Canadian Cycling - September 2016

PHOTO: MEAGHER // RIDER: LEISHMAN
EDEFINING
NDURO TIRES
#maxxistires // maxxis.com
CONTENTS
VOL. 7, ISSUE 4
48
First
Nations
FEATURES
48 Healing Through
Mountain Biking
The Aboriginal Youth
Mountain Bike Program
is hoping trail riding can
aect positive change
in some First Nations
communities
From fostering self-esteem and
leadership skills to playing a role
in land claims
by Dean Campbell
52 DIY Cycling Adventures

Get inspired by these rides
Three formats you can use
yourself, with your friends
and your club
by Charlie Bryer and Matthew Pioro
52
DIY Adventures
60 The Evolution of the Cat

The Toronto-born Alleycat
Scramble inspires other
edgy urban races
How one style of race has been
adapted and reinterpreted in its
hometown and abroad
by Tara Nolan
66 A Quick Guide to a Fast Race

A preview of the fourth
Tour of Alberta
Whats in store this September
68 Robert Gesink on the

Grand Prix Cyclistes de
Qubec and Montral
Why both races are so
special for the Dutch rider
60
Alleycat
Evolution
6
8
10
12
14
15
16
71
96
Editors Letter
Letters
Contributors
Gallery
Vintage Velo
The Calendar
News & Whats Hot
Gear
Q&A
on the cover
Leah Kirchmann rides on the
roads of Dundas, Ont., her
Canadian home base. Shes
on her team-issue Liv Envie
Advanced Pro and wears the
Team LIv-Plantur kit.
Photo: Marc Landry
Canadian Cycling August & September 2016
Photos: courtesy AWMBP, Jeremy Allen, Tornanti.cc
He was the rst to win both.

Just dont ask him to choose
a favourite
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CONTENTS
VOL. 7, ISSUE 4
86
92
46
72
THE SCENE
18
Stevie Smith
GEAR
36
Remembering Canadas
greatest downhill racer
by Dean Campbell
20
22
38
Tune Your Ride
Books & DVDs

72
Trek Domane SLR 7
Guest Chef
74
Pinarello Gan
Music for ears powered by feet
Leah Kirchmanns
banana oat pancakes
by Melanie Chambers
by Matthew Pioro
Golf and Bikes
40
The new golf mixes with the

old golf
Myths and facts of 5 trendy foods
by Peter Glassford
44
by Nick Ashbourne
28
30
Technique
Cycling Celebrity
Getting the most out of your

suspension
Tornado hunter Ricky Forbes
by Andrew Randell and Steve Neal
by David McPherson
of The Cycling Gym
Crankology
46
An old-fashioned
view of winning
Maintenance
4 essential xes
by Nick Di Cristofaro
by JamesCranky Ramsay
32
48 Hours
The 5 diverse mountain
biking trail networks of
Ontarios Bruce County
by Tara Nolan
DESTINATION
92
The Big Around

Packing in a lot of riding in
densely packed Hong Kong
by Andre Cheuk
Specialized Turbo Levo FSR Comp 6Fattie

Conquer tough climbs and discover new trails
Training Tips
Get o your bike to get
better on your bike
Felt Decree FRD

Letting you flow fast down the trail
TRAINING
42
Canadian Club
Rigid Riders of Brookvale, P.E.I.
TRAIL
76
77
by Bart Egnal
26
Entry-level Italian machine with top-of-the-line

refinements
by Matthew Kadey
Notes from the Gruppetto

The strange obsession of amateur
racers with their weight
The endurance bike gets smoother
Nutrition
by David McPherson
24
ROAD
Fuel Your Ride; Bicycle:

The Denitive Visual History
IN DEPTH
78
The Right Clincher Rims

12 top hoops that will improve your road ride
86
First Look: Cannondale Scalpel

A new bike for contemporary trails
RAPID FIRE
88
Shoes Also Made for Walking

For rides that need a lot of sole
90
Summer Sunnies
7 glasses that let you keep your eyes on the road
Photos (clockwise from top left): Matt Stetson, Russ Tudor, Uncredited, Joel Esposito, courtesy Hong Kong Tourism, Uncredited
38
24
EDITORS
LETTER
Editor Matthew Pioro
matthew@cyclingmagazine.ca
Senior Editors
Dan Dakin, Kevin Mackinnon
Associate Editor Andre Cheuk
Photo Editor Matt Stetson
matt.stetson@gripped.com
Copy Editor Greg Buium
Art Director Warren Wheeler
layout@cyclingmagazine.ca
[Roseander Main, roseandermain.com]
Designer Alysha DeMarsh
[Roseander Main, roseandermain.com]
Production Artist Warren Hardy
Web Editor Philippe Tremblay
philippe@cyclingmagazine.ca
Web Developer Sean Nilsson [ncreative.ca]

Publisher Sam Cohen
sam@gripped.com
Editorial Director David Chaundy-Smart
dave@gripped.com
Advertising & Sales Andre Cheuk
andre@gripped.com
Account Managers
Joel Vosburg
joel@gripped.com,
Daniel Walker
dan@gripped.com
Matthew Pioro and Leah Kirchmann talk
routes, gear and racing while riding near
Kirchmanns home in Dundas, Ont.
I had an idea
of what parts I
wanted to ride
a section of road
that appeared in
last years Pan
Am TT and
what I wanted to
avoid heavy
commuter trac.
anadian Cycling Magazine photo editor Matt Stetson,

photographer Marc Landry, pro rider Leah Kirchmann
and I were meeting for this issues cover photo shoot.
It would be on Kirchmanns local roads in Dundas, Ont.
I headed out that morning all kitted up and took the
commuter train as far west as I could and then rode the
rest of the way to Kirchmanns town. After the shoot, Id
have a short interview with the pro for her guest chef
column (p.38) and then ride roughly 80 km back home.
After all, I had some wheels to test (p.78).
The ride would be a little weekday adventure for me. The
operative word is little. The distance wasnt very far. Some
of the roads I know very well. Others, not so much. I had an
idea of what parts I wanted to ride a section of road that
appeared in last years Pan Am TT and what I wanted to
avoid heavy commuter traffic. Id stitch it all together on
the fly. It started with some tips from Kirchmann on the
best way north and around the suburban sprawl.
I had Operacion Muerto on my mind. At the time, as I was also working on this issues feature on
diy cycling adventures that inspire (p.52) with Charlie Bryer. My ride was nowhere near as adventurous as the challenges set out for anyone who wants to explore Manitoba. But I had a goal get
home a plan and I was also open to going this way or that way, whatever looked good.
One of the highlights actually came when I was off the bike. I stopped at a gas station for a cold bottle of
overly sweetened electrolytes and jerky. (Why is gas-station jerky so delicious as a mid-ride snack? Or is
that just me?) A woman tallied my purchase, and then absent-mindedly asked me if I was buying any gas.
She looked up, realized her mistake and said, Oh! I smiled. No, this is all the fuel I need.
Matthew Pioro
Editor
Circulation Manager Elizabeth Miller

elizabeth@gripped.com
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Photo: Marc Landry
The Making
of a Cycling
MicroAdventure
Video Producer Adam Wojtkowiak

adam@gripped.com
LETTERS
A Ride with Lance and Eddy
I started cycling at six years old. My father got me into racing bmx in the 80s.
As I grew, I moved to mountain biking. Never touched a road bike until 2008.
That year, a friend had gotten into road cycling. One day at his place, he
told me to take his bike for a quick ride around the block, knowing I had never
touched a road bike. I was reluctant, but I jumped on. When
I applied pressure to those pedals, boom, magic. I could not
believe how fast the bike was. I was hooked, went home,
bought my first frame on eBay, built a bike, bought road
gear and was soon riding only my road bike.
As the 2009 season began, I heard of a charity ride
called Ride with Lance that would run about three hours away from my house. I
applied to the ride and heard that all spots were filled. I was wait-listed.
One day, I got a call. I was asked if I was still interested in riding as a spot had
opened up. I immediately said, Uh, yeah. They told me I had to raise $20,000.
Yes, $20,000 for cancer research with funds going toward the local hospital. I
said I could do that, and then I realized I had only 24 days to make $20,000.
I quickly started dreaming of ways to raise that large amount. I was driving an
suv at the time; I wrapped my vehicle with the Ride with Lance logo and sold five
spots to the highest bidder. Businesses logos would go on my vehicle for one year.
Then I visited many people, got on the radio and into farmers markets. In 24 days,
I raised $24,000. I was on my way to ride with Lance in Waterloo, Ont.
Remember, this was only my second year riding road. When I showed up at
the start area, I was taken to a trailer with my name on the door. Inside was tons
of swag and my cycling kit for the day. I walked out ready to crush a 120-km
ride, the farthest I would have ever done. I saw Lance Armstrong and his all his
people. Then I meet a guy named Steve Bauer. Then a guy on a microphone said
he would like to introduce a special guest joining us on the ride: Eddy Merckx. I
was shocked and truly more excited to ride with Eddy than Lance. Keep in mind,
it was my second year road cycling and I was about to ride with Lance and Eddy.
This moment sparked a very keen interest in combining cycling and raising
money for charity. Since 2009, I have been part of many charity rides and met
amazing professionals along the way. Im currently part of a team who has
raised more than $125,000 for our local Boys and Girls Club with the money
going to bike camps for local kids.
Thanks for letting me share my story.
Jamie Grant
Lindsay, Ont.
LETTER
OF THE
ISSUE
Cycling Heaven South of the Border

In May, I visited my son, daughter-in-law and new
granddaughter, who was one month old, in Madison, Wis.
I took my bike on the trip so I could get in some rides
with my son. We did five rides around the farmland west
of Madison. Some of the rides included portions of the
Wisconsin Ironman route around Cross Plains. I think
my favourite ride was 42.6 km of good rural roads, good
pavement, good scenery and good company, my son.
Spectacular, low-sun landscape views and no traffic it
was cycling heaven.
Al Switzer
Peachland, B.C.
LBS All the Way

This past spring it was hard for me to connect with my
friends for rides due to so many other obligations. In late
May, I went for a group ride organized by my local bike
shop, Bow Cycle in Calgary. I loved the camaraderie and
inclusivity of this ride. It was a tough one with me bringing
up the rear on the hills but, the group stopped and waited
for me each time. We joked about how I was providing
them with so many rejuvenating rests. So to anyone out
there looking for like-minded folks to ride with, check out
your local bike shop and take a step into the unknown.
Kathy Dyck
Calgary
Letter of the Issue

Jamie Grants letter is our letter of the issue, which wins him a pair of Continental
Gran Prix 4-Season 25 Black Edition tires (valued at $185). Send us your letters for a
chance to win a pair of Continental tires for your bike. Email your comments to
info@cyclingmagazine.ca
Now on cyclingmagazine.ca
Theres more on the Giant SLR 0 wheels (p.78), including an in-depth write-up and
and video. Read more training and technique stories by Andrew Randell and Steve
Neal of The Cycling Gym. For more recipes, such as Leah Kirchmanns pancakes
(p.38), head over to our recipe archive.
Download previous issues of Canadian Cycling Magazine using

our iPad and iPhone apps. Join in the discussion on Facebook
at facebook.com/cyclingmag , Twitter at twitter.com/
CDNCyclingMag and Instagram at instagram.com/canadiancycling .
CONTRIBUTORS
Philippe Tremblay
Charlie Bryer
Nick Ashbourne
Road Test: Pinarello Gan, p.74

Philippe Tremblay is Canadian Cycling
Magazines web editor and an alumnus
of McGill Cycling. He is often on the hunt
for scenic rides and riding companions
who like a leisurely pace. But when the
pace ramps up, he likes pulling through
for a good effort here and there.
Stag Gran Fondo, p.52

Charlie Bryer used to race on the road
with the hope of going pro. He didnt
make it and hes OK with that. Hes
still an avid rider and passionate
about the sport. He works in the
industry as a rep for Shimano Canada.
Canadian Club: Rigid Riders, p.26

Nick Ashbournes first sports hero was Mats Sundin and
his first cycling hero was Jan Ullrich. Spending July of 2004
in France, he fell further in love with the sport watching
Thomas Voecklers improbable and courageous defence of
the yellow jersey. Now, he writes primarily about baseball for
Sportsnet.ca , but finds room for the occasional cycling story
there, and of course, here at Canadian Cycling Magazine.
@DeRosaCanada
#DeRosaCanada #SKPininfarina #DeRosaSK #FastAndSexy #BikeWithHeart
ride
more
roads
Not all rides are made equal. For weird detours,

long sufferfests or group-ride adventures, carbon
bre brilliance by Ridley gets you out there.
Sterling Lorence
MEC.CA/ROADCYCLING #RIDEMOREROADS
GALLERY
Oran Kelly
Orica-GreenEdge riders face cold conditions on Stage 3 of
the 2015 Tour of Alberta on the way to Jasper National Park.
12
cyclingmagazine.ca
13
VINTAGE
VELO
Cunningham
Racer
o grasp the influence of Charlie

Cunninghams bikes fully on the
development of the modern mountain
bike, you have to go back to the late
1970s. Other mountain bike builders,
such as Tom Ritchey, Joe Breeze and
Charlie Kelly, were producing steel
bikes with super-slack angles and long
wheelbases. Sure, these rigs were great
for descending, but they were heavy
14
and handled like giant land yachts.

Wanting something more nimble,
Cunningham put his mechanical and
aerospace engineering expertise to
work and built a compact frame out of
lightweight 6061 aluminum that had
steeper and more responsive geometry. The result was a bike that weighed
about 24 lb. in an era when mountain
bikes frequently clocked in around
30 lb. And yet, even with this low overall
weight, Cunninghams bikes were
incredibly durable and never suffered
from the frequent cracking that other
aluminum mountain bike manufacturers would experience in the years
to come a testament to his understanding of materials and construction.
While Cunninghams frames were
undoubtedly ahead of the curve, it would be wrong to ignore
his equally important component innovations. At a time
when mountain bikes were being reined in with flimsy
cantilever brakes, Cunningham introduced his rollercam brake. Unlike the licensed version found on more
production-oriented bikes (that was often improperly
mounted and therefore less effective), Cunninghams roller
cams delivered what many thought were the pinnacle
of braking power and modulation. Other perhaps more
subtle component improvements by Cunningham include
the precise handling Type 2 forks,

135-mm wide rear dropout spacing
(when 125 mm was the norm), the
grease-guard bearing system (for
easy maintenance of hubs, headsets,
bottom brackets and pedals) and the
revolutionary Ground Control tire. The
Racer in the photo was produced in
the early 90s and is one of fewer than
200 bikes made by Cunningham.
With its numerous subtle updates
from his original bikes, it highlights
Cunninghams never-ending desire
to improve mountain bike design.
The bike also showcases many
concepts that the more mainstream
bike industry eventually embraced.
Gus Alexandropoulos
THE
CALENDAR
AUGUST
17-19
6-7
20-21
Olympic cycling action

kicks off with the mens
(Aug. 6) and womens (Aug. 7) road
races. The riders face hilly roads,
including the 8.9-km Vista Chinesa
followed by a 6-km technical descent.
10
Olympic womens and mens

time trial events run in the area
of Pontal in Rio.
11-16
Olympic cycling
action heads indoors
to the velodrome. Canadians will be
particularly focused on womens team
pursuit, sprint and mens keirin.
The youngest and most

rad Olympic cycling
event, which debuted at Beijing 2008,
runs at Rios Olympic bmx Centre.
The final cycling
event at Rio 2016
is on the dirt. The womens (Aug. 20)
and mens (Aug. 21) XC races tear up
Deodoro Olympic Park.
27
The third instalment of

the Red Hook Criterium
Championship Series goes full tilt
in Barcelona, Spain. The race that
launched the series in Brooklyn, N.Y.,
was heavily influenced by nighttime
races on the streets of Toronto in the
early 90s. Read about the legacy of
alleycats on p.60.
SEPTEMBER
1-5
The fourth Tour of Alberta

runs through the Prairies and
foothills of the wild-rose and lodgepole-pine province. For more on the uci
2.1 stage race that attracts WorldTour
teams and top North American squads,
see p.66.
8-11
The Olympic velodrome

in Rio sees paracyclists
compete in events that include the
kilo, 500 m, individual pursuit and
team sprint.
Photos: Adam Popper, Patrick Beaudry, Yan Lasalle, Yan Lasalle
WorldTour riders hit the streets

of Quebec City for the Grand
Prix Cycliste de Qubec. LottoNLJumbo rider Robert Gesink really likes
Quebec City, and not just because hes
won the citys race (and Montreals
too for that matter). Read the Dutch
riders thoughts on Canadas two
premier one-day races on p.68.
10
Tune Your Ride will power

the seventh annual Toronto
Bicycle Music Festival. Find out how
tyr takes wattage from pedals to
crank up the amps on p.20.
11
14-17
The WorldTour athletes ride again

in Quebec, this time in Montreal.
Paracyclists compete
in the road race and
time trial events in Rio.
21
Every time I see an adult on a

bicycle, I no longer despair for
the future of the human race.
H.G. Wells, born on this day in 1866.
30
Catharine Pendrel turns

36 today. Read more about
Canadas top mountain biker on p.17.
Looking
Ahead
September 2325
Dfis du Parc
hen Marie-Jose Gervais rode professionally in the

mid-90s, La Mauricie National Park was her secret
spot for training. The native of Shawinigan, Que., liked the
natural beauty as well as the hilly roads in the park roughly
25 km from her hometown. In 2007, she let her secret out.
Gervais returned to Shawinigan in the mid-2000s after
having been on the organizing committee of the Womens
Cycling World Cup of Montreal. She then got in touch
with La Mauricie National Park to create a cycling event.
Historically, the park has always been very creative. It
became the first park in Canada to close for a day for an
event like this. My dream was to have a closed circuit in
the park and we realized my dream, Gervais said.
In 2007, she founded the Dfis du Parc with its cyclosportive. The big ride is 165 km with 2,790 m of elevation.
There are also 105-km, 60-km and
40-km options. On the west side, its
really challenging. Its the number of
the hills. Every time you come to one,
its a wall, she said. Cyclists in each
ride head out in one of three waves:
a fast group averaging 30 km/h, a
slighter slower group riding between
30 km/h and 25 km/h and the slowest
group at less than 25 km/h.
At the beginning of the event, people
started thinking of it as a race, Gervais added. But thats not
the purpose. I want people to do a course and feel like world
champions at the end.
Because the event is in a national park, you can easily
camp there for the weekend, which has more activities
than just the road rides on the Saturday. On Sunday, theres
a 40-km mountain bike ride, running races ranging from
30 km to 5 km, even a 1-km kids run.
cyclingmagazine.ca
15
NEWS
The momentum of Silber Pro
Cyclings successes
When Ryan Roth of Silber Pro Cycling returned to racing
in late spring, he wasnt exactly sure he could win. Sure,
he was strong in February. Then he missed the Redlands
Cycling Classic, which his teammate Matteo Dal-Cin won,
and the San Dimas Stage Race because of a torn calf
muscle. He returned for the Joe Martin Stage Race, but
didnt participate in Tour of the Gila, where teammate
Alex Cataford was second overall. At the Winston-Salem
Classic on May 30, Roth won with a bike throw out of a
select group of riders.
It keeps our momentum going for this block coming up,
which is our biggest one of the year in terms of the concentration of races, he said while at a stop in Quebec as he
and some teammates travelled to Saguenay for its grand
prix. Tour de Beauce would follow, and then road nationals.
The win has definitely given me some confidence going
into the next race. Confidence kind of rolls and snowballs,
he said. Seven days later, Ryan Roth won the Grand Prix
Cycliste de Saguenay overall.
Ryan Roth
Jolle Numainville riding strong, as always
16
significant for her. Each year is really important. Its in my province, so I come
in wanting to win, she said.
For Numainville, Gatineau is the first race of the second part of the season,
which ends in September. Im a rider who always has a better second half of the
season. I alway do well at the world championships. So, coming into Gatineau
with a podium shows my later season should be strong. No matter how much you
want to change things in cycling, you fall into your pattern, she said.
2016 Grand Prix
Cycliste Gatineau
Photos: Brian Hodes / VeloImages, Steve Kingsman
Four days after Jolle Numainville came second in the

Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau road race, she accidentally
locked her keys in her car. It was not a perfect day, lets
put it like that, the Cervlo-Bigla Pro Cycling rider said
after laughing about the incident. Numainville seems to
be able to let things go when she needs to, but also turn
on the intensity when its necessary. Take Gatineau. This
year marked the fourth time shes been on the second step
of the podium in the road race. (She won the inaugural
event in 2010.) When asked about that record, she said,
Well, it doesnt really mean much. Still the race itself is
WHATS HOT
A poster for Canadas mountain man

of the pro peloton
The night before Stage 18 of the Giro dItalia, OricaGreenEdge rider Esteban Chaves was doing some doodling.
When I visited him in his room, he was working hard at his
desk drawing posters for each one of us. Every poster had
the special characteristics of each of the guys, said the
Colombian riders teammate Svein Tuft. Chaves made Tuft
a Grizzly Power poster with the words north, Canada,
cold and bear, appearing with a cartoon bear and the
face of a bearded man. Can you imagine any other Grand
Tour GC leader doing that? asked Tuft.
Bontrager
Classique Cycling Cap
$55, trekbikes.com
The Classique name rings true with this cap by Bontrager. The material is a merino
wool and polyester blend, which wicks sweat away well. The cap fits under a helmet
comfortably and comes in three colours: white, and pastel blue and pink. The brim
can work as a bit of a shield against the sun or the rain. The big question, of course,
is do you flip up the brim or leave it pointing down?
Fabric
Chamber
Catharine Pendrel
Photos: Courtesy Svein Tuft, Courtesy Redbull Content Pool
Catharine Pendrel battles back after

getting pressed into a barrier
At the third uci mountain bike World Cup in La Bresse,
France, Catharine Pendrel got forced into a barrier at the
start of a climb early in the race. I had to stop to avoid a
crash and lost a lot of positions. Passing on the descent
was very limited, so I had to be patient. It became really
exciting when I brought in 30 seconds in a lap on Jolanda
[Neff] and realized I could actually make the front of the
race. Also, I was going to be able to share the podium with
both Emily [Batty] and my Luna teammate Katerina,
Pendrel said. Neff won the event. Pendrel finished
second, while Batty was third. Katerina Nash and Maja
Woszczowska rounded out the five-rider-deep podium.
Did this ride have any lessons for Pendrel? Several!
she said. Never give up. Be more assertive about not
being pushed around on starts and, if I am willing to put
it all out there, amazing rides can happen. That secondplace finish, as well as her fourth at Cairns, Australia and
third at Albstadt, Germany, helped to put her to sixth in
the uci overall ranking. At that time, however, training in
preparation for Rio was the priority. I only get the chance
to get the Olympics right every four years. I want to be able
to give my best in Rio, she said.
$90, fabric.cc
Your bike has a lot of bolts. When one starts
working itself loose, it could ruin your ride. The
Fabric Chamber is an elegant tool, in both look
and function, that can keep those bolts sung. The
cylinder-shaped tool holds six double-sided bits
which include hex, Phillips, slot and Torx as well as
an additional 8-mm hex over-bit. You can fit each
bit into the Chambers head to get leverage on a bolt.
The tool comes in two models: one with a fixed head
and one with a ratcheting head. Its 162 g and slips
nicely into one of your back jersey pockets.
Giant
Scout
Bikepacking
Handlebar
Bag
$100, giant-bicycles.com
Giant doesnt just do bikes really
well (or shoes, or helmets, or kit you
get the idea), but bags as well. Weve been using the Taiwan-based companys
roll-top backpack for years to carry stuff and to keep it dry. The water-resistant
Scout also has a roll-top closure that you can seal before strapping the bag to your
mountain bikes handlebars. While youre out on the trail, you can tuck some things
into the compression straps on the go.
cyclingmagazine.ca
17
Remembering Canadas greatest downhill racer

by Dean Campbell
he world of mountain biking first got a glimpse of

Stevie Smith during his segment in the film Seasons
by The Collective. Smith was bombing a trail near his
home in Nanaimo, B.C., while his mom drove the shuttle
runs. It wasnt a segment made out of nowhere Smith
had already been racing, including at the world championships but he was still in his teens. It was clear he had
the talent to go places.
Smith died May 10 after sustaining head injuries from
an enduro dirt bike accident. At only 26 years old, Smith
had had a huge impact on the mountain biking community.
Throughout his career, Smith retained a humble
approach even as he set the new high-water mark for
Canadian downhill mountain biking. It was an attitude
Winning the title at just 23 years old, Smith thrilled and stunned the world of
gravity riding. During an interview about the title for this magazine, Smith was
low-key about the work that had gotten him there. He talked about how much
mileage he put in on road bikes and in the weight room and about the support
from his sponsors and family. He said that working hard was important to him.
But the truth was much more than that.
Stevie was so much better than anyone else, said Brandon Semenuk. He
was so determined, always charging. The pair had grown up riding together.
While their style of competition took them in different ways with Semenuk
focused on freeride they would hang out whenever schedules aligned.
He was just such a friendly, chill dude, said Semenuk. He worked way
harder than so many other guys. He really made an impression on a lot of
people. He made a whole country proud. Even beyond that, he was such a rad
dude and made everyone smile.
What some people would call obstacles, he was using as features

to nd the fastest line. It was mind blowing.
18
STEVIE SMITH
Smiths mom, Tianna, posted to Stevies Facebook account in the days after
his death. She talked about the loss, and the support she has received. As his
mom, I know he is wonderful, but I have also found, more than I could have ever
dreamed, that people all over the world loved him as well, wrote Tianna.
Photo: Courtesy Redbull Content Pool
THE SCENE
that seemed in sharp contrast to his riding style, a flat-out

risks-be-damned approach that led to podium results, but
also to crashes.
In 2010, Smith was blasting through the Mont-SainteAnne course, site of that years world championships.
Nearly within sight of the finish, Smith flew over a bridge
into a rocky drop, weight forward, feet off the pedals, bike
ready to pitch forward and catapult Smith down the mountain. Somehow he hung on. He wrestled the bike back under
him and crossed the line to take second place overall.
Stevie blew my mind in that race, recalls Brett Tippie,
who was on his first assignment with Pinkbike.com . I did a
course walk with him and the Vanderhams before the race,
and got a really good look at how he approached the course.
What some people would call obstacles, he was using as
features to find the fastest line. It was mind blowing.
Constantly joking, Smith also continued to improve and
excel on race courses. In 2013, he had a year that redefined
the sport of mountain biking. Briton Gee Atherton had
dominated the first half of the year, but things changed
at the Mont-Sainte-Anne World Cup. Smith shot down the
mountain, all swagger and confidence, and won the race in
front of thousands of cheering Canadian fans. The victory
marked a shift in the year as Smith went on to be crowned
King of Crankworx and blitzed the remaining World Cups,
winning the final event in Norway and taking the overall
World Cup title.
Music for ears

powered by feet
by Melanie Chambers
For last years Toronto Bicycle Music

Festival, the group spent most of the
morning loading three cargo bikes
with more than 150 lb. of gear which
included a folding bike, generator and
musical equipment onto two sixfoot-long trailers. The third trailer was
the eight-foot-long mobile stage.
To power up hills, each sturdy Yuba
cargo bike is equipped with BionX
pedal-assist system that gives the
bike some electrical juice to help it up
the hills. Those bikes also help with
the music.
THE SCENE
tanding on a moving platform,

towed behind a bike, singer
Great James looked like a surfer on
the streets of Torontos Kensington
Market. He was the main act of the
mobile bike concert en route to the
Toronto Bicycle Music Festival. Its
already an eccentric neighbourhood, but everyone turned their
heads, said James Davis, creator of
the musical bike company, Tune Your
Ride. People were cheering and clapping for the concert on two wheels.
But that was only part of the show.
Instead of tossing the equipment
into a car and driving to the three
venues, the group packs everything on
the bikes. In between the venues, the
commute becomes part of the party.
TUNE YOUR
RIDE
At the festival, Davis spoke to the

crowd. We need volunteers to ride
the bikes, he said. He explained
that if the cycling stops, the show
stops. All the power generated from
the pedalling runs the speakers,
keyboard and guitar amp.
Inspired by The San Francisco
Bicycle Music Festival, Davis began
Tune Your Ride in 2010. This year, it
has become his full-time job.
To set up, the team propped the
back wheel up off the ground and
unplugged the battery and controller
20
for each bike. The motor in the rear hub acts as a generator and produces direct-current electricity. When an
audience member rides the bike, the pedalling produces
the energy that runs through a cable to a power pack,
which in turn powers a modified car amplifier and
the speakers.
If someone slows down and the music stops; the audience gives direct feedback. Its amazing. And we never
have a shortage of volunteers, Davis said. The system
runs on 12-volt current. Riders have to keep a steady
cadence to produce voltage between 12 and 14 volts, which
is displayed on a meter in front of the bikes. Cyclists
also power a blender for smoothies and a mobile-phone
charging station.
Summer is obviously packed with events, but last
years ride from Rouge Beach for the closing celebration of
the Pan Am Path Art Relay was memorable. We rode back
in the dark listening to music along the Lakeshore it was
magical. People still talk about that night and the songs
that were playing, Davis said.
Fellow cyclists can also find the events transforming.
On that same night ride, a woman who had never ridden in
Toronto felt so safe with the group that she later became a
Toronto bike commuter.
Whats on tap for the wandering minstrels? The Bikes,
Beards and Bandshells Tour (Aug. 27 to Sept. 4) is almost
200 km from Gananoque to Cobourg, Ont., featuring Juno
Award winner Quique Escamilla, Ben Hermann, Great
James and Andy Mac. Well be riding without a support
vehicle and will be hauling all of the instruments, speakers
and sound gear.
The dream is to go across Canada smooth surfing
through the Prairies but they might need the power assist
once they reach the Rockies.
Photos: Adam Popper
The new golf mixes with the old golf

by David McPherson
22
Beyond the golf bikes, the Granite

Club is making its private facility
more cycling-friendly in other
ways. A small group have created a
cycling club for members to explore
the surrounding countryside in this
picturesque region northeast of
Toronto. Bike storage is also available.
The club has loosened the dress code,
allowing members to keep their bike
clothes on while they enjoy a postride coffee on the patio.
The club has loosened the dress

code, allowing members to keep
their bike clothes on while they
enjoy a post-ride coee on the patio.
Rutledge is an avid golfer, but
he only recently took up cycling,
motivated by his wife (who is an elite
triathlete) and his son. When I go
golfing, they often go for a ride, but in
the past couple of years, I started to
join them, he says.
THE SCENE
his year, two clubs in Canada are offering golf bikes,

which are fun alternatives to traditional golf carts. Avid
U.S. cyclist Todd May invented the golf bike to connect two
of the activities he enjoys. He created a prototype in 2010.
Three years ago, the entrepreneur presented the concept
to the golf industry at the annual pga Merchandise Show
in Orlando, Fla. The bike has specially designed golf bags
that are narrow, compact and sit on the back. There are
slots where golfers place each of their clubs. The bike
features small wheels with wide rubber tires; its steel
frame makes it light and easy to handle; and golfers can
ride it anywhere players are normally allowed to take a
power or pull cart.
This new spin on an old tradition provides the avid
golfer with the ability to play at the speed of a cart while
getting paid back with fun and fitness, May says.
In Canada, the Granite Club in Stouffville, Ont., and
Glencoe Golf & Country Club in Calgary are the first two
courses to offer these bikes. As golf evolves, innovative
initiatives such as the golf bike are a way to attract
newcomers to the game, to address the pace of play and
also to adapt to golfers changing expectations.
Granite Club member Rob

Rutledge is one of the early adopters.
He says the bikes are a ton of fun
and manoeuvring around the course
on them is easy. The golf bikes are
best suited to active players you
can often play more quickly and you
burn more calories by choosing the
bike over a traditional pull cart. Its
just such a good feeling, Rutledge
says. The best part is that at the end
of your round you feel refreshed.
GOLF AND
BIKES
Theres an emphasis at our golf

club on fun and flexibility, Rutledge
explains. We also want to foster a
cycling community within the club.
There are a number of members that
like to cycle in the morning, have
lunch, and then play a round of golf in
the afternoon.
While its still early days for the
golf bike, all indications are that the
cool concept is sure to catch on at
more clubs as golfers and cyclists
discover the joys of combining two
of their passions in the same day.
by Bart Egnal
n one memorable scene in Gerraint Thomass book, The

World According to G , he describes training on Tenerife
with his Sky teammates. After a hard day doing interval
training, riding up and down a volcano, he and his teammates spin back to the hotel, passing by tourists having
pizza and beer on a patio. Longingly, the riders stare at
the club riders tucking into their carb-heavy meals after
a day of riding. The pros dream of the day when they
can retire and do the same. Thomass book is filled with
such anecdotes, all of which drive home the point that
to be competitive as a pro, you wage a constant battle of
the bulge.
This focus on weight makes sense: when the road goes
up, the drafts effect is limited and unwanted pounds act
as anchors, dragging you to the back of the bunch, and
then out the back. Thats why for pros, figuring out how to
train and keep weight off seems to be as important a skill
as moving up in the bunch. (Remember Tyler Hamiltons
suggestion to chase sleeping pills with lots of fizzy water
after a ride to keep from snacking before dinner?)
But what doesnt make sense is that club racers, many
of whom I race with, seem to share this same obsession.
And Im not just talking about getting a lighter bike the
very definition of diminishing returns Im talking about
24
NOTES
FROM THE
GRUPPETTO
Today I live in a flat province, Ontario,

and so do the people I race with. Blue
Mountain boasts a whopping 452 m
of elevation. Yet even this HC (hors
catgorie, for those of you new to the
WorldTour), epic col does not feature in
any sort of provincial race, although,
in 2015, the hilly Grey County road
race has become a qualifier for the
amateur world championships. The
hilliest climb of the O-Cup season is
the Effingham hill, and it ascends a
steep but short 60 m. For the past few
years, the finish hasnt even been at
the top of the climb.
Its not like my old crew in

Vancouver is racing up Mount
Seymour or Cypress. Oh no. The
majority of the road-race circuit
takes place in the great plains of
Langley, where the climbs are similarly brief and race fitness trumps
being wafer-thin. Just grit your
teeth up the 1.3-km climb of 3.3 per
cent on the Aldergrove race course
and youll be fine assuming you
did your interval training over the
winter, that is.
Remember: in short climbs, losing
weight doesnt make much difference for your climbing speed. In Jim
Gourleys book Faster, the author
looks at how fast you go uphill on a
15-, 16-, 17- and 18-lb. bike. His conclusion: a bike that is 2 or 3 lb. lighter will
not make you significantly faster on
a short climb.
Sure, if youre over the weight
limit of your carbon wheels, it may
be worth skipping a few brewskies
and doughnuts. But if youre already
at a healthy, but not Froome-like,
size, you can quickly gain much
more speed by focusing on aerodynamics. Racing in a masters
category? Wear a skinsuit in the race.
The aerodynamic gains will vastly
outpace anything youd get from
being 5 lb. lighter. Plus, everyone
knows that the opposite sex digs
body-hugging Lycra, right? (Thats
what I keep telling my wife at least.)
But most important, theres no
pro deal coming. We are amateurs
passionate, committed amateurs.
For those of us who race the
provincial circuit, its unlikely that
well be getting a phone call from
Cannondales general manager
Jonathan Vaughters any time soon.
How has this epiphany shaped
my cycling? I try to enjoy the sport
without having it become an obsessive, all-consuming lifestyle in which
my eating habits annoy my family
and those around me as I pursue a
fruitless quest for marginal gains.
So take my advice: not only will
you go just as fast, youll enjoy that
extra croissant more than you enjoy
being race weight. Make pastry and
espresso mandatory additions every
long ride. You may not fly up that Cat.
7 climb quite as fast, but youll be
happier when you crest the top.
Photo: Russ Tudor
The strange obsession of amateur

racers with their weight
the agonizing pursuit of a smaller

waistline in the name of performance.
Here are things Ive heard (or
maybe at times, even said myself)
on group rides: I need to drop 15 lb.
before race season! Ive cut booze
out in the months leading up to the
provincial race series, My secret is
to go to bed hungry and the weight
just drops off. Now, if youve also
been known to indulge in such
aspirational thinking about your
size, take a deep breath and say
the following with me: IT DOESNT
MATTER AT ALL!
Heres why.
THE SCENE
Just Eat that

Croissant
CHAMPIONS
BREAKAWAY
QUEBEC CITY SEPT 9/MONTREAL VH
BRINGING YOU THE WORLDS GREATEST CYCLING EVENT IN NORTH AMERICA
Rigid Riders
It starts with the kids
by Nick Ashbourne
CANADIAN
CLUB
Photo: Chris Wilkinson
THE SCENE
t was a knock on Brian Murrays front door that got the

What we found is that all the
Rigid Riders off the ground.
parents
would come and theyd sit in
PROFILE
In the spring of 2001, Murray answered to find three
their car and drink their Tim Hortons
Club Name Rigid Riders
13-year-old boys Duncan Sturz, Sam Ellis and Nick Jay
coffee and watch the kids for the
Town Brookvale, P.E.I.
standing outside his house eager to do some mountain
whole hour, he says. So we said,
biking. They werent allowed to head out on the trails
Lets get those guys out of the cars.
Established 2001
alone, and were hoping Murray would supervise them.
Rigid Riders still prides itself as a
Members 93
By happily obliging, Murray gave rise to a club that is
place where high-performance mounstill going strong 15 years later, and one whose creation
tain bikers can train. It has a Canada
Website cpei.ca/clubs/rigidriders
earned him a spot in the Cycling p.e.i. Hall of Fame in the
Games team. Still, the club is catering
builders category.
to a broader audience, which is growing every year.
We sat down and came up with the name Rigid Riders after the boys looked
In 2015, it had 118 registered riders. At the first ride of this
at their bikes, which were laying on the lawn, and noticed they didnt have any
season, the turnout was 68, a number that would shoot up
suspension, he recalls. I told them we would start a weekly routine of one-andin the following months. According to Connolly, the ball
a-half-hour rides at Brookvale Provincial Nordic Park and that evening I got on
really got rolling when Rigid Riders got a little bit of free
the computer and picked a font with a zigzag under the words Rigid Riders.
publicity in 2014.
To this day, the Rigid Riders can be found at Brookvale, which is approxiWe were the best kept secret on p.e.i. and there were a lot
mately 35 km west of Charlottetown, every Tuesday from May to September.
of people looking for this type of service, he says. It took
But the club has changed significantly since its inception. Originally a youth
a lady coming from the local newspaper who did a major
club, its now an all-ages association.
article on the club that got on the front page of the island
In 2005, Cycling p.e.i. took the helm and realized quickly there was room for
newspaper and our numbers just went through the roof.
growth if the club expanded its focus. Casting a wider net gave Rigid Riders an
Theres nothing secret about Rigid Riders now. From
entire province to draw from. Theyd come from all over the island, says Mike
three keen youngsters and a helpful neighbour, the club
Connolly, executive director of Cycling p.e.i. Connolly soon discovered there
has risen to become a well-known entity for both casual
were a number of potential members sitting right under his nose.
riders and serious competitors.
26
PROFILE
Age 30
Hometown Saskatoon
Profession Storm chaser, adventurer,
television host
Bike KTM Lycan LT
Ricky Forbes
The tornado hunter on the poetry of
downhill mountain biking
by David McPherson
THE SCENE
hen we chatted, Ricky Forbes had just returned from a

