If the world of mountain bike websites were like the world of Thomas the Tank Engine, Pink Bike would be Gordon (scroll down to the persona bit) but it seems of late NSMB has taken the title of Thomas, the little website that could. If you don’t visit NSMB daily then you need to start; they are hands down creating some of the best original content on the web at the moment. Matt Dennison and Dan Barham’s videos are top knotch and Seb, Cam and Morgan’s editorials again are fresh and creative. On top of all that it’s not a bad site to look at. So after you’ve checked out Spoke in the morning I suggest you mosey over to NSMB. Why you could even bookmark it.

As promised here is the Wellington premiere date for Anthill’s new film Strength In Numbers. I may have just watched it and may be pretty damn awesome. Some of you may recall that Life Cycles sold out, so it may pay to get in quick to secure your ticket. If you haven’t watched the trailer yet it’s below again.

Tickets are available here…

Date: Thursday 17th May

Time: 7pm

Location:
Penthouse Cinemas
205 Ohiro Rd
Brooklyn
Wellington

And I’m just confirming prices but we will have actual DVD pre-orders up today as well.

We’re on the hunt for more Facebook likes. Manual, our big brother, is sitting on over 5000 and we’re way back at not even 2,500. So we thought we’d offer a little incentive to get you guys liking if you’re not already. We have a few of these sweet snap-back embroidered AVID caps to give away. Simply head over to Spoke‘s Facebook page here, hit the like button (maybe leave a comment) and you’re in to win. If you already like Spoke just tell us why we should give that hat to you (on the facebook page).

On the way back from the New Zealand premiere of Anthill’s new film Strength in Numbers I stopped in to check some new stuff from FSA and Gravity at Wide Open Distributors. Unfortunately customs were not cooperating and the 2013 stuff wasn’t quite there yet, but Matt did have a 2012 Turner 5 Spot all built up for a shred in the forest. It’s not too different from its predecessors, although you’ll notice out back it’s now rocking a 12mm axle and one burly as hell dropout. There’s also new cable routing and then the most obvious thing is that new bendy downtube, which creates a little extra space down in the shock area to allow coil shocks more room to breathe. Also, that MRP 2x guide isnt BB mounted anymore; the 2012 Turner 5 Spot features ISCG05 tabs.

The drive side of the 5 Spot's new 12mm axle.

Matt was also very keen to show off his brand new set of hand built (by Wide Open) Enve/Chris King carbon wheels. These things are pretty damn sexy and feature a super huge bead width and are just a little oversized, but don’t let the size fool you; these burly all-mountain hoops come in at 1575 grams a pair.

I should mention that those hoops are attached to some 2012 Marzocchi 55RC3 Ti Evo forks. We tested these a couple of years ago and absolutely loved them, but they’ve been on a diet since then and their 170mm of plushness now comes in at 2417grams. Git sum. Oh did I mention they have a three year warranty? No? Well they do…

FSA’s 2×10 386 cranks have been rocking three bolts for the past couple of years but for 2013 they will be looking more like these triples and heading to a four bolt patten, allowing a little more choice for customers going for aftermarket chainrings.

Customs were holding onto some new Gravity bars as well. The 740mm wide CSI flat bar has been out a while and in six weeks it will have a brother in the form of a 15mm rise version. Both bars feature a 9 degree backsweep and weigh in at 240 grams. The CSI is an alloy/carbon hybrid bar designed for DH/AM/Freeride and and offers a bit more resilience than a standard carbon bar when it comes to over-tightening stems and grips, and it also adds a bit more toughness when it come to impacts (crashing).

Oh, and we went riding. Matt on his first run down Billy T on the new 5 Spot.

How so? Were there some sketchy races goin’ on in the city?

Riding fast in inner city traffic is always sketchy. One ways and red lights just add to it.

Not really!

Thanks Chris.

We were overwhelmed with emails for the Strength in Numbers premiere, and we’ve just collated the doorlist for Auckland’s screening tomorrow night.

If you’re not on the list, unfortunately you didn’t make the cut.

