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 CONTENTS
VOLUME 34, NUMBER 6
FEATURES
34 Girls Who Shred
PRODUCT FIELD TESTS
40 Northwave Clan Shoes
JUNE 2019 Caroline Buchanan tells her story Entering the flat shoe market

46 Am I a Fat Biker? 41 OneUp Dropper Post

BIKE TESTS Neil Shirley answers a Shim it to your liking
28 Marin Mount Vision 9 tough question
A trail bike with a unique suspension 64 Shredmate Bike Sensor
platform 48 Riding Through Israel Show how hard you shred, mate
Photo epic by Martin Bissig
42 Warphen M160C 66 WTB Tires
From dream to reality, a new bike 68 Tale of Hope Fast rolling with extra protection
was born Touring Hope Components

58 Specialized Stumpjumper 76 American Hero TECHNICAL

EVO Carbon Shootout Finding passion after war 90 Garage Files
Small wheels versus tall wheels Adding Air Tokens to your shock
88 Avoid a Pack Attack
82 Diamondback Sync’r Tips for a better-fitting pack 94 Inside the Pros’ Bikes
Carbon Aaron Gwin’s new M29
Plus-sized, hardtail ripper

On this page: Collin Drake rounds

a corner during the Pedalfest race
series in Santa Clarita, California.

WARNING:
Much of the action depicted in this magazine is
potentially dangerous. Virtually all of the riders
seen in our photos are experienced experts
or professionals. Do not attempt to duplicate
any stunts that are beyond your own capa-
bilities. Always use discretion and wear the
appropriate safety gear.

4 www.mbaction.com

TOC_JUNE_19_.indd 4 3/22/19 10:12 AM

 DEPARTMENTS 20 Trail Mix
Snap a photo and send it in
4 Table of Contents ON THE COVER
Don’t move, you’re here 24 Ask MBA The Marin Mount Vision 9 takes the upper
Let’s hear your questions position, while the Warphen M160C, two
8 B’s Buzz Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Carbon bikes
Brandon talks first-ride rituals 26 NICA League (one with 27.5-inch wheels, the other with
High school team of the month 29-inch wheels) and the Diamondback Sync’r
10 Zap’s Column Carbon take the lower position. Photos by John
Blast from the past 100 Quick Releases (“I want to try a 29”/27.5” bike next”) Ker.
Check this stuff out Design by Eduardo Gutierrez.
14 Hardtales
Josh Carlson’s EWS bike, SixSixOne 104 Down the Trail
gives back and more A walk down memory lane

18 Trailgrams
Tell us your trailside stories

JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 5

TOC_JUNE_19_.indd 5 3/22/19 10:13 AM

 19
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 B’S BUZZ
My Neighborhood Cruise
By Brandon Castelli / brandon@hi-torque.com
E
very time I receive a test bike,
I put it through my unique pro-
cedure in an effort to become
familiar with my new friend. I often
refer to this break-in process as my
neighborhood cruise. What is sup-
posed to be a quick ride up and down
the street to bed-in my brakes and test
out my initial suspension setup often
turns into a late-night ride home under
streetlights. Let me explain.
WORK BEFORE PLAY
The standard protocol for test bikes at
Mountain Bike Action is before the tires
ever hit the dirt, we shoot each bike in our
photo studio located downstairs below our
cubicles. Oh, and by the way, when I say
“we” photograph the bikes, I’m referring
to our Hall of Fame staff photographer
John Ker. If you know John, then you
know his all-too-familiar saying, “Just one
more time.” This saying usually refers to a
test rider needing to repeat a jump or rail
a corner for the 20th time in a row. His
obsession with snapping the best photos
possible follows him into the studio. After
I’ve patiently waited for my new ride to
receive all of its mug shots, it’s transported
to its temporary home—a high-security
facility better known as my garage. This is
where the whole story begins.
8 www.mbaction.com
Bs_Buzz_8.indd 8
FINALLY, TIME TO RIDE
I’ll often spend about a half hour
playing with my suspension settings and
double-checking that every bolt is tight-
ened to its proper torque spec. Before I
know it, a helmet appears on my head, and
while I’m wondering how that got up there,
a pair of headphones pops into my ears.
Some old cycling shoes manage to lace
themselves to my feet, and just like that I’m
off. I watch as my garage door goes down
and begin to get hyped as my music goes
up. My neighborhood is printed like a map
in my mind, allowing me to tell you about
every patch of dirt in a five-mile radius. I
can tell you the best curbs for getting the
most air, or I can show you the ruts I’ve
ridden in to look like berms. Once I’m on
my bike, addiction takes over and I can’t
stop. My rides around the neighborhood
turn into laps, and then those laps grow
bigger. I find myself jumping off anything in
sight and sprinting down the streets as if
I were a 10th of a second off the podium.
These rides have even taught me valuable
skills I can later take to the trails. Manuals,
cutties, bunnyhops and other moves are
best learned right in front of your house
before you attempt them in the dirt. Riding
around the neighborhood is not nearly as
exciting as shredding a singletrack, but it’s
a child-hood antic I never want to give up.
It just feels right, and I can’t explain why.
“
Riding around the
neighborhood is not nearly
as exciting as shredding a
singletrack, but it’s a
childhood antic I never
want to give up. ”
MORAL OF THE STORY
If you’re anything like me, then you enjoy
riding your bike any time and on whatever
surface is currently available. When you
don’t have time to hit the trails or it’s too
muddy to ride them, go ahead and give
your local neighborhood a try. Sure, it
might not be as exhilarating as blasting
down a singletrack, but it will allow you to
practice essential skills for your next ride
off-road. You’re likely to encounter some
funny looks, ripping down the streets like a
child who just got a new bike on Christmas
day, but if you’re having fun, who cares?
For me, a day spent riding a bike is better
than any day off one. It doesn’t matter if
your idea of a bike ride is barreling down
a trail at top speed or just getting out after
work for exercise. The only thing that truly
matters is that you go out and ride. ❏
Follow me at
brandon_castelli
3/19/19 11:14 AM
 BACK TO THE FUTURE
By Zapata Espinoza / zap@hi-torque.com
Jake insisted
on hoisting my
daughter Xakota
for this photo.
S
trange bedfellows indeed, but it was a Netflix documentary
on the wild and crazy days of the infamous ’70s New York
disco, Studio 54, that got me thinking about the
glorious days of the NORBA Nationals.
I know many of you are probably wondering, “What is this
NORBA you speak of?” Well, back in the day—actually, 1983—a
handful of NorCal mountain bike pioneers created the first truly
organized racing organization, which would eventually go on to
be the underpinning of all of the sport’s greatest innovations and
growth.
So, now you might be asking yourself, “What the heck does a
chaotic and decadent dance club filled with a treasure trove of odd
characters have to do with mountain biking?” Well, that’s just it,
the NORBA (National Off-Road Bicycle Association) National series
was no less a treasure trove of oddballs and lovable freaks than
anything the Big Apple could offer up.
THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
Although any connection between the disco and mountain bike
communities escaped me for the first half of the documentary, as
one frequent visitor lamented, more than anything, Studio 54 was
a place for the “beautiful people.” That phrase struck me like a bolt
of lightning.
For me, looking back on the halcyon days of the world’s premier
mountain bike racing organization was filled with no less emotion
than this club-goer felt reminiscing over the ecstasy of what was
found under the strobe lights and speakers blaring disco music.
Recounting the cast of characters, intrigue, fun and adventure of
those NORBA days is worthy of far more pages than I can commit
to here. Just as it was with Studio 54, the NORBA Nationals existed
10 www.mbaction.com
Zaps_Column_10.indd 10
at a time that will never be repeated. Despite my bias, I’ve done
my best not to indulge my inclination to believe that the racing
we enjoyed decades ago was any better than now (even though
it really was). I tell myself that it was just different. But, it too was
filled with beautiful people.
AND THEN THERE WAS ONE
I saw the Netflix show around the same time there were some
heated discussions about the criteria for being inducted into the
Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. It seems that every year there is
some level of drama that arises about who should be nominated,
but this time around, the MBHoF was looking at revamping the
entire voting process.
As coincidence would have it, I got a call from my old friend
and fellow Mountain Bike Hall of Famer Steve Boehmke, who
was calling to make the case that SoCal downhiller Jake Watson
should get nominated. Per the (old) rules, a person could be
nominated so many times, and if they didn’t make the cut, well,
that was that.
Just as many of you wondered what NORBA was, I’m sure
you’re now wondering, “Who was Jake Watson?” Jake was a
pedaling phenom of large proportions. He was tall, lean and
muscular. If there has ever been a more fitting nickname given to
a rider than the one given to “Earthquake Jake,” I’m not sure I’ve
heard it.
During his racing career, Watson rode for Mountain Cycles,
Marin and Diamondback. Unfortunately, Jake is most remem-
bered not for his racing record, but for his death following a crash
during a practice run at the Keyesville Classic in 1998.
Steve was actually getting choked up thinking about Jake and
how he deserved to get into the MBHoF. “He was such a good
dude,” Steve reminded me. “Everybody loved Jake. Why can’t
there be a MBHoF category for people like him?”
I knew Steve was not alone in this sentiment. Head over to
the www.cbklunkers.com website and you’ll find the following: “It
would only be fitting that someone so special and so influential to
the sport of mountain biking be someday inducted posthumously
into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame.”
It would be fitting, but it wouldn’t be right.
THE PAIN OF STANDARDS
Just to be clear, the nominating committee of the MBHoF is
not some star chamber of elites. It is made up of well-intentioned
people who have dedicated their lives to the sport. As I told Steve,
inducting Jake under a sentimental category would just create a
slippery slope. There was no doubt that Jake, who, as Troy Lee
said at his eulogy, “Was a guy who lived life to the fullest […]
with a heart as big as his shoes!”, deserved to be remembered.
But, and I hate saying this, in purely objective terms, Jake
never accomplished anything worthy of being in the MBHoF.
Even as the Hall is looking at restructuring the process, it is still
an institution that has to maintain certain standards. The fact
that someone was dearly loved and his or her absence evokes a
sense of sadness and profound loss cannot be the basis for being
admitted.
As a way to console Steve (as much as myself), I told him this:
“We are lucky to have had the unique honor of being part of a
great history. If Jake never gets inducted into the MBHoF, it is up
to those of us who had the privilege of knowing him to remember
him.” That’s what I’m hoping to do here. We miss you, Jake. ❏
3/19/19 5:02 PM
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 HARD TALES

Up-Close Look
At Josh Carlson’s Giant Reign
We stopped by Giant’s USA headquar-
ters in Newbury Park, California, for an
early introduction to the 2019 Giant Factory
Off-Road Team. Upon our arrival, a Fox
Shox truck parked out front immediately
caught our attention, as it was only last
year the team made the switch to DVO
suspension. We made our way over to the
Giant team truck to be met with friendly
faces, although you’d likely recognize these
faces with less of a smile and more fire in
their eyes.
We asked Giant’s Senior Product
Marketing Manager Andrew Juskaitis
why the team made the switch this year forth between a coil spring and an air
to Fox, and he expressed to us that the shock throughout the season depending
cross-country team wanted a lighter option on course location. All we can say at the
than what DVO was currently offering. This moment is how rad this bike looks and that
decision brought a partnership with Fox to we wish Josh the best throughout his race
the entire team—from cross-country to season.
downhill.
We snagged Austrian enduro racer Josh
Carlson and his Giant Reign to bring you
a closer look at his race rig. The bike fea-
tures Shimano’s 12-speed XTR drivetrain
and brakes, along with Fox suspension
and a cockpit from PRO. His bike also
features many house-brand parts from
Giant. Josh told us he will swap back and

14 www.mbaction.com

Hard Tales_14-15.indd 14 3/20/19 9:53 AM

 CARLSON’S 2019 SPONSORS
Suspension fork/shock: Fox
Wheels: Giant
Tires: Maxxis
Pedals: HT
Drivetrain & Brakes: Shimano
Bar stem: PRO/Shimano
Saddle: Giant
Seatpost: PRO/Shimano & Giant dropper
Cycling shoes: Giant
DH/enduro apparel: 100%
Cycling eyewear: 100%
Helmet: Giant & 100% (enduro and
full-face)
Gloves: 100%
Grips: ODI
Computer: Giant NeosTrack GPS
Chainguide: MRP
Other: Honey Stinger nutrition, Park
Tool, Finish Line lube and cleaning
products, Thule racks, Jaybird head-
phones, GoPro cameras, Stan’s tire
sealant

Cam Zink and

His 27.5/26-inch
Mixed Wheel
Sizes
Many readers were likely interested in
the fact that Cam Zink was running two
different wheel sizes on his YT Tues bike in
our “Inside the Pros’ Bikes” section of our
May issue. Kyle Strait had told us months
ago about how Cam was running a 27.5-
inch front wheel and 26-inch back wheel
at last fall’s Red Bull Rampage. We asked
Cam how he got the idea for the mixed
wheel sizes, which required a customized
frame to accommodate the two different
wheel sizes. We also asked him if any Cam Zink’s front wheel is 27.5 inches, while the rear wheel is 26 inches. The rear triangle
of the bike’s frame was customized to maximize the bike’s handling with two different
of the other riders at the Rampage were wheel sizes.
running the non-matching wheel-size com-
bination. er chainstays. The front tire gets more Cam had told us previously that the
“I don’t think anyone else runs it,” Cam grip and better tires, etc. The rear gets 26-inch rear wheel makes it easier to spin
told us, “but I just came up with it because lower gyro and rotating mass, plus shorter 360s in the air, thanks to the reduced
it really only matters in the rear for short- chainstays.” gyro-stabilizing effect of the smaller wheel. ❏

JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 15

Hard Tales_14-15.indd 15 3/22/19 9:13 AM

 www.mbaction.com
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
BRANDON CASTELLI • MANAGING EDITOR
brandon@hi-torque.com
SEAN McCOY • EDITOR
ZAPATA ESPINOZA • EDITORIAL ADVISOR
JOHN KER • SENIOR EDITOR
RICH BARTLETT • ASSISTANT EDITOR
AIDEN CHAPIN • EDITORIAL INTERN
GIAN PAOLO GALLONI • TECH EDITOR
JODY WEISEL• FEATURE EDITORS
KATHARINE McCOY

TOM HINZ • ONLINE EDITOR

TomH@hi-torque.com

ART DEPARTMENT
EDUARDO GUTIE´RREZ TORRALBA • DESIGNER
NELSON LUI • ASSISTANT DESIGNERS
JACKIE CLEVELAND
ALMA MARTíNEZ de DICSÖ
CASSANDRA MITTELBERG • COPY EDITORS
STEPHANIE SUN
PAT CARRIGAN • PHOTO ARTIST
WILLIAM C. HAWLEY IV • PRELIM COORDINATOR

VIDEO DEPARTMENT
TRAVIS FANT • VIDEO PRODUCER

ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT
ROBB MESECHER • NATIONAL ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
DERRECK BERNARD • ADVERTISING MANAGERS
CHRIS STANGL
JOHN BARILA
CHRIS VALDES
JENNIFER EDMONSTON • ADVERTISING PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
LISA BURDICK • ACCOUNT ADMINISTRATOR

ROLAND HINZ • PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

LILA HINZ • ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
CASSANDRA MITTELBERG • ASSISTANTS TO PRESIDENT
KATHARINE McCOY
TOM HINZ
JEFF SHOOP • CIRCULATION DIRECTOR
TIM LaPAGLIA • PROMOTIONS
ERIC HARTER

ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL OFFICES

25233 Anza Dr.
Valencia, CA 91355
(661) 295-1910
Fax (661) 295-1278

Any change of address or subscription

problems please contact us by e-mail:
michelle@hi-torque.com or call (800) 767-0345.

www.hi-torque.com
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P.O. Box 80, Changhua, Taiwan R.O.C.
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Telex: 58312 WGI Fax: 886-47-357860

16 www.mbaction.com

Masthead_JUNE_2019_16.indd 12 3/20/19 8:59 AM

 TRAILGRAMS
CUT THE E-TALK
I’ve been a subscriber pretty much since
the Ned Overend-versus-John Tomac days.
I still subscribe to almost every MTB mag-
azine, but Mountain Bike Action is still my
favorite due to its variety of coverage. The
latest addition of NICA coverage is also a
welcome addition.
What isn’t welcome is e-bike coverage.
If I wanted to read about e-bikes, I’d buy
Electric Bike Action instead. Nothing will
cause me to ditch this subscription. My
riding group consists of riders between the
ages of 42 and 74, with only two of them
below age 53. Everyone in our group is
anti-e-bike, and we’re the age group that
should be embracing them. We prefer to
actually earn our turns.
18 www.mbaction.com
Trailgrams_18-19.indd 18
Stick to what you guys do best, and
Mountain Bike Action will continue to be
successful.
Mike Sylvester
Oceanside, CA
A WARM WELCOME FROM
CANADA
I always look forward to reading
Mountain Bike Action magazine each
month. With a new season of riding just
around the corner, winter in southern
Ontario, Canada, is on its way out, and I’m
excited to hit the trails with my buddies. I
love reading the stories of riders and their
adventures and seeing the photos they
take.
This magazine will always be my favorite.
Chad Remington
London, Ontario, Canada
PUT MTB ON THE BIG SCREEN 
I’ve been involved with mountain biking
since 1994, and over that time I’ve seen
most everything mountain bike-related—
from 26ers transforming to 29ers, etc.
Like you, I have a burning desire for all
things mountain biking (except e-bikes,
no offense). My involvement in the last 15
years has been mostly following mountain
biking on the internet and through mag-
azines. Riding has unfortunately taken a
backseat due to some health and work-re-
lated issues. Nonetheless, I still have the
3/20/19 3:49 PM

same passion and desire for mountain
biking, and hope to pick up where I left off
someday...soon.
I, fortunately, picked up the “2019
Mountain Bike Action Buyer’s Guide” and
the March edition as well. After reading
Brandon Castelli’s articles, they really
struck a chord with me and are spot-on.
All I can say is, “Congratulations, managing
editor—well-written!”
I was told once by my ol’ martial arts
instructor that I had the gift of writing. Over
the years, I’ve written a half dozen moun-
tain bike-related articles, and only two
made blurbs in mountain bike magazines.
My writing style, unfortunately, involved
run-on sentences, etc. I’m a detailed per-
Trailgrams_18-19.indd 19
son, and I have to explain everything or
I feel I’ve done the reader an injustice. I
know less is more, but I still have trouble
accepting that. I’ve started to write about
my ex-wife and our mountain bike adven-
tures. I’ve switched roles between us in my
story; her being the seasoned mountain
biker and me being the newbie/joey/barny.
The story takes place in the western
North Carolina/northern Georgia area
where we spent six summer vacations rid-
ing/exploring its singletrack networks. We
also mountain biked in every state on the
East Coast, only missing a few. I started
out writing it as a short story, but it keeps
expanding. 
Writing is imperative, and the written
story is usually unsurpassed. Nonetheless,
to me, film is the ultimate gateway to nir-
vana—if done correctly. I say this because
I’ve seen short mountain bike videos on
YouTube that have inspired and moved me
deeply. Mountain bike films like Kranked,
the New World Disorder series, etc., are
great for mountain bikers in general, but
unfortunately for some reason no one (as
far as I know) has done a major motion
picture primarily covering mountain biking
and the human interest. I know nothing
about Hollywood production, but if you
substitute the original movie Point Break
with mountain biking instead of surfing and
a little bit of whitewater kayaking, it could
be a spectacular film if done correctly, or
possibly the original movie RAD done with
mountain bikes instead—just a thought. 
I feel me writing my story will more than
likely lead nowhere or fall on deaf ears. I
don’t know what your managing editor’s
main goal is regarding mountain biking
in the future, but I hope you or some-
one capable steps up and writes a story
regarding the human interest revolving
around the sport/activity of mountain bik-
ing. Truthfully, I can’t wait to see it at the
movies. 
Chris Bonsall
Mays Landing, New Jersey
TEACH THEM YOUNG
I’m a long-time reader and have
ingrained my love for mountain bikes into
my son. He’s excited to one day race at
his future high school, and I couldn’t be
more proud of him. I’m happy to see a
younger (no offense) editor at the maga-
zine. Although I love the classic stuff, my
son only cares about carbon fiber, dropper
posts and the new crop of elite athletes.
I’ve tried to teach him about Ned or Tomac,
but he only wants to talk about Nino or
Kate Courtney. I can’t blame him, though.
I’m guessing his heroes will be our sport’s
legends when he’s my age. Can’t wait for
my next issue to arrive. Keep up the great
work.
Richard Gotts
Asheville, NC ❏
“Trailgrams” tip of the month:
A pedal a day keeps the doctor away
Send your Trailgram letters to
Mbaction@hi-torque.com
JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 19
3/20/19 3:49 PM
 TRAIL MIX

Riders Doing What They Do Best SCOTLAND

I’ve never seen long-exposure water and action photography

“T
rail Mix” is our selection of the best photos sent to
us by riders from all over the world. Every month we
enjoy sifting through the photos of riders out on the
trail doing what they do best—enjoying this awesome sport.
If you’d like to see your photos in the pages of MBA, you can
submit them by following the directions at the end. Happy trails.
combined before, so after driving past this waterfall en route to the
Old Man of Storr in Skye, we just had to jump out and see what
we could create combining the two together.
Ricky Crompton (rider)
Dave Mackison (photographer)
England, United Kingdom

BIPOLAR
I just recently pur-
chased a new Pivot
Firebird based on
your great review in
the December 2018
issue. I’m loving this
bike! Attached is a
photo of me doing
the Big Drop on the
Bipolar trail located
on the South West
Ridge here in Las
Vegas, Nevada.
Joe Wiehl
Las Vegas, Nevada

20 www.mbaction.com

Trail Mix_20-22.indd 20 3/19/19 11:15 AM

 FIRST RIDE
POKI THE DOG My beautiful wife Nancy enjoying her
Poki is 12 1/2 years young and has been riding full-time with me for over 11 of those first ride aboard her ’19 Stumpjumper with
years. While she has slowed down and can’t go as long, her enthusiasm for Mountain Laguna Seca, California (home of Sea Otter
Bike Action is still at the top of the meter. Classic), in the background.
Rider/photographer Bob Ward Greg Lepesh
South Lake Tahoe, CA East Garrison, California

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Here is a picture of my new bike at Lake Ilsanjo in Annadel State
Park. Rain wasn’t supposed to come until later in the afternoon,
but it started raining almost as soon as I hit the first climb. As I got
to the lake, it stopped raining and the clouds parted. It was a great
day, and I am loving the new bike! The bike is awesome. I had an
Evil Following, which I absolutely loved, but I’m almost 53 with a
bad back, so I wanted something with a little more give. I was a
little unconvinced at first, as the Following had become almost a
part of me, but the more I ride the Pivot, the more I love it. It’s a
perfect bike for me and the type of riding I do.
Oscar Serrano
Santa Rosa, California.

JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 21

Trail Mix_20-22.indd 21 3/19/19 11:15 AM

 TRAIL MIX

WINTER IN OREGON
Winter ride in the Coast Range Mountains of
Northwest Oregon. Nigel posing with my Trek Superfly
hardtail.
Michael Brown
McMinnville, Oregon, USA

MCKENZIE RIVER TTRAIL,

RAIL
RAIL,, OR
Heading do down
own one of the best trails in the Pacific N Northwest.
orth
or thwe
west
s . Twenty-
five-pluss miles,
miles, one-way
one
ne-w ay singletrack
-way siingletrack
l along tthe
he rriver
iver
iv er aand
nd lava flows. We
We were “WHEN I’M 64”
treated
tedd with a special
treate special view
vie
ieww of a seasonall waterfall
wate
wa terf all where the
rfal the McKenzie
M Kenzie River
Mc Riv
iver It may not look like much but this was my 200th
flows
ows above
flow ovee andd below
abov be w thethe surface
surface
f in lava tubes.
tube
tu bes.
s. (18-mile) Wilson Wednesday ride since April of 2014. I
Adam m Fast
Fasst turn 64 soon, and Mountain Bike Action has motivated
Corvallis,
Co Oregon
or valliis, O rego
gonn and kept me informed for years. Thanks for the product
reviews, tech tips, etc.
RIDING IN THE SNOW Still has about a mile of snow!
Just took this timed shot in the snow the other day. Bob Neimeyer
It’s me riding with the GoPro on timer, and I stacked Pasadena, California ❏
three images on top of each other
Tommy Ayyggss MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION
Bronx, New York “TRAIL MIX
MIX” SUBMISSIONS
1. Image file size
s needs to be 600 KB or larger.
2. Tell us what is going on in the photo
and include the names of the rider(s) and
photographer.
photograph
3. Include your name, city and the state where
you live.
4. E-mail it to mbaction@hi-torque.com.

ri
“Trail Mix” rider of the month: Sonya Looney,
the endurance mountain biker who has been
coaching basketball legend Reggie Miller in his
mountain bike riding and racing.

22 www.mbaction.com

Trail Mix_20-22.indd 22 3/21/19 10:18 AM

 ASK MBACTION
IN NEED OF SOME MTB 101
Q: I have ridden mountain bikes for 20
years but find I really don’t know anything
about them. I rely on reviews and test rides
when it comes time to buy. Have you ever
done an article or could you look into an
article that explains some of the technical
parts of the bike—air shocks versus coil
springs; press-in BB or threaded; what is
the fork offset and why should I care;
slackness; etc. I think this would
help me and other riders when
trying to decide on different
models. Thanks for
your time.
Richard
Sterling
Heights, MI
24 www.mbaction.com
Ask MBA_24-25.indd 24
A: Richard, you sparked a few story
ideas for our team that we’ve already
started working on. We try to touch on
technique stories when we can; however,
we don’t want to neglect our lifestyle piec-
es. Look for a healthy balance of tech and
shredding articles in our upcoming issues.
Thanks for reading, and happy trails.
OBEY THE TRAIL RULES
I’m curious if it would be okay if the
IMBA trail rules were reprinted in a local
newspaper. I’m seeing a lot of trail damage
lately, mostly from motorized users. Some
of it is local, but we have become a desti-
nation in the last few years for those down
south who have already trashed their local
trails.
Keith Heflin
Ridgecrest, CA
A: We think IMBA’s trail rules should be
posted everywhere as a friendly reminder.
It’s important to be a responsible trail user
so we can all continue to ride our trails
for years to come. Sorry to hear about the
damage to your trails. We hope you have a
rad trail crew willing to put in the work to
rebuild them. Shred on.
3/20/19 11:34 AM
 LOOKING FOR SWAG
I was wondering if you ever send out
stickers, patches, decals or labels. I’m a
big fan and would love to have a couple.
Thank you so much for your time. I hope
you’re having a great start to your new
year. May God bless you, your employees
and families.
Rhondia Jenkins
Wellington, AL
A: Rhondia, we really appreciate your
kind letter. Unfortunately, we rarely have
stickers made these days, but as soon as
some come across our desk, we’ll mail
them out to you promptly. Thank you for
being a big fan and wanting to represent
our brand.
Ask MBA_24-25.indd 25
GET ME A TOP-DOLLAR
SHREDDER
I subscribe and read your magazine
every month. Every month I read com-
plaints that the bikes that are tested are
the top of the line and too expensive. While
that may be true, I am one of the custom-
ers who saves up for five to six years to
buy a top-of-the-line bike. I am looking to
spend $8,000-$10,000. Keep the high-
end reviews coming. I also need advice.
My last bike was a Trek Remedy 9.9 29er.
I loved the bike! Unfortunately, a rock
cracked the frame. I narrowed my search
to the following bikes: Guerrilla Gravity-
Smash, Ibis Ripmo and Evil Offering. I
feel the Ripmo will fulfill my needs the
best. I would love to take a chance on
the Guerrilla Gravity (I want to support an
American-made carbon bike company). I
live in Pennsylvania and ride long, all-day
epics that consist of all-mountain-type rid-
ing. I will also travel with my bike to places
like Moab, where my goal would be to ride
up and down the Whole Enchilada. What
bike would you choose? What build and
components would you suggest?
Mike Geurin
Via e-mail
A: Mike, we’re glad to hear you read our
magazine every month and are even more
stoked that you enjoy reading about our
top-dollar test bikes. We love testing all
types of bikes, but it’s always more fun to
drive a Ferrari than a Toyota Camry. With
that said, you really can’t go wrong with
any high-end bikes these days. They’re all
so good. We do have a few suggestions
that might help, though. First off, let’s talk
about our favorite components. In your
price range, you could probably find a bike
with the all-new Shimano XTR 12-speed
drivetrain. It’s by far the best we’ve tried.
SRAM’s Eagle drivetrain is still a solid
option if XTR is too hard to find. We would
also pay attention to suspension compo-
nents to make sure you’re getting the top
model. Having control over compression,
which high-end suspension gives you, will
help you fine-tune your ride to your liking.
Next, opt for a bike with high-end hubs and
carbon wheels. These will also enhance
ride quality.
As far as which frame to pick, we have
only tested the Ripmo; however, we would
love to get our hands on the new Guerrilla
Gravity bike. The Ripmo was a standout
bike for us, and all of our testers loved rid-
ing it. Hope this helps, and happy trails. ❑
“Ask MBA” peeve of the month:
Foggy goggles.
Have a question for the MBA crew?
You can send your brain busters to
mbaction@hi-torque.com.
JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 25
3/21/19 9:19 AM
 FEATURE
The class of 2018. Eagle High School team
photo. Eagle Bike Park, Eagle, Idaho.

Team of
the Month
Idaho’s Eagle High School
Photos by Dean Bradley
Always smiling, always fast, Chloe

O
ne of the most inspirational stories to come out of the world of USA mountain biking Hopkins is always a threat in the
has been the explosive growth of high school racing. This month we reached out to Freshman Girls’ category. Third
the Eagle High School Mountain Bike Team in Idaho. overall in the series for 2018.

Team name? Team size? How many boys? How
Eagle High School Mountain Bike Team. many girls? Athlete spotlight?
For the 2018 season, we had 58 student
Where did the name come from? athletes—48 males and 10 females.
We are an official club team of Eagle
High School in Eagle, Idaho. Male athlete spotlight:
Mikey Abercrombie, 7th grade: When
Which league do you race with? Mikey first joined the team in 2018, he
Idaho Interscholastic Cycling League wasn’t really all that excited to be on the
team. He was there because his older
When was the team started? brother was on the team, and his dad is
We are one of the original teams of the one of our coaches. Mikey is a reserved,
Idaho
Id League, quiet kid, but he shows up to practice and
which
w was found- puts in the work. In Mikey’s race, he fin-
ed in 2014. ished 46th in the 7th-grade boys’ division,
which placed him into the B-group for the
next race, where he finished 20th. Over the
next several weeks, Mikey really started
We can all use
a good coach. to get excited about mountain biking and
Eagle High’s racing, and he noticed that we hadn’t had a
motivational male student athlete make the podium yet.
head coach
and tireless
So, Mikey set a goal to be our first male to
cheerleader, get on the podium. At our third and fourth
Lee Scott. races, Mikey finished 10th and 6th respec-
tively. Coming into our final race of the
season and the State Championship, Mikey
was more determined than ever to make it
onto the podium. After a hard-fought lap on
a course that had the most elevation gain
of any of our races, Mikey had a sprint fin-
ish at the end to take 5th place and a spot
on the podium.
Female athlete spotlight:
Samantha Scott, 10th grade: Samantha
started racing for our team as a freshman
in 2017. She had an up-and-down season,
finishing 5th overall in the season stand-
ings. Samantha worked hard all summer,
racing in other events and putting in extra
time outside of practice. All that hard work
paid off, and she won every race, owning
the leader’s jersey and finally taking the
State Championship race. What really sets
Samantha apart is her engagement with
the team and the community, her scholas-
tic achievements, and her personality. As
our female team captain, Samantha’s lead-
ership during practices and race weekends,
on trail and off, is a huge help in building

26 www.mbaction.com

NICA_26-27.indd 26 3/20/19 8:41 AM

 Sixth grader Reese Russell always dis- After missing the opening two rounds of
JV racer Camden Hopkins high above played fierce determination, even wearing the series, sophomore Mitchell Mesecher
Boise at Bogus Basin Ski Resort, the final face paint here during the season finale at finished the season with consistently
race of the Idaho Series season. Bogus Basin Ski Resort. strong performances.

our team culture. When provided the opportunity, Samantha loves
peer coaching during our practices and enjoys riding with each
group level. She is a huge advocate for all the females on the team
and helps organize girls-only events and rides.
What is your favorite course?
Our favorite course would be the Grand Charge at Grand
Targhee Mountain Resort in Alta, Wyoming. There is a ton of
space for camping, along with a very generous area for the pit
zone. But the trails are what really make this event stand out. The
trails at Targhee are world-class. Combine that with the scen-
ery and the excitement of a NICA race, and it’s easy to see why
Targhee is one of our favorite venues.
Any team or school fun facts?
In our first racing season in 2015, we started with 29 student
athletes and eight coaches. In 2018 we had 58 student athletes,
27 coaches and tons of parent volunteers. We are lucky enough
that our home trail network is a local bike park with pump tracks,
downhill courses, flow trails, and BMX and XC trails. Because
we ride there so often, along with other teams, we adopted the
highway that runs in front of the bike park as a community service
project. Our team spends time collecting trash in order to main-
tain the area around the bike park. We also partner with our local
trail advocacy organization, SWIMBA, to help teach our student
athletes about proper trail maintenance and building. Living in the
west, extremely hot temperatures and smoke from wildfires are a
common occurrence during the summer and fall months. In order
to keep a regular practice schedule during these unhealthy days,
we partnered with a local spinning studio, CycleBar, that allows us
to work out in a safe, fun, climate-controlled environment. It’s a
great workout, and the kids love it! ❏
If you want your NICA team to be featured in our “Team of
the Month” section, please write to smccoy@hi-torque.com.

NICA
www.nationalmtb.org

Idaho Interscholastic JV Boys racing action.

Cycling League:
www.idahomtb.org
JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 27

NICA_26-27.indd 27 3/20/19 3:18 PM

 BIKE TEST / MARIN MOUNT VISION 9

MARIN
MOUNT VISION 9 Heavyweight contender

Point and shoot: The Marin

Mount Vision, doing exactly
what it is told.

28 www.mbaction.com

BT_MARIN_28-32.indd 28 3/22/19 8:51 AM

 I
t is not very often that you will find us here at MBA at a loss
for words, but after our first ride on the Marin Mount Vision
9, that is exactly what happened. We put in a call to Darrell
Voss, the designer of the Naild R3ACT 2PLAY suspension,
to find out more about this extremely innovative design. The
first thing that Darrell told us was, “Start with a white sheet of
paper. Forget everything you think you know about suspension,
and ride this bike with an open mind.” This was the best advice
we could have been given, because you cannot set up this bike
traditionally. Here is why: Damping is a simplified word for oil
restriction in suspension, and restriction on the bike equals
energy loss. The R3ACT 2PLAY suspension is designed to
detune the rear shock and create less resistance between the
tire and the ground without affecting the pedal efficiency.

FRAME
The Mount Vision is a uniquely designed carbon frame with
150mm of travel, combined with the R3ACT 2PLAY suspension
from Naild, on a 27.5-inch wheelset. The suspension is guid-
ed by a telescopic sliding cylinder at the bottom bracket and
attached to the frame with a four-bar linkage. The carbon swing
arm is extremely stiff and keeps torsion flex to a minimum.
Isaac Newton’s third law states that all forces between two
objects exist in equal magnitude and opposite direction. This is
the whole premise of the R3ACT 2PLAY suspension and why
the “E” is replaced by the number “3” (a nod to Newton’s third
law) in the name. Marin has worked closely with Voss, who is a
huge admirer of Newton and his laws, on a frame that challeng-
es the current philosophy of mountain bike suspension. Voss
states, “Someone has to be first.”

COMPONENTS
The Mount Vision 9 came with our editor’s favorite spec of a
SRAM X01 drivetrain and Shimano XT brakes. It also has equal-
ly impressive branded parts that we’ve come to expect on a
bike at this price. With huge 2.6-inch wide WTB tires mounted
to Stan’s Sentry hoops, we had as much traction as we could
ask for but paid a price in rolling resistance. The Deity bar and
stem pairing have a great feel, eliminating the need to upgrade
in the future. The contact points are super comfy, with a WTB
Volt saddle and Marin lock-on grips. For this bike in a size large,
however, we would have prefer a longer dropper post than the
stock 150mm length.

SUSPENSION
As stated at the beginning, you have to keep an open mind.
The R3ACT 2PLAY suspension is totally different from any other
suspension setup on the market. The recommended sag is 25
percent, which is 15mm of the 60mm stroke, with the compres-
sion setting completely open. The rebound dial was adjusted
to the middle. On our very first ride we set up the bike with
traditional compression settings, which made the platform seem
fully locked out and non-responsive. Again, you have to trust
the advice given to you by the manufacturer. We were told that
the Fox Float X2 Performance shock compression was de-tuned
60 percent from the factory, and they are hoping for even less
in the future. This technology keeps the rear wheel in constant
contact with the ground so that it tracks every root, rock and rut
without skipping. The best way to describe it would be to imag-
ine a tire with minimal air pressure contouring the obstacles
that it comes in contact with without the risk of rim damage or

JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 29

BT_MARIN_28-32.indd 29 3/22/19 8:51 AM

 BIKE TEST / MARIN MOUNT VISION 9

Cornering with confidence on Naild’s

R3ACT 2PLAY suspension system. This
bike is an actual game changer and will
open the eyes of the entire industry.

DOWN AND DIRTY

Unloading this 33-pound beast had us mentally prepared
for a grueling day in the saddle. Before dropping in at the
trailhead, another rider even asked if it was an e-bike. The
tires create a slow and heavy sense of acceleration, but
once we got them rolling, things started
to have a more natural feel. The
Mount Vision pedals more like a
shorter-travel trail bike than
the 150mm aggressive bike
that it truly is. This bike is
well-balanced, and the
geometry is consistent
with the evolution of
the sport. The head
angle allows you to
avoid dabbing in
switchbacks but still
having the tire bead burp off gives you confidence
of the rim. The difference is, in fast, sweeping
the tire is inflated. You don’t have turns. It rolls over rock
the sloshy, sluggish feeling of a flat gardens without fear of
tire, but it very seldom loses contact with the dropping the front wheel
ground
und under pedal pressure or rebound. That makes the Mount and carries momentum
Vision equally capable of climbing and descending. The technology ogy well.
is designed to balance the rider’s weight and pedal force while Climbing: There is a myth
maintaining traction at the rear wheel at all times. The suspension that big-travel bikes can’t climb well.
and drivetrain work in harmony, yet are independent of each other. This is not the case whatsoever with the Mount Vision. In fact, it
h tsoever w
Our setup on the Fox Performance Elite 36 fork was the man- is one of the more efficient bikes we’ve climbed with. The rear
ufacturer standard of 20-percent sag, but it took an additional wheel traces the ground effortlessly and rarely loses contact or
10 pounds above the Fox-recommended settings to get the sag traction due to the ultra-low compression. Pedaling forces propel
dialed. We set the rebound at 10 clicks from slow and the low- the bike forward with minimal restriction. The feeling is one that
speed compression right in the middle with eight clicks. We came you have to experience yourself, as it is difficult to put into words
back later and added two additional volume spacers for a total of because the physics lack a practical translation. While pedaling,
four and were able to drop the air pressure. This allowed the bot- the rear wheel is extremely active, completely opposite of what we
tom of the stroke to be plush and match the rear suspension while have been told is efficient for the past three decades. The Mount
ramping up harder towards the end of the stroke for bigger hits. Vision is as advantageous on washboard stutter bumps as it is on
This is a huge benefit for heavier riders. steep, rocky and technical sections. The negatives are weight and

30 www.mbaction.com

BT_MARIN_28-32.indd 30 3/22/19 8:52 AM

 With low compres-
sion, you would think the
bike would feel bogged down,
but it doesn’t. The R3ACT 2PLAY
tire friction. You will quickly realize that this is a 33-pound bike
suspension is extremely active while descending. It has
with 2.6-inch tires, and there is no masking that. There were no
a unique coil-spring shock feel. It is very comfortable in
complaints about bottom bracket height. The center of gravity felt
the air off of fast boosters, as well as in technically rough
nice and low, and we experienced very few pedal strikes. From the
terrain. We pushed through the entire travel multiple times and
perspective of a taller rider on a size large, we’d have preferred a
never had the sensation of bottoming out. Once again, the low
175mm crank over the stock 170mm arms, but that is personal
compression defied logic. The bike felt extremely balanced, with
preference.
the front and rear suspension working in harmony. The 2.6-inch
The flow: When you look down at the front end of the bike
tires worked on the steep and rough terrain and were another
while riding, it looks like a trail bike. The head angle doesn’t give
advantage diving into corners.
you the feeling that you are on a 150mm bike, yet it earns your
confidence quickly. The most notable thing we experienced was
how well this bike sits in the corners. It allows you to enter a turn
MODS AND UPGRADES
In light of where we tested the Mount Vision 9, we would have
way faster than you would expect without losing your line. The
chosen different tires, but you will find this to be a zip code-spe-
suspension settles in and stays steady, allowing the turn to be
cific concern. Wherever you live, tire choice will
completed without that springy rebound that typically deflects you
be dictated by elevation and terrain. For
out of the line at the exit of the turn. Entering the turn, you can set
us a 2.3–2.4-inch would be a
your front wheel in the rut or line and track all the way through to
more efficient rolling size
the exit without any recoil sensation. Sure, those are fundamen-
without giving up much
tals, but this bike allows you to execute this strategy with less
on the descents. Every
effort and thought.
bike has to come with
Another surprise was how
some stock tire branding
responsive this bike felt.
and sizing, and a lot of

The Mount Vision is an

aggressive trail bike that
climbs remarkably well.

JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 31

BT_MARIN_28-32.indd 31 3/22/19 8:53 AM

 MARIN MOUNT VISION 9
BIKE TEST / MARIN MOUNT VISION 9 Price $6800
Weight 33 pounds (without pedals)/Size large tested
Frame tested 150mm travel, Carbon, Naild R3ACT 2PLAY
suspension technology
Shock Fox Float X2 Performance, 210x60mm
Fork Fox 36 Performance Elite, 150mm travel, Grip 2
damper
Rims Stan’s NoTubes Sentry MK3
Hubs Forged alloy, 110x15mm, six-bolt disc, 32H (f)/Forged
alloy, 148x12mm, quad sealed bearings, six-bolt disc,
32H, XD driver (r)
Tires WTB Trail Boss 27.5x2.6”, Tri-Tech Triple Compound,
light casing with slash guard
Seatpost KS LEV Integra dropper post, southpaw lever, 150mm
travel
Saddle WTB Volt Race
Handlebar Deity Skyline (787mm width, 25mm rise)
Stem Deity Copperhead (35mm lenght)
Grips Marin Locking
Headset FSA Orbit
Brakes Shimano XT four-piston, M8020, 180 (f)/203mm (r)
rotors
Rear derailleur SRAM X01 Eagle, 12-speed
Shifters SRAM X01 Eagle, 12-speed
Crankset SRAM Descendant Carbon, direct-mount DUB, 170mm
Bottom bracket SRAM GXP BB92
Cassette SRAM XG-1295 12-speed, 10-50T
Chain GX Eagle
Chainring 32-tooth
GEOMETRY
Not an e-bike!
The bottom Head tube angle 65º
bracket hosts a Reach 471.5mm
slide tube that Stack 618mm
balances out the Standover height 728mm
suspension with
minimal shock Top tube length 563mm
damping. Seat tube angle 75.1º
Bottom bracket height 330m
Chainstay length 420mm
Wheelbase 1213mm

When the trail gets riders, especially at resorts, will embrace this
rough the Mount stock option. Another helpful switch would be
Vision gets rougher.
to change out the dropper post. At over 6 feet
tall, our testers prefer a 170mm or 180mm
post.

BOTTOM LINE
The Marin Mount Vision 9 may not be the
first bike in the shop that you would consider
taking out for a test ride, and that is a shame.
Visually, it seems a little bulky, but at the
same time it has gorgeous, Mercedes F-1 race
car style. The forward-thinking technology on
this bike allows the rider to be more confident
both up and down the trails. It is a great bike
for local singletrack, but also capable of hit-
ting most of the trails at ski resorts and bike
parks. The components are a proper match for
the chassis at this price point. The marriage
between Marin and Naild with the R3ACT
2PLAY suspension is a good one and is push-
ing the expectations of what progressive really
means in mountain biking. ❏

32 www.mbaction.com

BT_MARIN_28-32.indd 32 3/22/19 8:54 AM

shred
MBA FEATURE

Caroline Buchanan
# girlswhoshred
girlswhoshred By Rich Bartlett

Speed combined
with style, Caroline
rips it up during
Crafts N Cranks at
Snow Summit in
California.
Photo by Max Mandell

W
in with authority, lose with grace. Caroline Buchanan is
one of the most respected and least controversial bike
racers in the history of the sport. She was groomed
at an early age to be a professional and, more important, a role
model as a BMX racer, which carried over into her mountain bike
career. Caroline was at the top of both sports when she sus-
tained a life-threatening injury a year and a half ago. The journey Six months
back to world-class athlete status has been a turbulent one, but off the
with monumental goals in her head, we can expect that she’ll bike, trying
come back and achieve every one of them! to keep
rehab fun.