trip to Panama. His days were spent learning Spanish,
surfing and volunteering. The three-week vacation was
a needed break before the start of storm-chasing season.
Yes, Forbes is a professional storm chaser. The title even
graces his business card. The Saskatchewan native is the
driver for one of North Americas top professional stormchasing teams, which appears in the
cmt Canada show Tornado Hunters. Hes
also the host of Woods Canadas Greatest
Explorer, a web series that features 12
adventurous Canadians facing outdoor
challenges across the country.
Forbes, 30, has always enjoyed
adrenalin-boosting activities, such as snowboarding,
skydiving and downhill mountain biking. Six years ago,
he graduated from the University of Saskatchewan having
studied finance. He worked in sales and marketing for a
while, but more adventurous work that suited him better
was also in the mix northern fly-in mines, for example.
28
CYCLING
CELEBRITY
Photos: courtesy Ricky Forbes
A little luck led Forbes to meet some storm chasers including Tornado
Hunters co-star Greg Johnson who were looking for a driver. He figured he
would give it a try for a week. If nothing else, Forbes could add a cool job to his
resum. I saw my first tornado and I was hooked, he recalled. They told me it
was just like Twister; I didnt believe them. Nobody storm chases for a living, but
this guy said he did, so I gave it a shot.
Forbess first storm-chasing experience was in Oklahoma. For seven days,
he said his team kept missing the wicked weather. Then, on their final day, they
caught a meteorological monster, unlike anything he had ever seen.
It was raining down baseball-size hail and the truck was getting pummelled,
which in itself was a bit terrifying, Forbes said. Then, we popped out on the other
side of this hailstorm and about 100 yards in front of us was a mile-wide tornado
ripping up the fields. It was so surreal. You want to stay there and watch it, but at
the same time you are terrified. That tornado was the longest tornado Ive ever
seen. It lasted for over four hours. A professional storm chaser was born.
Cycling, for Forbes, offers a similar rush to his day job. A trip to the Rockies
at 11 years old hooked him on mountain biking. His first bike was a Gary Fisher
bmx. Growing up, dirt biking was his first love; he has many broken bones from
these early days in the saddle to prove it. Today, Forbes finds downhill mountain biking more poetic.
You are coming down the mountain and halfway down, as you are going
along really tight trails and threading the needle between trees, everything
disappears out of your life, he explained. You have to be so in the moment. Put
the horse blinders on, and just focus on the trail. You get to calm down; you hear
a creek running by or see a deer on the trail, and all the greenery, and it feels like
you are one with Mother Nature.
Getting to travel the continent is another aspect of his
day job Forbes loves. We get to travel more than 130,000 km
across Canada and the U.S. every year during the six
months we are on the road, he explained. The road trip
itself is awesome, along with the thrill of seeing the tornadoes and getting to capture, photograph and video some of
biggest storms on the planet. Its a dream come true.
Even after tracking 85 tornadoes during the past five years, the thrill of
the chase never fades. You never know how wild the next one is going to be,
Forbes concluded. Some storm chasers will tell you they watched Twister
growing up and they knew thats what they wanted to be, but I never thought it
was a possibility. Even now, it feels surreal to call myself a professional storm
chaser, but I absolutely love it.
You dont always deserve what you get
hat does it mean to win? When I was growing up,

it meant finishing first in a competition of some
kind. This simple definition was based on the belief that
competition is healthy and good, and that the person who
runs the fastest, jumps the highest or (in my case) eats the
greatest number of butterscotch puddings in five minutes
deserves special recognition.
But it seems this definition of winning is very oldfashioned. These days, everyone is a winner. Any readers
who are parents will know that childrens sports are
now defined by the idea that competition is bad, and that
all participants in the grade-school track meet deserve
medals. On the upside, the child who actually does win the
race gets a medal too, but thats probably small consolation when she or he sees its identical to the one proudly
worn by the clumsy sloth who finished last.
I dont know whether this revisionist view of competition
and achievement originated in childhood athletics or some
relativist social-theory salon, and I dont really care. What I do
know is that it has permeated adult life, too. Look at the world
of recreational running, where every finisher gets a medal at
the end of a marathon. You could walk the entire route, sitting
down to rest every 30 minutes, and still get a medal. Im sorry,
but unless you actually ran the distance, you dont deserve
one. Youre not a winner just for showing up. You may actually
be that other thing what is that again? Oh yes a loser.
30
THE SCENE
by James Cranky Ramsay
CRANKOLOGY
The good news is that there are

still facets of life in which winning
really is winning among them,
competitive cycling. And by competitive, I dont mean professional. I
simply mean bike racing, in any of its
glorious forms. Longtime readers will
know that before my life was ruined
by having children, I competed for
a couple of seasons in masters road
races in Ontario. I was an unspectacular athlete in a total of about 25
races, I cracked the top 10 three times
(and the bottom 10 once or twice). But
these were real competitions, and
there was no suggestion that any of
us was a winner just for showing up.
Bike racing (at least the road
scene) is not a welcoming community. Its full of big egos, bluster and
one-upmanship. The racers I spent
Photo: Russ Tudor
An Old-Fashioned
View of Winning
time with were strong athletes. They

also made sure you knew it. There
was no modesty and very little room
for mentoring the less experienced
among us. The club I rode with had
a motto: No Rider Left Behind. But
I and many others were left
behind plenty of times. On one epic
training ride, I was left behind in a
torrential downpour, nearly 100 km
away from my car, in a rural area
Id never been through in my life. If I
hadnt had my pen knife and waterproof matches with me, I wouldnt
have been able to kill, clean, cook
and eat two badgers and a squirrel. I
have no doubt I would have perished
in a ditch and been found the
following spring.
No Rider Left Behind, indeed.
Eventually, I realized that the club
motto must have started out longer,
and that the extra words must have
fallen off the end at some point. I
think in its original form it read, No
Rider Left Behind is Worthy of Being
in this Club.
As I became fitter year over year
and began to compete, even the
camaraderie I shared with racing
friends was rooted in put-downs and
friendly insults. I was once buying
beer with a racing buddy. In addition
to our usual favourite ales and lagers,
I picked up a single, very expensive
bottle of limited-run Scottish beer.
Whats that for? my friend asked.
Ill save it for when I win a race, I
replied.
I dont think beer keeps for
10 years, he said. Better check the
expiry date.
His words stung me, but I laughed.
There was truth in them, too, because
I havent yet won a bike race. I have
the good excuse that I havent
actually entered one in the past few
years, but nonetheless, I failed in
my mission. I did, of course, drink
that expensive beer at the end of the
racing season. As delicious as it was,
it was bittersweet because I knew
I didnt deserve it. It did come with
a medal though, representing its
limited run. I still have that medal.
One day Ill show it to my grandchildren as I tell them a made-up story
about winning a bike race in Scotland.
With any luck, Ill be senile enough
to believe it myself.
Book It on
the Trail
Southwestern Ontarios Bruce County
oers ve diverse mountain biking
networks for riders of all abilities
by Tara Nolan
ts one of those frosty, windy autumn days that makes it hard to gauge how
many layers youll need for a ride. My husband and I roll into the parking lot
of the Carrick Tract trails, one of five areas designated for mountain biking in
Ontarios Bruce County on Lake Huron. Located near Mildmay, Carrick is at the
southern end of the region, about a two-hour drive northwest from Toronto,
and features about 7 km of singletrack. Our guide, trails technician Chris
Sanderson, is all set to lead us through four out of the five networks with trails
manager Andrew Beumer. Each
trail network features well-planned
singletrack. You simply choose the
area that matches your mood.
Bruce County is a mecca for
summer vacationers with its western
border on the shores of the Great Lake,
which means lots of sandy beaches
and summer accommodations. The
famed 890-km Bruce Trail, which
starts in the Niagara region, reaches
up into the Bruce Peninsula and ends
in Tobermory. Beumer, who works
for the county through mtb the Bruce,
has been working on establishing
the area as a mountain biking destination since 2001.
After a chilly picnic lunch discussing what we can expect, Sanderson
hops on his singlespeed and leads us into the forest. Carrick happens to be
Beumers favourite network because its dry all year except in the winter. The
aggregate-and-soil mixture allows for great drainage, he explains. My
favourite trail at the Carrick is My First Time because it has great flow and you
can pick up some serious speed. The route is the first machine-groomed trail
that the county started working on in 2012. Machines have greatly helped the
areas small team, allowing trail builders to carve out berms and other features,
as well as to perform grade reversals to help direct water and buff up the trails.
And Beumers right: My First Time does indeed have great flow.
After weve done the Carrick trails justice, we hop in the car and head to the
Brant Tract trails. If you visit in the summer, youll definitely want to bring your
bug spray. Luckily, the mosquitoes are long gone. This 700-acre parcel of land
is where the inaugural trails were developed. In fact, 15 to 18 km of trail were
hand-built during one year. The trails here are clay-based and fairly similar to
Carrick, but with more roots to contend with.
Things get pretty tight and technical as we ride through Devils Elbow
followed by The Shocker. There are plenty of scenic valleys and steep gullies.
32
Photos: Tara Nolan , Courtesy Bruce County
THE SCENE
Tobermory
48 HOURS
Bruce
County
Razors Edge allows

us to amble along on a
wider trail before we let
it rip down some twisty
switchbacks.
cyclingmagazine.ca
33
Where to stay
There are many camping, cottage
and B&B options throughout Bruce
County. We stayed a night in the Port
Elgin Super 8 ( portelginsuper8.com),
which had a locked shed for our bikes
and was not far from the Brant Tract
trails. The Spirit Rock Outpost & Lodge
(thespiritrock.com) was at a convenient
location along Highway 6 for getting to
the Lindsay Tract trails and Mountain
Bike Adventure Park.
Where to eat
Try the Bruce meets Grey grilled cheese,
featuring local ingredients, at Harleys
Pub & Perk (harleyspubandperk.com),
located between the Brant and Carrick
trails. Chesters Bar & Grill Co. in Port
Elgin is the perfect spot for post-ride
ribs, wings, fries, you name it. Harvest
Moon Organic Bakery (harvestmoon
bakery.ca) is a great place to pick up
freshly baked carbs I mean breads
and cakes and cookies. They have
gluten-free options, too. The Lions
Head Inn has great pub grub if you
need lunch between the Mountain
Bike Adventure Park and Lindsay Tract
trails. The Green Door Caf (thegreen
doorcafe.com) is said to be where its at
in Wiarton: be sure to make a reservation as we were not able to get in.
What to do in the area
Be sure to take a break from the bike
to do some hiking. Check out Devils
Monument in Dyers Bay and the
grotto at Bruce Peninsula National
Park (explorethebruce.com). You can
also head into Tobermory to browse
the shops or head out on a Flowerpot
Island tour.
Where to find support
There arent a ton of bike shops in this big
region, but if you are looking for some
service or parts, check out Martins
Bicycle Shop (martinsbicycleshop.com) in
Southampton, Liesemer Home Hardware
in Mildmay (519-367-5314) or Kincardine
Home Hardware (519-396-2032).
34
After the rooty, challenging, narrow

climbs of The Widow Maker, not to
mention a few spots where my
careful steering keeps me from being
thrown into a ravine, Razors Edge
allows us to amble along on a wider
trail before we let it rip down some
twisty switchbacks. Were then
treated to the three-week-old Ricks
Retreat, a new addition to the list of
difficult singletrack. On the occasions where I catch up to Sanderson,
he talks about the continuous trail
development. He also explains how a
leaf blower clears the trails for riders
once a week at this time of year. As
a mountain biker, how often are you
treated to that kind of service?
After spending the night in Port
Elgin, we head farther north the next
day where roots make way for rocks
at the Mountain Bike Adventure
Park north of Wiarton. We had ridden
here several years prior and fondly
remembered the Ewok Village, a
series of wooden stunts over some
of the big rock formations, which,
sadly had since been taken apart
for insurance reasons. I still thoroughly enjoy the parks trails, which
challenge my technical skills. After
riding Ewok Run down to the Pine
Loop and back out, Sanderson gives
us the choice between the Forest
Photos: Muy Davies/Explorers Tread
How to get there

It takes about two and a half hours
to reach Bruce County from Toronto.
Fly into Toronto Pearson International
Airport and rent a car to take you north.
If you live in Ontario, hit up your gps for
directions.
At the Lindsay Tract trails, our nal destination, my husband

goes over his handlebars on Stairway to Heaven.
Access Road or The Bike Buster, which is the most direct
route to the back end of the property. We choose the latter
and thankfully the relentlessly rocky, bumpy trail does
not live up to its name, but instead provides some technical entertainment. Maple Ridge and Big Bear Trail are
also added to our list of favourites. For those who want
to bring the whole family, a wide, well-groomed chariot
trail makes for easy riding.
At the Lindsay Tract trails, our final destination, my
husband goes over his handlebars on Stairway to Heaven,
severing his dropper-post cable and messing up his derailleur. (He is fine.) Lindsay offers the most technical trails of
the bunch. Rattle Way is what Sanderson describes as a
demanding beginner trail. Its easy, but challenging. The
intermediate Dereks Dilemma has a surprising amount of
flow considering the constant assault of roots and rocks. I
had also ridden some of the Lindsay Tract trails when this
8,000-acre property first opened a few years ago. Beumer
has to strike a delicate balance between the trails and
thr sensitive habitat belonging to the Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake and

the black bear. There is no evidence of either at this time of year. We pedal the
family-friendly Wetland Loop to a gazing tower, the perfect place to refuel. As
we ride back toward the parking lot, we pass a cheerful, red mini library in the
woods. Share a Book on the Bruce, it says.
Back in the mtb the Bruce headquarters, which sits on the Lindsay Tract
property, I discuss my favourite trails from the last couple of days with Beumer.
This building is where trail-building plans are hatched. Beumer explains how
more than 120 people have come through the trails program throughout the
years, most of them youth coming through the federal governments Skills
Link program. This year, theyve lost their funding, so Beumer and Sanderson
will continue their work alone, but will try to recruit volunteers to help with
their plans, which includes developing a new multi-use trail for the Brant Tract
and a new technical trail for the Adventure Park. As I head out of the building,
there is another mini library waiting to be delivered to another trail. Its novel
ideas such as this one that have shaped the entire trail network throughout the
years. Moving forward, Beumer and Sanderson may have to apply that creative
thinking to address the new challenges they face with funding. Regardless,
theyve already made some pretty kick-ass mountain biking trails.
cyclingmagazine.ca
35
THE SCENE
BOOKS
& DVDS
Fuel Your Ride:

Complete Performance
Nutrition for Cyclists
written by Molly Hurford
with Nanci Guest
published by Rodale
reviewed by Matthew Pioro
olly Hurford opens her book

with a tale of some poor food
choices. In the midst of a good block
of training and riding, she pounded
back vegan chicken wings, fries and
a vegan vanilla-and-peanut-butter
milkshake. Ive been there, too, in
a sense. I remember getting home
from a long ride completely ravenous.
I ate half a bag of Cheetos, and then
made an omelette, while I wondered
if I could get the rest of the Cheetos
folded in with the eggs.
As cyclists, we often justify some
dodgy dietary choices. After all, our
bike computers tell us we just burned
through a crazy amount of calories.
Its a free pass, right? Of course not.
The magical solution to nutrition is
not so magical. You have to eat the
good stuff, not just during the race, but
consistently. Hurfords book explores
how to do just that.
Hurford is an accomplished cycling journalist who does her research. In her
previous work, Saddle, Sore: A Women-Only Guide for You and Your Bike, she
spoke with many experts. Shes done the same for her book on nutrition. Its
one of the books strengths: not only does it have a variety of tips and ideas,
but many voices to discuss them. One major voice is that of Nanci Guest, a PhD
candidate in nutritional science at the University of Toronto, who provides
the scientific backbone to the book. Another Canuck in Hurfords work is her
boyfriend and regular CCM contributor Peter Glassford. A host of U.S. pros
also add their stories, wisdom and recipes, such as Katie Compton (quinoa
pancakes), Tayler Wiles (quinoa, bean and squash veggie burgers) and Ted
King, who recommends throwing an egg into your morning oatmeal. You
get extra protein, it gives [the oatmeal] this wonderful custardy consistency,
and its delicious, he says. The recipes in the book are all accessible and tasty.
Theres no Cheetos omelette, and thats a good thing.
36
Bicycle:
The Definitive Visual History
written by Gerard Brown, Mona Buchmann, Ivan Sojic,
Richard Gilbert, John Gill, Becky Macwhinney, Jim Elking,
Tom Price-Jones and Chris Sidwells
published by DK
ou can look at a bike for its engineering and performance (which I do in the later pages of each issue
of this magazine). You can also look at the design: the
machines lines and colours. At times, the bike can even be
considered a work of art. The many contributors to Bicycle
touch on such details in the 300 bikes theyve collected in

the hardcover volume. But in this book, the writers also
approach the bikes as historical documents.
Take the Columbia Military bicycle. Thats right, a bike
for soldiers. When I came across it, I definitely had a holy
cow moment. Its from 1890 and can carry everything
an infantryman could need. A rifle is attached to the top
tube in the way I once used to attach a hockey stick to my
bike. The weapon is striking, mostly because the barrel
is pointed forward and slightly upwards. (Is that safe?)
Theres a pannier and bugle strapped to the back fender.
The lamp has its own suspension.
As anyone whos ever followed bike technology for
more than 10 years will know that anything old will be
new again. (650b anyone?) The ammunition box hangs
from the top tube like a hipsters wine-bottle carrier or
even a bikepackers frame bag. Speaking of bikepackers,
the Columbia Military has a very minimal handlebar rack
that allows the soldier to roll up and store his greatcoat.
At first pass, I thought the coat was a handlebar bag. But
mark my words, Im guessing this old handlebar rack with
straps will reappear, all-new, in the next five years.
A 250-page book that covers 300 bikes as well as races
and manufacturers cant get into too much detail with
each item. Still, Bicycle is full of many little facts that
you either didnt know or had forgotten a while ago. The
Raleigh Chopper had a car-style gear shifter on the
top tube. Both Moulton, on one of its utility bikes, and
Cannondale, on a road bike, used suspension under the
head tube. Shimano started with a single-speed freewheel, released in 1922. And, riding around in jeans on a
klunker always looks really fun.
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Leah Kirchmanns
n a weekday in May, Leah Kirchmann steered her Liv

Envie down Highway 8 past Webster Falls toward
the centre of Dundas, Ont. She was in the drops, looking
completely at ease. Totally pro. Near the bottom of the
descent, a car pulled out without checking or signalling and forced one of the countrys top cyclists to brake
hard. Kirchmann shook her head. A rider whos faced the
cobbles of northern Europe and its narrow roads has to be
careful in her own town.
Kirchmann, who is originally from Winnipeg, has called
Dundas, which is just west of Hamilton, home for two
years. Her partner Dan Peters works not far from Dundas
in Milton for the national track team as a mechanic.
Kirchmann enjoys the quiet, twisty, tree-covered roads
just outside of Dundas. Early most weekday mornings,
theres a club ride that she only joins every once in awhile,
if she needs a really hard workout.
Not long after dodging the bad driver, Kirchmann
discussed her interest in cooking over a cappuccino. It
comes from my family. My mom and grandma are really
accomplished cooks, Kirchmann said. Growing up, I was
alway trying new things, so I think thats where my love
of cooking started. Now Im passionate about trying new
recipes or inventing my own.
As an athlete, Kirchmann also focuses on nutrition as
it relates to performance and health. She keeps her diet
well-rounded and balanced. Nothing fancy, just fruits,
grains, vegetables and other essentials. I think people
can make it more complicated than it needs to be, she said.
Kirchmanns recipe, banana oat pancakes, is perfect
for a simple and delicious breakfast. If you have leftovers,
she recommends wrapping them up and putting them in a
jersey pocket for a treat while youre out on your ride.
38
GUEST CHEF
Ingredients
1 banana
cup almond
milk (or
other milk
alternative)
cup rolled oats
1 egg
tsp cinnamon
tsp salt
Butter or oil
Nutritional
Information
For one serving
Calories 321
Saturated Fat 13.9 g
Carbs 31.3 g
Fibre 5.2 g
Protein 7.5 g
Serves 2
Directions
1. Place the first six ingredients
in a blender and combine. Let
the batter thicken for a few
minutes.
2. Add butter or oil to a pan and
bring to medium heat.
3. Pour circles of batter into
the pan. Grill both sides until
golden brown.
4. Top pancakes with Greek yogurt,
berries and maple syrup.MP
Photos: Marc Landry, Joel Esposito
THE SCENE
Banana Oat
Pancakes
Hype or Hero?
A close look at what 5 trendy foods really have in store for you
by Matthew Kadey
n the age of social media, the popularity and price

of certain niche foods and beverages is exploding as
people tout their nutritional and health benefits. Cyclists
are not immune to jumping on bandwagons in the hopes
of finding something to sip or nibble on that will supercharge their rides. Here are five items that are having a
moment, but when we separate the science from the sales
pitch it turns out you may not always be getting much of a
bang for your buck.
Kombucha
With headlines screaming the myriad
benefits of consuming more of the
friendly critters known as probiotics
which can improve digestive and
immune health more people are
seeking out products that are home to
a healthy population of bugs. One such
item demanding increased shelf space at
health-food stores is kombucha, a fermented tea beverage
made by combining tea with a fermentation starter and a
bustling colony of bacteria and yeast. The tea is then left
for a period of time to turn a little funky and becomes
populated with a robust population of probiotics. Since
pure kombucha is too much for most taste buds, manufacturers often mask the vinegary flavour with sweeteners.
In fact, some bottles will have sugar numbers on par with
More people are seeking out

products that are home to a healthy
population of bugs.
much maligned sodas. Those figures are concerning when
you consider that there is a raft of research showing that
drinking sweetened drinks regularly is associated with a
host of health woes including diabetes and obesity. So the
question remains: do the benefits of the probiotic count in
kombucha outweigh the risks associated with the sugars
often pumped into the product? Also, there is no guarantee that the microorganisms in a brand of kombucha
are ideal for your own particular microbiome.
The verdict: You might be better served seeking out other
probiotic rich items, such as kefir, yogurt, miso and sauerkraut
all of which have easy-to-find unsweetened options. If you do
decide to sip kombucha, be sure to compare brands, looking for
those that pack in less sugar. Keep in mind that most brands list
their nutrition numbers for more than a single serving per bottle.
40
Cold Brew Coffee

