Yes- I rode the Rhodes memorial trails that I use for all bike tests, as well as trails in Grabouw and Hermanus and used Strava for comparison. I saw consistent PR's
With regards to the steep head angle- I don't think a weekend warrior will notice or struggle with it. The head angle only become a bit noticeable on very steep rocky hiking trails (not the kind of thing you would normally tackle on an XC bike anyway). Unless you are very experienced with bike geometry I would not change the fork offset- it has probably been chosen by the designer with specific handling characteristics in mind. In terms of size- It is a very personal choice and I would recommend either following the manufacturer's size guide or actually trying the different frame sizes to be sure of a good fit: http://www.cube.eu/en/service/faq/faq-detail/article/how-do-i-determine-the-correct-frame-size/
I have wanted to ride XCO since I first saw Burry Stander riding in the Olympics in 2012. Never mind that at the time I hadn’t touched a bike since I was nine years old- a trivial detail. To me XCO is the ultimate athletic achievement- it requires above average bike handling skills, strength and some crazy cardiovascular fitness. Click here to view the article
I've just cut my hair, so no pony tail to worry about :-/ You could probably pull a ponytail through above the size adjuster. But not if you have thick hair. 100% agree that a ponytail in the neck is not nice.
POC is a Swedish helmet manufacturer, specializing in protective equipment for gravity sports. The clean lines and bold colouring of POC helmets tend to elicit strong reactions from onlookers- it’s either love or hate at first sight. I sit firmly on the love side of the fence, so I jumped at the chance to test their foray into protective headwear for road cycling, the Octal AVIP. Click here to view the article
The Momsen LA651 is a women’s specific 650b hardtail. Retailing at just over R7,000 it falls firmly in the entry-level category, however it might be just the ticket to encourage you or your partner to fall in love with biking, without making the huge financial commitment required by a higher specced model. Click here to view the article
The final stage of Lesotho Sky took us on a loop from Ramabanta Lodge and back. The stage seemed harmless: only 47km and 1400m ascent. Click here to view the article
Day 5 took us from Roma back to our starting point at Ramabanta Lodge. It was statistically by far the hardest stage of Lesotho Sky: 2600 metres of climbing over 84 kilometres. Sunrise saw me feeling sore and apprehensive, as I considered the ride ahead. Click here to view the article
The Fedhealth MTB Challenge had me hooked from the moment I saw the route map and profile. The Durbanville trails make for some of the most enjoyable mountain bike riding in the Cape: panoramic views of Table Bay, golden canola fields and glorious sweeping single track descents. Even the climbs are “fun” tight switchbacks that keep you concentrating around every corner, helping you forget about your burning lungs while you try to keep your front wheel on the right line. Click here to view the article
I agree. I find the tone of the entire thing totally patronising and disempowering of women- assuming we are incapable of fixing our bikes, cleaning them or even competing on an equal playing field with men. Is this the 1950's? I can only assume women who actually ride bikes are not the intended target market, and perhaps the squishy marketing will actually work for some women and encourage more women to participate in this amazing sport.
I really hope they'll be bringing that bike in- I would love to try it! I know they didn't bring the Rumor EVO model (120mm pike + 1 X11 drive train) here this year, but hopefully as the market grows we'll see more of the high end ladies bikes coming in...
Fair enough. I have rather short legs and I find the low standover height makes getting on and off easier. However, it depends entirely on the individual, and definitely isn't necessary in all cases.
