Freerider Mountain Bike Magazine #8

mountain bike magazine

Issue 08 | March 2012 | Free Downloadwww.freeridermag.in

EDITORIAL Winters are fading away and everybody seems to be having good time riding. We have been enjoying riding around and checking out few new toys.

BMX riders Paul and Ryan performed in Chennai and few cool people got together and organized a BMX and Dirt Jump event in Shillong. Nepal hosted its 11th National Mountain Bike Championships and is ready for the much awaited Yak Attack. We are stoked to see how our sport is becoming popular day by day with more events, new equipment and dedicated riders coming up!

We’d love to know what you think about the progressing scene. E-mail us or feel free to share your views on our Facebook page.

Vineet SharmaEditor-in-Chief

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NOTE: We have done our best to make sure that all content in this issue of Freerider mountain bike magazine is accurate, but would emphasise that we at Freerider mountian bike magazine accept no responsibility for any errors in the magazine/content or any errors caused to your computer while reading our magazine.

Freerider Mountain Bike Magazine#2434-A, Sector: 39-CChandigarh. 160036INDIA.........................................................This magazine is intended forfree distribution and is onlyavailable through our web portalwww.freeridermag.in........................................................Feel free to write or contribute.E-mail at: [email protected]

The Team:

Editor in Chief: Vineet [email protected]

Deputy Editor: Vinay [email protected]

Contributing Editor: Vaibhav [email protected]

Contributing Editors and PhotographersDuncan Philpott, Florian Strigel, Kevin Pabinquit, Naveen Barongpa, Rocky Khatra, Michael Overbeck, Jenny Lama, Jean Momin, Rahul Mulani, Vijay Pepper, Rahul Datta, Phil Evans, Core Elements, Dre Hestler, Margus Riga.

CONTENTSEXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Steve Peat | 3EXCLUSIVE STORYItaly with a difference | 8INDIAN TRAILS

KaisDhar| 18

HOT EVENTCycl0Bhp Challenge| 23

EXPOSED & FRAMEDMichael Overbeck| 31

WICKED STUFFBootleg Canyon Reaper Madness| 31FRESH JUICE

New stuff tested | 39TWENTY INCH

Rahul Mulani| 44

WHATS UPNepal MTB Championships| 47

STEVEPEAT

Meet the legend

Full Name: Steve PeatNickname: PeatyHometown: Sheffield, EnglandFavorite Drinks: Stella

Photography by: Duncan Philpott

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Freerider Mountain Bike Magazine | 3

FR MTB MAG: We have seen you shredding and winning – What’s the secret behind it?PEATY: I have been racing for many years now and have had lots of wins and also loses, dealing with the loses is a big part of coming back the week after and winning!!!

FR MTB MAG: What are your favorite types of trails?PEATY: I have been racing for many PEATY: Fast flowing terrain with a little bit of technical stuff thrown in there is best.

FR MTB MAG: Apart from riding and winning, what are your hobbies?PEATY: I like to Play golf, ride Motorcycles and spend time with my wife and kids.

FR MTB MAG: Tell us about your current bike and what makes it so awesome?PEATY: I am currently riding and testing the new Santacruz V10 ready for the 2012 race season, its light, fast and ultra awesome!!!!


FR MTB MAG: What are you plans for 2012?PEATY: I am planning on doing the whole World cup season, a few British Nationals and a selection of other races; I also have some big Video projects going on. “Won’t Back Down” is my movie I am working on with Clay Porter and John Lawlor which should be out at the end of the year and I also have some web vids coming along called “This Is Peaty” Fillmed by Joe Bowman.

FR MTB MAG: Tell us more about Steve Peat Syndicate.PEATY: The SPS is my development team based in the UK, we have 14 DH riders for 2012 and also a couple of Enduro racing guys. I get great satisfaction from helping the guys out and seeing when they do good at the races. It’s an awesome family atmosphere and we all enjoy being together.

FR MTB MAG: We believe there are many bikes in your garage, what is your favorite bike in your garage?PEATY: DH racing is my main passion so the new V 10 has to be the best bike for me. But all my other Santacruz bikes are awesome in there own situation.


FR MTB MAG: If you could ride with your favorite rider anywhere in the world, where would you go and with whom?PEATY: Damn! I have too many friends to name just one, but I would try and take, Brian Lopes, Josh Bryceland, Hans Rey, Sean Palmer, Kirt Vories and go somewhere warm with endless dusty downhill tracks with big burms to smash.

FR MTB MAG: What has been your most memorable race moment till date?PEATY: There are a few, winning my first Worls cup back in 2008 was big, winning at Fort William was massive and winning the Word champs in Australia was Huge.

FR MTB MAG: Have you ever got a chance to observe the mountain biking scene of India, Nepal or Bhutan – What are your suggestions/tips for the new riders here? Do you ever plan to visit here and ride?PEATY: I have not had chance to ride there yet but it sounds like a good place for a trip to check the trails out, I think the new riders just need to go ride and enjoy there surroundings, there is no better feeling than getting out on the bike and having fun with friends.Cheers…Peaty!


