Previously, at The Mont 24…
In 2012, my then 3-year-old Ay Ups seemed perfectly adequate for the race ahead. They were great for night commuting and the occasional fire trail social night ride I’d been doing with mates. Indeed, the previous year at my first ever Mont, they really did seem fine. It was an unpleasant surprise to find then, come race day, when scooting through the twisty Kowen Forest singletrack, their weaknesses jumping out like a hungry drop bear.

Mounted on the handlebar, the bright Ay-Ups’ intense hotspot and rapid drop-off to the sides created a tunnel vision effect. This forces the rider to scan with the helmet light and fill in the gaps between the hotspots and front wheel from memory. I found this very tiring and difficult to maintain at race speed on twisty rerrain.

Sections like Kowalski’s Sideshow and Rolling Thunder became particularly difficult at night, with the bar light pointing out into the inky black off the side of the hill around the fast banked hairpins. This left no choice but to use the helmet light on the foreground instead of looking around the corner.

The Ay-Ups just weren’t doing it. It was an unpleasant slog. I wasn’t sure if I was up for putting myself through that again.

Jump forward 12 months: a new toy arrives
When the MyTinySun light arrived late last year, I felt like 007 getting his new toys from Q before a dangerous mission. My manic work schedule (yes, I have a real job) meant midweek practice trail rides with the new kit didn’t happen. Nevertheless, I was quietly confident I had a secret weapon in my hands. For the Mont 24 MTB race in Canberra, the Ay-Ups were relegated to helmet light duties where the hotspot would be handy.

Turning night into day
Come the first night lap, I knew early on I was going well when I noticed how far forward I could plan lines and how relaxed I felt. The full, even beam from the MyTinySun meant peripheral vision could handle the load as in daytime and I no longer had to ride by memory. This set in motion a virtuous cycle. Not being constantly surprised, and being able to stay off the brakes much more when setting up for corners, helps maintain momentum instead of wasting energy. The increased speed and lower effort means flowing lightly over obstacles, if not popping the bike over them altogether, instead of having to grind and bounce my way through every rock garden and mass of tree roots.

Sections like Kowalski’s Sideshow that were tricky to ride fast, still required full concentration but were a blast to ride. The Sport 2700x allowed you to see clearly the exit line you were aiming for while still giving you a great view of the foreground and everything to the side and in between. This freed up the helmet light to do its job of searching ahead for what was coming next.

The result was a first night lap that was my fastest of the event: 1 hour 8 minutes-odd, according to the Garmin, on a course two kilometres longer – a massive improvement of 26 minutes over the last year, in the same conditions. This compared well with the elite’s night laps at around the 53 minute mark. Not bad for an old fart.

On the second night lap I found myself struggling a little, until I figured out I’d been running the 2700x in half-power mode for the first half. Out of habit I’d dimmed the light to conserve battery on the first long slow climb. In the rush to hit the mode button before arriving at the next fast technical section I had somehow missed clicking it properly.

Back on full beam, confidence returned. Shape-making on the bike and line selection improved and speed through the winding singletrack just seemed to lift of its own accord without extra effort.

A check on the Garmin as I crossed transition showed 1 hour 14 minutes and some seconds. Not at all bad, considering the first half. My last lap, in mid-morning Sunday sunshine, would come in at 1 hour 12 and some cramps. Consistent!

MyTinySun Sport 2700x light beam (on high)

For comparison, Ay-Up V4 Adventure Helmet + Handlebar kit
(Photos: Canon EOS 600D, set at F9 and ISO400 with a 21mm focal length for 15 seconds)

Excellent battery life
Why I felt the need to dim the light on that climb I am not quite sure. My lap times were never going to threaten the 2 hour 47 minute run time on full beam specified on the light’s spec sheet. The battery status indicator only just tripped over to indicating 75%  capacity ten minutes or so before hitting the transition area on the first lap, so the spec sheet run time seems quite realistic.

The light head does get more than a little warm on full power when standing still, but even spinning up steep gradients at 6-7km/hr seems to provide enough airflow to keep it no more than warm to the touch.

Mounting hardware that works
Despite spending several weeks fixed 24×7 on my commuter bike, the O-ring light head mount was just as secure on the Easton carbon bars of my race bike on the rough stuff. I shifted the aim up and down slightly a couple of times during the lap to suit the terrain, but this was a plus not a minus.

The Velcro fasteners kept the battery securely nestled up front between down and top tubes, and the cable connectors behaved perfectly.

The connectors are difficult to pull apart, which is confidence inspiring as the last thing you want on a fast rough descent is for your light to suddenly wig out from a dodgy connector. Gripping each connector end firmly and flexing from side to side loosens the connection easily without stressing the wires. I managed to deduce this by studying the plug’s design, and this omission is probably the only complaint I would have about the instruction sheet.

