Hey Presto!

Just arrived at Mountain Pedaler HQ is a sweet new bearing press set from the crew at Ventana.
Custom machined from aluminium, this precision tool allows all rocker, swingarm and seatstay bearings to be pressed out, then switched around to press in a shiny new set!
Contact Oliver if your bearings need a bit of TLC, as with this tool and replacement bearings in stock, it shouldn't be hard to keep your Ventana running in tip-top condition!

Mountain Pedaler out...

El Terremoto tester now available

T-Rex resplendent in its white finery

Fresh off the workstand and ready for heavy duty trail riding is Mountain Pedaler's new test steed, an El Terremoto 6.0. Representing the burly end of Ventana's spectrum, this bike (dubbed 'T-Rex') is now available for short term loan. With 2 sets of oversized bearings at every pivot, the frame showcases the lateral stiffness that Ventana is renowned for. Air shocks front and rear also allow the ride to be tuned to rider weight and style with ease.

Front end with '08 Fox forks and golden hub goodness

Component highlights include '08 Fox Talas forks which allow for enhanced climbaility; front travel can be dropped from 160 to 100mm with the flick of a knob!
Gold Hope Pro2 hubs laced to DT Swiss 5.1 rims make up the wheels, and early tests indicate these hoops strike a good balance between width and weight.
Get in touch with the Mountain Pedaler to book your ride!

Raring and ready for a good trashing (or even the odd huck!)

Mountain Pedaler out...

Complete Ventana bikes now offered!

Thanks to WH Worralls Ltd, Mountain Pedaler NZ can now offer complete Ventana bikes with parts from their extensive range.

Highlights include SRAM gears, Rock Shox suspension, Avid brakes, and Ritchey, Easton or Truvativ bars, stems and seatposts.

Brands now offered by Mountain Pedaler NZ for complete bike builds.

With the huge range and excellent stock levels, we can now offer speedy builds on full custom bikes with every part specified by you; the customer!

With a full workshop, our experienced mechanic can put together your dream bike at no extra charge (excluding wheels).

Get in touch with the Mountain Pedaler on 027 712 0302 or mtnpedalerNZ@gmail.com to get your build under way!

Mountain Pedaler out...

Cruzin' at Nydia Bay

A sunny Sunday in Marlborough sounds

from Opuri saddle; start of the Nydia bay ride

Braving a frosty Sunday morning, a Oliver and Tristian aboard Ventana El Saltamontes were joined by Anja and Stu for a jaunt over the legendary Nydia bay track.
Thanks to some invaluable driving duties by Tristan's Mum, we positioned cars for a drop off and drive out, hoping to avoid the 33km gravel road that would have faced us otherwise!


With a drop off at the top of Opuri saddle, it was right into the fantastic single track. Words cannot describe the perfect concoction of roots, rocks and the odd head high supplejack vine, as we hooted and hollered all the way down to Duncan bay. If the rest of the ride was anything like this first section, we knew we were in for a treat!

After a cheeky lunch break, i was back on the bikes for a challenging single track climb to the first saddle. It required a perfect balance of technical skill and grunt, with plenty of clambering up rooty sections and over dips and undulations in the trail. Both Oliver and Tristan noted the supreme lateral stiffness of their frames, allowing them to track straight through difficult sections without their frames twisting under the demanding loads.

'Bluey' atop the first saddle, having mastered the challenging climb!

Downhill was the next order of the day, with a solid 40 minute descent with plenty of the same flowing but technical challenge experienced from the start. By this time everyone was having a ball, and the inevitable endo where one rider attempted to cross a root infested wheel gobbling line was met with friendly jeers from those who witnessed it!

A stop for a snack in Nydia proper proceeded another climb, which started open but then entered the temperate tropical forest that we had come to know and love. The descent from this saddle was again a blast, although tired bodies meant that slippery sections demanded full commitment.

Crazy skills award of the day goes to Stu, who attempted (and nearly made) a 1m high tree hop, complete with sketchy off-camber run in and off-cliff bail out option. Impressive stuff!

Stu eyes up a fallen tree, hitting it with pace.

Up up and away!

One last climb over a new section of trail, then a final descent to the car where polypros were swapped and sangos were demolished.

