Cycling News & Blog Articles

Stay up-to-date on cycling news, products, and trends from around the world.

Australian Handmade Bike Show 2021

Bike Chaser visits the handmade bike show May 2021 Melbourne Australia, Celebrating the Craft of the Handmade Bicycle. An event we missed last year the much anticipated Melbourne Handmade Bike show. Bike Chaser went along to awe and ahh at the most recent creations. An opportunity to check out these works of art up close we look at the builders and makers on display at the Handmade Bike Show 2021 Melbourne.

What’s it all about then – the organisers describe the show as –

“THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE SHOW” – The makers and builders live, eat and breathe cycling and are a true expression of bespoke. Fired by old school values of craft and quality, yet innovative and dynamic.”

“The Handmade Bicycle Show Australia is the place to be to see the latest work and ideas from those at the pinnacle of their game”

We describe it as the place to see some of the most Gorgeous Bikes. Heres a look at the builders and makers as seen at the hand made bicycle show Australia.

Egress Bikes

Egress bikes are more than just a form of transport. They’re an excuse to get outside, explore your surroundings more closely, to challenge yourself on an epic adventure, or to just clear your mind from the pressures of life.

Hand Made Bike Show 2021
Egress Bikes 1
Egress Bikes 2
Sugarloaf Cycles 2
Sugarloaf Cycles 3
Kumo Cycles 2
FifityOne Bikes 1
FifityOne Bikes 3
FifityOne Bikes 2
Parlee Bikes
Curve
Curve Special
Gellie Gold
Gellie Bikes
Gellie
Lewellyn bikes 1
Lewellyn bikes 3
Prova 1
Bossi Bicycles 1
Bossi Bicycles 2
Bossi Bicycles 4
Devlin Custom Cycles 2
Devlin Custom Cycles 1
Devlin
Penny Farthing Dan 3
Penny Farthing Dan
Penny Farthing Dan 4
Auren Bikes 1
Auren Bikes 2
Fikas Bikes 3
Fikas Bikes 1
Geisler Cycles 1
Geisler Cycles 2
Olas Bike Storage

baum cycles 3
Woods 1
Woods 2
Wheel Image

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Stromlo Forest Park – Fox Superflow Canberra

Gilchrist and Cuthbert take over Fox Superflow NSW/ACT series lead in Canberra

Over 600 racers participated in the popular gravity enduro mountain bike race with Rocky Trail Entertainment in Canberra on the weekend. Supported by Events ACT and Visit Canberra the Fox Superflow sealed by Stan’s race was split across two race days and the riders had three race stages on offer with neutral transition rides in between. With 15 possible race runs the fastest time on each race stage counted and the outright winner was Elite racer Ryan Gilchrist from Coffs Harbour with local rider Zoe Cuthbert taking the female win.

Ryan Gilchrist (Photo OuterImage)

The Fox Superflow sealed by Stan’s at Stromlo was an event of superlatives. The race not only attracted the biggest participation in the 13-year history of Rocky Trail Entertainment over the weekend, but also the largest junior racing crowd with over 200 competitors under 17 years old.

Race Director Martin Wisata said, “With the Fox Superflow we are offering a challenging gravity enduro format, which tests not only the technical and tactical racing skills of our racers, but also their endurance – our outright winner recorded six time race runs with 1,000m of climbing over 30km of riding on the Sunday completing two timed runs of each of the three stages.”

The racing format was now being delivered across NSW, QLD, VIC and with rising participation numbers a second Stromlo race was scheduled for September this year, Wisata confirmed. That event was going to offer another three race stages different from last weekend.

“We were all very impressed by our racers’ enthusiasm and determination at Stromlo – this type of racing takes a lot of experience and it’s exciting to see so many young racers taking on the challenge – the future of superflow and gravity enduro racing certainly looks bright!”, Wisata said.





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Cycling Performance – Putting it into practice; Training Zones

It’s been a hot minute since our last post on Cycling Performance Testing and Training, but hopefully you have managed to wrestle the maximal output demons and put some numbers down on paper.

Now it’s about putting those numbers into practice. In particular, looking into just how we can organise our training to target different adaptations depending on what we need to take our cycling to the next level. Here we cover the next steps, Cycling Performance Training Zones.

As a recap or if you missed our previous articles, check out Todd’s  Pedal Performance stories. Read more about testing and finding your numbers here. Todd gives more detailed insights into finding your training zones for power and HR.

Before we dive into the Bike Chaser guide to all things training zones, it is really important to  remember a key principle when utilizing training zones and that is that zones are at best just a guide. They are not exact.

Your body does not know the difference  between a written number such as 91% and 92%.  So let’s not get hung up with if we are out by a few percentage points.  Depending on how much sleep you got or what day of the week it is, these zones can slightly shift anyways. As long as we are in somewhat of a ballpark, you will be ok.

Before we launch into the full detail a quick overview of Zones, as we all know everyone is different, and all of this should be used as a guide only. 

In this instance we have decided to work with 6 training zones and given an average Power and Average HR % to work with. Lets get into your cycling performance and training zones. 


Cycling Performance Training Zone Guide

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Does cycling cause erectile dysfunction

The question no one wants to ask, “Does cycling cause Erectile Dysfunction”.  With the help of Travis Monk (Doctor of Physiotherapy) we answer the questions you undoubtedly have, and probably someone of the ones you never knew to ask.

