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Basics to bike fitting

Having a pain somewhere while riding? Get your bike fitted well. Here are some tips to aid you with fitting you bike. We are no bike fitting professionals buy we hope that the tips would help!

 

 

1) Pedal/Shoe Adjustments

Adjustment: The most efficient way of pedalling is by using the balls of your feet. But the thing is, it is possible to end up pedalling on your arches or on the tip of your toes unless you have something to keep your feet in place.

How to do it: Toe clips or a clipless pedal system would be ideal for most cyclist. Mount the cleats to the bottom of the cycling shoe so that when engaged into the clipless pedals, the balls of your feet would be placed centered over the pedals. If you are doing it for the first time, it is best to have it fitted by a professional bike fitter.

 

2) Seat Forward/Backward Position

Adjustment: Ensure that the bike is levelled on the trainer. Get onto the bike and cycle a little, getting into your usual cycling position. Stop pedalling with one foot at the three o’clock position. Have someone to level out the crank arm. Maintain that position while your helper holds a plumb line (a thread with a weight hanging on the end would do) against the indentation just beneath the bone at the base of your kneecap. Adjust the saddle forward or backward to fit the position. Remember, the plumb line must be perpendicular to the centre of the pedal when the forward leg is at the 3 o’clock position. Adjust the seat fore and aft on the rails until the plumb line bisects the pedal axle. Make sure your knee is not in front of the center of the pedal when the forward leg is at 3 o'clock.

How to do it: Loosen the same bolt used to angle the seat (see Seat Angle section).

 

3) Seat Angle

Adjustment: Start with the rear section of the saddle level with the ground. Generally, you would want the base of your pelvic bone to be resting on the saddle. Adjust the angle degree by degree to find a sweet spot (maximum of +- 3 degrees).

How to do it: On most seat post, there is a bolt near the top of the seat post that loosens, allowing you to adjust the saddle.

 

 

 

4) Seat Height

Adjustment: In your cycling attire (especially in your cycling shorts/tights and cycling shoes), place your bike on a trainer or find somewhere that allows you hold yourself up while pedalling on the bike. Raise the seat height until your leg is fully extended when your heel is on the lower pedal. Ensure that when your heel is placed on the pedal, your hips are not tilting. Once done, Clip into the pedals or have them placed where they are normally are and start pedalling. Your hips should not be rocking, but rather stable. If your hips are still rocking, chances are that your seat height may be a little high.

How to do it: The Allen bolt that holds the seat post in place is on the seat clamp at the bottom of the seat post. Pedal until one pedal is placed at the bottom. Your heel should just be able to touch the lower pedal with your leg straight so when you place the ball of the foot on the pedal (ball over the center of the pedal) your knee will bend. This is a great first stepping stone for getting the right seat height

 

5) Reach to the Handlebars

Adjustment: Comfort is key in deciding this. Generally, you would be able to reach the various handlebar positions on the bike while being comfortable. This would mean you would not need to lock your elbows, straining your back or neck, or simply having to move to the edge or back of your saddle. Sit and spin on the trainer for a couple of minutes to have a feel of it.

Another test: While on the bike, look down at your handlebar and see if it is in line with your front hub. On road bikes, the ideal reach is when the bar hides the hub. On mountain bikes, the ideal reach is usually when the bar is placed an inch ahead of the hub.

How to do it: To change the reach, you would require a longer or shorter stem. (The component that holds the handlebar.

 

6) Handlebar Height

Adjustment: Comfort is vital. Without comfort, it would be difficult for endurance to come in. If you experience lower back, neck, arms or palm pains, you’re most probably leaning too far forward on the bike. If all your weight in on the saddle, you are probably sitting too upright and taking all the impact from the road through your butt. On road bikes, handlebar height varies from matching the height of the saddle to 4 inches lower (In extreme race position). On mountain bikes, the seat height begins at the seat level to about 3 inches lower than the seat.  Handle bar height may be higher as well, depending on the rider.

How to do it: Loosen the stem and raise/lower the whole cockpit by adding or removing the spacers. If there are no spacers to play around with, you would require a stem with a higher degree of angle.

 

 

Hong Chun regains national title after 5 years

The 2010 edition of the Singapore  National Cycling  Championship returns to the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, with a new extended race course of 7km featuring longish single track, technical sections and fire trails.

 

 

 

Hong Chun TAN, the top finisher of the Mens ELITE cross country event, took his 2nd  Singapore cross country mountain biking crown after a 5 years break. The Mens ELITE race, raced under wet and muddy condition, showcase the depth of CannAsia-Cannondale team where the team took a clean sweep of the top 3 position with Tim WILKINS, Shahrom ABDULLAH, Fraser MORRISON, before Hong Chun TAN (THC Racing) raced to a strong 4th   place finish and the national title.

 

Hong Chun TAN (THC Racing) winning his 2nd cross country title after 5 years.

 

Bernice CHEN (L&T Cycle) and Lynda SCOTT (Hammer/Carmichael/Maverick) are the 2 finishers for the Womens Elite event, where Lynda took control of the race at the technical section leaving Bernice and Priscilla to fight out for the national title. Priscilla CHEN was forced to withdraw from the race after a strong first lap with respiratory problems, allowing Bernice to cruise to win the national champion title.

 

Bernice CHEN (L&T) racing to win the Womens crown.

 

Joshua PNG, the defending champion, retains his crown with a strong ride, pitting Daniel KOH to the line with a strong and calculated ride in the last 50metres. The pair raced neck to neck for the entire race, gaining almost 5mins over the chasing group of Ivan TAY (Team Conticomponents) and Ryan CHAN (PICO-BikeLabz).

 

Joshua PNG winning his 2nd consecutive U19 title.

 

Thing are a lot clearer for the masters race with Richard SINCLAIR (Cannasia-Cannondale) rode a commanding race at the front and won the race with a 6mins winning margin over the eventual national champion Alvin LIM (Eclipse Sports). Roslan bin Ahmad, the defending champion, couldn't match the blistering pace in the wet today, managed a respectable 7th placing finish.

