Finally! Wow, it has been a long off season! What with the 2010 race Calendar rammed into the first few months of the year to accommodate the World Cup and then only the club Championships to content with at the end…

The 2011 season seems to be running along the same lines. Not the Soccer World Cup but a much more prestigious event this time. I’m joking of course but 2011 does mark the return to International Downhill racing in South Africa in the form of the UCI Downhill Mountainbiking World Cup in Peitermaritzburg in April.

To allow riders to collect for UCI points and stand a chance to compete in the up coming World Cup, South African Cycling federation has moved a high points scoring event to the very beginning of the year. This event is the All African Continental Champs. We caught up with Matt Smith to see what he’s been up to in the off season and his thoughts on how 2011 will start out.

“I’m just raring to go really. I took some time off downhill at the end of last year to focus on work and also allow some of the old injuries that had been piling up over the season to recover. I knew the season would start around early February as it always does so I built my base training up pretty early on with a lot of road riding and cross country which has kept me fit and ready for the next level of training. I’ve finally been able to get in a lot of time on the MX bike. I’ve never really been able to work it into my training and my mad schedule but I made a concerted effort this time and the results are phenomenal. All the pros overseas swear by MX in the off season as a base for strength and core and boy are they right. I’ve hit the track almost twice a week along with my other road/mtb training and feel solid. It’s really helped with my arms and hands which have always giving me problems in the past.

I’ve been on the new Mongoose Boot’r since early December last year so I’m feeling good on the bike. Pretty similar to last years model but this time I’m running the new Manitou Dorados up front and an Elka rear shock. Got them dialed in early on so no problems there. The rest of the bike is familiar and I feel super comfortable on her. Been with Mongoose the last four seasons so it’s always easy to just go and get the latest model and tune her up. All the rest of the crew are still there as far as sponsors go. I’ve work hard in my professional career to build long term relationships so I don’t like bouncing between deals too much if I can avoid it. It’s a really strong package again for me in 2011 and the familiarity of it all puts me at ease so I can just go out there, train and hopefully bring home the bacon.

One really weird bit for this season is that we’re opening with a big Hollywood race in Capetown,…haven’t even done a club or regional yet so nobody knows what level they’re at. I’m confident though, knowing that I’m starting the year off in the best form of my life. I’ve won this event before two years agao when it was held in Mankele so I know I can bring it at a big event when I need to.

I’ll be joined this year by Ryan Frerichs who I’m mentoring and bringing up to speed. He will race the early regional and club races as part of my team and selected Nationals later in the year. He’s a massively skilled kid out of Moto-x and motard and has a crazy smooth style in DH so I’ll keep you posted on his progress too.

So it’s time to box up the bike and kit back and thumb a lift on a passing jet down to Cape Town and hit the season square on for Matt Smith Racing. Watch out for results in the local bicycle press as well as Super Cycling.

10^th – 13^th February 2011 – African Inter Continental Championships – Stellenbosch Jonkershoek Nature Reserve.

Matt Smith Racing would like to thank all the Sponsors for staying onboard for 2011!

Mongoose Bikes, Match Insurance Thor MX, KTM, Von Zipper, Liqui Moly, Mikes Bikes in Greenside, Frerichs Customs, DC Shoes and Leatt braces.

Goggles are one of the necessities for Downhill racers and go a long way to helping you get down the hill as fast as possible. If you have dust, mud, sand, water, or anything in your eyes for that matter you are not going to be going as fast as possible, and as a result goggles are a must for race conditions. VZ sent us three pairs of their latest goggles to review, and here is what we thought….

