Category Archives: mtb
2012 US Grand Prix of Mountain Biking Calendar Released
Escondido, California (February 22, 2012) – The ‘US Grand Prix of Mountain Biking’ is pleased to announce its race calendar for the 2012 season. As the top national-level mountain bike calendar in the country, the MTB GP was created to consistently provide world-class athletes, as well as aspiring amateurs, with a competitive and fan-friendly atmosphere.
Dylan Dean, MTB GP Director, “I’m thrilled to be working with such great venues this year! Having the ability to build up the new national series from scratch has been a long & hard road, but it’s great to see the final product come together. With world class teams, racers, & industry supporting me, there is no limit to the potential!
The MTB GP kicks off in Port Angeles, Washington on April 28-29 with a stop at the NW Cup. The second round of the series heads to the east coast the weekend before two North American World Cup rounds, with a stop at Sugarbush Resort in Warren, Vermont on June 16-17. Following the World Cups, the MTB GP’s third round will take place at the Highland Bike Park in Northfield, New Hampshire on July 7-8. The final round of the MTB GP will conclude back on the west coast the weekend before Crankworx on August 4-5 at Stevens Pass Resort in Skykomish, Washington.
Scott Tucker, NDub Productions, “We at the NW Cup are excited to take part in the inaugural US Grand Prix of MTB. Gravity racing in the US is clearly on the road from obscurity on the world level, and a legit national points series is key in continuing on that path. Dylan Dean has worked tirelessly to make this happen and I’m sure 2012 is just the tip of the iceberg. See you at the races!”
Mark Hayes, Highland Bike Park, “Our first Grand Prix event at Highland Mountain Bike Park is shaping up to be our biggest race to date. The race comes just 1 week after the Windham World Cup event and if the stars are going to align it seems likely they will do it during the Grand Prix race at Highland. We have worked with Dylan Dean in the past and he has proven to be the guy who can attract the racers. As a venue we need to prove that we can step it up so anticipate the Highland crew to add some new flavor to a course that seems to be a favorite among racers. It’s great to be working with Dylan Dean again and hosting a Grand Prix at Highland.”
The MTB GP will recognize the top professional and junior cat 1 amateur (age 17-18) racers in downhill utilizing a new points structure, offering overall titles for pro and jr cat 1 categories.
For more information please contact MTB GP director Dylan Dean at jdd@mtbgp.com or call 760-443-3344.
2012 American MTB Challenge Dates Revealed – USA Cycling
USA Cycling announced Thursday the dates and venues for its 2012 American Mountain Bike Challenge (AMBC). All AMBC events will serve as qualifiers for the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Cross-Country National Championships.
Entering its 16th year in 2012, the 23-race AMBC series will visit 16 states in a six-month span. Racing begins with the U.S. Cup East Southeastern Regional Championship Series (SERC) #1 in Gainesville, Fla., on March 18, and concludes with the Camp Eagle Classic Mountain Bike Festival in Rocksprings, Texas on Sept. 1-2. The complete AMBC calendar is as follows:
- March 18: US Cup East/SERC #1, Gainesville, Fla.
- March 25: Chickasaw Trace Classic, Columbia, Tenn.
- April 1: US Cup East/SERC #2, Bryson City, N.C.
- April 14: Rumble at 18 Road, Fruita, Colo.
- April 22: US Cup East/SERC #3, Conyers, Ga.
- April 22: Stump Jump 2012, Spartanburg, S.C.
- April 29: US Cup East/SERC #4, Winder, Ga.
- April 29: Greenbrier Challenge, Hagerstown-Frederick, Md.
- May 5-6: The Idyllwild Spring Challenge, Idyllwild, Calif.
- May 6: US Cup East/SERC #5, Ducktown, Tenn.
- May 6: Iron Hill Challenge, Newark, Del.
- May 27: Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, Durango, Colo.
- June 10: US Cup East/SERC #6, Elizabethtown, Ky.
- June 24: US Cup East/SERC #7, Clemson, S.C.
- June 30–July 1: DINO AMBC Challenge, North Vernon, Ind.
- July 7-8: Bays Mountain Challenge, Kingsport, Tenn.
