiasts. I have also opened the siteto non-amputee cyclists suffering fromvarious disabilities or recovering frominjury.”

One final word from Victor seems tosum up everything he is workingtowards: “I do have to warn all poten-tial first-time amputee mountain bik-ers that the moment you get on a bike,you are no longer an amputee. You area cyclist.”

PhotobyPeterVanderPutten

Single-HandedMission

88 www.mbaction.com

The Titus Racer X, while always popular with cross-country racers, has been a top pick for trail riderswho expected lightweight performance but didn’t

need more than four inches of travel for the trails theyrode or the way they rode trails. This created a problemfor Titus. Keeping the Racer X competitive with its cross-country racing breethren was tough to do when Titusknew that a large percentage of the Racer X riders wouldnever head down a banner-lined race course. Rather thanpush the trail-riding Racer X faithful towards the longertravel Titus Moto Lite, Titus came up with a bettersolution: the Titus X.

Make no mistake about it: the Titus X is not a trailbike.This bike was redesigned specifically for cross-country rac-ing. That includes a mechanically formed, butted 6069 alu-

MBA est

minum frame mated to asymmetrical, hydro-formed alu-minum chainstays and a totally new, one-piece, carbon fiberseatstay (that is responsible for the largest weight savings onthe X over the Racer X). Forged and machined dropoutshold the rear wheel. A one-piece, carbon fiber swing link isanother weight-saving item. These changes have reduced theX’s frame weight a little over half a pound compared to anidentical-sized Racer X. The X frame and shock are alsoavailable in titanium ($3495), carbon ($2795) or Titus’ ownExogrid ($3895) versions.

LIGHT IT UPThis Titus X cockpit is all business, with a 23-inch-wide

Syntace Duraflite flat bar, Fizik Gobi saddle, fat Titus lock-on grips, and a flat-backed rider position. Cables routed

A Race Bike For ThoseWhoWantToWinThe Titus X

wwwwwwwwwww

May2009 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 89

Attack mode: The Titus X is all business,and that business is winning cross-coun-try races. Get low, pick a slightly bigger

gear, and drop the hammer.

under the top tube give the X a clean look while keeping thecables and stops out of the rider’s way.Hammering: Titus shod the X with a Kenda Small Block

Eight tire in the rear and a Nevegal up front. This is a sweetperformance trick that, on most racing surfaces, helps accel-eration without hurting cornering performance. The Xdidn’t need this trick. It would feel light and fast withNevegals front and rear. The fork and shock are easy to getin unison, and that keeps the X level while its pilot powersdown the course. The chassis works with the Fox ProPedalRP23 shock to keep pedaling efforts insulated from the rearsuspension. The X responds well to out-of-the-saddle tempochanges. Transitioning from seated to out-of-the-saddle-attack mode is natural and seamless.Hit the rough: The X delivers the rigid feel of a short-

travel pro racing chassis. It gives a firm ride at speed but willrespond to a substantial hit without spiking. The suspensionfeels firm while still rolling smoothly over racecourse clutter.The four-inch-stroke Fox fork is its greatest asset over roughterrain. Like the Racer X, the X responds best in the roughwhen the rider remains centered.Climbing: The X will hang with the best of them on the

climb. A centered riding position is perfect for keeping therear wheel hooked up while not allowing the front end tocome off the ground. Again, standing to clear a momentum-killing rise is simple and delivers fast-forward results.Descending: One amazing attribute of the X is its sticki-

ness while braking on the downhills. Chalk it up to thealways-inspiring Magura Marta brakes, custom-tuned Foxshock or the X’s chassis, but even with the Small Block Eighttire, you have to be a total klutz to lock the rear wheel. The Xsoaks up rough descents with the rider centered (there wasn’tmuch need to move behind the saddle). Wrecking crewers didnote slight lateral movement in the rear triangle during brak-ing while entering high-speed, fire road corners.Sprinting to the line: When the finish line comes into

sight and that racer pulls up next to you, it is up to you. The Xwill not be the reason you don’t win the mad dash to the line.

90 www.mbaction.com

TIT

US X

Price $2295 (Frame and shock)Country of origin U.S.A.Weight 24.5 pounds Hotline (800) 858-4887Frame tested 18.25"Bottom bracket height 12.75"Chainstay length 16.75"Top tube length 23.5"Head tube angle 71°Seat tube angle 73°Standover height 30"Wheelbase 42.5"Suspension travel (front) 3.9"Suspension travel (rear) 4.1"Frame material AluminumFork Fox F100 RLCShock Fox Float RP23Rims DT Swiss XR 4.20Tires Kenda Nevegal (f)/Small Block Eight (2.1")Hub DT Swiss 240SBrakes Magura Marta SLBrake levers Magura Marta Carbon SLCrankset FSA Team IssueShifters SRAM X.0 triggersFront derailleur Shimano XTRRear derailleur SRAM X.0Chainrings FSA (44/32/22)Cassette SRAM PG-950 (11-34)Pedals None (weighed with Shimano XTR)

Goat mode: The X will hang with the best of them on the climb. Acentered riding position is perfect for keeping the rear wheelhooked up while not allowing the front end to come off the ground.

No missing link: The rear suspension’s swinglink is an impor-tant component for truly great suspension performance. The all-new Titus compression-molded, one-piece fiber link is a light-weight wonder.

SEE YOU AT THE RACESLook to other Titus models if you want one bike that does

a little bit of everything. The X is a racer through andthrough, and makes no excuses about it. This is a bike asuse-specific as any downhill race bike. It is made for cross-country racing and needs to be treated like the specializedbreed that it is.

Cross-Country Racer

*With your good credit, call for details. Not responsible for typographical errors. Prices subject to change.

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AMALL MOUNTAIN

‘08 DAWG DELUXE5” TRAVEL FOX FLOAT RP2

A mountain bike resort is a full-service community

that caters specifi cally to fat tires. Two-wheel adven-

ture seekers head to resorts to become better riders.

Resort riding is highly organized and offers a systematic

way of progressing on to more and more diffi cult single-

track and stunt obstacles. You don’t just spend one day at a

mountain bike resort; it’s a once-a-year, extended summer

vacation.

MBA’s Mountain Bike Resort Directory lists mountain

bike parks that are a true home away from home. When you

go to one of these resorts, you are going there to live the life

of an elite mountain bike rider: to ride, ride and ride again

during the day, and at night enjoy the best in fi ne Alpine

dining, shopping and cross-training opportunities

A guide to North American mountain bike resorts

94 www.mbaction.com

2009 Park Directo

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Mammoth Mountain


Mountain Adventure Center is also a full-service repair shop.

Snowshoe’s Professional Mountain Bike Park Staff is always

available for group or private riding skill programs and tours.

Prices start at $49 per person. Check out www.ride.snowshoe-

mtn.com for the latest info on skills camps.

Snowshoe also offers the following programs and products

during the summer months: off-road dune buggy tours, Seg-

way tours, sporting clays range, geocaching course, lake activi-

ties, guided fl y-fi shing tours, a swimming pool facility, and the

four-event 5th Annual Snowshoe Downhill Race Series.

zSNOWSHOE MOUNTAIN, WEST VIRGINIA

Snowshoe Mountain sets the standard for the Mid-Atlantic

mountain bike park experience with 38 trails ranging from

beginner-level terrain to expert-class downhill racecourses.

Trail design ranges from super smooth fl ow trails with seem-

ingly endless jumps, table tops, step-ups, and steeps and tech-

nical rock gardens, to challenging North Shore stunt trails

with giant wall rides, teeter-totters, skinnies, and drops.

Consisting of two park areas, the Snowshoe basin is situ-

ated on the east face of Snowshoe Mountain, and the Western

area boasts an impressive 1500-foot-plus vertical drop. The

Snowshoe basin is serviced by a high-speed quad lift, and the

Western territory is serviced by a high-speed quad lift or a

shuttle bus system.

Snowshoe Mountain Resort has the capacity to accommo-

date over 8000 overnight riders. There are also 1400 rental

units on the mountain. Primitive campsites are available for

$25 per night. Pizza, sushi, burgers, gourmet dogs and much

more are available from 12 food and beverage establishments.

On-site bike rentals are available at the Mountain Ad-

venture Center, as well as cycling clothing and gear. The

MOUNTAIN BIKE SEASON: May 22 to October 11.RIDING CHARGE: One-day pass $41, two-day pass $76, three-day pass $99; includes lift, shuttle, and full park access. ELEVATION: Snowshoe is an inverted mountain resort with the village located at 4800 feet; from there you ride down to 3250 feet. Take a lift or ride back up to 4800 feet. MILES OF TRAIL: Over 100 miles.CONTACT: (877) 441-4386.

Whistler Mountain Bike Park

Photo

by

Ste

rling L

ore

nce

96 www.mbaction.com

2009 Park Directo

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PPANORAMA MOUNTAIN VILLAGE, BRITISH COLUMBIA

Discover authentic downhill mountain biking in British

Columbia ’s Kootenay region. Renowned for singletrack trails

with natural features for all abilities, Panorama’s Bike Park

also offers wide cruisers and expert terrain with man-made

stunts and dirt jumps. Panorama’s Kona Groove Approved

Bike Park has a number of trails to challenge riders of all lev-

els. With high-speed chairlift access, choose from easier trails

for those new to the sport, varied intermediate trails to boost

confi dence on steeps, stunts, and technical terrain, or expert

downhill trails with built-up features. The 4-Cross course is

always available.

The village has an assortment of dining options, from burg-

ers and ribs at the T-Bar to contemporary cuisine at the Wild-

fi re Rustic Grill to the simplicity of a deli sandwich at Lusti’s.