Andrew Driver 1
Michael Mcclanaghan 1
Mark Thomas 1
Broken.Ink 1
Mrs vandenbosch 1
Gary Campbell 1
Mr Byron Scott 1
Mrs Byron Scott 1
Andrew Reid 1
Robert Dethridge 1
James Madelin 1
Anne Williams 1
Clinton Williams 1
Natallia Yanachkina 1
Andrew Cozens 1
Ian Parks 1
David Whiting 1
Cornwell, George 1
John Colthorpe 1
Darryn Goble 1
Frano Kleis 1
Brent Neighbour 1
Karl Cattanach 1
Phil Hughes 1
Simon Smith 1
Amanda Piearcey 1
Glen Frost 1
Mrs Caroline.Phillips 1
Mr Caroline.Phillips 1
Scott & Cherie 1
Lucas Burn 1
Nick Grant 1
Mark Baker 1
Shaun Hardman 1
Thompson, Jane 1
Karen Chance 1
Renata Fraguas 1
Bronwyn Duurloo 1
Dylan Staples 1
Dan Gannaway 1
Sharon Fitzgerald 1
Ryan Castle 1
Howard Chaffey 1
Jonny Mitchell 1
Nathan Stirling 1
Bailee Florence 1
Ivan Kovach 1
Frank Schlaffmann 1
Matt Grant 1
Glenn Collins 1
James Ledingham 1
Christian Nicklin 1
J9 1
Megan Gray 1
Anne Burney 1
Derek Bond 1
Alice Burney 1
Malcolm Graham 1
Aidan Ormond 1
Hayman, Eddie 1
Ric Church 1
Tony Yuretich 1
Dan McLaughlin 1
Scott Picken. 1
Matt Natural 1
Gayle High 1
Jason Hockly 1
Lewis Whitworth 1
Jerome Reil 1
Nicola Ritchie 1
Simeon 1
Anna P 1
Josh Smith 1

On Thursday next week—yup, next week—Red Bull and Spoke will be putting on the first of a bunch of screenings of Anthill’s highly anticipated film Strength in Numbers (trailer below). It’s gonna be at the Academy Cinema in Auckland and Red Bull want to make it a night to remember so they have decided to buy popcorn and ice cream for everyone. Better yet, the official New Zealand premiere won’t cost you a cent. That’s right Red Bull even purchased your ticket! Catch is though, tickets are limited. If you want a seat then you’ll need to email us here (don’t change the subject line) and in no more than 50 words tell us why you should get a ticket. We’ll let everyone know by 5pm Wednesday night via email who’s going and post the door list right here on Spokemagazine.com. Simple.

Email your 50 words here.

Strength
 in
 Numbers 
is 
an 
action 
sports 
film 
that
 explores
 mountain
 bike 
culture
 through
 the
 experiences
 of
 the
 world’s
 best
 riders.
 Anthill
 Films,
 in
 co‐production
 with
 Red
 Bull
 Media
 House,
 have
 created
 a
 film
 which
 will
 change
 the
 way
 the
 world
 sees
 mountain
 biking,
 both
 on
 and
 off
 the
 screen.
 Strength
 in
 Numbers
 combines
 progressive
 action
 and
 beautiful
 cinematography
 with
 compelling
 stories
 to
 show
 how
 the
 many
 different
 sides
 of
 mountain
 biking
 are
 all
 connected.
 
 The
 filmmakers,
 who
 brought
 you
 The
 Collective,
 Roam,
 Seasons
 and
 Follow
 Me,
 travelled
 the
 globe
 to
 find
 communities
 that
 represented
 the
 many
 sides
 of
 the
 sport,
 with
 film
 shoots
 in
 British
 Columbia, Nepal, Scotland,
 Austria,
 Switzerland,
 California,
 Utah
 and 
the
 Whistler
 Mountain
 Bike
 Park.
 
 For
 the
 crew
 and
 riders,
 Strength
 in
 Numbers
 represents
 a
 way
 to
 give 
back 
and 
progress
 the 
sport.
 
