SEA OTTER: Reigning U-23 world champ Burry Stander out-kicks Geoff Kabush for the win at the Sea Otter Classic cross-country race.
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SEA OTTER: After winning the short-track race on Saturday at the Sea Otter Classic, Luna’s Georgia Gould repeats in the cross-country.
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SEA OTTER: Todd Wells and Georgia Gould take impressive wins in the Pro XCT short-track race at the Sea Otter Classic.
The first batch of Sea Otter videos: Lene Byberg and Todd Wells interviews and the SRAM launch party.
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The question was not “if,” but “when” and “how” Shimano would go about creating a 10-speed mountain bike drivetrain. Now those questions have been answered. That’s right — at the Sea Otter this week, Shimano finally revealed its 10-speed off-road drivetrain.
US Cup Triple Crown 1 Bonelli Park Cross-country results
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The GRID is a high-tech foam roller from Trigger Point Performance will cost you a lot less than regular trips to the massage therapist.
For most of us working stiffs, regular massages are but a dream, with the occasional session being more a self-indulgent treat than part of a training regime.
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By Singletrack.com
The Mojo HD weighs in at 6.3 pounds for the frame and rear shock; just a half-pound more than the venerable Mojo. CHECK OUT MORE PHOTOS IN THE SLIDESHOW BELOW.
Long awaited, the Ibis Mojo HD is now released. Due to deadlines and whatnot, the Mojo HD didn’t get into the 2010 VeloNews magazine Buyer’s Guide, which is on news stands now.
So instead, we have the Mojo HD here in all its huck-climb-ability glory. But before that, Brian Lopes rode a prototype HD at the Enduro Trophy des Nations in France in July where there was a lot of ups and downs. He then took an HD to Australia in September to race the Downhill at the 2009 World Championships.
The Mojo HD weighs in at 6.3 pounds for the frame and rear shock; just a half-pound more than the venerable Mojo. While the HD uses the same modulus carbon as the Mojo SL, new molds and layups are used for both the front triangle and swingarm on the HD.
The Mojo HD features 160mm of rear wheel travel using DW Link suspension. The leverage ratio of the Mojo HD, like that of the Mojo and Mojo SL, is designed for air shocks, so don’t expect to see one of these with a coil. The HD comes with a 8.5 by 2.5-inch Fox RP23 rear shock, but the linkage is also compatible with a DHX air on all but the small size.
Using standard 26-inch wheels, the frame and fork have enough clearance for 2.35 to 2.5-inch tires, depending on the brand and height of the cornering knobs.
Although the frame is designed around a 160mm fork, you can also run 170mm and 180mm setups. The Ibis Mojo HD is compatible with the new tapered steerer standard of a 1-1/8-inch upper and 1.5-inch lower. And if you prefer to run a straight 1-1/8-inch steerer on another fork, well, Ibis has an adapter available.
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Colorado Springs, Colo. (December 17, 2009)—USA Cycling has announced the first round of nominations to the United States National Team for the 2010 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in Tabor, Czech Republic, Jan. 30-31.
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San Diego, CA – October 27, 2009 – The Competitor Group announced today that Columbia Sportswear will become the title sponsor of the popular Muddy Buddy Ride & Run Series. The agreement includes naming rights of the 18-event Columbia Muddy Buddy Series, as well as the Columbia Mini Muddy Buddy and designates Columbia as the exclusive apparel and footwear sponsor.
Columbia Muddy Buddy Ride & Run events are adventure races that require two-person teams to navigate a six to seven-mile mountain bike and trail-running course containing five obstacles. Each event’s signature finale involves both teammates belly-crawling through a 60-foot-long mud pit before crossing the finish line. Kids between the ages of 4 and 13 can also join in the fun as a part of the Columbia Mini Muddy Buddy in which they complete a short obstacle course and slither through the same mud pit as the grown-ups.
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The start of the cross-country team relay in Canberra, Australia. Check out more photos below. Photo above by John Veage
Italy won the first gold medal at the 2009 mountain bike World Championships in Canberra, Australia during the cross-country team relay.