 

For more information about Dirtraction, check them out at www.dirtraction.com.

 

 

Singapore National Road Championships 2010

The 2010 edition of the Singapore National Cycling Championship took place on a flat wind sweep course in northern Singapore at Fernvale circuit, Sengkang Singapore.

 

With defending champion, LOW Ji Wen (Team Geumsan Ginseng Asia) and Dinah CHAN (Passione Bikes) back to defend their Mens and Womens Elite title respectively, the race on the flattish 6km circuit turn out to be explosive with attacks happening throughout the morning.

 

Defending Champions, Low Ji Wen (Geumsan Ginseng Asia) chasing back a late break.

 

The Under-19 Juniors category was raced in a semi wet condition after a morning downpour. Defending Champion,  Malvin  LAI  (Team  Cycleworx)  is  certainly  a  marked  man  with  riders  from  PICO-Bikelabz attacking throughout the race. The strategy pay off with PICO-Bikelabz managing a 1-2 finish rewarding Ryan CHAN with the national U19 champion title, while Malvin LAI coming in a deserving 3 rd  after surviving the countless attack thrown at him.

 

 

Men's Junior Champion, Ryan Chan (PICO-Bikelabz) taking the win.

 

Anders Jarfors (Team RevSIN!) took the sprinters by surprise in the Mens Masters category, winning the race with a strong attack in the last lap, with Bergtor HAUGA (Team Joyrider) winning the bunch sprint  for a consolation 2nd. Top Singaporean sprinter Ronnie YAP (Team Cycleworx) took the championship with a strong 4th  place finish, reinforcing his podium finish 2 weeks ago in the Sprints Challenge.

 

While Dinah CHAN successfully defended her title by attacking early and drive the pace for the Womans Elite race, winning with a 90sec margin easily, it was a roller coaster ride for the Mens Elite riders. Team OCBC Bank Singapore featuring 6 riders was constantly on the break, wearing the pack down with chases and eventually managed to isolate defending champion LOW Ji Wen from his team.

 

 

Lee Rodger (Team Fuji) winning the open category leading Darren Low (Team Cycleworx) the top Singaporean into the line.

 

The select group of 11 riders forming the eventual winning pack is evenly distributed, with riders from Team OCBC Bank Singapore, Team Cannasia-Cannondale and Team Cycleworx having the most options. A surprise attack from Lee RODGERS (Team Fuji) 500metres from the line surprises the bigger team resulting in a split taking eventual Singapore National Champion Darren LOW (Team Cycleworx) and a few others off the front.

 

 

Darren Low (Team Cycleworx) the Singapore National Champion for 2010.

 

With 300metres to go, wheels touches bringing a bunch of riders down including favourites Vincent ANG (Team Cycleworx) and Junaidi HASHIM (Team OCBC Singapore), leaving Lee RODGERS to the race win and Darren  LOW crowned the National Champion, as the first Singaporean across the line.

 

 

Lee Rodger (Team Fuji) attacking the pack with 500 metres to go.

 

 

About DirTraction

DirTraction is a organization which seeks to promote cycling to adventure junkie and provide professional World Class racing in the region.

The organization’s core business is in the planning of regular cycing activities, including races and bike festivals, the development of cross discipline races, conducting bike clinics for entry level bikers, as well as trail-building and maintenance of offroad trails in the region. DirTraction’s vision is to cultivate Singapore’s community of outdoor sports lovers and to grow their sense of adventure for the future.

 

Stay tuned for more pictures!

 

Singapore MTB Carnival 2010 Report

The 2010 edition of the Singapore Mountainbike Carnival took place from the 29th to 30th of May 2010 at the newly-reopened Tampines Bike Park in the northeastern part of Singapore.

 

The bike park features almost 10 km of trails, with 3.5km being located within a fenced area that will form the Mountainbike  venue for the Youth Olympic Games in August. The park also features a world-class BMX race track which also will serve as a venue for the Youth Olympic Games for the BMX event.

 

The carnival played host to 5 main events, a UCI Category 3 Juniors XCO (Cross Country) race, a UCI Category 5 Juniors BMX race, a mountainbike BSX (Bicycle Supercross) race, an Offroad Time Trial and last but not least - the highlight of the carnival - the 12 Hour Mountainbike Night Marathon.

 

Not to be missed was also the Bike Demo Day, where bikes from brands like BMC, Polygon and Avanti were available for test riding, as well as the carnival itself which featured vendor booths from local distributors and shops, displaying products ranging from saddles to suspension forks, to energy supplements.

 

The Juniors XCO race saw participation from various countries like Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, and of course the host country Singapore. A total of 17 riders took to the start for the Junior Mens race, with Thai rider Satjakul SIANGLAM taking a surprise win, followed by Vadim GALEYEV from Kazakhstan and Idomu YAMAMOTO from Japan. The Junior Womens category saw 7 riders, with Elga Kharisma Novanda from Indonesia-East Java coming in first, followed by Manami Iwade from Japan and Indonesian rider Wilhelmina TUTUARIMA.

 

Juniors XCO Race Taking Off.

 

The BMX race was participated by riders from Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Thailand and Singapore. A total of XX motos were raced, which were mostly dominated by riders from the Japanese contingent. The Junior Mens race was pretty much wrapped up by the top 3 Japanese riders, Yoshitaku Watanabe, Jukia Yoshimura and Ryosuke Furuhata in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place respectively. The Junior Womens race however, played witness to a slightly different turn of events. While Japanese rider Kaede Watanabe clinched the top spot followed by Indonesian rider Kharisma Novanda Elga, 3rd place was a closely fought battle between Singapore’s Nur Nasthasia Nadiah and Japanese rider Manami Iwade,where photo-finish placed Nur Nasthasia at 3rd place, giving Singapore an unexpected but sweet podium.

 

A Singapore Rider railing the mega turns of the newly build BMX track.

