Canis Tyre [Onza]

Well I didn't think I would be giving you a little review on this tyre so quick but I think these tyres are the best thing since Ay UP and Sram pwr links hit the market. So this is how it went last night me and my good mate Chris wacked a set of Canis tyres on our bikes Chris rides a Cannondale F1 and I put the set on my XTC we drove to the top of Mt Cootha and our plan was to drop into Gap creek from near channel 9 news HQ. The tyres claim to be a loose over hard, hard packed and medium soil tyre so what better place to give them a test ride then out at Gap Creek, being on new tread that we have never ridden on we were alittle reserved on our approach to the first fire road descent as it was all loose over hard but this reserved feeling was quickly put to bed as the tryes lived up to more then they promised, we found ourselves trying to get the trye to loose there grip [bearing in mind we were on a loose fire trail descent] within 400m of track we were stoked with both of us saying at the same time we had found the best tyre we have ever ridden on.

So how did they perform in the single track well lets just say that I don't think me and Chris could smile any harder then when finished our first peace of single infact Chris kinda look like Lenny off the Simpsons. We found the tyres were just point and shoot they went exactly were you wanted them to go and we had no problem cornering, rolling efficiency was outstand the tighter tread design in the centre of the trye doing exactly what it was ment to, roll and fast I myself had never used small block 8's but Chris told me they are faster then them and he probably won't be using small block 8's again.

Now to finish off our ride we decided to go back up the same fire road we came down to start with, we got treated to the same with the tyre just sticking we had no wheel spin and thats even being out of the saddle and putting the big ones in.

To sum up the best tyre both of us have ever ridden on. Get some on your bike

ONZA TYRES [LNYX] Review

Well if your have read the latest Mountain bike Australia Mag you might have come across a review about some new tyres called Onza. There is afew guys getting around on them but KWT hooked me up with a couple to get out on the track and see how they go. The day before the Titus 24hr I ripped off my trusty maxxis Rancheros and Larssen TT and threw on a set of Onza LYNX 1.95, most people [Hubcap] would say you should not even change your tooth paste before a race. My plan because of the grass was to run a slightly narrower tyre so I wouldn't have to push anymore rubber around the course then I needed to, and I chose the LYNX because it was a little more aggressive to give me the traction when I needed it in the soft stuff.



As you can see from the tread pattern it's got pretty aggressive side lugs on it, this worked out great form me on the Canugra course and I had no difficulty biting into off camber corner whether it was on the grass sections or in the washed out sand bunkers. To the rolling efficiency well I didn't notice any difference between these tyres and my trusty tyres I was using previously. I don't use UST tyres so I used the foldable version and wait for it it, it weighs in at a super heavy 400grams [excuse my poor sense of humour] considering one of the fly weight tyres I won at an event once weighed 330 grams and had no tread on it this is pretty impressive. All up I am stoked with the performance of these tyres and I think if you want something different give these ago.

Another great thing about the tyres is they all are 120 Tpi so they are equivalent to your Maxxis exception series tyre. In the XC range they keep it nice and simple there is 3 models LYNX, CANIIS, IBEX but there is a couple of different sizes of each model though.







Maxxis has a strangle hold as fare as the MTB tyre market goes but if any other brand of trye is going to compete I would like to think Onza might be the one.

Review to come on the Canis once i hit the trails again.

Later

Titus 24hr

The course was set out in Canugra were they held the Dusk til Dawn earlier in the year, the race was going to start at 2pm instead of the normal 12pm start this meant that if the racing was close by day break Sunday it was going to be a case of how can survive that heat temps Saturday and Sunday were about 34 deg.

The solo field was about 50-60 approx and with Andy bell, Matt and Hubcap around I was always going to have my work cut out for me not to mention a unknown field which always seems to produce some dark horses. At 2pm the start gun went and we were off my plan for the race was to try and hang on to Andys wheel for as long as I could. First lap found myself, Andy and Matt within a couple of seconds of each other. I kept pace with Andy for afew laps but with Matt putting in little attacks along the way I decided with the heat I would drop my pace I ended up letting Andy and Matt go around lap 4 approx. and started riding my own race.

The track was 7.5 km but for such a little course it was alot of hard work as you can see by the race results, there was alot of fresh made track which smashed your legs as the race wore on. Matt took some time of the bike which ment I had a fare gap back to him and Andy kept opening the gap to me. For the rest of the race I battle my own demons that wanted me to throw the towel in buti kept trying to open the gap to third so I could get off the bike early before the heat kicked in. As the morning rocked around my lack of consistent training after the world was showing, my plan was to hold second place and not try and chase Mr Bell. 6am I stopped and had a shower put some fresh kit on and went on to hold 2nd place.

The race was good it has got me keen to start training and prepare for next year.

On a different note there were 12 people that were convinced by a mad man solo rider[ me] to get themselves sorted into two 6 man teams and take on a 24hr race when they had limited MTB experience. These guys were great not once did either team stop in the whole 24hr, I think each of them found out what endurance racing is all about. A big congrats goes out to you guys you kicked arse.

Updated

Well it's been a little bit since I have updated my blog. Following my epic fail of a ride back to Gympie a few weeks ago I didn't train as much because I didn't feel 100% and following that I caught one super charged flow for 2 weeks. This bring me up to the week before last were I raced the Delxc flow 6hr. Still not feeling great i decided before the race that it was going to be a warm up for the Titus 24hr. The track was not real technical but had a bit of climbing and overall the field was fast, I rode until 12 were I stopped and had a rest then continued on until on. I placed 10th and with my sights set on having a good race at the Titus I was pleased with my result.

On a different note the boys from KWT have hooked me up with some Onza tyres, I will punch out a review soon.

Wolrd 24hr 2010

Mt Stromlo is going to be the venue for the 2010 World 24hr....... Start Training