- July 13-15: Eureka Springs Fat Tire Festival, Eureka Springs, Ark.
- July 15: US Cup East/SERC #8, Knoxville, Tenn.
- July 15: Campmor H2H #4/17th Annual Bulldog Rump, Andover, N.J.
- July 29: US Cup East/SERC #9, Fort Payne, Ala.
- August 5: US Cup East/SERC #10, Fontana, N.C.
- August 12: Bear Creek Mountain Bike Challenge, Macungie, Pa.
- September 1-2: Camp Eagle Classic MTB Festival, Rocksprings, Texas
The AMBC was created in 1996 to provide opportunities for mountain bikers of all ages and abilities. Each stop on the series offers cross-country events, and several stops offer short-track cross country, downhill, time trials, or super D competitions as well. The top 10 finishers in each respective age group and ability category at an AMBC event will qualify to compete at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Cross-Country National Championships. Visit the AMBC webpage to learn more about the nationwide calendar.
via Dates & locations for 2012 American MTB Challenge revealed – USA Cycling.
Ritchey Logic P-29er – A Legend Is Back
The return of the legendary Ritchey Mountain Bike. Tom Ritchey applied over 40 years of racing, designing and building steel mountain bikes into a new model—the P-29er.
Like any Ritchey, this bike is born to go fast without sacrificing comfort or durability. Heat-treated, triple-butted Ritchey Logic II tubing in our own unique butting profiles results in a frame that balances rough trail compliance with sprint-winning stiffness.
The 29er-specific geometry was defined by the best way we know: countless hours of saddle time under Tom Ritchey, World Cup legend Thomas Frischknect and other racers. The result: nimble handling that captures the benefits of the big wheels, stable but not sluggish, equally at home on all-day epics or tight, technical singletrack race courses.
The instantly-recognizable tri-color fade is a tribute to the classic Ritchey P-series racing mountain bike.
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL (Click for full geometry)
- Weight 4.74lbs for frame/dropouts (Size L)
- Fork: Designed for use with 100mm travel forks
ORIGIN-8 DEVIST-8ER 26 X 4.0 FATBIKETIRES
BikeRumor.com is working on their “Project Fatbike”, and just did a review of the new Origin-8 Devist8er tires. The Devist8er tire is a 26 x 4.0 fatbike tire. It has a folding bead and a very good off-road tread pattern. So, here is the review from Bike Rumor.
(BikeRumor.com February 10, 2012) Last year at Interbike, while trudging around the desert finding bikes to ride, and avoiding torrential downpours, we noticed an interesting tire in Vee Rubber’s booth. It happened to be a fatbike tire that was 4 inches wide and had a tread pattern that looked great. Also at Interbike that year, we saw the same tire on J&B’s new prototype fatbike, the Crawler, only this time it was branded as an Origin-8 tire. When the time came to get some rubber for Project Fatbike, I was too intrigued not to check into the Origin-8 tires first.
Origin-8 was happy oblige, and soon we had some Devist8er 2′s to throw on Project Fatbike.
Find out why this is a bigger deal than you might think, after the break.
As Fatbike’s popularity have grown, one thing has remained mostly constant until recently: the tires. For what seems like forever, the majority of tires were branded as Surly, made by Innova, and sold through QBP. There were a few tires that were available through other channels (remember the Innova Spider?) but even as the amount of fatbike tires increased, they all seemed to be out of QBP. The Vee Rubber or Origin-8 Devist8er 2 is a departure from that mold, and a big one for one specific reason – price.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all too familiar with the difference between an expensive tire and an inexpensive tire (we’ll get to that in a bit), but at these prices the Devist9er 2 will surely get a few looks. Whether riders are looking for a cheap summer tire, or simply can’t afford a $70 Larry or Endomorph, the 60 tpi Devist8er 2 should fit the bill with a retail of $39.99!
In addition to the 60 tpi wire bead model, Origin8 will also be offering the Devist8er 2 in a 120 tpi Kevlar bead model which still seems like a bargain at $55.99 retail. It seems the specs have changes a few times in the process of creating the Devist8er 2s, but as far as I know these are the final specs.