34 www.mbaction.com

GIRLS_WS_34-38.indd 34 3/20/19 10:34 AM

 SETBACK
There is a focus, dedication and intensity
that professional athletes put into their craft
that molds them into a different kind of
human being. Sometimes these character-
istics carry the athlete much further than
the top step of a podium.
Reclining back in the passenger seat
as Barry Nobles raced to a rural hospital
four hours outside of Canberra, Australia,
Caroline Buchanan was in bad way. Her
friend Kye Hore was stabilizing her head
and talking her through meditative breath-
ing exercises. Caroline’s nose was broken,
and blood was running down her face. Both
of her lungs were collapsed, and her ster-
num was split in two and detached; had it
shifted even a fraction more, it would have
meant certain death. Blood from her heart
was seeping into her lungs. Every breath
felt like her last, but she still wasn’t giving
in. She said, “It feels like you’re winded
and can’t get your breath back and you say
to yourself, I’m not ready to die. You literally
put it out there. You’ve got no option but
to fight.” Caroline had to go to a different
place both in mind and body. She was pre-
pared, although that wasn’t the reason she
had previously taken up meditation. That
morning she woke with an eerie feeling,
having no idea that just a few hours later
an off-road buggy would deflect off of her
chest. It would be four and a half hours
before she would arrive at a hospital to
receive proper treatment. The first hospital
could not accommodate her injury, and
the single available ambulance had already
been dispatched to the Canberra hospital.
All they could do in this small rural hospital
was provide oxygen using an oxygen bag
mask (at one point they were completely
breathing for her) and give her pain meds
that would eventually make her throw up,
causing even more torture. It was now
a waiting game, because they could not
take the chance of transporting her again
without an ambulance. They were stuck in
Sometimes it takes a visual to understand the severity of an injury. Broken sternum and
the titanium plate that lasted less than a year.
GIRLS_WS_34-38.indd 35
limbo for about an hour and a half before
they could load her up for that two-hour
drive back to Canberra. With her broken
sternum; double punctured, collapsed
lungs; and heart bleeding, Caroline was
breathing fumes and trying not to panic,
doing her best to stay calm and in the
moment. This is the formula that made her
a champion, and now, this was the formula
that was going to keep her alive. When
all was said and done, Caroline spent five
days in the ICU (three of which she doesn’t
even remember) and had to wait two and
a half months to get a release to fly so she
could return to the U.S. and get the proper
surgery on her sternum.
Born to be a champion.
THE MAKING OF CAROLINE
BUCHANAN
At 9 years old, most little girls are play-
ing with dolls and having tea parties. Not
this one! Caroline Buchanan was already a
seasoned veteran with almost five years of
BMX experience under her little belt. She
was groomed by supportive parents who
had a vision and marketing background.
Not crazy, over-the-top BMX parents, but
nurturing and supportive parents who
wanted nothing but to see their young
daughter succeed. She was preparing for
the BMX World Championships in Paris
and was given this advice from Robert De
Pre-Olympic fitness versus post-op fitness.
Castella, one of her childhood mentors: “If
you can be the complete Yellow Pages—
and some athletes you can glance at and
they look like they’re the whole package,
but there are a lot of pages missing, you’d
never know—but if you can be that full
Yellow Pages, any time you need to turn to
a strength, you have that ability to turn to
that page and use it.”
Think about that for a second. Caroline,
as a 9-year-old girl, not only listened to this
advice, she comprehended it. It was that
kind of focus and understanding that would
guide her to be one of the most successful
women cyclists of all time. Early on her
parents would do press releases to main-
stream Australian media with Caroline’s
race results and accomplishments. It didn’t
take long for her to develop a strong fan
base, both in the bicycle industry and in the
civilian world. She quickly became known
throughout Australia as a face of the coun-
try in action sports.
Caroline was brought up to think outside
the box. The guys were getting paid, but
what about the girls? Missy Giove was
breaking barriers in the mountain bike
world and starting to find her own success,
so Caroline and her parents started invest-
ing in her own brand and promoting her
name—not just in the cycling word, but to
corporations and household brands.
SPONSORS
“You create what you want. I’m fortunate
now. I’ve been injured, and no sponsors
have dropped me. I’m still supported by
the industry, and I’ve been told, ‘We don’t
support you for what you do; we support
you for who you are.’ It has kept my love
for the sport. There was a period where
I was being told to fit a mold that wasn’t
me, to be limited to just one discipline and
ride a certain bike brand for limited time.
I don’t want to be held back. I don’t want
to adjust. I don’t want to be told what to
do. I now have the ability to ride the bikes
I want, the right size, the right brand for
JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 35
3/20/19 10:34 AM
 MBA FEATURE
#girlswhoshred
each discipline without being told what
events that I need to go to.
“Just like growing up, I was able to
create what I needed before mainstream
media came to the sport. I get to choose
what brand I like. Going back to the heart
and soul of it all, why do we ride bikes?
I really feel like I get to go full circle. I’m
most valuable to a brand for doing every-
thing. Like a family will have a boy riding
skateparks, a mum who rides a daily com-
muter, a brother racing BMX, and the dad
on a mountain bike.” This is who Caroline
has the most influence on—the general
public looking for a role model.
INFLUENTIAL WOMAN
Being a woman in a male-dominated
industry, Caroline states: “I don’t see being
a woman as a limiting factor as much
anymore. I see it as a great opportuni-
ty, as a challenge. I remember going to
Harley-Davidson; I wanted to get my Harley
license. You gotta convince these brands
of the place and value that you have. I
remember thinking, ‘How can we look at
things differently? Where is your percep-
tion now, and how can we work together?’
I think that social media has really opened
up the doors to this whole space of women
in sports, women in biking, females domi-
nating in what is normally a man’s world. It
has always lit a fire under me rather than
being a limiting factor of like, ‘Oh, I can’t
do that.’ So, for Harley and these other
brands, they’ve always thought, let’s put
men on bikes. I think now with the help of
social media and analyzing data and the
followers, who are actually looking through
the eyeballs, and then to be like, ‘Yeah, 85
to 90 percent of the eyeballs are actually
men.’ So, getting a female on a Harley,
doing promotions, that’s actually going
to get men’s eyeballs and that’s actually
going to sell bikes to men.
36 www.mbaction.com
GIRLS_WS_34-38.indd 36
Back in black—100%
Aussie rocker! Caroline
rolls the Harley with bike
rack to local sessions.
“At Crankworx last year, they made
women the show. When I won the dirt
jump comp with Joyride, we had the same
podium as the men. Their goal is to make
heroes out of the women and make more
stories. Like for the pump track, normally
it’s the women who go first and then the
men. But now at Crankworx, the women
close the show. To be honest, I think it is
an exciting time in women’s action sports.
Now there are so many women, like Vicki
Golden in motocross, Casey Brown break-
ing barriers in the whip contests and Hailie
Deegan racing cars. I feel that as long as
you are moving forward, you are moving in
the right direction.”
Crankworx Whistler 2018.
“If you train this hard, you
make racing easy!”
Photo by: Boris Byers
SUCCESS
It is one thing to self-promote and turn
the attention on yourself; it is another to
go out and get the results worthy of such
attention. Caroline has won numerous
national and world titles in multiple disci-
plines. It comes from focus and hard work.
When asked point-blank, “Why do you
work out so hard, outside of specific bike
training?” Caroline responded, “For BMX,
that’s the level it’s now gone to. All the girls
train that hard. For me, where I have to go
the extra mile is the pre-season and doing
things like swimming laps, doing a little
more endurance, having more volume and
time, and doing two-hour gym sessions
three times a week. The workout sessions
for BMX and mountain bikes, the skill
sessions, the sprint sessions—yeah, every
day it is so much. But then, throughout
the season, when I am jumping from BMX
to mountain bikes and back, I want to be
just as successful in November as I am in
January. If you train hard, you make racing
8X world
champion.
3/20/19 10:36 AM
 easy. The recovery times are shorter after
injuries, and you train to not be injured.
Considering the number of crashes I’ve
had, it is amazing how my body has just
bounced back. Two or three weeks later,
I’m at the next event back on top. I owe
a lot to the training side of it. You are not
necessarily training for the sport; you are
training for the injuries and also for the
ability. I love being able to do two sports,
BMX and mountain biking— double the
calendar, double the workload. I may seem
a little over the top for the sport, but, yeah,
I enjoy it, too.”
RIVALRY
“In mountain biking, my biggest compet-
itor or rival has obviously been Jill Kintner.
We go head to head. My first world title
was in my hometown in 4-Cross against
her. That was the last 4-Cross race that
she ever raced. We have the same birth-
day. We’re both Scorpios. Yeah, we’re
competitors. That’s always part of it; the
crowd loves it. We always put on a show.
We are like polar opposites in terms of our
personalities, how we go about going head
to head in races. But, I think that’s what
makes it fun. At the end of the day, there is
always that respect level. We always shake
hands at the finish line.
“You have to execute the same process
that made you win and execute the same
process whether you win or lose. It’s super
tough. I am super competitive. That is what
has made me like, you know, as successful
as I am. But, yeah, at the same time, I’ve
GIRLS_WS_34-38.indd 37
always had my little messy things, like my
goggles. When my goggles go on, that is a
different competitor. When my goggles are
off, there is no need to carry that.”
FACE-DOWN MOMENTS
“A big lesson to me was that no race
is ever your race to lose. It doesn’t matter
if you’ve qualified number one. It doesn’t
matter if you’ve ticked off every single box
and picked lane one for the inside advan-
tage. It doesn’t matter if you’re the world
champ at the time and the crowd favorite;
it’s never your race to lose. That was a big
thing for me, the hype of my first Olympic
games. I was undefeated by the clock. I’d
won every World Cup. I’d won every time
trial. I won the time trial there. I won the
semi and had first lane choice for the final.
I was the world champ at the time. I was
Sports Illustrated’s number-one pick for
BMX. I was Australia’s girl. I think that was
definitely a moment where I allowed the
hype and everything to be become bigger
than it was.
“It came back to changing my approach
to my calendar, changing my approach to
my contracts, saying I don’t want bonuses.
I don’t want contingencies. I don’t want any
of that. This is what I can deliver. This is
the authenticity, the ability; this is the stan-
dard. I think that was the best thing that it
did for me; it made me realize to not go to
events with everything on the line to lose,
because that is when you choke; that is
when everything unravels, and that’s when
I’ve had the biggest face-down moments.
“At the end of the day, it is a sport. It
was all the hype of the Olympic event. I had
lane one all day. There was David Beckham
staring back at me. The commentators
were announcing that I was unbeaten. The
royal family was sitting right there. I’m
like, I should have chosen lane one. The
competitors got in my head, and I ended
up choosing lane three. I lost the Olympics
right at that point, and the gate hadn’t
One of
Caroline’s
most cher-
ished awards:
Crankworx
pump track.
even dropped. When the gate dropped, I
got cut off and battled from seventh to fifth,
and the Olympic medals were in front of
me. None of the past had mattered by that
point. I didn’t execute in the final moments
when it mattered. Psychology-wise, now
I’ve started having an A, B and C plan for
every race. I never went into those Olympic
games with a plan A, where everything
could go right, where I could have first lane
selection and I could be the number-one
qualifier. Then what do you do, and what
do you focus on? What’s that performance
plan? I never really did that. So, once I got
to that moment of everything going right,
it was almost like destruct, unravel. I was
thinking, ‘What are my competitors doing?’
I’m in the gate, knowing that the girl next
to me is going to cut me off. David is star-
ing back at me. The weight of a nation is
on me. I’m the reigning champ, the world
champ. No one has beaten me on the
course today. I’d already lost the race by
that point.
“The fixes are to stay in the moment, I’m
here now, what can I address right there
and then? Go back to the same perfor-
mance plan, repeat the same pattern that
made the performance happen throughout
the entire day. So, you gotta have the same
routine, same buildup, same process to
get the outcome. I would have looked back
at, throughout the rest of the day, I had
Big Bear, just months after the injury.
Photo by Max Mandell
JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 37
3/20/19 10:36 AM
#girlswhoshred MBA FEATURE
chosen lane one. So, choose lane one,
ignore the competition, come back to the
process, come back to my breathing. Not
allow the external influences, to not be like
overwhelmed by everything and to be able
to channel back in. I think if I’d have done
that, sat on that gate and realized I had
gotten caught up by the big screen, looking
at the Royal Family, the walls of like ten
thousand people. To come back and I just
look up at that GoPro sign at the end of
the first corner, only focus on my breathing
and my task is to bring my energy down, to
focus on my checklist. My Olympic final lap
was messy. It was messier than even my
first lap around the track.
“The second Olympics was a similar out-
come, except it was a semifinal. I ended up
getting cut off and cased the first jump. My
bars moved. I got cut off in the first turn
and crashed. I didn’t even make it to the
Olympic final.
“The cool thing about the second
Olympic games was I was like in tears. I
went up into the crowd. I had my Australian
flag wrapped around me, and I watched
the Olympic final from the stands. Mariana
Pajon, who is the two-time Olympic cham-
pion [she is the reason BMX is famous
in Colombia], more than half the crowd
was there to see her. There was a sea of
Mariana fans. She has millions of followers.
She is the Justin Bieber of South America.
So, as I walked in, I got this standing
ovation from the entire crowd. Mariana’s
granddad and family basically walked up
to me and gave me a hug. For me, that
was my real-life Olympic moment. I hadn’t
even made it into the finals. Mariana and
I always treated each other with respect.
We were fierce competitors for years but
always clean. So, to walk into those stands,
have that support from her family, get this
standing ovation from that crowd, and not
even be in the final, I was like, ‘Wow!’ This
was almost a bigger moment for me and
had nothing to do with crossing the line
first.”
THE FUTURE
The 2019 season is all about bringing
back the machine for Caroline, which
means repairing her body. Having another
surgery to reset her sternum after the
titanium hardware broke last season led to
another six-month setback. Sitting out Sea
Otter will be torture,
but to get back to 100
percent, she will need
to be patient during
the healing process.
Caroline is looking for-
ward to a busy moun-
tain bike season with
Crankworx and the
World Championships,
Olympics and backflips.
Photo by Max Mandell
Pump Track Worlds this year. Next year, all
of her focus will be on the 2020 Olympics,
so it will be back to the roots of BMX and
unfinished business. Olympic qualifying
has already started, and she doesn’t even
have her name on the board right now.
Since she is outside the top 20 in points,
she’ll have to come back and earn a spot
on the Australian Olympic team, something
that has just been a given in the past. The
ultimate goal will be to qualify for the Tokyo
Olympics—and to win a medal would be
icing on the cake. Caroline’s progression
has really helped bridge the gender gap
and has put a spotlight on aggressive
women’s mountain biking. ❏
When her goggles are
on, it is time for business.
Photo by Boris Byers

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GIRLS_WS_34-38.indd 38 3/20/19 10:37 AM

 MBA
FIELD TEST
NORTHWAVE CLAN SHOES
Stepping into the flat-pedal market
We know we’re starting to sound like
a broken record, but yet another com-
pany has entered the market with a new
flat-pedal shoe design. This time it’s
the Italian shoe manufacturer known as
Northwave. Northwave is no stranger to
cycling shoes, with a history that dates
back to 1993. The company later teamed
up with Gore-Tex in the mid 2000s to offer
a full line of winter shoes. Now, Northwave
has gone all in on the gravity market,
offering two flat-pedal shoes complete with
Michelin rubber soles. The Tribe shoe is
designed for riders more concerned with
style, while the Clan shoe is made with
pure performance in mind. Our testers
opted for performance and ordered a pair
of Clan shoes to put to the test.
Tech features: The Northwave Clans
are built for gravity riding; however, they
are not limited to downhill shredding. Any
rider looking for a pair of flat-pedal shoes
will reap the benefits of Northwave’s
design. The Clan shoes offer some stan-
dard features, such as an EVA midsole for
extra cushioning, along with a TPU shank
preventing rotation and adding stiffness.
An exclusive Gecko Plus compound,
co-developed by Northwave and Michelin,
was added to the bottom of the shoes
for increased grip on or off the bike. The
tread pattern closely resembles Michelin’s
Jet XCR tire, but with minor tweaks to
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PT_NORTH_WAVE_40-41.indd 40
make them mesh better with flat pedals.
Northwave then took steps to reinforce the
heel and toe with additional protection. The
shoes use a pair of laces, along with an
elastic band to tuck them away. Northwave
offers these shoes in sizes 36–49 and
sells them for a competitive price of $150.
We received a flashy blue and orange
colorway; however, most riders will likely
opt for the all-black option. Before putting
these shoes to the test, we placed the pair
on our scale and recorded a weight of 840
grams for a size 44.
Field test results: Our tester was glad
he ordered these shoes in Euro sizing, as
they would have been too small according
to their U.S. size. He usually wears a size
10, but the size-44 shoes that fit him well
was listed as a size of 11. With the right
size figured out, our tester slipped into his
new shoes and gave the heel loop a tug to
make them easier to step into. The laces
allowed him to get a snug fit, and, as a
bonus, there where additional color options
in the box. An elastic band secured the
laces to the top of the shoe, preventing
them from flapping around.
The soles are probably what you have
the most questions about, so let’s address
traction. First off, let us say how impressed
we are with Michelin’s commitment to the
cycling world. The more time we spend
with Michelin rubber, the more we like it.
We’d even go so far as to say that Michelin
rubber is a competitive option capable of
going up against the top dogs in the rubber
market. Our test rider reported excellent
traction with a variety of flat pedals. He
went on to tell us that the Northwave Clan
shoes offered solid protection and felt light
enough for trail riding. They also offered
grip during hike-a-bike sections. You many
be able to find a lighter-weight pair of
shoes, but it would likely come at the cost
of less heel and toe reinforcement. Overall,
Northwave did a nice job offering a shoe
that works in many categories and glues
itself to any pedal it touches. ❏
Hits
• Pricing matches the competition
• Hugs your pedals like a friendly bear
• Reinforced toe caps keep your toes
safe
Misses
• Lighter options can be had for the
same price
• Only two color options available
Star Rating
3/19/19 11:16 AM
 MBA
FIELD TEST

ONEUP
COMPONENTS
DROPPER POST
Simple name, great function
OneUp is one of our favorite component
companies, because it makes our lives
easier with clever engineering. The compa-
ny began when a group of Race Face engi-
neers left their jobs, moved to the moun-
tains and began designing rad products.
They happily live by the motto “Work less,
ride more.” OneUp’s more recent creation
is a long-travel dropper post. It may not
have a clever name, but OneUp’s dropper
post offers unique features that makes it
stand out from the rest. We decided to give
this post a full shakedown by installing it on
one of our test bikes featured in this issue.
Tech features: OneUp created this
dropper post with a short stack height
and drop rails so riders can run longer
dropper-post travel without raising their
saddle height. These posts are available
in 150mm- and 170mm-travel options but
are completely tunable to your liking. More
on that soon. Two seatpost diameters are
available—30.9 and 31.6. OneUp only
offers an internally routed post, which
shouldn’t be a problem on the majority
of new bikes. The post is cable-actuated
and infinitely adjustable
through its travel. Multiple
mounts are offered for its
remote, so you can pair
it with your brake lever or run it on its own
clamp. The post can be purchased without
a remote for $199 should you want to run
an aftermarket one. OneUp’s remote adds
$49 to the cost of the post. The weight of
the post varies from 509 to 565 grams.
A unique feature of OneUp’s dropper
post is that it can be shimmed down as
much as 50mm. That means that if you
buy the 170mm post, you can adjust that
down to 120mm or anywhere in between.
The 150mm-travel post can be tuned down
to 100mm. It’s also possible to adjust the
post to a custom length should you want
163.5mm of travel or something odd like
that. To top it all off, OneUp backs its drop-
per post with a two-year warranty.
Field test results: The difficulty of
installing OneUp’s dropper post will vary
greatly depending on the bike you’re
installing it on. If your internally routed
frame has tubes inside, then you just need
to route the cable through and install the
post. Other frames may cause a headache.
It will all depend on how the manufacturer
of your bike deigned the frame. Once we
installed our post, we focused our attention
on the lever, using a Shimano I-Spec II
mount to incorporate the lever on the same
handlebar clamp as our XT brake. Not
only did this clean up the look
of our cockpit, it also gave
us the ability to rotate the
shifter-style remote into a
comfortable position.
Now, you’re probably wonder-
ing what’s involved in tuning the travel.
OneUp claims this process can be done
without removing the post or even the
saddle from the bike. No tools are needed
except for something sharp enough to cut
through the plastic shims, and there’s no
need to break out a shock pump. We could
go into detail about this process, but it’s
best to just watch OneUp’s three-minute
how-to video on its website. We attempt-
ed shortening our post down to 160mm
and found it to be an easier process than
installing the post.
On the trails, our post operated well,
doing its job of going up and down when
we needed it to. There were really no
complaints when it came to function. So,
who exactly is this post made for? Well, it
could be great for a taller rider looking to
get 170mm of travel or a shorter rider who
wants maximum dropper travel without
the risk of buying a post
that’s too long. The
ability to customize the
length of travel is a key
feature here and makes
this post desirable for a
wide variety of users. ❏

Misses
Hits • None we can think of
• Ability to easily customize travel
• Many remote mounting options Star Rating
• Worked flawlessly throughout our
testing

41

PT_NORTH_WAVE_40-41.indd 41 3/19/19 11:17 AM

 BIKE TEST / WARPHEN M160C

WARPHEN
was granted a patent for Intelifloat suspension in 2015. Warphen
currently offers just this one model seen here, but he has plans to
continue to grow his brand while enjoying the process of designing
mountain bikes.