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ITALYwith a difference

Follow six friends at Bike Mountaineering adventure tours in the region of Valle d’Aosta, Italy.

Me and Tobi are sitting in the car heading for Bernardino Pass to Italy and expecting three days of biking in one of the most spectacular Alpine landscapes one can imagine. To reach our destination we have to negotiate massive traffic chaos in the Milan Area and we have to cross 30 Km of building sites with no road signs. To make things even better we are referring to a road atlas from 1996. Eventually, we ended up in the red light district of Milan instead of the highway to Aosta. Somehow, we managed to locate the highway at night and met up with Claude, Lev, Hannes Breckel of the Bro’s and Dave in our lodge. We ended up completing our crew that night.

Next morning we started with a good breakfast and a 2000m climb on which we had to carry our bikes along. We reached the start point of the tour by car. The drive was wonderful, through small winding mountain roads and ended in a large parking lot located next to a waterfall thundering into the valley.

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After getting that little boost we reached an area entirely covered with vertically stacked stones. We were getting slow because of the strong sun but it got more comfortable around the 2000m mark when the terrain became level again. Unfortunately, it was only for a short time before the steep climb started again. Our group was a mix of fit people, who were fast on the climb, and the slow ones who were taking it easy. Approximately an hour later we arrived at a rocky wall where a group of hikers were descending and could not believe their eyes after seeing us with our bikes in that area.

Soon we reached a small plateau at almost 3000m leaving the vegetation zone behind and facing a massive rocky landscape full of glacier remains. The area was full of debris surrounded by vertical cliffs and a hill which dips to a mountain hut in the Italian Alpine Club. We were welcomed by a group of friendly and joyful people at the lodge who could not believe their eyes, watching us in that place with our bikes. The bikes were being observed and photos were being clicked by curious people and we were offered tea. We were definitely the first group of people with bikes in that area.

Without wasting any time, we took off to complete the remaining 500m climb ahead of us. The air was noticeably thinner as the altitude increased. We finally reached the summit ridge leaving 1500m behind us and were exposed to a stunning panoramic view from the ridge. The scenery was breathtaking with huge ice-covered rock walls and glaciers snaking down into the valley. We were almost at the 4000m summit when we heard a loud crash as few blocks of ice were falling into the valley.


We started preparing for our departure by riding the trail we had been dreaming of. The trail flows through a very large slope falling down in the valley packed with many perfect turns which were not too tight, making us surf beautifully by doing nose-wheelies.

We soon entered the rocky section where trails were full of action in the high Alpine area.After discovering a big drop in the middle, our stuntman ‘Lev’ dared to attempt the first jump and joined us later as we kept on moving and shredding as we realized that sun set is not far away. The view was impressive all the way to our cabin.

After reaching the hut we got pats on the shoulder by the guests who were watching us the whole way with their binoculars and they tried to express their excitement in English which was not their language. Unfortunately, we had to say good bye to the wonderful people at the hut as we were running short of time and had to continue to raid the remaining 1500m of descent before us.


We were enjoying surfing our bikes on a hilly field with some small jumps until we reached a climb section which was not so easy to negotiate and we were extremely cautious about it as a fall could have been very fatal. The trail was flowing again and we entered beautiful meadows full of flowers and rode smoothly from each curve to pushing the bike over a small hill.

This fun moment suddenly slowed down when we entered the last entry section to the valley and the light was getting dim and a herd of cows became nervous by our presence in their trail. We carried our bikes carefully without disturbing the herd and entered the technical terrain again. The boulders on the trail were crossing each other making our ride super exciting. We finally entered on the cart track on which bikes could be fast and for some reason I was amazed how well the tires were holding up at 1 bar. We spent the night at a refuge and got ready for next day.

It was not at all warm after we woke up at 900m. The scene for our climb was very inviting with a massive waterfall thundering into the valley and glaciers covered peaks rising in the background and we craved to ride down the scenery which was perfect for a postcard. Later we reached the rocky desert where we saw a tent with and a couple wondering why would we want to climb the glaciers with our bikes on the back.

We were following the trail packed with boulders that lead over a ridge and were amazed by a breath taking view – a valley next to us immersed in a wonderful light breaking through the dark like an explosion from clouds. We wish we could stay longer to enjoy the scenery, but we had to descend down in the light. As evening was approaching we were enjoying riding downhill until another herd of cows blocked our way. Claude and Tobi ended up moving slowly through the herd but the cows became nervous and chased us for a while. The group soon decided to shoot out from their territory and let them enjoy grazing.

