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Dear Friends, high mountain greetings from Galena, ID, where the streams are cold and the ribbons of dirt endless! The shots above is before….. I was definitely worked over by the end. I drove out to Ketchum, ID, on Thursday and was fortunate enough to get to stay at Rebecca Rusch’s (Specialized) house in Ketchum….I should say she’s the new 2008 24 hour Solo World Champion, having just won a hard fought 24 hour battle up in Canmore, Canada.

The plan was to sleep in Ketchum( base elevation of 5,500ft) and then show up in Galena(base elevation of 7,000ft) the morning of the race to try and trick my body into thinking that it wasn’t dealing with oxygen deprivation. The unfortunate part of this plan was that it didn’t allow for me to pre-ride the course ,which consisted of two 25 mile loops with over 3,400 ft of climbing per lap, so I had to ride it blind, hoping that there weren’t any big surprises waiting for me in the woods. The only big surprise of the first lap was the hike-a-bike climb that had all riders off their bikes, death marching up the side of scree like trail. The rest of the course was “classic” old school mountain biking - high speed rocky descents punctuated by short climbs, interrupted by brief, flowy sections of fast fireroad. The course took us to over 8,000 ft which took its toll on my sea level systems and forced me to race at a lower HR for fear of blowing up in the rarified air. I settled into a steady pace I knew I could hold for sometime and focused on staying hydrated - thanks to Camelbak’s under the jersey reservoir system and Gu2O I was able to avoid losing too many fluids.

When the dust finally settled, I found myself in 6th place, to date, my best finish in USA Cycling’s Ultra Endurance Series. I completed the two laps in a time of 4:23, climbing almost 7,000 ft in the process.

I am out here for another two weeks to explore the vast system of trails that disappears into the Sawtooth wilderness and to train for Single Speed World Championships which are August 23 in Napa. Thanks for reading and have a great week.

Cheers, Yuri

Last year suffering a flat tire and this year crashing at the end of the course, once again the Canadian Nationals are a disappointment. But I did at least get a chance to ride Mont Saint Anne before the World Cup round later this week. Nothing but wide open, fast and rough, you’ve just got to hold on and let off the brakes. Traveling with Team B.C. and Mad March Racing we luckily had coach Dave Hord to look after all our mechanical needs; especially truing the wheels. The course was dry and the weather hot and muggy all week but the rumour of rain on Sunday was growing ever stronger. Sure enough Sunday morning we woke to a torrential downpour in a style we’ve never seen before. I didn’t know it was possible to rain so much, for so much water to come at once. The course turned from dry and loose to a greasy slide. Sliding around in the mud and trying to go top speed was perhaps more fun than riding it in the dry. But the mud surfaced the hidden rocks and then covered them so they were lurking unaware to you. Towards the bottom I was over the bars and sliding on my stomach before I even knew what had happened. Goggles had soon become useless and bars twisted, I finished 3rd in Junior and 6th in Pro Elite. Although a disappointment for it was my last chance to become Junior National Champ, I had fun and look forward to riding the course this week.

Miranda

Friends, with the likes of Ross Schnell, Brian Lopes, Susan Haywood, Mark Weir, Jurgen Beneke, Myles Rockwell, Chris Sheppard, Andreas Hestler and Jason Moeschler, to name just a few of the top notch Pros in attendance at this year’s Downieville event, the race lived up to being a true “classic” and a race for the ages that brought together stars from the past and pitted them against some of the fastest up and coming talent in the United States

I have a “love love” relationship with the Downieville course, especially when I race it on my single speed(won it in 2002 and got 7th at SSWC 02′), so this year I decided to enter the Single Speed Open category so I could truly remember what it is like to suffer the 8 mile, 3,000ft opening climb with just one gear. My Marin Pine Mtn 29er, equipped with Syncros’ new 29er wheels, stem, and bars, proved to be a worthy stead to tackle the technical demands of Downieville’s feared descent-WTB’s new Wolverine 2.5 LTs were the tire of choice to help navigate the rock gardens and roots that ripped at tires on the harrowing plummet into town.

The single speed category, over 25 riders strong, was stacked with local talent chomping to claim the title. Reigning 24 hour Single Speed World Champion Matt Chaney was in attendance, as well as local crushers Dez Wilder (Sobe Cannondale) and Conrad Snover - he was second to Travis Brown at this year’s Sea Otter single speed xc race. The opening death march up the climb usually sets the tone for the race and, although I was pushing a larger gear, 32×18, compared to the other single riders, most of whom were running 32×20, I was able to crest the climb as 4th fastest single speed. I picked off one more rider in the new single track section and then settled into a good pace along the fire road section that lead to the descent - it was on the fire road that I reaped the benefits of my 32×18 because it allowed me to paceline with geared riders in their big rings. I survived the descent and dustily rolled into town in 3rd place, posting a time of 2:22.

This shot is of two local legends/mentors, Roger Bartels (my right) and George Hope(my left), who I’ve ridden and raced with for years, both of whom also had stellar performances. I guess we were a little proud of the hardware that we’d earned!! Thanks again for all of your support this season. I leave next week for the 100k Galena Grinder in ID and then it will be single speed world championships in the end of August in Napa.

Best, Yuri

It’s official! Marin sponsored athlete Brian Astell, on the right, of Team Lost Coast Brewery is crowned world champion in the highly unofficial Pixie Cross World Championships. The racing was tight, the crowd screamed themselves hoarse and many beers fell victim to the increasingly treacherous course. As darkness fell Brian battled some tough competition, including fellow Marin rider Yuri Hauswald, through 4 rounds to find his way to the top step of the podium. Congratulations Brian!

Left to Right: Niki Gudex, Harlan Price, Yuri Hauswald and Brian Astell

Metromint Cycling on Marin Bikes has seen roads literally spanning the globe in the past few months.

This spring, we sent teams to several of the classic stage races: Mt. Hood, Nature Valley, Elkhorn, and Cascade. Our own Jane Robertson currently sits in 12th in GC at the Cascade Classic in Bend, OR. In yesterday’s road race she had a heroic move where she bridged up to the winning break. With the time trial being held today, her specialty, we’re eager to hear if she can crack the top ten.