There are several mountainside condo and hotel options only

steps from the chairlift. All accommodations include access

to the Panorama Springs Hot Pools. Shadybrook Resort is one

of the few remaining campgrounds located on the shore of

Lake Windermere. Since 1951, Shadybrook has been a quiet,

family-oriented campground with access to Lake Windermere

right from your tent. There are two playgrounds for kids, a

convenience store, 141 campsites, six cabins, full washroom

facilities with Laundromat, a 75-slip marina, boat launch,

fuel station, and a bike shop including rentals. Camp in a tent

for $25 per night or $32 in an RV.

Situated at the base of the mountain, Lusti’s is a full-service

bike shop that also offers Kona rental bikes like the Stab Gar-

banzo and Stinky, the latest clothing and protective gear, along

with snacks and refreshments to fuel up after a big day on the

mountain. Panorama’s Mountain Bike School offers three-

hour group lessons for beginner, novice, and intermediate rid-

ers. A $149 three-hour group package includes rental bike for

one full day, protective gear, full-day lift ticket, and three hours

of instruction. The three-hour group lesson only runs $55.

DEER VALLEY RESORT PARK CITY, UTAH

Deer Valley is located just 36 miles from the Salt Lake City

International Airport. The riding network includes two easy

trails, ten moderate blue-square trails, three moderate-diffi cult

trails, fi ve black-diamond trails, and three double-black-

diamond trails for experts only. Deer Valley also likes to tout

one of the most diffi cult downhill runs in the country: the Na-

tional Downhill Course is 1.5 miles of steep and very technical

terrain. Only expert or pro downhill racers need apply!

There are numerous lodging options near the resort at both

the base area and mid-mountain. Deer Valley proper does not

own or operate any lodging and sends visitors to Deer Valley

Lodging (435) 649-4040 and Resorts West (800) 541-9378

for all lodging inquiries. Or, stay at one of the fi ve campsites

located within 25 miles of Park City. Besides the full range of

water sports and horseback riding, Jordanelle State Park and

Rockport State Park offer additional mountain biking.

Food is available at the Royal Street Café in Silver Lake

Lodge, or at Deer Valley Etc. in Snow Park Lodge. Snow Park

Lodge and Silver Lake Lodge both offer bike rentals, (888)

754-8477. For bike repair, head to Cole Sport or Jans, both

located on Park Avenue. Deer Valley Mountain Bike School

gives private lessons starting at $47 per hour. A three-hour

clinic runs $42 per rider, and a ticket to the kid’s clinics sells

for $33. To recuperate after a hard hammer session, try enjoy-

ing a stroll up Park City’s Historic Main Street or take in the

Deer Valley Concert Series.

Deer Valley

MOUNTAIN BIKE SEASON: June 26 to August 30.

RIDING CHARGE: Full day lift ticket $35 adult, $36

youth, $21 junior; summer season pass $210 adult,

$179 youth, $139 junior, and $599 family.

ELEVATION: 3800 feet at base, take lift up to 5046 feet.

MILES OF TRAIL: 18.6 miles.

CONTACT: (800) 663-2929.

Photo

by

Deer Valle

y R

esort

MOUNTAIN BIKE SEASON: Mid–June to September.

RIDING CHARGE: Full day lift ticket $28, single ride

lift ticket $19.

ELEVATION: From 7200 feet at base and you can ride

up to 9400 feet.

MILES OF TRAIL: 55 miles.

CONTACT: (800) 424-3337.

Whistler Mountain Bike Park


NORTHSTAR-AT-TAHOE RESORT TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA

Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort offers 83 trails spread across

2490 acres and world-class terrain parks and dirt jumps. The

resort touts the most extensive lift-served trail network in

the U.S., featuring the fi rst fully irrigated mountain bike trail

called Live Wire. Northstar staffs a full-time trail crew that

continually builds new trails and maintains the existing leg-

ends. Don’t think that Northstar is only reserved for the elite,

as just-added features like the new Easy Rider mid-mountain

trail are designed to be user-friendly enough to allow for fam-

ily fun. The new 2six Jump Park delivers small, medium and

large lines, allowing riders to progress their skills over time.

Last summer Northstar Resort began offering private

riding lessons to those interested in getting into the sport

or improving their skills. Northstar also sponsors downhill

and cross-country mountain bike race series throughout the

season.

Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort is located on Highway 267,

just six miles north of Lake Tahoe and six miles south of

downtown Truckee. For lodging, the resort offers hotel-style

rooms, condos and mountain homes. Lodging packages start

at $69.50 per person, per night. There are a number of on-

site restaurants in the Village at Northstar: Baxter’s Bistro

MOUNTAIN BIKE SEASON: Memorial Day

Weekend through October.

RIDING CHARGE: Adult $39, Child $25, Summer

Season Pass $279.

ELEVATION: From a 6330-foot base it is possible to

ride up to 8610 feet.

MILES OF TRAIL: Over 100 miles.

CONTACT: (800) 466-6784.

& Lounge, Rubicon Pizza, Chocolate Bar, Mikuni Japanese

Restaurant & Sushi Bar, Earthly Delights, Big Wave Burri-

tos & Wraps, plus more. For a quick bite, stop at Eurosnack

for French Hot Dogs or a Belgian Waffl e. On mid-mountain,

Northstar operates the Downhill Grille. Bike rentals are avail-

able at Plaza Bikes in the Village at Northstar. They also offer

bike repair, as does Northstar’s own on-mountain shop. If

you are looking for a resort that offers endless cross-training

opportunities, look no further. Lake Tahoe offers kayaking,

hiking, sailing, fl oating on the Truckee River, road biking,

parasailing, and the list goes on.

Sun Peaks

98 www.mbaction.com

2009 Park Directo

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Panorama

SUN PEAKS BIKE PARK KAMLOOPS, BRITISH COLUMBIA

The Rocky Mountain Flow Zone features three line op-

tions for easy beginner to expert dirt jump progression. From

there, and running all over the slopes, are nine advanced, six

expert, six intermediate and 17 easy trails to choose from. At

the base of Sun Peaks there are ten hotels. Bike park lift and

accommodation packages start at $63.85; call (800) 807-3257.

The closest camping sites are located at Heffl ey Lake, BC,

which is only a 25-minute drive from Sun Peaks Resort.

Contact www.bcparks.ca. In the Sun Peaks Village there are

18 different dining options to choose from, including grab-

and-go slices at Mountain High Pizza, sushi from Chopstixx,

and pub fare from Masa’s Bar & Grill. The resort also has a

ton of patios to pull up to and enjoy a cold beverage at the

end of the day.

Time To Ride Bike Shop in the Village rents 2009 Rocky

Mountain Bicycles exclusively. Downhill and cross-country

riding gear and accessories are also available for rental. They

can handle wheel and drivetrain repairs. For larger problems,

such as suspension, riders will have to visit either the Bicycle

Café, Full Boar Bike Store, or Spoke in Motion, all located 45

minutes away in the city of Kamloops.

This summer, Sun Peaks will engage in their most inclusive

camp series. All aspects of trail, stunt and jump riding will be

covered. The team of instructors includes Graham Agassiz,

Matt Hunter and Kurt Sorge. Camp dates are June 29 to July

4, July 6 to July 10, July 13 to July 17 and July 20 to July 24.

A fi ve-day camp runs $365.

Finally, at the end of the day, enjoy a round of golf on-site

at the 18-hole course, or the outdoor swimming pool and hot

tubs, horseback riding, canoe and kayak rentals, Alpine hik-

ing trails, fl y fi shing, or shopping in The Village.

MOUNTAIN BIKE SEASON: June 27 to September 7.RIDING CHARGE: Full day adult $38, full day youth $32, full day child $22, full day senior $32; Half day adult $30, half day youth $26, half day child $18, half day senior $26; season pass adult $299, season pass youth $249, season pass child $199, season pass senior $249.ELEVATION: 4117 feet at base; lifts bring you up to 6066 feet.MILES OF TRAIL: 44 miles.CONTACT: (800) 807-3257.

Photo by Sterling Lorence

Whistler M

ount

ain

Bike

Par

k


Mammoth Mountain

100 www.mbaction.com

2009 Park Directo

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MOUNTAIN BIKE SEASON: June 21 to

September 27.

RIDING CHARGE: Full day adult lift $43, full day

trail access $10.

ELEVATION: The base sits at 7953 feet to

11,053 feet.


CONTACT: (800) 626-6684.

Mammoth Mountain

MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK MAMMOTH LAKES, CALIFORNIA

The Mountain dishes up endless riding, ranging from pine

forest beginner trails like Paper Route and Beach Cruiser to

six of the gnarliest downhill-specifi c trails found. Velocity,

Techno Rock and the legendary Kamikaze Park and Pipeline

feature boulders, wooden ramps and dirt jumps to huck off of.

Flow and Shotgun are fast and fl owing trails. Twilight Zone

brings you British Columbia North Shore minus the northern

weather. The run features the intense Deep End Bowl Ride.

All of the trails are marked for diffi culty from least diffi cult to

most diffi cult. The resort features daily bike lessons, covered

rest stops, fi rst-aid, Adventure Center bike repair and sport

shop, and uphill transportation via a two-stage gondola and

bike park shuttle. The rental fl eet is made up of 2009 Cannon-

dales, and SixSixOne protection packages are available.

Mammoth Mountain Inn charges $99 per night and is lo-

cated right at the trailhead (or trail end). The nearest camping

is at the Shady Rest Campground for $18 per night. Nutrition

is available at the Mountain Side Grill, Cervinia, Top of the

Sierra, or snacks at the Adventure Center. Other local points

of interest and events include Yosemite National Park, fi shing

in Lakes Basin, Sierra Star for the highest golfi ng in

California, the Mammoth Motocross and Bluesapalooza.

