Mick's Terrible Shame

Mick has a dirty secret. And we want to let you in on it.....

Yes, he has started doing yoga. Gross.

-HEY, take it easy Meg Bowie! I did it once, it was wierd, yes, but it was raining outside.. Want to hear more excuses? -Mick.

World Cup DH, Vallnord.

Whew!

Intense racing from Vallnord, Sam Hill qualified first then smashed himself into the ground in the final. Mick Hannah battled an illness and a crash in practice to nail fourth!

The man Steve Peat, killed it again. Unreal.

Next weekend, May 24 is the next XC World Cup in Madrid, watch it from start to finish on www.freecaster.tv as we have so many Aussies over there this year!

...97, 98, 99, 100!

Issue 100 hits the stands next week, ladies and gents! It's been 15 years in the making, so go grab it Wednesday 27th from your fine purveyor of news-stuffs.

Fat and skinny went to war.

Mick went riding with a Rockstar,

Mick got schooled by a Rockstar.

A leisurely Saturday morning ride around Sydney's trails turned into a humiliating skills clinic from Hamish Elliot, Rockstar Racing's XC racing machine.

Now, things were not equal, as Mick was on a 6 inch trail bike, and Hamo was on his Scott Scale hardtail (with bar ends..) in full race setup. The trails also were most definitely in Mick's favour with loads of fast rocky chutes and drop-ins, slow steep tight descents and huge water bars. All day, Hamo ruled the trail swifltly leading Mick into the tricky trails as he stalled and peered over the edge searching for a safe line, then playing catchup along the flat untill it turned technical again. This happened all day long, heck!

In the end, Mick tried in vain to dismantle Hamo's trail prowess by leading down a particular trail he expected Hamo to struggle on. But no, again, he continued to clean everything.

After a chat, a short discussion of the politics in the Australian race scene, Mick peeled off to ride home hanging his head low and muttering in disbelief how anybody could ride that particular bike, on those trails the way Hamo had just done.

So, when any of these top Aussie racers blow by you at the next enduro or 24hour event, try and hang on to them down a descent, just try!

And then try ride a race hardtail down a ball tearing chute..

After dark, nobody here...

Putting in the hours, doing it tough here. Today is the deadline for the June issue, AMB's 100th issue!

Deadline is a scary word, things come out of the dark on deadline night here in the office, mainly typo's and design flaws, not so much monsters, ghosts and ghouls like in the movies.

This particular deadline is special, a great moment in time. It is the last of the monthly mag's, from here on the frequency will be evenly spread into 9 issues a year. YESSS! What will we do with ourselves? (idea: work humane hours, ride, leave the office on time etc, ride?)

Night ride!

The upcoming June mag will be super swell, a couple hot giveaways, testing the Trek Remedy and the Trailfox TF01. DH tyres and LED lights. 3 Ladies trail bikes runched, and heaps of new tech bits and kick arse photography from Sea Otter. Dylan Cooper is on the front looking firm and fit in front of a Stromlo sunrise.

It's also gold, like the rare expensive stuff.

So rad. Go hunt it down, May 27.

Cheers,

Sleepy AMB.

The Dirt Works 100km Classic.

A fantastic weekend.

It all started with a lovely drive through the hills and down to St Albans for a few delicious ales at the Settlers Inn. The Fickle Wombat served up a killer meal once again, and it was off to bed in our luxurious 5 man tent.

The race (ride) the following day could not have been better, filled with happy banter from all around us, and the dry, fast flowing trails we managed a steady comfortable pace and even rode the narrow bridge. Amongst us we had a Scott Genius, 2 pivot Mach 5's and a Giant Reign. The longer travel trail bikes relished in the rough, climbed everything helping us boost high and long off those glorious waterbars!

All the AMB team, Chris (powerfully dragging us along all day), Mick, Pat and Dodo rolled in together in a temperate 7 ish hours.

Thanks to all who said g'day, and especially those with feedback on our new DVD, we are so stoked it has helped some aspects of your riding. It's easy to forget how easily recognised we are after putting our hairy mugs on film, especially Chris as he is kind of odd looking!

The Dirt Works is a truly classic event, and we love it, see you all next year, and the next, and again, until we can't ride that first climb!

TGIF

Thank God It's Friday:

Lately the weather has been pretty haggard in my neck of the woods. It seems like I have spent more time splitting fire wood than riding my bike these past few weeks. The locals have even been forgiving each other for mistaking April for August. Mum has been overusing words like coat and scarf and cooking more soup than our fridge can deal with. I’m over it.

However finally today was a total exception to the recent weather. A beautiful sunny day that makes me understand why I always hear Canadians crapping on about how ‘Fall is the best time of the year to be out riding’.

Anyway I decided it would be rude not to make the most of a day like today so the Commencal Meta 55 and I went for a razz at the local trails (all legal of course). There is not much else to say really, being out on some flowing single track on a sunny Friday afternoon really gives life a purpose. The grip was plentiful and the brake rub minimal, I just wish I had someone else to share the fun with.

So if the weather has been dictating your riding schedule of late make sure you get out there the next opportunity you get and ride your bike like you stole it.

Bring on the Weekend.