You can read about teammates Mitch Trux, Evan Pickett and Ryan Parnes, as they race through Belgium this June and July on their blog

Additionally, in June, Mike Boals and I brought the dots to Europe as we spent our honeymoon riding many of the classic French cycling routes. In the photo above we’re atop Mt. Ventoux contemplating life as pro-riders.

As road and time trial nationals are in California this year, we have our hopes set high and will be sending teams to both.

Fear the dots!

This weekend was the annual Ales and Trails festival at China Camp State Park, Marin County, CA. This event is held each year to benefit IMBA California and their efforts to expand the network of trails open to use by cyclists around the state. This year included a bunnyhop competition. Shaums March was victorious clearing a lofty 43″. The current world record is held by Jeff Lenosky and stands at 45.5″. Shaums March, two times Masters World DH Champion, said after the fact “I had no idea I could bunnyhop so high!” Keep your eyes peeled for Shaums on the trail this year as he aims to expand his trophy cabinet to include a third Masters title.

SF Gate/Mark Constantini

As gas prices continue to escalate we’re seeing more and more people choosing to commute on foot and by bike. The buses here are increasingly busy too, which is great! Follow this link to read the SF Gate’s piece on changing commuter habits.

28 year old Olga has been competing on her Mountainbike for the last 10 years. Racing at a regional level she’s recently made the transition to competing on the National circuit. Along with BTT’s other new signing Sandra Ospina they’re looking set to dominate the top two steps of the podium at both Department and National Events. When not hanging out with her family and dog Bruno, Olga is training hard in the hopes of securing a medal at this years National Championships.

Seven members, including myself, of Mad March Racing undertook the journey to Panorama, Invermere for round three of the B.C. Cup Series. It is a lengthly drive from Squamish but luckily we had Shaums’ van equipped with a T.V and an X-Box. A few of us had missed the previous races due to Canada Cups and we’d forgotten how much fun the B.C. Cup races are. With all day to practice and a relatively simple course we had plenty of time to cool off in our condo or beside the pool. The course was the same as last year being surprisingly long and dustier than ever. By the end of the weekend almost all corners were blown dust bowls giving us a nice change from the rocks and mud we’re used to. Now we just had to trust our tires and let ourselves slide around a bit. Because of the usually small Junior field at B.C. Cups I race up a category into Pro Women. Although quite a sketchy run, after being in the heat for too long I managed to pull of a 1st place. And also on the podium this weekend with a 2nd was Mad March Racings coach, Dave Hord, who decided last minute that racing would be fun. The rest of the MMR kids had solid placings in Junior Men and Senior Expert. After the race and awards we piled back into the van to make the long haul back home, thankfully we were able to use the pool before we set out, as it was a long, already smelly, journey home.

Miranda

The Downieville Classic takes place between July 11th and 13th. Wanna race? Registration is already open. There’ll be group rides, live music and the Pixie Cross World Championships. Who could wish for more? We’ll be there in the Expo area with demo bikes to rider. Marin athlete Jurgen Beneke will be attending and looking for a spot on the podium in this years Pro All Mountain and Downhill races. For more information please visit http://www.downievilleclassic.com/

What Mountain Bike Awards 2008 – Winner: Marin Mount Vision.

Our ‘Famous Five’ bike test in Issue 77 was the most significant and closely fought of the whole year. No wonder then, that its winner turned out to be the Bike of the Year.

Feelgood Factor

Marin’s aggro hardtails (such as the Rocky Ridge) have always had serious balls, but now the previously rather tall and timid full-suss bikes are packing the same outstanding presence on the trail.

The Mount Vision’s wide bars, singletrack-friendly short stem and easy sag that slackens the already relaxed steering sits you down on the trail with real authority. The big, square stays and broad linkages over the centrally-mounted shock give it the muscular purposefulness of a much bigger, longer-travel bike. The sharp power transfer and sharp changes from the stiff modular dropouts do nothing to undermine the serious underlying strength either. While Marin’s Quad XC suspension isn’t the most neutral and efficiently ‘quiet’ around – Giant, Trek and DW link-style bikes hold the all-round aces in that camp – it adds a real dynamic edge to the ride. Big leverage at the start of the stroke means a front end that’s very easy to lift and manual through trouble. The extension and tensing of the suspension under power keeps the nose down on steep climbs, though, as well as giving masses of rear-wheel feedback for judging traction.

Okay, so the Mt Vision’s relaxed attitude to turning takes a few corners to get the hang of. Once you sync with it, though, it’ll rip you through like nothing else in its category. The same applies to descents, drops, technical climbs and any other situations where you are taking the fight to the trail. In other words, the Marin may bob and scrabble a bit more in some situations than the Trek Fuel X and Giant Trance X but it continues to encourage and inspire your riding in a way that theoretically more ‘optimised’ rides just can’t match.

The upshot is that while some bikes we’ve loved initially fade into the background as new rides appear, riding the MV just gets better and better. In fact, we’d definitely boost our tentative initial climbing and value scores from 8 to 9 and give a totally deserved overall 10. It’s not just our experienced suspension testers telling us this. A mixed group we sent to Glentress with the ‘Famous Five’ biketest all came back raving about the Marin. It’s the most requested bike on our fleet by far, whether we are heading off across moors all day or for a Thursday night thrash. We’ve had letters from readers who’ve spent a lot of time making their final buying decisions but are now totally in love with their Marins.

Love You Long Time

The Mount Vision makes a great investment. Massive mud room and bearings with a 10 year warranty have been a feature for years but now the shock is hidden from spray and sideloads by the big linkages. Straight-through cabling keeps the gears sweet for even longer than average, too. Interchangeable rear dropouts not only add damage limitation but you can swap them for Maxle versions to create collar and cuffs coordination with next year’s crop of lighter, bolt-thru forks.

It says a lot that while we’ve played with both heavier and lighter builds while the Marin has served as our 2008 test mule, it’s always happiest when closest to its original spec. Marin’s Rift Zone gets the same crucial Fox suspension pairing for $2380 while the East Peak utilizes the same frame for $1860.

Designed to deliver

If there’s one excuse that we take from a bike builder as a good sign it’s the one that precedes ATB head designer Ian Alexander’s take on the Mount Vision: “Sorry for the late reply – been out riding all day.”

