News: YT Announces new Australian Partner
Press Release: YT Industries redefines strategy with new partnerships
"YT Industries is happy to announce a new business partnership in Australia. The German direct brand has agreed to terms with Pushys as they redefine their business strategy to be closer to the Australian market and further strengthen the great relationship with customers Down Under. Day Zero Limited will continue to be a strong ally in New Zealand with both an online and offline presence.
Pushys and Day Zero Limited are YT’s choice partners for the mountain bike market in Oceania. Both partnerships give mountain bikers access to the whole YT product portfolio both online and offline.
YT Family members in Australia and those who wish to become part of ‘the fam’ can get in-depth information about all bikes on YT’s website. After reading up on each of the TUES, CAPRA, JEFFSY, DECOY and brand-new IZZO models and deciding on their bike of choice customers are redirected to Pushys for the final purchase. However, the Australian distributor also offers offline opportunities to service, see, touch and test ride your favorite YT thanks to a demo fleet, which will be available at the Pushys’ Flagship Store in the Aussie Capital, Canberra, from the end of May. Naturally, access to testing and servicing of bikes may be affected by local regulations concerning the Coronavirus pandemic. Customers are therefore recommended to inform themselves about the current situation before making the trip.
New Zealanders looking to get their hands on a new mountain bike can rely on Day Zero Limited for everything YT. Customers can browse through the product portfolio and decide on their dream bike online. Day Zero Limited also offers an offline service thanks to a showroom in Christchurch where riders can see the bikes in the flesh, get their YT bike serviced and even test ride the newest models. Yes, that will include the IZZO too. As is the case in Australia, access to testing and servicing of bikes may be affected by local regulations concerning the Coronavirus, so the YT Family in NZ should check online first, whether these services can be offered in the current situation. For now, the showroom is not open and test rides are not possible, but the servicing of bikes can be arranged.
“We are stoked that we have finalized a partnership with such an experienced company such as Pushys, which is already a successful distributor of mountain bikes in the Australian market. Day Zero Limited will continue to be our business partner for New Zealand. Day Zero Limited has been and will continue to be a highly reliable ally and has played a great role in establishing the YT brand in that market. We value both partnerships highly, look forward to consistently improve brand visibility, and are stoked to be bringing more of our bikes to mountain bikers in Oceania.“ – Markus Flossmann, CEO YT industries GmbH
News: 12-Speed Shimano Deore is Here!
Press Release: Fourth-tier Shimano MTB groupset brings proven 12-speed drivetrain and braking technology to the masses, with new 11 and 10-speed versions too.
Shimano has just announced their latest iterations of their Deore Groupset, with new 10, 11 and 12-speed versions added to their lineup. As per the usual case, the M6100 12-speed version features trickle-down technology from Shimano's XTR, XT and SLX groupsets and will, of course, will come in cheaper than any of their other 12-speed offerings.
We'll have a groupset to test soon, but in the meantime, keep reading to learn more about their new M6100 12-speed offering.
Crankset: The Deore 12-speed crankset will only come in a single-chainring configuration. Do you really need more than one chainring with 12-speed, anyway? It features the same narrow/wide tooth profile as the XTR, XT and SLX cranksets , so chain retention won't be an issue and the chainrings are direct-mount, so you can swap sizes to your heart's content. Available in 170mm or 175mm, with a 30T or 32T chainring and, in three different Q-Factors.
Rear derailleur:The 12-speed Deore rear derailleur will move your chain across the 10-51T cassette quickly and accurately. As you'd expect, the Shadow RD+ technology will help chain chatter to a minimum, and keep the chances of dropping your chain low.
Shifter:The Deore 12-speed shifter features I-SPEC EV mounting, give you a ton of flexibility to get your shifter in the perfect position, along with Rapid Fire Plus and a 2-Way Release, so you can move through your gears quickly.
Brakes:The Deore M6100 brakes come in a two pistion XC variant, or a four piston trail/enduro version. Both feature a redesigned lever, adding stiffness for better feedback as well as more power and as you'd expect, feature Shimano's Servo Wave tech, meaning the pads engage quicker, more power and a shorter free-stroke.
