The Wellington Hill Climb Champs were run up Horokiwi during the week. It’s a climb I hadn’t ridden before but have been riding past for the last 3 months on my way to and from work. I was confident of a good result as my climbing has been going well and I am feeling pretty fit. I laughed to myself when a few riders made mention of the low spec’d bike I was riding and had never heard of Bergamont. It’s not always just about the bike, the legs and lungs make the critical difference…anyone can get a top spec’d bike, doesn’t mean they are winners! I won by 20secs, the other guys in the top-5 had bikes worth about 4 to 6 times the price of mine.
I’ve been without a road bike for a while so was really keen to get back on one again so I could continue my proper training for next year. My road bike is a Dolce 4.9, it’s the lowest spec’d road bike for Bergamont but it looks super hot with a white pearl and blue paint scheme and it rides really well. I have never owned a bike with Tiagra and a compact crankset. For riding to work and training it’s mint, nice not to be chewing through a top end groupset! In fact, I was thinking the other day when riding home that the compact cranks are perfect for MTB training because you can sustain a lower cadence which riders should be looking to do.
My MTB is the Fastlane Team which I raced on a few weeks ago in Christchurch, I am on the right size bike this time...a medium. I have raced a few bikes over the years and all have been really fun to ride but I love the way the Fastlane handles, it’s responsive, nimble and loves being ridden like a bmx bike. The head angle is perfect, the top tube length is bang on, and the top tube is quite low which I find gives the bike a “small” look..that’s a good thing too. The Fastlane Team is a amazingly spec’d bike with Magura Marta SL brakes, Syntace post/bar/stem, Truvativ carbon cranks. The fork is a Magura Durin Race MD100l and Fox rp23 shock works wonders. All round this is a brilliant bike for the Elite XC racer or for a recreational rider wanting a fast light bike to blast round the trails in the weekend and one I will enjoy racing this season.
Bex also got herself a new bike too, she choose a Bergamont Fastlane 9.9. The 9.9 is fantastic, great for someone looking for a top notch race spec’d bike at an affordable price or for a rider wanting all-round fun on the trails. This is a mint little bike for Bex. Comes with Fox 100RLC fork and Fox RP2 shock, full xt groupset with DT Swiss 1800 wheelset. The small size is perfect for her with a nice short toptube and slack head angle for control and confidence.
It has an anodized black finish with red and white graphics…..she’s chosen well – it’s a cool little machine!
I did two good days riding at Makara Peak this weekend. I am blown away with how cool the tracks are up there. Bex and I enjoyed riding with Rex from Rocket Bikes and his partner Ange on Saturday. Can’t help being slightly jealous of their place just seconds from the main Makara carpark! Sunday it was a early mission for me with Bex joining part way through the ride. The weather in Wellington is changeable on a good day…we had a great mix this weekend from a foggy blanket to tornado like winds and then the sunshine, the tracks were bone dry. Found the T3 trail again, old skool tight and technical, great to see so many people out there enjoying themselves.
Well I hope everyone has a good Xmas. Try not to eat too much..riding your bike is better for you! Enjoy
nice bikes! it is the rider,legs and lungs that get the bike along the trails
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