With 5 hours of technical riding it was truly an epic ride, heightened by the presence of great company. A must ride for any exponents of technical single track, and surely one of NZ's best trails. Like always, check the Kennett Bros. book for the details, and add it to you list of spring adventures!

Mountain Pedaler out...

Ventana close to Victory at Nelson 6 hour

The King and a mountain jumper primed and ready for action

Sunday at Nelson's Rabbit Island dawned crisp and clear, with some sweet new single track laid out especially for the race. The long 30 minute laps took in everything from wheel swallowing pits to fast sandy straights.
While the absence of hills made hardtail frames the bike of choice for most riders, Oliver and Robin aboard an El Saltamontes and El Capitan respectively had a blast riding their full squishers.
Making the rest of the team (and indeed most other riders) look soft was Susan, who tackled the course on an ancient single speed, opting to save her bike from the harsh sandy conditions out on the course.

Susan on her honorary Ventana El Oldschool

Also spotted riding for the team was David Ayre, hot off the back of a win at the local road race.
He pulled off a smoking lap, and helped lift the team to second place out of 22 teams in the mixed category, a truly awesome result for the team!

Guest fast guy David gets ready for his hot lap

Keep eyes peeled for a Ventana team at a race near you, and if the result at the weekend is anything to go by, just look for the fast guys!

Mountain Pedaler out...

A King (El Rey) in the family

New to the full suspension 29er scene and first on an El Rey in New Zealand is Alistair Brown from Christchurch.

With a fine pedigree and an awesome reputation (particularly on the respected MTBR.com website), Alistair took the plunge and bought one of these masterfully crafted frames in Ventana's loudest colour option; Cosmic orange!

With 4" of travel and signature Ventana stiffness thanks to two oversize bearings at every pivot, Alistair reports that it handles the worst that Christchurch's Port Hills have to offer with aplomb!

Alistair has joined a select few on big hoops in Christchurch, with tractor like traction and stability of the larger wheels giving a different but undeniably fun riding experience.

He plans do complete some epic rides up the Avoca valley as soon as the recent winter blasts have blown through.

Congratulations Alistair on a sweet build, and welcome to the family!

Mountain Pedaler out....

Terremoto 6.0 strikes NZ!

Just arrived on New Zealand shores is Ventana's latest all mountain offering.

With a buttery smooth 6" of rear travel (and suitably gigantic rocker and pivot bearings), this frame should monster even the gnarliest roots and rocks that the local trails have to offer.

Spanish for "The Earthquake", the El Terremoto is a fine example of Ventana craftmanship. From the radically butted down tube (designed to deliver signature Ventana stiffness) to the fine CNC details that adorn the swingarm and bottom bracket cluster.
Mountain Pedaler hopes to add this pearly white stallion to the stable of test bikes, so that prospective customers can get a feel for the ride of a Ventana at the larger end of the travel spectrum.
Keep your eyes peeled for updates on the build progress, and feel free to get in touch if you fancy taking it for a spin!

Mountain Pedaler out.....

Ode to the Highside

Oliver resplendent in his yellow Highside

Mountain Pedaler NZ is good friends with Krank Dirtwear, a Hanmer company producing top quality threads purpose built for NZ riding. A favourite Krank product of ours would have to be the Highside, and the way it continues to perform despite prolonged abuse never ceases to amaze us.

A prime example is the weekend of torture just survived. Bikes were set aside on Saturday as Oliver took to the hills around Arthurs Pass. Rather than scoping for lines, the real purpose was to climb Castle Hill Peak (2000m) before the snow set in. While companions were swapping layers like they were going out of fashion, the Highside (in combination with a Rush thermal layer) performed remarkably well, especially considering the brisk ridge wind, changing slopes and the user's propensity to sweat buckets.

The next day, an early morning single speed mission aboiard the El Toro was on the cards, and again the Highside performed flawlessly; only a quick opening of the 'pit-vents' was required to regulate body temperature.

The Highside is super breathable, but more than that it draws a perfect balance between breathability and waterprooffness, important when it comes to keeping your limbs and torso dry during the inevitable mid ride storm.

Even after this tortuous weekend, and despite battle scars from a year of use the Highside soldiers on, and has taken its place as the Mountain Pedaler's favourite riding top!

Check www.krankdirtwear.com for details on this awesome piece of kit.

Mountain Pedaler out...