With great power…
One consequence of having so much light at one’s fingertips is that it imposes a responsibility to be careful with its use. The instructions carry a warning against looking directly into the beam when handling the unit due to the risk of permanent damage to your vision, and they’re not kidding.

On one occasion commuting home, after hitting full beam on a fast descent that is periodically prone to having oil sprayed across the kerbside lane by government buses, I came to a sudden stop behind a small hatchback at the red traffic light at the bottom of the hill. The full 2700 lumens fired straight in the back window. An almost instant  ”What the hell is that?!” exploded from the driver (I’ve cleaned up the language) followed by a sheepish mumbled apology from me and my hand quickly covering the light while I bumped the intensity down.

Light Modes
As noted in the race report above, it is still possible to get confused about which light mode you’re in. In a race situation stopping to check is not something you prefer to do, and taking one’s hands off the bar to dab the button carries some obvious risks! This is no different to any other competitor’s light and so can’t be highlighted as a disadvantage, rather it’s something I would like to see addressed in any MTB light set up.

My other suggestion about the modes involves the flashing mode, or rather the lack of a regular one. The only flashing mode available gives you an SOS morse code signal that cannot be disengaged without unplugging the light. It is obvious that MyTinySun are not aiming this light at the city commuting market, rather it is intended to attract the serious mountain biker or back-country rider. Having a light that can be more useful on commutes, however, would help to justify its price.

Conclusion
My experience at the Mont speaks for itself. For their intended use as off-road trail lights, the Sport 2700x really hits the mark. The remarkable light output with a wide and even beam spread changed my riding from grinding and picking my way carefully around barely-seen obstacles, to flowing my way to bettering my night time lap speeds. Even with a whopping 2700 lumens, these still work best in combination with helmet mountain light which can be a lower powered light with a hotspot.

I’m really grateful to the importers for the opportunity to test this light, as I had almost given up on night mountain bike riding. It transformed a challenging, unpleasant and tense experience into the brilliant fun it always should have been, and has restored my appetite for night racing. I can’t wait for the next event!

MyTinySun also have handlebar remote versions: Pro 2800x (also with 3 Cree LEDs) and a dual lamp (6 Cree LEDs) called the PRO 3600X. Yes, that’s right, 3600 lumens of light. That will burn holes into the landscape!

Great:
• Wide, even beam spread.
• Awesome total light output and punch
• Outstanding run time
• Easy to use
• No “off” phase when switching between intensity modes.

Not so great:
• No flash mode for commuter use
• Easy to dazzle other road users if you’re careless

MyTinySun lights are available directly from the Australian MyTinySun website, the Sport 2700x as review retails for $629 the 5.8Ah battery pack.

Photos 1 & 4 expertly taken by, and used with kind permission of, Aurora Images www.auroraimages.com.au, official event photographers for the Mont 24 Hour Race.

I arrived in Rotorua, on the North Island, on an Air New Zealand flight, where I first enjoyed some of the finest Mountain Bike trails in the southern hemisphere. Taupo is located 100km south of Rotorua and is well known by outsiders for the annual Lake Taupo Cycle Classic and the New Zealand Ironman. These major events send the towns population temporarily skyward. Outside of these events, mountain biking is growing as fast as the development of the trails in the area.

The two big options for MTBing in Taupo are the W2K (Whakaipo to Kinloch) trail, which is one part of the well funded NZ Cycle Trail Project, and the Huka Challenge course, which forms part of the MTB leg of the Lake Taupo Cycle Classic, which centers around the Wairakei Forest and Craters Mountain Bike Park, just minutes from the town of Taupo. I arrived without any clear idea of what was awaiting me, though the local tourism department is dedicated to the raising the profile of mountain biking in the area, so decided to show me the crème de la crème.

My first port of call on arrival was my accommodation in the exclusive Acacia Cliffs Lodge on the north western corner of the lake, about 15 minutes from town. The lodge is a modern designer house perched on a hilltop overlooking the lake. Hosts, Linda and Rick, cater for small numbers of guests who are personally welcomed to enjoy luxury accommodation and dining. Rick is an accomplished chef who can prepare your meal personally and presents some superb wine, courtesy of top winegrowers. While you are more likely to find top European bankers and golfers at Acacia Cliffs Lodge, mountain biking is no longer the domain of young radicals.

W2K – Whakaipo to Kinloch
After a great night’s rest, waking up to views over Lake Taupo, it was time to go cycling. In town I met Mark Gibson, the owner of Top Gear Cycles in town. He divides his time between family, running the bike shop and establishing the local cycle trails; the long term vision is a mountain bike track that circles the entire lake. Currently it is planned as a 93 kilometer Great Lakes Trail on the north western corner of Lake Taupo, starting at Whakaipo, and suited to multi-day riding. To date, it is about a third completed. Building and planning a trail of this magnitude involves a lot of learning. One challenge, for example, is how best to organise access rights through traditionally held Maori land and farmers property. The planning team are doing an excellent job.