 

The BSX race, which took place right after the BMX was a mostly local affair, giving a chance to mountainbike riders to test the newly completed BMX track. The participants were varied, ranging from riders as young as 15 to 30, riding a host of different variants of mountainbikes from full-suspension specialist fourcross bikes to fully-rigid street-style hardtails. Two categories were contested, Juniors and Open – with the Juniors being won by Alex Sheesby, followed by William CHAN and Foo Jun Hao. The Open category was won by Singaporean national downhill riders Tan Hong Chun, Ian Krempl and Irvin Tan with much style, flair and big air as opposed to the previous BMX race where riders focused more on staying close to the ground and squashing the jumps.

 

Ian Krempl (Middle) and Hong Chun (right) in constant air battle.

 

The Offroad Time Trial which was an event specially held for the kids, took place in between the qualifying and race motos of the BMX race. Four categories were contested – Juniors A, Juniors B, Kids C and Kids D. Where the youngest rider in the race, Stewart McNab from Malaysia stole much attention from the crowd with his earnest efforts at completing the 1.5km distance, no mean feat for a 3-year old.

 

Ideal weather and dry conditions bode well for the 12 Hour Mountainbike Marathon that took place from 5pm Saturday 29th May to 5am the next day. A total of 350 riders participated in the race, divided into Mens Solo, Womens Solo, Mens Duo, Mixed Duo, Mens Quad and Mixed Quad categories.

 

Notable entries such as Team Maverick, Pico-Bikelabz, Cannasia-MonaVie-Cannondale and Chiru Endurance Team were present, as were other dark horses like the Filipino Yakap-Pinoy team, Token-KTCC- Puncacipta team from Malaysia, and local clubs Five-O and ANZA Cycling. Participation was a varied affair with riders coming from all around Asia, Australasia and beyond, proving that the annual race was starting to make ripples outside of the immediate region and perhaps signaling the beginnings of a truly classic Asian mountainbike event.

 

Intense start at the 5pm flag off for the 12hrs Mountain Bike Night Marathon.

 

The race flagged off on time, and over 150 riders dashed through the first 2 straights, racing for the bottleneck entry to the singletrack section. The first half of the race track took place on the Youth Olympics section of the trail, before heading back to the open area near the start line, going through the feed and transition zone, then out the gates to the second half of the race route which took place in the unfenced portion of the park. Both halves differ greatly in riding style, with the Youth Olympics section being much tighter, yet flowy with generous banked turns, rollers and various rock sections, which are all handbuilt. The outer section is a lot less sanitized, with rocky climbs and descents, clay singletrack, and long stretches of fireroads. A crash into the bush also means a meeting with a local pest flora, the prickly Mimosa or “touch- me-not” which features leaves that fold inwards upon touch, as well as plenty of thorns.

 

As the race wore on, some riders started cramping, perhaps signaling a lack of warm-up or sufficient intake of fluids. Thankfully, any major crashes were averted, perhaps in part thanks to the fully moonlit night. The feed and transition zone was a flurry of activity, with various riders and teams either refilling their hydration equipment, passing their timing chips to teammates or just plain resting.

 

The neutral technical support tent, kindly staffed by local bike shop L&T Cycles and suspension tuners AG Suspension was also kept busy with broken chains and other assorted mechanical issues. Many teams were observed making themselves comfortable - some had hot food ready, while others had gone to the trouble of hiring a masseuse for the night.

 

Predictably, the momentum wore down as the race went on into the wee hours of the morning, but as the race drew closer to the cut-off time for the last lap at 4:15am, a fresh wave of energy surged through the crowd, with teams yelling at their riders to hurry to the feed zone and through the gate before it closed. As the gate closed at 4:15 sharp, a few riders made a futile dash towards the feed zone. A hint of dejection could be detected, only to be replaced by relief as they realized that at least their ordeal was finally over.

 

Anuar Manan (Geumsan Ginseng Asia) traded sprint for offroad racing, shadowed closely by Shahrom Abdullah(Monavie-Cannondale).

 

In the end, the Mens Solo race was won by Filipino Nilo Pedrozo Estayo of Team Yakap-Pinoy, followed by his compatriots and teammates Eusebio Zaldua Quinones and Alvin Abanil Benosa. The Womens Solo winner was Dennex Lui of Hong Kong followed by Chow Sian May and Priscilla Chen.

 

The Mens Duo title was taken by the Chiru Endurace team of Pierre Le Magnan and Cosmo Richards, followed by the Cannasia-Mona Vie-Cannondale team of Nathan Baltoski and Richard Sinclair, and the Cannondale-ANZA  team  of  Fraser  Morrison  and  Tim  Clarsen.  The  Mixed  Duo  category  saw  local domination, with the PICO-BikeLabz team of Tan Yeow Chung and Noor Aizan Alias taking the win, followed by team Five-O consisting of Michael Maxwell and Louise Donaldson and the Singapore Bike Hash team of Tim Magee and Wendy Lee.

 

The biggest category, the Mens Quad saw Team Maverick comprising of Paul Moir, Pat Brunsdon, Michael Tighe and Ashley Howlett taking the win, followed by Team Token-KTCC-Puncacipta consisting of Azizulazli Shaari, Mohd Arif Syukri, Mohd Nor Umardi and Mohd Shafari from Malaysia, and the ANZA Fireflys, consisting of Andrew Bell, Richard Paine, Paul Reyburn and Julian Gorman. The Mixed Quad category was won by PICO-Bikelabz, comprising Samuel Yang, Mariana Mohamad, Nur Amirul Fakharuddin, and Khiarol, followed by team Hammer n’ Tongs in second, consisting of Victor Young, Jeff Drewitz, Lynda Scott, and Martin Gilliland. Team Cyclorum.com, consisting of Ellery Png, Joshua Png, Daniel Koh and Zahraa Anuar came in third.

 

12 Hour MTB Marathon - Tips & More!

With the Singapore Mountain Bike Carnival just days away, we want to get you ready and prepared for your race. Read on for more guides and preparation tips on how to prepare for your big day!

 

Preparation & Racing Tips

1. Have ample amount of rest before the event. A night of poor sleep would not really harm you that much, but a couple of nights prior to the event would definitely make an impact.