Free replacement bushes now in stock

A few Ventana customers have reported issues with the bushes on their Fox shocks wearing prematurely. This has been linked to Fox speccing low quality bushes on their shocks, however Mountain Pedaler NZ is offering free replacement shock bushings for all frames within their warranty period (typically 2 years). The new bushes feature a high quality teflon and brass lining which should keep them running for much longer than the stock bushes.

Let us know if your El Cuervo, El Saltamontes, El Capitan or El Rey has developed slight play in the rear suspension. This is usually identified by a small amount of vertical movement apparent when lifting the seat. Give us a buzz if you are having this problem and we will get bushes out to you as soon as possible.

Replacement is a simple press out with appropriately sized sockets and a vice, and your local bike shop should make short work of it if you are less mechanically inclined.

This Mountain Pedaler service ensures that you and your Ventana have a smooth and worry free ride!

Mountain Pedaler out...

Flow and go on the Wharfedale

Last Sunday, an keen group of Ventana riders; Oliver, Pete (aboard their El Saltamontes) and Shaun headed for the hills west of Christchurch at Oxford.

The destination was the famed Wharfedale track, and on arrival the wise decision was made to park after the first fords and ride to the trail head. In the latter stages of the ride (with legs fading) this proved exceptionally cunning!

The track started with an easy climb on a smooth beech leaf surface, a great way to ease back in to NZ single track for Oliver who had been riding Vancouver's North Shore only a week ago.
Clearly it took some adaptation, with a couple of technical sections getting the better of him (note the picture below!)

Oliver fails to keep the rubber side down,
performing an inverted trunk inspection

From here the track got better and better, with swoopy turns leading to technical challenges like dips and off camber sections that challenged both skills and courage! Perfect terrain for the Ventana El Saltamontes, with the 4" of travel devouring all bumps in sight and with just the right angles to attack dips and corners with gusto.

This track really must be ridden to be believed, and despite recent rain the surface was tacky with only a few boggy sections.


After a rest for lunch at the Warfedale hut, it was back on the bikes and out to Lees Valley, where two epic hill climbs on gravel road took us back to the Oxford township.
Scenery was amazing, while the only wildlife to speak of were some crazy cows that insisted on stampeding down the 4WD track out.

Oxford township with its old-town charm served as an excellent pie stop, with the warmer cleaned out of $1 specials. Just as light began to fade we made it back to the van, and were off home with memories of the epic ride to take us through till next weekend.

Check the Kennett Bros. book for details, as this is a must for Christchurch riders, or indeed anyone planning a roadtrip in the area.

Oliver 'turning the frown upside down'

as the end of the last climb is reached

Mountain Pedaler out...

Successful season for team rider Mitch

Have just had some great updates from Mitch Mcdivitt, Ventana NZ downhill rider and all-round shredder! He has ridden his El Cuervo to some excellent results in the competitive under 17 field. With riders like Mitch and fields of 100+ riders at some events, the future for DH in New Zealand is looking very bright!

This from chief mechanic and race manager Russell Mcdivitt....

By the time we caught up with the National series in Nelson for the National Champs the other riders that Mitch had been riding with had already spent 3 weeks of riding in South Island and Mitch finished mid pack in the under 17's. The next round in Auckland he picked up 10th, though the field was without most of the South Island riders. His best ride was in the last round in Levin where he took 20 secs off his seeding time in his race run and finished just outside the top 10, in the biggest field off the series. Last weekend was the National Secondary School champs in Levin where he finished 3rd in his under 15 age group (only 00.01 of a second behind 2nd place) and 17th overall in the DH from over 400 riders.

Nice job Mitch! Mountain Pedaler NZ is proud to have you aboard a Ventana.
Mountain Pedaler out...

Down and dirty at the Uni Games

Pete putting it in the hurtbag

Team Ventana riders Ben 'Dodgum' and Peter Fyfe pulled out some awesome results at the NZ University games held at Halswell Quarry in Christchurch last week.
With tough conditions and even tougher fields, both riders pulled out blinders, flying the flag for Ventana and helping the University of Canterbury to the national title.
Both were aboard red hot Ventana's, with Ben doing it old school on an El Chiquillo hardtail (often in singlespeed mode), and Peter opting for the more huckable El Saltamontes.

I just love the expression on Pete's face in some of the race shots. Good to see he knows how to find the hurt bag.