After this action-packed escape the trail became very challenging as it went right through a boulder field and to make it even better the grass was all over the trail camouflaging the debris. We had to make a lot of effort to complete this section which was fun in the end and we wished it lasted longer. We decided to break up into two groups – guys with a lamp and guys with a lamp in a backpack that used the natural glowing stones as trail guide.


The group following the rocks and stones were having more fun compared to the group locating the trail with their lamp mounted on helmets. Around nightfall we got to a village and were totally satisfied with ourselves and a broad grin on our faces and looked back at the 1700m finest downhill we ever did.

The weather was in our favor on the third day. However it was very windy and we had to reach around 3300m after having our breakfast. The trail starts with a very steep technical climb so we started the day quickly and were soon covered in sweat. We continued climbing a rock band holding the same rope secured to the first passage.


It looks difficult but can be climbed with little efforts. After completing the climb it’s time to hit the super narrow trail which is approximately 2 tires wide and full of loose sand and gravel. Most of the trail was extremely difficult and most of the sections were not safe for riding. We completed the remaining climb and left our bikes just below the summit because of the narrow ledge. We observed the massive descent in front of us while standing on the summit.


We geared up for the descent after a quick snack break. The descent started with a very technical section which has a vertical frightening deep fall down to the valley and we avoided taking unnecessary risk and entered a huge stone box where you have to go over boulders and slabs. Suddenly we noticed the ground has become soft and slippery and we had hard time controlling our bikes as the wheels were slipping and bouncing away. We managed to complete the section with a lot of concentration.

The following section was full of flow and offered us mixture of small and large jumps and to make the scene looks amazing – on our background Mt Rosa Massif was illuminated by the sun setting down beautifully. The trail was a combination of technical, long and steep sections and we were impressed how our bike tires were performing. The trail winded its way down through a dense forest and we rushed down through plants and could not see what was coming next except surprises.


We finished our ride into the woods when it started turning dark and soon reached the village in the valley. We spent our remaining days with a proud grin and said our final goodbye to one of the most impressive Alpine regions we ever explored.


IN


First and only dedicated MTB magazine ofIndia, Nepal and Bhutan

from the people who love to rideand keeps you up to date with

the latest news, events, reviews ofthe latest products and gear for mountain bikers

in India, Nepal, Bhutan and around the world.Our readers want to know about your products and services

KAISDHAR

Kullu is a broad, open valley formed by the Beas river between Manali and Largi. The valley is famous for its beauty with majestic mountains covered with Pine and Deodar forests and sprawling Apple Orchards. The course of the Beas river is a succession of magnificent forests, clad with Deodar trees towering above Pine trees on the lower rocky ridges.

Text: Vineet Sharma | Photography by: Naveen Barongpa & Musa


Our friends from Kullu & Manali got together on their bikes, back in winter of 2010, and decided to ride a trail. The ride turned out to be one of the most exciting the guys had undertaken.Kaisdhar – Located in Kullu is a wonderful trail that can be completed in a day. However, Naveen, Musa, Boney, Vishal and Sumant had different plans.


The gang started riding from Dhalpur and burned a lot of calories while negotiating climbs till Peej.

Peej, which is the top most point for this trail from where the single track starts with breath taking scenery. You can even shuttle your bikes to this place through a different route. Freerider Mountain Bike Magazine | 20

Lunch time was declared before hitting the single track towards Chaknari Temple located in the middle of the forest. The ride towards the temple is gradual and lasts for around hour and a half with a couple of obstacles and is surrounded by many trails which are perfect for trekking. The group found lot of snow in the upper forest area which is common during winters and decided to break into an abandoned forest guest house to survive the night.

Next morning they realized that the forest guest house is not abandoned as they ran into the guard. Luckily the guard was a friendly and understanding guy who became pally with the mountain bikers.

The guest house requires a permission from the local authority if you plan to spend the night. The house is neatly built and has three rooms with a kitchen and lots of space to pitch tents outside.

The next morning the boys returned to Chaknari and bombed all the way to Dhalpur. The route gets technical in between but the stoked gang rode the trail happily. They all decided to ride back to Kullu - which they did and lived happily ever after.

We will be exposing more trails soon! Don’t forget to share the trails and your experience on our blog:

http://trails-of-india-nepal-bhutan.blogspot.com


Text: Jean Momin | Photography by: Core Elements


In what can be termed as the birth of the OBhp biking, the Meghalaya ‘xBhp’ Sports & Adventure Club (MXSAC) in association with the Extreme Sports Association of India (ESAI) organised the First Northeast Cycl0Bhp Challenge on the 21st and 22nd January 2012 at Nongpiur Village, Upper Shillong, Meghalaya.

The First Northeast Cycl0Bhp event witnessed of the following series of challenges: 1.Super D Race (MTB) - India’s first.2.Super D Race (BMX)- India’s first.3.Freestyle BMX/MTB challenge -Northeast’s first.4.Cycling Awareness Rally

“Cycl0Bhp” as the name sounds is derived from the word “Cycles” and “0Bhp” where 0Bhp means Zero or ‘O’ Breaking Horse Power.

