On-road to off-road, not so back’n'butt-breaking
My mates persuaded me that doing a 24 hour off road race would change my cycling world. The Mont is a 24 hour race from 12 noon Saturday to 12 noon Sunday held annually on a pine forest hill (Sparrow Hill) on the fringe of Canberra.
The challenge
The weekend before Easter I took it on; with five mates we relayed with 534 other teams (over 2000 riders) along a 20 km circuit made up of some phenomenally narrow dirt tracks aptly named: Nut Cracker, Up and Down, Big Dipper, Spaghetti Western, Creek Side and Home Run, to name but a few. The first 65% was mostly an ascent which culminated in an action packed decent toward the transition post, where you tag your mate so he can then repeat the 20km all over again.
Preparing for the ride
My practice was shallow – one circuit of Manly Dam and then a fire trail at Terry Hills. Commuting on bike and weekend rides meant fitness was never a concern, but technique on the other hand was always going to be my greatest challenge.
Arriving at what looked and felt like a festival site by 5 pm, we rapidly set up camp, fine-tuned bikes and tore into a practice run on the Friday evening.
Learning lessons
At this point I had yet to ride at night. The advice of looking out (definitely not down), leaning back and elbows out was utilised with great success. As an off road novice I quickly mastered most of the essential off-road techniques – importantly embracing some of the off-road lingo. I learned that ‘riding a tailee’ (single front suspension versus a dualaee : front and rear suspension) can smooth out the terrain and save your butt and back.
Phrases like ‘bleeding out in the corners’ still has me perplexed, yet the inevitable dirt-caked-on-sweat full body mask, touched up with some occasional blood grazes made it easy and reassuring to, at a minumum, look the part with the other 1,999 riders.
The comradeship was notable, the twenty something die-hard-lycra-clad demons (who averaged an 45 minute 20km loop: yours truly averaged 74 minutes) were courteous to all as they skilfully overtook on the mostly handle-bar-width tracks. The bloke who helped me rip my rear de-railer out of my spokes at 11pm is a legend, come to think of it, so was I for the remaining 15 kms of that particular lap in single gear. How and why do those fixies do it?
Based on the patronage of my first ever Mont, which sells out within the half hour, it was clear that the growth of on-road cycling was equally apparent in the off -road cycling world – potentially more so! The off-road rider profile is broad: like on-road riders, they too come in all shapes and sizes, ages and sex. It is clear there is a cycling boom kicking round and it was a thrill to sample the other side of the cycling universe.
The verdict: Sensational, a must do (again).
Key observations: Lean back, elbows out, don’t look down and borrow or buy a dualee (if you’re going to off-road).
Try it, when you do…you’ll never complain about an on-road steep ascent again.
Keep cycling, safely. Enjoy!
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Every day, I equate buying a bike, to buying your first computer – the salesman will ask you “what do you plan on doing with your computer?” and most of us have no idea at the time what the computer salesman is hedging at. If you want to serf the net, then you don’t a good ADSL modem will be of use, if you want to do graphic design you’ll need heaps of memory, if you want to play mega games – you’ll want a fast CPU!
So what do YOU plan on doing with your bike? Riding it of course! But where, how and with who? Why did you start to look at buying a bike – to get fit ? To ride MTB trails? To do tri’s? To get to work? Are you likely to want to ride with other people? What bikes do they have – not the models, but the styles!
Different bike types include; Tri / Time Trial – Road – Flat Bar Road – Hybrid – Comfort MTB – MTB Hard Tail – MTB Dually
A Triathlon bike or Time Trail bike – in Australian conditions is mostly used in long course triathlon. It features a steeper seat angle than a standard road bike, and normally comes with aerobars, aerobar shifters and an aerodynamic frame. If you are shooting for half – full Ironman – this could be you!
Road bikes – for sport road racing or “normal” distance triathlon. Thin tyres (23mm standard), lightweight frames, and a higher gearing than all of the other bikes to the left of the chart.
Flat Bar Road – These are a relatively new style of bike and are becoming very popular, very fast. A split between a Hybrid and a Road bike. Not as light, not quite as thin tyre, some subtle comfort features – still a tallish gearing and quite nimble. Great for getting around, Sydney to the Gong, fast commuting and perhaps the odd small triathlon.
Hybrids – some people call these city bikes as they are NOT suitable for off-road (by this we mean full on MTBing) – great for bike paths, rides with the kids, commuting, general fitness. The feature of these bike is a very upright riding position and comfort comfort comfort.
Comfort MTB – is a mash of a Hybrid with MTB size wheels – if you want a Hybrid and are prepared to trade of a higher gearing for the ability for the occasional bush bash – this is you!
Please email Ainsley Hart for any information. Or Call us now on: 02 9660 6605.
FOR MORE INFO:
http://www.innercitycycles.com.au/Buying_a_Bike.htm
Kudos to you! I hadn’t touhhgt of that!