Snowshoe


2009 Park Directo

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Mammoth Mountain

SILVER STAR BIKE PARK Vernon, BRITISH COLUMBIA

From the beginner trails, riders can steadily advance to the

expert runs that are fi lled with berms, tabletops, and wooden

features. All trails are marked with the North Shore green

circle, blue square and black diamond signage. Silver Star

boasts seven easy, seven intermediate, six advanced and three

double-black-diamond, expert-only trails. The Comet Six Pack

Express is Canada’s largest mountain bike lift with roll-on

bike carriers and a ride time under eight minutes.

A fl eet of 66 rental bikes includes mostly Giant Glorys,

Giant Trances and Norco Razor kid’s bikes. Helmets, gloves

and body armor are available for rent. Olympia Sport and

Cycle operates a full-time repair shop out of Silver Star Bike

Rental. Big-hit legend Benton Hennig runs intermediate and

advanced camps starting at $90. Claudia Sorenson hosts the

Chicks On Bikes Camp.

Hotels offer everything from luxurious mountain vacation

homes at the Snowbird Lodge Hotel to standard room rates at

Lord Aberdeen Hotel, Silver Star Club Resort, The Pinnacles,

or Sam Sun Hotel. There is primitive camping for free in the

main parking lot. On-site dining is available at The Saloon,

Silver Grill Steak, Chop House and the Bulldog. Non-moun-

tain bike activities include hiking and scenic trails, paintball,

Summer Wine Festival, shopping, Beyond Wrapture Day Spa,

Gallery Odin, and wildfl ower, nature and history tours.

WHISTLER MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK, BRITISH COLUMBIA

Whistler/Blackcomb operates a 34-trail Fitzsimmons Zone

and a 21-trail Garbanzo Zone. The riding delivers the ultimate

journey through old growth forests fi lled with teeter-totters,

tabletops, drops, and twisty and banked singletrack. The full

range of riding is covered, from easy trails to cross-country cir-

cuits to journey runs including steep rock-faced, root-strewn

lines and huge drops. On site there are also two jump parks, a

giant slalom course, three skills centers, a bikercross, and the

Boneyard Slopestyle course. Air Dome is a fully supervised,

2500-foot indoor facility with ramps, quarter pipes, wall rides

and a massive foam pit.

The Evolution store is a full-service bike shop that also

offers riding gear rentals and accessories. Garbanzo Rentals

offers a full fl eet of Rocky Mountain bikes. A free Village Bike

Wash Station is available. Whistler’s bike storage service offers

a secure location to leave your bike while enjoying the Village

after a ride.

Hotels, condos, chalets, town homes and luxury retreats

are all available at Whistler. Within the resort is Riverside RV

Resort & Campground. The Garibaldi Lift Company is a full

service restaurant operating out of Whistler Village. Or choose

Garbanzo Bike & Bean for a snack.

Whistler offers numerous mountain bike packages that

deliver weekend and multi weekday lodging and lift specials.

Bike rentals go for $65 for half day and $99.99 for a full day.

Ten different riding clinics and camps focus on all types of

mountain bike riding as well as targeting the full range of rid-

ing skills. There is also a Richie Schley Skills Camp, Instructor

Development Course focused on bike park guide personnel,

and Monday and Wednesday Women’s Nights. The Peak 2

Peak Gondola offers an incredibly exhilarating experience dur-

ing the eleven-minute trip between Whistler and Blackcomb.

MOUNTAIN BIKE SEASON: Fitzsimmons Zone

May 16 to October 12; Garbanzo Zone June 27 to

October 12.

RIDING CHARGE: Adult one day $49, youth/senior

one day $43, child one day $27; adult two day $98,

youth/senior two day $86, child two day $54; adult

three day $115, youth/senior three day $102, child

three day $59; Whistler Bike Park Passes available

for $449.

ELEVATION: Whistler Village rests at 2214 feet to

7160 feet.

MILES OF TRAIL: 125 miles-plus.

CONTACT: (604) 904-8134.

MOUNTAIN BIKE SEASON: June 25 to September 7.

RIDING CHARGE: Full-day adult $38, full-day youth

or senior $30 each, full-day child $30.

ELEVATION: Silver Star’s base is 5157 feet up to

6280 feet.


CONTACT: (250) 542-0224.


&

More than just downhills, jumps, & drops for big-hit bikes

By Brian LopesPhotos by Manfred Stromberg


2009 Park Directo

ry

Leg lift: The trails that Schley/Lopes tour guides talk about are not serviced by high-

speed quad lifts. You get to the top the old-fashioned way, one crank rotation at a time.

I’ve been going to Whistler/ Blackcomb for about eight years now for many reasons, but the main

one is because it’s one of the best places on earth that I have ever experienced for mountain biking.

If you’re a gravity rider, then you either already know how great the bike park is from experience,

or it’s on your wish list of places to go. There’s no question that the bike park is the all time greatest,

with some of the world’s most fun downhill trails, littered with jumps, bridges, stunts, rocks, roots, and

berms. It’s a gravity rider’s paradise, with a high-speed quad chairlift that gets you to the midway station

in about ten minutes and to the peak in 20.


pack, and give me a little protection just in case. Another good rule of thumb is that if you’re an intermediate rider at home, start with the novice trails here. If you consider yourself an expert rider, start with the intermediate trails. Take the fun trails slowly and work your way up to the more diffi cult trails. It’s far too often that riders come to Whistler/ Blackcomb and get hurt in the beginning of their trip because they’re not familiar with the different types of terrain thrown at them.

THE NETWORK

The Whistler trail network is far too large to tell all in a

short story. Evolution Whistler (604) 932-2967, a bike/ski shop in the heart of the village, sells a book with GPS-mapped trails of the area. We managed to get in a great variety of rides in just four days. One of the best things is that you can ride right from town and are never too far away from pedaling home when you’ve had enough. Most of the trails are not su-per long but can easily be linked up with other trails to extend

rides for endless hours.

The biggest misconception about not only the bike park, but with Whistler/ Blackcomb’s mountain biking, is that the trails are only for those who either have big-hit bikes, are into extreme riding, or are into the shuttle ride up. That’s simply not true. The town offers some of the best trails for all different disciplines of mountain biking, on every skill level. With the mid-travel bikes these days, you can bring just one bike on this trip and experience both the Whistler Bike Park and the trails throughout the valley and on the mountain.

There’s really just about any type of trail you’re looking for, from the easiest beginner paths to fl owing singletrack that will leave you with perma grin, to the most technical cross-country trails you’ve ever experienced, to the world’s best jump trails and full-out downhills.

The idea for this story came to me this year, since my new frame sponsor, Ibis, only makes a bike with 5.5 inches of travel. Was that going to be enough for the bike park, or would I need more? I knew it would be great on all the cross-country trails, but I wasn’t sure if I’d be wishing I had a downhill rig for the park. It proved to be a great all-around bike, allowing me to experience way more than I ever could on a downhill rig. In the park, it was better on some of the be-ginner, intermediate, and black-diamond trails, because it was quicker, lighter, and easier to handle through the smoother, tighter, slower paced trails. The added bonus was that I got to experience some super fun cross-country trails that would have been unmanageable to pedal on a downhill machine. Unless I was on double-black-diamond trails looking to pin it, or searching for the mega drops, there really was no need for the big-hit bike.

Freestyle legend and local shredder Richie Schley agreed that most riders were missing out on the less publicized side of the riding. When the park is packed or Richie is looking to get a good workout, he’s out on his Rotwild Enduro, enjoying what very few outsiders even know exists.

So Richie and I agreed, let’s show the world the lighter side of Whistler and open the eyes of riders who always thought Whistler was only about full-face helmets and gravity-type riding. The secret is being let out, so get ready to start plan-ning your trip for what we assure you will be the experience of a lifetime, no matter what type of mountain biking you’re interested in.

Don’t sell yourself short in the mountain bike Mecca of the world, though; get a taste of everything. If your main priority is to ride the bike park, take at least one day to check out some of the cross-country trails. And if you never thought about coming to Whistler because you didn’t know it had great cross-country to offer, well, now you know. Come pedal until the legs feel like lead, then head over to the bike park and take a much easier route up on the chairlift and enjoy the coast down. Guaranteed you will have fun trying something

new!

EASE INTO IT

Riding the trails around Whistler requires that you have good tires and a seatpost you can drop. This is essential. I like to bring some soft knee pads, since they are light, easy to

Believe it: When a trail in the Whistler area earns a double-black-diamond rating, you are best off believing it. This is a place that challenges the most accomplished riders on the planet. There are plenty of trails for the rest of us.


2009 Park Directo

ry

Double vision: Looking at Brian Lopes (left) and Richie Schley from the bottom of this boulder makes either line selection look pretty tame. Not so from the top. Many trails around Whistler/Blackcomb are “expert only.”

DAY

Day one started with some very technical stuff. The Flank Trail from Function Junction is a multi-use singletrack on the East-facing slope that runs the entire length of the valley. It’s a moderate to steep climb, lasting for 45 minutes. Not techni-cal, but physically tough. Things change rather quickly once you’re at the top and the descending begins. There are several different ways down, but we chose High Society, a double-

Ease into it: Take the fun trails slowly and work your way up to the more diffi cult trails. It’s far too often that riders come to Whistler/Black-comb and get hurt in the beginning of their trip.

black-diamond, all-natural-terrain trail with some extremely steep, rocky faces. Add in some roots and a little moisture and you have the perfect recipe for scaring the pants off you. Some of you hot shots will be humbled when you fi nd yourselves walking down parts of this trail, because what most of you think are expert-level trails in your hometowns are more like novice trails here in Canada.