Is your passion for cycling changing the gears on your love life? If you’re an avid cyclist who experiences erectile dysfunction, it’s quite likely you’ve wondered whether this contributes. Or for some of you, it might be a curiosity as to whether cycling is doing more harm than good for your functioning below the belt.

All of us men know what it feels like to be sitting on a bike, only to feel the growing sensation of numbness under the seat. This usually prompts the tingling sensation after getting out of the saddle. This is such a common experience for guys who cycle and as such this topic has gained quite a lot of attention in medical research. Many studies have been conducted to investigate whether there is a link between cycling and erectile function. Let’s further explore what this research has found and see what will help keep you in the saddle for years to come.

Will Cycling Cause Erectile Dysfunction?

We all know that cycling is a great way to improve your cardiovascular fitness and it’s a healthy way to travel to and from work. However for some men there can be consequences to sexual health. Currently, most of the research on this topic suggests that men who cycle frequently are more likely to experience erectile dysfunction than those who don’t (1, 2).

One headline that you may read from a study released in 2020 is: “cyclists have a 2-fold higher odds of ED than non-cycling counterparts” (3). Although, it is much more complicated than what the headline suggests as there yet to be enough good quality data gathered on the topic. Factors like the number of people in the research, their age and health, and the way erectile dysfunction is measured are influential to the outcomes presented here.

Over time there has been a suggested link between the amount of cycling completed and the rates of erectile dysfunction (1, 2). Although the evidence is conflicting, an overall increased weekly duration of cycling has been shown to be related (3).

ISM Adamo


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Fox Superflow series gravity event Ourimbah NSW

NSW Central Coast racer takes Fox Superflow series lead at Ourimbah race

Local events promoter Rocky Trail Entertainment is showcasing Central Coast’s NSW prime mountain biking asset the Ourimbah State Forest near Wyong this month. Supported by the Central Coast Council and endorsed by the local Central Coast MTB Club over 300 racers competed at the Ourimbah MTB Park in Rocky Trail’s Fox Superflow gravity event last weekend.

Local pinner Jake Newell from Kincumber place fourth in Elites and local junior shredder Katarina Carlsson from Umina took out the U13’s female win.

The athletes were spread across two days of racing as part of a tight Covid-19 Safety Plan of racing.

Newcastle’s Graeme Mudd took out the fastest race time in the men’s classification with Zoe Cuthbert from Canberra taking the women’s line honours.

Katherine Hosking

Rocky Trail Entertainment has been based on the Central Coast since 2012, which was when they launched the Fox Superflow gravity racing concept at Ourimbah MTB Park. Since then the unique events have become the most popular and fastest growing gravity racing series in Australia. As one of the major private promoters of the sport in the country, the team from Rocky Trail Entertainment say that their business had faced difficult challenges in the new Covid-19 landscape of the tourism and events industries. However, since returning to the ‘rocky trails’ in July 2020 and despite a community sports shutdown in August and September, their events had been thriving.

“We were the very first private organiser in Australia to return to racing in July 2020 and by next weekend will have delivered 20 events in the Covid19-recovery period across NSW, QLD and the ACT. We temporarily changed critical elements of all our racing formats, which we knew that we could replicate across all venues – including the Ourimbah MTB Park”, said Rocky Trail’s founder and Marketing Director Juliane Wisata.

Rocky Trail Fox Superflow, Ourimbah, 2020

Rocky Trail Fox Superflow, Ourimbah, 2020
Virtual Podium Celebration | Fox Superflow Central Coast NSW | 17+18 Oct 2020

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Fastest 100 Miles By Bicycle – Jon Ornée World Record Attempt

On Monday, October 5, 2020 Jon Ornée attempted to set a new World Record for Fastest 100 Miles (160.9 km) By Bicycle while drafting at the Michigan International Speedway. Jon’s Dad drove the lead vehicle (a minivan) and Jon road his bike behind him. Jon hit the 100 mile mark at 2:20:46 for an average speed of 68.5 km/h!

 

At Bike Chaser we love all things bike, and hearing from Jon about his latest adventure was something we couldn’t pass up. For those that love some inspiration a physical and mental challenge read on, as we welcome Jon Ornée to Bike Chaser news.

First things first; A little about Jon and his why

“I’m sharing my story in hopes that it inspires others to pursue their own curiosities. We’re all weird and wonderful. My idea of fun, may sound like misery to others. What captures your imagination? What goal or idea is stuck in your head? Do it. Don’t wait for a car to hit you and shake you awake.”

“Living an “epic” life isn’t about living on the edge. It’s about pursuing a life worth living. Not idly standing by and letting life happen to you, but taking control of your life, setting meaningful goals and pursuing them. Not goals that society says you should chase, but goals that make you feel alive. Worth getting out of bed for.”

“You only get one life. Make it epic” – Jon Ornée

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Fastest 100 Miles By Bike (While Drafting)

On Monday, October 5, 2020 I attempted to set a new World Record for Fastest 100 Miles By Bicycle (while drafting) at the Michigan International Speedway. My Dad drove the the lead vehicle (a minivan) and I road my bike behind him. We hit the 100 mile mark at 2:20:46 for an average speed of 42.6 mph!