Cycling is an environmental friendly and healthy activity, hobby, sports or adventure, whichever one would like to call it. Cycling events are usually seen only in the northern and southern parts of India and such a sport is yet to gain popularity in our north eastern region. This is where the First Northeast Cycl0Bhp event stepped-in as a platform for the cyclists – the mountain bikers, racers, free-stylers and commuters on a new level.


Altogether 50 riders between the ages of 13 to 39 years from Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Delhi, Chandigarh, Dehradun and Ludhiana participated in the event. 50 riders for the FIRST Cycl0Bhp event was an achievement in itself.

For the First Super D Race, the track chosen was an old and abandoned downhill road of approx 2kms, starting from Sadew village and concluding at a football ground in Nongpiur. The track was specifically chosen as it included both off-road riding as well as riding on black topping tarmac with 18 sharp turnings and 10 single/double jumps to add more challenge and adventure. The Freestyle BMX Challenge saw 13 participants competing against each with flatland tricks.

This event also witnessed BBoying Challenge, BBoying by Zorinkima Chhunthang, Freestyle BMX/MTB show by EVOLUTION and rapping by Cryptographik Street Poets (Shillong’s own Emcee). In addition, DJ Hesper and DJ Vadesh from Bangalore entertained the crowd during the event as well as during a special Electro Dance Music (EDM) Session held at Tango Resto Lounge.



Meghalaya xBhp Community expresses its appreciation to its members, xBhp Hq., members from Voltage Entertainment, Knack Movement, Core Elements, San Shnong Youth Welfare Organisation and Extreme Sports Association of India (ESAI) for the support and involvement.



The community also likes to thank the sponsors and support from BSA Hercules (Gift Sponsor), Meghalaya AIDS Control Society (MACS), Rapsang Group of Industries, Tango Resto Lounge (Lounge Partner), The Eee Cee Hotel (Hospitality Partner), XSV Adventures (Adventure Partner), Perfect Digital Images & Eastern Panorama (Printing Partners) Mordani Multi Brand Outlet (Gift Sponsor), Yamaha Melody (Gift Sponsor), Mehra Store, EMRI 108 (Emergency Partner) and the Media Partners viz. Meghalaya Times, Free Rider Mountain Bike Magazine, Eastern Panorama, Meghalaya Daily and Media Plus. Not to forget Gregory Warjri, Matthew Leong and riders whose names are not mentioned for their effort in shaping the track, jumps and corners to almost perfection.

-(1st)Kevin Logan Kharlukhi, (2nd)Hakidabit Thangkhiew, (3rd)Brandon Kharkongor-(1st)Gregory A. Warjri, (2nd)Bryan Pariat, (3rd)Paominthang R. Vaiphei-(1st)Dame Wawki Hao Suiam, (2nd)Albert K. Nongrum, (3rd)Anil Thapa-(1st)Saihmingpuia Sailo (Mizoram), (2nd)Gregory A. Warjri, (3rd)Amar Gurung-(1st)Miller B. Renthlei, (2nd)Karan Sunar, (3rd)Laishram Loyanganba Singh (Manipur)-(1st)Just Do It, (2nd)Lildemonz, (3rd)Fancy Crew

Super D Race MTB (Junior) Super D Race MTB (Senior)Super D Race BMX (Junior)Super D Race BMX (Senior)Freestyle BMXFreestyle Dance (BBoying)

Meghalaya xBhp looks forward to work together in the near future, providing more opportunities and platform, shaping adventure sports and bringing about a change in whatever next!

Please introduce yourself to our readers.I have been shooting for just over a year now and I love it, it makes my life better and better every single day. It’s something that inspires me and brings me so much happiness. I am mainly a Bike, Ski and Lifestyle photographer, but I love going out of my comfort zone and shooting whatever I get the chance to. A big thing for me in my photography is trying to tell a story with my photos, I have always been a mountain biker, since as far back as I can remember.When I got in to photography, all I wanted to shoot was mountain biking. The fact that I lived in Whistler made it almost a daily occurrence where I could go out and take photos with many of my friends riding their bikes.

EXPOSED FRAMEDMichael Overbeck, a 15-year-old talented photographer from Whistler BC, Canada.

For how long have you been in mountain biking industry?I have been shooting photos in the mountain bike industry for about 8 months now but only have had about 4 months to shoot it because in Canada there is snow on the ground for half of the year. The time that I have been in the bike industry has really been awesome; I have met some of the nicest most down to earth people ever. Before I got in to photography I was out biking every day I possibly could, I’d get home from school and ride my bike till the sun went down, and now with photography I do the same (I just always have my camera with me now). I was a kid that was very in to the mountain bike scene. I got to know many people, which has really helped me out in my photography career!