From High Society we hooked up with Industrial Disease, then over to Moose Knuckles, which will have your hydration pack hitting you in the back of the head and testing out some of your basic jump skills.

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If you’re up for another pedal back to the top, Cheap Thrills is another fun one off the Flank Trail—also a double black diamond that’s very steep off the top, but more fl ow in the middle, ending with some technical ladder bridges and creek crossings. You’ll get 15 minutes of descending out of this one, depending on your pace.

At the end of day one we decided to take part in the Thurs-day evening cross-country race/ride called the Tooney race. It’s name comes from the two-dollar entry fee. (Canadians call two bucks a tooney.) These events take place every Thursday during the summer and can attract up to 300 participants. For some it’s a race, for most it is a fun ride, ending at a local restaurant that sponsors the after party. The course is always different, but the fun times are always the same. If you’re quick enough to win, you’ll be rewarded with 50 bucks, but let it be known that there are some extremely fast locals who know the trails well. Defi nitely partake in one of these events, as you’re sure to have fun, both on the ride and at the party.

DAY

The next day was much easier, physically and mentally. For about an hour we spun around on the Lost Lake trails, a network of beginner to intermediate level routes. These trails are super close to town and roam all through the hills and trees that surround Lost Lake, a popular swimming spot in the summer. The best thing about riding here is it’s super fun and you can make the ride as short as you want, or extend it up around two hours. There are tons of trails that will allow you to turn around at almost anytime, but I recommend link-ing as many together as you have time for, because they all have such great fl ow.

Some will take you over ladder bridges that are wide, but almost always have alternate routes around them. The climbs are short and gradual, and the trails can be anything from crushed gravel paths that you could literally ride on a road bike, to rocky, rooted trails best ridden on at least a short-travel cross-country bike.

There are a million names for each section of trail, so don’t even try to remember them. Just explore until you feel you should start heading back. At that point, pull out your map, fi nd your location, and in no more than 20 minutes you should be back at home or in town.

After lunch and relaxing at the Schley mansion, it was time to get another physically easy ride in, but this one required intermediate to expert technical skills. River Runs Through It is a popular favorite. This trail has very little climbing, which sounds easy, but unless you have the skills to negotiate all the roots, turns, and man-made stunts, you will fi nd this trail to be diffi cult. It’s defi nitely not your average cross-country trail, but a fun one that will have you stopping often, going back to clean a sec-tion, or try certain stunts again.

This isn’t a fast trail. It’s one to take your time with. Look at it as a skills lesson. If you’re looking for some consistent pedaling, fl owy singletrack, or fun ups and downs, this is not the one. But if you are up for some-

thing challenging, yet relatively safe that will test your slow speed skills, you’ve come to the right place. I recommend staying off this trail when it’s wet. Many of the man-made obstacles get extremely slick, and there are plenty of them to try on this trail. Take note that there is almost always an al-ternate route around the stunts if you come to one that looks above your limits.

DAY

With two days of pedaling in, we decided to spend day three in the Whistler Bike Park. It’s defi nitely a treat when you can get 1800 to 4000 feet of descending in without any effort pedaling up, but that’s not to say your legs won’t be getting a workout. The constant load put on your quads from coasting so many thousands of feet, run after run, will work your legs in a different way. And the abuse your arms and hands will take may give you some added appreciation for how physical downhill racing can be.

There are a few recommendations I have for riding the bike park. First, lower your seat. Having your seat all the way up just makes life more diffi cult when going downhill and over jumps, not to mention it’s dangerous. If you have some big-ger tires, preferably ones with thicker casings, put them on. Remember, you’re not pedaling up any hills in the park, so make life a bit easier with some added grip and less chance for a fl at. Also, avoid stopping on the trail. If you need to stop, pull off to the side. There are a lot of blind turns, and the speeds some riders carry down these trails can make it hard to stop in time if you’re sitting there like a deer in headlights. Last but not least, wear some pads. It’s not that these novice/intermediate trails are diffi cult or any more dangerous than stuff you would encounter on a cross-country ride, but since you don’t have uphills or pedaling to worry about, you might as well have that added safety.

The fi rst run we did was called Ninja Cougar, one of the best new novice/intermediate trails on the mountain. It starts right next to the most famous downhill run in the world, A-Line. Ninja Cougar is far less intimidating and less traveled. The trail starts off on the open slope with some medium-speed easy turns and then quickly takes you into the trees. This is where the real fun begins, fl owing from berm turn to berm turn, weaving around trees as a ski racer would around the gates. The slope is gentle in grade and the terrain is mainly dirt and smooth. Think downhill pump track! You surely will be taking that lift up again for this one.

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2009 Park Directo

ry

Next it was on to B-Line, which may be the most popular of all the beginner to novice trails in the park. The little brother to A-Line, this trail is littered with basic tabletop jumps and the gradual grade never lets you go too fast without pedaling. Some of the turns can get a little bumpy going into them from all the braking, but there’s nothing your mid-travel, full-suspension bike won’t eat up. This is truly a great trail for practicing jumping at the safest level possible, and you’re almost guaranteed to have both wheels off the ground within three or four runs. Another great introductory trail for jumping is Crank It Up. This is an alternative to B-line in a totally different zone of the mountain.

Angry Pirate was next. How they come up with these names, I have no idea, but you’ve got to love them. This trail is a fl owy, twisty singletrack with some steep corners and challenging switchbacks. They may have gotten the name from the one log ride that is just high enough off the ground to make you decide to walk it or have you stoked on your fi rst thrill-rider move.

For our last run, we had to hit the infamous A-line. This is a black-diamond run, but as long as you are halfway decent at jumping, you will be fi ne. There is one drop about halfway down that is about eight feet, but you can take the alternate route around it if it’s too much. This trail is a prime example of how a mid-travel bike is sometimes better in the park. For the past three years I’ve won the Crankworx Air Downhill on my 5-inch-travel bike. The big bike may be smoother, but the smaller bike is faster. The stopwatch doesn’t lie.

THE FINAL DAY

On the last day of our four-day mission, Richie decided to treat us to a local gem called PHD. This is one of the few trails that you may actually want to drive to, as it’s about ten minutes north of town towards Pemberton. It starts off to the left in a rock quarry, where you begin the 40-minute pedal up a rocky fi re road. There isn’t any-thing special about the climb, but it’s a consistent grade that will get your heart pumping. Of course you wouldn’t pick a fi re road to climb unless the down was a reward.

This is defi nitely an expert-level de-scent that starts off steep and rocky. No man-made obstacles out here and noth-ing too fast, but nevertheless it’s very challenging. After about seven minutes of leaning back and braking, we dropped onto the fi re road we had just climbed. Up with the seat and we climbed for about four minutes to the next sweet part of this descent. Again, it’s techni-cal and rocky, not a place you want to crash, but then again, when do you ever want to crash? It’s few more minutes of intense yet thrilling descent that will keep your eyes glued to what’s ahead,

and then you’ve got one lap of pain and pleasure behind you. Some good Stik E rubber tires, dropping the seat and put-

ting on some knee pads for the down is suggested. There is barely any pedaling once you’ve done the climb up, so be safe rather than sorry.

JUST THE BEGINNING In four days we have barely skimmed the surface of all the

great riding Whistler has to offer. You would pretty much have to move here if you wanted to experience all the trails just once. And if you could accomplish this, just a short drive away are Pemberton and Squamish to keep the trail experi-ence fresh. It literally would take years to ride all the trails one time. And that’s if you were lucky enough to have a local show you the secret ones that are being built each year.

Some places you just can’t fully describe with words; you must experience them for yourself. Whistler is one of those places if you love mountain biking. I’m asked all the time where the best place to ride is, and the answer is easy and always the same, Whistler. With everywhere I have ridden in this world, I’ve yet to fi nd another place that has the quantity and quality of trails. Once you discover Whistler, you will fi nd yourself planning multiple visits back. You might even end up buying a house there. I did…it’s that good!

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MBATECH

Installing Nokon’s cable and housing system


Does your rear derailleur cable run from the shifter tothe derailleur in a full-length cable housing? Do youride in conditions where the weather is constantly

attacking your components? Do you ride a bike that requirescables and their housing to take sharp bends to reach theirdestination? If you answered yes to any of these questions, aNokon cable and cable housing system could greatly improveyour shifting and braking performance.

Nokon, a German company, offers a pricey yet effectiveupgrade to your stock derailleur or brake cable and housing.The Nokon system consists of a stainless steel cable, a Tefloninner liner, and hundreds of ball-and-socket links that snaptogether to form an impenetrable housing. This aluminumhousing also eliminates the casing flex and spongy feel asso-ciated with long-distance, single-piece cable housing.

One misapprehension is that the $80.99 Nokon front andrear derailleur cable system adds weight to the bike. Wefound that Nokon system was lighter than the standard cableand housing it replaced. We are not pushing this as a weight-saving solution, but the point is you can increase shiftingperformance without a weight penalty.

If this sounds interesting to you, step inside the garagewith Nokon’s Marcus Crider for a quick lesson on the sys-tem’s proper installation.

Step 1: We are replacing the rear derailleur cable and housing forour example. Remove the stock stuff and then thread the Nokoncable into the shifter.

Step 2: If you had to remove a cover screw to slide the cable intothe shifter, replace it now or you will forget about it. If you forgetto replace this cap, you will allow all types of contaminants toenter the system.

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Tools you’ll need:A Nokon cable and cable housing system

will cover your front and rear derailleur or your

front and rear brakes unless you have

hydraulic-actuated brakes.You’ll need an Allen

wrench for the derailleur or brake cable pinch

bolts and a cable cutter. A cable stretching tool

is optional. You may also need a screwdriver to

access the cable on some shifters.