Wow! That was a ton of fun! Honestly it was as much of a mental challenge as it was a physical one. It was critical that I remained focused at all times so that I stayed in the "sweet spot" close enough to the minivan to reap the benefits of the draft, but far enough back that I didn't hit the back bumper in a moment of lapsed focus. I'm typing this the day after the event and my neck and back are more sore than my legs from being in a constant tucked position for over 100 miles.

One of the unique aspects of doing this on a NASCAR race track was the banked surface. I road near the bottom of the track where it was more flat, but it was still angled a bit. And obviously there was a lot of turning. The only truly straight section was the back stretch which felt like a dream! It was a chance to relax every lap before doubling down on focus, position and effort for the turns.

I was wearing a bluetooth ear-piece so that I could talk to my Dad in the lead vehicle which was super helpful. Going around a track while staring at the back of a vehicle is a ton of fun for the first couple laps. Doing it for over 2 hours is somewhat hypnotic. It was good to be able to chat a bit to keep my mind engaged.

So…what’s the record? I’m applying for a Guinness World Record for “Fastest 100 Miles By Bicycle While Drafting.” To my knowledge this hasn’t been done or certified by anyone previously. The current record for Fastest 100 Miles By Bicycle (without drafting) is 3:11:11 (31.4 mph avg) which is cookin! I finished in 2:20:46 (42.6 mph avg) but drafting behind a vehicle is a huge advantage which is why I’m applying to create a new category.

So… why did you do it? Last May I was hit by an SUV while cycling. It was a near-death experience that has changed my life. After post-crash surgery, I recovered while riding indoors to rebuild fitness, but I was hesitant to get back on the road. Honestly, I was scared. Cars and bikes clash too often. We’re supposed to share the roads, but several issues including poor infrastructure, driver education, distracted driving and road rage (because that cyclist forced me to slow down for 5 seconds) regularly place cyclists in danger. Fast moving bikes belong on the road. Heck, we can go over 42 mph for 100 miles! Going over 10 mph isn’t safe on a shared sidewalk or bike path with walkers, dogs, families and driveways. Cars and bikes can and should coexist! They shouldn’t be enemies, they should be friends! Frustrated and scared for my life, I thought, wouldn’t it be cool if a car and bike teamed up for a change and did something spectacular?

This event was my attempt to “bury the hatchet” with the SUV that hit me. To replace fear with fun in the continued pursuit of an awesome life.

This was a ton of fun and an experience I'll remember forever! As always, I’m tremendously grateful for all the people who helped make it happen. My Dad, for being an awesome lead car driver; Michael Dillon, for capturing some awesome footage that I can’t wait to share with y’all; Karl Hoesch, for being my driver for some practice laps; my wife Necia, for always encouraging me to pursue my crazy ideas; the good people at the Michigan International Speedway for “sharing the road” with me; Michigan Bicycle Law for the sweet cycling kit and for helping me navigate all the details of post-crash life so I could focus on recovery; and for the awesome team at Velo City Cycles for always taking good care of me and helping me with last minute gear and service needs for my various adventures.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I’m filled with gratitude.

So… what’s next? After 3 world record adventures in 8 weeks it’s time for a breather! I’m planning on returning to the studio with my wife to record some more music this month and releasing a few more music videos this fall for our band Lady & Gentleman. I’m also going to pivot my training to prepare for a stab at the Everesting World Record this winter (running the cumulative elevation of Mt Everest - 29,029ft). And I’m already talking with my EP!C RIDE teammates about another World Ultra Cycling record attempt or 2 next summer. In the meantime, I’ve got some wine design projects to get to, some health coach clients to check in with, and I’m the teacher for our kids Epic Learning Adventure homeschool co-op on Wednesdays, so I better wrap this up! Until next time!

Cheers!
Jon
https://www.jonornee.com/


OFFICIAL STATS:
100 miles
2:20:46
42.6 mpg average

Cyclist: Jon Ornée
Driver: John Ornée
Sponsored by: Michigan Bicycle Law
Produced by: Pilot Field (https://pilotfield.com/)

Jon Ornee
www.JonOrnee.com
Musicbed SyncID:
MB01TRJIDKGY51X
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So…what’s the record?

Jon’s applying for a Guinness World Record for “Fastest 100 Miles By Bicycle While Drafting.”

Fastest 100 Miles By Bike (While Drafting)
World Record for Fastest 100 Miles (160.9 km) by Bicycle
World Record for Fastest 100 Miles (160.9 km) by Bicycle
World Record for Fastest 100 Miles (160.9 km) by Bicycle
World Record for Fastest 100 Miles (160.9 km) by Bicycle

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Explova X5 Evo – Cycling GPS

The Xplova X5 Evo.  Explained as a revolutionary cycling GPS computer with integrated action camera.

Looking for a new cycling GPS for your two wheeled steed?  Something that offers all the bells and whistles without the hefty price tag?  We may have found exactly what your looking for.  The Explova X5 Evo brings function and features along with fun via the inbuilt front facing camera resulting in an impressive cycling GPS.

 

First thing to point out, the Xplova X5 Evo, backed by Acer has had a significant software upgrade from the previous X5 version.  With Acer being a major driver behind everything from smart phones to laptops, we were expecting big things from this little GPS unit.

Initial Impressions

We liked the 3 inch, colour touchscreen.  Although quite a bit smaller than the unit itself, we like its responsiveness and ease of use.

The physical buttons on the side of the unit are a welcome inclusion.  They have the standard power button, but also a home return button and up/down button allowing you to toggle through previous trips without using the touchscreen.  Buttons on the face of the unit, provides not only the ability to start/stop your trip recording but also the built in front facing camera.  An option we found particularly useful.