With two full suspension bikes packed in the back of a rattling old hatchback, we drove out of town to our start point in Kinloch. This is a small picturesque town with a protected yacht harbour, and is a popular starting point to take mountain bikers up and onto a headland loop. The cycling can be easily paced to suit ability in both the speed and the distance.

Mountain biking in this area is special for a few reasons, one of the most interesting is that it offers all weather riding. The natural pumice stone in the earth means that the trails drain quickly, which means fewer muddy bogs. The approach to trail building is not just to build it and leave it, rather it includes an ongoing maintenance component. Trail builders have equipment that ‘belongs to the trail’, such as quads and diggers, to build new trails and repair existing sections.

From Kinloch into the headland loop there is fun single-trail riding. After ascending, the trail becomes a well flowing series of turns following the land contours up and down. The good surface lets you focus your skill on speed and cornering rather than dodging roots or technical sections. This construction means that it is more forgiving for less skilled cyclists, though good cardio fitness and concentration make it more enjoyable.

As the trail crawls over the headland and loops around, the lake is often completely hidden from view until you ride into a picture postcard scenic outlook. From one vantage point Mark and I peered over to the distant shore on the peninsular poking into the lake; Mark already has a clear picture of where the trails there would be created. While the actual riding is not extreme, the idea of circling the entire lake by mountain bike is extreme.

Mark Gibson of Top Gear Cycles in Taupo and Christopher Jones of Bicycles Network Australia

W2K is popular among the locals. It won’t take you to your limits, though it gives you a workout, especially if you extend and ride the K2K (Kinloch to Kawakawa) section as well. I took a few tumbles around tight corners where the grippy trail floor gave way to a muddy patch. My reward, though, at the end of the headland loop, was a choice of doing another loop or enjoying the downhill trip back into Kinloch.

Huka Challenge, Wairakei Forest and Craters Mountain Bike Park
When I first visited Taupo during my honeymoon many years ago, the local i-site info center pointed us in the direction of some 1950′s style cabins. When we arrived at the cabins, it didn’t seem that much had changed since the cabins were built and we appreciated the simple furnishing, original oven and a veranda that opened directly to onto the lake. For my MTB trip, the local tourism board wanted to share another one of their gems, so I left Acacia Cliffs Lodge for one of the newest hotels in town, the Hilton.

You could argue that the Hilton is better suited to golfers and well-to-do guests, though the hotel manager went to great lengths to explain the comfort and facilities for their sporting guests. Particularly during major events, the Hilton hotel hosts a lot of guests who want to enjoy its comforts after competition.

For the Huka Challenge trails I was due to meet with the legendary Bruce Jaine. Everyone knows him in town and they nodded with approval on hearing that he was showing me the trails. I was delighted when he pulled up in front of the Hilton in a beat-up van.

Bruce is a veteran mountain biker and even rode in the first ever Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge in 1977 at a time where riding a bike in Taupo for more than a few kilometers was a ridiculous notion. If you ever get the chance, have a chat with Bruce about the early days of off-road riding, pre-suspension. Bruce has taken on the task of planning and building trails for the mountain biking races in the lake Taupo Cycle Challenge, which includes a 40 and 85 kilometer route. This is a job where he competes directly with natural disasters and logging.

As my guide for the day, we began in the center of town, close to the start line of the official MTB route for the Huka Challenge, and after about 10 minutes left the sealed paths as we followed the Waikato River downstream. One of the sections was appropriately named Junk and Disorderly as a tribute to people who have trouble finding rubbish bins and rubbish tips. Since the trail-building, it has now become cleaner than it used to be and, as a direct route from Taupo to a hydroelectric plant, the mountain biking employees of the plant took responsibility for building part of this trail.

This trail took us along a canyon following the river and included a few steep drops on the edge of the trail requiring caution. The trails continue along the river, though we turned and headed towards the Wairakei Forest and Craters MTB Park. A creative section takes riders through a tunnel underneath the road and Bruce had me ride in front so I could experience the WOW effect. Craters of the Moon is a geothermally active area and though the MTB trails don’t go directly to these hot spots, a large network of trails winds through forest, recently cleared forest areas and over three ridges. Sixty individually named trails are interconnected and offer enough for a quick morning or evening spin, or an entire day grinding.

While we were not about to attempt the 85km course circuit, the shorter route that Bruce chose wove in and out of pine forests and open sections and was a wonderful taste of the riding in this area. Though we avoided hefty ascents, there was hardly a flat section in sight. It was all up and down, left and right. The forestry company who own the land wipe out the trails when they clear trees, though they actively support their rebuilding. Completely new trails are developed during rebuilding so the mountain bike trails, along with the trees, have a life cycle.