VZ’s line of goggles ranges from entry level all the way up to high end eye protection. All the goggles share the same lenses and quality materials however each model also has its own unique features. The three models we tested were:

SIZZLE MX:
• Thermo – Polyurethane frame remains flexible in all conditions
• Anti Fog coated cylindrical lens for crystal clear vision
• Wide peripheral vision
• 100% UV protection
• Extended outriggers for perfect helmet fit without frame distortion
• Detachable strap tear off clip
• Moisture wicking, fleece lined, quad density oversized face foam
• Dual adjustable, silicone lined strap

BUSHWICK XT:
• Thermo – Polyurethane frame remains flexible in all conditions
• Anti Fog coated cylindrical lens for crystal clear vision
• Wide peripheral vision
• 100% UV protection
• Smaller frame to fit in all helmets
• Detachable strap tear off clip
• Moisture wicking, fleece lined, quad density oversized face foam
• Dual adjustable, silicone lined strap

PORKCHOP:
• Thermo – Polyurethane frame remains flexible in all conditions
• Anti Fog coated cylindrical lens for crystal clear vision
• Wide peripheral vision
• 100% UV protection
• Extended outriggers for perfect helmet fit without frame distortion
• Detachable roost guard
• Integrated 3D tear off pin
• Moisture wicking, fleece lined, quad density oversized face foam
• Dual adjustable, silicone lined strap

The first thing that I noticed about the goggles was how flexible they were. With everyone’s face being a different shape its important that you find a set of goggles that fits you comfortably, and with the VZ’s being so flexible it definitely helps them mould to your face a lot easier. The foam is also quite deep so when they rest on your face it is very comfortable indeed.

Another thing that jumped out at me was how small they looked (particularly the Bushwick). With MTB helmets being smaller then MX helmets a common problem riders have is that their goggles don’t fit comfortably into the smaller space on the MTB full face helmets. We tried the goggles with various helmets including 661, Bell and Troy Lee, and they fitted into the provided space with no issues at all. This is a big plus as far as im concerned as it also helps ensure that the goggles sit comfortably on your face, and don’t hover above it due to them not fitting into the helmet. Despite their smaller frames the VZ’s still offered excellent vision and ones view through the goggles didn’t feel restricted in the slightest bit.

The finish and graphics on the goggles is also really good. Mike tried the Bushwick’s on with his D2 helmet, and instantly yelled out “F**k! I even look fast with these on!”. When goggles bring out a reaction like that you know they tick all the right boxes in the looks department. After everyone had tried each of the goggles on and given their comments it was time for Brad and Jon to head out and see how they performed in the field. Jon decided to give the Bushwick’s a go and Brad headed off with the Porkchop’s.

The first thing I noticed when riding the goggles were how snug the fit was. The smaller frame size and wide outriggers really ensure that the goggles sit right on your face. At first it took a little while to get used to but once you were accustomed to the sit it really felt good. The strap was also easily adjusted and the sliders at the back also featured a grip edge on them, which made adjustment while wearing the goggles very easy. Its little details like that which make the difference at the end of the day.

The testing conditions ranged from cold and damp to hot and dry, and the goggles performed well in all the conditions. Any goggles will fog up if you leave them on for long enough, but the real test comes when they are ridden for long periods of time. After riding the goggles for time periods of up to two hours they never fogged up once, and the large vents on the top and bottom clearly did their job.

Another unique feature about the VZ’s is the rubber strip that runs along the inside of the strap. Most goggles have 4 or 5 thin strips on the inside of the strap, however VZ have opted for a single fat one. There is nothing worse then a pair of goggles with a strap that slips up or down on your helmet. The VZ’s larger strip works great and the goggles stayed firmly in place at all times.

Both Brad and Jon rode the goggles for some time and both guys were very please with the performance. So much so that they are now using them on a permanent basis! The entire range of VZ goggles tick all the right boxes a DH rider could want, and if you are looking for some new eye protection you should definitely check these out. To add to this all of the goggles feature easy to change lenses so the lifespan of these should be great. VZ goggles are available nation wide and for further product info and colour options you can check out their web site HERE.

Next week we will also be running a contest where one of you will win a pair of VZ goggles. Details on that contest will go up next week so check back for that. You could be walking away with your very own pair of VZ’s!