We asked Ian about the Mount Vision’s creation. He told us: “ We were trying to make a bike for classic MTB rides, such as riding on the moors for hours on end, but could also rip round the trail centres and fit with the new styles of riding that have developed.

“This bike needed a little more travel than our old 100mm XC bike plus highly developed geometry., more linear travel and a chassis that was significantly stiffer and stronger..

We spent a long time working on a new hydroformed tubeset. This uses a blend of 6061, 6066 and 6069 grades of aluminium alloy to achieve the lightest but most durable frame and swinging arm we’ve ever developed. The new replaceable dropout system boosts shifting performance, but more importantly it allows complete freedom of choice of dropout and disc mount standards. Geometry was rationalised to add in an XL size.

“Spec wise the MV has always been super-durable for our terrible UK weather and has excellent performance for the price. The benchmark XT group combined with Hope/Mavic/DT Swiss wheels and Avid brakes make sense for our riding. Fox’s fantastic F120 fork offered us a significant weight saving and the RP23 is a great rear shock.

“A shortish stem, wide bar and lock-on grips all help reinforce the efficient XC trail bike with a heap of attitude personality.”

The verdict

Simply put, it’s the bike nobody wanted to give back.

Congratulations go to Miranda Miller for finishing 4th place at the recent Jr DH World Championships in Italy. Miranda was the highest placed North American rider. Here’s what she had to say…

“A tight, rocky, fast course under good conditions, the week proved to be extremely challenging. The need for mud tires was great as it continued to rain for the first few days of practice. Riding without them proved to be near impossible as I managed to get one run down in two hours. With limited practice, every run counted and walking the course after practice a few times proved to be very helpful as the lines were changing rapidly and the conditions varying. The sun soon came out and things started to dry up as I got my usual sun burn. The course was steep the whole way through only letting up for two very short sections before it dropped back into steep technical. Seeding came around on Thursday and due to a mechanical with my brakes, I seeded fairly far back. Come race day the rumour of rain had been abolished and it was hotter than ever. I had had a great day on Friday finishing perfecting my lines and my mandatory on Saturday had felt solid and my bike was riding great. I was the second rider to start and the first to come down, passing the girl in front. I had had a few wobbles and close calls but not crashing was important to me as I didn’t wish to repeat last years misfortune. I sat in first, (from the confinements of Anti-doping) watching myself slowly get bumped to fourth after the final three French riders came down. It was a useful experience for as of next year, I’ll be racing Pro Elite and I got to see what kind of performance is needed.”

Well, another 12 hour race in the bag and I’m stoked to report another top ten finish. I got 9th, completing 16 laps (112 miles) in a race that was shortened due to the threat of lightning… not that I’m complaining about missing out on my last lap or two. A stacked field of endurance freaks chasing points in USA Cycling’s Endurance Series showed up in Cornelius, NC, for the 12 hour Cowbell Challenge- Nat Ross(Subaru Gary Fisher), Josh Tostado (?), Ernesto Marechin (Speed Goat), and Brandon Draugelus (Bare Naked/Cannondale) were the big guns out there driving the pace. I had a great start and then settled in to a consistent pace for the relatively short seven mile laps. The heat (low 90s) and humidity took its toll, with many of the riders, myself included, having stomach issues. I suffered through it, thanks to the help of Brandon’s mom who gave me some papaya enzymes which helped settle my queasiness. I can’t thank all of you enough for your continued support this season- without your assistance it wouldn’t be possible.

Next up is Downieville and then out to Galena, ID, for a 100 k mtb race. Thanks again for all your help.

Cheers, Yuri

This week I had the opportunity to help coach a two session mountain bike camp, ages 5-12, in Santa Rosa’s Howarth Park. The camp was coordinated by Scott Bowen, a father of three and an avid cycling enthusiast, who is trying to create more avenues for the future of our sport to learn the do’s and don’ts of mountain bike riding. On Monday, thirty plus groms descended upon us in a spinning mass of excitement and chatter. Following sign in and camp introductions we broke the children up into three age categories before we showed them the different skill tests that we had set up on the trails: we had a teeter totter, obstacle course, a balance board, a small jump ramp, a sand pit and a short xc course. It was so uplifting to see the kids’ genuine love for riding and what a little encouragement / coaching did for their confidence.

Wednesday’s session was all about using the skills that we’d worked on early in the week on a trail rides of varying lengths. We ventured out away from the relative safety of the flat, smooth trails that we’d practiced on to some rocky, steep stuff that pushed many of them to their limits. It was rewarding to watch them ride sections that they’d been afraid to attempt on Monday or use the climbing and shifting techniques that we’d taught to help them clean sections that had previously been too difficult for them. Our culminating event was a non-mandatory multi-lap xc race. I felt like the Pied Piper of mountain biking as I lead out the 5-7 year old race, shouting encouragement and pointers as we rolled through the woods.

Kids love dirt, so let’s keep doing all that we can to encourage more of them to experience the joys of exploring the world on two wheels.

Yuri

Miranda had this to say “So it’s finally official I will once again have the opportunity to represent Canada at the World Championships in Italy. Myself traveling with the rest of the National Team will be leaving Friday the 13th, for Austria where we’ll drive into Italy. Val di Sole will be hosting the 2008 World Championships this year and from what I’ve seen, are well prepared. I have a clear goal of what I expect, bettering myself from last years disapointing DNF. With the help of Shaums and Mad March Racing I feel very well prepared. We have put a lot of time and energy towards my training and riding, and I know that I am ready.”

Best of luck Miranda!

