RIGHTO PUNK ROCKERS, YOU’RE IN FOR A TREAT SO LISTEN UP! A LITTLE WHILE AGO THE CREW FROM FOCUS BIKES CALLED THE [R]EVOLUTION MTB MAG OFFICE AND ASKED US IF WE WERE INTERESTED IN GRABBING THE KEYS TO TEST DRIVE THEIR ALL NEW, ULTRA-HYPED, ULTRA-SICK, ALL-MOUNTAIN ‘SAM’ ENDURO WEAPON FOR A REVIEW? OUR ANSWER WAS “HELL YES!” THEN THEY ASKED, “OKAY WELL WHICH VERSION WOULD YOU LIKE?” EH, I GUESS THEY COULD PICK-UP ON OUR CONFUSION THE VOICE AT THE OTHER END OF THE PHONE THEN WENT ON TO SAY, “…THE SAM (REGULAR) OR THE SAM2 (E-BIKE)?” SENSING AN OPPORTUNITY AND DREAMS COMING TRUE WE CHEEKILY REPLIED “BOTH!” TO BE HONEST WE NEVER THOUGHT THAT FOCUS WOULD ACTUALLY AGREE TO LET US GET OUR DIRTY LITTLE HANDS ON SUCH A FINE PAIR OF THOROUGHBREDS, WORTH A COMBINED TOTAL OF ABOUT 20K BUT HEY, AS IT TURNED OUT THEY WERE ALL FOR IT!
It has been a few months now since that chat but let us tell you at that time the stoke level was high as we sensed a real opportunity to do what may very well be a world exclusive for [R]evo and [E]vo, a head to head, back to back, all-out battle between Focus Bike’s flagship Sam and Sam2 all mountain weapons. It’s obvious we are not going to pick a clear winner from the 2 bikes, as comparing the characteristics of a naturally aspirated MTB sled versus an e-Bike is akin to comparing beer and wine (both are different but still pretty damn good). What we did discover is that both bikes share quite a lot in common besides their namesake. In this article we’d like to introduce you to each bike, chat about some of the unique design concepts of each machine and of course we will fill you in on how each bike performed on the trails.
Esta historia es de la edición Issue 55 de Revolution MTB.
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Esta historia es de la edición Issue 55 de Revolution MTB.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
How To Whip How To Instructional
Have you heard the news? Australia’s hottest rising star on the gravity front, Dan Booker, has recently signed a deal to ride for nuke proof bikes’ with global support!
Diaries Of A Professional Trail Fairy
Well hello, my name is Baxter and welcome to the first edition of my brand- new regular column right here in [R]evo Mag. Each issue I will be aiming to tell stories that give insight into the world of trail building as I see it.
Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 70
If you’ve been following the mag over the years you’ll know that rocky mountain’s are a definite favourite amongst our staff here at [r]evo.
PEAK AROUSAL
HERE HAS BEEN ONE KEY QUESTION WHICH ALWAYS INTRIGUES ME ABOUT ATHLETES AND HOW THEY PERFORM AT THEIR VERY BEST WHEN THE PRESSURE IS AT IT’S GREATEST, AND THAT IS, WHAT GETS THEM AMPED UP? WHAT GETS THEM INTO ‘THAT ZONE’ MENTALLY WHERE THEY’RE ABLE TO BE THE BEST VERSION OF THEMSELVES AND NET THE BEST RESULTS?
RAISING CHAMPIONS THE A'HERN
LET’S MEET THE A’HERNS; THERE’S MUM AND DAD, OTHERWISE KNOWNS AS JEN AND NICK (A DUAL COMMONWEALTH GAMES GOLD MEDALIST AND TRIPLE OLYMPIAN IN HIS OWN RIGHT!) AND THEN THERE’S THE KIDS, BROTHER KYE (19) WHO’S A JUNIOR WORLD CHAMP AND MULTI-NATIONAL CHAMP, AND THEN OF COURSE THERE’S SISTER SIAN (22) WHO HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNISABLE FACES IN AUSTRALIA WOMAN’S CYCLING, A MULTIPLE-NATIONAL CHAMP AND OCEANIA CHAMP.
THE BEST BRAKES ON THE MARKET RIGHT NOW? GROUP TEST WITH NO DEFINITIVE CONCLUSION.
ASK ANY RIDER AND THEY’LL ALMOST CERTAINLY TELL YOU OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PARTS THAT MAKE UP A BIKE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IS A SET OF BRAKES THAT PERFORM REALLY WELL AND MOST IMPORTANT ‘FEEL’ JUST RIGHT.
SUPPLY CHAIN PAIN
A KIN TO A LOT OF YOU OUT THERE WE’VE RECENTLY FOUND OURSELVES SWINGING BY OUR LOCAL BIKE STORE TO STOCK UPON A FEW PARTS AHEAD OF OUR PLANNED TRAIL ADVENTURES, ONLY TO FIND, EMPTY RACKS AND SHELVES? IS THIS THE NEW VERSION OF LAST YEAR’S SUPERMARKET TOILET PAPER PANIC BUYING? WHERE HAVE ALL THE BIKES, BRAKE PADS, TIRES AND EVERYTHING ELSE GONE? WITH AROUND A 30% INCREASE IN BIKE SALES ACROSS AUSTRALIA (AND THE WORLD) DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS ALONE, BIKES HAVE BEEN FLYING OUT THE DOOR THE SAME DAY THAT THEY ARRIVE… WANT A NEW BIKE? GET READY TO WAIT. THIS TIME LAST YEAR THE PRE-ORDER WAITING LISTS FROM MOST BRANDS FOR POPULAR BIKES WAS AVERAGING 1-3 MONTHS, NOW, IT’S BLOWING OUT TO ANYWHERE FROM 6 MONTHS TO A FULL YEAR! IT’S CRAZY. IT’S SCARY. IT SUCKS. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE BIKE INDUSTRY IS ON OUR SIDE AND BRANDS ARE DOING THEIR VERY BEST RIGHT NOW TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO TURN IT AROUND.
INDUSTRY AU
IN THIS EDITION OF INDUSTRY.AU WE’RE CHECKING IN WITH ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S LATEST AND MOST EXCITING COMPONENT FABRICATORS WHO ARE PRODUCING SOME REALLY INTERESTING AND INNOVATIVE GEAR FROM THEIR ADELAIDE WORKSHOP.
PIVOT 2021
WHEN IT COMES TO PICKING YOUR NEXT DREAM BIKE IN A PACKAGE THAT PERFECTLY SUITS THE STYLE OF RIDING THAT YOU LOVE MOST, YOU REALLY ARE GOING TO FIND YOURSELF UTTERLY SPOILT FOR CHOICE WITH PIVOT’S LATEST OFFERINGS.
AUS CYCLING 2021 DH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
FOLLOWING THE CRAZY YEAR OR CONFUSION AND CANCELATIONS THAT WAS 2020, THE VIBE FOR THIS YEAR’S AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL DOWNHILL MTB CHAMPS WAS ALL ABOUT A ‘NEW YEAR, NEW ME’ ATTITUDE. FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME WE GOT TO SEE THE COUNTRY’S BEST GRAVITY RIDERS BATTLING FOR NATIONAL TITLES AT THE ULTIMATE VENUE FOR SUCH AN EVENT, MAYDENA!