News: Lezyne Release New GPS Platform
Press Release: LEZYNE ADDS KOMOOT AND RELIVE COMPATIBILITY TO ITS GPS PLATFORM
"San Luis Obispo, CA – Premiere cycling accessories manufacturer Lezyne has yet again updated its advanced collection of GPS devices. This new update partners Lezyne with the innovative adventure-planning brand Komoot, and with the interactive sharing platform of Relive. This further bolsters Lezyne’s third-party compatibility that already features Strava, TrainingPeaks and Today’s Plan.
“We are very excited to team up with Komoot and Relive,” says Dillon Clapp, Lezyne’s worldwide marketing manager. “Both brands offer such a fun, interactive community, and we know our GPS users will be thrilled to have these additional features added to our GPS platform.”
The rapidly growing Komoot boasts over 10 million users and offers one of the best interfaces for planning and navigating routes around the world. When a Lezyne and Komoot account are connected, routes created with Komoot can be wirelessly sent to a Lezyne GPS device through the Lezyne Ally phone app. Once transferred, turn-by-turn directions are available, along wit a navigation trail overlay on the map screen (compatible devices only).
“Komoot is excited to partner with Lezyne to provide world-leading routing and navigation across Lezyne’s range of GPS devices," says Ben Thompson, Komoot’s director of business.
Relive features a community of over five million members, who can share their adventures using story telling, animated 3D videos and more. Now, activities recorded using a Lezyne GPS device and uploaded to Lezyne’s GPS Ally phone app or GPS Root website can be shared seamlessly with Relive, either automatically or manually.
Relive’s co-founder, Joris van Kruijssen, explains, "We are thrilled to welcome Lezyne users to the Relive community with this new partnership, enabling more people around the world to share their outdoor adventures like nothing else!"
Activating these new features with Lezyne’s GPS platform is free, but does require a quick update to the Lezyne GPS device and companion smartphone app (check the app store if automatic updates are not selected). If you do not have a Lezyne GPS computer, you can find more information here: https://ride.lezyne.com/collections/gps-devices.
Additionally, both Komoot and Relive offer a free version of their respective platforms, with upgrade options to unlock further comprehensive and interactive features."
News: Giro Launch the Manifest Spherical Helmet
Giro have just come out with a new helmet featuring the spherical technology we've seen in some of theirs, and Bell's, latest offerings. We've got one on the way for review, but in the meantime, keep reading to learn more about the latest helmet in Giro's line up.
"Why compromise? For the riders that demand the best equipment, meet Giro’s new Manifest™ Spherical helmet. With Spherical Technology™, best-in-class ventilation, full coverage and luxurious comfort, Manifest is the most premium trail riding helmet available.
Among the Manifest’s extraordinary features is Spherical Technology which utilizes a ball-and-socket design that’s powered by MIPS® to redirect impact forces. Developed in Giro’s test lab in partnership with MIPS®, Spherical Technology allows the outer liner to rotate around the inner liner during a crash, and eliminates contact with a hard plastic slip-plane against skin. Another major benefit of Spherical Technology is progressive layering—dual-density foam liners designed to address high- and low-speed impacts for more comprehensive energy management.
As you push your limits on the pedals, you’ll appreciate this helmet’s wide-open airflow. The AURA reinforcing arch bolsters structural integrity while allowing air to flow freely into a series of massive Wind Tunnel™ vents and internal channeling. Comfort and sweat absorption are enhanced by quick-drying antimicrobial XT2 padding. You’ll notice this cooling power when you’re hammering in the heat and it’s backed up by our test results (Manifest runs significantly cooler than other trail helmets and rivals our class-leading Aether™ road helmet). Fit and positioning adjustments are achieved with a redesigned Roc Loc® Trail Air fit system that offers dynamic strength and UV-resistance while improving ventilation and comfort. And it almost goes without saying—the Manifest’s sophisticated style and compact design raise the bar for performance and style."
News: Moving the Needle Podcast
MOVING THE NEEDLE : The Andrew Neethling Podcast
"In this show, Andrew sets out to pick apart the minds and strategies that Top Athletes and Industry leaders use to reach the pinnacle of their Sport. Including their early beginnings, bouncing back from adversity, and candid untold stories from life on the road. As a professional international downhill mountain biker, and now commentator, Andrew “ Needles “ Neethling brings 18 years of experience in all aspects of the Cycling Industry."
There are two episodes available to listen to right now! You can find them here.