Arriving with the rest of the MMR team from Bromont on Monday evening in Tremblant we soon discovered we had very little to do for the four days before we could ride the course. After two days of a bad computer game, and half attempts at homework I left and continued my stay with the Provincial B.C. Team. By Wednesday we had to do something, anything to get out. Myself and a few other team members started the epic hike to the DH course. From the gondola at the top you had to precede about 25min on foot down ski runs and fire roads to get to the top of the course at about mid-station. And just to top it off, it decided to start to lightly snow followed closely with torrential freezing rain. The course consisted of two things- rock gardens and traverses across ski runs. Walking the course I could tell that it would be a hard one to memorize as much of it looks the same and is quite long. Finally after another course walk Friday came around and it was time to ride. Raining off and on the course was going to beat you up. Many of the rock gardens were fairly flat making you work and muscle your way through them. The famous ‘big g*y rock’ that was a large off camber rock that seeped water and was covered in moss was almost unrideable the first day but soon it was broken in by the brave few who attempted it. Come race day the rain had stopped and the sun came out and never failing, I got burnt again. The course had changed since my pre-run in the morning with the holes opening up and exposing a lot more mud, rocks and roots. Finding myself sliding sideways and stopped against trees I managed not to crash, something I had done in every single practice run during the week. Catching the girl in front of me at a rock garden proved a tricky pass, but luckily it opened up to a ski run. Like I had figured in practice the course was very tiring. My legs were feeling great after spinning at the top and both those and my lungs still had a lot left, but I was fighting to keep my hands on the handlebars. I came down 1st in Junior and ended up as 2nd in Pro. My results in both Bromont and Tremblant put me in a good running to make the National Team and attend the World Championships in Italy this June. The rest of the B.C. Team and MMR team did really well with top twenty results and a few podium finishes.

Miranda

Sunday May 25th saw the Annual Friends of Tamarancho NORBA sanctioned invitational race take place on Camp Tamarancho, Farifax, California. Yuri Hauswald, Marin Endurance athlete, was in attendance aboard his Pine Mountain 29er singlespeed. With a strong field of Pro and Expert riders in attendance Yuri was in for a fight. Three laps and 18 miles later Yuri crossed the line victor in the singlespeed category, coming 9th overall in the Pro mens field.

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted an update from the Marin Road Team. While the blogger may have been slacking off, the team has been doing anything but that! Metromint Cycling on Marin Bikes has been tearing up the tarmac all over the country, here are some of the highlights thus far:

-Men’s team had a strong showing at the Valley of the Sun Stage Race in Arizona.
-Jane, Amanda, and Elis racing at the Women’s Amgen Tour of California
-Huge squad (18!) of riders repping at the San Dimas Stage Race in Southern California
-Madera Stage Race (6 riders placed in the top 10 GC in their respective categories)
-Julian and Max racing the Tour of the Gila Stage Race in New Mexico, one of the toughest races in the U.S.
-Evan and Sean placing 5th and 9th, respectively, at the legendary Mt. Hood Classic

Those are just the travel races. At home, we’ve been racing all over Northern California getting top ten finishes nearly every weekend. We found out that the more dots you put on your spandex, the faster you’ll ride. Justin can attest to this, he won the EBC Crit a couple weeks ago.

More news coming soon.

-metromint mike

The new racecourse at Bromont proved to be a lot of fun. Using the Canada Cup as a trial run for their World Cup in July, Bromont had cut a fresh trail for the weekend. With a little bit of everything, fire road to single track to some awesome rock slabs and gardens to wide open off camber turns to berms it proved to be a fast race. Winning times well under the three-minute mark kept you on your toes for every part of the race. Myself and five other of the MMR team members left Squamish early Wednesday, May 14th for our flight to Montreal. Out of the six of us only one is able to speak French, which we found out actually would come in use. (I swear I never needed it before.) Excited to ride we spent the next days prepping our bikes and working on the course. Racing Junior for Worlds selection had me leaving second out of the gate and first down the mountain on Sunday morning. Apart from blowing a few lines I managed to stay on my bike. I placed first in Junior and third in Pro Elite, leaving me satisfied but more determined for this weekend coming up in Mont Tremblant. The rest of the MMR team was also grateful for the weekend as it showed them the competition level and what they could expect for next week. I’m glad to have raced the new course for now I know what will be expected when I return in July. But right now all I can think about is the new race, the new course coming up this weekend for Round #2 of the Canada Cup series, Mont Tremblant.

Miranda

Photo courtesy of Dave Hord - Mad March Racing

Mountain Bike Action has just reviewed the 2008 Alpine 29er. In their own words they said…

“A fantastic hardtail trailbike that delivers a ton of value and loads of performance. This bike will shine on rolling, winding singletacks with long climbs and descents mixed in to keep things interesting…. The Alpine Trail may be the biggest sleeper in the 2008 hardtail trailbike category. Well, it is until you ride one!”

Click here to read the review in full

As the sun rose Friday morning we loaded the van and drove East. The plan was to get out of the SF Bay Area early and hit up the trails around Auburn before driving on to Downieville for the weekend. As we passed through the Sacramento area the mercury topped triple digits. With little tree cover the prospect of dehydration and delirium was all too real so we drove on choosing to ride closer to Downieville, our hope that tree cover and altitude would take the edge off the heat.

The ride at Bullards Dam was beautiful. However, the heat never once let up, still air and 96 F didn’t keep us from stretching road weary legs. 15 miles of rolling singletrack was sufficient to whet our appetites for the Epic to come. As the sun dipped below the horizon we took a well earned swim in the reservoir.

Wayne and Greg from Yuba Expeditions were our gracious hosts for the weekend. Surely nothing can dent the sense of humor of the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship volunteers, the number of hours spent in the construction of the trail network around Downieville is staggering. Saturday was a lazy start with riders heading out in groups along the North Yuba trail before returning to Indian Valley campsite via the climb up the Hall’s Ranch trail. Oh what a climb it is! The 2000 ft ascent in 2 miles tested the hardiest riders ability to stay on the bike. As we rolled back into camp 21 miles later we were all smiles. It’d been a tough ride. Cold beers were sunk in celebration of our own personal victories that day as well as the hardwork of the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship volunteers.

The weekend didn’t stop with the riding. Volunteers with energy to spare post Epic picked up McLeod’s and Pulaski’s and headed out on the North Yuba Extension. A 7 mile bridge linking Downieville with Goodyears Bar. The extension, it’s hoped, will bring riders to the area over a longer season.

Our thanks go to Yuba Expeditions and all the volunteers at Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship for opening their arms and letting us play in their back yard. We can’t wait to ride with them again.

Don’t let the next Epic or Trail Daze event pass you by!

