Here is blog no. 3 from Bryan, currently cycling around Asia with Liam from www.liamsepicbikeride.com.
Malaysia!
Having spent the past few days preparing in Singapore, we took off north towards the Malaysian border, 30kms or so from Singapore CBD. This was my first time to haul my fully loaded bike trailer cargo and my rear pannier bag! Together with my new bike, a fine total of 55kgs! Odly enough, this weight matched Liam’s rig! However as we are about 12kgs difference in body weight, me being lighter, gave me a small advantage, or so I had initially assumed! [Read more →]
SRAM have announced a change to their AVID XO brake lineup with the introduction of a trail style brake with increased power aimed at the downhill but particularly the growing enduro market. Alongside this there is a redesign of the current model.
Seemingly an answer to Shimano’s Ice-tech brakes, the new XO trail brake features a four pot caliper to double the number of pistons that engage with every pull of the lever. [Read more →]
Time for a video. The Athertons have been phenomenally successful on the World Cup scene and for 2012 they have switched manufacturers to GT. This is the launch video for the team who are now joined by GB World Cup regular Marc Beaumont.
The team got off to a rather good start in Pietmaritzburg at World Cup 1 last weekend with Gee right on the pace finishing fourth.
Off to Singapore with Bryan who is touring Asia currently with Liam from Liams Epic Bike ride.
Arriving into Singapore airport after an over night flight connection in Dubai put a little grin on my face, as I somehow I had successfully ‘blagged’ no additional luggage fee’s for my 42kgs, saving myself 600quid! Stepping outside of the airport arrivals terminal put an even bigger grin on my face with that wonderful sensation of the blast of hot tropical air, compared to the freezing aircon temps on my flights, not to mention the freezing temps back in Dublin during early February! [Read more →]
Steve Peat has unveiled his own web series to rival the glut that are now appearing based on the highly successful “Atherton Project” series. Coming in April 2012, Peat’s series looks like it could be a good laugh…
Here are two videos recently completed by Shimano with Bradley Wiggins. What is really noticeable is a very upbeat Wiggins who has had a great start to the season with a third at the Volta ao Algarve (Tour of the Algarve) and a really strong performance to take the overall at Paris-Nice, a race that usually is a good indication for the Tour de France.
Wiggins has proved himself to be a class performer following his break out ride at the 2009 Tour de France [Read more →]
Magura have announced today a new lineup of suspension forks which include 26″, 29″ and 650B wheels sizes reflecting a growing trend anticipated for 2013 of mid travel 650B bikes. Magura forks have an awesome reputation for stiffness and smooth travel backed up with incredible Germna design, just ask Olympic Champion Sabina Spitz or multiple World Champion Irina Kalentieva.
Right, now that we are back from internet limbo it’s time to catch up with a blog series that we have been dying to post. Bryan is a friend of Spoke.ie who is touring Asia currently with Liam from Liams Epic Bike ride but we’ll let Bryan tell you all about it…
Intro Blog - Destination Asia!
Hi there, I’m Bryan from Dublin and am a friend of www.spoke.ie. I was invited to blog on my 7 week duration c.5-6000km Asian bike tour from Singapore to Hanoi in Vietnam, taking in Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia en route! I’m joining another friend Liam in Singapore 11th February 2012 for the Asian leg of his 5 month duration bike tour www.liamsepicbikeride.com, where you can find out more details and info on Liam and I. [Read more →]
Shimano have released details of an update to their workhorse SLX groupset that includes many of the features found on the top level XTR and XT groups.
The new SLX is specifically developed for all-round mountain bikers, those who desire to ride on any challenging terrain and trail course. Many new features have trickled down from XTR and Deore XT at a much more affordable price point. The group now features specific XC and trail components and get marques such as Dyna-SYS, Shadow Plus, Icetech, direct mount and Ispec.
The new SLX rear mech is now available in either a standard configuration or the top level XTR Shadow plus technology [Read more →]
Last year the first European 24 Hour and 12 Hour Solo Mountain Bike Championships were held in Scotland with over 200 riders competing from 7 different nations. Racing was hard in very wet conditions and suited the home riders with most podium places held by the English and Welsh despite a strong Portuguese presence and a 3rd place to Germany.
This year the race will again take place in Scotland on Saturday 7th April. The event is the only 24 and 12 hour race only for solo riders in Europe and provides the specific type of facilities solo riders need to help them compete for these durations. The event title sponsor Exposure Lights will provide light charging and light hire, with neutral mechanical support and bike washing from Juice Lubes, energy drink from Torq, lots of trackside camping, massage services and more on a 16km, all-weather course using the Newcastleton 7Stanes trails.
Race entry is GB£65 for the 24 hour event and GB£45 for the 12 hour and we have two entries to give away! To be in with a chance simply go to our facebook or twitter site and tell us why you deserve them! [Read more →]
At the Icebike trade show in the UK today Shimano unveiled a completely new product line to the world in biking bags and we were there to prod and feel them for the first time. With four core models to the range it encompasses commuter and mountain biking options and all models were extremely light and yet seemed quite rugged. First up is the star of the show the Unzen mountain bike bag.
UNZEN
With a unique strap system results in a fantastic ergonomic form fitting pack [Read more →]
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.
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 →]
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.
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.
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.