FRAME
Most engineers begin the process of designing a frame using
a CAD (computer-aided design) drawing, which then helps them

M160C
Passion product comes to life
craft an aluminum test mule. Warphen took his own approach
and designed his very first frame out of wood in a 1:1-size
scale model. He then located a company in Los Angles called
Montenegro MFG that specializes in handmade carbon fiber
frames. This factory quickly become too expensive, so Warphen
packed his bags, along with his wooden frame, and booked a trip
to Asia. The factory he met with was skeptical, considering they
had never produced a mold from a wooden frame before, but
they liked the idea of having a physical product in their hand as

T
he story behind Warphen Bicycles is not a typical one; how-
ever, in our industry, the tales behind the brands rarely are.
Warphen Claro is an ICU nurse in Southern California by
profession and a bike designer by passion. Born in the Philippines,
Warphen could be found tinkering in his father’s metal shop, help-
ing him fix tractors or whatever else rolled into the shop. He even
had a passion for designing and crafting weapons, such as swords
and knives. Warphen told us he had wanted to be an engineer all
his life and recalled a memory of the time he tried to fit the rear
spring off a motorcycle on his BMX bike. The dream of becoming
an engineer was set aside when Warphen followed his mother’s
advice to become a nurse in the United States. Warphen still had
the passion to design and manufacture, so in his free time, around
2009, he aimed to develop his own line of bikes.
Today, almost anyone can purchase an open mold
and slap his or her name on a bike with a proven
design. In fact, many suspension sys-
tems are currently
free to adopt;
however, Warphen
wanted to create
something unique. It was
important to him to have his
own patented suspension
design, so Warphen sought
the help of a patent lawyer in
Orange County, California, and
opposed to a computer drawing.
Warphen soon got his first round of pre-production samples and
searched for shredders in his area. His bike was put to the test by
two racers who both claimed top-five podiums in expert category
races at the Sea Otter Classic.
The M160C frame features modern design throughout. The
cables are internally routed. The bottom bracket is threaded,
and the rear end features Boost spacing. This Warphen offers
tire clearance up to 2.8 inches and boasts a long, slack and low
geometry.
COMPONENTS
As we write this review, the M160C is only offered as a frame
retailing for $2500. That price includes a Fox Float X2 shock
with Kashima coating. Warphen told us that by the
time you’re reading this review, complete
bikes will be offered.
Our test bike sported components
from Shimano, DVO, Renthal, Hope and
OneUp. Some of these parts are likely to
be used on compete models for purchase,
but those decisions are still being made.
For that reason, we’re not going to dig too
deep into our build.

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BT_WARPHEN_42-45.indd 42 3/19/19 11:12 AM

 The Warphen offers a
balanced and intuitive
feel on the trails.

JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 43

BT_WARPHEN_42-45.indd 43 3/27/19 10:43 AM

 BIKE TEST
SUSPENSION
By now you must be wondering what’s the deal with Intelifloat.
Well, most will accuse Warphen of stealing VPP and copying the
rear of a Santa Cruz or Intense; however, anyone who knows
the patent process is aware that you need a unique design to be
granted approval. If lawyer-speak is your thing, here’s the patent
number: US9145185B1.
Intelifloat uses an upper link similar to VPP’s, but the lower link
is quite different. Whereas a VPP system places the bottom link
behind the seatpost, Intelifloat positions it in front. This causes
the lower link on the Intelifloat to move forward and up, while a
VPP system moves down and forward. Of course, pivot placement,
along with other factors, will play a part in overall suspension feel,
but for Warphen it was important to have a unique suspension
design that he could patent.
DOWN AND DIRTY
Climbing: The M160C utilizes its 160mm of Intelifloat travel
well. We initially tested the bike with 30-percent sag in the rear,
but due to the suspension’s more linear feel, we opted to add
some air pressure, reducing our sag to 25 percent. This change
improved climbing performance without sacrificing small-bump
compliance. In fact, in the open stock position, the Warphen grabs
traction with ease, propelling the rider up the hill. It’s not exactly
a punchy suspension feel where you notice every pedal stroke,
but considering the travel, our tester had no gripes when the trails
pointed up.
On steep sections, the front end had a light feel that we attribut-
ed to the short chainstays and stem. The seat tube likely played a
role in this sensation as well, considering it’s not as steep as other
bikes on the market. The easy fix here would be to run a stem just
a touch longer or to adjust the saddle position forward.
44 www.mbaction.com
BT_WARPHEN_42-45.indd 44
The Warphen M160
is a passion project
come to life.
As far as suspension is concerned, the system worked quite
well, allowing us to pedal up long climbs in the open position with
minimal pedal bob.
Furthermore, the frame feels light, making you forget you’re
pedaling an enduro bike up the trail.
THE FLOW
Once it’s time to hammer down the trails, the Warphen charges
ahead with authority. Its slack head angle, comfortable reach and
supple suspension platform come together to provide confidence
and control. Our testers did notice the platform was quite linear
near the end of the stroke, causing them to bottom out on larger
features such as jumps or drops. Some riders will appreciate the
ability to more easily use full travel, while more aggressive riders
will need to pack the shock with volume spacers for a more pro-
gressive feel.
In the corners, the M160C has a quick feel thanks to its 27.5-
inch wheels. Although the head tube angle is slack, it never felt
floppy at slow speeds, nor was it twitchy at high speeds. The bike
offers a balanced and intuitive feel riders will appreciate.
MODS AND UPGRADES
The first thing we would do if we planned to push this bike hard
would be to add volume reducers to the shock to give it a more
progressive feel. This would aid in cornering and would help pre-
vent harsh bottom-outs. Warphen told us he approves the use of a
coil shock on this bike, but stated that a heavier spring is recom-
mended to keep the rider higher in the travel.
During our early testing, we noticed the pivot bolts came loose
after a few rides. We pulled them out and reapplied Loctite, which
prevented them from coming loose throughout the rest of our time
with the bike.
3/27/19 10:45 AM
 BOTTOM LINE
Warphen built his company with passion and is proud to say his
bikes are 100 percent designed in California. He knows there are
numerous brands on the market, and while he of course wants to
see his company grow and succeed, he’s happy that he gets to
design bikes he loves to ride. We’re sure this isn’t the last we’ll see
of Warphen bikes, and we’re curious to see what the future holds
for this small company.

WARPHEN M160C
Price $2500 (frame only)
Weight 31.5 pounds (complete build without pedals)
Frame tested 160mm travel, carbon
Shock DVO Topaz
Fork 160mm travel DVO Diamond
Wheelset Hope Tech Enduro with Hope Pro4 Boost hubs
Tires 27.5x2.5” Maxxis Minion DHF (f)/ 27.5x2.4”
Maxxis Minion DHR II (r)
Dropper post OneUp 170mm-travel
Saddle WTB Silverado
Handlebar Renthal Fatbar 35 (800mm wide, 20mm rise)
Stem Race Face Aeffect (40mm)
Grips Renthal Traction Ultra Tacky
Headset Cane Creek Forty
Brakes Shimano XT 4-piston
Rotors 203mm (f)/180mm (r)
Rear derailleur Shimano XT, 11-speed
Shifter Shimano XT, 11-speed
Crankset Shimano Deore XT
Bottom bracket BB-MT800 (threaded)
Cassette 11-speed, 11-46 tooth
Chain Shimano HG-X11
Chainring 32-tooth

GEOMETRY
Head tube angle 65º
Reach 454.4mm
Stack S580.8mm
Effective seat tube 74º angle
Bottom bracket height 352mm
Chainstay length 425mm
Wheelbase 1186mm

JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 45

BT_WARPHEN_42-45.indd 45 3/19/19 12:13 PM

 E
FEATUR

I A
AM BIKER?
FAT y, you
Shirle hirley
il S
ca n ’ t b e ser ious

By Ne

I
’ll be the first to admit it; I didn’t like fat
bikes. Granted, I had never ridden one,
but that didn’t stop me from forming an
opinion, and a negative one at that. The
idea of an uber-fat-tire bike that looked
heavy and sluggish seemed ridiculous.
Mind you, I lived in Southern California and r sister publi-
: a reader of ou 2016. Before
far from the terrain fat bikes are ultimately Editors note ring a bell if yo u’ve be en to
l Shirley might n from 2010
designed for. editor positio That time
This past October I made the move from The name Nei Action, where he held an ofessionally for 10 years. e dirt. Neil
Bike d pr th
cation, Road ions, he race years racing on
Los Angeles out to Utah just in time for
l jo in ed H i-T orque Publicat s on the road and three town, putting the hurt on
Nei ye ar in
the “winter of the decade,” as the locals tween seven r office, if not azine to pur-
tell me. My normal routine of riding my was divided be ed as the fastest guy in ou r moved on from the mag st year and
rd
was well-rega ring our lunch rides. He
la te just la
bike nearly every day throughout the year f du nn y C al ifo rnia out to Utah ty for fat biking
all of our st af from su curiosi
changed quickly once the first snow fell
w ca re er . N eil journeyed an d jo ne si ng to ride. His on a bike. We called
sue a ne d in snow ng out
and my fellow co-workers traded their himself burie ly way of getti S Fat. Here’s
bikes for skis, while I just became more quickly found n he realized it was his on eil with the all-new Pivot LE
he N .
sedentary. One day during a hike on the was piqued w vot, who graciously set up acked world of fat biking
en ds at Pi the sn ow -p
our fri e into
Shoreline trail, a singletrack that runs for out his ventur
dozens of miles along the base of the Neil’s story ab
Wasatch range from Salt Lake City north to I had heard all about how the Q-factorQ-fa
factctor
or
Ogden, a fat biker passed me, and that’s I could go from 1x to 2x or even change off a ffatt bik
bike wouldld bbe so hhardd tto gett usedd
when it set in that I was missing out. The wheel sizes on the off chance I might do to and that the frame geometry was never
answer was to go fat. some crazy event in Alaska. quite right, so I planned to ease into things
There are obviously a lot of options Everyone had told me that fat biking and just use it on the five-mile, icy, bike-
out there for fat bikes, but the Pivot LES didn’t feel like riding a real bike, so I was path commute to work. Two days of doing
Fat was most appealing because of the expecting an uninspiring first outing once that and it felt so much better than antici-
performance Pivot is known for and its my Pivot arrived. All I can say is that those pated, so I threw in a lunch ride on snowy
light weight compared to everything else who told me that must have been on the trails to see just how bad the handling
I considered. I didn’t want a bike that wrong bike. Riding in snow is obviously really was. I was obviously doing something
would simply be a good utilitarian option; I going to be slower than in the dirt, yet wrong, because the LES Fat felt quick on
wanted something I could line up at any fat being able to get out on trails that were the twisty trails, and I didn’t experience
bike race on and know that my equipment completely off limits to anything other than anything like the tepid handling I was antic-
was competitive and versatile enough that a fat bike was an incredible experience. ipating.

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NEIL_FATBIKE_46-47B.indd 46 3/20/19 3:45 PM

 e at y Yeti.
the Sw
Racing

Neil Shirley, learning to

love the Utah winter.

One week later and I was doing my first

race, the Sweaty Yeti, in Ogden where I
learned a valuable lesson: it’s all about
t right.
the tire pressure! Slushy conditions and ed jus
G ro om
tire pressure in the 12-psi range in the
Maxxis Minion FBR 27.5x3.80 rubber made
for a challenging day trying to hang with
more experienced riders. After stopping
halfway through to lower my tire pressure,
I was able to enjoy the second half of the
race much more and actually stay on the
groomed trail. I took that knowledge into
my second race a few weeks later up in
Sun Valley, Idaho, at the Snowball Special.
Bringing the pressure down to 6 psi made
all the difference, both in terms of handling
and enjoyment factor.
Even though my racing is probably
wrapped up for the winter, the rides I have
planned in remote areas where I’ll rely on
snowmobiles for pack are going to provide
me a cycling outlet until the spring thaw,
which is still months away. The LES Fat has
allowed me to do everything I was hoping it
would. It is the highest-performance bike I
could ask for when lining up at a race, and
even more important, it will open doors to
vast opportunities for winter adventures
that wouldn’t otherwise be available to
me. I will surely put all three water-bottle to
tidote
cage mounts on the LES Fat to good use. The an ter blues.
Instead of dreading the winter, I think I’ve the w in
found my new sunshine. ❏

JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 47

NEIL_FATBIKE_46-47B.indd 47 3/21/19 10:55 AM

 MBA FEATURE

Mountain
Biking in
Israel Trails in the Holy Land
Story by Gerhard Czerner / Photos by Martin Bissig

Checking out the Mar Saba Monastery in

Palestine. The monastery is an Eastern
Orthodox Christian monastery overlooking
the Kidron Valley, between the Old City of
Jerusalem and the Dead Sea.

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ISRAEL_48-56.indd 48 3/20/19 4:14 PM

 T
hink like a camel. Ride like a tiger. And drink like a Viking coming in
from the battlefield! Maor, our guide for the day, gives us these words
of advice to prepare us for the approaching heat in the Judaean
Desert. Camels also look for the path of least resistance and would never
walk up a steep one. That’s why camel treks are perfect for bikers, he
tells us. The smooth riding style of a tiger is in our blood anyway. Or so we
hope.
It’s not even seven in the morning yet, and the thermometer already
shows 24 degrees centigrade (75 degrees Fahrenheit). This is going to be
fun. Michele, a colleague from the Qloom Team, and I sit on a blanket in the
Judaean Desert with Maor and Hovav (who’s a bike guide and trail builder)
and have breakfast. We can see Jerusalem and other smaller cities in the
distance. Everything seems sparse and gray in the desert landscape. Our
eyes have to adjust to the endless expanse. Hovav knows just about every
trail in Israel. This is the only place where someone else, a man named
Maor, knows the trails better than Hovav does. Everybody lovingly calls
Maor “The Janitor.” He’s recorded about 700 kilometers of trails via GPS
here. He finds each and every one of them without the help of a navigation
device. He promises us an unusual day full of surprises.

JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 49

ISRAEL_48-56.indd 49 3/21/19 10:48 AM

 Riding through
MBA FEATURE the Negev Desert.

Israel

We pack up what’s left of our breakfast

and hop on our bikes. Our Israeli friends
give it everything they’ve got. We need
some time to get used to the slippery, Checking out
rocky terrain. They want to show us a Switzerland
Forest, near
not-yet-official trail first thing today. We the Sea of
can’t wait. We stop, our mouths gaping Galilee.
wide open, after just 10 minutes. Wow! A
huge gorge opens up right in front of us.
It’s cut deep, with terrace-like rock forma-
tions made of yellow sandstone on both
sides. We make comparisons to the Grand
Canyon or the Kali Gandaki Gorge in Nepal.
The best is yet to come. There’s a trail on
the left side high above the gorge, close
to the edge, above many of the terraces.
A dream come true! The thing is, there is
no room for error here. Some sections are
narrower than the width of a handlebar.
The trail even has a roof on one of its sec-
tions, since ragged sandstone formations hermit monk, the holy Sabas, in the 5th up, and the paths down are smooth, as if
reach up into the sky above us. We’re century. Up to 8000 monks lived there in they were made for bikers. We get caught
totally ecstatic. its prime, which explains the unbelievable up in the landscape and feel isolated from
We spot a house far in the distance. size. all civilization in no time. It’s like we landed
Michele and I can’t believe our eyes. A The sun keeps rising, and with it the on another planet. The 25-kilometer-long
building protrudes from the canyon that fits thermometer. It’s already over 86 degrees (15-mile), often-pumpy desert trail is out
into the surroundings perfectly because it’s Fahrenheit (30 degrees centigrade) at of this world and a must for all bikers who
built of sandstone. It’s huge, with steeples, 11 a.m. We make our way to ride one of visit Israel.
domes, and countless floors. It sticks to the the most well-known trails in Israel: the
edge of the canyon like a swallow’s nest. Sugar Trail. It follows an old caravan route THE DEAD SEA
Only a few hundred meters of flowy trail towards the Red Sea. Traders traveled it in A bath in the Dead Sea should also
until we stop, quite impressed, right oppo- former times. Their pack animals carried be on your to-do list if you visit the Holy
site of Mar Saba. We just can’t get enough salt, spices and also sugar. Some of the Land. Michele and I don’t want to miss out
of this sight. Hovav explains that it’s a wells along the way are besieged by goats, on the fun and ride towards the beach. It
Greek Orthodox monastery that is inhabited and we have to wriggle our way through increasingly smells like rotten eggs thanks
by monks to this day. It was founded by a them. The ascents are never hard to ride to the amount of sulfur in the water. The

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 The old town is religious to an extent
that you can’t find anywhere else. It’s made
up of four quarters that are different in
ethnicity and religion: the Muslim quarter,
the Christian quarter, the Armenian quar-
ter, and the Jewish quarter. Each has its
own charm and character. Visitors from
all over the globe bustle in the narrow,
lively streets. Many pilgrims are out and
about who want to visit the holy sites of
Jerusalem, and there are so many of them
in such a small space: The Church of the
Holy Sepulchre, which stands on the sup-
posed place of Jesus’ grave; the Al-Aksa
mosque; the grave of the Blessed Virgin
Mary; the Mount of Olives, and the Wailing
Riding the Israel
Wall just to name a few. This is just a small
Bike Trail through sample of the seemingly endless list of
the desert. sights to visit. We spent a day just drifting
through the alleys and the market, taking

shore iss covered

cov
over
eredd in
in cr
crus
crusty
ustty
t y ssalt.
altt. Some
al Som
omee of the
the
Gerhard tries out some
salt formations
mations look
look like
ikee stalactites
lik tess reaching
stalacctitite reaaching
re tricks on an old tank
towards the water. We carefully walk into near the border of Syria.
the sea. You hear a lot about being able
to just let yourself float and how you can’t
drown here. We’re skeptical until we find
out for ourselves. We carefully immerse
ourselves in the water—one foot off the
ground, then the other. And flop; we float
on the surface like corks. We can’t keep
ourselves from laughing hard. We feel com-
pletely weightless.
We really don’t feel like laughing, though,
when we see several ghost towns along the
shore. Huge holes are everywhere in the
ground. They look like bomb craters. Hovav
explains that the constantly sinking sea
level is flushing out the land, making the
ground cave in. This is due to the inflows
being dammed up for hydroelectric power
stations. The increasing desalination for the
Riding hand-built
world market is also taking its toll. We go to singletrack through the
an abandoned hotel, and he shows us the Negev Desert.
point from which he was able to step into
the water from its terrace around 20 years
ago. Today, watermelon plantations have
taken its place, and the shore is more than
100 meters away. The once booming busi-
ness with visitors who wanted to go bathing
has been gone for years.

EXPLORING JERUSALEM
There are a few cities in this world that
are surrounded by a certain mysticism.
Jerusalem is one of them, without a doubt.
Of course, it’s part of our itinerary. We’ve
heard many of the stories surrounding
the city from religious studies classes in
school. When we arrive, we realize we know
absolutely nothing. What was that with the
Mount of Olives? What’s the difference
again between the big world religions?
What’s the Wailing Wall really about? We
have many questions we can’t quite answer.

JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 51

ISRAEL_48-56.indd 51 3/19/19 3:06 PM

 bites of the delicious delicacies that we are
offered here and there. We really love the
halva, a sweet dish made from ground ses-
ame and sugar syrup. It’s then topped off
with all kinds of extras like nuts, pistachios,
coffee beans and various spices. This is a
vacation for the senses.
EARLY START
The next day, our alarm goes off at
4 in the morning. I sleepily look over to
Michele. He looks really tired, too, but we
have to get moving. Hovav will be here in
30 minutes to head south with us to the
desert town of Mitzpe Ramon. It will be our
base for the next few days as we explore
the Negev Desert on our bikes. The small
town lies at the edge of the erosion crater
Machtesch Ramon, the largest of its kind in
Negev. It expands to almost 40 kilometers.
We walk only a few steps from the parking
lot to the crater’s rim. The ground directly
in front of us drops down vertically about
100 meters or more. The huge area down
there looks endless. The crater’s edge is
many kilometers long to our left. We’re a
little speechless to be honest, which isn’t
due to being tired anymore but because of
the amazing display of nature.
We’ll spend the next days on the Israel
Bike Trail, which starts up here. This
mammoth project will be a 1100-kilometer
Riding a
MBA FEATURE memorable
section of trail
across the
Negev Desert.
Israel
52 www.mbaction.com
ISRAEL_48-56.indd 52
(684-mile) mountain bike trail divided into
27 stages when it’s finished one day. After
it’s completely marked, the bike route will
lead directly from Eilat in the south all the
way to Mount Hermon in Israel’s north.
The development of the Israel Bike Trail is
a national endeavor. The Israel Nature and
Parks Authority is responsible for the proj-
ect. About 360 kilometers (224 miles) are
built and marked here in the south so far.
Hovav, highly motivated as always, starts
on the trail. We try to keep up with his
pace. Again, we stand no chance. We’re
not used to the temperatures nor the dry
air. We’ll desperately need about 5 liters
of water each day. This makes our back-
packs very heavy in the morning. The trail
is clean, as if it has been swept with a
broom, and smooth like an eel. The trail is
covered in rocks to the left and right of the
50cm (20-inch) wide track. Our bikes roll
perfectly down our path. It’s unfathomable
how many hours must have been spent
here with rakes and shovels to move the
rocks. We found out that the entire trail
was shaped by hand by the Negev. We’re
magically pulled to the rim of the crater
again and again to take in the views. We
get reprimanded soon. This is all a nature
reserve, and we’re supposed to stay on the
trail. Of course, we comply with Hovav’s
request. We’re impressed by his respect
for nature and the caution with which he
moves in it. A few kilometers further along
the trail, the steep crater wall offers an
opening. The bike trail leads down to the
ground of the crater parallel to a steep
track for four-wheelers. You can already
see an endless band of trail that meanders
off into the distance from here. We’re in
joyful anticipation. Michele and I are sure
that this downhill will be amazing. We play
a game of chance to decide who gets to
go down the trail first. Michele wins. We
start down with huge grins on our faces,
and we’re not disappointed. The line flows
down in perfect curves. Small banks allow
us to ride fast. Again, all obstacles have
been cleared from the trail, and we can
enjoy the flow of the ride.
Cairns are installed at regular distances,
at least when one track crosses another
one or when you come to a crossing. Small
rocks with the logo of the trail or even
small concrete pillars lead the way so you
really can’t go wrong. Even big boards
that give you an overview of the upcoming
section are visible from time to time. Time
flies, and we’ve soon crossed almost the
entire crater. The stages are divided in
such a way that you always end up at a
campground or another small town. It’s
perfect. They really thought of everything
when planning this.
Spending the night in a tent in the desert
always has a special charm. We’ve never
seen a comparably glowing and glittering
night sky anywhere else in the world. Air
and light pollution are very minimal here, so
the stars are very clear and bright. We can
even easily make out the Milky Way.
The desert, in general, offers such a
unique landscape with very special charms.
We experience incredibly diverse days.
We cross sandy passages where we have
to push our bikes occasionally for short
periods of time, pass a multitude of stone
3/20/19 4:15 PM

