Back to his roots - while Josh and his young family live in British Columbia during the race season, he still returns home for the Aussie summer to ride his favourite old trails.
While 2016 was a great year, the dedicated Aussie enduro frother is already training hard to make 2017 even better.

Pro Rides - Josh Carlson

By John Hardwick | 28 December 2016

With a top 10 finish in the EWS overall and a 3^rd place finish at the Whistler round, 2016 was strongest season to date for Wollongong local Josh Carlson. We caught up with the Giant Factory Team rider for a pedal on his local trails and checked out the setup on his Giant Reign Advanced while we were at it.

While the Reign was the weapon of choice for all of 2016, he's thinking of riding the new Trance at the first two EWS rounds in 2017.

Josh is running a 450lb coil from Super Alloy Racing. Running a coil adds 400-500g compared to an air shock but he prefers the more consistent performance and quieter ride feel that this setup provides.

The 160mm of rear travel remains consistent on the Reign but Josh varies the fork between 160, 170 and 180mm of travel to suit the trails. Here the Reign is running a 180mm Lyric. — The 160mm of rear travel remains consistent on the Reign but Josh varies the fork between 160, 170 and 180mm of travel to suit the trails. Here the Reign is running a 180mm Lyric and 150mm of drop on his Reverb.

A quick-link remains tied to the cable for emergency repairs. Keeping it here ensures it's quick to access, always there and never lost as it could be if buried at the bottom of a pack. — A chain quick-link remains taped to the brake hose for emergency repairs. Keeping it here ensures it's quick to access and never lost (like it would be when buried at the bottom of a pack).

Josh runs a 50mm stem and 765mm wide bars with a 30mm rise for better control on steep trails. His Garmin mount comes from Pro Mount Billet.

Where Josh used a 36T chainring with 11-speed, he swapped to a 38T chainring when they upgraded to SRAM Eagle. This gave him a really high top-end while still having a slightly lower climbing gear than his older setup.

Rather than using the all-in-one Matchmaker setup, Josh mounts his 150mm Reverb remote separately to place it close to his thumb whilst still having the levers inboard for one-finger braking.

The Giant team ran the HT T1 pedals all season long.

Running the brake levers in a relatively 'flat' position serves to drop the heal of the palm down behind the bars, making it easier to hang on over rough terrain. This position is also better for really steep descents. — Running the brake levers in a relatively 'flat' position serves to drop the heel of the palm down behind the bars, making it easier to hang on over rough terrain. This position is also better for really steep descents.

A little collateral damage but these are not his race wheels. Last season he raced on the SRAM Rail 50 wheels. — A little collateral damage but these are not his race wheels. Last season he raced on the SRAM Rail 50 wheels. Tyres are Schwalbe Magic Mary with the Super Gravity casing.

You know you've made it when...

While 2016 was a great year, the dedicated Aussie enduro frother is already training hard to make 2017 even better.