Not just for hipsters, cold coffee is the hot
new thing when it comes to java. Cold
brewing refers to soaking grounds
in cold water for several hours and
then filtering the liquid out. The long
brewing time is typically why cold brew
costs more than typical coffee. The cold water
used to steep the grounds releases less acid than hot water,
so the drink could be gentler on your digestive system
if regular coffee typically bothers you. This evidence,
however, remains anecdotal. Also, the prolonged brewing
time and higher grounds-to-water ratio may lend cold
brew coffee more of a caffeine jolt, which is a perk if youre
looking to rev up your ride. Caffeine has proven to help
boost exercise performance via its stimulation of the
central nervous system.
The verdict: Turn down the heat on your brew, but just be
on the lookout for the high amount of sugars that can be
pumped into flavoured and bottled versions.
Maple Water
Sometimes promoted as the North American answer
to coconut water, maple water is simply the clear sap
of maple trees before it is boiled down into the iconic
syrup. Its low in calories and has a very faint taste of the
sweet stickiness that coats flapjacks. Proponents of the
trendy drink claim that it provides several
nutritional highlights. In reality, this is
nonsensical marketing. The only item
maple water has high amounts of is
manganese. This mineral manganese
is necessary for proper metabolism,
but this is one of the easiest nutrients
to obtain through a healthy diet. You
shouldnt feel the need to chug back gallons
of maple water to help meet dietary requirements. Buying
a carton every now and then just for kicks probably wont
break the bank, but its still a lot more expensive than
good old tap water.
The verdict: To stay hydrated, stick with getting your water
from the kitchen faucet and keep on using maple syrup on
your weekend pancakes.
THE SCENE
NUTRITION
Coconut Oil
Once deemed a health pariah, this
tropical oil has experienced a bigtime renaissance. Weight loss, better
heart health and improved brain power
are just some of the benefits now being attributed to
a daily coconut oil fix. Too good to be true? Probably.
Made by pressing the fat from the white meat
inside the giant nut, about 85 per cent of the calories
from coconut oil hail from saturated fat. In contrast,
only 14 per cent of calories in olive oil are saturated.
Whats unique is that coconut oils saturated fat is
made up primarily of medium-chain triglycerides,
or mcts, which behave differently in your body. For
instance, mcts appear to be more easily burned off
as energy than other fats (read: less risk of body
fat storage). mcts have a less-detrimental impact on
cholesterol numbers than the saturated fats in meat
and dairy. Still, a recent Harvard study found that
while replacing calories from saturated fat in your
diet with calories from refined carbohydrates such
as white bread wont lower your heart disease risk,
the researchers determined that replacing saturated
fats such as coconut oil and butter with unsaturated
fats (found in nuts, seeds, avocado and olive oil)
remains important for improving overall heart health.
Evidence of the fat-burning powers of coconut oil is
pretty thin at best and likely overblown. As with all
oils, coconut is high in calories so simply adding it
liberally to your diet without trimming elsewhere
wont do much for your waistline.
The verdict: Its likely that coconut oil is neither a nutritional
villain nor an ultimate panacea. Feel free to use it in your
cooking (it holds up relatively well to high heat) as long as
you dont crowd out all other fat sources, such as olive oil and
nuts with more research-backed health benefits.
Bone Broth
First it was jerky. Now the Paleo crowd is telling anyone
who will listen that you should be spooning up bone broth
till the cows come home. What sets bone broth apart from
the standard Tetra pack broth or bouillon cubes is that the
animal bones are simmered in water for many hours. This
process is thought to create a broth that is chockablock in
nutrients and collagen, a protein derived from the connective tissues in animal carcasses. Those who trumpet the
benefits of bone broth say that it brings to the table a host
of mystical powers ranging from improved immunity to
detoxification of the liver to healthier skin to better muscle
and joint recovery after exercise. Just one big
problem: there is virtually no research to
back up these claims. It seems theres
just a bunch of gushing on the Internet.
Whats more, there is no one standardized bone broth recipe. It can be made
with different animal bones and with
different cooking methods, both of which
can affect the nutritional properties of the end
product. Oh, and there is the matter of price, which can be
hard to swallow: often more than $10 for a small container.
You could make your own if youve got nowhere to be for
hours on end.
The verdict: While extracting every last bit from an animal is
commendable and bone broth is undeniably more flavourful
than mass-produced broth, its not likely to be the rocket fuel
you hope it is.
cyclingmagazine.ca
41
Get Off Your Bike

to Get Better on Your Bike
A variety of activities will make you tter, faster and healthier
by Peter Glassford
TRAINING
oure probably like most cyclists:

you ride a couple of times during
the week, and then get a long ride or
two in on the weekend. During the
summer, your rides make up a majority
of your movement. While you want to
ride more to get faster, you can only
do as much as your work and family
schedules allow. Rather than trying to
fit in more intense workouts or more
long rides into your week, I suggest
movement variety as an effective and
enjoyable way to increase your overall
work capacity, health and cycling
performance. Different non-cycling
exercises can address on-bike issues.
Here are three examples.
TRAINING
TIPS
You have pain or discomfort on the bike

Many cyclists have strong aerobic
engines but are limited by their soft
tissue. Cramps, back pain, IT bands and
saddle sores are just some soft-tissue
issues. If you pursue multiple types of
movement, you will find that your body
is able to recover from one sport while
you do the other. Non-cycling sports
strengthen your underused muscles,
while giving overused cycling muscles
rest. Different loads on the body and
ranges of motion can be both preventive and therapeutic measures. Try
walking at lunch and with the family in
the evening to use an increased range
of motion and to strengthen your hips
and ankles while developing valuable
low-level aerobic function that many
of us are missing. Basic strength or core
routines also serve to change loads and
ranges of motion.
You get dropped, struggle or hate hills
and accelerations, but can ride all day
I see this often, especially in athletes
who have competed in long-distance
events, such as triathlon and endurance mountain biking. I generally
get clients to work on three aspects.
We increase the amount of climbing
on the bike they do each week by
adding hill intervals and changing to
hillier routes. We also gradually add
in off-bike sprinting and strength
work that pushes their athletic and
work capacity. Finally, we spend time
climbing out of the saddle during
intervals and rides. It is surprising
how the skill of standing and pedalling can change someones perception
of hills by providing a second strategy
for turning the cranks. Focused track
sessions, hill sprints, stairs or fun team
sports, such as ultimate frisbee, will
increase your athleticism and train
your body and brain to work hard.
42
You just dont have enough time to ride more

While the kids are at practice, do a hill-sprint workout and
a quick strength circuit. You can stay nearby and see the
game, but get a targeted workout in on a day you would
perhaps do little movement. Perhaps you could help at the
kids practice and benefit from that activity. If they are at
the pool, you might be able to swim or use the gym during
that time. Walking at lunch adds a low-level cardio that
many of us are missing. Running uphill is a tremendous
workout, if you are lucky enough to have longer climbs
around you. Uphill running especially in a park or up
a ski hill generally doesnt cause as much soreness as
traditional running. It can also help cyclists push harder
than they might on the bike. Find movements you can do
when you are travelling, hemmed in because of weather or
restricted because of injury.
While it is tempting to pedal away the days while the
nice summer weather is here, it is worth finding other
ways to move to enhance your health, performance and
resilience. Variety and work capacity are two facets you
can gradually add to your week to see increases in health,
performance and fun.
TRAINING
TECHNIQUE
Getting the Most Out

of Your Suspension
by Andrew Randell and Steve Neal of The Cycling Gym
ual suspension is becoming more the norm on the

trails these days. And not only dual suspension
but longer, 130150 mm travel bikes. Many riders say
that these bikes are more fun to ride, allowing them to
complete sections of trail they wouldnt normally attempt.
Getting the suspension right and understanding how to
use it is sure to improve your trail-riding experience.
One thing we have seen at the gym is the variety of
setups that riders choose for their suspension. A common
theme though has been many riders running their
suspension without enough sag, which means they dont
get the full experience of the extra travel they have on
their bikes. Why carry that extra weight around and not
use it?
The amount of sag you run is important as it affects
how well the wheels stay on the ground as you ride over
varied terrain. The more contact the wheels have with the
ground, the better your ability to control the bike. Run the
shock too stiff (less sag) and your bike will become like
a pogo, bouncing you along with it. Many riders who run
their suspension too stiff think that they dont have good
44
technical skills. In fact, its their bikes

that are working against them. Set
your bike up properly and you may
feel much more in control through
rough terrain. If you are riding a longtravel bike, be sure to try it with more
sag that you think you need.
Check your shocks before each
ride. Note the pressure you like in the
shocks and make sure it is consistent
ride to ride. Make sure to cycle both
the shock and fork every time you
add or remove air prior to setting sag.
A final piece of the suspension
picture is using your lockouts properly. It takes some practice to master
the setting that makes the suspension inactive. Using the lockouts
means that you can have the benefits of the suspension over rough
terrain and downhills, but then lock
SAG 101
When setting up suspension, we talk
about sag, which is how much the
shock compresses when you sit on it.
Think about how you sit on your bike.
Do you stand a lot or stay seated?
Use your typical riding position to set
your sag. Also put on what you will
wear on the trail helmet, hydration
pack, shoes, etc. as you want to set
your sag with the weight of your riding
gear on. The recommended sag usually
runs in the 1525 per cent range. Many
riders using longer travel shocks
are now choosing to run their sag at
3035 per cent. If you have your
suspension set up well, you might find
that when you take a big hit through
rough terrain, you bottom out your rear
tire to the rim. This will only happen
once in awhile, but it means you are
riding your bike to the limit and that the
suspension is set up perfectly.
the suspension and avoid bleeding
power when climbing. You can have
the best of all worlds.
Photo: Matt Stetson
The right setup will let you ride at your best
TRAINING
MAINTENANCE
Roadside
Assistance
4 essential xes you should
be able to do when out on a ride
A
by Nick Di Cristofaro
here are basic mechanical skills that every cyclist

should have, especially out on the road or trail. You
may not ever tackle a wheel build, but have to be able to
fix a flat A . Ive been on many rides where I sit back and
watch someone struggle with a flat tire, until I put an end
to the riders misery. The repair is simple if you use the
right technique and know what to look for. See Fixing a
Flat (right) for my tried-and-true method.
Now what do you do if you have a cut sidewall or tread?
If the cut is on the tread you are pretty much out of luck.
If the cut is on the sidewall, you can sometimes line the
inside of the tire before installing the tube. There are
proper tire boots you can use, which dont take up too
much room in your seat bag. Also, a small piece cut from
an old inner tube will work B , as well as a $5 bill.
B
46
Another common adjustment on the road is the headset
C . If youre getting
knocking in the front end or brake shudder, you could have a loose headset.
First, loosen the stems pinch bolts, and then the top cap. Remove the top cap to
inspect the compression plug to make sure its tight and seated in the steering
tube. Then, tighten the cap bolt slowly while grabbing the front brake and
rocking the bike back and forth. Tighten the top-cap bolt until you dont feel
any play in the headset. Finally, align the stem with your front wheel and snug
up the pinch bolts.
You should also be prepared to handle a broken chain D . Carry a small chain
tool to remove a bent or broken link. You can use the tool to reattach the
remaining length of chain. Make sure you dont completely pop out the pin
that you want to push back in. An easier method of reconnecting the chain is
with a quick link. I recommend you always carry a couple extra quick links
in your seat bag.
C
Fixing a Flat
Eight steps for a perfect inner-tube swap

1. Make sure the tube is completely deflated.
2. Insert your tire lever at the opposite end of the valve stem
and flip the bead over the rim while keeping the lever
inserted. You only need one lever. With the wheel in your
left hand and braced against the ground, push the lever
around the circumference of the rim. The bead will peel
right over the rims edge.
3. Most of the time you can leave the tire half on the wheel
and pull the tube out.
4. Check the tire for any cuts, holes or bead damage. Go
around the entire circumference of the tire both inside and
out. If you dont, you could get a second flat minutes after
your repair. There might be a hole somewhere in the tire
that allows the tube to protrude. Or, a piece of glass might
have worked its way under the tire. Inspect the wheels rim
as well damage there could also be the culprit. The rim
tape is very important. Ensure it is in good condition.
above
Unhook tire bead with a
tire lever
above
Remove the at tube from
within the tire
5. If you removed the tire completely, install one side of the

bead onto the rim. Always make sure the tire is facing the
right direction (look for a direction indicator on the side)
and place the tire logo over the valve stem.
6. Install the tube and inflate it slightly so it takes shape.
7. Begin from the opposite end of the valve and work the
bead over the rim with both hands until you are close to
the valve. Try to use your palms and hand to get most
of the tire on. Only use a lever if necessary. If you avoid
using a tire lever, then you lessen the chance of pinching
the tube.
8. Before inflating, always check that the tube is inserted
fully in the tire by moving it back and forth.
above
Inspect tire inside and out for
punctures or debris
above
Install new or
patched tube
into the open side
of the tire
below
Ensure the tube is
in the tire and not
in between the rim
and tire bead
8
opposite left
Cut an old tube to
use as a tire boot
opposite centre
Check headset
compression plug
for tightness
opposite right
Break the chain
with a chain tool
A small
piece cut
from an
old inner
tube will
work, as
well as a
$5 bill.
cyclingmagazine.ca
47
FEATURE
HEALING
MOUNTAIN
Photos: courtesy AWMBP
THROUGH
48
by Dean Campbell
Building trails and

riding them is
fun. No question.
But through the
Aboriginal Youth
Mountain Bike
Program, those
activities might
affect positive
change in some First
Nations communities
oughly five years ago, kids

from First Nations community in Boothroyd, B.C., were
tearing apart fences and excavating
around the base of the fire hydrants
in town. Officials in Boothroyd
looked into where the wood and dirt
were going. They discovered the
kids were building structures and
jumps to ride their bikes on. In too
many First Nations communities,
kids arent able to direct their energy
in healthy ways. Band leadership
knew they had to find a way to help
the youth get what they wanted,
while keeping fences intact and fire
hydrants firmly in the ground.
During meetings between band
leadership and planning experts,
the band manager Terrie Davidson
leaned over to ask one of the community planners Patrick Lucas a
question: What do you know about
mountain biking?
Lucas, who was helping to create

programs and facilities to improve
the community, was a rider. He
didnt, however, feel a strong enough
connection to the mountain bike
community to be able to offer qualified expertise. Recognizing the
opportunity, he began to reach out
and expand his network of contacts
to professional trail builders, coaches
and community builders. Lucas also
reached out to the founder of the
Sprockids program, Doug Detwiller,
to discuss how his program might fit
in with the First Nations communities where Lucas was working.
Detwiller is a retired teacher who
had spent each Monday morning
telling his students all about his
weekend mountain biking or skiing.
The kids loved it because it delayed
the start of school work. They would
encourage Detwiller to tell more
stories. Quickly, he realized that his
stories werent just a way to delay the
start of the day, but also ground upon
which he could build a better relationship with his students. Detwiller got
some of his more challenging students
out on bikes and led them on rides.
It was really great for the kids to go ride through mud

and hoot and holler and not have anyone look at them
funny, said Detwiller. We were all just out having fun,
and there was no judgment.
As the Sprockids program evolved throughout the
1990s, the focus was refined to address issues around
self-esteem and anger management. As you start
climbing Anger Mountain, we try to help kids recognize
it as its happening and then diffuse it through mountain
biking, said Detwiller. Its a really powerful experience.
With Sprockids, weve also been able to build trust and
camaraderie.
Forget what you know about mountain bikes and what
theyre supposed to do. Close your eyes, and think about
careening down a slope, splashing through a puddle, and
then laughing as all your friends do the same. Imagine
the hilarious looks of disgust on peoples faces later in the
day, people who have no idea how you got so messy and
worn out. Meanwhile, you know that youre too tired to
do anything but laugh some more. Now think about the
bike you rode while doing this. Does it matter if it has a
1-by setup or dropper post? Is it any particular wheel size?
Probably not. Probably, the bike you envisioned is like the
you in your imagination, covered in mud. Maybe certain
parts dont work, and maybe you and the bike have scars
from previous days of slashing and crashing down the
local trails.
At one project, a kid showed up on this bike that was
in pretty rough shape, said Detwiller. The brakes didnt
work, so hed just drag his foot on the back tire to slow
IF FIRST NATIONS COMMUNITIES SEE THE VALUE IN THESE

TRAILS, THEN THERES GREATER POTENTIAL FOR COMMUNITIES
TO GET ALONG AND WORK TOGETHER.
cyclingmagazine.ca
49
building expensive facilities that would go unused.

The kids wanted jumps and a pump track, said Lucas.
We got funding from a few sources including mec and the
Vancouver Foundation, and built a bike park.
One of the first signs that the project was going to work
came on the first morning of the build, when Lucas arrived
early to get things set up. There were 15 kids sitting
waiting for us to arrive so that we could get started, he
said. They ended up working two 10-hour days, back to
back. That kind of engagement is unheard of. That project
was a breakthrough for that community.
Success in Boothroyd came because of local involvement. The kids who helped with the build learned the
necessary skills to maintain the bike park and to continue
to do the work that keeps the park in good riding condition.
As Lucas and Detwiller started to work with more First
Nations communities, they co-founded the Aboriginal Youth
Mountain Bike Program in 2012. A non-profit and volunteer-driven project that builds on the work in Boothroyd,
the aymbp has worked with 15 First Nations communities in
B.C. While the program is focused on youth, it can address
other challenges pre-emptively. Much of the land in B.C. is
unceded territory. Many treaties were never signed. As
First Nations communities seek to get back control of their
lands, access to trails built and used by what Lucas calls the
down. The front derailleur didnt work either, so hed jump off before a climb and
quickly move the chain by hand. But none of that mattered to the kid. He was
just out having a great time on a bike with his buddies.
These experiences are what hooks people on mountain biking. Freedom,
speed, a little bit of recklessness and plenty of smiling friends joining in for the
fun. For those already in the know, the hope is that these qualities are so infectious that they can help create new ardent fans of two-wheeled fun, rebuild
communities and even provide direction and purpose to those who might
otherwise lose their way.
When Lucas met Detwiller, the Sprockids program had a long-standing
reputation for focusing on having fun on bikes, while also letting the kids help
determine the shape of the program. It seemed like it could be an ideal fit for the
communities Lucas worked with and so the pair planned a visit to Boothroyd
to see what could be done.
We walked around all day, recalled Detwiller, who felt demoralized
throughout most of the day. I felt like wed accomplished nothing because we
didnt have any firm plans. Patrick said, No, theyve been accepting us into the
community. Its been a really productive day.
Acceptance and a welcoming attitude have been key parts to what makes
the program successful. Many development projects often struggle because
wealthier individuals or groups bring in ideas that work in their own communities without considering how they might need to be adjusted to fit the
community theyre trying to help. Lucas had seen that first-hand while doing
development work in Asia, and found the experience to be very formative in
how he approaches the development projects in Canada.
I was producing big, sexy reports and delivering them to communities thinking
Heres an expensive doorstop, said Lucas. Even in Boothroyd, where there seemed
to be a hunger for better facilities, there was concern that money might get wasted
50
settler communities can fall into uncertainty.

