USA Cycling  recently posted the following announcement on www.usacycling.org:

Colorado Springs, Colo. (September 12, 2008)—USA Cycling announced today the development and implementation of a new mountain bike category system set to take effect for the 2009 season. The modification to the existing structure comes after significant analysis and dialogue by the national governing body and the National Off-Road Bicycle Association (NORBA) Board of Trustees. 

In pursuit of its mission to provide a high-quality racing experience for members across all ages, skill levels and genders, USA Cycling will apply these new categories beginning December 1, 2008 in order to strengthen professional fields and add depth to amateur categories at the grass roots level.  

The new categories, which closely resemble those used in other disciplines of competitive cycling, have been created to offer USA Cycling mountain bike members a more competitive racing environment. The previous license categories will be replaced with a new system which include Category 1, 2, 3 and Pro designations.

The previous structure, which consisted of five categories – Beginner, Sport, Expert, Semi-Pro and Pro – has been condensed to include four categories. Like the categories they’re replacing, Categories 1, 2 and 3 will also feature age groups classes.

“This change has been discussed, studied and considered in some form for the last two years,” explained Lisa Nye-Salladin, President of the NORBA Board of Trustees and mountain bike race promoter for the Texas Mountain Bike Racing Association. “Ultimately, the NORBA Board of Trustees spearheaded this evolution in order to make racing more competitive and create a clear distinction between amateur and professional athletes. The names of the categories were also revised to better reflect the new levels of racing. The terms ‘Beginner’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Expert’ carry little relevance outside of the mountain bike community, which makes it difficult for sponsors and the public to relate. The simplicity of using numbered categories brings with it a universal understanding.”

One of the most synonymous names with the sport of mountain biking and Industry representative on the NORBA Board of Trustees, Gary Fisher, was also a major proponent of the change. He references the need for a more competitive environment domestically in order to improve the United States’ level of success in the pro ranks globally.

“We want bigger pro fields in the National Calendar events so our racers can better prepare for international competition like World Cups and World Championships,” said Fisher. “Our pro fields are tiny compared to our European counterparts. We have the numbers in terms of ridership, but we’ve been referring to them as Semi-Pros.”

Olympian and four-time USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Cross Country Champion Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, who also sits on the USA Cycling Board of Directors as the NORBA athlete representative, also sees the change as a positive step forward in the evolution of off-road racing in the U.S.

“Throughout the last several years, we’ve been discussing ways to improve the quality of races in the U.S. and increase competition,” said Horgan-Kobelski. “This change will result in deeper pro fields, but will also produce an extremely competitive atmosphere among amateurs. The Category 1 designation itself becomes a more prestigious field with talent indicative of up-and-coming pros. The change also simplifies things for race organizers who can now offer fewer categories, while at the same time improving their event.”

Another benefit of the consolidation is that it presents a better opportunity for the development of professional athletes, according to Marc Gullickson, USA Cycling’s National Mountain Bike Development Director.    

“The Semi-Pro category was originally created as a place for U23 athletes to compete before making the jump to the professional level,” explained Gullickson, “but now, the elimination of that category will help accelerate the progression of athletes who should theoretically be competing against stiffer competition on a more consistent basis. From a development standpoint, the Semi-Pro category became an unnecessary middle ground that made it difficult to assess talent.”

The change raises several topics that all USA Cycling mountain bike members should familiarize themselves with – most notably the conversion process. The switch will be simple and automatic. Members currently categorized as Experts will automatically become a Category 1; Sport members will automatically be converted to a Category 2; and Beginners will automatically become a Category 3.

Members currently categorized as Semi-Pro may choose either Category 1 or Pro designation for the 2009 racing season. When renewing their license, Semi-Pro members will be offered an automatic upgrade to Pro throughout the 2009 licensing period which runs from December 1, 2008 to November 30, 2009. To take advantage of this upgrade, Semi-Pro members must purchase an annual license during this time as this automatic upgrade will only be offered during the 2009 season. Therefore, if a current Semi-Pro member does not purchase a 2009 racing license, he will automatically default to Category 1 status beginning on December 1, 2009 for the 2010 racing season. At that point, regular upgrade procedures will apply.       

The new categories will be converted on December 1, 2008, the first day of 2009 license sales. If members wish to upgrade or downgrade at that time, they may do so online through their My USA Cycling account.

In order to provide its members with a comprehensive overview of additional subjects affected by the new categorization system, USA Cycling has developed an online FAQ page. Here members can find additional information that pertains to qualification for the 2009 USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships, definitions of the new mountain bike categories, an outline of the conversion process and rules regarding the combination of categories at events.