Turning the device on, you are presented with a clearly laid out home screen.  We found it easy to navigate through Routes, Activities, Workout and Camera options.  Settings are easily found and accessed, with navigation within the menu straight forward.

Explova X5 Evo cycling GPS Computer
Explova Connected App for Explova X5 Evo cycling GPS
Xplova Front facing camera from cycling GPS

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What’s the hardest thing about riding a bike? Talking about it!

We thought it would be a good time to talk about one of the hardest parts of cycling. While dreaming of new wheel set’s so I don’t get dropped on the next climb. I started to think about the Saturday morning bunch rides, the banter and commentary that goes along with the rides.

Want to sound like a pro? Read on…. We have dug around and come up with the most frequently used cycling words, phrases take your lingo to a new level.

Regardless for those newer to cycling and there we get a lot of newbies visiting bike chaser we thought why not capture the lingo, let me caveat this with please don’t go to far (see clip).

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Shit Cyclists Say

We're uniting a million voices to improve the future of biking. Join us by signing the pledge for better biking at http://www.peopleforbikes.org.

Take the Peopleforbikes.org pledge: "I am for bikes. I'm for long rides and short rides. I'm for commuting to work, weekend rides, racing, riding to school, or just a quick spin around the block. I believe that no matter how I ride, biking makes me happy and is great for my health, my community and the environment we all share. That is why I am pledging my name in support of a better future for bicycling—one that is safe and fun for everyone. By uniting my voice with a million others, I believe that we can make our world a better place to ride." http://www.peopleforbikes.org/pages/pledge

Starring: Ryan Van Duzer - http://ryanvanduzer.com/

Video script, production, and editing by Allen Krughoff of Hardcastle Photography, who is also a nationally ranked cyclocross racer and his work can be found at http://www.hardcastlephotography.com
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So here’s your ultimate A to Z cycling Lingo list.

By now you no doubt would have been at the café and noted the MAMIL’s and the tech sounding buzz words that seem to bounce from one punter to another without a drop of the $10 café late being spilled.

This guide will help you sound like you just stepped out of the pro peloton.

Feel free to add any I’ve missed into the comment section and we can continue to build our library.

 

Aero Cycling Image Pinarello
Casual Black Bib Knicks
Gears The Big Ring
Echelon
Grand Cycling Tour
Buy and Sell Bikes on Bikechaser.com.au
The Peloton Cadel Evans 2020

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Cycling Performance Testing & Training

We have set up our sled to the best of our ability via part one and part two of our bike fit series and now it’s time to turn over the cranks in earnest.

Whilst not critical, it is a great idea if at any point you wish to ensure you are getting from point A to point B as fast as humanly possible, to establish where our current form is as to guide our future training.

And this is where the confusion sets in…

Testing, both on and off the bike, serves two purposes. Yes, getting a gauge of your current fitness levels is important but providing valuable data to drive your training is as important if not more so.

We will attack testing from two angles, firstly for the rider that needs hard numbers to establish programming and secondly for the rider who simply wants a procedure to test over and over again to know they are progressing

It is not just within the cycling fraternity that testing is butchered, It’s evident across many sports and activities. How you run your test is pretty much more important than which test you select.

Let’s address the key principles of testing to ensure you aren’t undertaking maximal efforts with minimal benefit.

How to Find & Test Your Cycling FTP — Official Instructions | Zwift


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Zwift Virtual Tour de France Stages 5 & 6

This weekend seen the running of stages 5 and 6 of the Zwift virtual Tour de France 2020.

Stage 5 Race Recap Zwift virtual Tour; Moolman-Pasio and Woods go solo and take the win on the Zwift Virtual Tour de France queen stage

France’s TDF 2020 Queen, 18th July 2020 – stage 5 was the queen stage of the Zwift Virtual Tour de France and she did not disappoint. The 22.9km stage that took to the virtual slopes of Mont Ventoux shredded both pelotons with 1,205m of elevation to climb to reach the finish line at Chalet Reynard. Both GC leading teams went in guns blazing letting everyone know they were serious about staying in yellow going into the final stage on the Champs-Élysées tomorrow.

Up first was the women’s race that saw some strong attacks early on from Brodie Chapman (FDJ Nouvelle – Aquitaine Futuroscope) to take the first QOM mid-way through the race and some aggressive racing from Danielle Christmas (Lotto-Soudal Ladies). Even as the peloton was whittled down on the infamous mountain slopes, losing the likes of Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM Racing) and Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo) early on, Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank made sure their riders remained at the front of the race to maximise GC points. Although in the final few kilometers Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (CCC-Liv) was too strong for yellow jersey wearer Sarah Gigante (Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank) to hold on, the Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank team placed their riders 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th securing the yellow jersey classification ahead of tomorrow’s final stage. Gigante and Moolman-Pasio battled it out between them until Moolman-Pasio’s accelerations became too much with her passing the 1km banner with a 19 second lead over Gigante. With today’s placings Drops Cycling have lost their lead in the polkadot jersey rankings to Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank who will take the race classification due to no QOM points on tomorrow’s stage. Whilst Canyon//SRAM Racing still hold the green and now also the white jersey classifications.