Do you shoot anything else besides mountain biking stuff?-Yes! I shoot a lot of skiing all winter, and also I do tons of lifestyle photography, which I really love. To help pay the bills I do portrait/family shoots on the side, which can also be lots of fun as well! Mountain biking still has to be my favorite things to shoot for sure, it is just too much fun and it will remain a great passion of mine for ever.

Is photography your full time profession or do you have another job?As of now it is a part time job, it is currently the only job I have but I am also in high school right now and don’t have time to juggle around more than one job. I’d love to make it a career once I am done high school, it will be hard but I am sure I can do it! I love it and that is a big goal for me, which I’m going to give my all to accomplish.

You are busy with many assignments. Do you get time to ride out on trails?Even though I do many assignments weekly and juggling that with school can be very tricky, but I do get time to ride, which I need in my life! I find that when I’m just out riding my bike with friends I get very inspired by new ideas and it’s a really great way to find out new and cool places to shoot photos. Being part of the mountain bike culture helps inspire me, mountain biking will always be a big part of my life and I can’t imagine stopping.

Tell us who your main clients are.My main clients would be Ibis Cycles, Crankworx, Teva, Faction Skis, PWT Transit, C4 Racer Training, Whistler Is Awesome blog, Pure Source H2O. I have done stuff for SBC Skier mag and had my photos shown all over the place during Crankworx 2011 which was great. Most of my work is with certain people whom are not part of a company, such as bike shoots, ski shoots, and lifestyle/portrait/family photo shoots with clients that I’ve gotten the privilege to know personally over my life.

Who is your favorite mountain biker?Now that is definitely a tricky question but I’m going to have to say Brandon Semenuk 100%. He is an awesome rider and has taken this sport to a whole new level, he has so much style and flow and makes every contest run look as smooth as butter. Also, I grew up riding with him and learning things off him daily, trying out his bikes, and he was always around to give me pointers. Definitely a guy I want to shoot with for a few days.

What do you think about the progressing mountain biking scene in India, Nepal and Bhutan?I really think it’s the coolest thing ever, I love seeing the mountain bike scene all over the world, it is growing every single day and I only see it getting bigger. I would love to come visit India, Nepal and Bhutan someday! I hear the single track trails are one of a kind, and from what I’ve seen in photos it looks like one amazing place to be able to see and experience, especially with a camera and on a bike.


Photo: Michael Overbeck| Rider: Zender Geddes | Location: Whistler Bike Park


Photo: Michael Overbeck| Rider: Tyler McCaul | Location: Whistler Bike ParkFreerider Mountain Bike Magazine | 33

Photo: Michael Overbeck| Rider: Team Zerode | Location: Whistler Bike Park


Photo: Michael Overbeck| Rider: Zander Geddes| Location: Whistler Bike Park


BOOTLEGCANYONREAPERMADNESS

20 minutes south of Las Vegas, Nevada is the Town of Boulder city, and more importantly, Bootleg Canyon.

Bootleg Canyon is a year round recreation area aimed towards Mountain Biking. There is also several zip-lines throughout the hillside. Bootleg Canyon is known for its sharp rocks that love to slice through tires and tubes.

Text & Photography by: Kevin Pabinquit


SUPER DThe super D was a 10 minute course (9 for the pros), which snaked its way down right next to the shuttle road. Although there were no major climbs in the Super D, it was an extremely pedally course. The Super D race took place Saturday afternoon.

Pro Men results:1. Tom Doran2. Ryan Gardner 3. Leland Turner 4. Thomas Rivina 5. Jason Memmelaar

Pro Women results:1. Andrea Napoli2. Jacqueline Harmony


DOWNHILLThe Downhill course had a little of everything. The top section being very technical and slow, and the bottom section being pretty insanely fast. Every category went down the same track. Top pro time (3:58) was set by Mitch Ropelato. The iconic Bootleg Canyon rocks punctured an insane number of tubes throughout the weekend, including 3 of mine. Overall the Downhill track was a blast!

Pro Men results:1. Mitch Ropelato2. Mikey Sylvestri3. Kyle Sangers4. Bernard Kerr5. Graeme Pitts6. Kyle Warner

Pro Women results:1. Jacqueline Harmony2. Tasa Herndon3. Beth Roberts

UpLand M-5015UpLand bikes were recently introduced in India and we tested their entry level cross country bike M5015. We were surprised by the quality of the bike and the components provided in a reasonable price tag of 26,000 INR.

The Frame: UpLand 6061 aluminum frame is simple but has a sleek chain stay and seat stay. The gussets are placed where they should be and the cables are routed under the top tube which keeps them out of the way.

