Scott Madness

So Day 1 (well really only afternoon 1) of the Scott 2010 press camp comes to a close...and what a day it was. Let's just say that Scott have it dialled. The 2010 range is unreal, the guys are great, but better yet they have a pump track and dirt jumps directly outside their head quarters! Chris spent the evening (it's light 'til 10pm) sessioning the dirt jumps and riding the pump track with the likes of Timo Pritzl, Nick Beer and the rest of the Scott team (even Nino Schuter hit up the pump track!). It was unreal.

More tomorrow when Chris gets to spend a bit more time on the 2010 range. Peace out!

Welcome to Fribourg

Well Chris is in Switzerland, Fribourg to be precise. Why? It's the Scott 2010 product launch, that's why. Killing time and stretching the legs this morning proved to be a pretty surreal experience. Fribourg is simply one of the most picturesque places on the globe. The pics really speak for themselves. In a few hours of wandering Chris was confronted by more beautiful architecture, most of it dating back to the early 1600's, than he had believed possible. We'll keep you updated about the launch as things progress, but right now we're just blown away by this place.

Deadline Fever.

Has it really been six weeks already? Apparently! And so here we go again, deadline time baby. Issue #101 hits newstands on Wed, July 8 - here's a little sneaky preview of what you'll find inside:

The Dirty Dozen - 12 dirt jump bikes take to the sky in a battle royale.

Peru - Epic trails, killer vistas and cheaper than Aldi.

The Long Way Up - Two Aussie lunatics decide to ride across Australia, via some of the world's most hostile desert!

Killer product tests - we ride the new 2010 Fox RP23.

Exclusive Bike Tests - The Pivot Firebird and Yeti 303 RDH get runched for your pleasure!

It's a big fat issue of mountain bike goodness, don't miss it!

Blog Testimonials!

We love feedback. And we really, really love feedback when it makes us laugh. Thanks to Mark from Hornsby in Sydney for writing in...here's what he had to say:

"Nice work with the limbo in the orifice. I forgot my cufflinks for my shirt today so I had to use garbage bag ties. And yesterday a new guy started in the desk next to me and I felt really bad because I couldn’t stop farting. The AMB blog is a great idea because it fills in the gap between issues and keep readers keen. I particularly liked the drop to angled rock to roll over with pallet down ramp short video from last month. Goodbye."

Thanks Mark, you're a hero.

In other news, the road bike fever is spreading! Design machine and all round good bloke, Jordan Cole is the proud new owner of a Cannondale skinny tyred beast on which to charge his morning commute. In even more news (yes, there's more) Jordan is going to be our Fitness Project Bloke for the next few months! After hurting like a dog at last year's Angry Doctor 100km race Jordan has decided he's going to get fit for this year's event. We've enlisted the help of our fitness guru Simon Frederiksen (http://www.raceelements.com.au/) to whip Jordan into shape - you'll be able to track his progress, moments of weakness (if any) and suffering through the mag and the blog. So while Chris and Mick sip a beer to get them through this deadline week, Jordan suffers in sobreity. Sorry mate!

Tuesday Oddness

Limbo? Grab your camera phone, he's not going to make it. The Ed's quite good at limbo it must be his flexibility, or height we are not too sure. He took his shoes off and almost disappeared.

At AMB HQ this week we are immersed in the workload synonymous with a deadline. Yep, it's back, and Monday night it'll all be over again. This issue is looking so rad, it is ultra colourful and packed with awesomeness. July 8 you can have one.

Landing in the office this week are the wickedly light and trick JetBlack carbon XC wheels. 1300g, and well under 2K. hmmm nice.

So what's been happening out there? Drop Chris or Mick an email anytime, have a rant.

Any feedback on the blog would be cool?

csouthwood@acpmagazines.com.au

mross@acpmagazines.com.au

Tune in this Saturday night on Freecaster.tv for some wild World Cup action from Maribor, Slovenia. Sam Hill must be so hungry for a win, and hopefully Mick Hannah's over the flu. Also keep an eye on the class act that is Bryn Atkinson, he's looking so amazing on track, and has already some good and almost great results this year.