The men’s race played out in similar vein to the women’s losing some big names early on such as Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck – Quick-Step), Rohan Dennis (Team Ineos) and Warren Barguil (Team Arkea – Samsic). Jonas Rickaert (Alpecin – Fenix) took the mid-way KOM but it was NTT Pro Cycling Team that showed they were serious about staying in yellow. With Mike Woods (EF Pro Cycling) pushing the pace at the front of the race a small group of 5 riders was soon whittled down to three, Woods, Louis Meintjes (NTT Pro Cycling Team) and his teammate Domenico Pozzovivo. Around 4km to go Pozzovivo attacked, leaving Woods having to chase to get back on, which he did. The acceleration, too much for Meintjes, left him gapped with 3.9km to go as Woods and Pozzovivo battled against each other. At 3.5km to go Pozzovivo started to lose Woods’ wheel and by the 1km banner Woods had 15 seconds on his chaser, going on to take the win. Like Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank, NTT Pro Cycling Team took an impressive number of points on the line placing 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 7th meaning they will take the GC classification of the race. They now also hold the polkadot, green and white jerseys going into the final stage.

Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio – CCC-Liv   

“I have a lot of appreciation for Zwift and their push to give women’s cycling a platform and do everything they can to make it equal, equal racing, equal exposure, it’s really great to have brands like Zwift, really forward thinking brands that are really pushing women’s cycling forward, because when we’re given the platform there’s no doubt that there’s an appetite to watch our racing, so hats off to all involved and thanks for this great opportunity.”

Stage 5 TDF Womens Race
Stage 5 Climb Mens TDF
Virtual Tour de France 2020 - Stage 5 - Highlights
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TDF Stage 6 Mens
Womens Peleton Stage 6 Zwift
Stage 6 Mens TDF Peleton
Virtual Tour de France 2020 - Stage 6 - Highlights
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♀
🚴
♂
Mens Stage 6 Tour Skoda

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Fox Mountain bike racing back on track in Queensland

With the Fox Superflow Australia’s largest private mountain bike events promoter Rocky Trail Entertainment will be re-starting their mountain bike racing season with its popular “Superflow” gravity racing concept in Queensland.

With a 12-year history Rocky Trail now offers regular events across NSW, in the ACT as well as QLD and events are planned for later in the year also in VIC. After an initial test event in November last year, this weekend will be a sell-out competition and attract local and out of region elite and casual race competitors.

The Fox Superflow events are described as “your mountain biking life with the volume turned up!” It is all about exploring trails at high speed, beating time, meeting other riders and enjoying life, and the 2020 season is proving hugely popular with riders and their families, driving up demand for the series in QLD and across NSW and the ACT. In the current COVID-19 event recovery stage, registration patterns for the 2020 Rocky Trail season were proving events hugely popular with riders and their families, driving up demand for the series in all regions, says Juliane Wisata, one of the business founders.

“We are relaunching our racing season after an almost 4 month hibernation and we have put all our efforts into adapting and making changes to our operational procedures, which has been essential to getting the events industry back on track”, she said. “In order to bring our riders and spectators the racing action that they love, we are introducing new rules and regulations which make sure we all adhere to social distancing and gathering laws currently in place”, one of the Rocky Trail owners, Juliane Wisata, said.

“We still have very conservative self-imposed event participation limits in place, which are well below the Government and State Health authority regulations. As those laws tend to change quickly, and we will be constantly screening any developments – our racing rules will be a constant work in progress, and we will keep adapting them over the weeks and months”, she added.

High-profile line-up at Nerang this weekend

Rocky Trail Fox Superflow, Awaba, 2020

Rocky Trails says that over 300 racers signed up to be racing spread across Saturday and Sunday this quite the line-up of local guns and visiting racers from interstate! The fastest racers and Elite winner from last weekend’s first NSW event near Newcastle will be at the start. The U19’s racer Ryan Gilchrist clocked in the fastest time of the weekend on the Sunday – the Elite winner and second outright was none other than Jack Moir, who admittedly had tough wet and muddy conditions on the Saturday on his hometrack.

“It’s impossible to control the weather, so obviously not the way you would do it in a perfect world, but I think the organisers did an awesome job to get the race happening under the current circumstances. I was loving the rest of the setup, you get lots of riding in and can ride with your friends all day no matter what category they are in.”, said Jack Moir, one of Australia’s top and international acclaimed professional gravity racers.

Jack Moir leading the charge in the Elites last weekend.
Rocky Trail launch at Nerang in November 2019.
Fox Superflow sealed by Stans gravity

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Zwift Tour de France – Stage 3 & 4

The men’s and women’s professional races continued to provide fast and exciting racing over the second weekend of the first ever virtual Zwift Tour de France.

During the first three weekends of July 2020, men’s and women’s professional races will be organised as part of virtual stages of the Tour de France. Continuing on from the major increase in cycling at home in recent months, cycling lovers from all over the world will also have a chance to ride the Virtual l’Étape du Tour de France on the same weekends.

Saturday 11th July, stage 3: North-East France, 48 km (flat stage)

Erath and Dal-Cin steam to the line and take the win on high speed sprint finishes

The 2nd weekend started with high octane sprint finishes for both the women’s and men’s pelotons, seeing experienced Zwifter Tanya Erath (Canyon//SRAM Racing) take the win on the women’s race and Matteo Dal-Cin (Rally Cycling) just edging through and taking it for the men’s. The 48km course consisted of a two lap circuit through Zwift’s virtual France R.G.V. route, and gave teams the opportunity to pick up intermediate sprint and Q/KOM points along the way. High average speeds on both races saw riders lose contact with the main groups early on.