 The
 movie
 features
 a
 diverse
 selection
 of
 riders
 with
 some
 of
 the
 biggest
 names
 in
 the
 sport,
 including
 Andrew
 Shandro,
 Brandon
 Semenuk,
 Cam
 McCaul,
 Gee
 Atherton,
 Graham
 Agassiz,
 Matt
 Hunter,
 Rene
 Wildhaber,
 Thomas
 Vanderham
 and
 Wade
 Simmons.
 
 The
 cast
 consists
 of
 a
 mix
 of
 established
 pros,
 up
 and
 comers
 and
 local
 riders,
 with
 Anthony
 Messere,
 Adam
 Billinghurst,
 Rachel
 Atherton,
 Ryan
 Howard
 and
 Steve
 Smith
 also
 appearing
 in
 the
 film.
 “It’s
 been
 a
 long
 time
 coming 
and 
I
 can’t
 wait 
to
 see
 what
 the
 Anthill 
boys 
have
 put
 together”,
 says
 World
 Cup
 downhill
 champion 
Gee
 Atherton.
“For
 me,
 as
 a 
rider,
 it’s
 exciting
 to
 be
 part
 of
 something
 like
 this.
 It’s
 a
 chance
 to
 help
 progress
 and
 grow
 our
 sport.”

On
 May
 24,
 Strength
 in
 Numbers
 will
 be
 available
 for
 all
 to
 experience
 with
 the
 free
 online
 premiere
 on
 redbull.com/bike
 and
 will
 be
 released
 afterwards
 on
 DVD+BluRay
 and
 iTunes
 worldwide.
 Ultimately,
 the
 film’s
 mission
 is
 to
 inspire
 and
 show 
how we
 are 
all
 part 
of 
a
 global
 community
 that 
loves 
to
 ride.
 To 
do
 this,
 a 
basic 
version
 of
 the 
entire 
film 
will
 be
 streamed 
online
 for free 
in 
autumn
 2012.

Cam Cole gettin it done. Maybe if he didn't have a bottle stuffed in his pants he may have been able to take Anton down?

Because I wasn’t there I can’t really give you a race report, but by all accounts Christchurch’s first enduro event, The Port Hills Enduro, went down a treat, with over 90 racers showing up on the day to try this new style of racing. Just like Super Ds of old, the rider list is a good healthy mix of cross-country, downhill and good old fashioned trail riders. I mean just look at the podium; Joe Nation in 1st, Anton Cooper in 2nd and Cam Cole in 3rd. (Full results below.)

We’d love to hear in the comments from anyone that raced to get a bit of a first hand account. Oh and if you click any of the photos it will take you through to the a photo gallery provided by race organisers Bikecycle.co.nz.

Is enduro the cure for bike bigotry? With DH and XC sharing the podium we think so.

One time Nelson local and now traveling hillbilly Leif (not that Leif) even showed up.

See, Anton was so damn fast the camera couldn't even catch him. Either that or the fact that he was wearing Lycra made the photographer pull away.

PS Park rangers and walkers will be pleased to know that no bikes were ridden in the Wellington Botanic Gardens during this photoshoot.

Through a partnership with one of the world’s fastest growing digital content distribution companies, PixelMags, we are now able to bring our premium content to a broader audience by offering a seamless connection to our titles through the Newsstand platform. This move will enable readers in New Zealand, Australia and across the world immediate access to our titles on mobile devices.

The release of Manual and Spoke on iTunes Newsstand brings further strength to our existing online presence and adds significant value to traditional print advertising campaigns across both magazines.

It also allows us to build awareness of New Zealand talent and companies, both locally and internationally, by making our magazine accessible to new readers regardless of their proximity to traditional magazine retailers. Mobile readers can look forward to extended and enriched content in our future digital releases.

Manual magazine on iTunes Newsstand
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/manual-magazine/id514757991?mt=8

Spoke magazine on iTunes Newsstand
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/spoke-magazine/id514759866?mt=8

About First Floor Publishing

It all started at our parents’ houses back in 1997 on a dodgy PC. We were fuelled by junk food and cheap Malaysian. It was in this environment that Manual Magazine was born. Spoke Magazine was founded in 2001, and in 2003 we started First Floor Publishing so we could have a collective home for our magazines. In September 2008 our magazines became available in digital form for the first time.

