Up in the Glenrock State Conservation Area, positive things from a mtb perspective (and the perspective of park sustainability) have been happening. The NPWS has for a number of years now been working with and liaising with the Glenrock Trail Alliance GTA on the issue of mtb use of the park and how to best manage it to the mutual benefit of each group.

This has culminated lately with a series of Volunteer Trail Maintenance days. The first weekend was held by World Trail who trained a core group of volunteers, who in turn are training other keen citizens. Up until now works have included weed removal and drainage works, but this all changed on the weekend of March 13. On this day NPWS teamed up with the GTA to undertake some substantial trail works.

To locals, the work site is known as “Shit Happens” due to its proximity and views of the local poo treatment plant. This bit of hill is a maze of poorly built and eroding trails and management roads dating back to the areas mining past. The NPWS were in the area repairing waterbars on easements so the opportunity was taken to implement some of the recommendations of the World Trail Report.

The work has served to consolidate a number of trails into a single line, control water run off and reduce the trail footprint. The trail actually sits within an old management trail with all the old single trail closed to use.

While the work is only half done, with a weekend in the near future scheduled for the completion of works, the joint works has seen the transformation of a heap of quiet ordinary trail into something special. Pictures speak a lot louder than words, so for your viewing pleasure the work of the NPWS and GTA. Yes, all this can be acheived inside land managed by the NPWS.

I’m pretty chuffed to see PAUL do something really on the mark with his ‘Chain Keeper’. Super minimal, ultra light and there’s even a BB mounted version he’s just shown off at the NAHBS (North American Handmade Bike Show).

Check out more of PAUL [here]

We’ll let Engin Cycles tell you about what they do:

“Construction

We are not limited to any one form of construction. We TIG weld, fillet braze and custom make lugs. If you browse our gallery, you will see that this versatility allows us to mix all of the joining methods in one bicycle and enables us to utilize different types of construction to our and your advantage. We feel our process is strong and effective and always takes you, the end user, into consideration.

Materials

Steel is our primary material of choice. It allows almost limitless design and has a great ride quality that is used as the benchmark for all other materials. The current tubing being made for bicycles is at an all time high for quality and strength to weight ratio. We use tubing from True Temper, Reynolds, Dedacciai, Columbus and other aircraft quality material. There is no one magic tubeset and each bike can have tubes from one or all the above manufacturers. The process of designing the bike includes using the correct tubing diameter, butt profile and gauge, the end goal is a lifetime frame that is made light and strong.

The use of Reynolds 953 stainless tubing is available but requires the lugs made from scratch. It is our signature design and we are very proud of the fact that this bicycle has won “Best Off Road” at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show.

We also offer steel/carbon combo bicycles with tubing made for us by Edge Composites. These designs are not available in all categories. The carbon allows us to make a frame that has a very unique ride while maintaining the “soul” of a steel bicycle.”

[Engin Cycles]

Paint on the Speedvagen Cross Machine by Vanilla Bicycles

Yes, I too have fallen foul of a trend.

Enter the MRP 1.X chain device into my riding landscape. There has been a lot of questions thrown myway since it went on the bike, so here I thought I would go and answer all of the questions, well all two of them;

1) Why did you do it?

2) Does it work?

MRP 1.X

Why did I go this route? Really the answer is simple. I don’t have the legs to push a big ring, not that the trails I ride give a huge scope for the use of it, and more importantly, I think I tend to rely too often on the granny ring. None of my local trails have hills that really demand one and my SS friends seem to get up the hill OK.

So I thought while building my current bike that I could simplify things and loose 2 of my chain rings and all of the associated paraphernalia.

Which brings me to does it work? Simple answer there is yes.

I’ve ridden it now in the worst of mud at the Sydney 24 and the week prior at Awaba. No issues, no clogging and no dropped chains or chain suck. In good conditions it has been even better.

I’ve gone with a 32tooth chain ring and an 11-34 cassette but depending on the guide you choose (they come in 32-36 or 32-40 tooth options) you should be able to fine a suitable gearing for your local trails.

Set up was a breeze, slap it in on the drive side of the BB in place of the spacer, line it up and off you go.  Coming in at around 58g for the 32-36 tooth version it is also a nice way to drop some weight if you are that way inclined. Compared to chain devices I have run previously on DH bikes, the MRP is simple in design, setup and use. As an added bonus, it looks and feels strong.

So for those of you out there ready to be trend following whores, but want more gears than a SS, the MRP may just be the ticket to trend.

Light, strong, cheap…. pick any two.

83 grams, increased stiffness, not cheap: US$202+

Titanium axle, 3 ring: 507g in 170mm length, US$412

[Rotor Bike Components]

After switching to 1×9 of late, you realise that for an awful lot of mtbing, you really can do without fuss and muck of the traditional 3 x 9 set up. Prior to that I had ran 2 x 9 and that really was a perfect set up if you deemed that where you rode needed more gearing. Ultimately, the overlap in gear ratios in a 3 x 9 set up actually means that you are actually running something closer to a 2 x 9 in the first place but carrying extra junk in the process (not a huge amount granted)

With SRAMs new 10 speed rear block, the idea of now running 2 x 10 is really interesting as the spread in gearing should be just perfect.