TESTED BY Vineet Sharma (Freerider Mountain Bike Magazine)


FRESH JUICE

FRAME: Alloy 6061-T6 DB | FORK: Rock Shox DART2 W/TurnKey | HEADSET: FSA Orbit ZS-3 Internal | HANDLEBAR: Truvativ STYLO SLSTEM: Truvativ STYLO RACE | SEATPOST: Truvativ STYLO RACE | DERAILLEURS: Shimano ALIVIO | SHIFTERS: Shimano ALIVIO | BRAKES: Avid Juicy Three W/160mm rotors | CRANKSET: Shimano ALIVIO | PRICE: 26,000 INR which keeps them out of the way.

FRAME BUILD / QUALITYCOMPONENTS

THE RIDEVALUE FOR MONEY

The components installed on this bike are usually found on much expensive bikes. Truvativ Stylo Stem and Handle bars, lock on grips and seat post. Shimano Alivio group drive, Avid Juicy Three hydraulic disc brakes with 160mm rotors. Sun DS2 XC rims and 26X2.3 Geax Gato tyres make the bike more appealing in that price tag. The fork is a Rock Shox Dart 2 with lockout and preload settings, but we are not complaining about it.

CONCLUSION: The first ride experience was brilliant. The M5015 offers excellent trail taming capability, neutral handling and great components in that price tag. These features are mostly found on bikes which are twice as expensive.


Toor not to

For those of us well versed with RockShox, we should be aware of the SID lineup of forks from their stable. And for the benefit of the uninitiated, the SID lineup is the epitome of the XC fork out there! It’s the kind of stuff every XC buff’s dreams are made of! They are rugged, super lightweight, tunable and very reliable.

I have finally placed my hands upon the lowest of the RockShox SID line-up – The SID RL 2012 model! This may be the lowest in the range, but by Jove, is she a neat piece of equipment! This one is a featherweight at just 1500 gms. Comes with a PopLoc remote lockout, Dual Air Spring and Dual Flow Rebound.

Needless to mention theMotion Control DNA damping that comes with all SID forks!

More on thesetech specs in our

long term test.

At first ride, the first thing that comes to notice is the responsiveness of the fork. We rode it on rough terrain, singletrack and also did a few small jumps and obstacles to check it out. The Dual Air Spring really allows for superb tunability – there are separate air chambers for positive and negative air pressures. Positive air pressure determines the amount of force required to compress your fork, while the negative air pressure affects the amount of force required to initiate suspension travel. Unlike a Solo Air Spring, this fork allows you to set separate pressures for both these chambers; hence much more control on how the fork responds according to the terrain or the riders needs.

The Dual Flow rebound is also very sensitive and you can tell the difference with a few clicks of the external rebound control knob.

The PopLoc Remote is also very convenient and ergonomically designed so as to not foul with the rider or confuse with the gear shifters.

An initial conclusion would have to be an ‘A’ – with more on the technologies and performance of this fork in our long term test! Watch this space.

TESTED BY Vaibhav Nijhowne (Freerider Mountain Bike Magazine)

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I do not like free-fall activities like bungee jumping. The thought of sky diving gives me the creeps. But I love DH! I pondered upon this oddity in my preferences for a while until I came across the answer to my idiosyncrasy. Brakes! Yes! Bikes have brakes, using which you can stop whenever you want. IF your brakes are good enough, that is!

SRAM have redone their Elixir Brakes for the 2012 season and we thought it would be good to test and review their upper mid range product. So we sourced a complete set of brand new 2012 Avid Elixir 9s. We installed and used them for a few short rides already and the initial feel is very confidence inspiring. The Elixir 9s are the middle of the lineup, with the Elixir 1s, 5s and 7s below them and X0 and XX above. The basic difference between the Elixir 7s and 9s is that the 9s have the Pad Contact Point Adjustment which controls the point in the levers throw where the brakeactually engages. The Pad Contact setting allows you to control the modulation of these brakes – whether you want a broader modulation over a long throw or a sudden power over a short throw of the lever. This is separate from the Reach Adjust knob, which allows you to control the distance of the lever from the handle grip according to the size of your fingers.

The fit and finish of the brakes, levers and calipers is spectacular and leaves nothing to desire. The black colour with the gunmetal levers is worth every penny. We will have more detailed scoop on these babies after we’ve given them a long term test, so keep your eyes open!

Claimed Weight: 358grams - with Carbon Blade Option (Front; Post Mount; 160mm)

Caliper Design: 2 Piston, Forged 2-piece Aluminum, Adjustable Banjo

Pad: Sintered, Top Loading

Fluid: DOT 5.1 | Mount: Ambidextrous

Adjustment: Contact Point Adjustment, Tool-Free Reach Adjustment, Adjustable

Special Features: TaperBore Technology, MatchMaker Compatible, Split Clamp

NINE LIVES Checking out 2012 Avid Elixir 9


NISHIKIMountain Bike Shorts

Give me one glaring difference between roadies and offroadies – the spandex (or lack of, in our case). There are

plenty of road riding padded shorts available across the bike stores in our country. But we did feel the lack of

decent mountain biking shorts to choose from. We came across a very interesting pair at a local bike shop made

by a brand called Nishiki – sounds very Japanese, but is far from. These shorts are made in India.