Additionally, USA Cycling has developed a document that explains the Pro upgrade requirements and transition for Semi-Pro’s in Endurance, Gravity and Ultra-Endurance disciplines. That document can be viewed by clicking here.

For more information regarding the new categorization system, USA Cycling members should contact USA Cycling Mountain Bike Events and Program Director, Kelli Lusk at klusk@usacycling.org or 719-866-4668 or drop by the USA Cycling booth at Interbike, Sept. 24-26.

Helpful Links:

USA Cycling homepage

USA Cycling Mountain Bike page

2009 Mountain Bike Category Changes FAQ

2009 Pro Upgrade Requirements/Semi-Pro Transition

2009 USA Cycling Categories and Classes (State, Regional & National Championships) 

Would you like to travel the continent, building  cool singletrack, teaching, building relationships with land managers, and spreading the IMBA love? Here’s the skinny on the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew job opportunity, as reported on imba.com:

The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) is searching for a full-time, professional two-person team position in the highly successful Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew program. This job requires a passion for mountain biking, excellent communication and volunteer organizational skills, and team compatibility.

The Crew will travel nearly all year in a specially outfitted 2009 Subaru Outback.

The application deadline is Oct. 3, 2008.

For more than 10 years, the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crews have traveled the world, sharing expertise with volunteers, land managers and trail advocates. As a direct result, thousands of miles of appealing, environmentally sustainable trails have been built or revitalized and hundreds of local, IMBA-affiliated mountain bike clubs have bolstered their position in the trails community. The Crews are playing an increasing role in developing IMBA Ride Centers and establishing successful national IMBA programs at grassroots level.

Sponsored by Subaru of America and directed by IMBA, the Trail Care Crews work to grow the mountain bike community, improve the social and environmental sustainability of trails, and motivate mountain biking volunteers to give back to the sport. Couples that enjoy travel and adventure, love to work outside and want to help improve trails and mountain biking are encouraged to apply for this two-year commitment.

Job Responsibilities

• Collaborate with mountain bikers, land managers, and other trail groups to help solve trail development and management challenges through sharing information about successful trail design philosophy and construction techniques.
• Lead IMBA Club Care presentations, one-day seminars and strategic planning sessions designed to improve IMBA-affiliated mountain bike club’s operational, outreach, and strategic capacity.
• Lead IMBA Trailbuilding Schools, one or two day seminars designed to improve the environmental and social sustainability of trails for mountain bikers, other trail users and land management agency personnel.
• Assist IMBA-affiliated clubs in establishing and growing IMBA-developed programs such as a National Mountain Bike Patrol unit, a Team IMBA fundraising event, or Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day celebration.
• Aid in the development of IMBA’s Ride Centers projects by providing educational services, expert consultation, and volunteer coordination services.
• Lead volunteer trailwork projects involving members of IMBA-affiliated mountain bike clubs, other trail users, and land managers.
• Represent IMBA at select festivals and events throughout the year.
• Communicate regularly by phone and email with the program coordinator and Field Programs Director, based in the IMBA office in Boulder, CO.
• Submit written journals and digital photos from the road on a regular basis for the IMBA website.
• Submit short written pieces for IMBA Trail News (topics will be assigned by IMBA).
• Conduct bike shop and sporting goods store presentations showcasing IMBA’s work and great places to ride around the world.
• Represent IMBA, the Trail Care Crew program, the sport of mountain biking, and Subaru of America in a positive, professional manner at all times.

Qualifications

The ideal candidates bring these qualities to the position:

• Passion for growing the sport of mountain biking and improving trails
• A very strong relationship with your spouse/long-time significant other (who will be your partner in this job) and the ability to spend a great deal of time with each other
• A sense of adventure
• Flexibility
• A positive attitude
• Excellent communication skills
• Public speaking skills
• Computer savvy (ideal candidate will be proficient with Macintosh computers, software applications including Word, Excel, Mail, iCal. PhotoShop, Illustrator, and database experience helpful)
• Experience and passion for working with volunteers

Benefits

IMBA provides:

• A monthly salary, plus a travel and living expense stipend
• Comprehensive medical benefits, including dental (available immediately)
• Deferred compensation retirement plan option
• Use of the official Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew 2009 Outback

Please send a cover letter and resumes by Oct. 3, 2008 to Spencer Powlison at spencer@imba.com or to IMBA, P.O. Box 711, Boulder, CO 80306. The selected applicants will start work in January, 2009.