So what are you sacrificing for such an inexpensive tire? Weight, for one. Regardless if you’re talking the claimed weight of 2000g or the actual weight of ~2140 grams, the 60 tpi Devist8er 2s are heavy. However, thanks to their Kevlar Shield flat protection, it should also mean they’re fairly bomb proof, as in I’m pretty sure you could ride these as fast as possible over the most jagged rocks you could find and still be all right. The tires earn the name Devist8er as they will crush anything in their path.
The only other downside? Even after quite a few times installing and inflating the tires, the casings still have a fair bit of irregularity that is visible as the tires spin. Fortunately, with how large the tires are, and how low of psi you run fatbike tires at, it isn’t noticeable when you ride. Hopefully, the 12o tpi tires are more uniform, though at $40 a tire any faults should be easily overlooked.
When it comes to sizing, the Devist8er 2 is a true 4.0, well 3.996 to be exact. This was when mounted to an 80mm wide Vicious GFS rim front and back. As you can see from the photo above, the White Brothers Snowpack still has plenty of clearance on either side and should be no issue for those wishing to run a Surly BFL. On the Pugsley, the clearance in the rear is tight with the Devist8er 2, but still manages to clear the chain (just barely) with a triple and full 10 speed cassette. Getting the tire into the frame is a bit of a struggle, but once it’s in place it’s all good.
I haven’t gotten chance to ride the Devist8er 2s in the snow yet, though if the weather stays on course that will change by this weekend. Crazy that all year we had more rain than we’ve ever seen, yet when it’s cold enough to snow we get nothing. Hopefully we will have a set of the Kevlar 120 tpi models in soon to test and weigh as well. Stay tuned.
2nd Annual Mt Bike Adventure Tour Across Nevada
Mountain Bike Across Nevada is a 10 day 500 plus mile mountain bike tour across northern Nevada. This is a fully supported adventure that follows along the Great Basin Bike Route.
MTBNV 2012 Itinerary Mileage Range
(Approximate)
Sept. 8: Crystal Bay, NV (Stateline) – Washoe S.P. 35 Carson
Sept. 9: Washoe S.P. – Ft Churchill S.P. 36 Virginia
Sept. 10: Ft Churchill S.P. – Rawhide 76 Dead Camels/Bunejugs *Sand Springs/Cocoon Pass
Sept. 11: Rawhide – Berlin/Ichthyosaurus S.P. 62 Paradise
Sept. 12: Berlin/Ich. S.P. – Big Smoky Valley 36 Shoshone/Toiyabe
Sept. 13: Big Smoky Valley – Monitor Valley 43 Toquima
Sept. 14: Monitor Valley – Antelope Valley 45 Monitor
(Overnight in Eureka via shuttle)
Sept. 15: Antelope Valley – Green Springs 50 Fish Creek/Pancake
Sept. 16: Green Springs – Preston 46 White Pine
Sept. 17: Preston – Cave Lake S.P. 51 Egan
Sept. 18: Cave Lake S.P. – Border Inn, NV 46 Schell Creek/Snake
Totals **526+ miles 15 ranges & *1 pass
Airborne Bicycles – Taka Downhill Bike
Mountain Bike Action magazine Calls the Taka the “Best Deal We’ve Ever Seen On A DH Bike.” Yes, they said “Best.” Yes, they said “Ever.”
With its 8″ of travel and 66/60° DH-specific geometry, Marzocchi 888RV fork and SRAM drivetrain with e*thirteen chain guide, the Taka can handle any downhill you can. And probably more. Makes for a great freeride bike, too. Desert Sand. 8″ travel DH bike with Marzocchi 88RV fork, Rockshox KAGE R shock, Avid Juicy 3 hydraulics, FSA Moto-X cranks w/chain guide.
NEW FOR THIS SEASON, the Taka now comes with the Rockshox KAGE R rear shock!
Location for 2013 and 2014 MTB Gravity Nationals Announced
The location for the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Gravity National Championships in 2013 and 2014 is the Angel Fire Bike Park in Angel Fire, N.M., USA Cycling announced. The exact dates of the 2013 and 2014 events will be announced at a later date.
The event, which was held independently from the cross-country national championships for the first time in 2011, features dual slalom and downhill races. The 2013 and 2014 contests will use part of the downhill course ridden during the 2011 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships in late October.