In the team relay 19 nations each entered four riders – one elite man, one Under-23 man, one junior man and an elite woman. Each rider contested one lap of the 6.47km course in the order determined by their coach and at the end of the lap tagged the next rider on their team.
The Italian team of Marco Fontana (elite), Gerhard Kerschbaumer (junior), Eva Lechner (elite) and Cristian Cominelli (U23) won the team relay in a time of 1hr14min02sec, narrowly beating Canadians Raphael Gagne (U23), Geoff Kabush (elite), Evan Guthrie (junior) and Catharine Pendrel (elite), who finished six seconds behind in second place.
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The 2009 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships are being held in Canberra, Australia Sept. 1-6. The cross-country events, downhill, 4-cross and the trials events will all take place in Stromlo Forest Park, a nature reserve just outside Canberra, where one stop of the 2008 UCI World took place last season. Ralph Naef and Irina Kalentieva won the 2008 men’s and women’s XC races.
Canberra World Cup event schedule
Start list of the Elite cross-country race
The overall UCI World Cup standings
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Editor’s Note: Calvin Jones is Park Tool’s education director and the chief mechanic for the USA Cycling team at next week’s mountain bike world championships in Canberra, Australia. Singletrack.com will publish his journals leading up to the races this coming weekend. An archive of his journals is available on the Park Tool Web site.
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There is an extensive MTB trail network on the edge of Boise, Idaho. Photo courtesy Brett Magnuson/SWIMBA
The southwestern Idaho city of Boise could be written off as very mediocre in many ways. Boise is medium in size, with about 200,000 residents. Cost of living, education and cultural opportunities, climate — all pretty average.
But the mountain bike trail network just at the edge of town — extensive and easy to access — defies expectation. It’s well above average.
The quiet city is situated in a tree-filled river valley. But rising up just to the north of town are rounded, sage and grassland foothills that are positively blanketed with trails of all shape and size. Some of the more prominent double tracks and ATV trails are even visible from downtown, reaching into the hills like fungal mycelia.
Even better? The network of fully 125 miles of jeep roads, doubletracks, and singlestrack trail can be readily accessed from neighborhoods surrounding the north and east perimeter of the city. Even from downtown, trailheads are only a ten-minute pedal, and present portals to every segment of the foothills system. The North End neighborhood of funky bungalows is the most popular jumping off point, and includes the Hyde Park district of restaurants, coffee shops, and stores.
At one time, the mostly public land of the Boise Foothills was cut with unregulated motorcycle and ATV trails. But in the 1990s, as mountain biking, hiking, and trail running became more and more popular, the city, county, Bureau of Land Management, and Forest Service created a trail management partnership called Ridge to Rivers. The Ridge to Rivers program has improved and maintained some trails, closed others, and mapped the entire system.
The granite-based geology of the Boise Foothills and the dry climate of southern Idaho dictate the nature of the mountain biking. Trails are smooth, sandy, and non-technical. A few rock outcrops here and there present some fall-line challenges, but the bike to bring is, at most, a 4- to 5-inch travel cross country rig. In fact, 29er hardtails are popular for the many fast rolling, swoopy trail segments. Hutchinson Python, Kenda Small Block 8 or Bontrager Revolt Super X tires are a good choice.
If you go: Boise, Idaho
Must-do trail: Hulls Gulch to Corral’s, a loop that starts and ends in town and embodies the essential nature of the Boise foothills.
Best bike shop: the cycling community in Boise is small but fervent, and many shops cater to every need. But try Idaho Mountain Touring for the best variety.
Best map: The Ridges to Rivers map has all the info you need.
Best coffee: Too many great coffee shops to count, but Java Coffee and Café in Hyde Park has the best bean juice and breakfast.
Best bar/restaurant: Bitter Creek on 8th street downtown has a huge specialty beer list, plus their own brews and great food.
Riding Season: Almost year-round, but Boise is a four-season town with snow in winter and scorching dry heat in August. Best times are spring and fall.
Getting there: Boise has a good airport, and is right on Interstate 84.
Lodging: Plenty of options, but stay in the downtown area for best trail (and culture) access.
Other things to do: Lucky Peak Reservoir just outside of town provides boating and swimming opportunities.Web Site: www.ridgetorivers.org, www.swimba.org
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