And made very well if I might add!

The outer shell is nylon – lightweight and quick drying, while the inner padded liner is a mix of polyester and

spandex. The shorts come with 4 pockets – 1 zippered pocket as well as 1 cargo pocket on each side, so you won’t

feel the need for more storage. The quality of the fabric, liner, stitching and zippers is fine. The only noteworthy

drawback with these shorts is that the inner liner is not removable. On the trail, the shorts have been used a fair

amount and they may not be at par in terms of pad comfort with the best on the market, but given the reasonable

price tag of INR 1200, one cannot complain at all. All in all, they are a value for money deal and we would suggest

them to anyone on the lookout for a decent pair of MTB shorts! You can purchase them at Rajesh Cycle Trading

Company’s Track and Trail Store at Ghittorni, NCR.



Twenty Inchiiiiii We interviewed one of the pioneers of the Indian BMX scene – Rahul Mulani who has been riding since

the 80’s. We sat down to get to know him little better.

Full Name: Rahul A . Mulani | Nickname: MulluHometown: BombayFavorite Drinks: Monster, single malt, beer, coffee-(black)Music: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Coldplay, Black Eyed Peas, Collective Soul, Lynyrd Skynyrd........it goes on.

1. When did you start riding BMX?1987. I met a few guys who were also as clueless as me, but none-the-less we had the BMX bike, the passion and the will. We hooked up and started BMX-ing.

2. Who influenced you and how?..well at the time when we started, we only had access to a few magazines, remember there was no internet, no You Tube, no computers ( well atleast i did not have one ) . So we knew of riders , like Martin Aparijo, Eddie Fiola, Woody Itson, RL Osborn, Brian Blyther, Mat Hoffman, Dennis Mccoy, Kevin Jones, Mark Eaton, all of the plywood hoods....and many more. Since we knew pretty much nothing, anything they did, we tried, and started learning tricks like the side glide, fork glide, endos, lawnmowers, cherrypickers, decades, boomerangs, infinity rolls, and more,. We also rode street -- not like today’s dudes!! But yeah, the street scene in BMX was just getting started with the “meet the street” contests by Ron Wilkerson. So we learned to bunny hop high, rode down steps, did drops ( hucks) , and tried to bunny hop onto old cars!!

3. What do you do for living?BMX is for fun, I knew that I could not make a living out of it, and did not even want to. I love it too much to make it “ work” . So I do what I can do best...voices. I do voices for films, radio, tv etc. I’m also the co owner of an audio production studio.

4.We know BMX is your thing, but do you ride mountain bikes? Yeah I do. Thanks to Sami Makki for getting me into that! One more place to spend my hard earned money. I got riding a MTB back in 1997 or so when I got my GT Ricochet. I still got that frame. Anyway it was a nice light XC bike, and it got me started. Then I met Sami, and we rode together, and soon I was bought his Iron Horse dual sus, then I sold that too and now I ride a Ghost Dual Team, tricked out with Fire Eye and Sram parts.

5.Your greatest achievement to date? Learning to ride.


6. Your worst cycling experience? Anytime I ride I feel happy...so none really.

7. What are your current and future goals in life and what are you doing to achieve these goals?My goal as far as BMX is concerned is to make it as popular here as it is in USA/UK/Australia /Malaysia etc. I’ve opened to the doors to BMX bikes and parts with my shop “gear”. I’ve held contests and done demos, and will continue.

8. What bike do you ride? BMX: Sunday bikes 3rd Wave (street), Flatware the Waltz (BMX flat) -- both tricked out with Odyssey parts. I also have super fast race BMX by Standard Bykes. It’s made in the USA. Ive got a couple of old school GT freestyle tours, and a GT BMX scooter. MTB: Ghost Dual Team.


9. You have been organizing many BMX shows and have also been invited to many places for demos. Do you have any favorites?I have fond memories of all the shows. Most memorable ones would be the show at Xavier’s college fest “Malhar”; and when I met Brian Blyther here in Mumbai.

10. Before we wrap it up, do you want to give any shout-outs or Words of advice? BMX is about having fun, and enjoying the company of your friends. Its about motivating each other, feeding off one another, Learning from each other. If you cant nail a trick today, come back tomorrow and try it again, go ride something else today. Do your favorite trick to make you feel good.

Thanks to everyone who supported me in BMX, thanks to friends and family for the ecouragement.

Nepal National Mountain Bike Championship

11th11th Nepal National Mountain Bike Championship were held in Nepal and witnessed

great action during 6th National Game.The race was held over 6 5.9km laps which

climbed around the Kali Temple in Dhulikhel. The race was composed of jeep tracks and

some challenging sections of single track, steep climbing and some fast downhill. It was

a great weekend for mountain biking in Nepal with the top riders turning out for the race

and a great atmosphere in Dhulikhel. The Nepal Cycling Association - Kavre gave great

technical support for the race.