Manual is now New Zealand’s leading skateboarding and snowboarding magazine, featuring national and international coverage of skateboarding, snowboarding, music and art, with an emphasis on quality photography, illustration and graphic design. Manual is published four times a year—March, June, September and December—and is available throughout New Zealand and Australia, and online at firstfloor.co.nz. Manual is also available digitally through iTunes Newsstand and Zinio.

Spoke was created in 2001 by Caleb Smith and Emma Gee as a response to the vast amount of generic mountain bike magazines available at the time. Spoke strives to bring a fresh and innovative look at mountain biking through original content, bold design and high quality production values. It provides an unbiased look at the lives and activities of mountain bikers in Aotearoa, consistently pushing the boundaries of mountain bike photography and graphic design. Spoke is published five times a year—February, April, June, September and December—and is available throughout New Zealand and Australia, and online at firstfloor.co.nz. Spoke is also available digitally through iTunes Newsstand and Zinio.

About PixelMags

PixelMags Inc. is one of the world’s fastest growing digital content distribution companies that is transforming the future of digital publishing by changing how publishers distribute interactive branded content. PixelMags reaches millions of digital readers daily, in over 33 different languages, and represents such publishers as Hearst UK, Crain Communications Inc., Imagine Publishing, Dennis Publishing and more. PixelMags is a privately held company, with offices located in Los Angeles and London. Follow PixelMags on Facebook (facebook.com/pixelmags) and Twitter (@pixelmags).

Well it took a little longer than expected but the Yeti SB95 is finally built. After ordering the stated front derailleur in the SB95 owner’s manual it turned out to be wrong (the manual) and we had to wait for a new front mech to arrive. Anyway it’s done now and the bike has had a few rides. Nothing big enough to constitute giving any initial feedback other than the thing climbs and pedals exceptionally well (I rode it home from our sea level office the other day). Off road it’s only been out for a small ride on the weekend, but I’ll be getting out on it a lot more over the coming weeks, so there will be some first thoughts coming at you pretty soon. Build-wise most of it has come off the Niner WFO9 like the Easton Carbon Haven wheels, Fox 140mm 34s, Avid Code brakes, RockShox Reverb and the X9 rear mech. SRAM came to the party and provided the bike with a little bling by way of the chrome XO 2×10 crankset.

The first thing we did when building the SB95 was order the optional 12mm chip set (also available for the SB66) which converts the rear from a QR to a Shimano 12mm axle.

After riding Easton’s new Havoc 35 bar on the Santa Cruz Tallboy for the last few months we decided to set up the SB95 with the same cockpit so have gone for more Easton goodness. They’re still sitting at 800mm but will be shrinking to 770mm over the next few days (the Tallboy is running 760mm).

On a bike of this price it’s a given that it will have nice attention to detail like clean cable routing.

Yeti have gone for post mounts out the back, although we’re getting a little rubbing on the caliper body from the Avid Rotor.

And that’s what I hope to look like on Friday when I’m taking this thing for a spin around Whakarewarewa, drifting down Billy-T!

Thanks to Campbell at Bicycle for helping with the build and if you like what you see you can head over to yetinz.co.nz and order your own one.

It seems like every time I run into Aidan, he’s either in plaster, has an arm in a sling, or has a fresh new scar to show off. Having known him since 2007, there have been quite a few of these anatomical trophies on display. Aidan rides hard, and sometimes he pushes himself and his machine just that little bit too far and pays the price. But you know that he will be back, and he seems to get stronger and faster with every subsequent comeback. When he’s not railing singletrack he’s dropping tracks on the wheels of steel and can brew a long black with the best of them.

In this first installment of the return of Frankly Thursdays, we present to you the ginger ninja, Mr Aidan Forrest.

Tell us the Aidan Forrest story in 20 words or less.

Palmy born, Welli raised. Been in the latter for all 32 years of my life. Average height, slightly built, ginger…

How long have you been riding?

