XC development squad rider and Enduro racer Leah Maunsell checks in from NPS 5 in Slade Valley last weekend. On Thursday my Dad and I headed back down to Kinsale to Weldon Bicycle Suspension to collect my fully serviced Rockshox Sid fork. I brought it out for a test ride in Ballyhoura that evening to [...]

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Santa Cruz announced the rdesign of its popular 100mm 29er full sus the Tallboy late last week promising improved pedaling efficiency, increased stiffness and reduced weight to redefine what is their most popular trail bike. Santa Cruz Tallboy 2 from santa cruz bikes on Vimeo.

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Here is some cracking footage from the XC NPS this weekend in Slade Valley.  The course is riding unbelievably well!

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This Sunday sees the fifth round of the 2013 XC NPS run at Slade Valley by IMBRC.  The event is a two time winner of event of the year in the past and the technical singletrack is in phenomenal condition following the good weather which is set to stay for the weekend. The 6km course [...]

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On a day like today we feel like saying – stop looking at the computer and just get out and ride!  But we realise that’s not possible for those of you chained to a desk so here are two videos from Specialized of the first two rounds of the 2013 XC World Cup to keep [...]

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Coffee time.  Off to the first round of the XC World Cup with Team Specialized…

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Irish rider Michael James McCutcheon recently took  a phenomenal 2nd place a the 24 hours of Exposure Euro and UK champs.  A serious feat in anyone’s books, here we check in with Michael as he relates the race on his blog.  Over to Michael… The 24 Hours of Exposure, the race I always wanted to do well [...]

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National Youth development rider Scott Wallace rode to an excellent 3rd place at the NPS round on Sunday.  Here is his take on how the day went down.  Incidentally entry is now open for Round 4 in Lady Dixon Park on the 26th May.  Full details here. Words Scott Wallace, Photos Keith Wallace. So last [...]

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National Youth development rider Leah Maunsell took the win in the Under 14 girls category at the Ticknock NPS round on Sunday.  Thi sis her account of the weekend, just don’t tell her brother about her handlebars!  Incidentally entry is now open for Round 4 in Lady Dixon Park on the 26th May.  Full details [...]

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South Eastern MTB club Racing 795 have announced an event with a difference.  Billed as an MTB sportif it should be a fantastic day on the bike given the great events the club has run in the last few years.  I still remember the Thai grub after their first XC race… be worth it for [...]

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After a great weekend of XC racing in a wet Three Rock we are off again to Sea Otter for the race from the Specialized point of view in slightly better conditions…  Congrats to MAD on a great race! Now the DH guys including Aaron Gwin’s first ride in a red shirt and not on [...]

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Here is the video preview for Round 3 of the XC NPS next Sunday on Ticknock.  Our all time favourite place to ride in the world (!), Ticknock boasts some super amazing trails which the organising club MAD have been busy adding too and utilising to make one tough course from the vid.  Go here [...]

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There are less than three weeks to go until the 2013 European 24 Hour and 12 Hour Solo Mountain Bike Championships and already over 100 riders from 7 countries have entered. The final preparations are being made to the new course at a new venue and sponsor details are being finalised. New for this year [...]

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Here are riders eye views of the Sea Otter dual slalom and downhill courses.  First up dual slalom in the company of Darren Berrecloth. Next we head downhill with the Santa Cruz quad of Steve Peat, Greg Minaar, Josh Bryceland and Cedric Gracia. The downhill race was won by Aaron Gwin in his first major [...]

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Shimano have just released detials of a revamp to their legendary XTR groupset.  Now divided into XC and Trail, this release is a new brakeset for XC and a new 29er wheelset.  40 grams per wheel may not seem like a lot but to the XC set that’s a whole heap of weight and with [...]

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SRAM certainly have been busy.  On top of the Pike, wheelset and Monarch shock announcements here are details of the companies trickle down effect in full swing with the XO trail brake being converted to X9 and X7 product levels.  These new X9 and X7 trail brakesets are designed around a powerful 4 pot caliper [...]

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SRAM have just announced some new wheelsets, a follow on to their RISE series, but this time focusing on more trail and all mountain applications.  Not before time we say, the RISE wheelset is fantastic.  Their are carbon (ROAM) and aluminium (ROAM & RAIL) versions, all in 26″, 27.5″ (650B) and 29er varients. All the [...]

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A recent arrival in Spoke towers is this rather nice Orbea Occam 29er full sus.  Packing 100 mm of rear travel and 120 mm of front suspension it is a trail oriented marathon weapon. Orbea have been on our radar for a while.  Obviously Julian Absalon did them some favours but the range has expanded [...]

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Looking out the window it wouldn’t seem like it but it is almost time for the XC NPS to kick off.  Round 1 is at the new Cong venue in Mayo on the 14th of April.  Below is is a course preview, click on the poster below that to go direct to the organizing clubs website. XC [...]

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Round four of the Biking Blitz takes place on St. Patricks Day on Ticknock mountain in Dublin. Comprising of the full Coillte trail loop, this Blitz sees a frantic start up the tarmac fireroad before heading into the trails.

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The Biking Blitz series heads to Derroura in Galway this Sunday for round three.  Riders will take on the forestry service trails with the usual Baggy shorts (no bangers!) and Super Pro (lots of bangers!) categories. Entry is online only and closes this Friday.  Click here to go to the signup page.

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Lots of stoked man and stuff! but the organisers of BC Bike Race (on our bucket list) have a pretty sweet (sorry) prize for all you aspiring film makers.  See below for the full details. This is one prize package that is hard to beat – a bike, race entry, loads of goodies and the [...]

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It may be some time away but there is no time like the present to start prepping.  for those of you on the East coast, this will require a little planning. Mayo is a new destination for the NPS but Cong would seem to have it all.  A stunning location, an organising club run by [...]

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The first round of the 2013 Biking Blitz Series took place last Sunday in Ballinastoe Woods in County Wicklow. A record breaking 412 competitors turned out to kick off the mountain biking season in style. The exciting Blitz Series is promoted by Biking.ie and is now in it’s third year, with events taking place in [...]

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And we’re off, the first cross country race of the season kicks of on Sunday with the first round of the hugely popular Biking Blitz in Ballinastoe Woods. The series is specifically aimed at those new to the sport with the Baggy shorts category.  Experienced riders race in the Super Pro category removing any performance [...]

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Details are beginning to emerge concerning the Cross Country National Points Series for this year.  No venues or organizing clubs have been announced yet but dates and counties have.  It is possible to read between the lines a bit but further details should be released shortly. 14th April – Mayo 28th April – Kerry

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The Off Road Commission are seeking expressions of interest from clubs seeking to run rounds of the NPS and the National Championships.  They have also released the dates that they suggest for these races with six dates outlined and four to five to be selected.  See below for more.

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Jon Hynes has been elected as the new XC Development officer on the Off Road Commission.  Not one to sit in the blocks so to speak, Jon has released the following statement on the Off Road Commission Facebook page.  Lets help him out!  Also note that there are two key positions open on the Commission [...]

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The annual Off road Commission AGM takes place this Saturday at Taylors Three Rock in Rathfarnham at 3pm.  This is where the rules that govern our sport are decided and it is also where the election of volunteers to positions on the Commission happens.  Both the Chairman and Secretary are stepping down after several years [...]

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A rather successful day for the Trek boys…

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