MBATECH


Step 3: Eyeball the approximate length of the cable needed, slidethe Teflon inner liner on the cable, and trim it.

Step 4: Now we are going to start building the cable housing. Thesilver link is a direction changer, so it needs to be the first link. Itwill be where the cable housing feeds into the shifter.

Step 5: The links have male and female ends. Slide them onto thecable, making sure you mate the male end of the link to thefemale end. Keep adding links until you reach a housing stop orthe derailleur.

Step 6: One important tip: Leave a gap in the black links and sil-ver link (that feeds into the shifter) of one finger-width. This play isneeded for the housing to bend without binding.

Step 7: The Nokon cable with the Teflon inner liner is fatter than astock cable. This may cause a clearance issue when you reach ahousing stop. The cable and housing have to slide freely through thestop. If you feel binding, carefully open the stop’s gap by placing aflat blade screwdriver in the slit and turning the screwdriver handle,or simply remove the housing between the two cable bosses.

Step 9: Useyour cable-stretchingtool to takeup slack andtighten theAllen pinchbolt on thederailleur.

Step 10: Cutthe excess

cable and besure to

crimp on thecable end

cap. You aredone.

Step 8: The kit comes with a small ball link that will end the hous-ing and connect to the rear derailleur. You have finished buildingyour housing.

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InsideThePros’Bikes

Last year, Petr Hanak began shock-ing the reigning stars of dual-slalom and mountaincross racing.

Paying his own way to the races, Hanak,33, won major pro events in Angel Fire,New Mexico, Santa Ynez, California, andBrian Head, Utah. He also won the overallNational Mountain Bike Series dual-slalom title. Then, in September, Petr wonthe Subaru Arena Mountain XChampionship in Las Vegas, topping afield that included Nathan Rennie, RafaelAlvarez, Cody Warren and Greg Minnaar.He finished the 2008 season by nailingsecond overall in the Jeep 48 Straightdual-slalom series. So who is Petr Hanak?

Born in January 1976, in the CzechRepublic, Petr raced BMX from age 11 to18, earning two national titles. He tookup cross-country racing, completedcollege (with a degree in construction),worked at bike shops and took jobspainting commercial buildings.

Hanak took a trip to America in 1999and decided to stay. He got a job cleaningfloors at a K-Mart in Tallahassee, Florida.Hanak left Florida four years later.

“Florida was too hot for me,” saysPetr. “I traveled to Colorado and thoughtit looked like my home.” He took a jobin Winter Park as a roofer and contin-ued his American dream by starting aroofing business with a friend.

Petr rode the Winter Park Resort forfun, and his skill, especially on bigjumps, caught everyone’s attention.Other riders talked him into racing, andafter winning his first mountaincrossrace—as an expert—Hanak moved tothe pro class. He’s been climbing theranks ever since.

Hanak has not landed a sponsor, butit doesn’t seem to bother him. His roof-ing company pays the bills and nothaving a sponsor means he is not limit-

1. Commencal Super Team VIPAbsolut 4X frame, 2008 model.

“This is one of the lightest andstrongest frames I could find. Thegeometry is exactly what I was lookingfor. The frame is perfect for me.”

2. Fox RLT F fork, 2006 model, 3.1-inches of travel.

“This fork is the best I’ve ever rid-den. In two seasons I have never hadany problems whatsoever.”

3. Kenda Nevegal Stick-E tires,26x2.1 inches.

“I use these tires for every race. Theyare very great tires.”

4. Kenda Super Lite tubes.

5. DT Swiss EX 1750 wheels.“It’s amazing how strong these

wheels are. The only thing I have to dois tighten the spokes!”

6. DT Swiss 340 Ratchet Systemhubs, 32 holes.

“I like the ratchet system a lot. I cantighten the wheels so well to the framethat when I do gates, the wheels do notmove!”

Petr Hanak’sCommencal

Weight: 24.1 pounds

Price as equipped: $3000

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ed in his component selection. “Ichoose the components that work thebest for me,” explains Petr. This is aluxury that fully sponsored racersdon’t enjoy.

7. Magura Marta SL Carbon discbrakes.

“I have had these brakes for threeseasons and never had any problemswith them. They work just perfectly,plus they’re very light.”

8. Easton Monkey Lite Carbon DHhandlebar, 28 inches wide.

“I’m not afraid to pull hard onthem.”

9. Truvativ Holzfeller stem, with31.8-millimeter clamp size,60-millimeter reach, zero rise.

10. Easton EC 90 carbon seatpost,31.6-millimeter.

“It’s very light and strong.”

11. ODI Lock-On system grips.“They’re easy to install or take off,

plus they’re very soft and feel good inmy hands.”

12. Shimano XT, 175-millimetercranks.

“I had these cranks for the whole seasonlast year. They’re very light and strong.”

13. Shimano PD-M424 SPD pedals.

14. SRAM PC 951, nine-speedchain.

“I was surprised how strong thischain is! I push down hard, but I’venever broken the chain. It’s very good.”

15. SRAM X.0 rear derailleur.

16. SRAM X.0, nine-speed shifter.“It’s amazing how fast and easily I

can change gears when I need to!”

17. Shimano 38-tooth chainring.

18. Shimano Ultegra cassette (12-27).

19. Tioga Spider saddle.

20. MRP System carbon chainguard.“I don’t have any worries about ever

losing the chain. I’ve been using theMRP system since I started racing in2005.”

21. FSA 36, cartridge-style headset.

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MBATECH

Fleet FoxRiding the 2009 Fox Racing Shox 40 RC2

Championship performance: The Fox 40RC2 fork captured two downhill worldchampionships in 2008. We pushed the2009 version to the limit aboard Foes andYeti downhill bikes and came awayimpressed.

NEW FOR 2009We’ve ridden every version of the 40

that’s come out of Watsonville,California, since it hit production in2005. And, for 2009, Fox set out toimprove the 40 by modifying the RC2FIT damper and giving the 40 a direct-mount-stem upper crown.

“The 2009 damper was completelyredesigned,” says Mark Fitzsimmons,Fox Shox MTB Race Manager. “Thebasic structure was kept the same. Thepiston, valve stack, rebound piston,bladder, seal head, mid-valve andhydraulic bottom-out system wereredesigned. The upper tubes wereshortened 13 millimeters, and theupper crown was redesigned for adirect mount stem.”

Like the 2008 version, the new 40retains the coil spring preload adjust-ment, internally adjustable travel downto six inches, 1-1/8 inch steerer tube, atitanium spring and 20-millimeterthrough-axle; and it is now availablewith both black and white lowers.

Success has come quickly

for Fox Racing Shox and

their eight-inch-travel, 40-

millimeter downhill fork, dubbed

the “40.” It debuted on the down-

hill circuit in 2004 in the hands

of a few select racers, and the fol-

lowing year the production ver-

sion hit the slopes. In 2008, the

40’s fourth year in existence, it

was ridden to both the men’s and

women’s downhill world champi-

onships under the control of the

brother and sister act of Gee and

Rachel Atherton.

MBATECH

FoxAtop the right fork leg sits the redrebound adjustment knob, and on theright is the spring preload dial. At thebottom of the right fork leg lie both thehigh- and low-speed compressionadjusters.

“Without giving away all of our tradesecrets, the changes are pretty endless,and sometimes can only be understoodfrom reviewing graphs,” saidFitzsimmons. “The frequency that the2009 40 operates at is much different

than from years past. The end result isfaster times on a downhill course.”

The 2009 Fox 40 RC2 sells for $1600.

FIT TO KILLWhen Fox approached the redesign

of the FIT damper, they focused ontwo things: reliability and ride feel.The damper was revamped to isolatehigh- and low-speed compressionadjustment more than in previousyears. Through their testing, data col-lecting and watching hours of racefootage over and over, they learnedthey wanted to provide a more con-nected feel to the ground and increasestability and traction.

“A rider going from an older forkmight describe the 2009 feel as thickerand quieter with a sense of more trac-tion. They will also notice the springrate being more critical,” explainedFitzsimmons.

RIDING THE FOX 40 RC2For months we rode and raced the

40 RC2 aboard a Foes 2:1 DHS Monoand a Yeti 303 R-DH. After setting upour 40 forks with 25-percent sag, weran to the hills. From the high-speedrocky terrain of Southern California to

the steep, technical terrain of BoulderCity, Nevada, our Fox 40s have beenput through the paces.

The 40’s robust 40-millimeter stan-chions navigate steep, ultra-technicalsections of trail with remarkable pre-cision. When you’re racing and have

RC2: Below the right fork leg of the Fox40 fork are the high- and low-speed com-pression adjustments for the Fox’s FIT(Fox Isolated Technology) damper.

JUSTIN LEOV’SINVOLVEMENT

TOP TESTER

World Cup downhiller Justin Leov

was critical to the development of the

latest Fox 40 fork. “He is a very sensi-

tive rider who was able to point out

how changes affected the rest of the

bike,’ said Fitzsimmons. “He would

ride nonstop during testing sessions,

basically from sunrise to sundown.”

High

Low

Katie Compton,US National Cyclocross Champion & CyclocrossWorld Cup Silver Medallist5 times US National Cyclocross Champion2 times World Cyclocross Champion

KMC X-SuperLight chain (X10SL & X9SL) and Xseries chains (X8, X9, and X10) are treated withTitanium Nitride Coating, giving our chains asleek gold finish and superb protection againstthe elements.