This week teams went in with the intention to defend their jerseys, Drops Cycling proved they wanted to keep the polkadots and rode aggressively into the QOM with April Tacey (Drops Cycling) again showing her strength and picking up the first set of QOM points. With 5km to the finish line the pace began to increase and as the finishing 2km saw the peloton string out as it snaked around multiple bends, there were only 25 riders left in the bunch to contest the sprint. Erath’s win hasn’t quite managed to unseat Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank from the GC and will see the American team start tomorrow still holding the yellow jersey, but they’ll be happy to be going into stage 4 with the green jersey and retain the young rider’s jersey.

A high speed first lap in the men’s race saw some big names, such as Egan Bernal (Team Ineos), Yves Lampaert (Deceuninck – Quick-Step) and sprinters Elia Viviani (Cofidis) and Nacer Bouhani (Team Arkea-Samsic) dropped by the end of it. After the final KOM whittled the peloton down further a group of 34 came in towards the final straight with speeds reaching 64kph. Another photo-finish confirmed that Matteo Dal-Cin just managed to take the win ahead of Jake Stewart (Groupama-FDJ). After some aggressive riding from NTT Pro Cycling Team they keep the yellow jersey and extend their lead, whilst also keeping the green sprint jersey. Israel Start-Up Nation still top the ranks on the KOM points keeping the polkadots for another day.

The most combative riders of the day were Tanya Erath (Canyon//SRAM Racing) and Edvald Boasson-Hagen (NTT Pro Cycling Team).

Zwift Tour de France Race 3 Image 2 men's women's professional races
Virtual Tour de France 2020 - Stage 3 - Highlights
Zwift Tour de France Race 3 Image 3 men's women's professional races
Men's Stage 4 Race Tour de France 2020 3
Women's Stage 4 Race Gallery TDF 2020 1
Men's Stage 4 Race Tour de France 2020 2
Virtual Tour de France 2020 - Stage 4 - Highlights
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Men's Stage 4 Race Tour de France 2020 1


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Zwift Tour de France – First ever Virtual TDF

The weekend of the 4th and 5th of July seen the running of the first ever virtual Zwift Tour de France. With Covid impacting the real life tour Zwift and the ASO have combined to bring us the next best thing.

The Tour de France in real life is now scheduled to kick off at the end of August. Stay tuned for updates on this one.

During the first three weekends of July 2020, men’s and women’s professional races will be organised as part of virtual stages of the Tour de France. Continuing on from the major increase in cycling at home in recent months, cycling lovers from all over the world will also have a chance to ride the Virtual l’Étape du Tour de France on the same weekends.

So what is the Virtual Tour de France?

The Virtual Tour de France is a stage race inspired by the Tour de France. Zwift partnered with the owner of the Tour de France, the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), to create the invite-only, six-stage race inspired by the Tour.

Stage 1 Men 1 Virtual Tour de France 2020

How long is the Virtual Tour de France?

The Virtual Tour de France is six stages. There are two stages every weekend, starting on Saturday, July 4, and ending on Sunday, July 19.
Stage lengths vary, but each is roughly one hour long. So get ready for action from start to finish.

The 6 stages of the Virtual Tour de France:

Saturday 4th July, stage 1: Nice, 36.4 km (4 x 9.1 km, hilly stage
Sunday 5th July, stage 2: Nice, 29.5 km (682 m of ascent, mountain stage)
Saturday 11th July, stage 3: North-East France, 48 km (flat stage)
Sunday 12th July, stage 4: South-West France, 45.8 km (2 x 22.9 km laps, hilly stage)
Saturday 18th July, stage 5: Mont Ventoux, 22.9 km (finish at Chalet-Reynard, mountain stage)
Sunday 19th July, stage 6: Paris Champs-Elysées, 42.8 km (6 laps of the circuit)

The distinctive jerseys

The Virtual Tour de France wouldn’t be the same without the famous Yellow, Green, Polka-dot and White jerseys held by the leaders of the race. Standings for all jerseys will be calculated using a points-based system.

Zwift Stage 1 Men TDF
Stage 1 Virtual Tour de France Highlights
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Stage 1 Women Virtual Tour de France 2020
Stage 2 Zwift Tour de France 2020
Virtual Tour de France 2020 - Stage 2 : Highlights
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Stage 2 Virtual Tour de France Heading for the Hills
Stage 2 Virtual Tour de France 2020
Stage 2 Virtual Tour de France the pack

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Sell Your Used Cycling Gear For Free @ Bike Chaser

We make it easy to list and sell your used cycling gear for FREE on Bike Chaser

The Bike Chaser platform provides a one stop shop where bike shops meet private sellers, private sellers connect with other cycling enthusiasts. Our objective is to create an amazing cycling community. A destination for all things bike, the audience here loves cycling and bikes, take the opportunity to share your pre-loved equipment with the Australian cycling community.

 

As part of our service offering to the Cycling Community we at Bike Chaser think it makes sense to list your pre-loved, used, secondhand and cycling bits and pieces on the platform that brings together like minded people. Buy or sell and keep those wheels turning.

Turn you pre-loved bike or equipment into cash and empty out your shed.

We know the formula – how many bikes should you have; (N=Bike) and the number of bikes you should have = N+1.

