Australian Mountain Bike issue 185

Ty Bowmaker entered a wide range of photos in the AMB Photography Awards this year. This image went very well in the public voting for the Wide Angle category, but just missed out on placing. I really like it as the conditions are very evocative, with the light breaking through not just the canopy but also cloud or fog. The lens really shapes the trees to draw your focus to the rider, and only when you start to look closer do you start to get a scale of the rock drop. Ryan’s photo is a sharp sunset image with a rider who has been happy to send it on the big jumps on the lower slopes of Maydena Bike Park. And while it could be taken anywhere, the clear layering of…

Here we are again. You’re holding the issue that showcases the hard work of a range of photographers around the world. The images we scroll or flick past don’t always get the respect they deserve, and the images don’t truly show the grit and determination required to get them. While working as Editor for Australian Mountain Bike magazine I have seen photographers go without food and water for most of the day, striving to get the photos they need. I’ve seen a photographer break their wrist, but carry on with the photo shoot anyway. I’ve seen photographers cross icey cold rivers to get the angle they wanted, shimmy across fallen trees, crouch over ants nests, and in general put themselves in bad situations to get the right photo. And why? Because…

What’s your 2020 looked like? For some it has meant more time at home and more time on their bikes. For others it has meant continually changing plans and uncertainty. And for some people, it has created more opportunities. Whether you have been stuck at home, opted to stay put, or been too busy to do much anyway, chances are you’re itching to get somewhere new to ride when the time is right. After a summer of fire in 2019 and early 2020, you can rest-assured the the Victorian High Country and New South Wales Snowy Mountains are keen to see your tyres on their trails! While precise opening dates are difficult to publish right now, do keep track of updates on the Falls Creek, Mt Baw Baw, Mt Buller and…

Let’s be clear, the hardtail has never been dead, it just continues to reinvent itself. The humble hardtail eschews the complexity of an extra suspension item and pivots, and they tend to offer great equipment for a given price point. There are some new models out for 2021 showing that hardtails aren’t just for entry level XC riding and racing the Olympics. Although they’re great for that too! MERIDA BIG.TRAIL The Merida Big.Trail range has moved from a plus-wheel sized option to a 29” wheeled trail bike. The alloy frame has huge amounts of standover clearance, possibly the best trail geometry in Merida’s whole mountain bike range, internal cable routing, 140mm travel fork, clearance for 2.5” tyres and dedicated 1x group sets across the whole range, from $1249 through to $2299. You…

THULE ROUNDTRIP BIKE DUFFEL In the age of specialisation, a bike-specific duffel bag might seem like overkill – until you try one. Thule’s RoundTrip Bike Duffel is designed to create all the storage options you need for bike knick-knacks when you’re hitting the road to hit the trails. The individual packing cell pockets are the big deal here, creating space for bottles, eyewear, gloves, nutrition, spares, a sports towel, suncream – and all those other small and necessary items that you need to take to the trails. There’s a lined pocket for shoes, a padded area for a helmet, and extra pockets for the smallest items. With ventilation to keep the pong to a minimum, and haul and carry straps along with a robust material, this duffel will become your go-to…

It’s a sentiment that I think is echoed around communities in Australia and world-wide: a vague disgruntled foreboding related to the ongoing impacts of a global pandemic. Sure, I know we need these restrictions; we really do have to take this s^&* seriously. Yet at the same time I’m pretty sure it’s normal to feel a little boxed in and unhinged with this sense of perpetuity of the restrictions. I know this may read like I’m a spoilt brat (like I haven’t heard that one before), my home state of Queensland has done really well to contain infections, and I am infinitely grateful I am not deep in the trendy, fashionable bowels of Melbourne, where restrictions have necessitated creating the verb ‘burbing’ where you just ride all around your suburb.…