Its an issue Id really like to get in front of, said Lucas.
If First Nations communities see the value in these trails,
then theres greater potential for communities to get along
and work together. The alternative could be protracted
legal proceedings as territory agreements are hammered
out in more formal settings. In the meantime, trails might
deteriorate and communities could fall into conflict.
Relationships between First Nations and settler
communities in Canada have a long and troubled history.
Both Lucas and Detwiller have seen first-hand the
devastating effects the residential school system has
had: alienating children from their families and cultures,
failing to provide adequate support for children forced
into schools and exposing the children to abuse and even
unethical experiments. In each community Lucas and
Detwiller visit, that damage is front and centre. Often
kids and mothers come out to help with projects, but few
fathers do. Parents often know little about their own
lands, or even about how to encourage their kids to play
in a healthy way.
Its hard to talk about it because people want to be so
politically correct, said Detwiller. But if we look at the
reality of the residential schools programs, its going to be
generations before this will all get left to history.
But with biking, we can include all members of a family,
all members of a community. Theres huge potential.
North of Kamloops, B.C., the Simpcw First Nation has
Photos: courtesy AWMBP
BUT WITH BIKING, WE CAN INCLUDE ALL MEMBERS OF A FAMILY,

ALL MEMBERS OF A COMMUNITY. THERES HUGE POTENTIAL.
BY GETTING INVOLVED WITH FIRST NATIONS AND BUILDING COMMUNITIES,

THIS WORK HAS SOLIDIFIED MY IDENTITY AS A CANADIAN.
worked with the aymbp to develop a new opportunity for the
band just as land-claim issues are also arising. Local Tom
Eustache, along with his son and nephew, had been building
trails in the area already. To Lucas, the trails were a little rough,
but the three builders were keen to develop better routes. We
got funding for a trail and recreation plan that included the
Valemount, Sun Peaks and part of Jasper, said Lucas.
We had started building stuff on our own already,
reclaiming decades-old walking trails, said Eustache, a
member of the Simpcw Nation. When Patrick showed up,
he started pointing us in the right direction. We did some
trail building workshops with members of the community
and others from the valley.
The trail-building training has changed things dramatically, as Eustache, his son and his nephew have now
started a trail-building business. Eustache serves as a
councillor in the community and has been able to get
funding to hire two trail crew members to maintain and
build on the work thats already been done.
Theres opportunity to do stuff in the winter for crosscountry skiing, said Eustache. That could mean real,
year-round jobs for members of our community, which is
a big step.
When I was young, I ended up working a lot, but never
really had any reason to develop dreams for myself, said
Eustache, whose parents were both alcoholics and had
separated when he was young. Constantly taking jobs
meant Eustache never got into too much trouble.
In our community, I see how often kids get into drugs and drinking, and how
limited opportunities are, said Eustache, whose own children are starting
their careers. His daughter is working as a nurse, and his son has taken a trailbuilding job at Sun Peaks.
There are no illusions that trails will be a panacea for the issues First Nations
communities face. However, at Simpcw, Eustache sees trails as a stepping
stone toward greater things for his community.
As a member of the band council, I focus on social and health programs. If we
get families healthy, we can move up. Thats where the focus on trails comes
from, said Eustache. Not only are riders getting out on the trails, but a running
group has emerged within the community and is out sharing trails with riders.
The potential for improving the health of First Nations communities is a big step,
something Lucas and Detwiller see in the future of the aymbp. The pair are also
working to train ride leaders and guides who can offer more than just directions
to visiting riders. Mountain bikers want to do something unique, said Detwiller.
There are a lot of skills parks out there, but you need to have something more to
stand apart. Having a guide who can tell me about the history of the region could be
one option, but you really need to create a community and a scene.
Detwiller and Lucas are ambitious with their program. They hope it can be
run in First Nations languages instead of English or French. Theyd like to include
public health departments to help work on the medical challenges particular to
First Nations youth. As Lucass proposals become more and more effective, hes
also found that the work has become even more personally rewarding.
By getting involved with First Nations and building communities, this work
has solidified my identity as a Canadian, said Lucas. If we want to become
the country that Canada is supposed to be, we need to recognize that we were
founded not just on English and French, but First Nations, too. We need to bring
all of that together so First Nations and settlers can become the best we can be.
cyclingmagazine.ca
51
Photo: Jeremy Allen
52
FEATURE
DIY
CYCLING
ADVENTURES
The bike is a machine for creating adventures. They can be small a
adventures: a big day out with friends, maybe on roads youve never
ridden before. They can also be capital A adventures that take you
across long distances to remote places. Here are three adventures
that have inspired us. What they all have in common is that you,
too, can plan similar rides for yourself, your friends or your club.
So, read on, and then get riding.
cyclingmagazine.ca
53
THE STAG
GRAN FONDO
received something meaningful when he attended. We

then worked out what the cost of the kit would be and
created a budget. Each kit had a tiny margin of $25, which
gave us just enough funding to pay for catering and all of
the water, drink mix, bars and gels needed in the support
vehicle that would follow the ride. We also realized that
because the ride was an event that cyclists were paying
to do, we needed to insure the ride through the Ontario
Cycling Association to avoid any potential liability issues.
I also created my own Square account to accept creditcard payments from my friends who were from out of
town. From there things went forward.
We called the ride a stag fondo. The complete kit that we
were selling on pre-order was $220, which I realized was
maybe beyond the budget of some, so my expectations
werent too high. Nevertheless, my strategy was to have a
design that really told a story, on a top-quality jersey and
bib shorts. The colours and the elements of the jersey, I felt,
needed to be very distinct but not too garish. I absolutely
did not want my name plastered all over it. I wanted something my friends would want to wear again in the future.
However, every aspect of the design had meaning. For
example, on the sleeve there was a shadow of a threelegged chicken. It was a reference to my favourite joke as
a child and my Instagram and Strava name.
We built a Facebook page three months prior to the
event on which I posted the design. I also posted the kit
Photos: Jeremy Allen
DIY
ast summer, I got married. In

the lead-up to the ceremony,
there was, of course, a bachelor party. Since Im an avid
cyclist and all of my groomsmen are,
too, I didnt want to have a typical
stag; I wanted to host a gran fondo. It
would be a day of riding with friends
on roads wed all enjoy. Thered be
food afterward that wed eat while
chatting about the roads, hills and our
tired legs. Also, I had always wanted
to have my own custom cycling kit.
I realized that there was perhaps
never going to be better reason
to create a design. From there, my
groomsmen and I began planning
an event.
The main focus was a fantastic
day on the bicycle. As simple as that
sounds, there were a few things to
consider and co-ordinate. My best
man and I began in January 2015 to
think of ways to structure the event.
We decided that pre-ordering a kit
would serve as each persons ticket
to the ride. This way, everyone
54
design on my personal Instagram account. I told the story of every element

of the jersey online and to my friends who werent online. Perhaps it was that
narrative that really built interest in the stag fondo.
I honestly had humble expectations. I was hoping 10 or 15 people would preorder a kit and come to the ride. Much to my surprise, the story of the design
seemed to really resonate with many of the cyclists I knew. Some of them I
knew well, while others were rather new friendships. What I learned is that
when there is a story behind a kit design, it really
adds value. In the end, 40 riders signed up. It
was a celebration that far exceeded any of
my initial ideas.
I was also very fortunate to have some
valuable connections in the bicycle
industry. Neworld Cycle in Burlington,
Ont., was very generous and donated
their space on a Sunday in July to host
the stag fondo. This space allowed
us to have change rooms, bathrooms,
bike storage, an air-conditioned place
to eat lunch and to have a raffle at the end
of the event. We had a photographer, Jeremy
Allen, who attended and donated his time as
a gift. Everyone who attended was then able to get
some photos of the day. It was a lot of work, but for a cyclist, I cant imagine a
better stag. It was an absolutely amazing experience. It also inspired me to host
an event in 2016, based on a very similar model: the Shimano Gran Fondo. You
never know where a fun project will take you.Charlie Bryer
It was a lot
of work, but
for a cyclist, I
cant imagine a
better stag.
cyclingmagazine.ca
55
OPERACION MUERTO
Photos: Mark Reimer
DIY
ide across Manitoba only using gravel roads when moving east or west.
Travel to five waypoints in and around Riding Mountain National Park,
as well as one additional surprise location. Start at the Tim Hortons in
Morden, Man., ride to three specific shelters in three provincial parks
and return to the Tims. Leave from Beausejour, Man., for three provincial parks
and return to the start. These are challenges that have been set out one a year
since 2013 by Operacion Muerto, an ominously named website that actually has
nothing to do with doping scandals or death as its name suggests. Muerto is in
fact an acronym for Manitoba Ultra-Endurance Racing and Talking Organization.
Each challenge starts two days after you declare your intent to tackle it via a
form on the site. Its over when you post your story and pictures.
The idea for Operacion Muerto came out of discussions among a group of
Manitoba cyclists. They took some inspiration from multi-day, bikepackingstyle rides. To make it easier for people to participate in a challenge, theres no
official start date or even time limit. You simply start it when you say you will
and make it a continuous trip (no stopping and picking up where you left off at
a later date). The final step is to tell the story of the ride with words and pictures
on the Operacion Muerto website.
Hal Loewen formalized this structure in January 2013 with the first challenge, which was the ride across the province on gravel roads. The idea is to
force people off of paved roads, Loewen said. That way youd have to plan to
hit little towns along the way to get water and food. Its a way to see parts of the
province you probably havent seen. Gravel roads are a big part of each challenge to add an element of safety, too. The amount of times Ive been bugged
by a car on a gravel road has been one or twice, Loewen added. On the paved
roads, it happens a lot more often. People just dont give you enough room.
In early June, there were dozens of stories on the Operacion Muerto site. One
is by Loewen himself. He and a friend attempted Challenge No. 3 amid a lot of
bad weather. We kept getting hammered, Loewen said. At one point, we
came across a yard. We had to get through it and across a creek or add five miles
of backtracking. We knocked on the door and talked with this lovely lady. We
chatted for a while before she said, Oh yeah. Go right through the yard. She told
us the best way to go. So, the challenges can just be a neat way to meet people.
In fact, Loewen has been thinking up a possible future challenge that would
force riders to meet people. You send an email indicating what weekend youd
ride the challenge, he explained. The day before you leave, youd be sent the
route. But, youd promise not to take any maps with you or gps. So youd have to
talk to people to get directions. Its another way to explore on your bike and have
adventures.
56
Not all the posts on Muerto are

about resounding successes. Some
riders and runners (some challenges
have modifications for ultra-runners)
have had to seek outside assistance, which is against the rules, and
abandon their challenges. One runner
lost his maps, smartphone and
had many of the symptoms of heat
stroke, including serious vomiting. He
managed to get word to his friend and
was rescued roughly nine hours after
he started his challenge.
While the ultra-runners tale
is dramatic, Loewen said that big
drama isnt really an important
element to a good ride recap. The
good stories are the ones that arent
looked for: they just happen he said.
Youre telling somebody about your
experience. Some people are good
writers, some not so good. It doesnt
matter. Its the idea of sharing it and
piquing peoples interest. Thats what
the story part of the challenge does.
You could go on Facebook and say
you finished something but thats the
end of it. If you have pictures and
words that go a little bit longer, you
hope people will take the time to
read it and get a fuller story.
There are no equipment rules
for any of the challenges. Loewen
has a Jones 29-plus bike, which
has a truss fork. Its a slow
moving rig, but sure is comfy, he
said. Many riders use mountain bikes
with bikepacking setups. Some use
cyclocross bikes. Some run panniers.
The final step

is to tell the
story of the ride
with words and
pictures.
One rider made his attempt on a recumbent bike. (Got

to mention the road crews that do such an incredible job
keeping the gravel roads in unrideable shape, wrote the
recumbent rider at the end of his report.)
When Operacion Muertos first challenge was issued,
the plan was to get all the riders together at the end
of that summer for a barbecue. It didnt happen. We
tried, but its really hard to get everybody together
on a weekend, Loewen said. Its fitting that the riders
behind an event with no formal start and finish time
would have a tough time scheduling a get-together.
Loewen thinks it might work out for the fifth anniversary. Until then, the Operacion Muerto website is a sort
of virtual barbecue where all the riders can share their
adventures.Matthew Pioro
cyclingmagazine.ca
57
THE NOBLE PURSUIT
at close to 10 a.m. Wheeler knows the abilities of his fellow

club riders, so he starts the slower groups earlier and the
faster ones later. The pursuit in the rides name comes
out of this structure, with the later teams catching and
passing the earlier ones. Still, its not a race. Wheeler has
a practical reason for sending riders off on an Australian
pursuit. We have everybody arriving at the end for a meal
all at the same time, Wheeler said. So far, in almost every
edition, weve had all the teams arrive within an hour of
each other. The fastest team finishes the ride in roughly
six hours. Distances for the Noble Pursuit range from
150 km to 170 km. In 2015, it was 172 km. Wheeler has been a
longtime fan of gravel riding, so every year there are quite
a few sections on unpaved roads. Close to half the course
of one of the early editions of the Noble Pursuit was gravel.
My goal in creating the route every year is to show
everybody a new road, Wheeler said. Ive been successful,
most of the time. Ive been riding a really long time and
have always been pretty adventurous in my riding. Ive
always been known to show people new roads. The planning the first couple of years of the Noble Pursuit went
pretty easily. But, Im getting to the point now, where things
are getting challenging. Either I start reusing roads and
work them into different routes or I have to come up with
something else, something more creative. He wouldnt say
Photos: Kris Sieber
DIY
hey try to bribe him. In the

lead-up to the yearly Noble
Pursuit, organizer Zac
Wheeler gets offers of beer
and cookies. Hes the only one who
knows the full route, which, even with
the tempting offers, he doesnt reveal
until a half an hour before the event.
The Noble Pursuit is an event for
Peterborough Cycling Club members. It
started with an email Wheeler received
from a friend. It was an announcement about a gentlemans race in the
U.S. Northwest. The friend said that
they should do something similar on
the quiet roads around this Ontario city
140 km northeast of Toronto. Wheeler
agreed. He chose a route that he and
some friends rode in 2011 in a sort of test
event. The next year, the club had its
first Noble Pursuit.
Wheeler stresses that the event is
not a race. Still, its a challenging ride.
It features 11 or 12 teams of six riders.
On the day of the event usually in
July at 7:30 a.m., Wheeler hands
out route maps and cue sheets with
turn-by-turn instructions to team
captains. At 8 a.m., the first team
goes out. Ten minutes later, the next
group is off. The rollout continues in
this way until the final team is away
58
what his more creative ideas might include, because, like

his routes, he wants them to be a surprise.
Out on the road, the teams have to stay
together. Whatever happens out on the
road, your team is there to help you,
help you get through it, Wheeler
said. Groups have to be selfsufficient. Theres no follow car to
pass out fuel or scoop up riders
who are too tired. Riders have
to be comfortable with reading
maps as Wheeler does not
provide .gpx files or the like.
While the riding can be a big
physical challenge, Wheeler ensures
the event has the right tone, that of
fun and adventure, both before and after
the ride. The ride has a patron, who, for 2016, is
Gino Bartali. When a team registers, its not as simple
as entering names. The online form has a section or two
that asks riders to get a bit creative. One year, each team
had to submit a poem. In 2016, an acrostic of the words
Cycling or Noble Pursuit was in order, as well as a team
manifesto. These writing exercises are essential. To date,
Wheeler hasnt had to turn away any teams; each year the
event has reached its maximum of 12 teams or a bit fewer.
If there is interest from more than 12 teams, Wheeler
expects the creative writing will determine who gets in and who doesnt since
he doesnt want to select squads based on riding ability.
After the event, all the riders meet at the Ashburnham Ale
House in Peterborough. Wheeler rents out the restaurant so
everyone can have a buffet meal together. For me, thats
one of the best parts of the event: everybody sitting
around telling stories, Wheeler said. People talk about
the ride, either how good the day was or how challenging it was. They talk about when they hit the wall
and who pushed whom up the hill.
Wheeler also loves the simplicity of the whole
event. You dont need much beyond the restaurant
booking and the map and cue sheets, he said. He
thinks the simplicity is also part of what makes the
event so enjoyable. With so little time required to plan and
manage things, Wheeler is able to ride the Noble Pursuit each
year, too. Theres also a charitable component. Funds raised
through the event are donated to the James Fund, a local charity
named for James Birrell, a Peterborough boy who died of neuroblastoma. The
organization funds research into the form of cancer that affects children.
For those who might want to put on a similar event, Wheeler has a bit of
advice. You have to have a supportive club that will be interested in doing
this, he said. The one thing pcc has going for it is that there are a lot of keen
people who will pretty much do anything on two wheels. And how keen are
Wheelers fellow riders? Usually around January I start fielding emails from
club members asking about when the ride is, he said. They want to plan their
summer holidays around it. Matthew Pioro
My goal in
creating the
route is to show
everybody a
new road.
cyclingmagazine.ca
59
FEATURE
The
Photos: Tornanti.cc
Evolution
60
of the Cat
by
Tara
Nolan
If youve ever driven in downtown Toronto, or any other

busy city centre, and spotted a bike messenger, you have
either been impressed by the riders speed and agility,
feared for the cyclists life, or felt a mixture of both. These
messengers battle traffic every day and are often the
subject of much disdain by those who aggressively prefer
four wheels to two. It was a car driver who, according to
Leo Slonetsky in a piece he wrote for