Ben looking cool as a cucumber aboard his red hot El Chiquillo

Ben's report sums up the race nicely....

This was my first geared race aboard a Ventana, and I was thankful given the expected 800m of climbing, mostly up grass tracks. After giving it a bit of a burst in the first lap, I settled back to grind out the rest of the race. It ended up being one of those races where you're by yourself almost the entire way. I like to think I gained some ground on the windy downhill section, aided by a little local knowledge and some sweet El Chiquillo geometry (and maybe that hot red frame finish!). After managing to pip another rider at the top of the last climb, I crossed the line in 5th place. The hurt bag had been used to capacity!

Keep up the good work boys!

Don't mess with Ventana riders!

Mountain Pedaler Out....

Stunning El Terremoto build

The guys over at MTBR.com really know how to build up a sick bike, and here is a case in point!

Check out http://mysite.verizon.net/restij1w/ for details.
This guy is so dedicated to the build that he took some amazing photos and arranged them in chronological order, even including a spiel at each step!
The build has to be seen to be believed, and really is a great showcase of the new Ventana El Terremoto 6.0 just released.

Mountain Pedaler NZ has one of these frames on order in blizzard white for use as a test bike, which will be ready to roll in mid May. With 6 inches of travel and a quad bearing package delivering the legendary Ventana stiffness, it should handle anything NZ's DH tracks and backcountry trails have to offer.

Will keep you posted on the progress, but if it turns out half as sweet as this guy's ride then it'll be pretty special.

Mountain Pedaler Out....

Torque the Talk

Just in from a supplier in the US of A are some brand new precision tools that should bring a whole new level to Mountain Pedaler's operations. Traditionally frame builds have been offered but have required the assistance of a local bike store, but this new arrival should expand our capabilities to amazing new levels!

First up is a torque wrench which will allow for precision tightening of pivot bolts (amongst others) ensuring fasteners are torqued to manufacturer's specifications while avoiding the dreaded stripped thread!
Next is a headset press which will allow for an accurate press fit for this vital component. Adapters are so versatile that this gadget will also be invaluable should suspension bearings require replacement.
Finally a star-nut installer and steerer tube cutter should allow for straight forward fitting of forks on new bikes!
With these new tools and the experience and knowledge of our assembly gurus, all new Ventanas can get the care and attention to detail deserving of their pedigree.

Mountain Pedaler Out...

Rainbow Rocks Rolls and Rages!

Some file footage of 'Fix-it' Felix showing that
when pushing hard, the Rainbow Rage
can be somewhat exhausting!!

One of the must do races in NZ would have to be the annual Rainbow Rage run by Mike Gane from Stoke Cycles. The atmosphere there is one of the best to be found, with everyone from harry hardout to nevil newbie in it for the challenge of a 106km off road adventure though some breathtaking and historic scenery.
Our friend Neil Ellis , a downhill demon from Krank Dirtwear tackled the route for the first time, and his report on the experience is top notch! He scored a terrific result for a first timer, pulling off 6th in his grade and 20th overall. Czech his report below....

"....I didn't know what to expect to be honest and I was wondering what the hell I was doing there on the starting line. Then Mike did the rolling start which was really cool, chatting with some of the other riders and everyone juggling for position as we rode behind the ute. Then the race was away, all these guys were riding in small groups doing small spurts. I just ignored all that stuff and rode how I felt I could handle right to the end.
Then we got to the shingle and the roadies slowed about 10%. That’s where the fun began. Picking off riders one by one all the way to about 10k's from Island Saddle, where the quad muscles started to cramp. I was thinking there is no way I'm giving up or not making it to the end so had to back off just slightly to make it home. I rode from Island Saddle to Hanmer on my own with a tail wind. It must have been good for about 50k's an hour most of the way.
You wouldn't read about it though 100k's almost to the end and two guys got past me. They had pulled a good half to one k lead on me heading into Jacks, but I got past the first guy just after the water tank and the second on the next bend going right around the outside of him. I then proceeded to pedal my ring out till the end. There was NO WAY they were getting past me again. That last minute tussle made my day!! Ending with some adrenaline. All in all it felt really great to have finished and done the race. I'd have to say it was fun in a sick kind of way...."

Mountain Pedaler out....

Terror and turmoil on the Akatawera

This just in from Tristan Rawlence who bravely battled the infamous Karapoti course on the 3rd of March.

