go out and play!

11Gear SwapWinter GearCycling Trips 2014

2014 cycling vacations

YOUR PERFECT CYCLING VACATION AWAITS.

mallorca/tuscany

“Really went out of their way to make sure we

were having a pleasurable

experience, and that

“It was great to have options for all ability

levels, making the trip accessible for all”

TRAINING

Wild Rock has been traveling to the island of Mallorca, Spain for almost 10 years. Kick off your 2014 season at the playground of the pros. A perfect cycling vacation.

WILD ROCK TRAVELMALLORCA SPRING 2014 TRAINING TRIP

Mallorca boosts great climate, breathtaking scenery, and some of the best roads for cycling on that we have come across. With no shortage of routes, and the Tramuntana Mountains near by, our Training Trip will test your preseason fitness, and help you build some base miles for the warmer months to come. Designed for the experienced cyclist, routes range from 60-150 km in length, and feature several classic climbs of the region, including Sa Calobra, Puig Major, and Col de Soller.

DURATION

9 days / 8 nights

DEPART

Friday March 7th 2014

RETURN

Sunday March 16th 2014

$1299based on double occupancyadditional nights are extra.

$1599based on single occupancyadditional nights are extra.

NON-RIDERS SAVE 10% ON TRIP COST

TRAINING TRIP

VIEW TRIP DETAILS HERE

TOUR TRIP

VIEW TRIP DETAILS HERE

WILD ROCK TRAVELMALLORCA SPRING 2014 RECREATION TRIP

Love cycling? Want to enjoy the beauty of Mallorca? The Recreation Trip features the same great roads as our classic trip but shorter days at a more relaxed pace.

Looking for a great cycling vacation? Experience the beauty of Mallorca this spring, let our experienced guides show you the very best of this great island. This trip is aimed at the road or hybrid cyclist (drop bar or flat bars, clip-in or platform pedals, smooth/slick tires) who wants to ride most days. We will break into at least 2 groups each day to accommodate all ability levels.  You are welcome to try different groups on different days. Long lunches and good times are of equal or more importance than kilometres ridden! The scenery is no less important and good lunch or an espresso stop is valued, but these indulgences are earned! Average day is 40-80km. This cycling trip is the perfect spring getaway

DURATION

9 days / 8 nights

DEPART

Sunday March 15th 2014

RETURN

Monday March 24th 2014

$1499based on double occupancyadditional nights are extra.

$1799based on single occupancyadditional nights are extra.

NON-RIDERS SAVE 10% ON TRIP COSTThis trip is more expensive as the rider/guide ratio is lower and the rides will be van supported or begin or end with a shuttle.

TUSCANY

WILD ROCK TRAVELTUSCANY FALL 2014 CYCLING TRIP

DURATION

9 days / 8 nights

DEPART

Friday September 26th 2014

RETURN

Sunday October 5th 2014

$2999based on double occupancyadditional nights are extra.

$3499based on single occupancyadditional nights are extra.

NON-RIDERS SAVE 10% ON TRIP COST

TUSCANY

Enjoy a fall cycling vacation in beautiful Tuscany, Italy. Great cycling combined with fabulous cuisine and legendary wine.

Tuscany has become a favourite destination for us, offering great riding on small roads that wind their way through vineyards, farms, orchards and forests. The riding is incredibly undulating with almost no flat riding. While the climbs may not be epic, you have to glean some satisfaction from climbing to enjoy this trip. The Italian pursuit of La Dolce Vita radiates at every lunch stop and espresso break. The area exudes all the good things in life, food, wine, cycling, passion and landscape. What more could you want!

VIEW TRIP DETAILS

Ride your own bike inside this

winter

With colder weather and shorter days ahead, getting out to ride your bike can

be a bit challenging this time of year - especially when the snow flies!

Whether you want to stay in shape over the winter months, or are training

for your next cycling trip, an indoor cycling trainer is the perfect way to keep and build your cycling fitness!

An indoor trainer is easy to use, doesn’t take up much room at home, and allows you to ride your own bike inside - which is much better than a

gym exercise bike!

Indoor trainers differ in the type of resistance unit that is used. Magnetic

resistance trainers are lower priced and great for the causal cyclist, while a Fluid trainer offers better performance,

a smoother ride and is very quiet - a great option to keep the noise down!

Wild Rock stocks trainers from Kinetic and Tacx - keep fit this winter and get

ready for spring cycling!

Want to ride indoors with fellow cyclists? The Wild Rock Bike Gym is open for the season! Our indoor bike training studio features indoor trainers, weight training equipment, and full HD video system to keep you entertained while pushing away on the pedals! Looking for more structure to your winter fitness training? Starting in January the Wild Rock Bike Gym offers structured group workouts to keep you motivated - stay tuned for the full schedule! Memberships available at Wild Rock for $99.