Anyway, if you are intrigued, and can avoid falling over when it comes to the over US$2,500 price tag for the XX set up, or just want to read about the whole 2×10/XX experience, bias or otherwise, you can check out SRAM’s new site: sram2×10.com

Fox has said:

“Proven Coating Technology
The Kashima Coat technology has been used for years across the motorcycle and automotive industries in suspension components and clutch and valve train assemblies because of its low-friction and ultra-wear resistance properties.

In the revolutionary Kashima Coat process, lubricating molybdenum disulfide is deposited, via electrical induction, into the billions of micropores on the surface of hard-anodized aluminum. With its debut on the international mountain bike racing circuit, the distinctive gold colored, Kashima coated stanchions maintain better lubrication characteristics, and the lightweight aluminum components treated with Kashima Coat attain a level of hardness and abrasion resistance four times tougher than standard hard-anodized aluminum.

Race Tested – Numerous Wins Tell the Tale
Throughout the 2009 mountain bike racing season, FOX Racing Shox utilized select sponsored athletes to test and race on suspension treated with Kashima Coating. “Before we started using Kashima Coat, we’d been testing and racing on electroless nickel coated upper tubes during the past two seasons,” explained FOX Racing Shox Mountain Bike Race Manager, Mark Fitzsimmons. “Although the friction properties were decent, the nickel’s durability was not. The Kashima parts we raced on maintained the low friction requirements we were after and exhibited excellent durability a very rare combination to find at the World Cup level with its wet and muddy conditions.”

Meh! All we know  is that it looks bloody fast and as we all know, fastest looks win in the parking lot!

Designed by James Morton from the UNSW it’s called the Firefly, and is a very interesting take on the everyday red led blinker that we all use…
Product Description and Principal Function(s)

The Firefly light uses a Passive Infrared sensor in order to detect traffic approaching from behind the rider. Upon detection LEDs flash onto the back of the rider with varying intensity depending on the proximity of the traffic. The protruding arm of the device allows the light to illuminate the entire back of the rider at any angle. A set of LEDs also illuminate the ground beneath the rider; providing traffic with a proximity of depth which can be used to determine exactly where the rider is. While a rear tail-light provides strong rear presence and meets bicycle light requirements.

Why does the product represent design excellence and why do you believe it deserves an Australian Design Award?

Cycling in Australia is an activity growing exponentially in popularity. Unfortunately due to limited visibility and awareness of cyclists many riders are hit by motorists, resulting in serious injury or death. Firefly aims to eliminate this lack of road presence by making the rider appear larger, while also providing motorists with a form of feedback, resulting in fewer incidents between cyclists and motorists.

The Firefly bike light is a completely unique form of bicycle lighting. There is no known bicycle light that responds to the presence of surrounding traffic. The Firefly light is the only light to completely illuminate the whole back of the rider regardless of riding position, exploiting the vast space for increased visibility. This makes it the only bicycle light that gives the rider human characteristics so they aren’t treated as just another cyclist. As well as this unique back light, the Firefly also incorporates ground illumination to provide a perception of depth for approaching traffic, as well as a tail light feature, all in the one unit.

The design reflects the general aesthetics of modern bicycle design with skeletal aspects as well as aerodynamic features.

Concept testing showed vast improvements in rider visibility by directly illuminating the rider and creating a halo effect of light under the bicycle, while presenting a strong tail light presence.

By mounting the unit to the seat post the device can be used with all bicycle types and is compatible with existing bicycle accessories such as mudguards, panniers and backpacks. With such responsive back illumination there is no need for additional safety apparel such as safety vests. A built-in power port allows for powering additional lighting or accessories.

The Firefly is made from die-cast aluminum, providing a light, strong and durable skeleton on which the light is mounted. The underside is made from an injection moulded Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene which houses all the electronics as a sub assembly. This provides increased impact protection and resistance to the harsh conditions on a bicycle. The battery is easily accessible through the top Thermoplastic Elastomer cover which provides a water-tight seal protecting the battery and control button from the elements. The resealable cover allows for easy access to the battery for recharging. The flip up tail light is constructed on a sturdy aluminum frame to improve impact resistance while optical grade Polycarbonate lenses are attached to provide high performance light dispersion and full protection of internal components.

The Firefly is activated by flipping up the light which triggers the spring mounted hinge. Once illuminated, the rider can then scroll through the 7 different lighting options with the button located on the top of the unit. A quick release button allows for easy attachment and removal from the bicycle for improved security.

This is a completely unique product that has the potential to save lives. Thorough testing has proven its ability to illuminate the rider. It is competitively priced for entry into the existing market. The Firefly light is the future of safe cycling.

This is very short notice, but important non the less for those who can get along. The National Parks Association (NPA), not to be confused with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) have called a public meeting next week to outline their arguments and opposition to mountain bike access in National Parks in Sydney’s north.

While David Jongi, has registered to speak on behalf of mtb riders, potential speakers on the night are asked to contact contact Judith Bennet: sydney.educ@npansw.org.au

The meeting is to be held on Monday Feb 22, 7 pm at the Narrabeen Tramshed, 1395a Pittwater Rd, Narrabeen.

Given the agenda of the NPA and the access issues for those on Sydney’s North Shore, all riders are encouraged to attend and show support to the cause of mountain biking, not only in northern Sydney, but also the state of NSW.