THE PAIN
IS REAL
But One Secret Can Help You Ride
Through The Pain Easier
By Mark Hansen
Cyclists have long sought ways to improve their
performance through nutritional supplements and
creative training strategies. Some have gone as far
as using synthetic drugs and blood doping to gain
an advantage. A new supplement giving athletes
EPO-like effects is generating controversy.
The product that has been producing so much
debate is EPO-BOOST® - an all natural supplement
developed by U.S. based Biomedical Research
Laboratories. EPO is industry shorthand for
erythropoietin, a hormone produced by the kidneys
that regulates red blood cell (RBC) production.
Increasing red blood cell production has long
been the focus of competitive athletes due to the
impact that RBC levels have on oxygen intake and
utilization. The greater the red blood cell production,
the greater the body’s ability to absorb oxygen,
which in turn gives an athlete more strength and
endurance. Strength and endurance are precious
resources to any athlete. Thus competitive athletes
have tried various techniques to gain an advantage
by increasing EPO and RBC levels.
Traditional techniques for boosting RBC levels
include synthetic drugs and blood doping. These
practices are both dangerous and banned by
organized sports associations. The makers of EPO-
BOOST® claim that their patent-pending formula is
all-natural and is clinically shown to safely increase
erythropoietin levels, resulting in greater strength
and endurance.
The scientific evidence behind EPO-BOOST®
does seem to be compelling. A 28-day double-
blind placebo-controlled clinical trial, performed
by Dr. Whitehead from the Department of Health
and Human Performance at Northwestern State
University, showed that the active ingredient in
EPO-BOOST® increased EPO production by over
90% compared to the group taking the placebo.1
The supplement group also showed dramatic
improvements in athletic performance (as
measured by VO2max and running economy).
Since its release, competitive athletes have
raved about this new supplement, which offers all
AEWFSUJTFNFOU
the benefits of greater EPO levels with none of the
dangerous side effects or legal trouble. Anthony
White, a category one cyclist who took first in the
April Series Criterium event, used EPO-BOOST® in his
preparation for the race. Anthony stated, “I felt that
I had hit a plateau in my training and then I found
EPO-BOOST. With EPO-BOOST, I felt that I could push
a bigger gear, longer than before. This resulted in
riding away from my competitors to victory.”
Mr. White is not alone in his praise of the
product. Travis Beam, a top cyclist from North
Carolina, used EPO-BOOST® in his preparation for
his season. Travis stated, “starting the season I
made several goals to accomplish in my racing
career. To achieve those goals, I knew I needed
something extra to support my training. After a
month of using EPO-BOOST I started seeing crazy
gains in my endurance and power during training
and my speed picked up to the next level! I am a
firm believer in these products and cannot wait to
see how these gains will help my performance in
events later this year.”
Not everyone is so endeared to the product. Several
athletes have said the supplement gives some athletes
an unfair advantage. They describe the performance
improvements as “unnatural” and pointed to athletes
from cycling and long distance running as evidence
that people are catching onto the supplement and
using it for a competitive advantage.
A company spokesman, speaking off the record, Any athlete can use EPO-BOOST® without a
admitted that the product doesn’t work overnight prescription and without changing a diet or exercise
and that most athletes won’t see the extreme regimen. The company offers an unparalleled
performance enhancements for 3-4 weeks. In a guarantee. Athletes can use the product for a full
world infatuated with instant success, that kind 90 days and if not completely satisfied, send back
of realistic admission might cost some sales but is whatever product is remaining - even an empty
likely to keep customers happy. bottle - and get a ‘no questions asked’ refund.
While the controversy over the advantage A company spokesman confirmed an exclusive
athletes using EPO-BOOST® are obtaining is offer for MBA’s readers. If you order this month,
unlikely to go away anytime soon, one thing is for you’ll receive $10 off your first order by using promo
sure; blood doping and synthetic drugs are a thing code “MBA10” at checkout. You can order EPO-
of the past now that amateurs and professionals BOOST® today at www.EPOBOOST.com or by calling
alike can tap into a natural product that generates 1-800-780-4331.
Olympian-like strength and endurance. 1
Whitehead et al. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 17 (2007): 378-9.
 MBA FEATURE

Ibexes.

Mountain Biker’s Basic Guide to Israel

Information, videos, maps, and details about the Israel Bike Trail are available at
Hillel Sussman: www.ibt.org.il/en/
Best time to travel in the south: October to March
Gear: Bikes can be transported by the airlines without a problem. Plan extra
time when departing, because bikes need to be taken out of the packed bags and
X-rayed completely. Please be patient.
Bike rental in Sde Boker, close to the Negev Desert near Gofun:
https://geofun.co.il/en/rentals/
Your water supply cannot be compared to what you need at home. You will
need about 5 liters per day! Sunscreen and protection are mandatory!
Places to stay: Possible start in the Judaean Desert.
Mitzpe Jericho Guesthouse: www.zimmeril.com/site.asp?site_id=4284
Desert Camp: www.idesertcamping.co.il/
YMCA Jerusalem, nice building with a huge tower that offers an
incredible view of the city: ww.ymca3arches.com
Tel Aviv—Nice hotel with beach within walking distance, copious break-
fast, roof-top terrace with view of the ocean and sundowner: www.atlas.co.il
Shabat: Shabat is held by the Jewish part of the population in Israel from Friday
evening until Saturday evening. It’s the family day where you do not work, drive or
use your phone.
Tour operators that offer trips in Israel:
www.israelbike.net www.abenteuerreisen.ch/israel 

types in different dazzling colors, and see
unexpected plants by the side of the trail
again and again—flowers blooming in pur-
ple, yellow or red peek from in between the
rocks. Many of them are endemic to the
area, meaning they can only be found here
in the Negev Desert.
One of Hovav’s favorite passages awaits
us the next day, as he tells us in the morn-
ing, full of joy. We’re going to ride in a
wadi, a dried-out river bed. The otherwise
rather flat surroundings become more and
more hilly after a few kilometers. Single
trees line the side of the path. The rising
terrain keeps growing around us, and it
soon looks insurmountable. We fear that
we may have to carry our bikes up the
steep slopes somewhere. But no, our path
comes into view on the right part of the
hillside. It winds its way up in serpentines
at a gentle angle. We comfortably pedal
along the path and wind our way up with-
out much effort. This really is the high
art of trail building! Crossings are leveled,
curves filled and secured with stone walls,
and all big obstacles are removed. A rock
the size of a small car lies to the side of the
path at one point. Hovav explains that they
move rocks like this with a huge air cushion
to be able to shape the trail in its ideal line
without any help from machines.
We easily bike up the 250 meters of
vertical gain and reach a plain on top. It’s
only a short ride up here; the next downhill
awaits. The river bed that was advertised
lies below us. We encounter steep walls in
diverse shades of red on both sides, huge
boulders, and trees that provide shade in
between. It looks like a painting. The trail
is integrated into the landscape perfectly
here as well. We speed down the path
along the rock face. A herd of goats is
standing underneath a tree, enjoying the
sparse shade it provides. A little later, we
meet two camels lying by the side of the
trail. They’re dozing. The path occasionally
changes sides in the gorge we are now
in. This is really different from the open,
endless expanse we witnessed before. A
terrific change.
ACROSS THE NEGEV DESERT
The Israel Bike Trail through the Negev
Desert really is a unique experience. We
never expected to be able to bike on such a
rideable trail in the middle of such amazing
scenery. The trail building on such a high

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ISRAEL_48-56.indd 54 3/20/19 4:16 PM


Riding the famous Sugar
Trail near Jerusalem.
Taking a night ride through
Jerusalem with a local guide.
ISRAEL_48-56.indd 55
level and done by hand in an environmen-
tally friendly way is really exemplary. Sadly,
we’re out of time after three days, and we
have to leave the desert and head north.
But, there’s not just this trail project for bik-
ers in Israel. Over 40 trained trail builders
work in the country overall. They’re building
a diverse infrastructure for bikers in differ-
ent regions. Hovav tells us about more bike
territories. You can reach a forest area just
outside of Tel Aviv with several kilometers
of trails within 15 minutes by taking the
public bus. Lots of diverse trails are also
being built in the Golan Heights up north
where the country is much more fertile and
green. We ask ourselves why we’ve heard
so little about the unbelievable trails here.
THE LAST DAY: TEL AVIV
We want to spend our last day in Israel
in Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv is different. Different
from the very holy Jerusalem. Different
from any other cities in Israel. About
400,000 people live in the economic
and trade metropolis. Rent prices are the
highest here in the entire country. The
city is alive 24 hours. During the day,
traffic rages in the constantly congested
streets. At night, especially, the younger
population, rages in the bars or clubs of
the city. The entertainment never ends.
We begin our first day in a little café on
the beach. Where else? We order a cafe
hafuch, the Israeli version of a cappuccino,
alongside an omelet; labaneh, a type of
cream cheese; and freshly squeezed pome-
granate juice. A breeze of fresh ocean air
rises to the nose. We leisurely ride through
the age-old streets of Old Jaffa. Tel Aviv,
which was founded in 1909, was originally
a suburb of the antique port town of Jaffa.
Both cities were united in 1950. Today, the
ancient streets are filled with small shops,
restaurants, and a diverse number of bars.
We spend the afternoon on the well-vis-
Gerhard, performing some tricks in Mitspe Ramon in south-
ern Israel. The area averages only 2.66 inches of rain a year.
JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 55
3/19/19 3:08 PM
 MBA FEATURE Myky and Gerhard Riding in the Old
switched from bikes to

Israel
City section of
a camel for this part of Jerusalem.
the Negev Desert

Checking out an old

Christian church in
Jerusalem

Floating in
the Dead Sea.

Riding
through Tel
Aviv.

Riding through
an old army
tunnel in the
Golan Heights.

ited beach. A newly built promenade, 15
kilometers (9.3 miles) long, invites people
to stroll. The water has a pleasant tem-
perature, and it’s clean. Of course, we
don’t say no to the obligatory sundowner
to chill out music. We dig our feet deeper
into the ground, drinks in hand, as the sun
slowly sets behind the sea.
If you think about Israel here, you think
about the Middle East conflict: housing
developments, occupation, assassins,
Hamas rockets. Sadly, we hear a lot about
this conflict-ridden part of the country
in the media. But, the place has another
side—one in which traveling without
danger or fear is possible. We never felt
unsafe or uncomfortable. On the contrary,
we were able to meet people with warm
hearts and cordial hospitality. We were able
to experience once again that a shared
interest, in our case biking, can be a way
to open doors and meet one another with-
out prejudices to share a good time. We’re
thankful that we were allowed to experi-
ence this mind-opening adventure in Israel.
Shalom to our new friends. We’ll surely
come back! ❏

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 [o]] STE
[o] STE RLIN
ERLI
R LORENC
NG L RE
R E

IMPOSSIBLE
IS A CHOICE
Brett Rheeder challenges conceptions of possibility while on set
for the new movie, Return to Earth. Presented by Shimano.
 SHOOTOUT

STUMPJUMPER
EVO PRO CARBON 27.5 inches versus 29 inches

58 www.mbaction.com

BT_STUMPJUMPERS__58-63.indd 58 3/19/19 2:09 PM

 Wheel-size battle: We put the two
new Stumpjumper EVO Pro Carbon
models head to head. Read on to
find out which one we liked best.

W
e caught our first glimpse of the Stumpjumper EVO last year at Crankworx,
Whistler. In fact, we even had the chance to ride the aluminum shredder in its
29-inch-wheel platform down Whistler’s finest trails. It came as a surprise that a
bike with travel numbers in the trail bike range and a geometry closely related to a downhill
bike’s could be an absolute blast on jump trails like A-Line or rockier ones like Monkey
Hands. Although we never pedaled this bike to the top of the mountain, thanks to a lazy
man’s ski lift, the EVO showcased the ability to be a versatile shredder over a wide variety
of trails.
We were wondering whether or not Specialized would take this aluminum shredder to the
next level with a carbon frame. Then we received a call from Specialized excited to break
the news that they would be doing just that. After a few minutes, we schmoozed our way
into having not one but two brand-new Stumpjumper EVO Pro Carbon frames shipped to our
door. Why two? Well, the truth is, we just couldn’t decide between 29-inch and 27.5-inch
wheels. We’re sure this is a problem among many of our readers as well, so we did the
dirty work of riding lap after lap in order to tell you the difference between these two very
shred-worthy machines.

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 BIKE TEST / SPECIALIZED STUMPJUMPER EVO PRO
FRAME
At a quick glance, the two bikes are almost identical, although
there are subtle differences that set them apart. Let’s start with
the similarities. Both frames feature geometry that is identical to
the aluminum models of last year but received a full FACT 11m
carbon frame complete with a SWAT storage box in the downtube.
The bikes feature a super-slack, 63.5-degree head-tube angle in
the low geometry position and a steep 76-degree seat tube angle.
These angles are adjustable around a 1/2 degree between the
two high and low settings.
Now this is where the frames began to differ. One of the
more notable changes is that the 27.5-inch model has an
additional 10mm of travel in the rear end, giving it 150mm
of trail-chewing suspension. The smaller-wheeled model
also features an additional 20mm of reach in an effort
to increase stability at high speeds. Due to the smaller
wheels, the 27.5-inch bike has a slightly lower bottom
bracket height, giving the two bikes around a 4mm dif-
ference. Chainstay length is around 3mm shorter on the
27.5-inch model as well. The standover height is nearly
identical and is relatively low.
It’s important to note the unique sizing of these frames.
Specialized only offers two sizes: S2 and S3. Think of 27.5"
these sizes as long and extra long. We opted for the S2
frames, which feel similar in size to a medium/large bike,
while the S3 size feels more like a large/extra-large frame.
Riders on the taller or shorter side may want to give one a tires wrapped around
round 30mm inner-width
inner-
spin before opting to buy. Roval
Rova rims. They also both
bot feature 200mm
brake rrotors front and rear. The four-piston
COMPONENTS SRAM Code
Co RSC brakes were a standout
Digging through the component spec, you’ll find nearly identical ffeature
fe ature on bboth of these bikes, offering loads of
build kits on these two models—other than slight differencesces in i power when needed. Another notable feature was the
stopping
chainring size, fork offset and, of course, wheel size. Both bikes Fox DDHX2 coil shock with a two-position lever. This design allows
feature Fox suspension, a SRAM 12-speed drivetrain and a list off a rider to stiffen the rear shock in order to tackle long climbs.
Roval components. The bikes roll on Specialized 2.6-inch-wide Specialized then opted to use its own dropper post on these bikes,

The 27.5-inch model has

the edge in cornering
speed, while the 29er
reigns supreme on the
straightaways.

60

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 received an in-house RX Trail Tune to ensure big-hit per-
formance while retaining the ability to earn its turns.
Setting sag requires a slightly different process than one
would use when setting up an air shock. Start by measuring the
eye-to-eye length of the shock with no weight on the bike. Then sit
on the bike with all your gear and have a friend measure the eye-to-
eye length again. The difference between those two measurements
is your sag. To increase sag, turn the spring counter-clockwise.
To decrease sag, turn it clockwise. A heavier or light-
er-weight spring may be needed to meet Fox’s recom-
mended starting point of 30-percent sag.
We stuck with the 500-pound spring throughout
our testing but would have liked to try a heavier
spring in the 550- to 600-pound range. This
demand came from our more aggressive testers
who enjoy jumping to the moon and landing to
flat. Our other testers enjoyed the suppleness of
the 500-pound spring over rockier trails.

DOWN AND DIRTY

Climbing: As we climbed up the trails eager
to fly back down, we kept telling ourselves, “All
things considered….” While we’re not going to
sit here and tell you that this bike beast-modes
its way up the climbs, we can say, all things
29" considered, this bike climbs surprisingly well.
Just one look at this bike’s geometry had us
wondering if our climb would be better attempt-
ed in the bed of a truck, but what kind of testers
which offers 6 set positions and
ffers 16 a 160mm of would we be if we took the easy way out?
travel. The Specialized Command Post is onee of
zed Comm Comparing these two machines on the climbs,
the fastest returning posts on the market, which we would give a slight edge to the 29er; however,
could be a pro or con depending on your preference.
reference. when quick acceleration was required, the 27.5-inch
wheel
wh was easier to spin up to speed. The reason the
SUSPENSION 29er clim
climbed a bit better is likely due to its reduced travel and
climb
With a coil shock and a Fox 36 fork, this Stumpjumper is clear-
lear- smaller front chainring. We also appreciated the 29er’s slightly taller
ly designed to slay the descents. The bike is designed around bottom-bracket height; however, throughout our testing, we suffered
bottom-brac
Specialized’s FSR suspension platform and many pedal strikes with both bikes.

Test rider Aiden Chapin

takes flight aboard the
EVO 29-inch model.

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BIKE TEST / SPECIALIZED STUMPJUMPER EVO PRO
There is a small difference between the two models, and it
prompted a long conversation as to which bike we liked better;
but, at the end of the day, regardless of which wheel size we rode,
our work was cut out for us on the climbs. We can’t thank Fox
enough for the added compression lever, which takes some of the
pain out of those long and steady ascents.
THE FLOW
Specialized describes these bikes as “rowdy,” and we couldn’t
agree more. When the trails point down, the EVOs go to work
transforming gnarly trails into welcome challenges. Both bikes eat
up rocks and roots with ease, providing the utmost confidence
when the trails get steep and features get bigger. The EVOs beg
to be ridden down steep terrain and tend to get restless with
anything less. You have to shred these bikes hard to reap their
full potential, and once you think you’ve reached it, you just have
to keep pushing harder. Luckily, both bikes do an excellent job of
correcting rider mistakes and continue flying down the trails as if
The chainstay guard was designed to reduce noise from chain slap.
A Swat multi-tool
is a nice touch.
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BT_STUMPJUMPERS__58-63.indd 62
nothing happened. The coil shock offers a glued-to-the-ground
feel unlike any air shock can offer. This is especially noticeable
when flying into a corner; these bikes just sit in the turn and power
out the other side.
So, what’s the difference between these two shredders? Well, it
was no surprise that the smaller wheels offered a slightly snappier
feel, while the taller wheels rolled over obstacles more easily. The
27.5-inch model tended to have a “poppier” feel to it, while the
29er tended to glue itself to the ground. Both bikes slash corners
incredibly well and easily allow a rider to slap the rear end around
turns. The 27.5-inch model seemed to do so with a bit more alac-
rity, but the 29er is not limited in any way. Our testers noticed the
difference immediately between the wheel sizes but had a tough
time choosing one over the other.
The difference in reach contributed to the unique feel of these
bikes. Since the 29er is a bit shorter, you tend to feel more on top
of the bike, giving it an enduro feel, while the 27.5er tends to offer
more of a downhill-bike feel. When hitting bigger drops and jumps,
the extra 10mm of travel on the 27.5-inch model provided extra
resistance to bottoming out, giving it an edge for riders looking to
“huck” their way down the trail. Meanwhile, the 29er blasted down
the trails with speed and precision.
MODS AND UPGRADES
These bikes were obviously spec’d by a shredder with the right
priorities. The suspension is dialed, although some riders wanted a
heavier spring, and the brakes are topnotch. The drivetrain offers
a wide range of gearing and shifted smoothly but is not so expen-
sive that you’ll be bummed if you bust up your derailleur
in a crash. The rims are stiff, and the cockpit is
wide. Other than minor personal touches, you
won’t need to change a thing. That said, one
of our taller riders noticed the Sensus grips
3/21/19 11:06 AM
 spec’ed on our test bikes seemed narrower than other Sensus SPECIALIZED STUMPJUMPER EVO PRO 27.5 & 29
grips we’ve ridden with. He would choose a wider grip to better fit
Price $6600
his hands.
Weight 30.8 pounds (27.5”)/31 pounds (29”) (without
pedals); size S2 tested
BOTTOM LINE Frame tested 150mm travel (27.5”)/140mm (29”) FACT 11m carbon
Unfortunately, we can only pick one model to be crowned the
Shock Fox DHX2 Performance Elite with RX Trail Tune and
winner. This was not an easy task by any means, as both bikes
2-position lever
shred hard. On one hand, the 29er tended to climb a bit better
Fork 150mm travel Fox Float 36 performance Elite, GRIP2
and rolled down the trail at top speed. On the other, the 27.5er
damper, 37mm offset (27.5”) 44mm offset (29”)
gave us the freedom to more easily toss this bike around and get
Wheelset Roval Traverse Carbon (30mm inner width)
rowdy over aggressive trails. Of course, it’s important to first note
Tires Specialized Butcher, GRID casing, GRIP-TON
what type of rider these bikes are built for. With travel numbers in
compound, 2Bliss-ready, 27.5x2.6” or 29x2.6”
the 140- to 150mm range, you might be tempted to assume these
Dropper post Command Post IRC (160mm travel)
bikes are trail machines, which couldn’t be further from the truth.
Saddle Body Geometry Phenom Expert
The ultra-aggressive geometry of these two bikes will appeal to the
Handlebar Specialized, 7050 alloy, (6-degree upsweep, 8-degree
rider who makes his way up the climbs, straps on gear and races
backsweep, 27mm rise, 800mm width)
to the bottom at Mach speed. It’s a matter of personal preference,
Stem Specialized Trail, forged alloy, (40mm length, 5mm rise)
but if we had to choose only one of these bikes, the 27.5-inch
Grips Sensus Lite
model would be our go to option. It surprised us, as we thought
Headset FSA
the 29er would be a clear winner. While it’s an excellent bike for
Brakes SRAM Code RSC
ripping down the trails, the smaller wheels of the 27.5 just made
Rotors 200mm F/R
our ride more fun. We easily
Rear derailleur SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed
could have debated back
Shifters SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed
and forth on this topic for-
Crankset SRAM GX Eagle, 170mm
ever, but at the end of the
Bottom bracket SRAM Dub, threaded
day, only one bike can
Cassette 12-speed, 10-50t
be victorious. ❏
Chain SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed
Chainring 32-tooth (27.5”)/30-tooth (29”)

GEOMETRY 27.5" 29"

Head tube angle 63.5º 63.5º
Reach 465mm 445mm
Stack 601mm 619mm
Effective seat tube angle 76º 76º
Bottom bracket height 324mm 328mm
Chainstay length 440mm 443mm
Wheelbase 1228mm 1220mm