 

2. Keep your intake of liquids high before the night, leading up to the event. It is extremely vital to stay hydrated as you would constantly be losing water throughout the event.

 

3. Do not leave your preparations until the eleventh hour. Ensure that all the required feeding items are prepared in advance, such as your favourite food, drinks, clothes and tools. Making a checklist would certainly help.

 

4. If the event is held out of your home country, it would be good to lodge near the race venue so that travelling to and fro would not create too much of an hassle. If it is held in your home country, it should not be too much of a problem.

 

5. Having a support crew would definitely take a big load off your chest, especially if you are doing the solo event. If you have a team with you, your team can take on the role of support crew when you are out there riding.

 

6. Bring different variations of food to the race. Do not solely rely on the food you usually eat, or would love to eat while on the go. Usually when you are hours into the event, any other type of food other than the regular would betempting. If you are the type of rider whole rely largely on gels and other liquid based food, I’m sorry, but it would be good to have solid food too. After riding out there for hours, your body would be dying to have a bite of something solid rather than constantly sapping down liquids.

 

7. Pace yourself. Go at a speed you’re comfortable at. Do not try to keep up with the hardcore speedsters. Even though many of them may ride pass you at the start, chances are that you would slowly reel them back one by one, provided you pace yourself well too. You’ll be shocked to see the number of people that actually burn themselves out early in the race and possibly even DNF-ing.

 

8. Try getting yourself physically prepared for the event by riding long distance, getting yourself used to the long saddle time and pacing. You may also want to try getting hold of people who have done such events before. Getting first hand tips and info from such riders may help you with what to do and what not to do. Also, it is important to sample the different variations of food and drinks you intend to consume during the event. Do not try something new on the event day itself. The last thing you want would be to rage a war with the toilet.

 

9. Make sure your bicycle is in tip top condition for the event. The last thing you want after all the hard preparations is a mechanical failure that stops your race. Pay extra attention to the drive train, the shifting, braking, tire and brake pads wear rate. Ensure that all screws and nuts are tightened. Also make sure that you have your repair kit and spares on standby. Such as spare tube, tire, tire levers, pump, allen key set, lubricant and rags. Also, you would need your front and rear lights and spare batteries too if your event is running into the night.

 

10. Most importantly, go with the right attitude and have fun. Whether you are competitively well prepared or going in there just to complete the endurance event, make sure that after the whole event is over, you would be leaving the venue with no regrets and even a smile on your face. Give others a helping hand when need be. After all, you would want the same too if you’re in need of help somewhere out there in the course.

 

 

Equipment & Bike

Get a proper minor service done on your bike

Prepare your equipment for both wet and dry conditions

Standby your spares and repair kit

Get spare lights and batteries, both tested and ready to be put to use. (If your event runs into the night)

Your Personal Riding Gear

Clothing choice is a important one for such events. You would want to stay dry  as often as you can. This would mean preparing at least 2 sets of cycling attire. If it is raining during the event, it is extremely important to stay warm, not dry. This would even mean having arm and leg warmers, a rain or wind jacket and sometimes even shoe covers and full-finger gloves.

 

Have fun!

 

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Basics to bike fitting

Having a pain somewhere while riding? Get your bike fitted well. Here are some tips to aid you with fitting you bike. We are no bike fitting professionals buy we hope that the tips would help!

 

 

1) Pedal/Shoe Adjustments

Adjustment: The most efficient way of pedalling is by using the balls of your feet. But the thing is, it is possible to end up pedalling on your arches or on the tip of your toes unless you have something to keep your feet in place.

How to do it: Toe clips or a clipless pedal system would be ideal for most cyclist. Mount the cleats to the bottom of the cycling shoe so that when engaged into the clipless pedals, the balls of your feet would be placed centered over the pedals. If you are doing it for the first time, it is best to have it fitted by a professional bike fitter.

 

2) Seat Forward/Backward Position

Adjustment: Ensure that the bike is levelled on the trainer. Get onto the bike and cycle a little, getting into your usual cycling position. Stop pedalling with one foot at the three o’clock position. Have someone to level out the crank arm. Maintain that position while your helper holds a plumb line (a thread with a weight hanging on the end would do) against the indentation just beneath the bone at the base of your kneecap. Adjust the saddle forward or backward to fit the position. Remember, the plumb line must be perpendicular to the centre of the pedal when the forward leg is at the 3 o’clock position. Adjust the seat fore and aft on the rails until the plumb line bisects the pedal axle. Make sure your knee is not in front of the center of the pedal when the forward leg is at 3 o'clock.

How to do it: Loosen the same bolt used to angle the seat (see Seat Angle section).

 

3) Seat Angle

Adjustment: Start with the rear section of the saddle level with the ground. Generally, you would want the base of your pelvic bone to be resting on the saddle. Adjust the angle degree by degree to find a sweet spot (maximum of +- 3 degrees).

How to do it: On most seat post, there is a bolt near the top of the seat post that loosens, allowing you to adjust the saddle.

 

 

 

4) Seat Height

Adjustment: In your cycling attire (especially in your cycling shorts/tights and cycling shoes), place your bike on a trainer or find somewhere that allows you hold yourself up while pedalling on the bike. Raise the seat height until your leg is fully extended when your heel is on the lower pedal. Ensure that when your heel is placed on the pedal, your hips are not tilting. Once done, Clip into the pedals or have them placed where they are normally are and start pedalling. Your hips should not be rocking, but rather stable. If your hips are still rocking, chances are that your seat height may be a little high.

How to do it: The Allen bolt that holds the seat post in place is on the seat clamp at the bottom of the seat post. Pedal until one pedal is placed at the bottom. Your heel should just be able to touch the lower pedal with your leg straight so when you place the ball of the foot on the pedal (ball over the center of the pedal) your knee will bend. This is a great first stepping stone for getting the right seat height

 

5) Reach to the Handlebars

Adjustment: Comfort is key in deciding this. Generally, you would be able to reach the various handlebar positions on the bike while being comfortable. This would mean you would not need to lock your elbows, straining your back or neck, or simply having to move to the edge or back of your saddle. Sit and spin on the trainer for a couple of minutes to have a feel of it.