What’s better than sharing your pre-loved equipment with fellow cyclists to ensure we reuse and recycle, or grow your own collection to work on the “N”.

We offer a no fuss solution for private individuals to sell cycling equipment

Competitive Pricing – Yes its Free for private sellersWe don’t take commission or charge excessive fees on private sales for individual cyclistsList your product for free 60 days – if it doesn’t sell easily re-post and update for freeUnlimited relists and updates5 imagesYour own dashboard to view status and viewsWe also provide in platform messages so your buyers can contact you directly via our platform.Post your ad via your social platforms and ask your mates to share

 

Find and Sell Anything Bike

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Shimano MTB Grand Prix Launch 2020

Shimano MTB Grand Prix launches 2020 Rocky Trail Racing Season in Orange

Rocky Trail kicked off their 2020 racing season with a 4 and 7 hour cross-country lap race in Orange on 15 February 2020. Supported by Orange City Council the first Shimano MTB Grand Prix event was held on the original home track of the Orange Mountain Bike Club at Kinross State Forest.

Ben Fillingham opens the GP4-hour series solo account. Photo: OuterImage.com.au

Mountain bikers from all over NSW and the ACT came together in Orange for the event. With more than 20 locals participating in the event especially the first-time Sydney racers were impressed by the caliber of trails available so close to their backyards in regional NSW.

 

Race Director Bob Morris said that the Orange region had great potential for cycling and mountain biking in particularly. “You have a very strong and energised mountain biking community lead by the Orange Mountain Bike Club”, he said. He explained that the Rocky Trail Entertainment events not only brings visitors into the region but also allowed locals to race their local tracks.

“We always like to encourage the local club riders to join in the action on tracks they have built, tracks they are proud of and tracks they may have the home ground advantage on. It was exciting to see the Orange riders having a go against some of the best in the country”, he said of the competition at Kinross State Forest on the weekend.

Rocky Trail Entertainment's Shimano GP, Orange, 2020 -
Rocky Trail Entertainment's Shimano GP, Orange, 2020
Shimano MTB GP Race 1 Highlights | Orange NSW
Rocky Trail Entertainment's Shimano GP, Orange, 2020
Rocky Trail Entertainment's Shimano GP, Orange, 2020

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Masaka Cycling Club, Uganda

The Hidden Athlete Project is an initiative designed to mobilised cyclists located in one of the poorest regions of Uganda. The cycling talent in Southern Uganda is extraordinary yet youth in this region have no means to realise their dreams or their incredible talent.

The Hidden Athlete Project will provide Bikes, Equipment, Clubhouse, Team Affiliation, Race Kit, Tools & Funds for Travel & Accommodation to provide these cyclists with a chance to realise a dream.

Bike Matters Torquay Hidden Athlete Project Information Night

Masaka Cycling Club.  Wondering where Masaka is?  Or maybe why you’re about to read a blog about a cycling club you have most likely never heard of.

Well there are a couple of reasons.  Firstly, a legendary mate of the Bike Chaser team has been spruiking the message about this club to anyone who will listen (and sometimes even when they won’t) for quite a while now, and secondly that same mate has embarked on a journey to enable cycling fanatics on the other side of the world to live their dream, in a truly amazing way, and the Bike Chaser team recently had the privilege of attending an information night where we experienced the stories of how it all began and the impacts already being seen.

So let’s begin with, where is Masaka.  Masaka is a town located in Southern Uganda, approx. 130 km southwest of Kampala at an elevation of 1,310 Mtrs.  It is a market town and is an important commercial centre to the surrounding coffee growing regions.  

Hidden Athlete Project & Tim Diamond Cotton On Foundation


Phase One: The Hidden Athlete Project


The Hidden Athlete Project (Masaka Cycling Club - UGANDA)
Bike Matters: The Bike Donations are coming. Thank You


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Pedal Performance with Todd

Welcome to the new blog series of Pedal Performance, where Todd Jones takes you step by step through the process of improving your POWER, SPEED and ENDURANCE on the bike.

Welcome Todd to Bike Chaser news

Todd has spent his entire life on some form of two-wheeled sled. From lugging a shovel around on the handlebars of his BMX as a kid to mountain biking and road as he matured, if it’s had two wheels, he has done some skids on it. Having spent time working within the bicycle retail industry and also completing countless bike fits, he has since obtained a Bachelor’s in Sports Science along with a Masters in Strength & Conditioning to complement his time spent within National and Olympic level sporting organizations. He has a keen interest in overall Health and Well-being with the greater aim of using the bicycle as a vehicle to give back to the community.

Within the series, Todd will leave no stone unturned in regards to enhancing your performance both on and off the bike. The pedal performance series will touch on all things from Bike Fit to Pre-Ride Preparation, Rehab to Program Planning and everything in between, all in an easy to understand way with hopefully a laugh or two.  At times it may challenge your ideologies in regards to getting the best out of man and machine, but then again, you didn’t come here to read something you already knew.

First and foremost, Todd wanted to touch on the most important trainable ability when it comes to riding any form of two-wheeled sled; “Avail-ability”.

“The worst ride is the one you never went on” is a mantra we breathe every day.  Now there may be many things which can cause somebody to miss a pedal; work, family, inclement weather or re-watching YouTube footage of Cadel attacking on the Mendrisio flats on a sunny Saturday afternoon in 2009, but an inability to dance on the pedals due to a physical impairment should never be a reason.