The League of American Bicyclists declared May as Bike to Work (B-T-W) Month, this is B-T-W Week and here in the SF Bay Area Thursday the 15th is B-T-W Day. We all put excuses in the way of riding when we have commitments at work and home but lets follow newly elected London Mayor Boris Johnson’s example and ride to work, even one day helps!

At Marin we put our efforts into producing the best frame possible for the money, meaning there’s always room to upgrade. This Alpine 29er is being raced by Eric Bierman of Steven K Sports in S. California. Eric’s bike is sub 24 lb and he’ll be campaining it on the pro circuit throughout the year. Good Luck Eric!

Jay is the Bike Manager at a Marin Dealer in Texas. He’s an upstanding guy and we appreciate his hard work and dedication not only to Marin but to encouraging people to simply get out and ride their bikes! His love of cycling is clear for everyone to see. Keep smiling Jay.

Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship are hosting their Spring Mountain Epic in Downieville over the weekend of May 17th and 18th. The event will be hosted at the Indian Valley Campground. We’ll be there with our fleet of demo bikes along with Yuri Hauswald our Pro Marathon racer. Yuri will be on hand to dispense advice on bike set up and training to get you through your next 24 Hour Solo event. For full details on the event check out the link HERE

See you on the trail!

Highbridge Hustle & Flow 2008. The Flow is a relay race pitting teams and riders against the clock in five different challlenges: an XC hill climb, a pump track circuit, a downhill course, road hill climb and a finishing Super-D run. Jurgen Beneke wanted a bit more of a challenge so he entered the solo class to put himself up against some of the best teams in the East.

Jurgen won the solo challenge, posting the fastest times in the XC and Super-D legs and tieing for fastest time on the DH. For the event Jurgen chose to run a Mount Vision Quad XC for its versatility and performance in climbing and descending.

At the race Jurgen donned a helmet cam to give everyone a feel of how difficult and fun the course was. Check out the video here

I joined top adventures Frank Wolf, Kevin Vallely, and Greg Inkster over to Scotland for the Drambuie Pursuit and one-day adventure race with international teams from around the world.

Scotland is one of my favorite places to visit. My mom was born in Edinburgh and so it is a place I feel at home. I have raced across the Hebredian Islands climber Ben Nevis and logged a few more epics through the tough terrain. It is beautiful and always better with a few jars!

Our trip started out perfect as the four of us were upgraded to first class! Oh Yeah we got drunk and ate like kings! We arrived in London for a pint and then on to Inverness, Scotland. The first evening we were given food and then taken out to a giant castle for the prologue, an Archery section. We placed 4th on the night with two impressive sessions by Greg and Frank.

Over the next day we mountain biked, ran, canoed, and did a section on dune buggies and Zap Kats which are inflatable speed boats that go 50 miles per hour and push 3 g’s in the corners. We were the passengers in this section and the goal was to try and not fall out.

After a wicked day of hard racing we arrived at the finish line in first place overall. We celebrated with the other teams well into the night with lots of amazing Drambuie Drinks and fine food.

The next day Greg made his way home and Frank, Kevin and I followed a 50km two-day hiking route from Glennfinnin to Inverie. The majestic mountains were awesome and we saw tons of deer and spent the first night in a Bothy, which is a shelter cabin in the mountains. The following day we enjoyed the sun overhead as we cruised into Inverie and the Old Forge Pub, the remotest pub in Britain for some jars of beer. It is a special place and one I will have in my memory for a long time.

Leaving by boat to Mallaig we caught the train back to our car and then off to the airport for a quick flight to Ireland. The next day we hit Dublin and the tour of 12 bars and 12 Pints of Guinness, it was epic. We spent the next few days exploring the Cliffs of Moher in Doolin on the west coast and other cool coastal pubs before making our way back to Canada…time for a little rehab!

Little D

Friends, it’s 1:30 a.m. out here in Fayetteville, TN, and Ponch and I just got done packing the bikes and are getting ready to head to Nashville for our flight home-we decided to stay up all night since our flight is at 6:00a.m.(Don’t know what I was thinking when I made the reservations). Today’s Dirt Sweat and Gears 12 hour race started under a light mist-at least it wasn’t thunder storming and raining torrentially like it had all night. The course was extremely muddy, as you can see by my bike….notice that the chain is gone? The race began with a quick run, frantic grab of bikes, and then a loop around the venue before we entered the singletrack. I was sitting 6th wheel about 2 miles into the race when I tore my rear derailleur off and broke my chain. I then ran the next 8 miles in peanut butter mud that clogged shoes, tires and brought wheels to a complete standstill…..nightmare!! Luckily I had my back up bike in the pits and spent the rest of the day trying to make up the hour that I lost because of my mishap. I ended up scratching my way into the top 10, finishing 8th, riding over 84 miles and climbing 13,000 ft.in the process. Thanks for reading and the support.

Yuri

I arrived in Nashville yesterday and drove south to Fayetteville for the Dirt Sweat and Gears 12 hour race. Today I got to pre-ride the course which is a vicious combination of steep little technical power climbs and twisty, rocky, wooded single track. Besides Saturday’s 12 hour race, was today’s single speed USA race which saw about 35 hearty souls come out for three stages, two of which were unknown to the participants. Clay Higgins, the promoter, had Nat Ross (Subaru Gary Fisher), Rebecca Rusch (Specialized), and myself don polyester outfits and wigs so that we could announce the bacchanalian event (Nat’s the one in the Mexican wrestling mask). The first event was a two lap cross country course and was followed by a STEEP hill climb.

The final event saw eight lucky riders face off in a jousting event in an inflatable pit. Following the final selection the promoter had Nat and I face off in a best two out of three. This will probably be the only time in my career that I will be able to say that I beat Nat in two straight rounds. In tomorrow’s 12 hour race, I’m sure he will make me pay for knocking him out……thanks for reading and your continued support.

Yuri

I knew what was in front of me, the seemingly never ending drive, the bad food, the dirty gas station bathrooms, but I still couldn’t wait to go. Shaums’ van equipped with TV and a PS2 was almost comfortable for some of the Mad March Racing Team that was able to make the drive down to the Sea Otter Classic. Arriving Wednesday afternoon after about 23 hours of driving, and in dire need of showers we walked the course before heading back to our hotel room to bathe and enjoy some much desired Mexican. With only limited practice and myself having to skip a day to write an exam it felt like I was hardly ever riding. But race day came soon enough.