We got the good stuff

Looky here! Somehow we got our hands on this little beauty. A 2010 model Fox RP23 shock. Yep, 2010. Yep, the first one in the country.

How does it work? Very nicely, my friend, very nicely indeed. There'll be a full write up next issue so don't touch that dial dudes.

Melrose Fat Tyre Festival, totally unbelievably rad trails!

Early Friday morning before the June long weekend, team AMB (Chris, Mick and Pat) packed all the warm clothing, kids, wives and fiance's that we had lying around and flew to Adelaide. Our hot little hire car propelled us north through some green rolling hills and stunning scenery towards the South Australia's wine country, the Clare Valley. A few delicious Coopers and local winery cellar doors later we arrived into the miniature town of Melrose, the now famous town of their Fat Tyre Festival. Chris had been there last year, and has been frothing to return to the singletrack that blew his mind (we had high expectations as Chris has ridden an awful lot of the worlds best).

The town of only 200 people boasts a killer trail network of almost 200km of flowing singletrack!

Staying at the Northstar Hotel was an absolute pleasure, adding to the great riding with warm comfort food and great country town pub atmosphere. We were the spoilt minority as most riders camped in comfort in the awesome campgrounds at the foot of Mt Remarkable, where all the trails began, and also the festival's event site. Sponsor tents with shiny goodies, warm campfires, music, skills clinics, videos and slide shows kept the camp a busy hub of mountain biking good times.

Saturday and Sunday proved to be filled with mind blowing riding. We loved every minute of it, and could not believe the quality and quantity of the narrow, twisting and winding singletrack.

The festival's purpose is aimed to be all about participation and involving every rider, with different levels of guided rides leaving throughout the day with the local riders. From the epic 5 hour missions across rugged grazing land, to short flat sweeping loops around town. It's a real family focussed event, and the campground was full of kids on their training wheels. It's so cool to come to a mountain bike event where people care more about having a good time with their families rather than setting hot lap times.

Over The Edge Sports are the driving force behind the festival, the trail building and they're the bike shop to support it all. The guys who run the show, Richard and Alastair, are top blokes, and kick arse riders. Check out www.otesports.com.au for the whole story. It's rare these days to see such a sweet bike store absolutely dripping with fine equipment and good vibes.

We hope a few of our photo's can paint you a picture of our trip and we'll endeavour to post some VHoldr helmet camera footage soon also. Keep an eye out for the next issue with more Melrose goodness.

June long weekend 2010? The perfect holiday, why wouldn't you?

What is it !?

It's black and shiny, XTR, 10.25kg, the only one in the country and sexier than Ralph Magazine with 3D glasses..

What is it!?

It's the all new TOMAC CARBIDE SL.

Hot.

Test coming up!

Bike flying

Woooo Dirty jumping! AMB headed to the dirt jumps and BMX track for two days of solid testing. There were 12 bikes, all so unique and offering different varying areas of ability.

The legendary photographer Damian Breach drove up from Canberra in his wild new car, which resembled something that should float on a river of chocolate in Charlie Wonka's Chocolate Factory.

Bramian then proceeded to put the camera down and school us by cleanly cruising through the big set of doubles, damn it!

Then Chris Benny taking a day off from behind the camera boosted so high and confident it left us wondering what it is with photographers? Hmmm..

Dan Bonello tested the strength of all the rear wheels and built nice berms.

Dave Musgrove killed it like a pro, James Hall flowed through with absolute finesse, dead silent. Chris laid it down low all smooth and rad like a euro Jedi.

Mick finally stopped bagging out dirt jumping for being juvenile and had a go, subsequently loving it while eating his words.

It was a couple of unreal days! So, if you don't dirt jump or have never tried, and have access to a new school dirt jump bike, grab it and give it a go. It's kick arse fun.