One of the real highlights of Craters MTB Park is a recently cleared section called Tourist Trap. Once Bruce and his team built the trail, other engaged mountain bikers chipped-in to create banked corners and jumps so it can become fast and furious if you want to take it at pace.

Unless you decide to head up the ridge, the trails are classed as suitable for beginners to intermediate. While the trails are not technical, a fair dose of concentration and skill means you can really power through them. Conditions change as you enter pine forests from pine needles and pine cones (“grenades”) coating the floor, to new flat pack sections and then onto loose gravel. After 50 kilometers of brisk riding, you can appreciate the stamina required of elite mountain bikers riding 85 kilometers at a time. It is easy to become fatigued, which makes the annual Huka Challenge so challenging.

The Craters MTB Park and surrounding trails closer to town are naturally busier than W2K. We rode on a weekday, though, and they were far from full. With this at their doorstep, it is hardly surprising that mountain biking is so enticing for the locals, and for visitors very rewarding.

I actually returned to Craters of the Moon by car in the evening hoping to catch a close-up glimpse of steaming geothermal area. Instead, I stumbled on a night mountain bike race in this section and met one of the event supporters, Nigel Tipene, of the the local bike shop Phoenix Cyclery. This was a strange coincidence, as I had organised to meet him the following day for a coffee and chat about cycling in Taupo.

There are detailed maps that are worth studying, particularly for the Huka Challenge and Craters MTB Park trails, which can seem like a maze. It is worth picking up a hard copy for a few dollars when you are in town, most of which flows back into the trails. The ride from the town of Taupo past the Huka Falls is worth it, though going by car to Craters of the Moon gets you straight into the action.

It wouldn’t be New Zealand without even more adventure activities. There were sky divers dropping from planes the whole time I was in town. I’d been there and done that, so happy to give it a miss. Though the region boasts world class golfing, that was too passive for me. Instead, I took to the skies in the Taupo Float Plane and remained in the cabin for a spectacular loop over the volcanoes. This flight from Taupo headed to the southern end of the lake and circled the ice capped peaks. On the return leg, we passed the hidden W2K trail and flew over the Craters MTB Park returning to town along the Waikato River.

New Zealand, all in a day’s fun
I couldn’t leave New Zealand without a bit of jet boating. A little way north of Taupo, I joined the New Zealand Riverjet on the Waikato River. All of the passengers, bar myself, stopped in at the Orakei Korako thermal park midway. I was booked in for The Squeeze; dressed in a wetsuit, we explored a small tributary, squeezing between rocks that had been carved by the stream over millions of years.

Another source of adventures in this region are the kayak trips on Taupo, and I was particularly looking forward to seeing the Maori Rock Carvings which I heard about when I first visited Taupo but didn’t get the chance to see. Lashed by the wind and increasing swell, the kayaking required the same energy as mountain biking; the kayak doesn’t paddle by itself. I was mistakenly under the impression that the Maori rock carvings were ancient, when in fact they were created in the 70′s. This reflects upon my limited knowledge of Maori history,  though the locals and guides helped to fill in my knowledge gaps.

The best general starting point for the Lake Taupo regions is the Great Lake Taupo Visitor website. For all things mountain biking, the Bike Taupo Advocacy Group is a central information portal with maps and events.

The most convenient flight is the bi-weekly Sydney to Rotorua with Air New Zealand. There is the option of flying to Auckland and catching a small plane into Taupo Airport, though with this option you would need to hire a bike locally.

After a bit of casual chitchat about whether I was going for a ride later, they seemed satisfied and turned back the way they came. “We look forward to seeing the review” the constable intoned ominously on leaving.

I had to laugh. The powerful high-beam of the MyTinySun Sport 2700x’s spilled into the National Park and completely illuminated an unlit road late on a Sunday night; this had obviously piqued their professional curiosity. The constable is right: this light is very powerful. The 2700 in the light’s name refers to 2700 measured lumens, and not the inflated theoretical lumens of the emitter that other manufacturers use to boost the marketing value of their lights.

MyTinySun Sport 2700x light beam (on high)

For comparison, Ay-Up V4 Adventure Helmet + Handlebar kit
(Photos: Canon EOS 600D, set at F9 and ISO400 with a 21mm focal length for 15 seconds)

MyTinySun in the spotlight
The MyTinySun 2700x offers a very satisfying throw and, while the beam is slightly centre weighted, it offers a very even spread across a wide angle. This resolves the majority of the issues I’ve previously encountered with other brands of lights, such as losing the foreground when the bar-mounted lights point out into empty space on fast descending switchbacks, as well as fatiguing tunnel vision during technical trail sections.