I didn’t end up with the race run that I was hoping, but I managed a 14th place finish and beating my time considerably from last year. With Sea Otter coming to a close it was now time to start the real fun, the road trip portion of the trip. First stop Ashland, Oregon where we’d discovered amazing riding the year before. A little wetter than before but still the trails we remembered. For day two we moved on to Hood River, then some educational visits at dams and waterfalls before hitting Seattle for the night. Good times were had by all, and it was perhaps a perfect trip to kick off the season with. So it’s now back to school and work, but not for long as the year is just about to pick up and we all have some big plans for 2008.

Marin Bikes has added seasoned professional racers as well as a new amateur team to its squad for 2008. With less than one season and in some cases less than one month on Marin’s improved Quad-Link 2.0 suspensions and proven race hardtails, racers had exceptional podium placements at the Sea Otter Classic held in Monterey, California.

Leading the wave of gravity riders was former World Cup Champion and new Marin athlete, German born Jurgen Beneke. After coming back last year from a seven-year hiatus Beneke again confirmed his World Cup abilities by riding a Quad XC to 2nd place in the Pro Super D field and 8th in the Downhill aboard the Quake XLT. Beneke represents an important class of riders on the racing scene, an athlete who’s life is not spent training 40 hours a week, but working to support his family. Riding a stock 120mm travel Quad XC Mount Vision, Beneke’s Super D finish is an endorsement of the well balanced and race proven design. In 2007, the previous iteration of the Mount Vision garnered Mountain Biking Magazine’s All Mountain Bike of the Year.

Also racing Downhill, current two-time Masters Downhill World Champion, Shaums March finished 22nd in the event riding the Quad XLT series Quake 7.3. Shaums took the time to race when he wasn’t busy coaching the members his Mad March Racing team. Representing the MMR/Marin Bikes development team, neo pro Miranda Miller made a strong showing with 14th in the Women’s Pro Downhill field. The high school senior was the 2006 Canadian Junior Downhill National Champion and 2007 Canadian Junior Downhill silver medalist as well a member of the 2007 Canadian National Team in Fort William, Scotland. Both riders choose to eschew longer travel downhill bikes for the Quake 7.3, with 170mm of travel (7 inches) and offering greater pedaling efficiency and maneuverability on the fast Sea Otter course.

In the XC fields, newly partnered Team Lost Coast Brewery and Marin factory endurance racer Yuri Hauswald had an exceptional showing across the professional and amateur ranks riding Marin’s Hydro-Light Hardtails and the American built Team Titanium models. Lost Coast riders Brian Astell, Tsering Alleyne, Emma Worldpeace and Maureen Kunz, finishing 15th in the Women’s Professional XC race, used the races as tune ups for the upcoming of National Mountain Bike Series(NSMB) series while Hauswald utilized both the XC and the Road Race as preparation for his upcoming Dirt Sweat & Gears 12 Hour endurance race in Tennessee.

“The addition to Marin’s racing support program is unique in that it was developed to support riders who are real world athletes.” stated Marin Bikes Marketing Manager, Mark Vanek. “All the athletes that competed are either employed full time or are full time students. It’s important that their bikes are efficient, lightweight, and ready to race when they are. We’re proud of our new riders and their finishes this weekend.”

With thanks to our friends at Herb Bauer Sporting Goods on May 10th you will be able to demo a Marin Bike at the Fresno Cycling Festival. The festival runs from 11:00am until 4:00pm with road rides departing the venue from as early as 7:00am. We’ll see you there!

Dave is a professional multi-sport athlete who has traveled the world to challenge some of its toughest races. In the past 18 years Dave has cycled, run, kayaked, in-line skated, and cross-country skied throughout Greenland, Alaska, China, Africa, Europe, New Zealand, Australia and North and South America. Though the list is long, here are just of few of his accomplishments: 15 Sea 2 Summit Solo Wins, 2 24 Hour MTB Solo Wins, 4 Eco Challenges, 8-Mind Over Mountain Adventure Solo Wins, 7th Place 2004 Adventure Racing World Championships, the 30-day 3000km New Zealand Mizone-Endurazone, one of only 5 people in the world to ever XC ski across the 1800km Iditarod Dog Sled Trail. Dave has raced in over 400 events throughout his career, his passion will excite you to get involved in your own wild adventures. He currently writes for the North Shore News and Vancouver Metro.

Racing has taken a back seat over the last few years to allow Dave to pursue other life long adventures and his new business noronalife.com . Kite Surfing, Moto, Sledding and riding his new Marin Mt. Vision and Quad Trail on the North Shore Mountains right above his home in North Vancouver, BC are just a few of his newest passions.

Dave is just getting ready for a summer of wild adventures starting with the Drambuie Pursuit in Scotland with Team Outpost Magazine. Then it’s the Test of Metal in BC and lots of riding in between…visit www.davenorona.com for more info.

Dear Friends and Sponsors, I tell my second graders on a daily basis that life is not about winning or losing, but rather about believing they can do something and trying their hardest to do their personal best at whatever they are attempting to accomplish .Well, this was the mantra that was going through my head during Sunday’s Sea Otter Pro XC as I lined up with the likes of Tinker Juarez, Ned Overend, Steve Tilford, Nat Ross, Miguel Martinez, just to name a few of the legends in attendance. Just standing at the back of the pack of this world class field was a dream come true and had me smiling like a kid in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory! I won’t bore you with race details-I definitely DIDN’T win but DID do my personal best which earned me 69th. It was great to catch up with a lot of you over the weekend and I can’t thank you enough for all of your continued support. Next up for me is Dirt, Sweat and Gears in two weeks, a 12 hour race in TN that is part of the National Endurance Series.

Thanks for reading, Yuri

19 year old Sandra Ospina has paired up with Columbia’s Marin Distributor BTT to campaign in Junior Women’s at both a Department and National level in Columbia. In 2007 Sandra took gold in the Department Cup and silver at the Nationals. She’s made a strong start in 2008, together with BTT’s other new signing Olga Maria Garcis they secured a 1-2 victory in the latest Department Cup race held in Buga, Valle del Cauca. Sandra mixes her time between competing on the National circuit and caring for her young son Nicholas.