Another test: While on the bike, look down at your handlebar and see if it is in line with your front hub. On road bikes, the ideal reach is when the bar hides the hub. On mountain bikes, the ideal reach is usually when the bar is placed an inch ahead of the hub.

How to do it: To change the reach, you would require a longer or shorter stem. (The component that holds the handlebar.

 

6) Handlebar Height

Adjustment: Comfort is vital. Without comfort, it would be difficult for endurance to come in. If you experience lower back, neck, arms or palm pains, you’re most probably leaning too far forward on the bike. If all your weight in on the saddle, you are probably sitting too upright and taking all the impact from the road through your butt. On road bikes, handlebar height varies from matching the height of the saddle to 4 inches lower (In extreme race position). On mountain bikes, the seat height begins at the seat level to about 3 inches lower than the seat.  Handle bar height may be higher as well, depending on the rider.

How to do it: Loosen the stem and raise/lower the whole cockpit by adding or removing the spacers. If there are no spacers to play around with, you would require a stem with a higher degree of angle.

 

 

Hong Chun regains national title after 5 years

The 2010 edition of the Singapore  National Cycling  Championship returns to the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, with a new extended race course of 7km featuring longish single track, technical sections and fire trails.

 

 

 

Hong Chun TAN, the top finisher of the Mens ELITE cross country event, took his 2nd  Singapore cross country mountain biking crown after a 5 years break. The Mens ELITE race, raced under wet and muddy condition, showcase the depth of CannAsia-Cannondale team where the team took a clean sweep of the top 3 position with Tim WILKINS, Shahrom ABDULLAH, Fraser MORRISON, before Hong Chun TAN (THC Racing) raced to a strong 4th   place finish and the national title.

 

Hong Chun TAN (THC Racing) winning his 2nd cross country title after 5 years.

 

Bernice CHEN (L&T Cycle) and Lynda SCOTT (Hammer/Carmichael/Maverick) are the 2 finishers for the Womens Elite event, where Lynda took control of the race at the technical section leaving Bernice and Priscilla to fight out for the national title. Priscilla CHEN was forced to withdraw from the race after a strong first lap with respiratory problems, allowing Bernice to cruise to win the national champion title.

 

Bernice CHEN (L&T) racing to win the Womens crown.

 

Joshua PNG, the defending champion, retains his crown with a strong ride, pitting Daniel KOH to the line with a strong and calculated ride in the last 50metres. The pair raced neck to neck for the entire race, gaining almost 5mins over the chasing group of Ivan TAY (Team Conticomponents) and Ryan CHAN (PICO-BikeLabz).

 

Joshua PNG winning his 2nd consecutive U19 title.

 

Thing are a lot clearer for the masters race with Richard SINCLAIR (Cannasia-Cannondale) rode a commanding race at the front and won the race with a 6mins winning margin over the eventual national champion Alvin LIM (Eclipse Sports). Roslan bin Ahmad, the defending champion, couldn't match the blistering pace in the wet today, managed a respectable 7th placing finish.

 

For more information about Dirtraction, check them out at www.dirtraction.com.

 

 

Singapore National Road Championships 2010

The 2010 edition of the Singapore National Cycling Championship took place on a flat wind sweep course in northern Singapore at Fernvale circuit, Sengkang Singapore.

 

With defending champion, LOW Ji Wen (Team Geumsan Ginseng Asia) and Dinah CHAN (Passione Bikes) back to defend their Mens and Womens Elite title respectively, the race on the flattish 6km circuit turn out to be explosive with attacks happening throughout the morning.

 

Defending Champions, Low Ji Wen (Geumsan Ginseng Asia) chasing back a late break.

 

The Under-19 Juniors category was raced in a semi wet condition after a morning downpour. Defending Champion,  Malvin  LAI  (Team  Cycleworx)  is  certainly  a  marked  man  with  riders  from  PICO-Bikelabz attacking throughout the race. The strategy pay off with PICO-Bikelabz managing a 1-2 finish rewarding Ryan CHAN with the national U19 champion title, while Malvin LAI coming in a deserving 3 rd  after surviving the countless attack thrown at him.

 

 

Men's Junior Champion, Ryan Chan (PICO-Bikelabz) taking the win.

 

Anders Jarfors (Team RevSIN!) took the sprinters by surprise in the Mens Masters category, winning the race with a strong attack in the last lap, with Bergtor HAUGA (Team Joyrider) winning the bunch sprint  for a consolation 2nd. Top Singaporean sprinter Ronnie YAP (Team Cycleworx) took the championship with a strong 4th  place finish, reinforcing his podium finish 2 weeks ago in the Sprints Challenge.

 

While Dinah CHAN successfully defended her title by attacking early and drive the pace for the Womans Elite race, winning with a 90sec margin easily, it was a roller coaster ride for the Mens Elite riders. Team OCBC Bank Singapore featuring 6 riders was constantly on the break, wearing the pack down with chases and eventually managed to isolate defending champion LOW Ji Wen from his team.

 

 

Lee Rodger (Team Fuji) winning the open category leading Darren Low (Team Cycleworx) the top Singaporean into the line.

 

The select group of 11 riders forming the eventual winning pack is evenly distributed, with riders from Team OCBC Bank Singapore, Team Cannasia-Cannondale and Team Cycleworx having the most options. A surprise attack from Lee RODGERS (Team Fuji) 500metres from the line surprises the bigger team resulting in a split taking eventual Singapore National Champion Darren LOW (Team Cycleworx) and a few others off the front.

 

 

Darren Low (Team Cycleworx) the Singapore National Champion for 2010.

 

With 300metres to go, wheels touches bringing a bunch of riders down including favourites Vincent ANG (Team Cycleworx) and Junaidi HASHIM (Team OCBC Singapore), leaving Lee RODGERS to the race win and Darren  LOW crowned the National Champion, as the first Singaporean across the line.

 

 

Lee Rodger (Team Fuji) attacking the pack with 500 metres to go.