Story: Powering a legacy
BOSCH X ROTORUA TRAILS TRUST
Maintaining trails takes a lot of effort. It’s tempting to think that the trail fairies just magically appear each evening and fix everything, after we’ve all been skidding through on a wet winter’s day - but believe it or not, those ruts you’ve just made actually don’t just magically disappear! Hard to believe right? Actually, they grow to the point where they are wheel swallowing monsters and soon that trail you used to love is no fun at all. But, if you’re lucky, a dedicated team of local volunteers may actually cart their tools into the forest and spend their weekends digging and keeping their local trails in as best condition as their small team can muster.
That’s how a pretty typical local trail network might operate. But, the trails at Whakarewarewa forest in Rotorua have grown so much in the last few decades that the sheer number of kilometres of single-track to maintain, would vastly overwhelm that model. Luckily for all of us, the economic impact that mountain biking has on the Rotorua economy has meant that the Rotorua Trails Trust (RTT) has been able to emerge to play a pivotal role in keeping the trails in fine form. However, even for an organisation like RTT, the network is vast and the staff are relatively few. RTT Trails Manager, Damian Clarke, was excited when Bosch (yes think eBike motors and power tools) approached the organisation looking for ways they might be able to work together to create a fun promotion for Bosch whilst maximising the efficiency of the manpower RTT has.
“Bosch approached us wanting to do something for Crankworx, and their idea was something like an ultimate trail-building E-bike. That idea sounded good but the more we thought about it, the more we realised that actually what we needed was a way to transport tools around our network - and particularly, we realised it was about carrying more stuff, more than even a rider could carry on an E-bike,” said Damian. “After a bit of thinking, we thought ‘what about an ultimate trail maintenance trailer?’”.
The idea was born! Soon local fabricator, and all-round bike guru, Jeff Anderson of Jeffson Bikes was involved to get working drawings for a concept, ready for approval. Jeff said that it had been a fun project to work on. “It’s been great to work with the Rotorua Trails Trust, they’ve been been really understanding of the process because with jobs like these - where we’ve never done anything quite like this before - everyone has ideas, but no-one quite knows how it’s going to work out. The funny thing is, that after a few iterations and versions explored, we’ve ended up pretty much right back where we started, but that’s all part of the process.”
During the process of design and review, the decision was made that actually, two trailers would be better than one - but each unique and with a specific role. “We realised there are two quite different parts to trail maintenance. There’s just your regular touch-up, smaller-level maintenance, and then there are the occasions where you need bigger, heavier tools as well,” explained Damian. “So we’ve ended up with two trailers - one single wheel trailer, that is great for taking less tools through tighter, more technical terrain, something we think could go down a Grade 4 trail; and a two-wheel trailer that is suited more to Grade 2 Trails, but could haul at least 50kg of equipment”.
Part of the design process has been to work closely with the staff employed by RTT to build and maintain trails. Casey King is a Trail Builder for Rotorua Trails Trust. Casey was enthusiastic about the new equipment and had his own perspective: “It’s going to be great,” he said. “It’s not uncommon for us to have to haul a lot of equipment around the forest - 20 litre fuel cans for the diggers; sometimes the digger is in the forest and we need a ‘rock bucket’, a claw type attachment for the digger, and that weighs 35kg. To be able to put that in the trailer and ride in to where we are working and just get on with it, is going to save lots of time.” There are also some safety issues that this addresses which will be great for users like Casey. “So often we would just be riding in with tools strapped on our backpacks, and there is a safety issue there,” he explained. “So it’s going to be great to be able to put all our tools straight in the trailer and not worry about that at all.”
All of this has created an interesting design challenge for Jeff. “We have to remember we are still pedalling this in, even if it is on an eBike. It’s that challenge to make it light and strong, and also maneuverable. They are shaped a little bit like a boat, which might look a bit funny, but we hope they can just bounce and slide off the inevitable trees that they will probably clip out on the trail.” Jeff is also keen to be a part of an ongoing process with RTT and see how the concept might evolve. “It’s going to be interesting to get feedback from the users and see how they actually use them and what we can improve.”
Casey also liked the quick removal design, “It’s looking really good - we can unhook the trailer in two seconds. We’ve got our bikes right there with us, so we can actually spend some time riding the section we might have just been working on, to see if we’ve achieved the kind of flow we are looking for - which is great.”