Whether it be some sort of acute niggle or worse yet a chronic injury, too much muscle soreness from poor strength programming or being couch ridden with a ‘cold’ due to overtraining, these things are all avoidable for the most part with just the right game plan.

So as we progress throughout the coming months, deep-diving into the world of pedal performance, we would love you to first take a moment now to step back and ask yourself these deeper questions;

What is holding my cycling back?.What part of the recipe is limiting me?Is it the ingredients?Is it the method?Is it the preparation?Is it the serving?

Have some questions for Todd or have a particular area you are interested in then please drop a comment, question or thought below…….


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No Snot Rockets; Another Cycling Coronavirus Article

 

The impact of COVID-19 on the Australian cycling scene is not all bad. There have been reports of more people out riding and some bike shops seeing an uptake in business as people look to an alternative to public transport. You can see more and more old clunkers being dragged out from under the house with the view to turning the wheels in anger once again.

Cycling, it seems, could be a perfect panacea during this global pandemic.

Can I still ride my bike outdoors?

An important question some may say the most important, is it safe or not to ride a bike outdoors.




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What are Gravel Bikes, Let us explain

In this article we take a look at Gravel Bikes. Everyone is talking about gravel these days and from our point of view, it’s not hard to see why; so what are gravel bikes? Well allow us to take you on a journey to understand what a Gravel Bike really is, what makes them different and why they are here to stay.

Regardless of where your from you would have easy access to plenty of unpaved service roads or basic gravel that you could tackle on your roadie.  The problem is these surfaces wreak havoc with your standard roadie headset, wheels and can shake you into unconsciousness, and lets not even consider if you encounter a slightly technical up or downhill section.

Enter the gravel bike

What is a Gravel Bike?

Gravel and all-road are terms used for this rapidly growing segment of the drop bar bikes. These bikes have generous tyre clearance and geometry that is more stable and forgiving than traditional road bikes.

As the name suggests, gravel bikes are primarily designed for gravel and fire roads. Gravel bikes are made to accommodate the luggage bike-packers need on their multi-day trips and come with rear/front rack attachment points.

Gravel bikes originated  from the American Midwest, where racing on gravel roads took hold a decade ago and has steadily gained popularity. In the early days, riders tackled these endurance events on cyclocross bikes with the largest tyres that would fit.

Is a Cyclocross bike the same as a gravel bike?

Gravel bikes and cyclocross bikes do have a lot in common, however there are some key differences.

Cyclocross is a sport and the bikes are designed for racing. So what, well that will generally mean a lower and more aggressive riding position. Likely to have sharper steering and higher gearing. The tyre clearances aren’t as generous, since the UCI has a 33mm maximum rule for competition, you’re less likely to have mounts for mudguards and racks.

The benefits of a gravel bikes then rise to the surface, because gravel bikes aren’t restricted to racing they are designed to accommodate endurance type riding having less aggressive frames and overall will be more practical.

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2020 Cannondale Topstone (105 Disc)
Women's Diverge Comp
SEARCH XR ULTEGRA
BREED 20 | 2019

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A Guide to Women’s Bikes; What Differentiates Women Bikes from Men Bikes?

So What Differentiates Women Bikes from Men Bikes?

Many manufacturers offer different bikes for men and women with some subtle variances to accommodate physiological differences between them. Although many women find unisex/men bikes perfectly suitable for their needs, many are looking for bikes with a more specialized design and female- specific features.

Some key differentiating factors between unisex/men and women’s bikes include:

Smaller sizes with a subtle difference in geometryShorter reach (usually measuring the distance between saddle and handlebars), resulting in a more comfortable and upright positionLowered top-tube in commuter and hybrid bikes, making it easier for female riders to get on/off the bikeNarrower handle bars to accommodate narrower shoulders and shallower drops on road bikes to shorten the reachShorter crank arms to accommodate riders with short legs and reduce leg stretchLighter shock tune in mountain bikes is meant to accommodate the usually lighter weight of female ridersThe saddles are also usually designed keeping physique of female riders in mind, but that’s a personal preference in most cases

Which Type of Bike Should You Buy?

The most important thing to consider is perhaps the type of bike you should buy. Bikes are designed for different purposes and terrains, making it very important to choose the right one in the first place.

The four main bike categories include Road, mountain, gravel and time trial/triathlon bikes. Road and mountain bikes are generally the most popular bikes types so here we’ll try to focus on these and we cover gravel bikes in a separate post.

Road Bikes

As the name suggests, these bikes are designed for paved roads and focus on speed and paddling efficiency. Road bikes are the right choice if you want to go far and fast on tarmac roads. Road bikes are not just for big events as they also allow you to improve fitness and participate in different activities such as weekend races, group rides and evening criteriums.

Some key attributes of road bikes include:

High pressure, narrower and smooth tires for reducing rolling resistanceDropped/bent handle bars make it easier for cyclists to lean forward/downward and decrease dragLightweightGeared higher and usually have fewer climbing gears as they are meant for flat surfacesDon’t usually come with front/rear suspensionWheel clearance is tighter

Road bikes are available in different variants, including race, aero, endurance and hybrid road bikes. Choosing the right one mainly depends on what you want to accomplish and where you plan on riding them the most.

Domane Trek SL6 _20_
spectral cf-9 wmn
FastRoad CM 2_Black
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