 

 

About DirTraction

DirTraction is a organization which seeks to promote cycling to adventure junkie and provide professional World Class racing in the region.

The organization’s core business is in the planning of regular cycing activities, including races and bike festivals, the development of cross discipline races, conducting bike clinics for entry level bikers, as well as trail-building and maintenance of offroad trails in the region. DirTraction’s vision is to cultivate Singapore’s community of outdoor sports lovers and to grow their sense of adventure for the future.

 

Stay tuned for more pictures!

 

Singapore MTB Carnival 2010 Report

The 2010 edition of the Singapore Mountainbike Carnival took place from the 29th to 30th of May 2010 at the newly-reopened Tampines Bike Park in the northeastern part of Singapore.

 

The bike park features almost 10 km of trails, with 3.5km being located within a fenced area that will form the Mountainbike  venue for the Youth Olympic Games in August. The park also features a world-class BMX race track which also will serve as a venue for the Youth Olympic Games for the BMX event.

 

The carnival played host to 5 main events, a UCI Category 3 Juniors XCO (Cross Country) race, a UCI Category 5 Juniors BMX race, a mountainbike BSX (Bicycle Supercross) race, an Offroad Time Trial and last but not least - the highlight of the carnival - the 12 Hour Mountainbike Night Marathon.

 

Not to be missed was also the Bike Demo Day, where bikes from brands like BMC, Polygon and Avanti were available for test riding, as well as the carnival itself which featured vendor booths from local distributors and shops, displaying products ranging from saddles to suspension forks, to energy supplements.

 

The Juniors XCO race saw participation from various countries like Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, and of course the host country Singapore. A total of 17 riders took to the start for the Junior Mens race, with Thai rider Satjakul SIANGLAM taking a surprise win, followed by Vadim GALEYEV from Kazakhstan and Idomu YAMAMOTO from Japan. The Junior Womens category saw 7 riders, with Elga Kharisma Novanda from Indonesia-East Java coming in first, followed by Manami Iwade from Japan and Indonesian rider Wilhelmina TUTUARIMA.

 

Juniors XCO Race Taking Off.

 

The BMX race was participated by riders from Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Thailand and Singapore. A total of XX motos were raced, which were mostly dominated by riders from the Japanese contingent. The Junior Mens race was pretty much wrapped up by the top 3 Japanese riders, Yoshitaku Watanabe, Jukia Yoshimura and Ryosuke Furuhata in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place respectively. The Junior Womens race however, played witness to a slightly different turn of events. While Japanese rider Kaede Watanabe clinched the top spot followed by Indonesian rider Kharisma Novanda Elga, 3rd place was a closely fought battle between Singapore’s Nur Nasthasia Nadiah and Japanese rider Manami Iwade,where photo-finish placed Nur Nasthasia at 3rd place, giving Singapore an unexpected but sweet podium.

 

A Singapore Rider railing the mega turns of the newly build BMX track.

 

The BSX race, which took place right after the BMX was a mostly local affair, giving a chance to mountainbike riders to test the newly completed BMX track. The participants were varied, ranging from riders as young as 15 to 30, riding a host of different variants of mountainbikes from full-suspension specialist fourcross bikes to fully-rigid street-style hardtails. Two categories were contested, Juniors and Open – with the Juniors being won by Alex Sheesby, followed by William CHAN and Foo Jun Hao. The Open category was won by Singaporean national downhill riders Tan Hong Chun, Ian Krempl and Irvin Tan with much style, flair and big air as opposed to the previous BMX race where riders focused more on staying close to the ground and squashing the jumps.

 

Ian Krempl (Middle) and Hong Chun (right) in constant air battle.

 

The Offroad Time Trial which was an event specially held for the kids, took place in between the qualifying and race motos of the BMX race. Four categories were contested – Juniors A, Juniors B, Kids C and Kids D. Where the youngest rider in the race, Stewart McNab from Malaysia stole much attention from the crowd with his earnest efforts at completing the 1.5km distance, no mean feat for a 3-year old.

 

Ideal weather and dry conditions bode well for the 12 Hour Mountainbike Marathon that took place from 5pm Saturday 29th May to 5am the next day. A total of 350 riders participated in the race, divided into Mens Solo, Womens Solo, Mens Duo, Mixed Duo, Mens Quad and Mixed Quad categories.

 

Notable entries such as Team Maverick, Pico-Bikelabz, Cannasia-MonaVie-Cannondale and Chiru Endurance Team were present, as were other dark horses like the Filipino Yakap-Pinoy team, Token-KTCC- Puncacipta team from Malaysia, and local clubs Five-O and ANZA Cycling. Participation was a varied affair with riders coming from all around Asia, Australasia and beyond, proving that the annual race was starting to make ripples outside of the immediate region and perhaps signaling the beginnings of a truly classic Asian mountainbike event.

 

Intense start at the 5pm flag off for the 12hrs Mountain Bike Night Marathon.

 

The race flagged off on time, and over 150 riders dashed through the first 2 straights, racing for the bottleneck entry to the singletrack section. The first half of the race track took place on the Youth Olympics section of the trail, before heading back to the open area near the start line, going through the feed and transition zone, then out the gates to the second half of the race route which took place in the unfenced portion of the park. Both halves differ greatly in riding style, with the Youth Olympics section being much tighter, yet flowy with generous banked turns, rollers and various rock sections, which are all handbuilt. The outer section is a lot less sanitized, with rocky climbs and descents, clay singletrack, and long stretches of fireroads. A crash into the bush also means a meeting with a local pest flora, the prickly Mimosa or “touch- me-not” which features leaves that fold inwards upon touch, as well as plenty of thorns.

 

As the race wore on, some riders started cramping, perhaps signaling a lack of warm-up or sufficient intake of fluids. Thankfully, any major crashes were averted, perhaps in part thanks to the fully moonlit night. The feed and transition zone was a flurry of activity, with various riders and teams either refilling their hydration equipment, passing their timing chips to teammates or just plain resting.

 

The neutral technical support tent, kindly staffed by local bike shop L&T Cycles and suspension tuners AG Suspension was also kept busy with broken chains and other assorted mechanical issues. Many teams were observed making themselves comfortable - some had hot food ready, while others had gone to the trouble of hiring a masseuse for the night.