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MBA
FIELD TEST
SHREDMATE DATA
SENSOR
ShredMate was developed in the UK and
Get ready to
shred, mate
was lifted off the ground by a Kickstarter
campaign. The creator of ShredMate want-
ed to offer a bike computer specifically for
mountain bikers. So, what exactly were
other computers lacking? Well, for one,
they didn’t tell you how hard you shred.
ShredMate takes the classic cycling com-
puter and brings it into the modern age
by connecting with your smartphone and
utilizing micro sensors to measure metrics
mountain bikers care about. We decided
to place one of these small sensors on our
test bike this month to see just how hard
we could shred.
Tech features: ShredMate is a small
unit that mounts on your fork opposite your
brake. It’s held in place with two zip-ties
and comes with a wheel magnet similar to
earlier bike computers. What makes this
computer stand out is its ability to track
data like hang-time, G-forces, speed,
distance and more. All this data can then
easily be uploaded to Strava. It’s a bike
computer-tailored to riders who frequent
bike parks or regularly meet their buddies
for shuttle runs. The app downloads to your
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PT_SHREDMATE__64.indd 64
trails with smaller to mid-sized jumps. In
hindsight, a bike park would have been
the best location for testing, as the sensor
tends to encourage you to go bigger off
every jump. After riding for a while, we
stopped to check out our data. As adver-
tised, the device mapped out all our jumps,
listing hang-time as well as G-forces upon
landing. A rider could use this data to learn
how to land smoother and carry more
speed. The app features an easy-to-read
map with plotted data points and reads
out distance, average speed, max jump
air time and max G-force. We would have
liked to see max speed, but that informa-
tion becomes available once the ride has
been uploaded to Strava. The unit doesn’t
connect to a heart rate monitor, so if that
is a metric you need to know, then you’ll
have to use another device. With that said,
we think the ShredMate is a pretty rad
option for the price and would be a great
companion for any riders who want to brag
about how big they went in the bike park
over the weekend. ❏
phone quickly, and setting up the sensor
is easy. Once the sensor is paired, enter in
your wheel size and you’re ready to shred.
Looking through the scroll-down menu, we
found a list of wheel sizes from 20 inches
up to 29 inches, and tire widths up to 3
inches. The sensor connects to your iOS
or Android smartphone via low-energy
Bluetooth and allows you full access to your
phone—even while the sensor is record-
ing. Throughout your ride, you can look at
your phone and see a color-coded map that
tracks trails, maps out jumps, and shows
speed and G-forces. ShredMate can be Hits
purchased directly from www.shredmate. • Offers a variety of data points
co.uk for 70 euros. That’s roughly $80 U.S. • Easy to pair with phone app
The unit weighs a mere 25 grams, and the
replaceable, wristwatch-style battery has a
claimed lifespan of six months. Additionally,
this product is backed by a 12-month war- Misses
ranty.
Field test results: The package came • Doesn’t show max speed
with everything we needed, including a
helpful instruction guide. We mounted the
sensor, downloaded the app and within Star Rating
minutes were ready to hit the trails. We
did the majority of our testing on our local
3/19/19 11:09 AM
 MBA
FIELD TEST
WTB
RANGER
29 X 2.4 " TIRE
Cross-country trail tire
Often when reading tire tests, you are
given little more than specs that resemble
the product brochure. You simply learn
what the manufacturer describes on its
website or in its catalog.
We rode the Ranger 2.4 TCS Light High
Grip + SG cross-country trail tire fast and
hard and put it away wet. We were pleased
with the results.
Field test results: Look at the con-
tact patch of the Ranger and you will
see that it’s narrow. This super-minimal
contact patch makes the tire roll fast in a
straight line, especially on smooth terrain.
It rolls effortlessly, feeling more like a 2.0
cross-country tire than the 2.4 trail tire
that it is. And, the Ranger climbs fast. The
bonus is, the larger-volume tires always
feel more compliant than smaller-volume
cross-country race tires, providing better
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PT_WTB__66.indd 66
traction and a more comfortable ride. This
is not an enduro tire, nor a race tire. The
Ranger is an all-terrain tire, which is what
most of the mountain bike world is actually
riding. Deep sand is where the Ranger
reaches its limits—more in the front than
in the rear. The low knobby doesn’t provide
much bite in the sand, allowing the tire
to push away and tuck beneath you. But,
sand isn’t what the Ranger was designed
for. Where it did perform well was in the
rain—the wetter the better. Fortunately,
we had one of our rare Southern California
rainstorms while testing, so we were able
to experiment with different soil textures
and moisture content.
The Ranger sheds mud consistently. We
experienced no buildup on decomposed
granite, clay and organic soil, and were
able to actually see knobbies through
the mud at all times. We never once had
stacked mud buildup that shrouded
the tire. In muddy conditions, this tire is
amazing. The harder we pushed it in the
rain, the more it stepped up and per-
formed.
You can actually feel the three differ-
ent rubber durometers doing their jobs.
The center knobs are firm and fast, and,
as the bike leans, you can feel the side
knobs flex and bite in, especially on dry
hardpack. With the Ranger, you can run
different tire pressures and capture totally
different experiences. In rooty and rocky
terrain, you may run 10 psi fewer than on
a hardpacked trail. The Ranger is one tire
for many uses and is an absolutely capable
trail tire that you can trust while riding fast.
The tested tire weighed 1049 grams and
retails for $68. ❏
Hits
• Fast rolling
• Good sidewall protection
• Great in wet conditions
Misses
• Heavy
• Not great in sand
Star Rating
3/19/19 11:19 AM
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 MBA FEATURE

Tales of
Making the mold By Steve Thomas

quality engineering. Starting in a family garage

and now operating out of Hope Mill, the company
forged its own way into the MTB marketplace.
We called in for butties and brews (sandwiches and tea)
at the company’s Barnoldswick base in Lancashire, which is

T
hey may not be the loudest brand on the stage, but British
component and bike builder Hope Technologies is without a
doubt one of the strongest and most unique performers in
the mountain bike component industry.
After much fettling and fine-tuning, the company has now also
ventured into the complete bike market.
Founded by Ian Weatherill and Simon Sharp (who has since
sadly passed away), Hope was built on solid, no-frills, innovative,
in an old mill (for which the area was once famed). The town is
surrounded with rolling fells (moors), all trimmed with lush green
forestry patches and sweetly embroidered with great trails. It’s
this very terrain that has shaped every twist and turn in the fabric
of Hope products over the years, including its new bikes, which
we were particularly curious to find out about. We spoke with Ian
Weatherill (founder) and Alan Weatherill (younger brother and head
of marketing).

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 ST: What’s the idea behind moving into frame building?
AW: Ian and Simon (Weatherill and Sharp) decided they wanted to make a bike
for themselves. Normally (for carbon), you’d make an aluminum “mule” with all of
the geometry setup and test it to work it all out. But, that relies on welding frames
together, and we don’t do fabrication welding.
It was actually easier for us to decide to use carbon, because we can machine
a mold. It’s easier for us to make molds and lay up a carbon frame and test it.
The first one we made we still have. The geometry didn’t change. It was spot-on,
although the tube shapes have changed slightly.
We then made a larger one and tweaked the profiles and so on, and that’s the
bike we’re selling now.

ST: How has the bike been accepted (being a premium machine), and who’s
been buying them?
AW: We’ve used it as a way to showcase what we can do; there’s all of the
machining in the molds, the carbon lay-ups, and we’ve also proven that we can
make carbon parts. We made the handlebars after that.
The UK is our biggest market, but 10 just went to Australia. We’re using it as
a brand-building exercise (to show people the quality of the products we make).

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 MBA FEATURE
Relying on their
history for quality
machining, Hope
made their own
molds for their
carbon frames
We’ve sold them in the U.S., Germany, and handlebars.
Japan, Mexico—all over.
Our production is only 4-6 a week—not
a big number. We had a 10-week order
backlog when we launched. Now we’re at
five weeks.

ST: Where are they being used

competitively?
AW: We’ve had our own team racing
on them in the U.S. for the last couple of
years. The original bike is a 160mm-travel
bike; you need some big trails really.
We made them for our own use in the
Lakes (UK) and the Alps, but as the devel-
opment of bikes has moved on, slightly Plenty of
shorter-travel 29ers are more what people finish work
want, and what we want, so we’ve now goes into
every part
developed the 130mm 29er. made.

ST: You’ve had one of the guys who built

the Team GB carbon track bikes working
with you on the project. How did that hap-
pen?
AW: It was a decision based around car-
bon manufacturing knowledge more than
frame building knowledge.
Our background is in tool making, and
toolmakers always have confidence that
they can make anything. We’ve had to
make tools in all different areas, so it’s
natural to look at different materials and
techniques. Carbon was something we
knew we could do quite easily.
We brought in some consultants from
outside, and then we designed the frame
and got some help on the initial layup.
IW: We made it because we wanted to
ride it ourselves.
AW: We’ve always made things based
around what we want to use. We did lose
our way some with the bike.
IW: We got carried away. We’re not a
bike manufacturer (and don’t go with mar-
ket demand and trends). We made the bike
and geometry to what we wanted; other-
wise, you can end up chasing other people
around all of the time.
AW: The 160, when some of the jour-
nalists test rode it, they said the geometry
was a bit outdated, but it rides really well.
It’s the fashion rather than what actually
rides well that drives things. We do watch
trends and what others do (as often things
do get better), but it’s not always the be all
and end all. It has to ride well first.
ST: Hope has always had a reputation
for producing honest, top-quality products
at reasonable prices. You also buck the
outsourcing trend and continue to manu-
facture in the (expensive) UK.
IW: Well, if you’re actually manufacturing
product, it’s a lot slower on the evolution
and growth path.
If (as many companies do) you outsource
things and have a design team somewhere
else, and maybe 10 different factories pro-
ducing parts, it can be faster to do.
Also, manufacturing everything makes
the whole evolution process slower. We
don’t want anything to come back to us
(because it’s a faulty product), so with the
components we tend to make about 10
of them to use ourselves. Then they go

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 through about 10 changes before they’re
ready to go out.
Even once they’re out, there are chang-
es; but, as we’re only producing small
numbers at a time, we don’t need to go
back to subcontractors. We can make
those small changes easily ourselves for
the next batch.
It sort of slows things down but speeds
them up, too, if that makes sense; you can
do more things (to tweak), but it takes lon-
ger (to produce).
Other people bring out new models all of
the time. We don’t. We change colors, yes,
but we don’t need to make new models.
Another thing that “does for us” is that
we’re only just about $20 million turnover,
whereas our next serious competitor is
$800 million (SRAM, and Shimano around
$2 billion), so we’re so small, minuscule in
comparison.
For a company of our size to go against
Santa Cruz or BMC; it’s crazy what we’re
doing.
They’re stupid commercial decisions, but
we’re doing it because we like doing it, and
it’s been a lot of fun. It keeps it interesting.
What we do with componentry funds all
HOPE_68-74B.indd 71
the other stuff – like the bikes and carbon
bars. It’s great. We’ve got a 3D printer now
and are printing carbon parts. It keeps us
busy and distracted all of the time.
There’s been over GBP 1 million ($1.32
million) put into building the bike, and now
we’re ready to make our own machines to
do the carbon. People just don’t do that
(very rarely) for production, and we’re get-
ting up towards six bikes a week now.
It’s mostly aerospace or F1 for compos-
ites, which means a ridiculous price. By
Hope also makes cranks.
making our own tools to do it, we’re trying
to make it commercially viable.
We’re not going Chinese (on manufac-
turing); this is all made in Britain, with all
of the controls and regulations that go with
that.
We’re not dictated to by anybody. We
don’t have shareholders to worry about, so
we just do what we want to do.
Some people may say that’s £30,000
($40,000) for a mold, but it isn’t. It’s cost-
ing us £1500 ($2000) in materials, and
somebody spent a week shaving it—and
then we probably scrap that and make
another (as we did with the 160).
AW: Even before we finished the first
frame mold, we changed the design.
IW: That’s the crazy thing about it. We
can afford to write that off, whereas anoth-
er company would go ballistic and stick
with it.
ST: Has there ever come a point where
you’ve had to consider OEM manufacturing
and outsourcing to the far east?
IW: No, absolutely not. The rims yes
(and light parts), as we’re not an extrusion
company, and rims are effectively an extru-
sion, which is a totally different world. We
could buy some stuff to do it, but it’s not
our thing.
AW: We did once look at making
spokes, which wasn’t that bad. But, we
decided we had other things we needed to
do before spokes. It wasn’t worth it.
IW: Composites are interesting; more
our thing, and that’s what I used to do at
Rolls Royce. I used to make molds for the
front fan blades for the aircraft engines, so
it’s a natural process for us and many of
the people working here.
We also don’t make products for
or sell to OE clients (just a
couple of specific
design parts),
JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 71
3/26/19 12:40 PM
 MBA FEATURE
as we could maybe turn over 50 million
and make nothing on 30 million of it.
For stuff like this, we could look at China
or somewhere to make it, but we can
make it here, so we do it. We’ve got the
machines. We have one machine down-
stairs that makes nothing but shrouds (for
cable ends). That machine was paid for
six years ago, and we’ve had it nine years.
Then we have maybe 12 people running
four different machines, so what does it
really cost to make that one part?
AW: We’ve also always done our own
distribution in Europe along with most other
things in the whole process.
IW: Lots of companies also subcontract
design, and although we have worked
with outside designers, we pretty much do
everything ourselves. If we didn’t do every-
thing ourselves, the individual aspects may
not make a profit.
ST: What is the Hope Academy all
about?
Long before they jumped into the frame business, Hope made a name for themselves with their disc brakes.
72 www.mbaction.com
HOPE_68-74B.indd 72
IW: Our company has designed a kid’s
carbon bike, as there are options out there
but they can be a bit clunky. It’s made out
of fishing rods (there’s a company nearby
that is owned by a fishing rod company,
and they make carbon tubing).
We looked at just getting lugs and
putting the frames together, but it was
expensive, so we found cheaper ways. I
reckon we can make a kid’s carbon frame
for around £180 ($240), in 20/24 & 26
inch sizes.
We came up with a rental bike scheme
and have about 220 bikes out at the
moment, nationally. We put our bits on
them. We tried to buy them off people at
first, but they wouldn’t sell them to us, as it
spoils their market. So, for around £10–30
($13-40) a month, you get a beautiful
£2000 ($2600) carbon kid’s bike.
My idea was to make 10–20 a week,
but we have around 700 people on the
waiting list. Then Mark Cavendish (top road
pro) got in touch and asked us to make one
for his daughter and tweeted it. Suddenly it
went crazy, and we didn’t have the bikes.
They’re lovely bikes, and kids outgrow
them in about 18 months, so they can just
go to the next size. We take them in and
refurbish them with OEM parts that don’t
cost us too much.
It takes a couple of years to get the
money back, but it’s not about making
money; the worst thing you can do is put a
kid on a crummy bike (you could put them
off cycling for life). Now even bike shop
owners are renting them for their children.
AW: We tried to hush it up (as we can’t
keep up with demand), but people talk
about it and it took off.
IW: We’ve been trying to put more
money into it, but we can’t get the frames
now. We had one company, but they can-
celled on us. They do it because they want
to sell their own bikes, which are £500–
600 ($650–800) but are bad because they
have junky components on them.
The next step is to look at making more
3/26/19 12:40 PM
Go in
a minute.
Who did the most laps? Who cleaned the hardest section?
When does the air become the sky? Let us reflect.

Here we go.
 MBA FEATURE
What’s a mountain bike company
filled with riders do without their
own pump track?
ourselves. With the tubing and tooling, you
just push them together; it takes about 15
minutes.
ST: Hope has always been rider owned.
Has having your passion as your business
diminished your enthusiasm for riding?
AW: We’ve always been rider owned; we
74 www.mbaction.com
HOPE_68-74B.indd 73
just never really pushed it, whereas newer
companies seem to make a big deal about
that.
IW: We had a bit of a blip when Simon
(Sharp) died, and I’d suffered for a couple
of years before that, but that was personal
stuff, not business. It did affect the compa-
ny, but that’s all sorted out. Simon’s widow
and I run the company now, and it’s just
carried on.
Before Simon passed away I only worked
three days a week, and we always made
money. It’s a bit of an obsession (making
money). You always have to make money
on something—sell it and make money.
If you own everything and have paid for
everything, it’s ticking over all of the time.
It’s like with the kids’ bikes. It’s never going
to make any money, but it pays some-
body’s wages to do it, and it’s all publicity,
too.
You don’t need to make a fortune, as
long as it’s coming in all of the time. You
don’t need to sell a business unless you’re
really stressed and it’s really hard work, or
if you need the cash.
We’ve always had money, since we were
tool makers (at Rolls Royce) 32 years ago,
and we’ve never lost it.
I don’t need any more money; we’ve
never had a venture capitalist, never had
a bank loan, just some asset financing in
the past.
ST: You went from being an employ-
ee in the Rolls Royce factory to being a
businessman. How did you handle the
transition?
IW: Well, we’ve always done it, since
we were kids. We had a paper route when
I was a kid, and I was a newsagent by
the time I was 14, as there wasn’t one in
the village. I got to buy and deliver all the
newspapers. I was too young to officially
take the money, so I had to get mum to sign
and take it.
I was earning £26 per week from the
newsagents and earning £20 a week at
Rolls Royce when I started at 16 years old.
Then I passed it on to my brother.
AW: When I took over at 14, I remember
dealing with the main sales rep from the
local newspaper. We had piles of the cash
we’d collected and paid him that way.
IW: Hope (when I set up with Simon)
was my third company, and Simon was my
second business partner. I was making and
selling gym equipment before that.
I was motorcycle trials riding with Simon
at the time, which is how we got together.
Our plan was not about bikes then; it was
trials riding. The idea was that we’d set up
in business and when we’d made £200 in a
week (what we were then earning at Rolls),
we’d take Friday off and ride our trials
bike on Thursday/Friday and compete on
Saturday and Sunday (40 weekends a year).
I left Rolls Royce, and we set up (at the
wrong time, as usual. I didn’t get any sever-
ance pay, which came shortly after follow-
ing redundancies). I borrowed some money
off my dad, bought some machines, and
we set up in his 250 square-foot garage.
We worked from 6 a.m. to midnight for 15
years, which wrecked the trials riding in
retrospect.
We just worked so hard—ridiculous.
We were 3–4 years in when we started
mountain biking for trials training. Then
Alan came back from traveling and worked
with us. There were about six of us then,
and making bike parts just developed from
there, making our own components (late
1980s). ❏
3/26/19 12:41 PM
TUBELESS
GOES
FEARLESS
photo: Fraser Britton | rider: Martin Maes

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 MBA FEATURE Good suffering: JC paces
Rebecca Gross during the
2018 Breck Epic.
Photo by: Eddie Clark/Breck Epic

Juan
Carlos
“JC”
Hernandez
The path of a real-life hero

R
eturning home exhausted after completing a six-hour
ride in the hot Texas sun, Juan Carlos Hernandez, aka
“JC,” turned the air conditioning on high, showered
and crawled into his bed. Hours later he awoke, freezing.
Springing out of bed to turn the A/C down, he made it exactly
two steps before landing face first on the carpet. Reality still
hadn’t quite sunk in, because just six months earlier, JC
had his right leg amputated. He had removed his prosthetic
just before he had gotten into bed. Focused on the single
task of getting the A/C turned down, he was conscious
that a crucial part of his body was missing, but not before
crashing to the floor.

“The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.” —Vince Lombardi
THE FOUNDATION with their mother. She had immigrated to shoes or even the rare bike. “Christmas
Juan-Carlos Hernandez was born in the U.S. when JC was 2 years old to better was clothes—not toys—but we always
Orizaba, Veracruz, in southern Mexico, and provide for her family. They lived in poverty got by. If you never experience things,
was raised by his grandpa until he passed but never wanted for nothing. She worked you don’t know what you’re missing,” JC
when JC was 9 years old. Opportunities in restaurants and hotels—whatever work stated. Starting at a new school knowing
in Mexico were limited for JC and his two she could find to provide for her kids. zero English at 9 years old was difficult, but
brothers, so they made the journey to Being the youngest of three, JC was no meeting some bilingual friends right away
Schulenburg, a small Texas town to reunite stranger to hand-me-downs—be it shirts, helped tremendously. JC never experienced

76 www.mbaction.com

AMERICAN_HERO_76-80.indd 76 3/21/19 12:23 PM


Damage aftermath:
Lucky to survive—a
moment in time that
changed the future
forever.
Juan Carlos Hernandez:
U.S. soldier, U.S. citizen.
any racism or bullying while growing up.
“I don’t see my injury as a handicap,
but rather as a challenge.” It probably helped that he was one of the
biggest boys in his 40-student graduating
class.
At 13 years old, JC began washing dish-
es at the same restaurant where his mom
worked, five or six hours a day. He became
financially independent from that point on,
but always struggled during football season
when he couldn’t work as many hours.
Receiving his U.S. green card at 15 was his
first step towards becoming an American
citizen. His mom filed the paperwork when
the boys first arrived, but it took years to
process. Working all through school, JC
was able to purchase his first car when he
was 17. He was the typical high school-
er—interested in girls, football, movies and
loved back-roading in the car.
With no interest in college, JC talked to
an army recruiter in May of 2006 before
he graduated and found himself in Ft.
Jackson, Sout Carolina, in July of 2006 for
boot camp shortly after graduation.
AMERICAN_HERO_76-80.indd 77
MOUNTAIN BIKE INITIATION
After boot camp, JC was relocated to
Ft. Campbell in Kentucky, and his army
buddies talked him into getting a 26-inch
Gary Fisher Wahoo from Bikes and Moore
in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. He was more of
a gym rat at the time, lifting heavy weights.
However, most of his army buddies had
runner bodies and were way more bike fit,
so his first 10-mile-long rides were like
death marches. JC became addicted to
mountain biking right away, and it became
his passion. Unfortunately, it was a short-
lived period; his bike went into storage, just
before Christmas, in 2008 when he was
deployed to Afghanistan.
A MEXICAN BECOMES AN
AMERICAN IN AFGHANISTAN
“I spent most of my life in the U.S. I
never felt like an immigrant. It was much
easier in the combat zone of Afghanistan
to become a citizen than it was while I
was home in the United States,” said JC.
Outside of the country, he just had to fill
out the proper paperwork and wait a few
months to pass a written test. It was far
less of a struggle in the Middle East than
it would have been for him on U.S. soil.
The next thing JC knew, he was lining up
to take the oath alongside 200 others in
Afghanistan in May of 2009. Juan Carlos
Hernandez had finally become a United
States citizen.
THE INCIDENT
Before being deployed JC had spent
eight months in training and said, “I felt
prepared; those around me were even
better prepared. They knew their jobs.” He
was assigned as a Chinook 47 door gunner
with Task Force Palehorse 7/17th Cavalry.
They flew hundreds of routine night recon-
naissance and supply missions. His job was
airspace surveillance, guiding the pilots,
viewing structures and being prepared for
anything.
His crew were flying a night mission in
an extremely dangerous region through
valleys near Pakistan on October 13, 2009.
For some reason, this extremely brightly lit
night felt different. They were returning to
the FOB and preparing to drop down and
pick up some soldiers. Out of nowhere,
there was a flash of light, a glow and then
a thunderous boom. A rocket-propelled
grenade (RPG) hit the Chinook directly
beneath where JC was manning his gun.
Knocked to the floor of the helicopter,
JC was still aware enough to pull on his
night goggles. His arms worked fine, but
he couldn’t feel his legs. He didn’t see
any fire, but he sensed something was
really wrong. The motor of the Chinook
JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 77
3/22/19 9:17 AM