Mess Media , spurred a group of bike
messengers and ex-messengers to
create The Alleycats Scramble race
in 1989. The name is said to have been
coined by former courier John Englar
owner of the stalwart Toronto caf
cyclingmagazine.ca
61
Pa rt of the
reason I
tried the Red
Hook Crit
was to fi x
what I fou nd
a n noy ing
a bout the
a lleycats.
with helping to facilitate the races

that evolved far beyond what was
originally created for a bunch of bike
messengers.
David Trimble is decidedly not a
bike messenger, but in 2008, he organized his own race the first Red
Hook Crit to celebrate his birthday.
Trimble was no stranger to bikes and
cycling: his father and uncles made
some of the first carbon-fibre bikes
in the business. But Trimble had
taken a detour into motorized wheels,
first racing go-karts and then as a
mechanic on Indy cars. He lived for
a time in Houston, where one of his
sisters got him into mountain biking.
This led to mountain bike races in
Texas. Soon, Trimbles bike collection expanded. At some point my
car broke down and I didnt want to
buy another, so I bought a fixed-gear
bike and started riding that around,
he says.
A move to the Red Hook neighbourhood of Brooklyn in 2006 cemented
his shift to road riding because it was
harder to race mountain bikes in
Photo: Tornanti.cc
Jet Fuel Coffee. Alley cats was actually the

term originally used to describe Englar and a
group of fellow bike messengers who would
explore downtown Toronto at night.
The unsanctioned, urban race, which
usually took place around Valentines Day
and again at Halloween, took riders through
several kilometres of downtown streets and
had a renegade-like spontaneity. Organizers
had to avoid the authorities. Announcements
were sudden, and race maps were closely
guarded until the last minute and featured
key checkpoints that each racer had to pass
as he or she raced through the busy urban
streets. The events were also a way for those
in an oft-maligned profession, bike couriers,
to let off some steam by racing their likeminded colleagues.
Nadir Olivet, a former bike messenger and the owner of La Carrera Cycles
in Toronto, was a part of that early scene. As he explains it, the races always
started or finished in an alley, and involved free stuff (because friends had some
free stuff to give away) and beer. However, it wasnt long before word spread
and a lot of people started coming to Toronto from other countries to compete.
When it went mainstream, it became a monster, says Olivet. Sponsors took
notice, which took the organization of events to a whole new level.
Olivet started as a competitor, but considers himself the second generation
of organizers who helped expand the races and bring in sponsorship. He says
Englar gave him the blessing to run some races and credits Red Bull and Nike
62
cyclingmagazine.ca
63
Photos: Tornanti.cc, Jason Sellers
had to
avoid the
authorities.
about alleycat races I really liked

there was a lot of hype and a lot of
rivalries. I didnt really get that in
road racing. Furthermore, the races
required a lot of athletic ability and
training. But to Trimble there was
also a downside, including favouritism among organizers who made
up rules to help their friends. Part
of the reason I tried the Red Hook
Crit was to fix what I found annoying
about the alleycats, he says.
While traffic and general city
congestion were a part of the alleycat
routes, the Red Hook Crit racers have
always used a closed course, usually
at night. For the first three years, race
organizers had to close the course
themselves, securing intersections
on the down-low, but now the proper
permits are secured ahead of time.
Races usually last less than an
hour and are set up for speed, not
endurance. Riders must have brakeless track bikes and ride multiple laps
around a technical course.
When asked what he thinks the
appeal of the race is, Trimble says, I
think its super simple and anybody
can understand it; as spectators, you
Photo: Jason Sellers
New York City. I was getting pretty serious

about the alleycat races and US Cycling
amateur road races, he explains. For my
25th birthday, I had a lot of friends in both
worlds, so I figured the only way to get both
communities to come to my birthday party
was to organize a race that appealed to both
of them, he says. And thus the Red Hook Crit
was born. It was the first track-bike criterium of its kind in the world.
That first year, 40 riders what Trimble describes as a mix of elite riders,
bike messengers and random amateurs showed up. I had the right kind of
mix right from the beginning, he says. Now, the track-bike-only race consistently sells out. There are spots for 300 men and 75 women to compete and
another 100 or so on a waiting list. And though it is not a pro race, it does attract
a healthy mix of pro racers.
Whats amazing about the rise of alleycat races, the first Red Hook Crit and
its subsequent success, is that they happened before the social media had
the strength to really publicize events and galvanize support. Trimble posted
information about that first race to nyc Fixed Forums, an active community
that still exists. If you were in the scene, you had to be on that forum, says
Trimble. It was the only place you could get information. In fact, his original
thread is still there. Sometimes he goes back to look because he finds those
first comments entertaining.
Trimble also alludes to the influence that photographers and documentary
filmmakers had in attracting racers and bystanders to the annual event. I
think thats what first started getting the race off the ground, he says. Being
in New York City, the race is really interesting visually and these guys are
always looking for interesting things to shoot.
As far as the original Alleycats influence itself: They definitely helped
inform what I was going to do, explains Trimble. There were some things
64
Photo: Tornanti.cc
dont need to know anything about bike races; and for the
riders, its super fun and technical, wheel-to-wheel racing.
As the race gets faster and more competitive, Trimble and
his team do feel like they need to up the ante with each new
course. Every year it gets more and more complicated: we
put more infrastructure in place, he explains. Aided by a
team from the U.K., who were in charge of the Olympic circuit
at the London Olympics, technical drawings are designed in
Autocad and are used to build the course on race day. Trimble
says that if you were to look at GoPro footage of similar races,
the Red Hook Crit's infrastructure is on a whole other level.
After a race, the team will take some time to assess what went
right and wrong so as to improve upon the overall race course
experience continuously.
Major sponsors took notice at an early stage. Rockstar
Games came on board for Red Hook in 2013, allowing
Trimble to expand to a four-championship series
Brooklyn, London, Barcelona and Milan where racers
from all over the world sign up to compete.
Now, Trimble, who has been the director of the race from
Day 1, says he and his team take it one race at a time. He
has about 30 to 40 staff members at any given time, and
then an additional 100 to 120 volunteers on race day. Its a
big production at this point, he says. Its already far beyond what our original
plan was for it.
The alleycat concept has had more than nine lives multiple races have
been spawned by that original idea.
Olivet took the race concept to Latin America where he was the first person
to set up an alleycat race in Guatemala followed by Mexico. In 2014, he turned to
a closed course when he teamed up with Red Bull to organize Red Bull Race the
Place at Ontario Place, an abandoned amusement park located on the Toronto
waterfront. In a mini Red Bull-produced documentary, the event was described
as the first of its kind in the world, attracting track bikes, time trial bikes and
road bikes. One could argue that this particular race was inspired more by the
success of the Red Hook Crit, but the alleycats birthplace is there on the streets
not too far from Ontario Place.
Alleycat or messenger races now happen all over the world. When you
Google alleycat race, youll see it defined as an informal bicycle race.
Cycling organizations have also taken notice. For example, the Ontario Cycling
Association organized the Ossington Crit in Toronto as part of a street festival
held in July. What was once a competition for rebel bike messengers has now
evolved into different species for different rider types.
As Rebecca "Lambchop" Reilly, a bike messenger who had a stint in Toronto
(and who wrote the book Nerves of Steel about bike messengers) says in the
Red Bull video: We wrote the template and I think its a tremendous compliment that these things are perpetuating.
cyclingmagazine.ca
65
A QUICK
GUIDE TO
A VERY
FAST RACE
A stage-by-stage
preview of the fourth
Tour of Alberta
I dont know why, but for

some reason, the average
speeds at the Tour of
Alberta are always crazy
fast, says the races technical director Jeff Corbett.
You compare them to the
average speeds on stages
at the Tours of Utah and
California and the usa Pro
Challenge, its nowhere
close. Part of that is terrain,
but I cant necessarily fully
explain it. In 2013, the first
year of the uci 2.1-level
stage race, organizers had
to delay a few starts to
make sure things finished
at the right time. This year,
WorldTour teams and top
North American squads
are sure to ride fast and
hard in the fourth edition of
Canadas biggest race.
by Matthew Pioro
66
STAGE 1
STAGE 2
September 1
LETHBRIDGE
107.1 km (9 laps of 11.9 km)
September 2
KANANASKIS TO OLDS
182 km
The City of Lethbridge made its

Tour of Alberta debut in 2014 with
a circuit that took riders down and
up the valley carved by the Red
River. That year the stage was
cold and wet. The conditions were
so bad that the riders werent sure
who won the final sprint. It was
German rider Ruben Zepuntke who
prevailed. For 2016, Corbett has
shortened the circuit from 24 km
to 11.9 km. The route only had one
really good climb. It didnt have a
whole lot of impact because there
was so much time to regroup. So,
weve cut off the southern portion of
the loop, leaving the northern, hilly
portion, Corbett says. The hill tops
out at 1.5 km from the line. Daring
riders could use the ascent to try to
gain an advantage over the group.
If someone gets to the top with
10 seconds on the bunch, it might be
possible to hold that right to the end.
Riders will start in Kananaskis

Country, an area on the edge of the
Canadian Rockies, and head down
to the Town of Olds. While the stage
is generally downhill, riders cant
freewheel it the whole way. Theres
1,500 m of climbing, including a
good ascent in Cochrane. The pack
could also face serious wind on the
later, flatter section. Likely, it will
be a finish for the fast men in Olds
with a sprint for the line.
Photo: Oran Kelly
FEATURE
STAGE 3
STAGE 4
STAGE 5
September 3
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE
TO DRAYTON VALLEY
181.2 km
September 4
EDMONTON
12.1 km (time trial)
September 5
EDMONTON
124.3 km (11 laps of 11.3 km)
Edmontonians will be treated to a lot

of on-bike action this day. The Tour of
Alberta and the International Triathlon
Unions World Triathlon Series will share
a venue, and a beer garden, in William
Hawrelak Park. The triathletes will wrap
things up at around 3 p.m., roughly two
hours before the Tours time trial stage gets
underway. The distance is pretty short, 12 km,
to ensure the race wont be decided on one
stage. We wanted a short time trial, Corbett
says. The way the race is set up, we expect
time gaps to be small and that people would
be racing for time bonuses. So, you dont want
to throw in a 40-km time trial, which people
are going to win by minutes. Then the race is
over. But if you keep the time trial short and
the gaps small, then theres still a chance for
the non-time triallist. Its not an automatic
win for a time triallist who would just have to
sit in for the first three stages.
The race heads across the North Saskatchewan River to familiar roads on the
final day of the Tour. As with the 2014 and
2015 editions, the event will conclude with a
circuit race in the provincial capital. The stage
has two intermediate time bonuses and more
to gain at the line for a total of 16 seconds. In
2013, Daryl Impey of Orica-GreenEdge was
able to edge out Tom Dumoulin (then of GiantShimano) for the overall win by one second
thanks to bonuses. Theres the challenging
first kom on Bellamy Hill Road NW that has a
roughly 160-degree turn before its start. You
hit it with no momentum, Corbett says. Its
not like youre bombing down one hill in a
tuck and rolling halfway up the next climb.
Riders are always active on this stage as
even general classification contenders get
into the breaks looking for victory.
The Tour continues to head north

on its third stage. In the beginning,
however, riders will go east a bit at
the start to a 7-km section of dirt
road, which then leads to a kom.
Sprinters gunning for the win will
have to have their race craft and
handling skills honed. The finale
in Drayton Valley features a 4-km
circuit that riders will see three
times. Corbett says the circuit is
probably the most technical that
the race has ever seen. It has nine
turns; three in the last kilometre
are 90 degrees.
cyclingmagazine.ca
67
FEATURE
Grand Prix Cyclistes de Qubec and Montral
According to
Robert Gesink
The first rider to win both Quebec races
cant choose a favourite
by Matthew Pioro
n 2013, when Robert Gesink crossed

the finish line on the Grande Alle
in Quebec City, he became the first
rider to win both the Grand Prix
Cycliste de Qubec and the Grand
Prix Cycliste de Montral. He was the
first winner of the Montreal race in
2010. For Gesink, both Canadian races
are very special. Even the years he
doesnt race them, hes keeping an
eye on the action in Quebec.
Quebec Citys
Chteau
Frontenac
68
On a 2016 training ride to Ile dOrleans,

just east of Quebec City Its a special
area. We stopped there during the
apple harvest. We stopped at one of
the apple farms and drank one-anda-half litres of apple juice because we
were so thirsty. So, its a nice place
to train.
On what makes the Quebec race so hard Its a circuit. You

have the repetition of those tough hills. Everyone knows
where you have to be in the peloton so you have to fight
for position and be focused the whole day. The fact that it
repeats itself makes it really hard. At the end, everyone is
really exhausted. Then to be able to still do a good sprint,
thats the secret for doing well in Quebec.
On planning his 2010 race-winning attack on voie Camillien
Houde in Montreal Thats the toughest hill on that circuit.
I wasnt sure if it was possible to stay away. If I look at
the footage on YouTube, I think, This is never going to
work. Hes never going to stay away until the finish. But
somehow I did. I think it is one of the finest moments of my
career. I was young and had a really good season that year.
I get goosebumps when I think about that day.
On the pain of that ride Some cyclists

can go at their maximum and you
cant even see that they are really
trying. Im not really a guy who can
hide his pain.
On comparing the two races Quebec
is really hard because theres more
fighting for position. Everybody
wants to be at the front at the start of
Cte de la Montagne. If you are in front
there, you can save your energy. Of
course, saving energy means youll
have more left in the finale. Its really
a fighting race, a fight for your place.
As I saw at Quebec last year, it
will be more and more a race for the
sprinter-type of rider. Its a development in cycling more and more
there are riders who are really good
at sprinting who can also go over the
hills. Thats who Quebec is most suitable for. Last year, Michael Matthews
and Alexander Kristoff almost made
it, before Rigoberto Uran attacked.
Montreal has a longer climb so its
a bit more difficult for sprinters to do
well. Its more for the climbers. But,
its more of an open race. Last year,
the group that attacked on the last
climb made it to the finish.
right
Robert Gesink
celebrates his
2013 win on the
Grande Alle in
Quebec City
a one-day race at the highest level.

Actually, the second was my second,
but it was a really tough season. I
had been struggling to be at my best
as I had some health issues. To win
there with my wife and my daughter
at the finish line was really special.
Everything was right on that day.
If I have to choose between the two
of them, I couldnt say which one was
more special.
On sharing the distinction of having
won both in Quebec and Montreal with
Simon Gerrans after the Australian
won both races in 2014 Im honoured.
Hes one of the biggest guys in cycling.
Hes won Lige-Bastogne-Lige and
many stages in Grand Tours. Sure, Im
a really good cyclist, but I will never
be able to win as many races as he
has because hes more of a sprintertype of rider.
On missing GPCQM Both the GPs and
the Vuelta have been really good
to me in past. Its always a difficult
choice because they overlap. While
Id love to go to Quebec in 2016, the
Vuelta is a really important race
for the team. In end, I plan to do the
Vuelta a Espaa and unfortunately
miss out on Quebec and Montreal. Its
always a pity. For races youve done
well at in the past, you follow them
with some extra interest. It will be
hard to see the results.
Photos: Johany Jutras
below
Cte de la
Montagne in
Quebecs old city
On comparing his two Grand Prix wins

They are both really special to me.
The first one was my first victory in
cyclingmagazine.ca
69
GEAR
Road
Trek Domane slr 7 p.72
Pinarello Gan p.74
Trail
Felt Decree frd p.76
Specialized Turbo Levo
fsr Comp 6Fattie p.77
In Depth
Photo: Matt Stetson
Clincher Rims p.78

Cannondale Scalpel p.86
Rapid Fire
Shoes for Riding and Walking p.88
Sunglasses p.90
cyclingmagazine.ca
71
Trek Domane SLR 7

The endurance bike gets smoother
here are no cobbles where I live. But, of course, there are crummy roads. I took
the Trek Domane slr 7 to one of the crummiest in my area. In fact, the last time I
was on this road was probably three years ago. The cracks and potholes had bashed
me around so much that I decided the road wasnt worth riding. To my surprise,
the street was now getting resurfaced. On two of the four lanes, road crews had
scraped away the top 3 cm of asphalt leaving the perfect testing ground for the rear
and front IsoSpeed, Treks mechanical methods of managing road vibrations. The
road surface was rough, but consistent in its bumpiness.
When the Domane debuted in 2012, it had the IsoSpeed decoupler, which
allowed the seat tube a greater amount of movement between the tops of
the seatstays. The IsoSpeed decoupler on the latest Domane, launched this
past spring, is adjustable. Loosen a bolt on the seat tube to free up a slider. If
you place the slider close to the top tube, you get the least amount of compliance. Move the slider toward the bottom bracket to get maximum compliance.
The slider essentially acts as a fulcrum that you use to adjust the leverage
on this two-piece seat tube. You can tune your ride to suit your weight and
road conditions.
The front IsoSpeed, in the head tube, debuted on the latest

model. There are three bearings in the head tube, said Tim
Hartung, lead design engineer for composite road frames
at Trek. You have your standard lower bearing. The pivot
assembly up top actually has two bearings. In the middle of
those bearings, you have this pivot mechanism, which we call
IsoSpeed. That forces the steerer tube to flex fore and aft.
Its like the rear end: you get your fore-and-aft movement in
GEAR
ROAD TEST
When I powered along

my stretch of road under
renovation, I knew the
IsoSpeeds were working
because my ankles and
shins began to hurt.
72
Photos: Oran Kelly
isolation and your lateral rigidity as well.

would have had trouble keeping a steady grip on the hoods. Also, I would have been
When I powered along my stretch of road under renova- searching for more comfortable positions while also trying to shake out numbness.
tion, I knew the IsoSpeeds were working because my ankles
I found the Domane performed well on most climbs. If I could stay seated and
and shins began to hurt. You see, only
spin, it cruised well. The Bontrager Paradigm Comp wheels
three contact points (your bottom and
rolled really well, no matter what the grade. On longer climbs
Trek Domane SLR 7
hands) benefit from vibration managewith inclines that got me out of the saddle, the Domane didnt
Components Shimano Ultegra Di2,
ment so you become more aware of
feel very spritely.
Bontrager Speed Stop,
the pounding your feet and lower legs
The bike really shone and this is no surprise on long
direct-mount brakes
get because the bottom bracket has to
rides with healthy stretches of gravel road. The Bontrager
Suspension Front IsoSpeed, adjustable
stay rigid. On the most compliant rear
R3 Hard-Case Lite 28c tires, which actually measured 30 mm
rear IsoSpeed
setting, I felt well insulated from the
on the Bontrager rims, provide a nice ride. The stable bike
Wheels Bontrager Paradigm Comp
bumps. On the most rigid setting, I felt
allowed me to get some really good speed on what would
Sizes (cm) 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62
a little battered. At the front, my hands
have otherwise been a dodgy gravel descent.
would get sore. But, I know from taking
Fabian Cancellara rode his Domane across the white gravel
Price $7,900
other stiff bikes on bad surfaces that
of Strade Bianche this year to win that early season race. This
Website trekbikes.com
if it werent for the front IsoSpeed, I
past spring, I found a winner on rough Canadian pav.
Pinarello Gan
Entry-level Italian machine with
top-of-the-line renements
reviewed by Philippe Tremblay
GEAR
y the time I took the Pinarello Gan out on a 200-km ride,

I had already done a quite bit of riding on it: up steep
climbs, down winding descents, on fast group rides and rough
gravel roads. But, a bikes true personality comes out when
you are riding long.
I had ridden. But the Gan isnt made for the bumpy stuff, so Id say it was very agreeable after a long day in the saddle. Its nicely in-between racey stiff, which isnt for
everyone, and too compliant, which just doesnt feel right when you are trying to go
fast. The frame was, after all, designed for speed.
The bike is made in the same mould as the Dogma F8, Pinarellos WorldTour race
bike. The Dogma F8 was introduced in mid-2014 and came out of a collaboration
between Pinarello and Jaguar, which brought aerodynamic elements to the frame.
Prior to the F8, Pinarellos frames could be identified by their distinctive Onda
forks with wavy blades, as well as wavy seatstays at the back. The Dogma F8
used an asymmetric frame and a flat-back profile that performed better in the
wind tunnel, but still preserved the companys signature esthetics. The biggest
differences between the Gan and the Dogma are the grades of carbon fibre and
their layup. The Gan is heavier than its lightweight companion, in part because the
material it is built with weighs more. Pinarello also had to use more T600 carbon
fibre in order to maintain the bikes stiffness.
ROAD TEST
Pinarello Gan (as tested)
The built-up bottom bracket and head tube, aggressive

geometry
and aerodynamic design are all preserved in the
Components Shimano 105
Gan making it look and act like a race bike. When you need to
Wheels Shimano RS010
win the sprint for the signpost against your riding buddies, the
Sizes (cm) 42.5, 44, 46, 46.5, 49, 50, 51,
What was clear from shorter group
Gan will react well to your burst of power. Climbing out of the
51.5, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57.5, 59.5
rides was that the Gan was fast. It felt
saddle, I found the Gan responds well. When I continued to push
Price $3,900
in its element when I was on the front
on past the top, however, I felt the bike was at its best. The bike
taking a long pull, powering into headdescends well, but in the corners it needs a racers touch.
Website unoimports.com
winds or up steady gradients. Its a bike
If you roll up to the group ride on the Gan, expect to get a
that performs excellently in a variety of conditions and meets
few long looks; the frames lines do attract considerable attention. Its components are
all the needs of a rider who doesnt require a featherweight
Shimanos rock-solid, mid-range 105 set. The 11-speed cogset (1128 tooth) is matched
race machine, such as the Gans close relative, the Dogma F8.
to 52/36-tooth mid-compact crankset. The Shimano RS010 wheels are good for training
The Gan also looks fantastic, which never hurts.
and riding. They do, however, lack a bit of snappiness and feel a little sluggish when accelAfter 200 km, the Gan was surprisingly comfortable. The
erating. If you really want to go fast on the Gan, a wheel upgrade would be a good change.
frame isnt ultra stiff, while the Most Panther saddle is wellWith the Gan 105, youre not going to win any weight-weenie competition. But
suited for long periods of time out on the road. The rear
the T600 carbon with 105 build does preserve the feel and esthetics of a toptriangle is pretty rigid and on rough roads I got the sense it
performing Italian bike. The style and performance of the frame is paired with a
wasnt absorbing the road as effectively as some other bikes
value-oriented build geared toward the everyday working cyclist.
74
Felt Decree FRD

