IS 2018 THE BEST YEAR FOR MOUNTAIN BIKING YET?

Here we are a little over a month into the new year, and let’s take a look at some of the things that have happened, or are about to happen in the world of mountain biking. - Maydena Bike Park has opened. - A renewed National XCO and DHI series

is underway. - We’ve got a Junior XCO World Champion. - More fresh trails are being built at Blue Derby,

with a huge further expansion planned. - There’s a new mountain bike stage race in

Cairns this August. - Lightweight, long-travel bikes that pedal well

are a real thing. - Mountain biking continues to grow, and more

kilometres of trail are being built. - Mountain Bike Australia was recognised as a

National Sports Organisation. - The Commonwealth Games are just a couple

of months away. That’s just a few things that have just happened, or are coming up. But each one shows that our treasured sport is continuing to grow – and expand. When I started mountain biking I didn’t do any racing. I wanted to, but it seemed out of reach. But when I started that was the best way to find new trails and new people to ride with. 20 years ago mountain biking was a lot more about racing and competitions. But over the past 10-15 years that shift has been immense. Mountain biking is a rapidly growing recreational activity, and that’s one of the prime reasons we’re seeing increased growth in facilities and major infrastructure around the country. Who would have thought that multi-million dollar investment in mountain biking in regional towns would be possible, if you were asked about it 10 or 15 years ago? This growth brings diversity, and I hope we’ve captured that for you in this issue. From in-depth stories from the Crocodile Trophy and Cape to Cape, through to digging into the Kuranda Downhill track and its history, plus hearing about Brett Bellchamber’s lifetime of experience from 24 hour solo singlespeed racing to of course testing the dirt at Maydena Bike Park, we think this issue of Australian Mountain Bike highlights what is great about our sport, and how it continues to grow, expand and evolve. Dig in and enjoy the issue!