In their own words…

“Confidence-inspiring geometry, hard-hitting spec, fantastic suspension performance, acceptable weight”

In order to read the review in full click here

This weekend, April 17th - 20th, is the Sea Otter Classic. We have a broad range of hardtail and full suspension demo bikes available to ride. Call by the booth to say hello, pick up a catalog and take a spin on one of our award winning bikes. See you there!

ANNUAL CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP HEADS OFF

Mad March Racing’s Shaums March, Dave Hord and Wayne Goss are heading south accompanied by four young downhill bikers – Craig Campbell, Clinton Gould, Kodi Stoddart and Marin rider Miranda Miller.

This will be the first big race of the season and all are much looking forward to it. “It will be great to be back racing” says Clinton Gould. The other riders agree. The young athletes have all been working as many hours as they can between training and school in order to save for their season because, once it begins, it severely impacts earning power! The riders appreciate the support of the town. “I’m lucky to work at Corsa Cycles, they are really understanding,” says Miller, “but local employers are very accommodating to athlete’s schedules.” Teaching staff pitch in as well. “We cost our teachers lots of extra time when we go away” the kids note. “We probably don’t thank them enough!”

There have been a couple of opportunities to race before this – a race on the Island and the local toonie race. Clinton and Craig managed the Island, Miranda the toonie. “It’s such a good thing that SORCA has started the toonie downhills” the group agree. “I had so much fun,” says Miranda, “I went back in the afternoon to take in the cross country!”

But Sea Otter will really raise the bar. All the riders have their eyes on the Canada Cup races in Quebec in which they have the opportunity to qualify for the National Team.

“Sea Otter is going to be important for these riders this year,” said Coach Shaums March. “Miranda and Clinton attended last year, so they are familiar with the size of the event and the pressure that can accompany this level of competition, but this will be a new experience for Kodi and Craig.” The coaches will be working with the riders on a variety of skills associated with racing – not merely the riding itself. “There are many areas of discipline to be mastered,” adds Dave Hord “organization, nutrition and rest – all these can prove really challenging when you are in unfamiliar territory and don’t have your usual support network around you.”

Mad March will not be offering coaching camps this year at Sea Otter which means that Shaums and Dave will be able to focus more than before on the riders and riding “I’m really looking forward to it,” says March. “Obviously, I’ll still have a lot of work to do for my sponsors, but I am hoping to be able to take a good deal of time with the kids. They have a lot of friends from BC who will be there as well, so we are looking forward to excellent riding and some good times as well.”

The course is accepted internationally as being a ‘test run’ for the season. It is short, soft and flowy with a lot of pedalling required. “It’s basically a hard sprint – a short course, but a long sprint,” explains March. “It’s hard work and that’s why riders come from all over the world to test their fitness levels on it.” Riders are able to get a sense of where their winter training has brought them and on what they need to focus. In addition to this, they have the opportunity to have a look for the first time at their competition for the year.

Kodi Stoddart is looking forward to the whole week. “It will be a challenge for me to attend a high level race like this – I’ve been to Crankworx of course, but never to this level of competition. But I can’t decide if I’m looking forward more to that riding or the stops we hope to have on the way back to take in some additional trails in Washington & Oregon.”

Every year the Brackedale Elementary in Squamish holds an evening of fun, a Fund Raiser in disguise!
Events like cake walks, dart throw and all the fun carnival type events you remember as a kid. They also hold a Silent Auction to raise money for computers, books and extra curricular activities, Shaums and MMR donated two private lessons with a total value of $450.
Shaums’ reason for the donation, “MMR is part of this community and now that we have children of our own I see how vital it is to support our schools and to encourage the kids to get out and be active”
That said, Shaums also donated his time to the Don Ross Secondary Outdoor Leadership program where he helped Trevor Halverson of the MMR team conduct an afternoon of bike skills and obstacles that included Teeter totter, raised bridge and a DH cornering section.
The Outdoor leadership is part of their curriculum and for the past few years they have been using MMR Jr. Coaches and team riders like Trevor to lead mountain bike lessons.
Shaums continues to say “It is great to see how our riders have begun to give back to the sport, I will continue to support them by coaching them to teach skill sessions and on trail instruction so they can continue to inspire other kids”
Squamish has been an active community since the sun has began to shine.
The second annual Wild At Art Festival of Music, Visual Art, Theater and Family Activities was another success within the Sea to Sky Corridor and Squamish.( http://www.wildatart.ca/)
Again for the second year Shaums and Mad March Racing was involved in the family activities center which this year was held at the Brennen Park leisure center.
Unlike last year where it rained unusually hard and activities were limited to draw prizes and watching videos this year MMR roped off a large area within the parking lot and set up the obstacles like the teeter totter and cornering skills course.
“We had a broad range of riders on the course, it was great to see everyone out there giving the bikes and the course a try.” When Shaums says a broad range of riders he means it, there were a couple of riders age 3 and 4 on “Run Bikes”, a run bike is a bike without peddles. Both riders, with the assistance of Shaums, and their parents, rode all the obstacles as did the oldest rider who was over 60. MMR also brought attention to the Brain Trust organization which is a group that advocates the use of helmets while riding.
All in all it was a great day and we are looking forward to next year as the festival just keeps getting better and better!

Hello good people, I hope you’re all well. I just wanted to let you know that at last weekend’s Boggs 8 hour race I did 10 laps (93 miles) and climbed over 13,000 feet in a hard fought battle for second place. To be honest, I was expecting a little more from myself, but, as is the case with every endurance race, I learned some good lessons from my suffering. Next up for me is the Master 1,2,3 road race at Sea Otter and the Pro XC - this will be the first time that I’ve ever lined up with the likes of Geoff Kabush, Todd Wells and other mtb honches….I won’t see them after the gun goes off, but it’s a dream come true to be able to toe the start with some of the world’s fastest riders. Thanks again for all of your support! Have a great rest of your week.

Yuri

What could be better than having Mt. Tam as your high school’s back drop? Getting to ride its miles of trails with your high school mountain bike team for practice on a weekly basis!