MBA FEATURE
American
Hero
was laboring; he could feel it weakening.
Then reality hit; they were about to crash.
The pilot navigated the best he could, but
there was no practical training on how to
crash the helicopter. The crew prepared for
impact as the helicopter struck the ground.
In the bottom of the Chinook appeared a
gaping hole from the RPG that forced it out
of the sky. Incredibly, JC was the only one
injured from the RPG hit and crash-land-
ing. Shrapnel from the RPG had torn JC’s
lower right leg to shreds; there would be
no saving it. Within seconds of landing,
the crew jumped into action immediately
applying a tourniquet. The medics on the
ground rushed over and started an IV
with morphine, numbing JC and getting
some blood back into his body. He was
stabilized and loaded onto a gurney when
the pain overcame him. Going into shock,
all JC wanted to do was go to sleep, but
the medics wouldn’t allow it. He was not
informed of the severity of his injury, and
the medics wouldn’t allow him to see the
wound. The damage was so severe that
they did the amputation on the spot, just
above the ankle. They kept him awake
the entire 45 minutes until the medevac
helicopter arrived for the 20-minute flight
back to FOB Bostic, a small outpost in the
northeast region in Afghanistan. There, JC
was finally allowed to sleep until he woke
up in Bagram.
RECOVERY
From Afghanistan, JC spent a day
in Germany, then flew to Walter Reed
Hospital in Maryland the following day,
finishing the journey in San Antonio at
the Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas
for his final surgery. Here he’d be a little
more comfortable knowing that his home-
town was a little over an hour away. The
doctor convinced JC that he needed to
amputate higher, just below the knee, for
the most ideal prosthetic fit. The surgery
was a complete success, and within a
few weeks he was immersed in physical
therapy. Just before his accident, JC was
in the best shape of his entire life. Just
before Thanksgiving he was released from
the hospital weighing only 155 pounds.
He’d lost 30 pounds in just six weeks, a
portion being his shin and foot. JC had
78 www.mbaction.com
AMERICAN_HERO_76-80.indd 78
Photo by Devon Balet/Breck Epic
nothing but compliments for the active-duty
military hospitals he attended. Just before
Christmas, a little over two months after
the accident, JC received his first prosthe-
sis.
MINDSET
JC tells us, “I’ve always taken challenges
head-on. I never had a point of feeling
down and depressed. I’ve had a great
group of supporters, friends and family.
Setting goals for myself in the direction that
I want to go—if I am sedentary it dwells—
so I set goals and keep motivated. I
schedule events and stay engaged by being
accountable. The combination of friends
and family helped my recovery.”
There is an epidemic of depression in
our country, and JC’s outlook on life is
totally refreshing. Chasing goals is the best
therapy ever. This is a huge problem for
veterans returning from overseas, especial-
ly with injuries. They don’t give themselves
self-worth or set future goals, but JC found
that with cycling there was direction, which
motivated him with his rehabilitation.
REBUILDING
Adjusting to the first prosthetic, which
was a walking foot, was difficult. Fitting
it to his stump was challenging because
his leg had shrunk and was continuing to
do so. There was a lot of skin breakdown
and blisters. Taking soft fresh skin and
exposing it to abrasive fabric was the main
Modern day gladiator:
JC, slaying the mountain
in Colorado.
issue, and building calluses was a slow
painful process. San Antonio provided
him with a lot of opportunities, including
basketball, a treadmill, a Stairmaster and a
spin bike for rehabilitation. JC was drawn
to cycling, so he began his recovery on
the stationary bike. By February 2010 he
ventured outside on a borrowed road bike
with flat pedals, but was struggling to keep
his prosthetic in contact. A vintage toe clip
was recommended and helped eliminate
the pedal issue. Soon after, a non-profit
veteran group set him up on a road bike
of his own. This allowed him to do longer
rides with other servicemen around Ft.
Sam Houston, which offered minimal car
traffic. The next milestone was upgrading
to clip pedals. But, only being able unclip
with his left foot put him in precarious
situations, and he experienced all of the
laughable crashes that clip pedals provide.
JC enjoyed this time being around other
injured soldiers and veterans with long-time
injuries, and the friendly competition with
each other and the support they provided.
This was the best-case scenario for his
mental health.
His first rides were around 5 miles long,
but there was a rapid push for more due to
his competitive nature. As expected, there
were a lot of crashes, bonking and over-
doing it, which resulted in skin abrasions
on his stump that would set him back a
few days at a time. JC then got involved
with Ride to Recovery, which allowed him
3/21/19 12:24 PM
 to do longer rides while pushing himself
to see how far he could go. They provided
encouragement and opened doors to more
opportunities and riding in new places.
It was through R2R that JC met one of
his biggest influencers, Jim Penseyres, a
veteran who lost his left leg below the knee
in Vietnam. Jim competed in over 20 Race
Across America events and was a member
of the four-man recumbent bike team with
his brother Pete in 1989 that recorded the
fastest RAAM finish of all time in 5 days, 1
hour and 8 minutes. Jim was instrumental
in getting JC’s prosthetic adjusted and
helping him with his pedaling cadence,
comfort and skin management. JC was
able to use Jim’s advice and extensive
experience to answer a lot of questions
early on, allowing him to become more
comfortable and recover sooner, having all
the trials and tribulations of a prosthetic
limb in cycling.
LEADVILLE TRAIL 100
In 2012, now out of the military, JC
moved to Georgia. He was introduced to
Bruce Gustafson from Ride to Recovery
and invited to do the Leadville Trail 100
in August. Bruce was recruiting riders
through RTR to find riders capable of fin-
ishing the race. With the help of Bruce and
RTR, JC was given a sponsored 29-inch
Diamondback dual-suspension bike. Not
afraid of a challenge, JC immediately
signed up for a nine-hour MTB training
race near home to prepare. His longest ride
had been a road bike century, so it is safe
to say he had thrown himself to the wolves.
His ambitious goal for Leadville was to
finish in less than 9 hours and win the cov-
eted “La Plata Grande” belt buckle. Bruce
would pace him for his rookie 100-mile
race, which he finished in 9 hours and 7
minutes, missing the buckle by a minimal 7
minutes. JC was pinned the entire race and
left it all out there; in hindsight, it wasn’t
possible to make up that much time.
Returning to Leadville the following
year, JC was determined earn his buckle.
“Wonder Twins, power activate!”: Form of
a world champion! Shape of a hero!
Photo by: Devon Balet/Breck Epic
AMERICAN_HERO_76-80.indd 79
Every step is precise
and calculated when
the consequences
are monumental.
Photo by Fotica/La Ruta
de Los Conquistadores
He spent the early part of the year racing
endurance events and went to the 2013
Leadville with ambition, shaving nearly 15
minutes off the previous year’s time and
earned his buckle. The pain, suffering and
hard work had become an addiction of
sorts and a new goal was needed.
THE LA RUTA EXPERIENCE
“Right after my sub-9 Leadville, I
thought I was pretty tough,” JC admitted.
The first day at the 2013 La Ruta de los
Conquistadores MTB stage race was 45
miles with 10,000 feet of climbing. It was
in the jungle and had massive amounts of
hot, wet, and extremely muddy hike-a-bike
sections. One section was so bad that he
lost his prosthetic in the mud and spent a
lot of time digging it back out. He sat nearly
an hour at one of the rest stops battling
dehydration and fatigue. His stump was
raw from the moisture and gritty mud, but
he wasn’t about to give up. He finished
stage one in 11 hours and 40 minutes
making the cutoff time by less then twenty
minutes. That afternoon he had special
appreciation for his friends, who had hung
around waiting for him at the finish.
At the start of stage two he was sore
and mentally out of it, just wishing it to
be over. He’d been told that the second
day would be easier because they’d be
climbing into cooler temperatures and less
hike-a-bike. His prosthetic had worn his
stump really raw from the mud and friction.
He was emotionally worn out and rode the
entire stage solo, but he was able to chan-
nel what little bit of energy that was left to
finish the stage.
Day three was the flattest but longest
day. JC started the day looking forward
to wrapping the race up. Just as hot and
humid as the first two days it wasn’t going
to be the easy day he had looked forward
to. The course ran along railroad tracks
forcing him to bounce along with his pros-
thetic rattling on his stump like a jackham-
mer. Making matters worse, he was forced
to walk his bike over the bridges so as not
to tip over or fall through the railroad ties.
Fortunately, his friends decided to all ride,
suffer and finish the last day of this epic
JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 79
3/21/19 12:25 PM

American Hero
race together. The culture, amazing food
and good-willed villagers made the race an
experience of a lifetime.
PAYING IT FORWARD
Motivated for the 2014 race season
JC’s goal was to set a personal record
time at Leadville. Pre-season preparation
consisted of a number of endurance races
and he was on track. As the season pro-
gressed, his goals would change. JC met
Matt Dewitt through Road to Recovery and
decided to pace the double arm amputee
through the Leadville Trail 100, just as
Gustafson had done for him two years
prior. Dewitt was an Iraqi veteran who had
lost both arms just below the elbows in an
IED explosion. He had finished Leadville the
year before in 11 hours and 6 minutes for
the 100-mile effort with two hooks holding
on the bars. He literally did Leadville no
handed. JC who had planned on racing the
event competitively was able to change his
focus and share his experience with Matt,
proving once again the kind of fortitude he
possesses. The duo finished the Leadville
Trail 100 in 11 hours and 15 minutes. JC
says, “It is good to suffer by yourself, but
suffering with someone else is far more
rewarding.”
In 2015, JC found himself in college with
a new focus on his future. His riding was
suffering because of homework and JC
didn’t have any time for the R2R rides he’d
done in the past. He joined Team Helen’s
and started his season racing solo at the
24 Hours in El Pueblo, logging in over 180
miles. This race was extremely taxing from
less preparation than the previous years’
schedules. He was hoping to finish under
eight and a half hours, but with less train-
ing time available this wasn’t a reasonable
goal. JC maximized his time and training
80 www.mbaction.com
AMERICAN_HERO_76-80.indd 80
Road 2 Recovery
teammates Matt
Dewitt (left) and JC
have unmatched
ambition.
Photo by: Tiffini Skuce
and finished Leadville with a personal best
of 8 hours, 48 minutes, earning himself
another coveted buckle.
STAGE RACING
Now after completing La Ruta and four
Leadville 100s, it was time for a new
challenge. The Breck Epic stage race was
the goal of 2016, and JC finished with a
solid solo effort. There are so many fast
people racing that a podium was way out
of the question, but the experience would
build a foundation for a solid team effort in
2018. College was his main focus in 2017
and time off the bike was necessary to
transfer and concentrate on good grades.
The future was important, and school had
become harder, requiring more time and
effort.
In 2018 JC was invited by United States
Military Endurance Sports to race with
Rebecca Gross in the Duo Co-Ed Pro cat-
egory. Both were military vets. Rebecca is
a national and world champion cyclocross
racer, collegiate national champion moun-
tain biker and a USA Cycling coach. JC
found himself in good company having
only five months to get whipped back into
shape. Rebecca set up structured training
for JC to prepare for the Breck Epic. Her
JC and Rebecca Gross ham-
mered to third overall in the
CoEd Pro category in the 2018
Breck Epic, a testament to
their grit and determination.
Photo by: Linda Guerrette
fitness from racing ’cross is amazing and
she is a heck of a climber. Prior to the
Breck Epic the two hadn’t ridden together
as Rebecca is from Golden, Colorado. All of
their interactions were done through online
communication. On day one, right out of
the gate, JC tried to keep up and Rebecca
was killing him. He bonked hard during that
stage, but managed to survive and finish
the day. They had to adjust their strategy,
as there was no way he could keep this
effort for the entire six days of racing. They
figured out a game plan; JC would set
the pace on the climbs and then draft on
Rebecca any time the trail leveled out. She
is a solid descender, so he couldn’t even
depend on the downhills to recover. The
pair finished a solid third overall in the Duo
CoEd Pro category. JC exclaimed, “I left it
all out there!”
THE FUTURE
This year JC is focused on finishing
school, getting his BA in psychology and
racing a few select gravel bike races. The
Belgian Waffle Ride is next on the calendar,
and hopefully in the future the Dirty Kanza.
Long-term goals include Race Across
America (RAAM) on a team first and then
someday solo. Once he completes his
degree, JC will be attending a graduate
program in occupational therapy so he
can someday have his own practice. He
says, “I’ve had so much help and support
in my past. I’ll continue to volunteer with
Challenged Athlete Foundation, who have
done and continue to do so much for me,
and pay it forward.” This from one of the
most motivated, competitive and humble
bicycle riders you could ever hope to meet.
His journey has been a rough road, but it
has built and established his character. He
doesn’t see his loss of a limb as a handicap
but rather as a challenge. He is the guy who
you feel guilty complaining around, because
he simply allows you to be positive and
see nothing but the value of life. Because
if Juan Carlos Hernandez can go through
life with all this adversity and find positive
in all of it, then those of us without these
hardships have no excuse than to better
ourselves every day! ❏
3/21/19 12:25 PM
 PUMPED ON SC1

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DEFLECTS AND HELPS PREVENT BUILD-UP OF MUD, DIRT AND DEBRIS

Made in the USA MaximaUSA.com

 BIKE TEST / DIAMONDBACK SYNC’R CARBON

DIAMONDBACK
SYNC’R CARBON
Carbon trail hardtail

D
iamondback’s roots can be traced to BMX, dating
way back to the late 1970s. So, it seems only
appropriate that Diamondback would have a high-
end aggressive hardtail in its line. There has been a
considerable amount of effort and there have been a
number of upgrades put into this bike by Eric Porter
and the design crew. The Sync’r model has been in the
Diamondback lineup for years, but only aluminum models
with steeper geometry, a shorter top tube and less
travel were available.

FRAME
The Sync’r is a progressive-geometry, carbon, monocoque
hardtail that is able to run 27.5+ or 29-inch wheels. The frame
features boost spacing to increase stiffness and a tapered
66-degree head tube. The derailleur cable and dropper post are
internally routed, while the rear brake hose resides on the out-
side, allowing easy access for brake service. The Sync’r comes
with a stock MRP chain guide connected to its 1X drivetrain, so
there is no front derailleur mount, telling us that front shifting is a
thing of the past. Frame clearance is limited to the stock 32-tooth
chainring. The rear end of the bike is lean yet still roomy enough
for mud to clear with the stock 27.5 x 2.8-inch tires.
COMPONENTS
The Sync’r comes with a 140mm Fox 34 Float Performance
fork, SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain and Descendant 6K crank. The
Shimano Deore MT-500 brakes were a disappointment, which
is highly unusual for this typically trusted braking system. The
modulation was poor. The brakes lacked bite, and they had a
very gritty feel to them. Wheels are Diamondback’s house brand
Blanchard 32s, and the monster truck feel was provided by the
Maxxis Minion DHF/DHR 27.5×2.8-inch tires. Creature comforts
included the X-Fusion Manic dropper post with Diamondback
branded saddle, Race Face Aeffect bars on a short stem with
stock Diamondback grips.
SUSPENSION
The Fox 34 Float Performance fork handled everything we threw
at it with the typical stock settings. We set the sag at just under an
inch on the 140mm (5.5-inch) stanchions, which is about 20 per-
cent, keeping with the theme of the aggressive bike park mentality.
We ran the rebound a little faster than normal at 17 clicks from
slow to make it more responsive.
DOWN AND DIRTY
The best summation of the Diamondback Sync’r came from one
of our test riders, Todd Snider: “If you could only have one bike on
a rack behind your motorhome, this could be it.” You can climb,
ride to the store, jump at the bike park, roll fast on cross-country
trails and bomb down aggressive singletrack—all on a relatively

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 The Diamondback Sync’r
floats through turns.

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 BIKE TEST / DIAMONDBACK SYNC’R CARBON
inexpensive bike. This is a simple mountain bike that you can take
anywhere and ride with confidence. Having the big 2.8-inch tires
eliminates the harsh feeling that a traditional hardtail normally
delivers. The top tube has an unusually high standover for a bike
with such a dirt-jumping pedigree, but it didn’t give us any trouble.
We had some early setup issues with the derailleur hanger bend-
ing on a fire-road climb and the seat coming loose on the dropper
post rails, but the issues were not reoccurring. Diamondback sells
this bike direct to the consumer and ships it “mostly assembled.”
Diamondback claims, “Anyone can build their new bike,” but based
on experience, we recommend that you take it to a bike shop to
ensure proper assembly.
Climbing: The Sync’r wasn’t designed to be a cross-country
bike, but it actually is a reasonable climber. The positioning didn’t
feel cramped due to the progressive, longer top tube. The head
angle isn’t too slack, enabling you to climb up steep, tight switch-
backs. Having a 150mm dropper post worked well for getting the
seat out of the way, and there was plenty of seatpost to go up to
180mm for taller riders. We give thanks every day for the 50-tooth
SRAM cassette for the extra range it gives our gear ratio and how
it has simplified shifting.
The flow: This is where the Sync’r stands out. Handling was
very controlled. With the big-volume tires, we had the false sense
of riding a dual-suspension bike on smaller obstacles and wash-
board bumps. Then, when we least expected it, the bigger features
reminded us that we were indeed riding a hardtail. The carbon
frame flexes and makes the ride compliant but not too “noodley.”
It offers a much better feel than the traditional aluminum typically
used for this category. The Sync’r flows well and corners with
precision. The head angle and travel make the bike feel stable in
the air. It doesn’t feel like a slopestyle bike, but when you do hit
bigger features there are no surprises, and it is more than capable
of floating over huge gaps.

How far are you willing to

push your hardtail?

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 Since enduro is the trend,
the Sync’r must be trendy.

MODS AND UPGRADES

Since we tested a size large, our upgrades are based on our ride for more than an hour
6-foot-tall rider’s experience. We always advocate for more volume at a time,, find a saddle that will
spacers in the fork for more aggressive and bigger riders, along accommodate
odate
d t you bbetter
tt ththan th thatt comes stock
the one th t k on the
th
with a longer dropper post. Droppers are really beneficial, espe- Sync’r. Many stock bars now come in an 800mm width. The stock
cially if your main ambition is to jump. The more tucked away you 780mm bars on the Sync’r felt good, but 800mm bars might feel
can get your saddle the better. Speaking of saddles, if you plan to even better.

JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 85

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 BIKE TEST / DIAMONDBACK SYNC’R CARBON
DIAMONDBACK SYNC’R CARBON
Price $3000
Weight 29.81 pounds /size large tested (without pedals)
Frame tested Carbon hardtail
Fork 140mm travel Fox 34 Performance Series
Rims Diamondback Blanchard 32 hole
Hubs 32h Alloy, Boost, sealed cartridge bearings
Tires Maxxis Minion DHF/DHR 27.5x2.8” EXO, TLR,folding
Seatpost 150mm travel X-Fusion Manic dropper post
Saddle DB Sync’r Saddle
Handlebar Race Face Aeffect 35 (780mm width, 20mm rise)
Stem Diamondback Shortie (40mm length)
Grips DB flanged lock-on, 135mm silicone
Headset FSA
Brakes Shimano MT501 Hydraulic Disc, w/ 180mm front
and 160mm rear rotors
Rear derailleur SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed
Shifters SRAM GX Eagle 12-speed
Crankset Truvativ Descendant 6K
Bottom bracket SRAM GXP
Pedals DB4L alloy platform, sealed cartridge bearings w/
replaceable pins
Cassette SRAM XG1275 Eagle, 12-speed, 10-50T
Chain SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed
Chainring 32-tooth
GEOMETRY
Head tube angle 66º
Reach 455mm
Stack 610mm
Standover height 808mm
Top tube length 630mm
Seat tube angle 74º
Bottom bracket height 317.5mm
Chainstay length 435mm
Wheelbase 1185mm

BOTTOM LINE Rough-trail hardtail,

This bike is a Swiss army knife of sorts that is capable of riding the Sync’r dares you to
up the trail and bombing back down. The Sync’r might not be the question its capabilities.
most efficient cross-country race bike on the market, but if your
trail system isn’t extremely rocky or steep, this might be your ride.
Ideally designed for groomed, flowing trails at resorts and bike
parks, it’s perfect for the rider who pulls up on every little obstacle
and feature available. Carving through berms, pulling manuals and
being in the air is where the Sync’r is most at home. ❏

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 ONLY $31.99!
GET THE
COMBO & SAVE!
For one year subscription of both titles (U.S. price only)
10 issues of Road Bike Action - 12 issues of Mountain Bike Action
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 FEATURE
The Trail Starts Here
Avoiding a pack attack
O
ccasionally, we come across riders
with monkeys dangling off their
backs. We’ll often stop and watch
as those riders peel away into the first
corner, only to see that monkey throwing
itself around, trying to pull the rider to the
ground every chance it gets. This meta-
phorical monkey is exactly what it feels like
when you wear an ill-fitting pack. Hydration
packs are cleverly designed to be as com-
fortable as possible, but if you don’t take
the steps to find one that fits properly,
you’ll feel as if the world is trying to bring
you down.
For this month’s “The Trail Starts Here,”
we’re talking about pack fitment. With so
many riders wanting to ditch their packs,
we feel it’s only right to see if we can’t
make them more comfortable first. Don’t
let your pack push you around. Stand up to
that bully by following these tips.
HOW TO FIT YOUR PACK
• When searching for a pack, inspect
the straps and see which design is most
comfortable for you. Wide shoulder straps
can spread the load and help the pack ride
more comfortably on your shoulders. If the
straps are too wide, however, they might
dig into the side of your neck or collarbone,
causing discomfort.
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Trail_Starts_Here_88-89.indd 88
• Most packs have a cross strap
connecting the two shoulder straps.
Always buckle this strap and wear it tight.
Furthermore, this strap should be adjusted
so it sits an inch below your collarbone.
• If you plan on riding with a heavier
load, opt for a pack with waist straps.
These straps are designed to be adjusted
first so that you can carry the load more on
your waist than your shoulders.
• Pack heavy items as low as possi-
ble. By keeping the weight low, you will
prevent the pack from feeling top-heavy.
This sounds obvious, but you would be
surprised how often we see packs loaded
up top.
• Adjust your pack so that it rides high
and tight on your back. This sounds coun-
terintuitive (especially in light of our last tip),
but it’s important to keep your pack tight to
your back, even if it means you have to run
the weight a littler higher. A tight pack will
move as one with your body.
• Always hang your hydration bladder
from the hook inside your pack. Allowing
the bladder to slosh around freely can • Look for a pack that is well-ventilat-
make you feel off balance. Additionally, ed. Some packs offer a floating fit that
look for a bladder with a divider in the creates a pocket of air between the pack
middle. This design prevents water from and your back. Other packs use cutouts in
moving from side to side. the padding to help channel air through.
3/22/19 9:22 AM
 Both designs have their pros and cons. A
pack that floats sits further off your back,
causing it to, well, float. This creates more
movement but increases airflow, which is
a must on hot summer rides. A pack with
channels cut in the padding allows for a
snug fit, which helps keep the pack in
place, but at the cost of ventilation.
• Are you looking for additional pro-
tection? Some hydration pack companies
have added back protection to their packs
to protect a rider in the event of a crash.
If you often ride gnarlier trails or just want
to be as protected as possible, opt for a
pack with added back protection. In some
cases, this extra padding can be removed
or added, but that will vary based on the
design and brand of your hydration pack.
ADDITIONAL OPTIONS
If you simply aren’t comfortable wearing
a hydration pack but enjoy longer rides
that require you to carry additional items,
a fanny pack might be your best bet.
Trail_Starts_Here_88-89.indd 89
Fanny packs with hydration bladders have
become popular among enduro and trail
riders. These packs offer more limited
space but generally have enough room to
house the essentials for a multi-hour ride.
If an all-day epic is more your style, a fanny
pack might not cut it; however, the trade-
off for comfort and mobility is worth it for
some riders.
TO DITCH THE PACK OR NOT?
If you’ve been on the fence about wear-
ing a pack during your rides, first follow
the above tips to see if you can’t make a
pack more comfortable. If those tips don’t
help, you can get creative finding ways to
carry more stuff on your bike. It will take
some clever placement and trial and error
to get everything to stay secure and rat-
tle-free, but for short- to mid-length rides,
going pack-less is a real treat. Ultimately,
the choice is yours. All right, enough time
spent fiddling with your gear; let’s get out
and ride. ❏
JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 89
3/19/19 11:34 AM
 GARAGE
FILES
Installing Fox
air-volume spacers 3
Remove the air-valve cap counterclockwise.

