My Mountain Staff Bikes

It's safe to say that the Staff have pretty good jobs working @ My Mountain.

We spend a lot of time and effort helping riders to get onto their dream machine, and each day we get to build, setup, repair, demo ride and drool over some very trick bikes.

Occasionally however, we get itchy feet ourselves when the calling of a shiny new toy is just too much to ignore. In recent months, the excitement of deciding and choosing a new set of wheels has become contagious amongst the staff, as each one of us have plonked down our hard-earned cash on a new steed in preparation of the coming riding season.

Read on to see which bikes made the cut for each of us...

Crusty's Criterium Demon

For those of you regular My Mountain folk that know Mark and his background in road racing, they would also be aware that he's been harping on about his impending triumphant return to the criterium circuit for the last 3 years.
Well he finally got around to doing something about it, and put in an order for a Trek Madone 5.5 to replace his Felt roadie.

The 5.5 uses the super slick 5-Series Madone frameset with the tubed-and-lugged technology, that combines that magical combination of out of the saddle stiffness with a bitumen-soothing ride quality. A SRAM Force groupset, Bontrager Race Lite wheelset, DuoTrap computer system, E2 tapered head tube, integrated seatpost and huge pressfit BB95 are just a few of the build highlights that make the Madone stand out from the rest.

In addition to the bike, Crusty has splashed out on a set of Bontrager Aeolus 5.0 carbon fibre deep dish wheels, as well as some Schwalbe Ultremo tubular tyres that are put on for race day.
A bigger 53/39 SRAM Red crankset was also fitted to cope with the higher speeds that are reached during sprints.

Yep, that is right. Not bad for a bike with deep dish wheels on there.
Of course the beauty about the Madone is that the designers and engineers at Trek never set out to make the lightest frame on the market, they set out to make the best riding bike on the market, and if you ever the pleasure of riding one, you'll know exactly what we mean.
Just ask Mark about his, I'm sure he'll make plenty of time to blabber on about just how good this bike rides!

In the meantime, check out the Trek Madone 5.5 here.

Jerry's Enduro Machine

Our newest Staff member and resident Enduro-Nut; Jerry, is a self-proclaimed weight weenie that knows almost every trick in the book when it comes to stripping out weight for race day.
After spending the last few years on a tired dually, Jerry was keen to drop some weight with a lightweight race hardtail that would still be comfortable for long distance racing and training. The obvious answer was a 29er, in order to get something that would be efficient and lightweight, whilst still maintaining comfort for the longer rides.
After Mark and I saw the new 2011 Trek Superfly hardtail in the flesh up in Canberra for Trek World, we made a call to Jerry back in Brunswick to see if he wanted to get his hands on the first Superfly in Australia. Needless to say, we got a very excited "make it happen!" back down the line.

The Supefly was heralded as being the first carbon fibre 29er on the market 3 years ago, featuring the classic Gary Fisher G2 geometry that makes all of the Fisher 29ers ride so well. For Jerry, the smooth riding carbon frame reduces fatigue on longer rides, as he gets knocked around much less than he would on an alloy bike or a 26" wheeled bike.
And the bike arrived not a moment too soon - about a week before the Australian 24 hour championship! A few bed-in rides were had before he made the trek up to Canberra for the enduro slog.

Evolving from the first generation Superfly frame, the press-fit bottom bracket bearings are a new feature for 2011, along with the 100mm travel Fox fork up front and the tapered head tube. The result is a stronger, stiffer and lighter frame than last years. The bike is kitted out with the new 10spd Shimano drivetrain and the Bontrager Tubeless Ready wheelset, making it race-ready out of the box.
If you see Jerry in the shop, ask him about his racing, how he is liking the whole 29er deal or if the carbon Superfly is all it's cracked up to be.

Otherwise, check out the Trek Superfly here.

Crundy says hello to Lycra and Lattes

Our resident downhill racer has recently been getting the fitness bug, with an aim to improve his results on the State DH circuit through strength and aerobic training. Amongst spin classes and training sessions, the lure of a road bike has dragged our Senior Mechanic into the shaved leg world, and before we knew it, a 4-Series Madone was ordered for our greasy friend.
The Trek Madone 4.5 is the mid-level road bike in Treks range, featuring a carbon fibre frame that is aesthetically very similar to the 5-Series though utilising a monocoque construction to bring production costs down.
With a Shimano 105 groupset, DuoTrap compatibility and lightweight Bontrager wheelset, you'll be sure to see Crundy down at Cafe Racer on Beach Road admiring his smoothly shaven pins.



A very snazzy matte black and blue finish on the frame keeps the 4.5 very understated and allows you to see each contour and line in the carbon frame.
Unfortunately the white handlebar tape is unlikely to stay white for long, and if you've ever seen Crundy's hands whilst at work, you'll know what I mean...

Doesn't look too bad for a roadie hey?
We'll be watching closely on Bens progress as he gets the miles into his legs on the road to recovery from his busted leg. With a schedule of DH racing in New Zealand in the New Year, as well as finishing off the Vic State DH series once he is back in February, there will be plenty of opportunities for Ben to show off his new-found fitness.
Whether or not he takes to the whole roadie thing is yet to be seen however, though ask Crundy next time you come past the shop and find out yourself.

For details on the bike, check out the Trek Madone 4.5 here.

A bike of many firsts for Willis

Perhaps the quickest bike purchase I've ever made, the Superfly 100 wasn't so much an impulse buy, but more an "enlightened purchase".
After Crusty and I had hooned around Mt. Stromlo on a variety of high-end 2011 Trek and Fisher demo bikes in September, there was one bike that stood out to me that blew me away in every aspect on the trail. It was as if I was riding a bike that I had owned for many years all ready, to the point where I was questioning myself why I didn't already have one.
Those who have driven down the soul-destroying Hume Highway from Canberra to Melbourne will know that it is one fidgety trip. Now imagine doing that drive whilst contemplating your savings and how you could acquire a new bike as quickly as possible - painful!

The Superfly 100 is Treks premier 29er race bike, with 110mm travel out back and 100mm up front in a full OCLV carbon fibre frameset. Like Jerry's Superfly hardtail, the 100 uses the custom fork offset that is key to the G2 geometry and makes the Superfly ride like no other 29er on the market.

The main aspect that kept me babbling was the silent nature of the carbon frame on the trail - it absorbs all the small trail chatter with minimal fuss and seems to hover over rocks and roots.

The OCLV frames are handmade in the US and are one of the only carbon frames on the market to feature a lifetime warranty. Lightweight is a bonus of using carbon fibre, the main reason I went with the Superfluy 100 over the HiFi was the increase in frame stiffness and ride quality compared to an aluminum frame. Plus, the carbon frame is pretty close to sex on wheels.
The local crew will know that about a week after I built this beauty up I broke my collarbone, and haven't had the chance to take it out for a blast on the trails yet. If that isn't the definition of blue-balling, I don't know what is.
Trust me, when I can get back on a mountain bike, I may or may not be using a lot of annual leave, though if you can catch me in the shop or on the trails (don't tell Mark if you see me out there on a work day), ask me how I'm liking the bike and I'll be happy to jump up and down, dance and gyrate in answer to your question.

For more details, check out the Trek Superfly 100 here.