Components SRAM XX1 with Race Face
Next SL crankset
Suspension RockShox Pike RCT3 Dual
Position Air, 150 mm, and
RockShox Monarch Plus RC3
Debonair shock
Wheels DT Swiss XMC 1200 Carbon
Sizes 16", 18", 20", 22"
Price $11,199
Felt
Decree
FRD
Letting you ow fast down the trail
GEAR
Website feltbicycles.com
TRAIL TEST
reviewed by Brad Hunter
elts top-of-the-line, sub-25 lb., 27.5" trail bike eventually

showed me why the companys logo, a pair of wings, is
appropriate. Felt announced the new trail bike in the summer
of 2015. Models which range in price from $3,899 for an
aluminum front triangle frame to $11,199 for the Decree frd
came out later that year.
On my first outing on the Decree frd, with the geometry set to its slacker and lower setting, I made good use
of the protective rubber bumpers on the Raceface Next
SL crankarms while navigating my challenging Squamish,
B.C., test loop. On smoother trails, this slack setup may not
be an issue. For my next ride, I decided to forgo the extra
76
up.) This change, combined with the

ability to drop the travel on the dualposition RockShox Pike fork, made the
bike climb switchbacks with ease. The
firmer rear suspension of Felts Fast
(Felt Active Stay Technology) rear end
and Monarch Plus shock seemed best
left in the open setting to maintain
traction on loose or rough climbs.
The bike started to show real
promise when I decided to use it for a
short mid-week race. I knew most of
the trails, but had never ridden them
at race speed. The acceleration of the
DT Swiss carbon wheels made passing
less of a burden and the sram XX1
drivetrain performed with incredible
precision. This bike seemed to like the
higher speeds. It definitely rewards a
rider who will push it to the limit.
My final test ride was in a steady
drizzle with some riding buddies.
There was an hour-long dirt-road
climb followed by a mix of slick
root-filled chutes and small
drops, and then Squamishs
well-used flow trail, Full Nelson.
On this last run, the Decree
really performed at its best.
The overall light weight and
well-supported rear suspension seemed to give the extra pop
needed off the jumps to make it to
the transition, stick the landing and
maintain enough speed, which is what
you need to make a flow track fun to
ride. The ability to correct a poor line
choice on this bike was reassuring to
say the least.
My only changes to this bike would
be a slightly wider handlebar and
different tires to better suit the terrain I
ride. Otherwise, the spec is hard to fault
with an old-school threaded bottom
bracket, Reverb stealth dropper post
and room in the frame for a full-size
water bottle.
This bike seemed to like the higher

speeds. It denitely rewards a rider
who will push it to the limit.
forgiveness on the descents by steepening the angles slightly and raising the
bottom bracket height by adjusting the
flip chips. (Just a word of warning: do
not try this trailside unless you have a
second set of hands to help line things
With quite a few outings on the

Decree, I think this bike would match
up well with a confident, skilled rider
who needs a versatile bike to race or
just to enjoy trail riding in a variety of
locales.
zippy ride, you can set the system to get the most out of
the battery. If you have a 60-km ride, you can customize
battery usage to maximize its longevity. The Levo has gps
capabilities and will track your rides. Strava and Garmin are
both working on developing ebike-specific platforms for
Conquer tough climbs and discover new trails
battery-assisted jaunts.
On trail, the Levo acts much like a normal mountain bike.
Specialized has done its homework to put all of the added
weight from the motor and battery in all the right places.
reviewed by Matt Stetson
While weaving through singletrack and flowing berms, the
steering felt solid. When the trail
ore power is something every cyclist has wished for at
starts to turn rough, the Levos added
FSR Comp 6Fattie
some point during a ride. Maybe its at the end of a long
weight almost helped to keep the
Components SRAM XG-1150 cassette,
day limping back to the car, or nearing the top of a steep sandy
plus-size tires planted and kept the
GX rear derailleur and Guide
climb. Weve all been there. Recently, bike companies have
bike from bouncing too much through
R brakes
been addressing this need through ebikes. The Specialized
rock gardens. Specialized has also
Suspension 140-mm-travel RockShox
Levo is one such bike.
addressed the added weight in the
Yari RC fork, custom Fox Float
Fully dedicated off-road mountain ebikes are becoming
suspension
design. A specific shock
Performance DPS shock
more and more popular. The Specialized Turbo Levo fsr Comp
and fork are supplied and can be set up
Motor Trail Tune, 250 W
6Fattie takes all that makes commuter-style ebikes popular
like any other dual-suspension mounBattery 460 Wh capacity
and puts it into a fully capable off-road performer. The Levo
tain bike with 25 to 30 per cent sag.
has three ride settings for its motor that can be adjusted
After logging many hours and
Wheels 38-mm-wide Roval 650b
by pushing one of the three control buttons located on the
several battery charges, the Levo has
Sizes S, M, L, XL
bikes down tube. Turbo mode offers the most power and
been a blast to ride. I have taken on
Price $8,199
will easily help you get to 30 km/h. It will also provide ample
longer and harder rides than I normally
power to climb almost any grade with ease. The trail setting
would
have on a traditional mountain
Website specialized.com
is in the middle. If you really want to save the battery or use
bike and discovered new trails as a
your own power, theres eco mode. The motor senses torque
result. Now riding to the trailhead is a
in the pedals and applies an appropriate amount of assistance
pleasure rather than a chore and that
depending on the ride mode youre in. While I found turbo mode
sandy climb that once zapped all of my
too aggressive for singletrack riding, the trail and eco settings
energy is a golden path to the descent
were very intuitive and allowed me to ride like I normally would,
that follows.
but with less effort.
The bike has 10 leds surrounding the
control buttons to indicate battery level.
You can also gain access to loads of information via Specializeds Mission Control app.
When you pair the bike to your smartphone, you can
customize how the motor uses power and torque within
the three specific modes. If you are going for a short,

FSR Comp 6Fattie
GEAR
TRAIL TEST
cyclingmagazine.ca
77
The Right
Clincher
Rims
Photo: Matt Stetson
GEAR
12 top hoops that will

improve your road ride
IN DEPTH
Campagnolo Shamal Ultra
t was on a gravelly descent on the island of Gran Canaria that I was first introduced
to Campagnolos latest version of the Shamal Ultra wheelset. The mountain
road was perfectly pleasant on the way up with the grades sometimes getting into
the low 20s. My group took a break at the top and then started the downward run,
roughly 1,600 m down. The first few kilometres were rough because the surface, my
speed and the stiffness of the bike made holding onto the handlebars as pleasant as
operating a jackhammer. I was glad to have such solid wheels.
Campagnolo had just introduced the new Shamal Ultras to my group that
morning. The aluminum wheelset has been in the Italian component companys
lineup for more than 20 years. Since then, carbon-fibre hoops have become the
material of choice for climbing and riding fast. While the Shamals, with a claimed
weight of 1,495 g for the standard clincher set, will lose the weight battle with
carbon wheels, the Campys are still high-performance wheels that can line up
against composite hoops. At the centre of each wheel are carbon-fibre hub bodies
with Ultra Smooth Bearings inside. The usbs work really well, allowing you to spin
up quickly and allowing the wheel to keep rolling. I might even blame them a bit
for getting me to jackhammer speed so quickly on that descent. Still, they were
fantastic for helping me get to the top of that climb.
On the descent, the solid construction of the wheels meant I didnt have to worry
about them. The hubs are connected to the rims with aerodynamic aluminum spokes.
The rim bed of each wheel is hole-free; spoke nipples are slid into place on the lower
section of the rims via a magnet. The rear wheel has the G3 pattern with 14 spokes on
the drive side and seven on the non-drive side, keeping the whole system strong and
stiff. For the new wheels, the inner rim width has increased from 15 mm to 17 mm. The
width improves the shaping of 25-mm tires, giving them a more semicircle profile
instead of that of a lightbulb, making the Shamals feel more planted in the turns.
While my first test on the Canary Island was dramatic, it was the numerous and
less-dramatic miles I logged on my local roads that proved the Shamals quality.
They continued to roll quickly, allowing me to stay active, maybe even aggressive
sometimes, in the group rides. I didnt hesitate to take them on the rough stuff.
They are high-performance hoops, and its performance you can rely on. ($1,750 for
standard clincher, campagnolo.com)Matthew Pioro
78
Shimano RX830 $1,766

Shimano is a big believer in cu
and-cone bearings, which it
says addresses the variable
forces on a hub better than
cartridge bearings. The
hubs on the RX830 will
continue to roll smoothly
for a long time. Youll get
great stopping power out
of the 140-mm rotors
that the wheels can hold.
The RX830s are ready for
tubeless tires for less rolling
resistance and some puncture protection.
(bike.shimano.com)
Giant SLR 0 $2,300

The spokes on the drive side of
Giant SLR 0 rear wheel have
different tensions when the
wheel is at rest. The Taiwanbased company identifies
spokes that push and ones
that pull when the wheel
spins. Because of Giants
dynamic balanced lacing,
the tension imbalance
between the two types of
spokes disappears when
the wheel is in motion,
providing excellent power
transmission. The wheels
weigh in at 1,331 g, perfect for
long climbs. (giant-bicycles.com)
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Vision Trimax 30
he Vision Trimax 30 wheelset is a great looking set of wheels. When I pulled the
hoops from their box, I was impressed with the all-black finish that includes
a black braking surface. Unlike many other alloy black braking tracks, the Trimax
wheels have great stopping power. If you prefer disc brakes, Vision also makes the
Trimax 30 for rotors. The company says the wheelset is a great workhorse for all
around use, and I can see why after spending some time rolling along on them.
With a 30-mm rim depth, the Trimax 30s will only give you a little bit of an aero
advantage. Paired with a 23-mm tire, you seem to get the best profile, which will
offer slightly more watt savings than a 28-mm wide tread. Weighing in at 1,580 g a
pair without the included quick releases, the Trimax 30s are competitive in weight
compared to other wheels with a similar price tag. The p.r.a. (preloaded reduction
assembly) hubs, using four sealed cartridge bearings in the rear and two in the front,
are hand-laced with aero bladed spokes. The attention to detail involved in hand
building a set of wheels can really be felt in the ride quality of the Visions.
I wasnt expecting wheels that danced over rough sections of pavement and
smoothed out cobbled roads the way the Trimax 30s did. Coming from a company
known more for triathlon and time trials, I figured the hoops would be a super stiff
set of no-nonsense race wheels. I was surprised at how compliant and comfortable
they were. The top-notch ride quality did not take away from performance. The
Visions spin up to speed in no time. Keeping the pedals turning uphill was made easy
when standing thanks to the stiff 30-mm alloy rim. I felt very little lateral flex when
pulling on the bars and the rims didnt rub on the brakes once.
Crosswinds have little effect on the rims, making them a great choice for windy
conditions. Cornering was also no problem for the wheels. The compliance through
rough sections give the wheels a planted feel and give you the confidence to hold
your line. Vision claims the wheels are tubeless-ready. Youll need a tubeless
conversion kit including valves, rim strips and sealant to install a tubeless tire.
Given all that, I would say they are as tubeless ready as any other non-tubeless
specific rim. If you did opt for a tubeless setup, especially on the disc version of the
Trimax 30, youd have a great set of wheels to do some gravel or adventure riding. I
was impressed overall with the Vision Trimax 30s performance and will be keeping
them on my bike for those windy days on rougher roads. ($920, visiontechusa.com)
Matt Stetson
80
Bontrager Aeolus 5 TLR D3

$3,870
The 50-mm deep Bontrager
Aeolus 5 TLR D3 wheels
not only cut the wind at
the front, but also at the
back. D3 stands for dual
directional design, a
technology that ensures
the the rim-leading side
of the wheel also reduces
drag for better control in
crosswinds at higher yaw
angles. With an inner rim
width of 19.5 mm, most
tires will get a nice, semicircle
shape after you hook them on.
(trekbikes.com)
Fulcrum Racing Zero Carbon $2,970

The Ultra Smooth Bearings and
Fulcrums 30-mm deep carbonfibre rims are a great pairing.
The USBs in the carbon-fibre
hub bodies with aluminum
flanges spin so well that
youll feel yourself moving
faster with less effort,
especially on the way
down your local false flats.
The rims keep the weight
down (1,358 g for the
wheelset). The inner width
is a bit modest, 17 mm, when
compared to current dimension trends. Still, the wheels will
work well with tires that range
from 25c to 32c.
(fulcrumwheels.com)
Photo: Matt Stetson
Zipp 404 NSW
he new Zipp 404 nsw wheels look similar to the previous generation of Firecrest
wheels with a similarly blunt spoke bed and the signature Zipp dimples on the
rim surface. The 404 nsw, however, is a completely new wheel. Those dimples have
been rearranged into a pattern called SawTooth ablc, which sheds vortices of
turbulent air in smaller bursts and more frequently. The dimples also lessen the
sensation of sudden gusts of wind grabbing the wheel, thus improving stability.
The pattern is so specific that the front wheel has an arrow indicating the proper
direction of rotation, which is something Ive not seen on wheels before.
Zipp has also increased the width of the 404 nsw rims with correspondingly wide
internal widths. The pair of 25-mm tires I mounted measured 26.5 mm wide causing
a rubbing issue at my chainstays. A swap back to 23-mm tires, which measured
25-mm wide on the nsw rim according to my calipers, solved the matter.
Initially, it was hard to notice the differences between the nsw and the Firecrest.
It was only after several long rides of more than 150 km, during which I was buffeted
by winds the entire way, did differences emerge. Despite the high winds, I never
regretted my choice of wheels, or even gave them much thought. On other contemporary blunt-shaped wheels, I am occasionally reminded of their unruly handling.
That wasnt so with the nsw.
The nsw rims also receive the Showstopper brake track, which incorporates
silicone carbide and moulded grooves. Braking is noticeably, but not dramatically, more powerful than 404 FC in dry conditions. Modulation is progressive and
predictable with no pulse nor grab. On wet roads, the performance ranges from
terrifying to merely alarming. The nsw brakes are very close to aluminum rims in
the dry, but well short of aluminum in the wet. The improved braking does come
with added noise, a high-pitch whine like the sound of a bandsaw. The Showstopper
brake track also eats pads at a significantly higher rate compared to Firecrest, so be
prepared to replace pads more often.
The new Cognition hubs are solidly designed and built with the factory-set
bearing preload staying properly adjusted throughout testing. The build quality of
the entire wheelset is very good, arriving out of the box true with the spokes properly and evenly tensioned.
With the 404 nsw, Zipp has produced a wheelset that is solid and versatile enough
to be used everyday: from race day to your morning ride and from calm days to
blustery ones. The wheels may come at a premium price, but you dont need to own
multiple sets when you have the 404 nsw. ($4,100, zipp.com)Andre Cheuk
82
Specialized
Roval CLX 40 Disc $2,500
The Specialized Roval CLX
40 Disc wheels will serve
you on the road or on the
cyclocross course. You can
run them with standard
quick release axles or
12-mm thru-axles. The
rims, at 40-mm deep, will
cut the wind well. At the
rear, DT Swiss Revolution
T-head spokes connect to
the Roval AFD1 SCS hub
with CeramicSpeed bearings
and DT Swiss 240s internals.
Those same bearings keep
things spinning at the front
within the Roval AFD1 hub.
(specialized.com)
Easton EC90 SL $2,800

If racing is your thing, the
Easton EC90 SL wheelset will
serve you well in the bunch
or in the breakaway. The
pair weighs a claimed
1,473 g. The Echo hub at
the rear has bearings
95 mm apart. That width
is important for the
hubs durability as it can
withstand the forces of
your sprints or long, outof-the-saddle climbs
much better. The 19-mm
inner-rim width will work
well with contemporary
race tires.
(eastoncycling.com)
Knight 35 $2,639 (Aivee SR5)
Photo: Matt Stetson
Knight gives you a choice of hubs when you

order a set of its 35 carbon-fibre clinchers:
DT 240s, Aivee SR5 or Chris King R45. With
the DT hubs, the wheelset weighs 1,404 g
and 4 g less if you opt for the Aivees. Knight
says the rims provide the best aerodynamic
advantage (the least amount of drag) when
winds come in at a yaw angle of 10 degrees.
Still, they are no slouches from zero to
20 degrees either. (knightcomposites.com)
Trail
Mavic Ksyrium Pro
he 2016 Pro model of Mavics Ksyrium wheels have several upgrades to keep the
companys mid-priced hoops modern and competitive. The rims are 2-mm wider
than on the previous version. Mavic says that with a 25-mm tire, the rim increases air
volume by 18 per cent. The higher air volume means you can run a lower air pressure,
(up to 20 p.s.i. less) with the same rolling resistance, a feature anyone riding lessthan-perfect pavement can appreciate. Mavic attaches its super stiff bladed Zicral
spokes to the rim with its Fore method: the spoke nipples thread directly into the rim.
There are no holes in the rim bed, which increases overall stiffness. The wheels come
with a carbon front hub featuring alloy flanges and a full alloy rear hub. Both hubs use
sealed cartridge bearings. Coming in at a claimed 1,475 g (without tires) the Ksyrium
Pro wheels have all the features you would expect from a mid-priced wheelset.
The wheels shipped complete with a nice set of QR skewers and a Mavic Yksion
Pro GripLink tire on the front and Yksion Pro PowerLink at the back. I had to open up
my brakes a little to accommodate the added width of the rim. Other than that, the
wheels were a breeze to install. Right away, I noticed the added width. Riding over
chipped and rough pavement was notably smoother than on previous Ksyriums.
When at speed riding over cobbled and gravel roads, the wheels stayed planted and
on a straight line, where a narrower rim would have bounced around and required
more attention. The wheels really do inspire confidence when surfaces turn rough.
The Ksyrium Pros feel bombproof underneath you; I didnt need to put them in a
truing stand once during my test.
At 1,475 g, the Ksyrium Pros are not going to be competitive when compared to
high-end wheels, but for their weight, they spin up to speed quite well. Standing out
of the saddle sprinting, I found the wheels didnt rub on the brakes, however, they
didnt inspire me to tackle any koms. Leaning the bike over into corners and holding
a line was no problem for the Ksyriums. Even on loose gravel or through rough pavement, you can trust the wheels will deliver you safely to smoother roads. If youre
looking for a wheelset you can ride anywhere, but still deliver in the performance
category, look to the Ksyrium Pros. ($1,300, mavic.ca)Matt Stetson
DT Swiss RR 21 DiCut $1,450