I rode little bikes sporadically as a kid in Petone and when visiting my grandparents. Still have fond memories of the Te Awamutu BMX track. Got into MTB about 10 years ago as a distraction from what had become a pretty monotonous lifestyle and by about 2004 was legitimately hooked!

How many bones have you broken in that time?

Argh, where to start? Had both shoulders opened up at different times, scaphoid, scapula, fibula, radial head and about six weeks ago my left index finger looked like a derailed train. At least three of those were spectacular crashes. I like to put on a show.

You seem to have made more comebacks than Lazarus (or Lance)… is it hard to get back on the bike after a major injury?

Yes and no. Not so much in the sense of motivating myself to get back on, I’m usually itching by the second week. And I’m pretty disciplined around keeping fit when I’m off the bike. But the confidence takes a big hit and it’s usually a bit of a battle getting that back. I’ve come back a little bit stronger every time though. I reckon it’s important to know your boundaries but it’s equally important to push them often.

You’ve also been a barista in a past life. Do you have plans to get back into that field?

It’s a good transferrable skill and I’m sure it’ll come in handy if I get stuck overseas without a job, but the only coffee machine in my future is the one on the kitchen bench.

What is your fave blend/grind/cup? Is milk really for the weak?

I’m not super fussy but I do hate paying for shit coffee. My staples are long blacks for strong blends and shlongs (short-long blacks) for milder blends. Is milk for the weak? Not at all. The flat white’s a classic drink and I’m proud it originated out of Welli. But if you order a bowl latte don’t be offended if you get a soup spoon and croutons on the side.

You had a great run at the Mt Vic Super D recently yeah?

Yeah man I was stoked with that ride. Was having fun on the bike all day and feeling good on the pedalling sections. My achilles heel is usually small, avoidable mistakes but that day I was uncharacteristically dialled. The atmosphere at this year’s race was awesome. (Aidan finished 4th in the super-competitive 30-40 cat.)

What bike(s) do you currently own?

My trusty DMR Trailstar. I would marry that bike but my girlfriend would not be impressed. It’s been singlespeed for a few years but I’m thinking 1 x 9 with some burlier bits on it for winter funtimes. Number Two’s a Heckler with an all-mountain build. Lyriks, Stans Flow, 1 x etc. It’s a bit of a mongrel but it does everything well.

Favourite trail/spot?

I love the variety Welli has to offer and it’s so centralised. If I had to pick a trail, it’d be Rata Ridge (Wainuiomata). Generally, I enjoy the high speed stuff but prefer technically challenging trails. Rotorua’s always been a favourite as well but more because it necessitates a roadtrip and roadtrips are the most fun you can have on four wheels.

Who are your best riding buds and why? (Do they push you harder or just make you look good?)

They know who they are and they’re definitely not flattering. I ride with a good cross-section of mates but I swear some of them purposely set out put each other in the box. Siftys are important too.

Next bike?

One? Argh… Most likely a 150mm 26”, all-mountain-y setup. 1 x, wide/flat bar, 67HA. There’s any number to choose from but the SB66 and Stumpy EVO are up there. Although I have to admit, the 650b thing is intriguing.

Do you still do any DJ’ing or beat mixing? Is it for your own pleasure, or do you play out sometimes?

The music I listened to back in the day was pretty offensive but as I’ve grown older my musical repertoire has become more sophisticated. Now I only listen to mildly offensive music. Played a couple of gigs recently but kids these days only listen to Skrillex and Bieber.

Photo: Andy Woodwark

What styles/artists/producers are you currently digging?

Drum and Bass artists including Pessimist, Overlook, Skeptical, Anile and Data to name a few. Also been giving Peanut Butter Wolf ‘The Jukebox 45s’ and Jaylib ‘Champion Sound’ some love lately.

Vinyl, CD, MP3 or other? 

I will never sell my vinyl. But I’ve been buying MP3s lately due to budgetary constraints. Vinyl’s big money and for practicality, digital is the way to go. If you’re not playing vinyl or CDs, Serato kind of gives you the benefit of both. Tactile like vinyl and portable like CDs.