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Continental Chain Co.

www.kmcchain.us909. 392.2045

Dialed: The right fork leg on the Fox 40 ishome to the red external rebound adjust-ment knob, and the blue knob on the leftadjusts preload. The Fox 40 crown nowhas a hole pattern for direct mount stems.

ground on choppy, off-camber turns. Ifthere were numerous big hits, dropsand jumps on a course, we added a fewclicks of high-speed compression tohandle those impacts. We recommendonly tuning the compression one clickat a time, because each of the 15 clicksmakes a detectable difference in han-dling. In past years we found ourselvesrepeatedly bottoming properly sprungFox 40 forks, but the 2009 40’s FITdamper seemed to erase those memo-ries after the first ride.

PREMIUM PERFORMERAlthough both are very different ani-

mals, aboard the Foes DHS Mono andYeti 303 R-DH we easily dialed in thefork to match the performance of theshock, and that dependable, balancedfeel inspired pilots to charge doublejumps with the throttle wide open. TheAmerican-made Fox 40 is a no-non-sense, high-performance downhill sliderbuilt to dominate the gnarliest WorldCup courses, and its short but impres-sive track record speaks for its capabili-ties. The 40’s reliability, stiffness andsupple feel place this elite-level, dual-crown fork at the forefront of downhillmountain bike suspension.

GETTING RESULTS

RESUME BUILDER

You can’t argue with results, and

the Fox Shox 40 has been racking up

an impressive list since it was born.

Below is a list of just a few of its

gravity-fed feats.

2008 Men’s Downhill WorldChampion, Gee Atherton

2008Women’s Downhill WorldChampion, Rachel Atherton

2007 Australian Men’s DownhillChampion, Jared Graves

2007 British Men’s DownhillChampion, Marc Beaumont

2006 Jr.Women Downhill WorldChampion, Tracey Hannah

2005Women’s Downhill WorldChampion, Anne-Caroline Chausson

2005 NORBA National DownhillChampion, Jared Graves

2004 Red Bull RampageChampion, Kyle Strait

to attack gnarly terrain at speed, ifthe 40 is leading the way, you’re ingood hands. Fittingly, the mostnoticeable improvement in perfor-mance came from the 40’s new FITdamper. We opted for minimal low-speed damping (two or three clicksfrom fully open) to maximize smallbump absorption, and found settingthe high-speed compression in themiddle (of the 15 clicks) a good start-ing point for most trails.

The 40’s travel is extremely suppleand keeps the front end glued to the

MBATECH A Silent, Longer-LastingAlternative

To The Roller Chain

The Gates Carbon Drive is a cog-belt system especially designed for cycling. Independent labora-

tory testing, as well as three seasons of racing and riding on the trails of North America, have

proven that Carbon Drive is as good or better than a metal chain and sprockets in both

durability and efficiency.

The Gates Carbon DriveR. Cunningham

Carbon Drive is a ten-millimeter wide, carbon-fiber-rein-forced polyurethane belt with a specially engineered toothprofile that runs on aluminum pulleys. The inside face ofthe belt is bonded with a slippery, Teflon-impregnated mate-rial to reduce friction, and the pulleys are coated with a car-bide ceramic to make them almost impervious to wear. Aclose inspection of the large and small pulleys reveals thatthe trough between each tooth has been machined off sothat the pulleys will shed mud and debris that may bepicked up by the belt.

Carbon Drive is well engineered and executed—and itlooks the part. It was the brainchild of an unlikely match: ahandful of engineers at Gates (a worldwide leader in timingbelt and powertrain technology) and Spot Brand Bicycles (apioneer single-speed bicycle and component maker).Together they have produced the first viable alternative tothe conventional chain drive.

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE?Don’t believe it? Neither did we—nor does anyone else

who first throws a leg over a Carbon Drive bicycle. Carbon

Drive, however, gets its message acrossplainly and directly. All it takes tobecome a believer is one ride.No Stretch: The first fallacy that is

disproved is that the urethane teethand belt will feel stretchy. No dice.Give it your best uphill effort and youwill discover that the Carbon Drivebelt is far from elastic; there is no flex,no stretch, only silence and accelera-tion.No Drag: The second fear that is

quickly dispelled is that there will be aslight dragging sensation created bythe soft belt teeth gripping against thealuminum pulleys. Sorry. CarbonDrive rolls out effortlessly andmaintains its smooth efficient powertransfer from soft-pedaling to gut-wrenchingly steep ascents.No Squeaks: Okay, who hasn’t

heard the squeal of an automobile’s airconditioning belt, or the rhythmic

cheeping of a V-belt hidden inside of a clothes-dryer? CarbonDrive has to squeak at some point in its lifetime, right?Wrong. We wet it, got it muddy, and ran it in dry dusty con-ditions and never heard it peep once. The belt makes a soft,almost imperceptible rumble at certain power settings; other-wise it runs silently.No Maintenance: That’s almost right. Carbon Drive

requires a specific belt tension, so you might have to re-ten-sion the belt after the first ride after the belt settles in.Tensioning the belt requires a degree of precision, becausethe rear axle’s micro-adjusters must be tuned to get the beltto track straight between the front and rear pulleys. Beyondthat, the belt will remain in adjustment and in tension.There is no lubrication, no cleaning and no links to break.No Grease Marks: Yep! You can ride your single-speed to

a coffeehouse without adding a black spot to the inside ofyour right pant leg. Or toss your bike into the back of yourcar without adding a roller-chain graphic to everything itcomes in contact with.No Wear: Almost true. Gates coats the sprocket teeth

with a carbide ceramic material that is expensive, but almostimpossible to wear out. The belts do eventually abrade pasttheir useful limits and will start skipping under maximumpower to alert you to replace them. Gates and its customersagree that one Carbon Drive belt will last a bit longer on


Simplicity made simpler: Spot Brand’s Longboard 29er, outfittedwith the no-maintenance Gates Carbon Drive cog-belt drivetrain,elevates the classic single speed to a new level of “hassle-free.”

TECHNOLOGY >> The new R.I.P. 9 combines 4.5“ of ef! cient CVA™ suspension with new hydroformed top and down tubes, tapered steerer technology and 10 new forged or extruded parts. The result? Drastically increased stiffness with no weight penalty and the high quality CVA™ ride you expect from Niner. Learn more: www.ninerbikes.com/cva

TESTING >> The R.I.P. 9 has undergone a painstaking process of FEA, mechanical stress tests and real world testing to be as strong, ef! cient and fun as possible.

TESTIMONIALS >> The Niner R.I.P. 9 has garnered applause from all major US mountain bike magazines and online publications such as MTBr.com, including a Best 29er of 2007 and a Consumer Choice Award. Read them all on our website, and know that the new R.I.P. 9 is even better.

WWW.NINERBIKES.COM

WHY CHANGE SOMETHING SO GOOD?(WE DON’T REST ON OUR LAURELS, NO MATTER HOW MANY WE EARN)

average than three high quality chains—and when you puton a new belt, you won’t have to replace the sprockets.

BELT DRIVES AREN’T FOR EVERYONEMost mountain bikes use derailleurs, and the plain truth

is that the roller chain is the best choice for derailleur sys-tems. The Gates Carbon Drive system will only operate on asingle-speed or with an internally geared hub, because itsdrive pulley, belt and cog pulley must operate in precisealignment.

Presently, Gates makes “chainrings” to fit four-boltcranksets with 104-millimeter bolt-circles and cogs to fitShimano-compatible freehub cassettes. If you want multiplegears, Gates sells a cog that fits Shimano’s eight-speedNexus hubs.

Unlike a chain, which can be disassembled and threadedthrough the frame, Carbon Drive belts are continuous, sothere must be a way to “break” open the rear triangle to getthe belt over the right chainstay. Our test bike, Spot’sLongboard 29er, uses a split rear dropout to adapt the beltdrive. What this means to prospective Carbon Drive cus-tomers is that your existing frame must be adapted if it wasnot designed for a belt drive.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO SET UP CARBON DRIVE?Gates makes a modest number of gearing choices avail-

able: either a 50- or 46-tooth front sprocket and your choiceof a 32-, 28-, 25-, 24-, 22-, or 20-tooth cog. Our SpotLongboard was set up with 46x28-tooth gearing, which is alittle tall for a 29er unless it is being ridden by a dedicatedsingle-speed pilot. Don’t fret if you can’t match your chaindrive tooth for tooth. Instead, divide the number of teeth onyour existing cog with the chainring to get your gear ratio,and then match it as closely as possible with the largersprockets of the Gates Carbon Drive (42x26 is close to a46x28).

Presently, Carbon Drive cogs only fit nine-spline(Shimano pattern) freehubs. Spot sells a number of shimsthat are used to line up the crankset sprocket with the cogso that the belt runs true. The front sprocket is simply abolt-on replacement to any four-bolt mountain bikecrankset. Gates sells belts in a number of lengths, and it isimportant to get the correct belt so it will fit your bike’schainstay length with enough wiggle room in the dropoutadjustment to get the belt tension correct. There is a belt-length guide available on the Gates website(www.carbondrivesystems.com).

The Gates front sprocket is wider than a conventional

Breakaway dropout: Spot’s right-side dropout splits in half toallow the belt to be slipped between the seatstay and chainstayduring assembly. Spot’s “Rocket” belt adjusters are high fashionfor single-speeds.


MBATECH

chainring, so there may be clearance issues where thesprocket passes by the right chainstay. Gates also publishesan on-line guide to check your frame for adequate clearance.As Spot will attest, however, Carbon Drive will fit almostany single-speed as long as it has a method to slip the beltinto the rear triangle.

Once the drivetrain is assembled, the belt is positionedloosely on the sprockets and brought up to tension with therear axle adjusters. Gates sells a tension gauge that clickswhen the tension is correct, but if you aren’t near a tensiongauge, Gates says that the belt should deflect a half-inch inthe center, between the sprockets, with five pounds of pres-sure. As the belt tension is brought up, the crank is spunand the right- and left-hand axle adjusters are tuned to keepthe belt tracking in the center of the sprockets. This aspectof Carbon Drive is certainly more involved than with a con-ventional chain, but not difficult for a first-timer to accom-plish.