“We’re very excited to bring the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Gravity National Championships to Angel Fire in 2013 and 2014,” USA Cycling National Events Director Kelli Lusk said, “Angel Fire has a long, illustrious history of hosting gravity events, so we’re looking forward to having the gravity national championships there.”
“Angel Fire Bike Park is extremely honored to host the most prestigious gravity event in the United States for 2013 and 2014,” Angel Fire Resort Bike Park Director Hogan Koesis said. “We look forward to showcasing the most exciting and challenging courses in the Rocky Mountains. Let the racing begin!”
The event this year will be held July 20-22 in Beech Mountain, N.C.
Several other 2013 and 2014 national championship events have previously been announced.
This Article Published February 2, 2012 For more information contact: dgaylinn@usacycling.org
via Location for 2013 & 2014 MTB Gravity Nationals announced – USA Cycling.
2012 New York State MTB Series
The full schedule for the New York State MTB Series have been announce. The series will again visit Williams Lake, Windham Mountain, Hurley Mountain, Belleayre Mountain and Riedlbauer’s Resort.
Here are the dates:
- Jun 10 - Williams Lake Classic- Rosendale, NY
- Jul 1 - Windham Mountain Race the World- Windham, NY
- Jul 29 - Hurley Mountain Classic- Hurley, NY
- Aug 26 - Belleayre Mountain All Terrain Challenge- High Mount, NY
- Sep 9 - Riedlbauers Round Top Rally Series Finale- Round Top, NY
The 2012 five race series is shortened a bit, starting a little later and finishing a little earlier. With cyclocross season starting in September, I like the earlier finish of the series.
You can go to BikeReg.com for race registrations.
About the New York State MTB Series
The New York State MTB Series was formed in 2008 by five local race promoters who were all putting on individual events. These promoters all decided to put their efforts together in an attempt to revive the New York State Race series. The series is a grass roots organization that prides itself on designing fun, yet challenging race courses. They also try to provide a good venue atmosphere with great vibes, music, food and a friendly overall race experience.
Williams Lake Classic p/b Favata’s Table Rock Tours and Bicycles
Registration for the Williams Lake Classic, the first race in the New York State MTB Series, is now open.
For a long time, this course has been one of my favorites. Williams Lake offers the best single track on the east coast. The course is about 5 miles per lap of mostly technical flowing single track, and best of all the cave. Yep, the course actually goes through a cave. There will be a new course for this 2012 edition. The promoters ask that you please do not pre-ride until the Saturday before the event, as the property is private and not open to the public.
The entry fee has been increased to $35 this year to cover the cost of profesional timing and scoring. So no more relying on sub par USA Cycling officials…this year the results will be done in a timely manner and correct.
The online registration closes at 11:45 pm Friday June 8.
CATSKILL MOUNTAIN CATERING WILL BE ON SITE COOKING UP SOME GREAT FOOD TO SATISFY YOUR BELLY AFTER YOU RACE.
For more info go to www.trtbicycles.com, call 845-658-7832 or stop by Favatas Table rock Tours and Bicycles.
Day of registration opens at 7:00am and there will be a $5 charge for day of registration. Registration will close 30 min before the strat of each race.
If you need lodging: The Sheeley House Bed and Breakfast. To inquire please call 845-658-7832 and ask for Christian.
Directions to Williams Lake:
From the North take NYS thruway exit 19 Kingston traffic circle to Washington ave at the fourth light on Washington make a right turn onto Lucas ave. Follow Lucas ave and sign for the race aprox 3 miles. Make a left on to Binnewater rd. Williams lake is aprox 3 miles on left.
From the south take NYS thruway Exit 18 for New Paltz go through toll and take a left travel through town at the third light make a right onto rt 32 north towards Rosendale. Follow 32 in to Rosendale after crossing the one lane bridge make a left onto rt 213. From there follow signs for the race. As you leave town you will make your first right onto Binnewater rd Williams lake will be aprox 1 mile on right.
You can register via BikeReg here -> Williams Lake Classic presented by Favata’s Table Rock Tours and Bicycles Online Registration.