A few weeks back I was approached by John Vipiana, one of Marin Catholic’s coaches, about riding with his young team of riders who have blazed a blue trail through the first two Norcal league races of the season. The MC team is composed of some extremely talented and motivated freshman and sophomores - they’re currently the number one ranked Division Two team in the league - which bodes well for their future. After brief introductions and dropping off some Marin bottles, which were eagerly scooped up, we rolled out the bike path behind campus and pedaled towards our “practice field” for the afternoon - Mt. Tam. The ride was special because we were meeting up with the Branson team for the first ever group ride practice session, an idea akin to spring baseball where teams play against each other in preparation for the coming season. Our two groups came together, we did a meet and greet and Q&A, and then made our way over to Camp Tamarancho for a spirited sprint around its buffed out singletrack.

I was stoked to share some of my training, nutrition and racing knowledge, as well as some technique tips, with the kids because they are the future of the sport, whether they decide to keep racing beyond high school or choose to ride recreationally, and its important to support such a healthy endeavor that can teach lessons that will help them be successful in other aspects of their lives. Here’s to these local kids riding bikes and having fun - take a close look because you may be seeing more of them in the future.

Yuri

NZ Mountain Biker MV PRO Review

In their own words….

“The Wolf Ridge is a member of the truly excellent Quad 140 series of bikes, which are simply the best thing Marin have ever produced. Designed here in the UK by the irritatingly fit- and fast- Ian Alexander, Marin bikes have been reborn and pose a huge threat to many of the big players in the aggressive 5in market. With 140mm of travel front and rear, the Quad 140 appears to be just another trail-bike, but take a look at the low-slung bottom bracket, and super slack 67degree head angle, and you will realise that this rig isn’t a regular trail bike- it’s a trail annihilator. The best description I can offer of this bike is that it’s essentially a 4X bike designed for all-day thrashing. It’s not mega light, but it climbs like a beast thanks to the low slung front end. And descending is a joke- this thing will out do most 6 and 7in travel rigs with ease. It really is that good. There’s mud clearance too. And a shock that’s easily accessible, yet protected from the elements. And there’s also a Maxle rear end- which clamps things tighter than a gnats ar$ehole. There’s no rear end wandering here.”

Look out for a full review in MBUK soon…

For more pics of the Wolf Ridge visit MBUK’s own blog here

For 2008, Team Lost Coast Brewery and Marin Bikes are pleased to announce the perfect union of a Northern California bike company with a Northern California brewing company, as Marin Bikes is now the team’s official bike supplier.

Team Lost Coast Brewery, an elite-level grassroots mountain biking team supported by the Lost Coast Brewery located in Eureka, CA was founded in 2007. For 2008, the team has expanded, adding three professional riders to the roster. Maureen Kunz will be joining Team Lost Coast Brewery for her first year in the professional ranks after a stellar season in 2007, culminating in 3 Expert National Championships in Mt Snow, VT. Brian Astell, a top-ranked Xterra racer, is a very capable all-around rider and will be one to watch out for in ‘08. Amon Pease, who dominated the California State Series in 2005, will be making a return to professional racing in 2008. Returning members, Tsering Alleyne and Emma Worldpeace will be racing in the Semi-Pro and Women’s Expert categories, respectively.

Marin Bikes, located in Novato, CA has been making some of the best bikes on the market for over 20 years. Team Lost Coast Brewery will be racing on Marin Bike’s Indian Fire Trail frame and the Quad XC full-suspension in Super D and select XC events. “We are excited to partner with such a great group of riders,” stated Mark Vanek, Marin Bike’s Marketing Manager. “Team LCB has a diverse range of riders that have already proven to be great ambassadors for Marin. Winning races is great, but the effectiveness of having positive individuals representing our brand around the clock is priceless. ” More information on Marin Bikes can be found at www.marinbikes.com

Additionally, Manitou/ Hayes is providing Team Lost Coast Brewery significant support in 2008 by supplying the team with Hayes Stroker Trail disc brakes and Manitou R7 MRD suspension forks.

Other team sponsors include Pearl Izumi, WTB, GU Sports, Vanderkitten, ESI Grips, Kinetic Koffee, The Missing Link Bicycle Co-op, Mountain Lavender Company, Infinite Tarot, Humboldt Organics and Laura Franklin Chiropractor.

Team Lost Coast Brewery is extremely thankful to all of their supporters for the coming season. Look for the 2008 squad at select Northern California races, CA State Series Races, NMBS events, the Sea Otter Classic, Xterra races, and other local and national-level races.

Visit www.teamlcb.org for more information on the team and updates. Visit www.lostcoast.com to learn about the most delicious beers on the North Coast!

In the Writer / Producer / Director Billy Savage’s own words:

“Hey Everybody, I just wanted to let you know Klunkerz will screen at The Fairfax Theater on Friday, March 28th at 7:30pm at the Fairfax Documentary Film Festival. Buy your tickets early, as this is sure to sell out. I’m very excited to (finally) have the opportunity to screen the film in Fairfax. I’m having a little party for the cast, crew and public before the screening, at Peri’s Silver Dollar, between 5:30-7:30p.m. There will be food, a photo exhibit from the Rolling Dinosaur Archives, and a historic bicycle display. There will also be live music provided by Marin’s own RoadOilers, who contributed to the soundtrack. We’ll have a question and answer period after the screening, so if you’ve ever had questions about the history of the mountain bike, this is your chance. I hope that you and your friends can make it to the party and screening. It’s going to be a fun ride. In the last year Klunkerz has screened to sold-out audiences in more than a dozen countries around the globe. Thanks to everybody who made this sport, and this film, possible.
Ride on, Billy Savage”

Marin’s outgoing factory endurance racer Yuri Hauswald is profiled in UK magazine What MountainBike. To read the article in full follow the link below:
Yuri’s Profile in What MountainBike

To read Mountain Biking review in full follow the link below:
Mountain Biking Wolf Ridge Review

To read MBR’s 9/10 Eldridge Grade review follow the link below:
Eldridge Grade Review

Marin Factory Rider Yuri Hauswald had a chance to ride with some of the Rock Racing team during the Tour of California. Here he is with Tyler Hamilton. For more in Yuri’s own words follow the link here

Click here to read the review in full:

Whister Mountain Bike Wolf Ridge Review