1st - Ajay Pandit Chhetri

2nd - Raj Kumar Shrestha

3rd - Narayan Gopal

Official Race Results

Text & Photography by Jenny Lama ( Himalayan Singletrack )


http://www.himalayansingletrack.com

GT Bicycles is proud to announce its partnership with Atherton Racing. Beginning in 2012, the mountain bike race team of Dan, Gee, and Rachel Atherton, will join non-family GT rider Marc Beaumont and form the new team GT Factory Racing. “Atherton Racing is one of the most progressive teams in the history of mountain biking, and is known for taking the sport to the next level,” said Mark Peterman, Global General Manager GT Bicycles. “We’re excited about the partnership because it both continues GT’s legacy as the brand that helps progressive riders push their limits, and because of the opportunities it presents to develop new products.”

Over the past five years, Atherton Racing has seen over 50 professional victories and multiple World titles. For the first time, the Atherton team will also include a non-family member with GT rider Marc Beaumont. As a consistent World Cup downhill rider with podiums in some of the world’s greatest Enduro races, Beaumont will compliment Gee on the UCI DH circuit, and Dan on the Euduro circuit, as his focus has shifted towards Enduro-style events. The team will be riding the GT Fury, Sanction, and Force Carbon and Alloy.In addition to racing, the team will provide important product testing feedback and work hand-in-hand with GT on future product advancements and the next evolution of GT mountain bikes.

“The new relationship that’s formed between Atherton Racing and GT has opened up so many opportunities for everyone involved, I’m stoked to be going into the next few years of racing being bolstered by a company with such a passion for the sport, and with a company that’s drive for the top step of the podium, matches that of my own,” said Gee Atherton.

GT Bicycles and Atherton Racing Join Forces


YAKATTACKThe organisers of Yak Attack, “The highest mountain bike race on Earth” are proud to announce a new title sponsor in the shape of UK based, fitness consultancy and performance nutrition products developer, TorqFitness.Torq have been involved with the Himalayan stage race ever since Matt Hart, company director, took part in 2008, supporting Nepali riders, supplying Torq performance products for the event and even coaching Nepal National MTB champion Ajay Pandit Chhetri.

Now, with a company of Torqs reputation by their side, organisers are confident the race will go from strength to strength, being able to fulfil its ideology of using event profits to benefit the Nepali mtb scene and working towards assisting a Nepali mtb team qualify for the 2016 Olympics.The 10 day stage race, kicks off in less than 5 weeks. Competitors from Nepal, UK, Eire, USA, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Canada and Australia will ride out of Kathmandu on the 3rd of March with 400km off mountainous trails ahead of them. After 4 days of riding through the Himalayan foothills, the course then heads into the mountains proper with 4.5 days of climbing, peaking at 5416m above sea level. Its then 4300m of descent in less than 100km to finish at the hot spring resort of Tatopani.

2012 is set to be the biggest and most exciting Yak Attack to date. The previous 5 years have seen Nepalis take all the podium places and only 2 stages have ever been won by international riders, but this year things could change. Team Topeak-Ergon USA are sending out 2 riders, in the form of Jeff Kerkove and Sonya Looney, both endurance specialists living in Colorado and so already used to the altitude. Paul Bolla, the 2011 2nd placed international, is returning for a second go, fitter and stronger, and Keith Green, last years medic will be trying his hand at racing this year. Couple this with some very strong riders from the UK and Germany, amongst others, and the Nepali boys have a very real battle on their hands this year. The clever money still has to be on Ajay Pandit Chhetri however, after his coaching from TorqFitness, he has has a second place in Trans Wales, narrowly missing out to Matt Page, a 52nd placing in La Ruta and has been training hard on home soil for the last 2 months.

To follow the riders progress during the race check into the race website www.yak-attack.co.uk where reports/results will be posted daily from March 3 or follow Yak Attack on Facebook.

Entries for the 2013 race will be open from March 31.

By Phil Evans

BC Bike Race is far more than a race. While it may be the best seven days you’ve ever had on a mountain bike, that’s only part of the story. BC Bike Race is an adventure and an experience. It’s a tour of British Columbia’s West Coast - the trails, the towns, the lifestyle. There’s something different about BC, even how we get around. The rugged coastline means you’ll be crossing mountains and oceans, by boats, planes, busses, and bikes. You’ll travel on the world’s largest ferry fleet, thanks to their partner, BC Ferries. You’ll camp beside the Pacific Ocean one night and at the foot of a majestic mountain range the next.

Check out more details and registrations at:www.bcbikerace.com BCBR: June 30 - July 7, 2012

Text by: Dre HestlerPhotography by: Margus Riga Freerider Mountain Bike Magazine | 50

http://bcbikerace.com




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Freerider Mountain Bike Magazine #8