The MyTinySun’s head is equipped with 3 Cree XM-L U2 LEDs in a finned black anodised alloy housing which also incorporates the main power and mode selection switch. The tempered glass lenses provide a wide 19 degree beam angle. It does get hot, but it is also German made, so it has to pass strict German safety regulations. The light head circuitry includes temperature overload protection to ensure the emitters stay within safe operating temperatures, automatically reducing power output to prevent damage to componentry in hot conditions. This unit comes in at a satisfyingly light 110 grams (excl. battery pack).

The Sport 2700x head uses the common ‘tool-free’ o-ring style of mount, but incorporates a nice toggle lever to enable easy release when required. While convenient, I did find the head moved around a little on my smooth carbon bars when trying to operate the switch with my thumb. Due to the heat generated on high beam after standing stationary for 10 minutes, bracing against the front of the head unit with bare forefingers to press the button was uncomfortably hot. However, I suspect this will be much less of an issue while riding as the motion of the bike provides cooling airflow, and most mountain bikers use full-finger gloves anyway.

An easy fix that improves mounting stability and reduces the risk of trail vibration (causing the light head to shift) is to use Velcro, 3M Dual Lock or the self-adhesive rubber strip that is provided with the MyTinySun unit.

The head unit is IP 67 waterproof, and the connector plugs are shielded by rubber covers to protect water from entering. It means you don’t have to worry about the light even if you hit a tropical storm. I personally would have preferred the leads on the battery and head unit to be each a couple of centimetres longer. I found it necessary to use the extension cable, which made the cable a bit too long, and wrapping it around the bars and stem got messy. There were some neat red Velcro cable tidies included in the kit, so I should probably just use these and suck it up instead of complaining.

The large 5.8Ah battery pack, supplied with the systems sold in Australia, provides for almost 3 hours of operation on high beam. Even with this larger battery, the total system weight comes to a very modest 550g. This is within 50g of the Ferei BL200s we reviewed a few weeks ago, for almost twice the runtime and almost twice the real output. Judicious use of mid beam on the climbs could extend a full battery to 4 or 5 hours duration easily.

Operating the MyTinySun Sport 2700x
I particularly liked the mode switch operation of this light. In Simple mode, there are three light levels and a simple bump of the button toggles between mid and full power. More importantly, you don’t have to pass through an “off” phase to get high beam back when starting a fast or tricky descent; bump the button and you’ve got it back immediately.

To get the third light level, low beam, say when you need to stop to fix a puncture, it is simply a matter of holding the button down for a second and releasing as soon as low is triggered. Bump it once to return to mid-beam again. To turn off, simply hold the button for one and half seconds until the button turns red. Simple to use, it shows the manufacturers have invested considerable thought into their products usability in the field.

The illuminated button doubles as fuel gauge by passing through a range of colours on its journey from green to red.

Engage an Expert
Expert mode gives you a choice of six setups, each providing a range of  light power levels in either Power or Eco programs. These setups give you the choice of going from 330 lumens to 2700 lumens in 3 steps, 330 lumens to 1800 lumens in 5 steps, or 330 lumens to 2700 in six steps, and using either the colour of the button LED or a main light flash sequence to indicate the amount of charge left in the battery.

Engaging Expert mode is as simple turning off the head unit completely (i.e. no status light) with the power connected and  holding down the button for 20 seconds. You then get to enjoy a light show while it cycles through all of the programs. The instructions cover the setup choices available and how to select the program you want.

When you next turn the light on, it remembers the mode and program you previously selected so you don’t have to go through the process again. Tapping the button steps you up and then back down the range of available  light levels in the program. In a competitive mountain bike race this could get a bit awkward with so many light levels, but cruising around at night far away from civilisation, this allows you to better match the light output to your needs so that you can squeeze the most life possible from the battery. These setups would be suited to back country touring and camping. If you get into trouble, there is an SOS flash option that can only be disengaged by disconnecting the power.

Returning back to Simple mode is a matter of holding down the button for 20 seconds again and enjoying another light show. For racing and training though, Simple mode is brain-fade proof, and on that count is just about perfect for my particular brand of insanity: 24 hour mountain bike team relay racing.

Let there be Light
To find out what I think of these lights in action and to read my conclusions, you’ll have to wait for Part II of this review. The MyTinySun is due to see some serious action this summer, so if you see bright lights streaming from Manly Dam in Sydney at night, you will know who it is. Hopefully there’ll be no red and blue flashing lights following close behind.

Until then, you can see more of the MyTinySun Sport 2700x on the MyTinySun website where they’re available for $629 with the larger capacity 5.8Ah battery pack.