What is the future for MTB as you see it; in NZ and worldwide.

Growth, basically. And less segregation, more innovation. Super D and Enduro are obviously going nuts and that’s a good indicator. Timed runs will always be most prominent in the elite DH and XC categories but middle distance in a sense brings together all the elements of the sport and a clock. I reckon this is a really positive thing and at the same time this is kind of fuelling innovation because the demands of your average mid-travel bike are higher. Marketing departments are obviously going to capitalise on this trend and there will always be haters. Not to say that’s a bad thing either but I’m a strong advocate for ‘try before you can qualify’. I’m sure a lot of people are sceptical about Easton’s new 35mm bar standard. And similarly with 142mm drop outs when they transpired. Whether or not companies are cashing in, the performance benefits are tangible.

And finally, what is the future for Aidan?

Uni’s been great but it’s overstayed its welcome. I’ll finish honours at the year’s end, buy myself a bike to celebrate and see what happens. Career may happen straight away, or the girlfriend and I might wind up in the US for a stint.

Best kept secrets.
There are plenty of them in mountain biking. Who’d have thought that Auckland is a great place to ride? Or that Nathan Rennie is back on the bike and loving life away from the World Cup circuit? Did you know about riding in the wilderness of Glenorchy? Heard of Yeti’s up and coming junior downhillers? Bet you can’t figure out what all those dials on your suspension do either.

Spoke 46 has all the dirt on these stories, to take the mystery out of where to ride and how to do it, and who is doing it better than you. As well as the best Kiwi content, there are travelogues from Seb in Switzerland, Jerome Clementz takes a road trip in Aotearoa, and Jono tunes the Marzocchi/Mondraker rigs for the upcoming race season. Plus all our regular expert columnists set you straight on the big issues and of course we always have the best photography to feast your eyes on.

Auckland sucks. Well you'll just have to read the story to find out if it really does.

Jerome Clementz and his partner Pauline called New Zealand home for two months over Christmas. Find out what he thinks about Kelly McGarry's hair, walking his bike and enduro racing.

...and we couldn't fit this one in the Destinations issue but our resident global jetsetter Seb Kemp gives us his lowdown on riding in Switzerland and dealing with the Creeping Death.

Endorsed by the Huck Wizard himself, Spoke is proud to present the Huck Wizard T-shirt. The Huck Wizard T-shirt is a homage to the master of Huck himself; when you’re down and out and need to huck, the wizard can now be right there with you, whether you want to take down Kelly McGarry at the Red Bull Rampage or just send that drop on The Hobbit like Sven does, you know you need the Huck Wizard with you!

Pre-order yours now here in our webshop.

100% 180GSM cotton
1 colour print on a Staple Tee
Artwork by Fred Shallcrass based on the Huck Wizard character created by Ginger Si and Pang

There is well thought out cable routing for everything...

In case you’ve been living under a rock the SB95 is Yeti’s 29″ trail bike with 125mm of rear travel (via the Switch suspension system). With a fox 140mm fork it will feature a 67.6 head angle and a 13.5″ bottom bracket so it’s gonna be pretty damn choice and I’m going to be building it pretty burly, with a 50mm stem, 770 Havoc 35 bars and Haven Carbon wheels (I’m getting excited just typing this). I’ll be building it up over the next few days; hopefully by Monday this thing will be ready to roll and I’ll bring you a full rundown on the built bike then.

... and heaps of standover clearance!

Yeti bikes are available in New Zealand online at Yeti.co.nz

I try not to make a habit of sending you all to other people’s magazines but I think in this case I’ll make an exception. Bike magazine’s publisher (and amazing photographer) Morgan Meredith Instagramed a shot of SRAM photographer Adrian Marcoux reading a preview copy of their June issue. Now it’s pretty easy to read those big words on the cover as “New Zealand”, and the word around the water cooler is it may just be a New Zealand themed issue. Although I think once it’s in our hot little hands it might be more a “South Island” issue. Either way it’s pretty damn good exposure for our little country. You can buy or subscribe to digital copies of Bike here.