Ride with friends

Kinetic Road Machine $399

Riser Ring

Tacx Blue Matic

$29

$199

Our best selling indoor trainer. Easy to set-up and secure your bike to. The Road Machine uses a fluid resistance unit for a very realistic road feel, smooth ride, and is very quiet too. The strong stable base has folding legs for easy storage.

A riser ring is used to keep the front wheel of your bike steady and level while on your indoor trainer. A handy piece of equipment that is a much better alternative to a stack of old textbooks!

The Tacx Blue Matic is a great entry level indoor trainer, easy to

use and featuring a magnetic resistance unit the can be

controlled at the handlebar, the Blue Matic offers incredible value

at $199.

Insidethe

S-LabDave enters the secret, magical world of the Salomon nordic ski facility in France!

In the Lab

Our tour guide was Alois Vacelet, the Assistant Nordic product line manager. We started our tour in the apparel S-Lab where great ideas from the designers are transformed into prototype clothing. Fit, function, style and utility are combined into some of the most technical outdoor apparel in the industry. Here expert seamstresses use the latest fabric and stitching techniques to transformed design mock-ups into wearable clothes. Serge Chappuis walked us through how Salomon is constantly striving to provide the proper garment for the intended purpose.

The shoe and boot S-Lab was insane. The technicians produce actual shoes or boots from a drawing. In house production means an idea is quickly turned into a prototype that can immediately be tested on the feet of an athlete. This area is surreal and there are pieces of shoes (heels, straps, soles, buckles, shoe lasts) everywhere.

What are your Nordic skis made of? They may be wood, fibreglass or old carbon fibre, but whatever you’ve found at the back of our garage or shed, it’s worth considering the design and manufacturing of today’s equipment.

This summer, I was fortunate to have an inside look at how Salomon Nordic skis, boots and apparel are designed and tested. My summer cycling “product testing” trip in France included an invited tour to the Salomon Research and Development (R&D) facility in Annecy. The picturesque city in the Savoie Region of south-eastern France is bordered by Switzerland and Italy. Annecy is centred around a beautiful lake and played host to the 20th stage of the 2013 Tour de France. Needless to say, the cycling in the area is superb. But I digress, and we return to Nordic skiing.

Beginnings

George Salomon started a small company that made ski bindings in Annecy in 1947. It has since grown into a multinational “mountain life” company with complete lines of alpine, snowboard and Nordic equipment, as well as outdoor clothing and footwear. Salomon is my favorite ski brand and has been for years so going to visit the “brain trust” for design and development was very exciting.

It was just like being on an episode of “How It’s made” except I was looking at cool Nordic equipment rather than breakfast cereal or china figurines.

The Annecy facility is the place where designers, engineers and technicians develop prototypes based on new innovation, or tweak current products in a cycle of continuous improvement. The Salomon Lab (or S-Lab) represents three of my greatest passions; craftsmanship, technology and skiing. There is something magical about their system, which marries creativity, technical skills, design and practical feedback from an elite core of test athletes.

A last is a three dimensional mold which is used to shape and size the shoe. Solomon has over 100 lasts just for Nordic boots! They told us they`d have fewer if people just had the same feet.

Boot assembly is completed on a machine that definitely looks like something out of “The Matrix” (cue Trinity). Anna Reinaudo explained how Salomon works with carbon to add structure and strength to Nordic ski boots while keeping them comfortable enough to wear for hours at a time. Rigid materials like carbon are used for efficiency, control and responsiveness while soft materials add comfort and warmth. Try a pair and see how they feel just like your slippers. Salomon has been the boot of choice for many elite skiers including Canada’s own, Devon Kershaw, Alex Harvey and Ivan Babikov. Look for some very special boots debuting this year just in time for the Socchi Olympics.

The Skis

Probably the most impressive part of the entire tour for me was the Nordic ski production area. There were seemingly acres of all the raw ingredients that make skis, including carbon, fibreglass, wood laminates, top sheets (the coloured stickers that make your skis pretty) and Nomex, which is the honeycomb core of Salomon`s top level ski.

.

It is amazing how pieces go into a pair of skis. The ski parts are carefully assembled into a mold, just like making a taco, except there’s no salsa or guacamole. Instead you have a base, a core and a variety of laminate layers depending on the ski. The layers of the ski are assembled inside a mold, which is then placed in a machine that heats and cures the resin. The machine uses computer aided technology and the skill of a specially trained technician to add proper flex to the ski. This process is sometimes referred to as “cooking” the ski and Thomas Saillet is the “master chef” of ski making at Salomon. He exhibits a great passion for his work and his knack for crafting fast skis is well known in the Nordic industry. After cooling, skis are computer flex tested, the bases are stone ground, and the skis are waxed. Even with all the layers and materials an S-lab ski weighs less than 500g! The skis are then shipped out for testing by an excited Nordic athlete waiting for the opportunity to try the latest innovation from Salomon. Despite my best demonstration of excitement for their Nordic line I wasn’t invited to be a test athlete.