The subjects of this review, the Scylla and Kratos tubeless ready tyres, are aimed at the cross-country market and are intended to prioritise speed and low rolling resistance over outright glue-like traction. They are available in a long-wearing all-black single compound or SDX “Greyline” black and grey dual compound. This review deals with the single compound  ”Tubeless Supra 1 for 3″ tubeless ready version. “1 for 3″ refers to the fact the tyre has been designed to be used with tubes on normal rims, normal rims with tubeless conversion systems, and UST tubeless rims. Not all tyres will work satisfactorily with all systems, but Rubena has done its homework here.

Of the two tyres reviewed, the Kratos has the more aggressive open tread with slightly more raised and prominent edge blocks. The Scylla, on the other hand, has the lower and more closely spaced tread necessary for low rolling resistance. As most of my local trails vary widely in surface conditions, I opted to fit the Kratos to the front as the primary control tyre, with the Scylla on the rear where its low rolling resistance would be best utilised.

The quality of construction of both tyres was excellent, at least equal to any of the market leaders, such as the Maxxis Crossmark or Schwalbe Racing Ralph. The sidewalls have what looks like an embossed cross-hatch pattern and the moulding was sharp and uniform. They beaded up easily on my Mavic UST rims, and mounted evenly and straight.

Tubeless ready tyres use a UST compatible bead, but rely on the use of liquid latex sealant to maintain inflation. The leaking of small droplets of sealant through the sidewall initially is not uncommon but, contrary to expectation, these tyres sealed up very well and displayed none of the slow leaking over the first few days commonly reported with other brands of tubeless ready rubber. They continue to hold air well and just require topping up once a week or so, the same as the full UST or tubed tyres on my other bikes.

The Scylla and Kratos were both very light, though in my enthusiasm to try them out I neglected to weigh them before fitting them. They were, however, noticeably lighter than the Schwalbes UST Triple Evos I’ve been running, which are very light for tubeless tyres. Both Rubena tyres have a high thread count casing, 127 tpi, which accounts for the light weight and supple feel of the casing in the hand.

While these tyres were marked as 2.25″ wide, they came in at less than that, more like 2.1″. This isn’t a bad thing, it is just something to factor in when purchasing and, maybe, go a size up in width compared what you’d use with other brands.

Sydney’s sandstone trails are notoriously hard on sidewalls and, unless you’re using full UST tyres, with some brands you can expect the sidewalls to give up well before the tread wears out. After several months riding in these conditions, the Kratos and Scylla have both worn very well; the sidewalls showing none of the usual marking up I would have expected by now.

The tread is obviously directional, although on the Kratos the arrow showing recommended direction of rotation was a little hard to find. These tyres rolled extremely well thanks to the high thread count and they accelerate briskly, as you’d expect from their low weight.

In terms of feeling hooked up to the trail, I’ll admit it took a little while to warm up to them. Much of that was due to setup. The first few rides I ran my usual setup, 25psi on the front and 32 in the rear, and the front of the bike felt washy. Riding at Manly Dam, on the first lap, I burped the front tyre after striking the side of a rock. Clearly 25psi was not enough for the Kratos, so I upped the pressure to 30psi to get the bead to re-seat and left it at that to see how it would go. What a difference! The steering was much more positive and I was able to concentrate on the trail instead of worrying about understeer, although I felt there was still a little room for improvement.

A couple of weeks later, it struck me that I might get a better result if I changed the direction of rotation. All tyres slide to some degree, especially on dirt. On front tyres, it is the edge of the shoulder lugs facing the centre of the tread that you see get chewed out first, since they take most of the load when cornering forces are at their highest. Switching that around, so that the lugs look “toed in” at the top (see photo), sets the shoulder lugs so they are toed out when on the ground. This allows the broadest side of the shoulder block to face into the direction of slide when leaning on edge, giving more bite.

That change brought about an immediate improvement in cornering confidence and predictability, with no tram-lining and no loss of response when changing direction. A return visit to Terrey Hills and Cascades (Belrose) felt much better. Riding in dusty conditions at Taree’s Kiwarrak State Forest, the front felt dialed in.

During this time the rear performed faultlessly. Despite the closely packed low profile tread knobs, climbing performance was excellent. It would still spit out and slip on the occasional loose rock on the really steep sections, as most do, but instead of losing all drive it would bite again to keep you moving forward. Riding the buff single-track at Hornsby’s Old Man’s Valley mountain bike park (due to be open to the public mid-December 2012), they stuck to the track like glue.