WHY IS CARBON DRIVE EXPENSIVE?Considering that a Shimano XTR chainring costs over

$200 these days, Carbon Drive pricing is not wildly expen-sive. The fact that Carbon Drive sprockets will outlive anumber of belts is a huge monetary advantage over conven-tional chain drives too. Belts cost $65, front sprockets are$94 to $110, and cogs are $89 to $149. Presently, all GatesCarbon Drive components are made in the USA in Indiana.

THE FUTURE OF CARBON DRIVE?Carbon Drive is a delightful improvement over a chain

drive for single-speed applications and could be a huge bene-fit for anyone who uses a bike for his or her daily drive.What could be easier than hosing your bike off and puttingit away for the next ride?

Carbon Drive is timely, well supported, well executed andit performs beautifully. If Carbon Drive has any drawback,it is the fact that every time you show up to a group ride,you’ll be inundated with questions from curious mountainbikers.

Made in USA: Gatesmachines CarbonDrive Sprockets inthis country and

coats the tooth pro-file with a super-hardceramic. Presently,Gates front sprock-ets fit all modern

four-bolt mountainbike cranks. The

sprockets are largerin diameter than achain drive, but the

overall weight islower.

Contact Gates

Carbon Drive

Systems at

(303) 278-3955


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Designed, Built & Tested in Barnoldswick, England

Use: XC

Ray Petro’s riding partners all thought their buddy had finally

gone nuts. While nobody took Ray’s talk about creating an

indoor mountain bike park seriously, he was actually going

through with it. Ray had found the space. It was a giant, semi-aban-

doned red brick factory in Cleveland, Ohio, where parachutes were once

sewn during World War II. He signed a lease. He trucked in enough

wood to construct three homes with detached garages. He unlocked the

entrance, looked inside and thought, “What have I gotten myself into?”

What Ray, a contractor by trade, got himself into was the hardest job

of his life. The neglected warehouse needed to be cleaned. The roof

needed patching. Lighting was added. The giant space had to be heated.

And, most importantly, he had to build an indoor trail network that

would do more than attract riders. This place had to keep them coming

back if it was going to survive.

The only reason riders look forward to winter


MBADESTINATION

MTBParkRay’s Indoor

XMF6AC

XMF05AT


MBADESTINATION

Squeeze it in: The cross-country course downhillpasses to the right of thepump track and interme-

diate skills course.

THE LEARNING CURVE

“There were no plans to work from, books to read orsteps to follow, because nobody had ever done this before,”remembers Ray of his 2003 summer. “Once we got thespace clean, and believe me that was nosmall job, we had to build trails for peopleto ride.”

Ray’s first surprise was the support ofthe local riding community. Over the sum-mer, riders donated their time to help con-struct the trails and stunts that would greetriders when Ray’s Indoor MTB Park openedits doors for the first time in October of2003. But even with the help of volunteers,Ray didn’t get a day off that entire summer.

“There was one day that we told Ray totake the morning off,” remembers one of thevolunteers of that first summer. “I opened thefront door and water was just pouring intothe park. An old sign on the roof had swungloose during the night’s storm and punched ahole in the roof. I got on the phone and said,Sorry Ray, you’re not getting the morning offafter all.”

Somehow the team completed constructionin time for the October deadline. The doorsofficially opened, but it wasn’t the overnightsuccess that Ray had envisioned.

“Many of the volunteers were hardcore rid-ers,” explains Ray. “I thought the sections were tooadvanced, but was always assured by the experienced ridersthat if we made it too easy, people would get bored.”

Ray’sMTB

Dreams come true: Lots of people have dreams, but few act onthem. Ray Petro had a dream to open an indoor mountain bikepark, and to the amazement of his friends, made it happen.

2009

Build Kits

Grips

J

2009

Cranksets


It turns out that Ray’s instinct was right. Many sectionsintimidated riders, and while the novelty of the place kept ithopping in its first year, Ray knew a redesign was in orderto attract more riders. It turned out that the second summerwhen the park was closed didn’t afford Ray any vacationtime either. Stunts were removed, rebuilt and test ridden allsummer long. In fact, every summer since the opening, theplace gets a makeover.

“I never wanted this to be a stunt park,” says Ray. “Myidea from the beginning was to make Ray’s a place for thefamily. I don’t want to intimidate riders who come here forthe first time, and at the same time I want to keepit interesting for the season pass holders.”

FIVE YEARS LATER

The park today, at 103,000 square feet, is twicethe size of the original layout, and plans are in theworks to bust out a wall and expand again. Thereis a beginner’s room. There is an intermediate sec-tion that is the most popular of the park (see, Rayalways knew what was best for his riders). Andthere is still an advanced area for hard-core guystoo. A cross-country loop follows the perimeter ofeverything. You’ve got a jump park. There is afoam pit. And last, but not least, our favorite sec-tion, the ultra-fun Fisher Pump Track.

PLAN NOW TO GO

We realize this story on Ray’s is poor timing,because the park is only open from October throughApril, and you’ve probably missed the ’08-’09 season.

Ready to ride: Unloading on a cold, snowy day in Cleveland,

Ohio, to head inside for hours of riding. Ray’s has turned

Cleveland into a year-round riding destination.

Ray’s Indoor MTB Park.

MBADESTINATION

Ray’sMTB


MBADESTINATION

Three-ring circus: Riders have asked that thepark remain open all summer because Ohio trailscan stay muddy for months. There are two prob-lems: one, it gets really hot inside and two, Ray

uses the summer to rebuild, re-invent andexpand the park.

But the reason we didn’t wait for the fall to bring you thisstory is because we are so stoked on the place. We rode forseven hours on our first day, stopping only to eat a pizza. It isnot a place where you get bored easily.

We found that less than half the riders wereCleveland locals. The others came fromCanada, Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania, theVirginias, Indiana, New York and even far-ther away. These mini vacations are madeeasy due to the close proximity of the airportand Cleveland Airport Holiday Inn.

A package deal with this Holiday Inn getsyou discounts on your room and the park.The hotel offers free airport pick up and shut-tles to the park. The Inn’s restaurant is rea-sonably priced (the waitress rememberedBrian Lopes coming in after riding at Ray’s),and we found the staff’s performance to beway above average. They make it really easyto fly in, ride, and get out without a giantding to the wallet.

Ray’s isn’t the only cool thing in Cleveland.It is home to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fameand the Great Lakes Science Center.Downtown Cleveland has plenty of greatplaces to eat, and for a major city, we foundeverything to be very affordable.

Multiple choices: Multiple line options keep every-one on their bikes. Heaters are strategically posi-tioned around the park, but as long as you are rid-ing, a long-sleeve jersey and a set of knee warmers

is all you need to stay warm.

Ray’sMTB


MBADESTINATION

Tecnic FS 900

www.lapierrebikes.com1-800-238-6377

Pump it up: The Gary Fisher pump trackhad our legs and arms burning. It isdesigned to encourage multiple circuits.No pedaling! That’s cheating.


FAX 714-288-1365714-288-2012 (or) 800-579-8932

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MBADESTINATION

YOU WON’T BE SORRY

We know what you are thinking. How could an indoormountain bike park be worth the hassle? It can’t take theplace of riding outdoors, but if you are looking at a foot ofsnow, knee-deep mud, temperatures below the thirties or abike collecting dust, Ray’s is the place.

You can get all the dates, deals and Ray’s swag at theirwebsite: www.raysmtb.com.

Free internetaccess.

Ray’sMTB

At your own risk: Ron Sellers negotiates one of the trickierstunts in the expert area. The swinging teeter-totter rotateswhile dropping to the next section.

Front Rear

The legendary FAT ALBERT now as an All Mountain twin pack. FRONT

Evolution SnakeSkin, DoubleDefense, Tubeless | 26 x 2.25, 26 x 2.40

for maximum steering control and braking grip. REAR optimized for

power transfer. Both have a lot more besides – SnakeSkin. The best

combination for Alpine crossings. www.schwalbetires.com

Alpine Association

Advisory: Always use

appropriate footwear!

Schwalbe North America

Elevator down: Ride on the platform and trackstand until yourweight lowers the platform to ground level. Looks easy, right?It takes a little time and nerve to work up to this stunt.

MBADESTINATION


Level playing field: The park is designedto encourage progres

-

sion. Sections for beginners, intermediates an

d experts are clearly

separated, so no riderhas to feel intimidated

or pressured.

Waiting for the pizza deliveryman at the fireplace area.

The season-pass-holders’ storage room.

Ray, BobbyDelaat and NinaBuitrago in therepair shop/rentaloffice.

Ray’sMTB


RAY’S SETS ANOTHER FIRST

TRI-FLOW XC INVITATIONAL

Ray’s has run a number of successful events that

cater to slopestyle specialists, but that was the prob-

lem. “Too many people think of Ray’s as a place for

stunt riders and jumpers,” explains Ray Petro about

his idea for an indoor cross-country race. “This event

was to let riders know you can come here to just

ride.You don’t have to scare yourself.”

Tri-Flow, a Cleveland-based lubricant company,

ponied up the lion’s share of the $5000 purse and

Ray made the event even more interesting (and fun

to watch) by limiting the invitational to women racers.

The result was a time-trial that took competitors

on six laps of the cross-country course with a differ-

ent section of the

intermediate skills

section thrown in

between each lap.

The big score: (from left)Judy Freeman, CatharinePendrel, Emily Batty, LindseyBishop and Melissa Thomaswith their trophies and pursewinnings. A Ray’s tradition isto pay the purse in bricks ofdollar bills.

