Here is a little look at the how and why of Garmin-Cervelo.  It is a little long but worth the watch we think.

We have been riding a Niner Air 9 Carbon for the last twelve months and it is hands down the best bike we have ever ridden.  However while it is ground breaking it is not the lightest 29er hardtail on the market currently.  Keen not to be left behind Niner have produced a RDO (Race Day Optimized) version or update which sees significant changes to its brother to ship over half a pound in weight.

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SRAMs origins are in Grip Shift, it was the first product the company produced and it enjoyed huge success winning the first ever Downhill World Championship under Greg Herbold in 1990. As XC and DH racing grew in global popularity, elite racers grew to embrace Grip Shift. XC legends John Tomac, Ned Overend and Thomas Frischknecht swore by it.  Downhill stars like Anne-Caroline Chausson joined Herbold in adding it to their arsenal.

For a while Gripshift disappeared but now its back designed for SRAM 2X10 [Read more →]

Today saw the first round of the Biking Blitz in Ballinastoe, Co.Wicklow.  Provisional results have been released and can be found here.  For a blow by blow special report check out Richie Byrnes blog here.

Round two is in Ballyhoura on the 4th of March, we will let you know when registration opens!

The G-Ride XC race will take place on the new privately owned trail centre in Glendalough estate on the 18th of March.  Designed and built by trails supremo Robin Seymour it should be a real tour de force and will be round 2 of the Leinster XC league.  Miss this at your peril!

Always a great night out, the 5th Wee Adventure Film Festival (WAFF) will be held this year on the 30th of March in Vicar Street.

Previous editions have been held in the Sugar Club but the event was packed out last year so the move to Vicar Street should prove popular.  Tickets are available from Ticketmaster here and cost €15 each. [Read more →]

A new group has been set up in the North of Ireland to help unite the voice of mountain biking. Well, the Northern Ireland Mountain Biking Alliance is now open and welcoming new members in the form of bikers, clubs and businesses. It’s free to join. Check out the website at http://www.mtbni.blogspot.com/, fill in a membership form, and join today

We are approaching the end of our Facebook/Twitter competition to win a team jersey from professional cycling team Garmin transitions (now known as Garmin-Cervelo) signed by the likes of Christian Vande Velde and David Millar. With only a day left get liking and following to be in with a shot.  This is a prize that any cycling fan would love on their wall and all you have to do is give us a like on our Facebook page (see the bar to the left or search for Spoke.ie in facebook) or follow us on Twitter at #spoketweets. It really is that simple!

You get one entry to the competition for every like or follow so if you do both that is two chances to win [Read more →]

Don’t forget to sign up to the first round of the Biking Blitz this weekend.  Registration is open here so make sure you are set for the startline!

It may snow…. so what!  Just get out and ride.

Pumping It Out - Through the Winter from Liam Mullany on Vimeo.

Some people just never need coffee.  Seriously this is a great video following the production of an Orange mountain bike in their factory in Halifax.  Bit of a long one but certainly entertaining.

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Alberto Contador received a two year ban from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) yesterday following an appeal from the UCI and WADA over the Spanish cycling authorities sanction of the rider for a positive test for clenbuterol.

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Irish mountain biker Richie Felle has been consistently posting top results in Elite cross country for a number of seasons now.  Here is a neat video of him produced and directed by Brian Fortune.

The Santa Cruz Syndicate team have switched sponsors to Shimano and Fox over the Winter and recently got together in Italy for initial setup and testing of the new bikes and components.

Santa Cruz Syndicate - San Romolo Testing from santa cruz bikes on Vimeo.

Unfortunately due to the spread of the tree disease P. ramorum the Cross country nationals which were slated for Tollymore forest have had to be cancelled.  No alternative venue was open to the organisers Banbridge CC due to the sudden and virulent spread of the disease and as such they were faced with no option than to release the race back to Cycling Ireland.

Clubs are now invited to submit applications to host the cross country nationals to the Off Road Commission of Cycling Ireland at offroad.commission@gmail.com. [Read more →]

Online registration is now open for the Biking Blitz, round 1 of which kicks of on the 19th of February in Ballinastoe.

The series is perfect for riders who are new to racing with its ‘Baggy Shorts’ category that is aimed at giving a taster of what the cut and thrust of racing is all about but in an environment that is a bit easier and less intimidating for the novice. [Read more →]

Win a signed team jersey from Garmin Transitions by simply liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter!

For the next two weeks we are running a really simple competition to win a team jersey from professional cycling team Garmin transitions (now known as Garmin-Cervelo) signed by the likes of Christian Vande Velde and David Millar.  This is a prize that any cycling fan would love on their wall and all you have to do is give us a like on our Facebook page (see the bar to the left or search for Spoke.ie in facebook) or follow us on Twitter at #spoketweets.  It really is that simple! [Read more →]

An Irish cycling show has been announced for the 19th and 20th of May in the RDS Simmonscourt pavilion.  The show will feature exhibitors from every facet of cycling and related industry including cycle retailers and distributors and there will also be emphasis on general feature attractions to entertain the whole family. [Read more →]

We here at Spoke.ie are champions of all things Niner bikes so we were thrilled to learn that they now have an XS size available for their excellent entry level EMD9 frame.

The 14″ seat tube opens this bike to not only a whole host of small adults but also most importantly kids. [Read more →]

It seems Sram’s R&D guys have been busy with an answer to Shimano’s XTR Shadow Plus system.  This pic was posted on Facebook yesterday and shows a rear mech with an added knuckle just above the cage which is presumably an extra tension spring.  A sign of things to come!

Chris Akrigg is gradually getting back up to speed following a horrific crash last year where he fell of a cliff…

Step by step from chris akrigg on Vimeo.

Wexford will again host the opening round of the Leinster League Cross country series at the excellent Kilbrannish Woods venue, just outside Bunclody, on the shoulder of Mount Leinster.

The race has beome something of a highlight of the calendar [Read more →]

So true!  Happy Monday.

Chain Reaction Cycling Club are pleased to announce they will be holding two winter series events in Bigwood Forest, Newry on 29th January and 26th February 2012.

Both of the events will be held on the downhill track in Bigwood Forest and the events will both be pre-registration only. [Read more →]

Biking.ie are hosting their annual charity bike ride at Ballinastoe mountain bike trails, just outside Roundwood, this sunday.  The aim is to celebrate the lives of those who have battled Cancer. [Read more →]

25 years after producing the first hydraulic brake for a mountain bike, German manufacturer Magura has produced a fully hydraulic rim brake for the road, specifically Time trial or triathlon.

As this is a triathlon or TT application there was no need to integrate the lever into a brake and gear setup [Read more →]

World Champion Mark Cavendish has moved to Team Sky for 2012.  Here in a video with Shimano the talks a little about the  new set up.

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OC Tuning, the Irish Fox forks and shocks servicing centre, have launched an unlimited annual servicing product.  For €150 they will service your forks or shocks throughout the year with a 3 day professional turnaround including postage within Ireland.  There is even a package for both shocks and forks at €250.

Regular servicing can make a huge difference in the performance of your fork [Read more →]

The racing season is starting to feel a little closer but in the meantime here is an edit from the first round of the Australian downhill series.

Atherton Racing have released pictures of the initial build of former World Champion Gee Atherton’s new GT Fury.

All the teams sponsors carry over from 2011 with the exception of Animal and obviously Commencal.  Fox and Shimano are the core of the bike with Pro components and Continental tyres.  Looks fast already!