 

Predictably, the momentum wore down as the race went on into the wee hours of the morning, but as the race drew closer to the cut-off time for the last lap at 4:15am, a fresh wave of energy surged through the crowd, with teams yelling at their riders to hurry to the feed zone and through the gate before it closed. As the gate closed at 4:15 sharp, a few riders made a futile dash towards the feed zone. A hint of dejection could be detected, only to be replaced by relief as they realized that at least their ordeal was finally over.

 

Anuar Manan (Geumsan Ginseng Asia) traded sprint for offroad racing, shadowed closely by Shahrom Abdullah(Monavie-Cannondale).

 

In the end, the Mens Solo race was won by Filipino Nilo Pedrozo Estayo of Team Yakap-Pinoy, followed by his compatriots and teammates Eusebio Zaldua Quinones and Alvin Abanil Benosa. The Womens Solo winner was Dennex Lui of Hong Kong followed by Chow Sian May and Priscilla Chen.

 

The Mens Duo title was taken by the Chiru Endurace team of Pierre Le Magnan and Cosmo Richards, followed by the Cannasia-Mona Vie-Cannondale team of Nathan Baltoski and Richard Sinclair, and the Cannondale-ANZA  team  of  Fraser  Morrison  and  Tim  Clarsen.  The  Mixed  Duo  category  saw  local domination, with the PICO-BikeLabz team of Tan Yeow Chung and Noor Aizan Alias taking the win, followed by team Five-O consisting of Michael Maxwell and Louise Donaldson and the Singapore Bike Hash team of Tim Magee and Wendy Lee.

 

The biggest category, the Mens Quad saw Team Maverick comprising of Paul Moir, Pat Brunsdon, Michael Tighe and Ashley Howlett taking the win, followed by Team Token-KTCC-Puncacipta consisting of Azizulazli Shaari, Mohd Arif Syukri, Mohd Nor Umardi and Mohd Shafari from Malaysia, and the ANZA Fireflys, consisting of Andrew Bell, Richard Paine, Paul Reyburn and Julian Gorman. The Mixed Quad category was won by PICO-Bikelabz, comprising Samuel Yang, Mariana Mohamad, Nur Amirul Fakharuddin, and Khiarol, followed by team Hammer n’ Tongs in second, consisting of Victor Young, Jeff Drewitz, Lynda Scott, and Martin Gilliland. Team Cyclorum.com, consisting of Ellery Png, Joshua Png, Daniel Koh and Zahraa Anuar came in third.

 

12 Hour MTB Marathon - Tips & More!

With the Singapore Mountain Bike Carnival just days away, we want to get you ready and prepared for your race. Read on for more guides and preparation tips on how to prepare for your big day!

 

Preparation & Racing Tips

1. Have ample amount of rest before the event. A night of poor sleep would not really harm you that much, but a couple of nights prior to the event would definitely make an impact.

 

2. Keep your intake of liquids high before the night, leading up to the event. It is extremely vital to stay hydrated as you would constantly be losing water throughout the event.

 

3. Do not leave your preparations until the eleventh hour. Ensure that all the required feeding items are prepared in advance, such as your favourite food, drinks, clothes and tools. Making a checklist would certainly help.

 

4. If the event is held out of your home country, it would be good to lodge near the race venue so that travelling to and fro would not create too much of an hassle. If it is held in your home country, it should not be too much of a problem.

 

5. Having a support crew would definitely take a big load off your chest, especially if you are doing the solo event. If you have a team with you, your team can take on the role of support crew when you are out there riding.

 

6. Bring different variations of food to the race. Do not solely rely on the food you usually eat, or would love to eat while on the go. Usually when you are hours into the event, any other type of food other than the regular would betempting. If you are the type of rider whole rely largely on gels and other liquid based food, I’m sorry, but it would be good to have solid food too. After riding out there for hours, your body would be dying to have a bite of something solid rather than constantly sapping down liquids.

 

7. Pace yourself. Go at a speed you’re comfortable at. Do not try to keep up with the hardcore speedsters. Even though many of them may ride pass you at the start, chances are that you would slowly reel them back one by one, provided you pace yourself well too. You’ll be shocked to see the number of people that actually burn themselves out early in the race and possibly even DNF-ing.

 

8. Try getting yourself physically prepared for the event by riding long distance, getting yourself used to the long saddle time and pacing. You may also want to try getting hold of people who have done such events before. Getting first hand tips and info from such riders may help you with what to do and what not to do. Also, it is important to sample the different variations of food and drinks you intend to consume during the event. Do not try something new on the event day itself. The last thing you want would be to rage a war with the toilet.

 

9. Make sure your bicycle is in tip top condition for the event. The last thing you want after all the hard preparations is a mechanical failure that stops your race. Pay extra attention to the drive train, the shifting, braking, tire and brake pads wear rate. Ensure that all screws and nuts are tightened. Also make sure that you have your repair kit and spares on standby. Such as spare tube, tire, tire levers, pump, allen key set, lubricant and rags. Also, you would need your front and rear lights and spare batteries too if your event is running into the night.

 

10. Most importantly, go with the right attitude and have fun. Whether you are competitively well prepared or going in there just to complete the endurance event, make sure that after the whole event is over, you would be leaving the venue with no regrets and even a smile on your face. Give others a helping hand when need be. After all, you would want the same too if you’re in need of help somewhere out there in the course.

 

 

Equipment & Bike

Get a proper minor service done on your bike

Prepare your equipment for both wet and dry conditions

Standby your spares and repair kit

Get spare lights and batteries, both tested and ready to be put to use. (If your event runs into the night)

Your Personal Riding Gear

Clothing choice is a important one for such events. You would want to stay dry  as often as you can. This would mean preparing at least 2 sets of cycling attire. If it is raining during the event, it is extremely important to stay warm, not dry. This would even mean having arm and leg warmers, a rain or wind jacket and sometimes even shoe covers and full-finger gloves.