For more information on IMBA and the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew Program, visit http://www.imba.com/tcc

Director Maurice Tierney VII has released his first major (19min) motion picture on Dirt Rag’s YouTube channel, and the Dirt Rag TV portion of Dirtragmag.com. “Tour of Dirt Rag Magazine” stars Maurice Tierney VI in a role that is sure to secure his stardom, talking the viewer on a tour of the palatial abode where the magazine is created. Never-seen-before places like the kitchen and bike room are prominently featured. The viewer even gets a speak-peek at how the mail gets mailed. Rated R for ridiculous. Goooo Dirt Rag!

Kona held their 2009 bike launch at Whistler resort on August 14th, 2008. They have been supplying Whistler with it’s rental fleet since the beginning, making it the perfect place to host the launch. Whistler’s legendary trails, state of the art trail building, and ground breaking events can supply every level of rider a good time. Kona also has the machinery to fulfill every rider’s needs.

Kona has a full line of riding and casual apparel. We were supplied with some hats and a pair of their new Supreme gloves. The gloves have all the features expected with a high end product. There is highly breathable material where possible, with protective padding where needed. A terry snot wipe thumb helps keep you presentable out on the trail, and the silicone grip finger tips keep you from slipping off the brakes. Supreme gloves indeed. There is a wide variety of hats, shirts, shorts, socks and also a full line of women’s apparel. All the 2009 clothing will be available in February.

Kona offers all the mountain bike clothing you could need, but their extensive bike line is even more impressive. Let’s begin with what Kona calls, in their own words, “the most important bike we’ve ever designed.” The Africa Bike is the machine they are referring to. This is a simple, single or three speed ride with all the basics covered. It comes complete with a bell, full fenders, front basket, chainguard, rear lock system, sturdy Continental tires and rear rack. The burly rear rack is part of the frame, attaching to the lower seatstays and seat tube. Kona started the program to assist humanitarians in the worst areas of Africa. For every two bikes sold, Kona will donate one to the cause. They have donated 1,500 bikes so far. If you need a cruiser for around town, this is the one you should buy.  The singlespeed Africa bike will retail for $375.00, and the Three speed will be $449.00  Go to konaworld.com for all the details.

Kona also produces the $899.00 Ute, a utilitarian, haul-anything bike. This is definitely the kind of bike that Dirt Rag’s “one less car” sticker promotes. It is ready to run to the store for groceries, or haul all your work related items on your daily commute. Disk brakes, center stand, engraved wooden rear rack and fenders round out this package. They are trying to start a grocery delivery program with Whole Foods, utilizing this bike. The plan is not a definite, but would be pretty cool.

Let’s regress for a moment, to the kids’ bikes. Kona’s full line includes seven mountain bikes for the children. There are six hardtail bikes, starting with the $299.00 Makena, to the $899.00 Stuff 2-4. The bikes cater to different kids’ riding needs, whatever their skill level may be. After the first six models, they get to step up into the realm of full-suspension, with the $1,499.00 Stinky 2-4. The Stinky 2-4 is one of the first serious steps to enjoying your downhill fun with your child.

I’m not a huge fan of riding on the asphalt, but sometimes it has to happen. In the unfortunate event that you find yourself shredding miles of the black death, there are quite a few beautiful options from the Kona shed.  Two of the asphalt bikes are women specific, the Lisa Road and Lisa TR (triathlon). The rest of the list is quite extensive, consisting of twelve options. There is everything from super-light-weight race bikes to fully functional commuters. The frame materials cover a broad spectrum of options as well—everything but Titanium. Prices range from the $375.00 Africa 2.0, to the $3,499.00 King Zing. The $679.00 Paddy Wagon would be my choice from this category. A no-nonsense, singlespeed or fixed approach to the everyday road bike. The Wagon consists of a high grade chromoly frame and fork, mixed with a minimalist group of sturdy components. The Kona flip-flop fixie/freewheel hub adds great value to the bike, in case you want or need to coast.

As much as I would probably enjoy the Paddy Wagon, I would choose one of the cross bikes. What could be better than quickly cruising home on the road after a hard days work, and taking an alternate trail route without worries. Not  a whole lot as far as I can see. Cyclocross bikes have almost all the speed of a road bike, with a big chunk of the mountain bike comfort and durability thrown in to boot. DeeeCent!!

The next logical step in the evolution of the Kona line is the hardtail. These bikes span ten different categories for the 2009 season. In a nutshell, Kona can supply any kind of hardtail you need. The out-of-bounds group stands out as the most unique, especially if you will be riding on Whistler-type trails.  These bikes are geared towards aggressive riding, such as dirt jumping, slopestyle or big-mountain freeriding. The out of bounds category also contains one full-suspension design, the Bass slopestyle bike. The Bass incorporates an eccentric bottom bracket into its full suspension design. The eccentric bottom bracket allows the Bass to keep a simple rear suspension design, less pivots to keep the suspension and braking/pedaling forces isolated.