O
ne of the most inexpensive and beneficial upgrades you can
do in the comfort of your own home is set up your bike’s
suspension with volume spacers for your specific body
weight and riding ability. It is relatively simple to experiment so that 4
you can dial in your suspension for your ideal riding experience.
Adding volume spacers makes the shock damping firmer as
you push through the stroke. Stiffening the suspension is most
valuable to heavier and more aggressive riders. Removing volume
spacers allows the shock to push through the stroke evenly with
less resistance, providing a plusher feel. Fox has simplified the
process of tuning your suspension, and in this month’s “Garage
Files,” we will guide you through this uncomplicated process.

1
Document your current air pressure for future reference, then
release the air using the button on your shock pump.

Fox has volume spacers for each of its products, and they are
now color-coded by model. Before you begin, make sure you
have the proper set of volume spacers for your suspension. Items Loosen the valve core counterclockwise and remove to ensure
you’ll need for this operation include cleaning products, a valve that all of the air is released from the shock.
core remover, volume spacers, a pick or dental tool, a strap
wrench, and a shock pump.

6
2

The first step is to degrease your shock with rubbing alcohol. If you are unable to break the shock canister free by hand, use a
Cleanliness is next to godliness for all mechanical functions. strap wrench.

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 7 10

Turn the shock canister a few degrees until it loosens, and pull up Coat the volume spacers with shock oil and clip them together.
towards the stanchion.

8 11

Install the volume spacers in the air chamber.

Remove the lockring at the bottom of the canister once it is loose.
Use a pick if you are unable to remove it with your fingernails.

12
9 10

Add your ideal number of volume spacers. This will depend on

Slide the shock canister down opposite the stanchion. your suspension needs and shock model.

JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 91

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 GARAGE
TECH
FILES
13

16
Install the valve core clockwise.

Slide the shock canister back into place.

14

17
Inflate the shock back to your proper sag setting. More than likely,
the air pressure will be different depending on the number of
Reinstall the lockring. volume spacers added or removed.

15

18
Snap the lockring back into place. Install the valve cap clockwise; do not over-tighten. ❏

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 Thanks to his dad, a physical therapist,

TECH Gwin started riding a bike when he was

three and took up racing BMX at four. By
the age of six he had a sponsor and was
soon flying around the country on the

MEET THE national BMX circuit. It was too much,

too soon. Aaron got burned out on the

RIDERS demands of racing BMX on the national

circuit by the age of nine, so he took up
baseball and football instead. He excelled

AND THEIR at both. He quarterbacked his football team

to an undefeated season and pitched a
perfect game in baseball, he told MBA in

RIDES an interview in 2013.

At age 12, Aaron took up racing moto-
cross, and he was exceptionally good at
Aaron Gwin and his that, too. Aaron’s parents told him that he
had to keep his grades above a C or they
Intense M29 wouldn’t let him ride, and he became a
straight-A student.
While working his way up through the

A
aron Gwin is by far the most
successful racer in the history of
American downhill mountain biking.
He could well be regarded as the best in
world history, too, by the time he’s done
racing. He’s won five World Cup series
downhill titles so far, eight national downhill
titles, and he’s not done yet. At 31, he will
likely be racing for another five years or
more.   At 19, Gwin’s friend Cody Smart loaned
We recently met up with Aaron at the
Southridge Winter Series in Fontana,
California, to check out his new Intense
M29 downhill bike and learn more about
his role with the Intense downhill team.
A LITTLE BACKGROUND
Aaron Gwin grew up in the Morongo
Valley of California, near Palm Springs.
top amateur ranks of motocross on his way
to what looked to be a future pro racing
career, Gwin suffered a series of injuries
that caused him to give up his dreams of
motocross stardom.
GWIN’S FIRST MOUNTAIN
BIKE EXPERIENCE
him a mountain bike so the two could ride
trails together.
Gwin was so fast that Cody, America’s
2005 Pro Downhill champion, talked Aaron
into entering a downhill race in Fontana,
California, on November 18, 2007. “What Gwin charges down a rocky
class should I enter?” Gwin asked. “Just descent at Fontana, California,
race pro," Cody told him. on his Intense M29 downhill bike
It was a good call. Gwin had the while preparing for another year
on the World Cup circuit.

RIDER PROFILE
Na
Name: Aaron Gwin Leogang, Austria bike-handling skills of a BMX pro and the
Nickname:
N Gwinny Favorite food: Pancakes, pizza, ice speed of a motocross star. “I got third
Age: 31 cream place," Aaron recalls. “I was 1/10th of a
Birthdate: December Goals: To enjoy racing, represent second behind Waylon Smith and two sec-
24, 1987 my sponsors well and support the peo- onds behind Cody." It was a great finish for
Birthplace: Palm ple on my race team at a very high level any downhill racer, much less a guy who’d
Springs,
Sp California Favorite recording artist: Too many to never raced a mountain bike before.
Current
C t home:
h Murrieta, California list The word spread fast. Yeti signed Gwin
Height: 5 feet, 10 inches Favorite movie: Into the Wild, The Man to a sponsorship deal in early 2008. That
Weight: 170 pounds From U.N.C.L.E., Talladega Nights summer, Gwin entered his first World Cup
Shoe size: 10.5 Favorite hobbies: Playing my guitars, race at Mont-Sainte-Anne and placed
Helmet make/size: Bell Full 9/ size motocross, surfing, tennis tenth. It was the first time an American had
large Jobs held (other than racer): I worked placed in the top 10 at a World Cup race
Waist: 31 inches a few jobs here and there as a teenag- since 2004. At the end of the 2008 sea-
House: Yes, just finished building my er, but once I started racing at age 20, son, with less than 10 months of downhill
new home. Stoked! I’ve been fully committed to that pursuit racing experience, Gwin took eighth at the
Started racing: November 18, 2007 Most embarrassing moment: Goon World Cup finals.  
Turned pro: November 18, 2007 riding and crashing at Sea Otter prac- Over the next two years, Gwin started
Racing specialty: Fast tracks with tice in 2010. Not many people saw it, making the podium on the World Cup
lots of lines but it was funny downhill circuit. For 2011, Gwin rode for
Favorite course (North America): Always takes on a trip: My MacBook Trek, and he won his first downhill World
Mammoth, California What you would be if you were not a Cup race that year. He then won four
Favorite course (Europe): racer: I’m not too sure yet; we’ll see! more World Cup races that season to set

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INSIDE_PROS_94-97.indd 94 3/19/19 2:32 PM

 a record that has yet to be beaten by any
male World Cup downhill racer.
Gwin has now won five overall World
Cup titles and eight American national titles
(2009–’10, 2012–’17). The only major title
that’s eluded him so far is the UCI World
Championship.
THE CHAINLESS DOWNHILL
Gwin also recorded what may have been
the most impressive World Cup win in
history. Back in 2015, Gwin snapped his
chain in the first corner of the finals at the
Leogang, Austria, World Cup race. It barely
fazed him. He rode the entire rest of the
course with no chain and still won anyway.
HIS RECORDS
Gwin won five World Cup downhill titles
INSIDE_PROS_94-97.indd 95
between 2011 and 2017, only losing the
title battles in 2013 and 2014.
A shoulder injury in 2013 benched him
for the last two races that year, costing him
the title.
In 2014, Gwin suffered a flat tire in
round three in Austria. Gwin still blasted
down the rest of the course at incredible
speed, riding on the bare rear rim with the
tire flopping in the dirt behind him. It didn’t
slow him down much, but it did slow him
down enough that it cost him a high-
placing finish and the year-end overall title
that would have come if he’d had a fully
inflated tire underneath him.
LAST YEAR
In 2018, Gwin won the first World Cup
downhill of the year. Later, he went on to
suffer a series of injuries, mostly to his
thumb, that kept him from racing a good
part of the remaining season.
When Gwin found out a few months
ago that he had been dropped from the
YT team for 2019, he called up his long-
time friend Jeff Steber, the founder and
CEO of Intense Cycles. The two struck a
deal that put Gwin on the Intense team.
Aaron has been training hard for the
last few months on his new Intense bike,
showing up at the Fontana course on
weekends, mostly to practice but also to
enter some races.
We met up with Aaron at Fontana
this winter and got the chance to check
out his new bike, shoot some photos
and find out what’s in store for the year
ahead.
JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 95
3/19/19 2:32 PM
 Aaron showed us his
new Intense M29 at
the Southridge Winter
Series in Fontana.

TECH 5. Shifter: TRP DH 7-speed 17. Wheels: E13 LG1 DH wheelset,

29" (front: 20x110/Rear: 12x57)
6. Cranks: E13 LG1, 30T
18. Tires: Kenda HellKat, 29x2.4"
INSIDE THE 7. Bottom bracket: Kogel BSA30
19. Seatpost: SDG Carbon I-Beam,

PROS’
8. Cassette: E13, 7-speed, DH, 9-21t 31.6mm

9. Headset: Works Components, 20. Seat: SDG I-Fly 2.0 I-Beam

reach adjust, short position (-6mm)

BIKES
21. Pedals: HT X2 Black
10. Stem: Renthal Integra, 45mm, 0
rise, 31.8mm clamp 22. Chain: 11-speed

11. Handlebars: Renthal Fatbar 23. Chainguide: E-13 LG1 Race

Aaron Gwin and his
Intense M29
1. Frame: Intense M29, carbon,
208mm rear travel, size XL
aluminum, 30mm rise, 790mm width,
31.8mm clamp
12. Brakes: TRP DHR
13. Brake rotors: TRP 223mm
Carbon
24. Head angle: 62.69 degrees
25. Bottom bracket height:
353.4mm (13.9")

2. Fork: Fox 49, 203mm travel 14. Brake pads: TRP Sintered
Metallic Bike weight:
3. Rear shock: Fox Float X2 37.6 pounds
(250x70) 15. Brakes (front R or L): Left Estimated price:
$10,500
4. Rear derailleur: TRP DH 7-speed 16. Grips: ODI AG2

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 MBA Q&A
MBA: Can you tell us how your new
Intense M29 feels different from the other
downhill bikes you’ve raced in the past?
Gwin: The main thing I noticed straight-
away was just how smooth and settled
the bike was through the choppy stuff.
You don’t get the harshness through your
hands and feet like on some other frames.
The bike is also extremely settled in the
rear and tracks the ground well. That
feeling inspires a lot of confidence under
hard braking through rough sections and
setting up for corners, etc. I also really like
how fast the bike rolls/pedals. That’s a
hard one to explain but something I always
notice straightaway. Some bikes just pick
up speed easier than others, and this one
feels fast for sure.
MBA: We hear that you own the Intense
downhill team. Can you explain what that
means?
Gwin: On my former team, I handled a
lot of the responsibilities that are usually
covered by the team owner/manager, so
taking on the full position of owning a team
now hasn’t been too big of an adjustment
for me. As the team owner, I basically just
manage/oversee everything now. I negoti-
ate all of our team contracts to make sure
our budget/needs are covered.  I’ve set up
the business side now, which includes pay-
ing team salaries, expenses, etc. I’ve hired
Todd Schumlick to manage the day-to-day
logistical responsibilities, so now that things
are up and running, I’ll hand a lot of that
over to him and just oversee it from the
background. There are a lot of details that
need to be covered when operating a fac-
tory race team, and I’ve worked hard to set
up a really strong foundation so that things
Gwin gets some air at Fontana.
INSIDE_PROS_94-97.indd 97
The 29-inch wheels roll
over rocks more easily
than smaller hoops.
can run efficiently. I feel that I’ve done
that, and I just want to support my guys
and give them the best opportunity that I
can to be successful and enjoy their jobs. 
MBA: How did you swing that deal?
Gwin: Basically, running a team was
just something that I was wanting to do
and believed I could do really well. When I
sat down with Intense initially, I told them
what I was thinking and it was exactly
what they were looking for. It was good
timing for everyone. 
MBA: What races do you plan to attend
this year?
Gwin: Our main races will be the World
Cups and the World Championships.
We’ll also have certain riders at the Sea
Otter Classic, U.S. Nationals, Australian
Nationals, etc. 
MBA: How long is your contract with
Intense?
Gwin: It’s a three-year deal with
options to extend. 
MBA: How much longer do you plan to
be racing downhill, and what do you think
you’ll do afterwards?
Gwin: That’s hard to say right now. I’m
enjoying my riding and racing more now
than I ever have, and that love seems to
grow stronger every year. I’m still learning
and improving each year, too, so I can’t
really imagine slowing down anytime
soon. We’ll see what happens. It’s hard
to predict what opportunities will present
themselves after racing, but I’m sure I’ll
still be involved in the industry pretty
heavily. ❏
JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 97
3/19/19 2:36 PM
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 DOWN THE TRAIL

Looking Back 30 Years

The Proflex Flexstem offered one type of front suspension in 1989,

but it would soon be overtaken in popularity by the newly devel-
oped Rock Shox suspension fork, which would hit the market later
that year and revolutionize suspension technology.

A
lthough we had previously tested a
prototype set of RockShox suspen-
sion forks before our June 1989
issue came out, we still had to wait for the
final product to hit the market later in the
year before we’d get to ride them again.
In the meantime, we got the chance to
try out the Offroad Flexstem, which was
also designed to absorb front-end shock,
only in this case, the Flexstem would absorb
the punishment of bumpy trails by flexing up
and down, with rubber bumpers providing
the cushion.
We also took a look at ’cross bikes in this
issue. The ’cross bikes we reviewed were
hybrid bikes designed to work as either
mountain bikes or road bikes. They offered
a mix of road and mountain bike character-
istics, including wide, flat bars for mountain
biking use but also had drops for more
aerodynamic road riding. The cross bikes
were apparently aimed at riders who were
on the fence about what kind of bike to get,
offering a single bike that would work on
both the road and dirt. You can look to the
gravel bikes of 2019 and see that the idea Yeti offered its C-26 race bike in 1989 with carbon-wrapped alloy frame tubes. Its
of a single, do-it-all bike is flourishing again. 24-pound weight was impressive back then, even for a bike with no suspension.

104 www.mbaction.com

Down the Trail_104-106.indd 104 3/19/19 2:49 PM


MBA’s June 1999 cover.
20 Years Ago
Among other stories, our June 1999
issue featured a writeup of the 1999
Single-Speed World Championships.
That event was a cross-country race on
single-speed bikes; but, what was real-
ly remarkable was who the top riders
turned out to be. Pro downhill racer Marla
Streb won the women’s title, while pro
cross-country star Travis Brown won the
men’s title.
Brown would later go on to win the
national cross-country title for the U.S.
in 1999 and then represent American
mountain biking at the Olympics in the
year 2000. Interviewed in that 1999 issue,
Travis told us that he had majored in
microbiology in college and was originally
planning on pursuing a career in dentistry
or medicine if he couldn’t stay in the bike
industry. As it turns out, Travis has been
with Trek since 1993, when he joined their
race team. He retired from professional
racing at the end of 2004, and he has
worked for Trek ever since in the devel-
opment of new bikes. Travis famously got
Trek to introduce a bike with a 29-inch
front wheel and a 26-inch rear wheel in
Down the Trail_104-106.indd 105
Travis Brown won the
men’s Single-Speed
World Championship
for 1999. He’s been
with Trek ever since.
Marla Streb gave up a
career as a research
biologist to become a
professional downhill
racer, Single-Speed
World Champion,
author, mom and
restaurateur.
2009 (the Trek 69er) at a time when the
mountain bike world was largely split over
the question of whether the best wheel size
was 26 or 29 inches. Travis, who turns that Nico was also faster than the high
50 this summer, was inducted into the school girls at the races. Only one high
Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 2006. school girl beat Nico this past season, and
Marla Streb, who turns 54 this June, that happened only once.
was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall
of Fame in 2013. Amazingly, Marla didn’t
get into mountain biking seriously until
she was 27 years old. She was a research
biologist studying HIV/AIDS, as well as a
“little-known” (in Marla’s words) concert
pianist before becoming a professional
mountain biker. As a pro downhill racer,
she won the X Games Championship, one
World Cup downhill event and three U.S.
Downhill National Championships. Marla
also authored two books, Downhill: Life
Story of a Gravity Goddess and The Road
Century Book, as well as a number of
articles for magazines and newspapers.
In 2017, Marla and her husband, Mark
Fitzgerald, opened the Handlebar Cafe,
a combination bike shop/restaurant in
Baltimore, Maryland. Marla and Mark have
two daughters, Kiki, 9, and Nico, 12. Marla
told MBA that Nico wants to be a profes-
Missy Giove was a superstar of the down-
sional mountain bike racer someday. Nico hill world and racing on the Foes/Azonic
won the State Championship in Maryland’s team. She appeared in this ad on our June
NICA series for 7th graders. Marla says 1999 back cover.
JUNE 2019 / MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION 105
3/19/19 2:50 PM
 DOWN THE TRAIL
turers and riders ignored. We started calling the 650b size “27.5
inches” so that readers could relate to the oddball size more easily.
At the time, there were some objections to the name “27.5.”
We had measured the outside diameter of conventional mountain
bike tires and found they were almost exactly 26 inches tall when
mounted and inflated.
When we measured some 29-inch tires, we found that they were
all right around 29 inches tall when mounted and inflated. When we
decided to check out some bikes with 650b wheels, we measured
the tires’ outside diameters and found they were 27 1/2 inches tall.
After that, we started calling them 27.5-inch tires so our readers
could relate to the 650b size better and realize that the 650b size
was halfway between the other two sizes.
After we started calling them 27.5-inch tires, Jeff Steber, the
founder of Intense, wondered why we were calling them 27.5-inch
instead of 650b tires, so he got out a tape measure to find out. He
soon started calling them 27.5 inchers, too. The 27.5-inch wheel
size caught on quickly over the next two to three years and soon
replaced 26 inches as the standard wheel size in the mountain bike
market.
Our staff also offered an offbeat tribute to the late Brent
Thomson, the man who created the Bootleg Canyon downhill trail
system just south of Las Vegas. The article was written as if it were
a letter sent to us from heaven by Brent Thomson: “Down there on
earth, I was an artist before I was a mountain biker. That’s probably
why I looked at things a little differently. When most people looked
east from Boulder City, Nevada, they saw a pile of rocks resting on
scorched earth. I saw endless possibilities that eventually turned
into Bootleg Canyon.
“If I had been paid $2 an hour for all the digging, rock moving
and trail grading I put into Bootleg Canyon, I would have died a very
Test rider Jon Buckell graced the cover of our June 2009 issue rich man.” ❏
riding the Turner 5 Spot.

10 Years Ago Great Britain’s Dan Atherton (shown

here) and younger brother Gee
made a surprise appearance at the
Our June 2009 issue had an article titled “101 Inside Secrets to Mob in Mojave downhill race at
Bootleg Canyon, Nevada. Dan
Trail Riding Perfection.” The article was full of tips on how to ride, beat Gee—the reigning world cham-
set up your bike, dial in your gear and everything else. pion—by a mere 0.15 seconds
We also had a test of the newly released Pivot Firebird. Chris on the long, treacherous
Cocalis, the founder of Pivot, had started the company in 2008, course. “We’ve never
ridden any place like this
and the Firebird was his first foray into the 6-inch-travel world. before,” said Gee. “It’s
Elsewhere in that issue, we shared predictions from some of the very dry with sharp rocks
industry’s top people about what they thought would be happening everywhere. It’s a cool, fun
in our sport in another six years. Cocalis made a prediction that track, but nothing like we
have at home.”
was truly remarkable for its accuracy: “I’ll keep it short and sweet.
By 2015, I see longer travel and lighter suspension bikes being
used in racing. I would not be surprised if 27.5-inch wheels take
Photo by Ryan Cleek

off with the same momentum that the 29-inch size has.”
Cocalis was right, of course. Back in 2009, the mountain bike
wheel world was divided about the ideal wheel size. The 26-inch
wheels were standard, but 29ers were quickly winning more and
more converts. There was a size called 650b that most manufac-

MOUNTAIN BIKE ACTION Magazine (ISSN 0895-8467 Canada GST 12500#9266RT: CPC INT’L. PUB MAIL 40024492) JUNE 2019, Volume 34, Issue 6, is published monthly by
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