Canadian invasion: Emily Batty, fromOntario, Canada, schooled everyone,even after being assessed a 15-secondtime penalty for not cleaning a section.The 20-year-old is a young rider to watchthis season.


MBADESTINATION

Hard effort: That’s not a smile on MelissaThomas’ face. The short time trial forcedthe competitors to pin it from the gun.

Talented field: World Cup Cross-Country winner andOlympian Catharine Pendrel borrowed a bike (hers wasdelayed in transit) and rode to third place. She almostmissed her flight home the next day because she rode forso long. What does that tell you about Ray’s?

Ray’sMTB

Be on the Cutting Edge!Be the first in your area to experience the fabulous ride of the Pronghorn.

BBZ has them in stock and ready to ship.

QUALITY BRANDS from QUALITY COMPANIES at BestBikeZone.com

Phone Hours: 9:30 to 5:30 M-F 10 –5 Sat PSTTrouble finding a part – email or call us

1 877 944 2453 - [email protected]

BestBikeZone.comSAVE to 80% atBestBikeZone.com1.877.944.245324 Hr Online Ordering

Titec Hellbent (Gold Level) RiserBar 1-1/2" Rise -640mm 280 gr

WTB Team Headset

Trilobit V 59• 26 x 1.9Great on Hardpack/tarmac

Enduro 4xCharybdis• 26 x 2.25 • 56TPIGreat Freeride/Enduro Tire

Acris V60• 26 x 1.90• 127 TPI (Pro Race)

Great on loose-soft terrain

AMMO 1• 130mm Travel • QR or 20MM Thru

Axle (15.00 Upcharge) • 34mm Steel Stanchions • Coil Spring • CroMo Steerer

AMMO 2• 150mm Travel • 20MM Thru Axle • 34mm Steel Stanchions • CroMo Steerer • Coil Spring• Plush and Tough

CARGO 1 AIR RLC or CARGO 2 COIL RLC• 130mm Travel• QR or 20mm Thru Axle

($15.00 upcharge)• T-SPUL Damping• Alum Steerer • Magnesium Lower Legs

SID Team• Dual Air 100mm Disc Fork • White w/ green decals OEM• 3.3lbs • Lockout

2 for 34.83 or4 for 59.83

RIDE ON TOP Technology

By mounting the suspension on the top tube Pronghorn Racing offers a more horizontal and forward distribution of the energy while increasing the stiffness and rigidity of the rear end. It rides like a hard tail uphill and a full suspension when you need it on downhill or technical trails. Pronghorn calls it Ride On Top – there is no energy lost when hammering up steep up hills or technical trails.A TOP MOUNTED suspension system that maximizes leverage and eliminates pedal bobbing.Ideal for the complete ride!

Complete Bikes from $2999.83 Call us @ 1.877.944.2453 to put together a bike or parts package and save big!

Short Technical Explanation

The sum of pivot points and the linkage design transfers the energy horizontally as you pedal. Normally on full suspension bikes the energy works vertically: The chain pulling the wheel up while the rider weight and pedal defects the energy down, causing pedal bob. On the Pronghorn the energy is instead translated horizontally into the seat stay which “locks out” when riding uphill and only reacts to the trail and not the riders pedal bob. The end result is a faster and more efficient suspension system that eliminates pedal bob.

The PR6 is made of a special (PR6) 6000 series aluminum designed especially for this frame. Combined with triple butted tubing the result is a very strong, rigid and High Performing frame designed for Speed.

Frame sizes & weights:

16.0" = 2.358 kg17.5" = 2.420 kg19.0" = 2.454 kg20.5" = 2.482 kg

1490 MTB WheelsetLighter than XTR – Disc Ready, Custom made cold forged 7075 Alum hubs/cartridge bearing.

FREE

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with frame pur

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2 for 39.83 or4 for 64.83

GREAT

WHEELSET

4" Travel

Scylla V 75• 26 x 2.10 • 56TPIGreat XC Tire

Harpie V 79• 26 x 2.25Great “Mudder”

Charybdis V 76 • 26 x 2.0• 127 TPI (Pro Race)

Great 4Cross/Freeride

Pronghorn Racing PR6 - XC Frame

PR 6 LT Frame 6" Travel $2049.83

TY C

Eye protection is an essen-

tial accessory in mountain

biking, because taking a

branch, piece of rock, a bug or

fl ick of mud to the eye can not

only ruin your ride, but obviously

cause serious damage to your

fragile peepers. Plus, face it, there

are some pretty cool glasses and

goggle designs out there for your

post-ride activities. Here are a

handful of new designs we think

you should know about.

Uppercut: Oakley’s new Jawbone performance sunglasses feature the new SwitchLock Technology, allowing the lower part of the frame rim to open to allow easy access for quick lens chang-ing. The design holds the lenses with a suspension system, so stresses on the frame do not affect the optics. Oakley engineered the pivoting system with a release mechanism that lets the wearer remove and replace the nosepiece with a different size to customize the fi t. The Jawbones are offered in a variety of col-ors and lens options. They also include a case and an extra lens. $250, (800) 431-1439.

Parallel universe: The Smith Optics Parallel Max is designed for light weight and comfort during athletic perfor-mance. Perfect for cycling, running or golf, the Parallel Max is compatible with a variety of interchangeable lenses. $149 (polarized lens), $100 (black lens), (208) 726-4477.

Take a gamble: The women’s-spe-cifi c Roulette sunglass from Specialized features a non-hinged, metal design. The lightweight stainless steel, non-folding frame features Specialized’s Adaptalite lens that adjusts to existing light conditions. The Roulette includes a Specialized hard case for safe storage. $160, (877) 808-8154.

Not blurry: If you’re looking to make a statement off the trail, the Tank sun-glasses from Blur are right up your alley. The Tank features a polycarbonate lens to protect your eyes from UV rays. $59, (800) 326-6325.

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

QUICK RELEASES


QUICK RELEASES

Mountain troop: Dean Optics broke onto the scene in 2008 when they were spotted on a handful of America’s top downhillers. The Trooper MTB goggle is designed with the mountain biker in mind and features form-fi tting foam, angular detailing, a fl exible polyure-thane frame and anti-fog lenses. The Trooper is currently available in white, black, blue, and red.$44.99, (760) 443-3344.

Premium performance: Oakley col-laborated with top female athletes to create Enduring sunglasses, an entirely new dimension of performance, fi t and style made exclusively for women. The Enduring frame is matched with Oakley’s Enduring Edge lens shape, a slightly larger size with enough attitude to take on any mountain terrain. For cooling airfl ow, select the vented lens edition. $155 (Iridium lens), $255 (Polarized lens), (800) 431-1439.

Fade in: New from Giro, the Fader eyewear has classic styling and an injection-molded frame too rugged for everyday life. The medium-fi t glasses have Italian-made 6-base Zeiss certifi ed lenses exclusive to Giro. The Fader is available in six frame and lens options. $90 to $100, (831) 420-4010.

Ryde in style: The Tangent glasses from Ryders feature interchangeable lenses and offer 100-percent UV ray protection. These medium-fi t glasses also have adjustable anti-slip nose and temple pads. $59, (800) 665-2903.

Beer goggles: Scott’s limited-edition Pub Crawl goggles are a spin-off of their popular Rivet model and feature the 89xi frame with a Lexan lens and tear-off pins. $89, (800) 292-5874.

X-up: The Gox goggles from Eks Brand feature a shatterproof, anti-fog polycar-bonate lens with tear-off posts. Every Gox package comes standard with mirrored gray and clear lenses, and the double-woven strap is silicone-backed to keep it in place. $45, (818) 592-6434.

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QUICK RELEASES


SHOWCASE


DRAW ATTENTIONTO YOUR AD WITH

FOUR-COLOR

SIZE 3x 6x 12x

1-inch 4/C $345 $330 $305

2-inch 4/C $520 $495 $455

3-inch 4/C $655 $625 $570

1/6 Page 4/C $935 $895 $855

Call or e-mail:DERRECK BERNARD

661.367.2153800.767.0345 ex153

[email protected]

WWWmbaction.comDerreck Bernard,[email protected]

There are bikes that look

absolutely silly when

viewing them from the

vantage point of ten years

after their birth. The 1999

Santa Cruz Bullit is not one of

them. This ten-year-old bike

needs little more than some

minor adjustments to look as

much at home on the trail in

2009 as it did in 1999.

No double

speak: The trend was mov-ing away from heavy, dual-crown forks to something like this Marzocchi single-crown Bomber Z1. The massive travel of this heavy-duty trailbike fork was a whopping four inches.

Shocking selection: The Fox Vanilla RC shock was the choice of the day’s downhill racers, so what was it doing on a trailbike? The weight savings of an air shock wasn’t worth the tradeoff in damping performance. Lug it up the hill and laugh all the way down.

Cheat: “Riding the Bullit downhill is almost like cheating,” said the MBA wrecking crew. We felt the 34-pound weight would limit the Bullit’s use as a trailbike, but for the thrill-seeker, it was the ticket. The fender was a nice touch.

Tough exterior: We called it a muscle-bound, full-suspension trailbike that was intended to bridge the gap between cross-country riders and North Shore stuntmen. The swingarm’s pivot location was positioned to reduce pedaling-induced bob.

DOWN THE TRAIL


maxxis.com

Race

� e Monorail

conditions change every weekend and so do my tires. On Maxxis I always know I have a tire that is up to the challenge no matter what the weather. — Geoff Kabush, Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain

MAXXLITE MEDUSA

Ultimate Lightweight hard-pack race tire

Low-volume cross country mud tire

200905 MountainBikeAction

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Transcript of 200905 MountainBikeAction