The full-suspension area is what I always think of when my mind drifts towards Kona bicycles. They are definitely  not leaving me hanging on that thought. They have been investing a lot of time to their full-suspension line. They produce super-light-weight full-suspension cross country bikes, to the full-blown downhill rig. In the middle of the spectrum is the Dawg series. Next year’s Dawgs are getting quite the overhaul. The rear triangles have been completely reworked to decrease weight and increase strength. The Dawgs also gets Kona’s D.O.P.E. lite rear dropout that allows the use of a floating rear brake system. One of the bikes that the Kona folk seem the most excited about is the Minxy. The Minxy is a women-specific, six inch travel freeride bike. Kona started with their new Stinky Six and tweaked it to make it the gender-specific Minxy. It receives a tighter cockpit, lower standover height, less weight, an array of special components, and its own graphics. It is one of the better looking Konas as far as I’m concerned, with it’s sexy blacked-out stealth appearance. The Stab series bikes received a few upgrades as well. Highlighting next year’s Stab will be the D.O.P.E. rear dropouts/Brake Therapy system that utilizes a floating caliper. They will also accept any 12 by 150mm rear axles, allowing the use of most aftermarket hubs. An 83mm bottom bracket shell will also be used on the Stabs (it aligns better with the 150mm rear hub).  The Stab Supreme will also be graced with a full Shimano Saint component group. Ladies and gentlemen, the Stab Supreme.

The freeride bikes from Kona, the Stinky and the Coil Air, also get some attention. The Stinky gets shorter chainstays, steeper headtube geometry and a bigger 1.5″ headtube. All of these changes are due to requests from Kona freeriders. The bike also comes with cable routing for the new Truvativ HammerSchmidt front transmission, covered in Karl Rosengarth’s recent blog. The Coil Air is the bike we spent the most time discussing at the the launch. The designer/engineer, Brian Berthold, was on site to give us the lowdown of the machine. The Magic Link on the Coil Air is a mechanically active design that automatically adjusts between pedaling and coasting forces. When pedaling, the magic link is pushed forward, causing the geometry of the bike to steepen and the six inches of suspension to stiffen. When Kona’s bike is allowed to coast the link is pulled back, activating a very simple spring that is in series with the Fox air shock. Almost twenty years ago I attempted making a rear suspension bike. I used a crappy ten speed mountain bike as my platform, a short rear hatch strut from a car, two valve springs from an old Chevy small block V8, and a heavy steel hinge for my pivot. The bike would have been a success if I had understood springs a little better.  The two springs together allowed the rear end to pack-up and fully compress, after about six or seven pedal strokes, and not rebound fast enough. Activating two springs together in series creates a much softer initial stroke, which allows the CoilAir’s rear wheel to move up and out of the way of obstacles easier. Kona seems to have found the perfect mixture of springs in series to make this bike perform exactly as they want. Also when coasting, the chainstays increase in length, the angles slacken and the travel increases to 7.4″. All of this happens without the need for switches or levers—it is strictly mechanical.  Perhaps my favorite aspect of the Coil Air is the addition of grease ports in the main pivot. The most vulnerable pivot on the the bike can be kept clean and full of grease with a few pumps of a grease gun—beautiful. New for 2009 as well is the tapered headtube. This system gives the bike a small weight savings, while increasing headtube strength as well. The whole bike should fall somewhere in the mid-30-pound range, and cost $2,399.00, $3,999.00 or $5,799.00, depending on which model you purchase.

The 2009 Kona launch was held ¾ of the way up the mountain at the top of the Village Gondola lift. Our very informative press release was accompanied by some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen, lingering in the background.

The full line of bikes and clothing were discussed and shown to us, then we got to ride the bikes. Most people were riding CoilAirs or Stabs, while I was given a Hei Hei 2-9. What bike is this, you may ask. It is a 3.5″ travel XC 29er, with an 80mm front fork. Someone is trying to kill me. A large percentage of the Kyber trail that we rode should be ridden on a six-plus inch travel bike. No big deal, I definitely got to put it to the test on this ride. The twenty minutes that we rode uphill, and the road ride back to the village, was much better on this bike as well. It was funny that in those two instances everyone wanted to trade me bikes. The big wheels on the Hei Hei helped me to roll over all the large rocks and drops on the Kyber trail. Although I remained towards the front of the 20 person pack on most of the ride, the bike was out of its realm. It took all the abuse I dished out, and only whimpered a little bit in the form of brake jack. I bet the other riders did not experience this, with their Brake Therapy floating rear calipers. Back here in Pittsburgh the Hei Hei would be a fantastic choice, but not so much if you are doing lift-assist freeride runs all day. The  hydroformed Scandium framed Hei Hei 2-9 and Hei Hei 2-9 Deluxe come with one piece magnesium rockers in the rear suspension, tons of stand over height, a host of light weight parts, and a Fox 32 F29 RL front fork. We were told the bikes would perform fine with a 100mm fork, if you wanted a little more travel. Below are a few thumbnails of my bike before the ride, our starting point, a mid-ride shot, Magic Link creator Brian Berthold and the man that made the whole trip happen, Keith Cozzens. Cheers! Click on thumbnails to enlarge.