 

Have fun!

 

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Giro d'Italia Stage 1-5 Report

Stay tuned as we bring you coverage from the Giro d'Italia 2010.

 

 

Stage 1 (Amsterdam - Amsterdam (ITT) 8.4km)

Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky), Britan's time trial champion won the first stage of the Giro d'Italia, claiming the maglia rosa, with Brent Bookwalter and Cadel Evans of BMC Racing Team 2 seconds behind. It was Wiggins' first Grand Tour stage win as well as leader's jersey, likewise for his team, Team Sky, winning a stage for their inaugural Grand Tour.

 

Stage 2 (Amsterdam - Utrecht 210km)

An epic stage with many crashes. Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Transitions) came back from a crash of his own, to win the second stage of the giro at Utrecht, out sprinting Matthew Gross (Team HTC-Columbia) and Fabio Sabatini (Liquigas-Goimo).


Stage 3 (Amsterdam - Middelburg 224km)

Another long day in the saddle, which ended in a bunch sprint, giving Wouter Weylandt the opportunity to grab the biggest win of his cycling career, beating Graeme Brow (Rabobank) and Robert Förster (Milram).


Stage 4 (Savigliano - Cuneo (TTT) 33km)

Liquigas-Doimo bagged the 4th stage of the Giro d’Italia on Wednesday, 12 May. The 33km Team Time Trial(TTT) started off from Savigliano to Cuneo. They set the benchmark timing of 36:37, with no other teams coming close by. Team Sky came in 13 seconds after, followed by Team HTC-Columbia, by 21 seconds.

With this stage win, Liquigas-Doimo's Vincenzo Bibali, who started off stage 4 with five seconds behind the overall leader Alexandre Vinokourov of Team Astana, took on the Maglia Rosa.


Stage 5 (Novara - Novi Lingure 162km)

A long and successful breakaway by Jerome Pineau (Quick Step), Julien Fouchard (Confidis) and Yukiya Arashiro (Bbox Bouyges Telecom) put them in 1st, 2nd, 3rd place respectively, just 4 seconds ahead of the peleton!

 

 

CG Racing Brigade News

Cedric Gracia reports from the CG Racing Brigade.

 

"The Brigade arrived in Lisbonne after the Santa Cruz test camp in Louza, where i tested my new V10 carbon bike. I was amazed with this new bike that is not only superb but also works perfect. Kevin assembled the bike with all my parts and let's go for a ride in Lisbon city!"

 

 

"We didn't laugh that much when we got there, and noticed the weather was really shit. The day started with storm and rain, which is a bit scary for a DH race on paved streets. As the conditions were so sketchy, i decided to hold on the power horses and avoid injuries, as I noticed during practice it was really easy to go and touch the ground. Like the other top-pilots, we didn't take too much risk!"

 

"I finished 6th, at the end, pretty pleased for a first race on my carbon bike for the Brigade. Thanks to the team and see you in a week time in Maribor for the first DH world cup race. That's where the real game is going to start!"

 

CG, the sergeant.

 

Bikes n Bites Official Opening

Yes! It's not just a new bicycle shop, but it's also a cafe for fellow riders to hang out! The shop is just a stone throw away from Bukit Timah Hill, at the old Fire Station, which is now called Spectra.

 

http://www.cyclorum.com/index.php?option=com_joomgallery&func=watermark&catid=17&id=965&Itemid=56
Socializing and networking in progress

 

The launch of the new store was in collaboration with Charity Bike and Blade, which will be happening on 4 & 5 September 2010. (Wondering what is that about? check it out at, http://www.charitybnb.com.sg/).

 

http://www.cyclorum.com/index.php?option=com_joomgallery&func=watermark&catid=17&id=966&Itemid=56
A banner featuring the new Storck Aero 2, with anticipation of its arrival


Unfortunately, the Storck Aero 2 could not make it in time for the opening due to the volcanic ash that prevented flight from leaving Germany. However, we have news that it would be in stores around May/June!

 

Bike n Bites carries a wide range of Storck bicycles ranging from the Fascenario series to the Aero series. Storck owners also get discounted rates for bike servicing and maintenance!

 

http://www.cyclorum.com/index.php?option=com_joomgallery&func=watermark&catid=17&id=963&Itemid=56
The Storck Scenario 1.0 with Lightweight wheels

 

About Storck Bicycles

Storck Bicycle is the brainchild of Markus Storck.  Markus is commonly recognized within the industry as an engineering genius.  For over 15 years, Markus has been progressively pushing the frontiers of bike design under the Storck Bicycle brand name.

Numerous innovations in frame and component design that are standard in the industry today were developed, patented, and introduced by Storck Bicycle.  One example would be the Storck Powerarms Cranks.  These were the first all carbon cranks and held the title of the lightest cranks in the world for an entire decade.  Whereas other brands imitate, Storck innovates.

Bikes N Bites
The current Storck Aero

 

All Storck products are developed and assembled at our headquarters in Idstein, Germany. Our goal is to combine function and form at the highest technological and structural level possible. Using Solid Works software we are able to generate contemporary designs and make use of computer aided model development. We create forms that are perfectly harmonized with each other, and can optimize production tooling for carbon fiber composites. Our ideas can be quickly tested for feasibility and when we are finally satisfied transferred into series production.

For more information about Storck Bicycles, do check out: http://www.storckbicycle.com/

 

 

http://www.cyclorum.com/index.php?option=com_joomgallery&func=watermark&catid=17&id=964&Itemid=56
How often do you see an iMac in a bike shop?

 

Do check Bike n Bites out if you have a time, and if you're not planning on getting a new bike, you could hang out at the cafe after a ride. Bikes n Bites is located at:

Location
270 Upper Bukit Timah Road
#01-11 Blue@Spectra
Singapore 588211

Opening Hours :
Tues to Fri 11 am – 7 pm
Sat 8 am – 7 pm
Sun 8 am – 3 pm
Closed on Mondays and Public Holidays (Open by appointment only)

For more information, check out: www.bikesnbites.com


Bikes N Bites
Mechanic's workplace

 

 

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