One of my occasional riding buddies, Smilie, reported outstanding traction using the 29er version of the Scylla at both ends of his bike at the Scott 24hr at Mount Stromlo: “I had these on at Mt Stromlo at the Scott event; I wouldn’t ride there again with anything else. They were flawless on the red loop – from riding there in the past with other tyres, it was cornering the downhill and luge like I was on rails. But around my local single track they are a bit sketchy where leaf litter after back burning has gone thru there. 9.5/10 at Stromlo , 7/10 at local trails”

One of my WA contacts, Cotic Tony reports “I’ve got them on my HT bike right now and think they’re the best 29er combination that I’ve used so far. I’m running the Kratos front, Scylla rear, running tubeless on Stans crest’s in preparation for the Dusk till dawn… At around 650g each, they nicely bridge the gap for those who want to run tubeless but were previously limited to the delicate but light TLR/2Bliss offerings or the reliable but heavy (900g Ardent) Maxxis UST tyres… On the trails here in WA, I’ve been really impressed with them.”

As the range and availability of Rubena Tyres expands over the next 12 months, they should definitely be on your list when next shopping for rubber at your local bike shop. I would have liked to have tried the 2.4″ sizes in the dual compound versions but unfortunately they weren’t available at the time of review. I will definitely be fitting a set of these to my bike when the Mont 24 swings around again in 2013.

In January 2013, the road racing and commuter tyres, tubes and sealant arrive on Australian shores.

Pros:
Light weight, high thread count
Impressive construction quality
Long wearing tread and surprisingly tough sidewalls
Ease of tubeless setup
Low rolling resistance
Kratos front and Scylla rear are an excellent combination across a wide variety of conditions from WA pea gravel to Sydney’s loose rocky sandstone trails and buff single track
Worth experimenting with direction of fitment to see what works for you

Cons:
The Scylla is less suited to use as a front, except on buff single track, but it performed very well as a rear in a variety of dry conditions
Small for the marked size: buy the next width up from your current brand

Rubena Tyres are imported into Australia by PCI Imports and are available from all good bike shops. The front wheel Kratos retails for $75 and the rear wheel Scylla  for $75 in the Tubeless Supra version.

There is a direct flight from Sydney to Rotorua twice a week with Air New Zealand, and it’s the most convenient flight for road riders and mountain bikers heading to the Cycle Challenge 80km away on Lake Taupo. It’s a three hour flight and, as customs in New Zealand are just as strict as in Australia, I made sure all of my gear was clean (that means making sure your bike is free of dirt and vegetable matter). Through the gates, no worries; I was looking forward to getting a taste of Rotorua, home of the World Downhill course and fantastic trails to suit all levels.

My accommodation was 30 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of town, on the fair side of Lake Rotorua, in a lovely lodge called Hamurana Lodge. It is the type of accommodation where the duty manager spots you as you drive along the long driveway, past sculptural artworks, and comes out to welcome you in person. It is authentic and local; their restaurant, for example, sources all produce from local suppliers. All in all, very classy accommodation for a mountain biker.

Early the next day it was off to the Redwoods, home to the two wheeled folk, and not that far outside of Rotorua. When you arrive at the big parking area, although you can’t see the trails hidden in the forest, it is obvious that this is the place to be. I dropped into MTB Rotorua to meet my guide for the day and borrow a mountain bike. My guide Jeff set me up on a 26″ full suspension Santa Cruz and in no time and I was heading out to ride.

Mountain Bike Rotorua at the foot of the Redwood Forest

MTB guide Jeff leading the way

The advantage of having a local guide is that you eliminate the guess-work and map reading. Jeff is a rower, and in the off-season works with MTB Rotorua. He guided me through some easier sections first to test my ability. The trails were well groomed and twisted, left and right, up and down through the redwoods. I followed his lead and took advantage of being able to follow his line through the ‘cruisey’ trails.

Jeff explained that the area is shared between mountain bikers and the logging companies. As we exited the easy trails and started  up the hill, huge sections of recently deforested areas were revealed. When logging begins the trails in that area are lost, but when the clearing is complete, the local trail-makers return and carve new trails.

Your author dismounts to climb a steeper section through a recently deforested area

We decided to head straight for the downhill course. Some mountain bikers opt to ride up along the bitumen road to the start, though a far easier option is to take the shuttle where bikes are loaded and secured on a long trailer and a colourful array of mountain bikers cram into the minibus. There is a broad range of riders from the hard core downhillers with full face helmets, neck braces and spinal protection through to recreational MTB riders, though you wont spot many hardtails up here.

The shuttle drop-off finds Mountain Bikers chillin’ before the descent

At the top it was quiet, with everyone waiting for the faster riders to start so that they could avoid holding up MTB traffic behind them. It was soon time for us, and Jeff led the way on our first run down into pure MTB joy. I was a little apprehensive, wondering what lay before me; while confident in my bike handling skills, big air is a different thing.

