LETTER OF THE MONTH

IDEAL CONTENT

As a keen rider, I get really excited every time a new mountainbike magazine arrives at my local newsagent.

I usually flick through them to see what new products are available and if there’s content in there that I haven’t already read about on the internet.

As a female rider though I often find that there isn’t always a whole lot of products or articles that really address my needs in the sport, which often stops me from buying the magazine to read it more in depth.

I say this as a bit of context in order to express how much I appreciated all the women’s content in the last issue of AMB. It’s not just a token product or image, but it’s the variety of content integrated throughout the issue that made me feel the magazine is representing the sport as I experience it: a women’s trailbike review; Bec Henderson in the Trek Superfly ad; articles by female contributors; the intelligent (and non-condescending) X-Factor column at the back of the mag; and women as part of the the trail, development, travel and racing stories (not treated as an afterthought). The list goes on.

Women make up about 15 percent of race entrants and there’s a great deal more that just hit the trails for fun. It’s always bugged me that we don’t see similar representations of women riders in mountainbike media. Keep up the great work AMB. I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with in the next issue. Maybe one day soon we’ll even see a female shredding on the cover again too. ;)

Thanks so much for the feedback Anna. We have a great group of contributors here at AMB, and you’re spot on saying there’s far more women who ride as opposed to race. While Anna Beck might be trying to change this, I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying the mix of content and writers in AMB.

BIG TIME

I just want to commend you on the article ‘Big Time Build’ in the February/March issue. This is probably one of the most important topics facing all mountainbikers in Australia.

Without the countless hours that club volunteers put in and the work by companies like World Trail & IMBA, we would all struggling to find a decent place to ride.

I very much agree with Glen Jacobs comments about riders choosing to ride closed trails, and setting the build process back weeks and months. I am a member and volunteer trail builder at LDTR at Lysterfield, and it is a consistent problem with riders riding closed trails. On our trail build days (once a month), we try to close the sections of trail that we are working on for ours (and the riders) safety. But to a lot of riders, ‘Trail Closed’ signs just seem like a suggestion. Come on guys and girls, please stay off the closed trails. If you do, we can get the trails opened earlier, and they will be even better to ride on.

Since taking up MTBing 3 years ago, and joining LDTR, I have found that being on the trail building days gives you a whole new appreciation for the trails. You get to know the trails a lot better when you walk them, giving you a better ride when you smash them on the bike. Don’t just ride the trails, join a MTB club that does trail/build maintenance days and get involved with improving the riding experience for everyone.

Tim Brosnan Tim we’re glad to hear you liked the article, and even more stoked to hear you’re one of the dedicated people building trails for all of us. Your advice is great, join a club, respect the trails, and treat those who make them and maintain them with the utmost respect.

FIXED AT THE CLINIC

I’ve been riding with mates for years but, no matter what new bike parts I buy, I don’t seem to get a whole lot faster. After reading the article on skills clinics in your last issue I thought maybe I’d give one a go.

After a few hours of instruction and practice I learned about all sorts of things I’d never given a second thought to. Hitting my local trails again at home I could feel the difference straight away. I was holding my speed better over longer sections of track rather than constantly braking into corners and obstacles and having to put the power down again afterwards. Even Strava agrees that my riding has improved!

I recommend other riders consider reaping the advantages of one of the clinics you listed as well.

Michael Hobart, Tasmania

“I wanted to say how helpful I found the article ‘Ready to Rumble’ by Anna Beck, about planning

for a first race”