Working in cycling media offers the chance to get stuck in to many different types of writing. Feature articles and interviews, opinion pieces, how-tos, news, product tests…
One thing I really enjoy about testing equipment is the opportunity to weave together experience and critique. You don’t write about a product by sitting in a chair and thinking about it. You get out there, play with it, push its limits and discover how it transforms the experience of an activity you love. These processes sit side-by-side with my academic work as well: investigating the ties between equipment, performance, embodied action and cognition.Continue reading “Recent Product Tests for Flow Mountain Bike”
Women’s winners L-R: Gen McKew, Jackie Schapel, Rosie Barnes.
In terms of riding goals, I’ve been feeling a little lost lately. The transition period between completing a PhD in the humanities, and finding an ongoing, stable workflow is said to take five years. The constant instability of it all has been more challenging than I expected, and is taking a lot of energy away from other things.
I think this is the big reason behind my attraction to gravity enduro; new experiences, new ways to move and pace yourself on the bike. Technical sections of terrain have become something I sit back and relax on in XC and endurance events, Enduro is motivating me to learn how to ride them much faster.
Incidentally, these experiences have become part of a new research project, one examining skill acquisition and cognition with a talented crew in Cognitive Science at Macquarie University. I’m tentatively calling it ‘Learning to Fly.’
Welcome to Adelaide. We hope you enjoy your stay!
Round three of the Australian Gravity Enduro Series was hosted by the Inside Line downhill club at Fox Creek in Adelaide. I’ve never ridden in South Australia before, so the idea of a couple of days sessioning my favourite type of trail in a new place made it an excellent choice for a weekend away; a breather, a time to meet a whole bunch of likeminded people, an attractive way of discovering a new place while doing an activity I love.
And that’s pretty much how it went. Except it was made even better by staying with local legend, Jaclyn (Jacs) Schapel (Liv/Giant), and joined by talented Sydney duo Gen McKew (Knolly bikes) and Jay Tolson.
Discovering the trails with a great crew on day one. L-R: Jay Tolson, Jacs Schapel, Gen McKew.
I borrowed my partner’s Specialized Camber Evo again for this race. It’s a lot of bike compared to what I’m used to, and I found I was fighting it on the trails instead of trusting it. Half way through day one Jay started schooling me on how to really move on it. Simple techniques I know well, but had forgotten while being out of my comfort zone. ‘Get your arms out like an excited monkey,’ he said, ‘and light up your path on each corner by shining a torch out your belly button.’*
Frothing, giggling, shredders, Gen and Jay.
Torches and monkeys. Got it.
Within seconds, my riding reached a whole new level. I could feel moments when I had that familiar sensation of dancing on the bike again. The trail smoothed out, I was braking far less, pushing the bike rather than fighting it, and I grinned as I felt the rear wheel start to drift around corners. Success! (Or a good start at least!) I could have ridden each trail forever.
Race day for me was all about torches and monkeys too. The transitions between timed stages were all about meeting new people and hearing more about the Adelaide riding culture.
Jacs injured her elbow badly at round one. Even though she’s still nursing the injury, she blew the field away at round three.
Jacs won the elite women’s with total time of 19 minutes and 11 seconds, a six second margin over Gen after four very different stages. Canberra mate, Rosie Barnes (Swell Design Group, Onya Bike Canberra), rounded out the podium in third. I was thrilled to come equal sixth with new riding buddy Anna Puckridge, just over two minutes back.
Staying with Jacs added a whole extra element to the weekend away. Friday night we dropped into a local pub to see the track cyclists and the roadies go head to head at roller racing. Saturday night we met more people at the Banff Film Festival. Saturday morning, she got up early to take the Liv/Giant road ride which encourages more women to get out on bikes. During the practice and race days I watched her as she chatted to almost every single person at the event.
Jacs is one of those people who has a positive, apt and encouraging thing to say to everyone. And by everyone, I mean downhillers, cyclocrossers, BMXers, roadiers, XCers, from recreational to elite. The cheer from the crowd as she stepped onto the podium was so loud. And so it should be. She’s one of those people who are such great role models and ambassadors for the sport. You can follow her adventures via her blog here.
On the start line we learned that there’ll soon be around 100km of trails at Fox Creek, built around the playful capabilities of 5-6inch travel bikes. Niiiiice!
Enduro is still fairly grassrootsy, but that’s part of its appeal. I booked a flight to Adelaide feeling pretty cooked and in need of a short holiday. I jumped on the plane back to Sydney feeling energised, motivated and refreshed. New goals, new friends, new role models and renewed motivation.
Thanks bikes. You’ve weaved your special magic once again.
Thanks team! Love your style.
Photos: Kath Bicknell (except that last one. Thank you nice man!)
*Actually, this is the paraphrased and more politically correct version of Jay’s golden advice.
I was a little uncertain as to what to expect from the ride. Sometimes women’s cycling activities are really motivating and uplifting. Sometimes they’re a doddle. This one was the first type.
I’m not sure whether it was my frothing upliftedness, or the fact that it’s handy to have a writer come along on a ride like this, but I was later invited to write a story on the ride for the Rapha website. You can read it here.
As part of an expanding portfolio of web writing I’ve been working with the Australian Bike Radar team. The .au site launched last year and is an important part of the global Bike Radar reach. Articles on this site go out to an audience of a size I find hard to fathom…no wonder predictions for the future consider the internet on par with the way we think of electricity today.
I admit to having a soft spot for nice materials and new fabric technologies.
If you Google most cycling equipment you’ll find countless opinions and reviews. If you Google women’s cycling equipment, you’ll typically find an article or two and product information from the manufacturer. I’ve been working with Bike Radar as one of a few women’s equipment testers to reduce this (frustrating, annoying and worrying) gap.
Rainy day poetry from Rapha.
I’ve written about and tested products for a lot of mountain bike media in recent years. With Bike Radar I’m enjoying the chance to test products typically aimed at more of a road riding market. I’m hoping to test some women’s road bikes later in the year.
Follow these links to some initial work. And keep an eye on the Bike Radar website for ongoing articles and reviews by a global network of other contributors too.
Gen McKew takes riding to the next level ripping down the track leaving daylight in her wake.
Ride up the hill at any old speed with your mates. Session techo bits so you can ride them nice and fast. Ride up the hill some more times. Shred back down. Froth, froth, froth.
Kath Bicknell 