Of course, all of this has been made possible by Bosch, Damian explains. “Bosch have been really generous to us, not only they have paid for the trailer to get made, and have donated literally thousands of dollars of power tools for us to use on an ongoing basis, but they have really listened to us and partnered with us through this whole process, and we think we’ve got a really good, practical outcome to show for it. We’ve also got three Trek E-bikes that have Bosch motors on them, so it’s great to be powered by Bosch all the way."
Bosch documented the entire project and have a video due to release on the 7th May 2020. Stay tuned!
Words: Lance Pilbrow
Images: Cameron Mackenzie
News: Wahoo & Zwift Shred Sessions
With many trails closed, and athletes choosing to ride indoors in order to more easily maintain social distance, Wahoo has decided to help mountain bikers connect with some of the sport’s biggest stars through the Wahoo Shred Sessions series.
The Wahoo Shred Sessions will kick off on May 6th and will continue every Wednesday and Saturday (Time zone dependent) in May, with three times offered throughout each day to ensure that athletes in most time zones will be able to join. Each ride will feature a different Pro MTB rider serving as a ride leader, who will be available to chat with ride participants and ensure that the ride stays at a civil, inclusive pace where cyclists can ride together and commiserate about the challenges facing our community during this unprecedented global health crisis.
“With trails closed in many places, or too crowded to allow safe riding, we wanted to give mountain bike athletes the chance to ride together and socialize in a safe environment,” said Colin Eustace, Vice President of Global Marketing for Wahoo. “For many mountain bikers, this is a special opportunity to ride with some of the sport’s biggest stars -- the kind of interaction that would be singular and memorable, with or without a global pandemic.”
EWS Rider Caro Gehrig said; "When I approached our sponsor Wahoo to organize a single ride for the Enduro World Series riders I never thought a few weeks later we would end up at this and find ourselves with a list of the most decorated riders in the world keen to take part in a whole series! With no racing happening it is an amazing opportunity for the athletes and fans alike to ride together. It's a cool way to stay connected and fit at the same time through these troubled times, I can't thank Wahoo & Zwift enough for providing this virtual meeting ground. I can’t wait to meet some other riders and MTB fans!"
While the weekly rides are intended to be casual and social, the month will conclude with an MTB ‘Royal Rumble’ to give everyone the chance to race each other, just for fun.
Rides leaders will include Troy Brosnan, Brook Macdonald, Noga Korem, Sam Hill, Anita and Caro Gehrig and over 50 other Pro’s across Downhill, Cross-Country and Enduro.
There will be a total of 24 rides over the course of four weeks covering all time zones twice weekly. Complete information on the rides, including a separate list of times in other times zones and instructions for signing up, can be found here.
Other virtual events hosted by Wahoo athletes include Pete’s gravel ride with Pete Stetina, Frodissimo Fridays with Jan Frodeno, and Team Charles-Barclay Track Club with Lucy Charles-Barclay. Complete information on all Wahoo virtual events is available here.
Story: The sauce on the pie
When I joined Nelson College back in 2014, mountain biking was only a small thing. Rugby was the big thing.
I started out in Year 7 at Nelson Prep, which is housed in two little buildings in the middle of the big college. At the end of Year 8, Head Teacher Richard Nott (Mr Nott to you), decided to take the class on weekly mountain bike rides. I was still riding my mum’s bike - a Merida hardtail - and seeing someone do a bunny-hop completely blew my mind. For most ‘preppies’, this was their first time off-road and, for a few, their first time on a bike. I had never been riding with a group, outside of my mates, and it was great seeing everyone crash - unfortunately kids didn’t have phones to film it all back then. Nowadays, lots of the preppies have spent as much on their bikes as they have on their phones, and full-sus bikes, bunny-hops and fail videos aren't such a big deal.
Mountain biking at Nelson College is now one of its most highly participated in sports. Rugby is still a thing, but now more kids are riding than playing basketball or running around with oddly shaped balls. Students can now get school colours and awards for mountain biking, and the staff have taken note with mountain biking being actively promoted as a competition and participation sport. It’s not too difficult to see why, considering some of the best bike tracks in New Zealand are just ten minutes around the corner. More students are catching on, and shin scars and odd tan lines are now part of the school uniform. Looking at bike parts online during English lessons isn’t yet in the curriculum, but it’s certainly educational.
