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#9 Take more pictures!

by Tanja on March 2, 2009 in Personal, recent, Riding with No comments

While #6 “Do bi-weekly training ride with Isil (and anyone who’ll join)” slowly is turning into a WEEKLY ride (yes, you’ve heard it right!), I’ve been busy doing #9 as well.

#9 Take more pictures!

Unfortunately, eighter I’m loosing my touch (I did forget the whitebalance thingie!) or my cam is slowly loosing it’s touch (I’m always gain for new gadgets, just not when I need one). Yesterday’s secret trail-ride has given me more blurry (no pun) shots, than sharp ones. I hope this doesn’t become an epidemic, I remember my friend R’s camera is slowly dying too…

But not all is lost…

Rene Wildhaber Signs with Trek Bikes

by Tanja on March 2, 2009 in general news, recent with No comments

I’m so stoked about this news: “Rene Wildhaber Signs with Trek Bikes”, the best transfer of 2009!  It’s a bit old news, he’s posted about his transfer in december, but I just learned about it. Congratulations to Rene (a hero: 6x Megavalanche 4x Bike Attack for starters), on choosing for such an awesome bike.  ;-)

wildhaber_kenya2-600x413

MS racing & Evil join forces: Beerten is out

by Tanja on February 26, 2009 in Personal, recent with 2 Comments

I’m don’t usually do this, ventilate my personal feelings in a public ‘flame’, but this one you can’t ignore. The goones from MS Racing joined forces with EVIL, well good for them, Filip Polc, Steve Smith and Matti Lehikoinen. Not for dutch rider Anneke Beerten, she won last years world championship ánd the overall worldcup. What more could a team ask for you say?

“Team Director Markus Stöckl commented; “MS-Racing has been working on building of our vision of a mountain bike team for almost 5 years and we have worked with a couple of partners in the past. After we won the 4X team overall and women’s 4X overall title in 2008 we felt stagnant somehow and knew it was time for a change“

Beerten has been let go, but I’m sure a rider with that much potential soon gets swept away by some very smart team-manager. Markus Stöckl has immortalized himself with this thoughtless quote. If you want change, if you want different riders, whatever: don’t put it on feeling STAGNENT over the two biggest accomplishments: winning the overall and the world title. When you say that, you degrade the effort of a rider that has worked her ass of for you and your team.

I figured the Remedy out!

by Tanja on February 9, 2009 in recent, Riding with No comments

It was one of those great rides. Raining cat’s & dogs, but we had to go! I had a score to settle with my new Remedy and my friend needed to say goodbye to his trusty steed, to make room for a new one. Last wednesday’s ride left me wondering: did I buy the damn thing to big?

I ordered a Raceface Atlas Am stem with a Raceface Dh 1.5″ riser. Thought I needed a tough more rise. The stem was spot-on, but the riser wasn’t. Thankfully I had an old banged up Hussefelt 2″ riser lying around and that did the trick. Felt just like home! Installed the Joplin (another *it fits/it works* relieve, and a question: “how did I get around without one for so long?“), some nasty white grips from Specialized and my trusted Continental Mountain King tires (I SHOULD write a review on these soon!).

This all and the dirtiest ride of the year makes my riding itch the worst I’ve had in years… I’m a lost cause…

Trek Remedy has arrived!

by Tanja on February 4, 2009 in Gear, recent, Riding with 1 Comment

So my new bike arrived today and, with only a tiny tune-up, I couldn’t help myself. I took the Remedy for a short ride near Apeldoorn, the sights where beautifull because of the snow and I was counting my blessings. My mates where hard at work, and I found myself enjoying my new bike.

The Lyrik is allready everything I hoped it would be: bloody awesome! The Fox RP2 also delivers and setting both up to my standards was a piece of cake. The SLX cranks look sexy sweet! And yes, the Remedy does pedal as well as promised! It’s light too.

I am, however, ordering some new stuff for the cockpit. Not at all pleased with the low-riser (1″) and (somewhat) long stem (80mm). I knew buying this bike, the toptube would be a bit on the long side. (A size smaller would have been too small). So I’m ordering some new goodies that make me more comfortable. Hopefully saturday this saturday a longer ride, with the new gear on board, along with my beloved Conti’s and the Joplin.

New feature: theHub

by Tanja on January 27, 2009 in News, recent with No comments

Logo thehub_l final

I’ve added a new page to the Bikeblog: theHub. It’s a page with headlines from the best bike-related websites. Like Pinkbike, Dirt magazine, Sick Lines (and many more). Visit: www.bikeblog.nl/thehub

Dutch riders promoted to Kona Clump team

by Tanja on January 13, 2009 in general news, recent with 2 Comments
kona_roy_dkatinas

Foto: Dennis Katinas; rider Roy Groenewegen

Two Dutch KONA dirt riders, Kevin Katinas and Roy Groenewegen have been promoted to the KONA European Clump team. Giving them the chance to prove themselves in International competitions and measuring themselves to the pro’s of the world. Congratulations to them; kick ass, show ‘em h*ll!