One of my favorite things about mountain bike festivals is the opportunity to ride a variety of different bikes that I would normally only see in magazines. Enter Crankworx Colorado, 2008, Winter Park resort and the Commencal Furious. The nice gentlemen at the BTI booth had the entire Commencal lineup on hand for the shredding, thank you Preston and Mike. BTI, Bicycle Technologies International, is a distributor based in Santa Fe, NM and they are the Commencal distributor here in the United States.

Commencal, pronounced Co-Men-Sal, is a mountain bike company born out of passion for the sport in the mountains of Andorra—a mountainous region in southwestern Europe, located between Spain and France. The people of Andorra are reported to have the highest life expectancy of any other place in the world. This might have something to do with the seemingly endless recreational opportunities available there. Andorra is home to Commencal team rider and world champion mountain biker, Cedric Gracia. The Commencal Furious was designed with CG’s input to be his exclusive slopestyle and hucker bike. Having always been a fan of the rowdy Frenchman, this was the bike that I had to ride.

The first thing one will notice about the Furious is that it is a female. That is to say, there is an opening in the top tube, towards the rear end and in front of the seat tube. This femininity serves to allow the Marzocchi Roco coil over shock to move freely up and through the top tube. It also just really looks cool. With the 180mm of rear travel handled by the Marzocchi Roco, the front is lead by a Marzocchi 66 ATA, also sporting 180mm of buttery smooth travel. The Furious utilizes a 1.5″ head tube, which adds extra strength and beef, and is a spec that is becoming more and more common on big-hit bikes. The parts pick on this bike contained a healthy mix of Race Face, Commencal house brand parts, Avid and SRAM. As always, the SRAM Shifters were on-point and the Avid Code brakes kept me in control. Maxxis Minions, front and rear, held the rubber side down, and oh how nicely they drift in the oversized berms that Winter Park’s Trestle Bike Park is becoming famous for.

Let’s talk about the ride. The Furious is much lighter than other bikes in this category, weighing in at 39lbs as tested. This was very noticeable in the air, as I was overshooting many of the jumps on my first run with the unfamiliar steed. However, I am used to my 46 pound sow. By the second run, the lighter weight was a welcome change. The Furious is definitely made for rhythm sections and jumping. This is evident in the geometry which is slightly steeper than many other bikes in this category. The head tube is 66° and the seat tube is 72°. I attribute the steepness to the fact that this is more of a slopestyle, big-jump bike and not your standard downhill rig. Personally, I feel more comfortable in the bike park with a slacker head tube. Yes, this bike wants to jump, it felt like being on a BMX bike with suspension. The seat tube is 15″, and with the low bottom bracket height it is easy to hit the eject button or throw a can-can; that is, if I could do a can-can.

In summation, the Commencal Furious is a bike that wants to go fast and be in the air. I would like something a little slacker for downhilling, but if you are a 4X racer or a slopestyler in need of a new sled, I would give the Furious a serious look.

—Matt Weatherbee

Marilyn Price, Trips for Kid’s founding director, was recently awarded the Jefferson Award for community service. The Jefferson Award spotlights ordinary people who do extraordinary things without expectation of recognition or reward.

Trips for Kids is a non-profit organization that provides mountain bike outings and environmental education for kids who would not otherwise be exposed to such activities. Under Price’s 21 years of dedicated stewardship, Trip for Kids has grown into a 64-chapter international organization which has served tens of thousands of disadvantaged, young people in the inner-cities. Most participate in mountain bikes rides in nearby parks. In many cases, Trips for Kids also provides young people with the opportunity to learn bike repair and maintenance through earn-a-bike programs. The organization teaches lessons in personal responsibility, achievement and environmental awareness through the simple act of having fun.

More information about Trips for Kids may be found at www.tripsforkids.org. More information about the Jefferson Awards, administered by the American Institute for Public Service, a national foundation that honors community service, may be found at www.jeffersonawards.org.