If you do crits and serious climbs, the
DT Swiss RR 21 DiCut wheels might be
just the thing. Their aluminum rims are
durable for your argy-bargy sessions in
the bunch. When you point your bike up,
the claimed weight of the set, 1,415 g,
means you wont be hauling more than you
have to. And, if it rains on your way down,
well, everyone loves an aluminum braking
surface in the rain. (dtswiss.com)
26
.5
27
29
Boss.
Handmade in Germany.
GEAR
IN DEPTH
First Look:
Cannondale
Scalpel
by Matt Stetson
86
Photos: Matt
XYZ Collection
Stetson
A new bike for contemporary trails
recently had the chance to test the new Cannondale Scalpel at its launch near
Lake Garda, Italy. I was on trails that were designed to mimic the more technical
courses found in current uci World Cup races. With courses getting more technically
challenging, members of Cannondales pro team, which includes Manuel Fumic and
Marco Fontana, were looking for a bike that could take on all the added abuse. For
example, last years World Cup race in Nov Msto, Czech Republic, included a giant
rock garden that saw many riders ejected from their bikes onto jagged stones. Even
the 2016 course in Cairns, Australia had a drop riders needed to take in order to
maintain the fastest line. Luckily for Fumic, Fontana, and the rest of us, Cannondale
has addressed the need and updated the Scalpel accordingly.
The Scalpel has always had a cross country race pedigree, known as one of the
lightest and fastest dual-suspension race bikes. The company says the latest
version, with its slacker head tube and shorter chainstays, is an xxc bike. The extra
x speaks to the type of technical course for which this bike was made.
When I pedalled the new Si Race model of the Scalpel out of the parking lot, I
noticed it had plenty of stiffness. With the suspension locked out, the carbon-fibre
frame, which is made from Cannondales composite recipe called BallisTec Hi-Mod,
doesnt lose any power through frame flex. My test rig came equipped with the XLoc
full-sprint dual lockout. Once I was out of the parking lot and after a small uphill
climb, one push of a button unlocked the suspension front and rear, preparing me
for the trail.
The Lake Garda area is known for its technical trails. Almost right away, I came
upon a flat section littered with rocks and boulders. Even with a slacker head-tube
angle for an XC bike (69.5 degrees), the Scalpel was able to slash and weave through
some precarious lines with ease, while the 29" wheels allowed me to roll over
smaller rocks to maintain speed. The suspension duties on

my bike were taken care of by a 100-mm RockShox Monarch
XX shock and the always impressive Cannondale 100-mm
Lefty 2.0 Carbon fork. Dont let the single leg distract you:
the Lefty is all business and one of the lightest and stiffest
XC forks out there. When everything was set up properly, the
100 mm of suspension had just enough travel to get you out
of trouble when things got rough, but maintain good pedalling
performance on the flats and uphill.
At speed, the Scalpel is very predictable and gives the condence

to hit some smaller jumps and drops.
cyclingmagazine.ca
87
88
Shoes Also Made

for Walking
For rides that need a lot of sole
On some rides, the parts o the bike are just as

important as those on the machine. Maybe you need
to scramble for a few more metres for an amazing
view across the valley. Maybe you simply need to
stop for ice cream, again, just cause. Whatever the
reason, these shoes can work for all parts of the ride.
Giro
Chamber
$215
The Giro Chamber may look like its designed more for ollies than
tailwhips, but the threads on the soles for spd cleats reveal who
the shoes are really for. Giro worked with U.S. DH rider Aaron
Gwin on the Chamber. The shoes not only work well for bombing
downhill, but can hold their own on a variety of trails. Theyre also
comfortable, so you can leave them on post-ride when youre
sitting around sharing stories with your friends. (ogc.ca)
Bontrager
Evoke
$135
The Bontrager Evoke mountain bike shoe can handle whatever adventure you find yourself on. When youre on your bike,
the GnarGuard will protect you from stuff thrown up along the
trail or sweeping at your feet. The rubber on the sole offers
good grip when you plant the shoes on the ground. Bontrager
rates the stiffness of the shoes a six out of 14, so you have
some flex for walking. (bontrager.com)
Photo: Matt Stetson
Pedalling performance is something the Scalpel has

always been well known for, especially compared to other
dual-suspension XC race bike designs. The new platform
doesnt disappoint in this department. Point your wheel uphill
and the Scalpel is only limited by your lung capacity. With
the full carbon-fibre frame and carbon Lefty fork, the bike
is super light for a dual-suspension rig. I did notice the
slacker head-tube angle on some of the steeper climbs
where I had to focus on keeping my weight forward to maintain front wheel traction. With a shorter stem and a saddle
position tweak, you can manage the effects of the headtube angle on ascents. To help get the power to the rear
wheel, Cannondales HollowGram Si direct-mount SpideRing
crankset is one of the lightest cranksets on the market and is
designed with 1-by drivetrain setups in mind. The drivetrain
of the bike was actually moved outboard by 6 mm to allow
for a shorter rear end and extra tire clearance. The design
team said one mandatory feature for the bike was the ability
to accommodate two bottle cages in every size. Many other
ultralight dual-suspension bikes only allow for a single bottle.
I was quite happy to have two bottles while riding under the
hot Italian sun all day.
Where the Scalpel really sets itself apart from other cross
country race bikes is on the descents. By slackening the head
tube and shortening the rear end, bike designers put you
in an aggressive downhill position. On rocky descents, you
can really get over the back wheel and attack without being
worried about getting bucked over the bars. Even maintaining speed through rough trails is easier, in part because
of the wide handlebar that makes holding your line through
rock gardens a breeze. At speed, the Scalpel is very predictable and gives the confidence to hit some smaller jumps and
drops. With some wider tires and a dropper post the Scalpel is
almost playing in trail bike territory.
So is the Scalpel really worth the extra x in xxc? I would
have to say yes. Even though many of us will only see a World
Cup mountain bike course on TV or in a magazine, the Scalpel
has features that can help any mountain biker climb faster
and descend better. With updated geometry and tweaks to
the frame, the new Scalpel is more capable than ever.
The Scott Metrix shoes are a set of kicks designed for comfort.
The companys Ergologic inner sole can be tuned at the ball of
the foot, the arch and heel. Threads for spd cleats make sure
you can clip in for efficient, long-distance riding. The Sicki rubber
compound on the outsole gives you a good grip on the ground.
These shoes are perfect for a tour with lots of stops as you take
in every part of the journey. (micasport.com)
GEAR
Scott
Metrix
$135
F
is made of the company s Stealth S1 rubber, which is durable
and provides excellent traction. Above the sole is a plate
with enough flex for walking, but stiff enough for solid power
transfer to the pedals. The polyurethane upper lets you mix
cycling business with pleather. (fiveten.com)
You almost dont want to get these shoes dirty because they
look so sharp. Still, they are meant for trails and gravel, and
moving quickly across those surfaces. Specialized rates the
Recon Mixed Terrain shoes a 10 on its stiffness scale. (For
comparison, the S-Works 6 road shoe is a 13.) So, the shoes
can transfer your power well. The SlipNot rubber tread will
gi
t bilit of bike (specialized com)
RAPID FIRE
Maltese
Falcon
$170
Shimano
XM9
$370
You can literally hike your bik

ts.
They have many features that you see on foo
he
backcountry: Vibram outsole, Gore-Tex liner for keeping your
feet dry and nubuck leather for durability. Theres even a halflength shank plate for support when youre pedalling over
rocks or scrambling up them. If youre looking for a lighter
hiker that doesnt cover your ankles, theres the XM7 for the
same price. (shimano-lifestylegear.com)
iant
rn 1
$130
Go for a long ride. Really long. So long youve packed bags and
strapped them to your bike. Giants Sojourn 1 trekking shoes
are what you should put on your feet for this ride. The outsole
has what the company calls the TourGrip tread for off-bike
traction. The mesh in the upper allows for good ventilation.
The TransTextura Plus fabric, which as anti-odour technology,
should keep things from getting too funky inside the shoes.
(giant-bicycles.com)CCM
Sp
R
Te
$2
cyclingmagazine.ca
89
7 glasses that let you keep your eyes on the road
GEAR
Summer
Sunnies
RAPID FIRE
Oakley EVZero Range Prizm Road $215

The evzero line debuted earlier this year, promising
to be the lightest performance glasses by Oakley.
The Range glasses are a very light 24 g and sit
comfortably on your nose and above the ears. The
lens, or the shield as Oakley appropriately calls it as
there are no individual lenses, provides generous
coverage. You cant see over the top and really have
to strain to glimpse the side edges. But why look
for the boundaries? The glasses seem to disappear
when you are wearing them out on the road, while
the Prizm Road technology makes things clearer.
The light transmission is 20 per cent. Weve found
the evzero work well even on rides that go into
the evening with the sun just below the horizon.
(ca.oakley.com)
Shimano EQX2-PL $106

Whatever the light conditions, the Shimano eqx2-PL
come with the lenses you need. Theres polarized
lenses that cut glare. If you are having trouble looking
at your smartphone with the polarized option, the
blue mirror lens can also manage glare. For night
riding, you should pop in the clear lenses. Unlike the
one-piece shield-type glasses, the eqx2-PL hold two
lenses, which means more pieces to keep track of. The
frame, however, has the nose-pad arms extending
down from the top bar, so you wont be misplacing
the nose pads. If you need prescription lenses, the
eqx2-PL glasses are compatible with an RX clip.
(shimano-lifestylegear.com)
90
Photos: Matt Stetson
Scott Spur $175

The Scott Spur sunglasses were designed to fit well
and fit securely. The arms press firmly, yet comfortably, on the sides of your head. Each arm has a low
section, just past its hinge, to accommodate a lowerprofile helmet with material around the temples. To
keep the air circulating well around the lens, there
are four vents just beneath the top of the frame. The
yellow tint makes the glasses perfect for days that
have a mix of sun and clouds to ones that are fully
overcast. The Spur also comes with a clear lens that
you can use if you need maximum light transmission
while your eyes remain protected. (micasport.com)
Ryders Seventh $150

Weve tried to stump the anti-fog technology in the
Ryders Seventh glasses. The back of the lenses actually absorb moisture so it doesnt collect. The front of
the lenses are designed to shed water. The combination works. Well, one time it didnt, but that was our
fault. You need to keep the lenses clean. After a good
wipe, the anti-fog feature is ready to go. For 2016,
Ryders added its VeloPolar technology to some of
its glasses, including Seventh. VeloPolar lenses work
like polarized ones in that they reduce glare. You can
still look at an lcd screen, however, with VeloPolar.
If you prefer more discrete lenses, as opposed
to the big shield-types, Seventh has your look,
while still providing good coverage and protection.
(ryderseyewear.com)
Smith Optics PivLock Arena Max $185
The Smith Optics PivLock Arena Max ships with
three big (130-mm wide by 48-mm high) lenses that
will help you manage various light conditions. Each
lens has what Smith calls tapered lens technology.
tlt makes sure that light refracts through a lens
correctly. Without this feature, what you see could
suffer from some distortion and your eyes could be
susceptible to fatigue. You can swap lenses easily
by simply lifting each arm where it meets the lens.
The fit, which can be tuned with the two-position
nose pads, is light and comfortable. Everything
comes in a big case that holds each piece securely.
(smithoptics.com)
Boll Vortex $230
The lens on the Boll Vortex is made of B-Clear,
which the company says is lighter than polycarbonate. Its treated to keep water, oil and dirt
from building up. Sitting inside and running almost
the length of each arm is a flexible rubber gripper.
The rubber holds the glasses well to all but the
slimmest heads. Vents just in front of the hinges
ensure that air flows around the glasses. The
lenses can also accommodate most prescriptions
so the glasses will help you see the winning move
when it goes. They wont, however, help you to
catch it. (bolle.com)
100% Speedcraft SL $236
The Speedcraft glasses take their design cues
from 100%s speciality: goggles. The lines of the
Speedcraft are strong and angular, creating a
look that would work on both the trail and the
road. The mirror blue lens has a visible light transmission of 15 per cent, which is good for lots of sun.
You can swap in the lightly tinted second lens on
cloudy days. If you want more lens coverage, you
should choose the long-lens (LL) version of the
Speedcraft. Of all the glasses, these come with
the nicest case: red and rectangular with dense
foam on the inside for keeping everything in place.
(orangesportsupply.com)
cyclingmagazine.ca
91
e were rolling alongside the shores of Tuen Mun, a neighbourhood in the

western part of Hong Kong, only 20 minutes into our ride. The sun was
starting to peek above the horizon. Suddenly, a yellow Lamborghini roared
past us two lanes over and vanished as suddenly as it appeared. Welcome to
cycling in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated and cosmopolitan places
in the world. Because Hong Kong is situated on a harbour thats surrounded
by mountains, it has been forced to expand upward. The result is canyons
made by skyscrapers that seemingly have sprouted from the mountainside.
The network of roads snakes and climbs through it all. No wonder cycling
is starting to grow in this dynamic city of 7.2 million people. The citys taken
notice, too. I was there to participate in the inaugural edition of the Hong Kong
Cyclothon in September 2015, a mass ride (not a race) on closed roads that drew
thousands of Hong Kong residents, everyone from families to wannabe racers
astride shiny new Pinarellos.
The Big
Around
Packing in a lot of riding on the
densely packed peninsula
by Andre Cheuk
Beijing
Shanghai
Photos: courtesy Hong Kong Tourism
Hong Kong
92
DESTINATION
HONG KONG
Today, its hard to believe that Hong Kong was once a serene fishing village of
just a few thousand people. It was ceded to the British after the First Opium War
in 1841, and remained under British rule for 156 years. It became a place of refuge
from inland turmoil, growing to one of the most densely populated places on
Earth. Although Hong Kong has been under Chinas control since 1997, it still
bears many signs of its colonial past, creating a unique East-meets-West vibe
that permeates everything from food to buildings, speech to dress. Those glass
towers stand next to stone colonial buildings. On the street, luxury European
sedans park next to push carts in the open-air markets. High-end fashion
labels have their flagship stores near street vendors selling knock-offs. You
can see these contrasts as you ride through the city.
While I enjoy experiencing a place through a big event like the Cyclothon, I
wanted to get a taste of the real cycling in Hong Kong. I convinced my guides
Kenny Ip and Fasi Chan to take me on a local classic the Big Around. Every
Saturday and Sunday morning, riders gather to do this 100-km group ride,
which follows the perimeter of the Hong Kong peninsula.
A little more than an hour into the ride, we started to hit some quieter,
more rural roads in Hong Kongs north. We spotted a few cyclists during our
weekday-morning jaunt, another sign that cycling is on the rise here. Ten
years ago you would know everyone you saw on the road, but now there are so
many more riders, Chan said as we rolled.
We came to Science Park, a campus of high-tech businesses. Every
Wednesday night, the park transforms from a staid business development
to a crit venue. Its not only a great place to test your legs, but to meet local
riders and make plans for weekend rides. Not long after a quick lap around the
park, we took a bridge over a highway to climb Yau King, a popular 1-km affair
around eight per cent. My guide Kenny Ip (an ex-national team member) has
done many, many repeats on it.
At the top, we hit Tai Po Road and wound our way over to the Chinese
University of Hong Kong, which like much of Hong Kong is a campus built into
cyclingmagazine.ca
93
Details
Getting there
As one of the major transport hubs of the world, Hong Kong has one of the biggest
and most modern airports. Air Canada and Cathay Pacific offer direct flights from
Vancouver and Toronto.
Where to stay
The New World Millennium Hotel is located in Tsim Sha Tsui, a high-end shopping
district. New World is centrally located and offers a spectacular view of Victoria
Harbour.
The Peninsula Hotel is the oldest and still one of the grandest hotels in Hong Kong.
Stay here if you want to experience the charm and romance of the colonial era.
If youd rather stay on the Hong Kong Island side of the harbour, the Upper House
offers spare yet upscale surroundings, nestled among the high-end retail of Central
and close to the hip SoHo neighbourhood.
Where to eat
Riders looking to fuel up for their own Big Around ride could do worse than to head
to Nom (nom.com.hk), a trattoria offering a contemporary take on Italian classics.
Their squid-ink fettuccine will rival an Italian Nonas.
For well-executed modern interpretations of Chinese classics, head to Sohofama
(sohofama.com). Located in the pmq (Police Married Quarters) a revamped mid-
a variety of classic Chinese rice- or noodle-based dishes. The

local specialty drink lai cha , or milk tea, is a must.
What to do and see
Hong Kongs bustling street markets, such as the Temple
Street night market, are something to experience whether by
day or night, but the nighttime ambiance adds an extra bit of
energy and excitement.
A unesco heritage site, the fishing village of Tai O shows
the quieter side of Hong Kong, and a glimpse of the Hong Kong
that might have been without colonialism.
Where to ride
Tai Mo Shan is a popular climb for both road and mountain
bikers. The area has an extensive network of roads and trails.
The island of Lantau is also popular with cyclists. Suitable
rental bikes are hard to come by, so it is best to bring your own.
However, Invis Cycling Service (invis.hk), who were my guides,
can provide bikes in addition to guiding.
Photo: courtesy Hong Kong Tourism
century dormitory that housed police officers and now serves as an arts incubator,
Sohofama serves up locally-sourced, farm-to-table fare

with a Cantonese twist.
A cha chaan teng is Hong Kongs version of a diner, serving
94
yet another steep hillside. Plunging down the ring road

that surrounds the campus and climbing straight back up
the other side, I realized that the compact nature of Hong
Kong and the dearth of land means all the roads seem to be
built without switchbacks. They all go straight up.
After the series of steep climbs at the university, we
eased up and cruised down a multi-use path along the
banks of the Shing Mun River, eventually rejoining Tai
Po Road. After one final grind upward, we flew down the
rest of Tai Po Road, which deposited us right into Mong
Kok, one of the busiest districts of Hong Kong. There we
melted into the traffic, taking our place among the double
decker buses, luxury sedans and pedestrians, back into
the commercial heart of Tsim Sha Tsui and my hotel.
Hong Kong may not be associated with cycling,
but the mountainous terrain and extensive, wellmaintained roads make for superb riding. Like most
places, an early start and local knowledge will greatly
enhance the experience. As my guide Fasi Chan said, For
people who dont ride, they might say Hong Kong is not
good for cycling, but I disagree. It is such a small place that
it is actually perfect for cycling. After sampling the riding
on offer, I would have to agree.
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95
Q&A
Matteo Dal-Cin
Making history on the road
by Matthew Pioro
In February, Ryan Roth injured his calf and couldnt race. What effect did that
have on the team for the early season races in the U.S.?
He was out of commission for San Dimas and Redlands. At the time, we didnt
know much beyond that. Normally we look to Ryan as the most experienced
and strongest guy. Going into that block of racing everybody had to step up
and make sure they pulled their weight and try to get some results because we
couldnt lean on Ryan.
That whole block ended up being really good. Pretty much every race a
different guy stepped up into a leadership role, whether it was me at Redlands,
Nigel at Joe Martin and Alex at Gila.
Tell me about your familys connections to cycling?

My dad raced and my mom rides as well. I think my dad was
Cat. 1/2 here. When he raced in Italy, he did some amateur
stuff there. My grandfather was part of the organization
behind Ottawas Preston Street Criterium. Eventually he
got out of it, but for as long as I can remember, wed go to
watch that race. Eventually, I got old enough that I could
start racing it. At that time, my dad was part of the group
that organized it, so that was pretty special. And it takes
place on Fathers Day.
What kind of work you do with your dad in the off-season?

My dad has a home-renovation company. Before I signed
with Silber, Id work with him over
the fall and winter, sporadically in
STATS
Whats it like to have the team working for you and then
the summer. Now, Im on the road too
working for another teammate?
much to do that. But, I still try to do
Age 25
When you have everybody help you out at one race, it just
one or two projects with him in the
Hometown Ottawa
makes you want to help them that much more whenever
fall when Im at home. Last fall we
Team Silber Pro Cycling
you have the opportunity to do so. Everyone shares the
did a basement. We put in an enteropportunities to get some good results.
tainment room, laundry room and a
Bikes Argon 18 Gallium Pro,
Argon 18 E-118 Next
workout area. The fall before, it was
Gord Fraser, who has more than 200 wins, has been the team
a kitchen.
director full-time since the beginning of 2015. Whats it been like working with him?
Hes an incredible director in terms of his ability to read the race and predict
Are you naturally handy?
whats going to happen. Its almost to the point that you get a script before the
[Laughs.] I dont know if its natural. Ive learned over the
race and youre just waiting for it to pan out. Youre not wondering if what he
years. It took a while to get a knack for it. I do enjoy it and
said is going to happen. Its just whether you have the legs and are in the right
its good to spend time with my dad. We usually quit a bit
position to execute when it actually happens.
early and get a ride in the afternoon.
96
Photo: Brian Hodes / VeloImages
n April, Ottawas Matteo Dal-Cin became the first Canadian to win the overall
classification at the Redlands Bicycle Classic, a 31-year-old stage race in
California. He and his teammates were also on a tear throughout the first half
of the 2016 season with Nigel Ellsay coming second at the Joe Martin Stage
Race, Alex Cataford second at Tour of the Gila and Ryan Roth winning both the
Winston-Salem Cycling Classic and the Grand Prix Cycliste de Saguenay, with
Ben Perry in second place.
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