All posts in Riding

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.

PPdS: on fire!

by Tanja on July 1, 2008 in Events, recent, Riding with No comments

Just got back from a hit-and-bike weekend in France and I had a superb time. I was kinda worried if I was fit enough to finish the whole loop. Erm… I mean I was VERY worried! We departed in Morzine and I was realy getting into gear by the time we reached Champery. My buddie was having a break-down on the long semi-flat climb and we passed the opportunity to ride a very cool downhill-track we actually did do last year.

The stuff that didn’t break?!

After a long break in Chamery (near the air-lift because the festival area was noisy as hell) we got back up and after Les Lindarets I was getting somewhat tired. The last downhill to Morzine I kinda forgot the flip the switch of my rearshock and it was no wonder my forks got overheated and myself included from working unnessesarily hard. The aphalt pedal to the Morzine uplift to Les Gets was murder. Without the slightest bit of wind, the sun was burning and we where close to being toast. The uplift to Les Gets stopped 2 times along the way, one time close to 10 minutes. Without any fresh are (these bulb-like cabins have no ventilation or windows) and having finished all my water, we all needed to keep our heads cool and not freak out. We had just 50 meters of faint downhill to go and a steep asphalt walk before we could cruise down and finish in our cabine up the mountain near Les Gets. Dead tired, but super happy. Just one chainsuck! Ask the many many other riders with trouble along the way, that’s pretty awesome!

About the trails

We did the classic route (75km) and the types of trails differ between almost boring wide flat tracks with grit or the ultimate singletracks with all the roots and rocks you can handle. I’m inclined to say that anyone with MTB experience, basic fitness and a dureable bike (one that’s in good technical shape) can enter the PPdS. Or I should say: anyone SHOULD enter the PPdS at least once. It’s perfectly organized, there’s no competition element; all the riders give room to one and another, everyone is happy. XC riders can get their kick on the special XC challenge routes, if you’re not fit or have a heavy DH bike, you can rest and take the uplifts. For 35 euro’s, you can’t ask for a better day of fun than the PPdS!

Limburg makes for excellent rides

by Tanja on April 27, 2008 in Personal, recent, Riding with No comments

One of my good friends, Ilja, is from Limburg. But he never got around to ride in the region that’s known for having the little altitude we have in the Netherlands. But since we have big plans to be at least fit for the PPdS: we put Limburg on our map.

After a great ride last sunday we returned today for seconds (and thirds I guess), we got to ride lap 1 two times and had good fun at it! It’s just about 14km’s and there’s two alternative routes to connect to if you wish, which we’ll do next time.

Somewhat technical lap, plenty roots and small drop-offs. It has some very nice fast sections that makes the drive up there more than worth it. The beginning of the lap is the best fun and get’s you in the good mood right away. And for me, the mood never changed. Not even for the few uphill sections that can somewhat erm… suck. But I suppose it’s not even that bad considering we rode with our big bikes and I didn’t feel butchered at all. I must be getting in shape!

» More info on the Brunsummerheide xc routes (fun xc from now on)

Sunday ride in Limburg

by Tanja on April 1, 2008 in recent, Riding with No comments

This sunday I visited some locals on the trails spread over 3 country’s: the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. We ended on the so called Toblerone trails and got back to our car just in time before the rain started. Beat the weather once again!

You can read what Jaspero wrote about it on his new weblog here. I got invited to join him and some other Mountainbike.nl forummembers to check out their trails in Limburg. A lot of singletrails and good and plenty uphill; good training for a summer of trails if you ask me. Besides going to the Passport de Soleil, I have a wish to visite more trails in the Alpes. Preferbly in Switserland where Ride Guide filmed an episode on Big Mountain Bike Adventures. That looks inviting…

Oh, the photo’s of sunday can be found in this collection

Easter ride in Nijmegen, beating the weather

by Tanja on March 23, 2008 in recent, Riding with 2 Comments

Yesterday I delivered the Flatline back to the bike-shop and today I’ve been out on my trusty steed, the Switch. Can tell you how nice it is to have your own bike back again. I’ve been looking forward to this long Easter weekend for a while and I even though about going to Bad Wildbad for the weekend. But the weather predictions where awful. Even Sauerland and Ardennes where out of the question really as a weather alarm was given.

We headed out to the official xc-trails in Nijmegen and we focused on our favorite parts of the tracks. I’ve tried to make time to take pictures. The best riding for me today was in the middle parts of what we call ‘ruiterpad’. I could to that part all day and try to perfect the riding. It’s more worn out then I remember and it makes for perfect flow riding. Where I feel best.

Impressions of today

Best riding of the year, so far

by Tanja on January 13, 2008 in recent, Riding with 2 Comments

We had a great day on the Filthy Trails yesterday. Weatherprediction websites announced a clear and dry afternoon, but it looked anything but when we got into the car in the morning. A good thing we went anyway! Check Steelsprocket’s photo’s on Pinkbike.com here. I was too busy riding and walking up the trails all afternoon to take some pictures myself.

On the ride back to the car, the sun was setting on a great day and I took on picture to prove we actually went out on the bike that day ;-)

Winter makes for good riding days

by Tanja on December 27, 2007 in Personal, recent, Riding with No comments

Last week my friend Ilja and I went for a short ride near Nijmegen. We actually planned to ride longer, but my watch cheated on us. Oh and the fact that we both took a nasty dive the first vert we came across (and usually dive off without a wink) didn’t help. Bruises and a sprained neck, silly us. The ground was madly frozen and covered with leaves and snow. Asking for it? Well we really wanted to give Ilja’s new Demo 8 a good go. It goes allright, we now know who’s in charge in that relationship…

Anyway, it was that last beautifull winterday of the year. Everything was white from frost (even better than snow) and the sky was clearblue. I was so awesome! Makes me forget about the blue knee I now have…

» Saturday’s photo’s

Flowshore @ Winterberg

by Tanja on November 12, 2007 in recent, Riding with 1 Comment

Winterberg Bikepark is going strong, these guys are on fire! Look at what they’re building right now:

Brilliance always comes late

by Tanja on November 5, 2007 in News, recent, Riding with 1 Comment

Yesterday I finally got around to visit the Filthy Trails, and I brought the Bright.nl/crashcourse crew with me. Host Linda Hakeboom took a crash course freeriding. This wednesday you’ll see the result of her first even mountainbike experience. Big kudo’s ofcourse for that being freeride! In the clip I’ll show Linda some skills and I try to vent some intelligent speak on the subject freeriding. On my way home ofcourse I thought of the smart and funny things to say. Here’s a pic taken by Filthy Trails-builer Styles: the cameraguy ducks away, in an atempt to get some action footage. By the way, the Filthy Trails are awesome trails, wonderfully constructed. Three lines so far, each with some nice jumps, berms or northshore bits to entertain yourself with.