GT Factory Racing Adds 2 Racers

POWERHOUSE RIDERS TAYLOR VERNON AND MARTIN MAES SET TO RIDE WITH BEAUMONT AND ATHERTONS.

GT Bicycles has signed two of Europe’s most dominant young riders to expand its champion downhill and enduro race teams. Taylor Vernon of South Wales will join the world’s fastest downhill race team to train alongside Gee Atherton, Rachel Atherton, and Marc Beaumont, while Martin Maes from Belgium will join Dan Atherton on the enduro team.
 
“Taylor was first brought to our attention last year and we’ve seen him post some solid results in the under 16 sections this past season,” said Dan Brown, Team Director. “The team is on a roll right now with Rachel’s World Cup win, fastest team overall title and Gee taking podiums in every race. It feels like the right time for us to start to bring on some new young riders and we think that Taylor has the potential to become a major force on the World Cup scene.”16-year-old Vernon will be racing on a GT Fury as he works to dominate the Junior World Cups and World Championships.
 
“Words can’t describe how stoked I am to be joining Dan, Gee, Rachel, and Marc on GT Factory Racing,” said Vernon. “I’m so excited about racing at the International and World Cup level and know that I could not ask for a better or more experienced team of people to teach me all there is to know.”
 
On the enduro side, 15-year-old Martin Maes turned heads when he took 5th place overall at the Superenduro of Nations at Sauze d’Oulz. He will be riding a GT Force and focusing on the Enduro World Series.
 
“Nobody could quite believe it,” said Dan Atherton. “There isn’t a junior category in superenduro so this 15-year-old boy is just wasting some of the toughest and most experienced adult riders on the circuit.
 
We are really excited about the Enduro World Series in 2013 and I’m stoked to have a new teammate with this much potential.”
 
“This opportunity feels like a dream come true,” said Maes. “I have the greatest admiration for Rachel, Dan, Gee and Marc and will be so happy to ride with them.”

Zerode G2

New Zerode G2

• 63.5 degree head angle standard.
• 20mm more ground clearance.
• Race inspired 8.5." travel with a 2.8 stroke shock. Saves weight using idendical ratios as the G1's 9.25".
• Shorter head tube allows more bar height adjustments.
• Forged lower yolks reduces weight and increases stiffness.
• Bent chain stay allow for more crank clearance.
• Box section down tube, lighter and stiffer tube intersections.
• Now available in size LARGE with an reach of 415mm.

Niner Bikes Includes A Paid In full IMBA Membership

As a part of their ongoing efforts to support the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA), Niner Bikes will be including a paid-in-full certificate for an IMBA membership with every RIP 9 RDO LTD Edition XX1 complete bike purchased in the United States.

The RIP 9 RDO is a new model for Niner and the LTD Edition build kit includes the hotly anticipated SRAM XX1 drivetrain. This should be a great way for Niner to create IMBA members – they will receive a year of benefits, paid for by Niner. Hopefully, after seeing what IMBA is all about, these new members will choose to become renewing supporters.

“Niner couldn’t exist without mountain bike trails and trail access – we know this, and want to do what we can to give back.” said Niner president Chris Sugai “I hope we foster significant long term membership growth. If the program is successful, we will certainly find ways to expand it.”

"Everyone wins when companies step up like this to promote IMBA's work building trails, organizing volunteer days and preserving access” said Rich Cook, IMBA’s Director of Development, “Niner sets the gold standard of what a small company can do to help grow the cause, protect the resources and trails that we all enjoy."

Individually numbered IMBA certificates will ship with bike orders. Memberships are transferable in the case that purchasers are already IMBA members. The RIP 9 RDO LTD Edition XX1 bikes ship the second week of March for $6499USD, through authorized Niner dealers

: http://www.ninerbikes.com/dealers  . Interested riders can find complete bike information at http://www.ninerbikes.com/rip9rdo.

For more information about IMBA or to join, visit: http://www.imba.com

2013 Keyesville Classic

The 25th annual Keysville Classic is just around the corner. It is a small race with a great feel. Come race DH, XC, AM and kids race.

Keysville Classic Information

2013 Zerode G2 Announced

Zerode has been listening to both its riders and the community as a whole. People wanted more choices in size, slacker, lighter, shorter headtubes. They took this all in and added a few other changes to create the Zerode G2. Check out below what was happened the the Gearbox bike from New Zealand.

Not content with re packaging the status quo. Zerode have gone back to the basics of suspension design. The revolutionary use and placement of a gearbox allowing Zerode to revisit concepts such as optimised wheel path, sprung to un-sprung ratios and mass centralisation…. concepts long ago discarded by the competition because of the limitations of the drive train we all know and hate.

With two seasons under our belt and a new manufacturer on board we have been able to make a bunch of refinements to the Zerode DH frame for 2013. Designated the Zerode G2, here are some of the changes from the old G1:

1) The geometry has had an overhaul for the G2. 3 sizes, shorter head tubes, longer top tubes and slacker head angles mean a race ready chassis for all body shapes and sizes.

2)  With lessons learned from the G1 we have shaved over 300grams off the frame. Some of this is unsprung weight in the chainstay, axle and rocker further improving the Zerode suspension performance.

3) The down tube yolk has been redesigned to increase the ground clearance by 20mm, increase chain ring clearance for a better primary chain line and incorporates a sturdy shock guard mount so your shock and frame are protected from stray rocks.

4) Each Zerode will come with 2 shifters. The standard Alfine unit and a modified SRAM unit. You choose which one you feel most at home with.

5)  A new rectangular down tube is stiffer, lighter and stronger than the old round tube.

6) The chainstay has been redesigned to increase tyre, crank and chain tensioner clearance.

7) Reduced travel from 9.25” to 8.3”. With less unsprung weight and an efficient axle path we felt a little less travel would give a more lively feel, reduce weight and make a great pedalling chassis even better without sacrificing it’s superb bump eating ability.

8) New colours….The G2 is  Bead blasted and anodised in Black or Charcoal with four decal options. Custom Anodising is available.

Already proven and tested on the NZ DH circuit, the G2 can be yours soon!