Drop In — Downhill Race Night
Two hours on racing better
Everything that turns a race entry into a good race day. Ash Bond runs the NZDH series and has raced for years, and she will work through race craft, how to prep a bike and a race week, and how the Cycling New Zealand Protection Policy applies to the rounds you have entered.
- Race craft
- Track walk, line choice, how to use practice, and what to do with a race run when it starts going wrong.
- Race week
- Getting the bike, the kit and yourself ready before you leave home, so you are not fixing things in the pits.
- Protection and the rules
- What the Cycling New Zealand Protection Policy requires and what NZDH enforces on the day, including where full-face helmets are mandatory. Bring your questions, and bring your parents if the answer affects them.
- New to downhill
- What a race weekend actually looks like if you have never done one, from entry to podium.
- Troy Lee Designs in store
- The current range on hand, help getting the fit right, and deals on the night.
Getting the bike right before you get there
Plenty of time gets lost on a race run before the bike ever leaves the workshop. This part of the evening covers the three things that make the biggest difference on a downhill track, and how to sort them on your bike rather than in general.
- Suspension
- Sag, rebound and compression as a starting point, how to tell what the bike is doing underneath you on a rough track, and why a setup that feels good on your local trails often is not what you want on a race track. Bring your fork and shock details and we can get specific.
- Tyres
- Casing and compound choice for race tracks, what pressure actually changes, where inserts help, and the trade-off between grip, support and finishing the run at all.
- Drivetrain and controls
- Chain retention, the gear range you genuinely use on a downhill track, brake lever position and reach, and the bolts worth checking before every run.
Bring questions about your own bike. If something needs doing before round one, our workshop can book it in — talk to us on the night.
Ash Bond
Ash organises the NZDH series and has a long racing career behind her. She is also with Troy Lee Designs.
That combination is the reason this evening is worth showing up for. The person who runs the series is the same person who can tell you what protection is required, what it is actually for, and help you get it fitted properly before round one.
What you are getting ready for
Two things are driving this evening: the NZDH series, and the Cycling New Zealand National School MTB Championships the following week.
- NZDH series
- Sold out for this season, and round one is just 16 days after this evening. If you are on the entry list, come and get ready. If you missed out, come and see what you are aiming at next time.
- Round 1 Skyline Rotorua — 17 October
- NZDH Junior Skyline Rotorua — 18 October
- Round 2 Rivenrock — 7 November
- Round 3 Napier — 21 November
- Round 4 Nelson — 28 November
- Round 5 440 MTB Park — 12 December
- National School MTB Championships
- 4 to 9 October 2026, based in Tauranga with the downhill held in Rotorua. Cross country, downhill, enduro and the cross country relay. Event details.
- Everything else this summer
- Our New Zealand MTB race calendar lists what is on around the country, and the club register and coach register will point you at people near you.
- Getting the bike sorted
- If something needs doing before you race, our workshop can book it in. Talk to us on the night.
Food, drink and finding us
There will be nibbles, cold drinks and hot drinks on, and toasted sandwiches available. Come straight from work if you need to.
Outset is at 12 Carr Road, Three Kings. The shop sits about 30 metres down the alleyway off Carr Road, so keep walking once you turn in. Map and contact details.
On the night with us
Troy Lee Designs will be in the shop with the range and deals on the night. NZDH runs the New Zealand downhill series. Your RSVP code covers Troy Lee Designs and Smith products at Outset.