I think the photos and the T man's excellent report accurately convey that he was well inside the 'hurt bag' for the majority of the race!

"....Well were to begin my gearing was 34x17 so 2-1 ratio which i think was about right because the top 5 at least ran that gearing.

So the race started and 5 of us broke away in the first few kms and Nelson was representing in the bunch with Aaron, Chris and I plus 2 as it became obvious later on absolute animals from up north somewhere.

Aaron and the other two got a gap after the a few hills and Chris and I were running/riding (in that order) together. Chris was riding a single speed steel jump bike which was to put it lightly rather heavy, and understandably wasn't sparking due to his 444km ride/win in the chch 2 nelson the previous weekend.

In fact he was having so much fun on the downhill, forgetting he was running xc tyres suffered a puncture.

I caught up and passed with Aaron down the rock garden and then ran up devils staircase and moved into 3rd(for now) on the last walk, well for everyone else it was a climb as loyal single speed rider Aaron rode past giving his orange Ventana SS death as i could only look on blurry eyed and think hmmmm perhaps if i had actually ridden one of these single speed contraptions before i might actually be able to ride up here aswell and then i thought perhaps if i had done any riding in the last month would have helped too.

In the end i finished 4th, 50sec behing Aaron in 2hrs 51 being the 5th ever person to do a sub 3 on a single for karapoti. the two animal i spoke of earlier were 10mins ahead setting new records of somthing silly around 2hrs 40...."

like i said never again!

Cheers for that Tristan, you did us all proud!

And I guess credit should go to cycle-photos.com, but that goes without saying!!

Mountain Pedaler out...

Behind the scenes at Ventana HQ

Chad who runs Red Barn Bicycles State side (US of A) took a sweet tour of the Ventana factory, and his write up gives an interesting insight into the lengths Sherwood and the team go to for each and every Ventana. Czech the link here for all the details: http://bikes-in-a-barn.blogspot.com/2007/03/day-one.html

Great to see their new in house painting facilities which should see top quality finishes in a range of custom colors, as well as the CNC machines beavering away on the bottom bracket cluster and chainstay yokes that define Ventana's attention to detail.

Some nice photos, especially of the Johnny Tomac shrine and the row of completed frames, ready for assembly. Truly child in a candy shop material!
Mountain Pedaler out.

El Toro storms to 3rd and 4th in Karapoti

Aaron Reardon and Tristan Rawlence, members of the Ventana NZ team and all round madmen piloted their El Toros to kickass placings in the 2007 edition of NZ's perennial cross country race.
For those unacquainted, the Karapoti features toe numbing river crossings, ring popping climbs and the infamous 'devils staircase' hike-a-bike section.

And what could make it more fun?
Try riding it with one gear!!

These mental guys hurtled round the 50km course in 3 hours, putting many geared riders to shame. Just goes to show that with a superior handling frame like the El Toro, a good set of calves and a few disconnected neurons, anything is possible!
Look for some action packed details in Tristan's race update (Coming soon!)

Mountain Pedaler Out

Hamish's hot wheels

Wellington rider Hamish Gordon has just taken delivery of a hot new El Saltamontes, complete with DHX air shock and quad bearings. As well as having some nice backyard Hydrangeas, Hamish was a staunch hardtail rider, but came to the 'dark' side in response to the awesome lateral stiffness and build quality that Ventana had to offer. Reports say the frame is "bloody awesome" on the downhills, and Hamish is working through shock setup with frame builder extroardinaire Sherwood Gibson to get it dialed. So look out for Hamish ripping the Wellington trails!

Mountain Pedaler out...

Team rider Tristan's new digs

Tristan Rawlence, Ventana NZ team rider and all round legend has taken up his new position with DOC on the remote Codfish island. Situated off the coast of Stewart Island in the deep south, his role as a ranger sees him caring for some serious wildlife including the endangered Kakapo. Czech out these sweet pics of his new digs below.
In between stints on the island, Tristan made the excursion to select MTB events such as the MTB national rounds in Dunedin and Queenstown. Look for him to lay down some single speed domination on the El Toro at Karapoti, where he described his tactics as "Put on a big gear, run the ups and bomb the downhills" a good strategy given the challenging profile of the course.
Look for an update soon, which in Tristan's words "may require the deletion of some expletives!".
Mountain Pedaler Out...