As gravity took over and the trail descended into the forest, big air wasn’t a problem as there were always escape routes for anyone who didn’t fancy flying high. The jumps were quite forgiving and you could take them hard or soft. As my confidence grew so did my time in the air. The twisty courses are filled with banked switchbacks and this is where I had the most to learn; my cautious braking sacrificed speed and flow. I call it self preservation, but this demonstrated to me the extreme skill that the professional downhillers possess and the level of confidence that they achieve.

Fast downhill section with jumps and turns

These trails were fantastic. Concentration is key, as a small lapse will have you slip off the edge or slam into a tree close to the windy single-trails. At speed you hardly have time to think; you tackle the current obstacle while looking ahead, ready for the next. Further down the trail kept splitting and I followed Jeff’s lead; he seemed to know where he was going. The trail rushed past as we took a final steep curve and drop; as my wheels started slipping in the soft mud I made a mental note to take this faster the next time.

We went straight back up in the shuttle and this time I was in the lead. Though I didn’t memorise the trail on the first run, my experience showed and I felt myself getting faster through the tight switchbacks. It was a great feeling rushing down the trails and on a whim choosing to take the path left or right. And then it happened.

I was anticipating the muddy left turn, but when it actually came I entered too slowly. I remember thinking that, at this painfully slow pace, I can take more care. A rock in my path, however, had different ideas; without sufficient momentum, it got the better of me and in slow motion I plunged forward and tumbled over the handlebars. Though it was a soft landing, I couldn’t unclip from the pedals and I knew there were five MTBers not far behind. It’s all on video so take a look:

Link: HD video with better quality

After the downhill runs we opted to head for some lesser known trails with great views across Rotorua. The downhill had taken its toll on our gear – I was having trouble clipping-in while Jeff’s gears were all over the place. This was XC country and we found the way to the top to find young pine trees blocking what would have been a fantastic view over lake Rotorua. There were a few more scenic opportunities further along, though we were here to ride. The trails in this area were tougher; fewer MTBers were about so trails were covered in leaves, pine needles and pine cones. These trails felt more natural as they followed the contours of the land while offering plenty of challenging turns and descents.

A lesser travelled trail with pine needles to keep you on your toes

It is more fun when you arrive fit enough for the ups and downs

We made it back to an area from which trails departed in every direction and this time chose a new trail in a recently cleared area, which Jeff said was his favourite. It was a hard packed single-trail with jumps and berms coupled with an unobstructed view ahead; it lent itself to speed. Descending into the the lower pine forests, we reached a section of gentle trails and started to encounter families on their mountain bikes. The diversity of the trails welcomes a broad crowd of cyclist and offers fantastic variation. As our energy levels and concentration dropped, these broader and windy trails along the forest floor created a nice warm-down before heading back to base.

The easier trails on the lower levels make for a nice finish after a hard day of riding

The MTB Rotorua team were still busy getting hire bikes ready for a stream of new arrivals, though they had time get a copy of my video footage on their iPad. Of course, they took great delight in watching my crash, over and over and over again, but at least I was welcomed with a coffee and chocolate slice. I was exhausted for the day, but the Redwood forests in Rotorua are definitely worth writing home (or an article) about.

Thermal by Bike
For a different type of riding, there is a new 74km cycle trail, starting at Rotorua, which leads recreational and touring cyclists past a number of geothermal hotspots through to Orakei Korako on the Waikato river. The Thermal by Bike trail is one of the new New Zealand Cycle trails and is suggested as a 2 day easy ride. Large sections follow roads though cycle paths and take cyclists comfortably away from the traffic. Rainbow Mountain, along the route, features off-road and downhill trails, though is suited to riders who drive directly to the trails rather that touring cyclists.

Activities in Rotorua
I find it fascinating to watch steam rising from the ground and in Rotorua there is a well known geothermal park called Te Puia. I remember visiting it years ago and was invited there to join an evening event, a Maori Feast. I wasn’t sure what to expect,  but found it to be an enjoyable and entertaining evening. The park guides and hosts had so much humour and soul that it was something I would do again. The highlight was the traditional hangi (earth cooked meal), which was incorporated into an unexpected fine-dining experience.

Brand new in Rotorua are the Canopy Tours, and though you might hear the terms flying foxes and swing bridges associated with them, they are more of a nature lovers activity than something for thrill seekers. There is a lot of preparation and anticipation as you get kitted up at their base in Rotorua before being bussed up to a semi-secret location that takes you into virgin forest. This is a slow paced tour that takes the group up into the canopy, moving from tree to tree with ziplines (flying foxes) and suspended bridges. The highlight is a 220 meter flying fox through the tree tops. The canopy tour have been well planned and incorporate a strong conservational aspect. Aside from the beauty of the nature, it is the friendliness, knowledge and humour of the guides that make this worthwhile.

Stay tuned for Mountain Biking in Taupo with the W2K and Huka trails.