The college has partnered with Gravity Nelson for some after-school coaching for beginners and experts. I participated in these lessons for a few terms and learnt quite a lot. One of the most valuable things I learnt, was to remember my light battery for winter riding and sunscreen for summer. Luckily the Gravity guys and girls are prepared for the less prepared, and carry spares. Lessons last a few hours, which allows more than enough time to climb to the top of the hill, session some tech lines and practice technique - such as banana bum, which might be one of Gravity’s proprietary teaching tools. For younger riders there is a programme called Krankin Kids. While this is aimed at young beginners, it doesn’t necessarily mean easy trails. Older students are able to help coach and can be paid - and there is still plenty of time to complete our usual light load of homework afterwards.
In term two this year, the college sent 27 boys to Methven to compete in the South Island Championships. The Nelson College team won, with most of the boys having attended the Gravity coaching sessions - which was not just a coincidence. The school treated the event like most other national sports competitions and arranged transport and accommodation, along with a social studies teacher, Vaughan Watson (Mr Watson to you), to accompany the team - he deserves a big thank you for being able to put up with all of the lads.
As well as winning national races, the college has created its own local ones. Tim Tucker (Deputy Headmaster) has designed an urban cross country which includes sections inside the school buildings. This very popular race allows riders to do skids on the carpet and get the hallways dirty, and has now been running for several years. Funds raised go to good causes. Mr Tucker has also just released a new race at our local Codgers Mountain Bike Park, catering to all riders, with the downhill on the flowy P51 and the XC around the Jack’s Track area (no relation).
There’s often a few too many things going on at the same time, and I missed this year’s event because I had rock climbing for outdoor education on the same day, but that’s no bad thing. The outdoor ed’ classes have NCEA credits up for grabs, with mountain biking as a subject. Outdoor ed’ is open from Year 11 to Year 13 and is a pleasant way to get credits – and, unlike a few of the other subjects in outdoor ed’, ‘excellence’ credits for riding are available (possibly one of the few ways I’ll be getting some of them on my report card).
Nelson College has two boarding houses with around 130 boys. With those bike trails just minutes down the road, there are plenty of opportunities for a good after-school ride. One of the boarding house masters - Simon Mardon - has encouraged the sport by giving boarders free rein to build trails up the back of the school. (I wish my rein had been free). The goal is to build a pump track where the shooting range once was. Rifles aren't allowed at college so it’s currently dead space. This pump track will be open to everybody at lunchtime and will be ideal for the boarders after school. I’ve ridden with a few of the boarders - showing a few out-of-towners the local scene - and most are in it for the social aspect rather than racing.
Our teachers have also got their own riding community and some of them are competitive. My legendary outdoor ed’ teacher, Stephen Garside (Stephen when he’s bantering with the lads), came riding with my dad and his mates one evening when I was invited along. He beat all of us on the uphill - by miles - but hit the dirt on the downhill, trying to keep up with me (he might tell you otherwise). He also got a flat and had to borrow my dad’s spare tube. He returned it to me at school the next day, and if it wasn’t for my speedy alt-tab skills he would have caught me looking at bike part websites during geography.
We’re really lucky to have Dulkara Martig as an outdoor ed’ teacher - with her incredible outdoor experience (and she remembers teaching me to swim when I was five) - and Vaughan Watson who delivers entertaining mountain bike news (in costume) when he should be teaching social studies.
According to 2017 Sports NZ data, 13% of secondary students in the top of the South Island mountain bike, while just 5.5% play rugby. The same data for ‘young adults’ - 16 to 34 year olds, without kids, who have left school - shows 12.6% mountain biking while only 0.4% continue playing rugby. This tells me that introducing kids to biking is more likely to lead to them riding and being active when they’re older, whereas rugby…. The Sports NZ trend data also shows growing participation in biking (my dad looks at this stuff for a living).
So, Nelson College is on the right track, encouraging mountain biking, cooperating with Krankin Kids and Gravity Nelson for coaching, and developing our own fun races. Mountain biking at school is like a mince and cheese pie. It’s just better with tomato sauce.
Words: Jack Greenaway
Images: Leo Secker
News: My Kona: Aaron Hogg
Aaron Hogg is a senior graphic designer at Kona and you might be surprised to find out that Kona actually have a couple of employees based out of New Zealand. If you're a Christchurch local, you may already know Aaron. If not, watch the video and get to know him.