#4 Buy a new helmet

by Tanja on January 3, 2009 in Gear, recent with 1 Comment

Just the other day I posted 9 things to do in 2009, and I’ve already jumped on the bandwagon in order to get things crossed off my list. Good thing for me I have a birthday coming up; so I arranged #4 on my list to be a present!

Don’t you just hate…

… how helmets look cool on others and make you look even geekier than you already do. I’ve tried on Giro helmets and it’s ridiculous! I guess it’s safe and all, but the helmet is both high and wide and make my head shrink like a peanut. (eventhough thát’s slightly better than make you look fat…). So I banned Giro for the moment and got side-tracked by a nice CG-signature fullface helmet by Bell. Even Though I won’t buy it, because it lacks vents, I wanted to see if Bell had any cool helmets for my goal: xc-Allmountain-trails-freeride-enduro-downhill type of riding. They didn’t. Another brand popped in my head: Met. And as it turned out, they have really nice xc-Allmountain-trails-freeride-enduro-downhill type of helmets. The Met Kaos comes in two versions. The one that weights 250 gram (WTF?!) and the one that weights about 195 grams.

195 grams is a bit to skinny to my liking, but the Kaos does look pretty and I have had a Met helmet before. Oh and it has nice features, don’t you think:

  • New compact Integral double In-molding construction
  • 22 air vents
  • Rear vents
  • Safe-T X retention system
  • Washable and anti-allergic internal pads in Coolmax®
  • Lockable side strap divider
  • Removable & ventilated peak
  • Anti pinch buckle
  • 2 sizes: M 54-57/ L 58-61 cm
  • Weight: 250 g

I’m somewhat concerned about the big vent in front, what if I crash there? But on the other hand, let just not crash there ;-) Plus it got a good review on BikeRadar.com Okay, so my birthday present is in the mail, just a little preview for you:

metkaos

Met Kaos bought at Chain Reaction Cycles

So one thing crossed of my list! Erm… well… a half thing… still a new fullface helmet to go… *grin* got any pretty (well vented, light but not TLD-priced) suggestions for me?

9 things to do in 2009

by Tanja on December 30, 2008 in Personal, recent, Video with 1 Comment

Do I like resolutions? Not really. Why? They suck.
But I do like lists (those that know me, have my permission to slightly grin (okay, don’t overstretch yourself!). So here’s a list, and I’m not calling it resolutions, because everything on it is fun do to! What’s the secret to a successful list of things to do?  Not overdoing the level of ambition and keep it fun (o yeah and reward yourself, but I guess with buying a new bike, I kinda did that in advance (= funny, that’s the name of the company I work at)). So here’s my list and don’t be shy: share yours!

  1. Ride in Switzerland (= august Bike Attack),
  2. See if I like (I like!) my new Inbred frame (harhar) and paint it purple (thank the Remedy: the Inbred has been sold because it was gathering too much dust),
  3. Go to Belgium or Germany once a month (at least, or anywhere else abroad),
  4. Buy a new helmet (or two: xc (=check) and dh(-check)),
  5. While at it, get new riding gear too (ride my own fashion),
  6. Do bi-weekly trainingride with Isil (and anyone who’ll join),
  7. Pickup BMX’ing again,
  8. Ride PPdS in 8hrs or less (workout harder or suffer!),
  9. Take more pictures!

Look's like we have a winner: Remedy

by Tanja on December 24, 2008 in Personal, recent with No comments

I’m almost there. My final decision came to the Lapierre and the Trek. De Lapierre because it’s supposed to be as good as a VPP bike with the benefits of horst-link. That does sound good! However, the Spicy 316 has a rather basic setup and the Spicy 516 is somewhat to expencive. Unless I shop in the UK, but somehow I’m not that eager getting a bike through mailorder, without any servicepoints in the Netherlands.

The Remedy 7 on the otherhand, has the basic setup I wanted: Lyrik U-turn and Fox Float RP2. The rest of the setup is somewhat basic (Shimano SLX: but I don’t really prefer Shimano), Avid Juicy 5 brakes (owned then: just fine) and a bunch of Bontrager stuff.

I’m not going to change everything at first: just the two things I think I need:

MRP XCG GUARDS

MRP XCG GUARDS: chainguide for triple setup: 120 gram!

Crank Brothers Joplin

Crank Brothers Joplin: mechanic seatpost

Within the next 3 to 4 weeks I should have a new ride!

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