Last year I headed off to Scotland for my first EWS with a plan to bike tour between the EWS rounds with my friend Dan Perl. When we arrived in Tweed Valley we were told by Wyn Masters that there was a Kiwi kid planning on doing the same. Wyn was of course talking about the
legendary Matt Fairbrother. Dan and I joined forces with Matt and Lucas Walsh for the transfer from Petzen-Jamnica to Val di Fassa last season. Matt, as you know, continued his tour in North America. I planned to join him but I was instead selected for the Pinkbike Academy while riding to the airport in Venice.
Now we're back for another season of "Enduro-Packing," starting things off in Tasmania with new and improved setups. Both of us were completely new to bikepacking last year. This year we have a bit more experience and have (theoretically) streamlined our setups to be more comfortable and useful.
Matt FairbrotherAge 18
Hometown Christchurch, NZ
Instagram @matthewfmtbBike DetailsModel Deviate Claymore
Frame Size Medium
Wheel Size 29"
Suspension Fox 38 and Fox DHX2
Drivetrain & Brakes Shimano XT
Cockpit TrailOne
Saddle Funn Adlib HD
Chamois No
Wheels & Rubber Raceface NextR & Maxxis
Eric Olsen (me)Age 24
Hometown Bellingham WA, USA
Instagram: @jankyericBike DetailsModel Orbea Rallon
Frame Size Large
Wheel Size 29"
Suspension Fox 38 and Fox DHX2
Drivetrain & Brakes SRAM 11 speed & Hayes Dominion
Cockpit Raceface
Saddle Nukeproof Sam Hill Enduro Saddle
Chamois Yes, Aliexpress $30
Wheels & Rubber WeAreOne, Chris King & Schwalbe
3rd for me in the Open race in Derby.
The rules are unclear with the recent UCI merge but rumor has it this is enough to get back in the big show. Pinkbike Academy conflicted with the East Coast rounds so I lost out on points.Rear RacksBoth systems allow for more carrying capacity and less stress on the seatpost compared to a saddle bag. In my case I can still use the dropper post, which is handy for resting the hands on descents.
TiresTo swap or not to swap? That is the question. After carrying a full wheelset on my back last year and then experimenting with knobby tires on the road I've decided to not bother swapping tires this time around. I just pump them up to 40psi and call it good. Matt swears by slicks and expressed no regrets about the whole hand cutting incident last year when I brought it up.
Matt carried his spare tires to Maydena but opted to send them with a friend on the way to Derby.
Flight LogisticsBrakes and GearingSuspension SetupI want to pay respects to the original owners of the land upon which this trip took place, the Muwinina and Mumirimina people, who did not survive British colonisation. I want to acknowledge the Tasmanian Aboriginal community as the continuing custodians of lutruwita (Tasmania) and honour Aboriginal Elders past and present.
I think he was a Bond villain.
If you Go Back Long enough, the History of mankind begins somewhere in northern africa i think, so yeah, there was a time in which africans did colonize Europe. But i dont know If at that time there we're only Animals living in europe or probably some Neanderthaler or some Other Kind of in between homosapiens and apes...
Anyway, i am an engineer and no paleontologist
This is also the reason that the Apes are called 'cousins on the evolutionary tree' and not 'parents/ ancestors on the evolutionary tree'.
Regarding the acknowledgement of the previous inhabitants of the land, I'm not glossing over the abuse suffered by those inhabitants. But now is a good time to point out that not one human on this planet doesn't have the blood of a rapist/ slave owner cursing through their bodies at this very moment and this absolutely includes European whites. It turns out that primates are savage creatures and always have been. The past is in fact the past that no one alive today has any responsibility for.
Lastly, there are more slaves this very day, on this planet than there has ever been in history. Most are underaged Asian girls forced into sex slavery, and no one seems to give a sh*t about them. So spare me the fake BS about people that have been dead, in some cases for centuries.
When australia was settled by Europeans they claimed the legal case that it was ‘terra nullius ’ meaning it was uninhabited or unoccupied, which was grossly incorrect.
To acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land is a way to start the process of rectifying this dispossession and the accompanying atrocities. As a former resident of Tasmania it is particularly important as there was a concerted effort to eradicate the aboriginal population 190 years ago, and many more less official efforts since that point.
Acknowledging the people group that were in those areas is fitting.
You guys are both monsters but Eric how the f*ck are you managing this running 34-42? Nevermind how that'll be getting round to round in the Alps, the liaisons would melt me in that gear! Props dude!
Had to weigh in on the GX11 kit. Still running the OEM GX11 shifting on my ratty-old breathed-on beat-to-ratsh__ '17 Timberjack. Still works like new. Have replaced jockey wheels & cables. 11-46 cassette (thank you Mr. Hanger Gauge). Almost 6.5 years of hard use, wet & dry, mud & dust, rocks & roots, bad lines & bashing. And that old GX stuff continues to amaze. Clickety click click de click!
I recently did 1200km over a week with a couple of mates on gravel bikes. We go super light and rely on a credit card in order to do that. Accom is booked ahead so we have to make our end points (but you pick a distance you know you can make), eat out breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's actually not that expensive. There are downsides, ie - we can't stop and camp somewhere cool but the otherside is covering lots of ground each day.
Could be a week, could be an overnighter, point is just make it happen, such good fun and great for the soul!
Stuffing 3 donuts in after a big meal at lunch, mmmmm, nom nom...
Although for you guys travelling it probably gets expensive.
Kind of like this Ryan Wilson post:
theradavist.com/everything-ryan-wilson-packed-for-his-turkish-bike-tour-and-six-new-favorites
What's on your current packing list? e.g. tent, sleeping bag etc. Also, is there anything you packed (or previously packed) but then realized it wasn't worth carting around?
Huge respect to both of you. I hate peddaling my EN bike on asphalt even the 2kms to my trails
Otherwise awesome piece of journalism, and kudos to riders
youtu.be/N2_dey84MKY?t=667