But who knows, if the prototype demonstrates promise, it may go into full production and end up on your feet helping you effortlessly slide down the trail in style and comfort someday.

Lole Glee Jacket

Arc’Teryx Thorium AR Jacket

Bogs Boots

Faber Snowshoes

Gra

nger

’s Pr

otec

tion

$279

$179

$109

$200

$3.99and up

JUST ADD SNOW.

WWHYOOL?

MERINO 101 - It is NOT regular wool,

it’s itch free! The small merino fibers are smooth and very

comfortable next to the skin.

- It’s STINK FREE! Natural qualities of merino wool

won’t let bacteria attach to the fibers – this means your shirt doesn’t smell,

and gives more time between washes! Great

for travel.

- Keeps you warm when you are cold, and cool when you

are hot – it works on you just like it did on

the sheep!

- Stay warm without the bulk! Icebreaker

merino wool has excellent warmth per

weight ratio.

HIS

HERS

Icebreaker m’s Arctic Hood w/ water repellent nanotechnology

$299

Icebreaker w’s Kodiak Hood w/ water repellent nanotechnology

$299

Icebreaker Mayfair scarf$59

Icebreaker Mayfair scarf$59

For those who have tried on Icebreaker in the past, and just haven’t found success, COME BACK! Try it on again…. The NEW and IMPROVED fit has done wonders for Icebreaker. What did they change?

For both men and women, the size difference has been increased between sizes, to make sure a broader range of people can be fit. The new sizes should be “truer” to actual sizes, especially with large and extra large. Also, Icebreaker has changed the amount of room around the armpit area, to make sure it is a more comfortable fit with increased mobility.

For women, the fit is more ergonomic to fit the female form. In the past, the very athletic cut has proven too uncomfortable and tight – the new fit is contoured to fit a woman’s hips and natural shape! Try it on to feel the difference.

New Fit

get the look

new lole

festivity hoodie $109

shanta glove $49

hurry up leggings $109nadi headband $19

Rome Snowboard Gear.Get it now at Wild Rock.

New to Wild Rock this winter we have Faber Snowshoes! Made in Quebec (like our

friends at GV) they too are proudly Canadian! What set's Faber apart from any

of the other snowshoes we carry is their unique U frame and wing traction decking

design. The split tail allows the shoe to flex independently in uneven terrain while

keeping the drag and weight down. The wing traction decking is stronger than most

allowing Faber to use it to both tension the shoe and create more traction points.

I brought in three of their key models including the North Cliff, North Lander and

Run models. Each have all the great features mentioned above but are tweaked and fine-tuned based on intended use and

cost.

So, if you decide this is your year to get a new set of snowshoes make sure to check

out the Faber line! They're Canadian, lightweight, and very well laid out! I'm super

excited to get out in the deep stuff with them this year! Bring on winter!

-Ryan

Faber Snowshoes

Faber North Lander $140-$160

The TurtleShell is a rugged, wireless outdoor speaker with great sound. Splash-proof, dust-proof and it can also withstand a fall or two. The lightweight design goes wherever you go - from the coffee table to the picnic table.

The Buckshot takes ultra portable music to a new level. Compact, durable and wireless - it even comes with a bike mount. Water resistant and built to survive the odd mishap.

OUTDOOR TECHNOLOGYN E W A U D I O G E A R I N S TO C K AT W I L D R O C K

$129.99

$49.99

Wild Rock brings you the future of warm feet. Personally, I am pretty excited about ThermoSoles. As a youngster I was both passionate about winter sports and stubborn. The consequence of this collision meant one thing: cold feet. In fact, I was left with permanently damaged circulation …and that was before I started climbing mountains and winter camping. As for many Canadians, cold feet have become a fact of life.

When insulation is not enough then a source of heat is the only solution. For years electric ski boot heaters and socks have been available but bulky batteries and high cost has made them impractical. Now Thermosoles have matched up an ultra-light, flexible battery with the ubiquitous USB charger to make simple, efficient heated insoles that will fit in almost all footwear.

Easily moved from one pair of boots/shoes to another, Thermosoles can be used in any situation where your feet get cold. Although in principle Thermosoles have a universal fit, they are thicker than most footbeds. Please ensure you try them in some of your favorite shoes/boots to ensure a comfortable fit. Viva le winter!

For you detail oriented folks, below are a few little details picked up directly from the Thermosoles website.

…ThermoSoles make use of Polymer Lithium-Ion Batteries (900mAh) which offer an eco-friendly alternative to most rechargeable units (leak-proof) and offer no memory loss. Our batteries are ultrathin compared to regular Lithium Ion batteries. Simply charge your unit between 2 - 8 hours to get five hours of continuous warmth ranging from 80 - 106 degrees Farenheit*. *Length of charge will depend on outside temperature and shoe insulation.

! ! ! ! ! ! - Kieran

oodbyeG c o l dF E E T

TICKETS OVER 60% SOLD OUT!!