Bikeblog.nl - Part 4

Advanced downhill training with Mikeys Bike Adventures

by Tanja on June 15, 2011 in Riding with No comments

“Ride like a pro!”, that’s what Maichel Lemmens promises with his advanced downhill skills training in Malmedy. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Last sunday my alarm went off at 5am, WTF… After a briefing and exchange of wishes and expectations for the day. We started the day with the setup of the bike and first action was a step-down / step-up combination on the 4x track in Malmedy. Rusty start, but after gaining some confidence it got better and better. After the lunch Mikey gave us some play-time with a very nice drop-off and after that it was downhill-time. Tight corners, slippery roots and the art of line-choice.

It was an awesome day, picked up some more skills and Mikey’s riding is inspirational to see. If you’re interested, head over to his website http://mikeysbikeadventures.com.

IXS Winterberg

by Tanja on June 8, 2011 in Events with No comments

Can you imagine about 1200 bikers in one (tiny) bikepark? Divided over slopestyle, 4x, endurance and downhill it’s less horrible as it sounds, but it is still madness. The DIRTMASTERS is a huge event in the bikepark of Winterberg in Germany and it’s 4 days of bikefun. This year I’ve managed to register for the downhillrace on sunday together with 14 other women in the free-category.

The track was altered for the race and was about 90% different from the usual track. And the change was fun. Not really difficult, no real big jumps or gaps. Just a lot of roots and sections where you’d have to carry huge speed to make a difference for the end-results. I cannot remember a race where the ambulances where needed so frequently, or even the trauma-heli. Maybe also due to the big amount of riders on the track.

I just finished the Session a day before I left for Winterberg. The first few runs where all about getting my nerve back from my crash and getting to know the Remedy-maxi. By the time I finished the seeding-run on saturday I felt pretty happy about the whole thing. Raceday was all about holding on to that feeling and scraping seconds of my time (2:41), and my race-run went fantastic. Not only did I improve my time to 2:34, I improved my lines and refound my riding mojo.

I found this clip on pinkbike.com, if you’re familiar with the normal DH track, you need to pay extra attention to get it, but it’s a great track.

Session is getting there!

by Tanja on May 31, 2011 in Gear with No comments

Hang on, a pic is coming your way this week! I have most parts, a nice white Boxxer race and Avid Code 5 brakes where made available thanks to Fietsshop Uitgeest and other parts I bought from webshops. Oh… webshops don’t get me started. Please if anyone knows of a shop that has a great product availability and even better delivery service: let me know! I had to cancel one order as a products availability changed after I order (and paid) the product and another big webshop (okay, I won’t beat around the bush, it’s CRC) had some unexplained “internal process problems” and kept me waiting another 2 days before shipping (all available products). That’s why you pay for express…

I’ll stop complaining!

I have so much work to do to finish the Session before this weekends IXS race in Winterberg, and a little nervous for riding a new bike in a race. Not the smartest thing I’ve ever done! But I figured, it’s a BIG Remedy and the LITTLE Remedy (Fuel) wasn’t that hard to adjust to, so how hard can it be? (talking to myself…. ;-) )

So yes… pictures! Watch this space!

Session on the way

by Tanja on May 23, 2011 in Gear with No comments

As it looks like I’m selling the Bullit as a complete bike, I have a lot of parts I need to buy before I can ride. My timing could be better, in a week and a half I was supposed to ride the IXS in Winterberg. Can you say “checklist”!?

Forks: Boxxers (my eye on a 2009 race, but it needs an axl and tuning asap)
Brakes (Saint, the successor of the amazing XT 4pods??)
Chainguide (Gamut on the way)
Wheels (used, on the way)
Rear-gear (on the way)
Cranks + inner (on the way)
Specialized Butcher SX tires (on the way)
Need to get some tubes too
Grips
Cassette/chain/cables
Chainring 38t

Do you have brakes or Boxxers lying around? Please contact me!

Oops I did it again…

by Tanja on May 20, 2011 in Gear, Personal with No comments

Barely 8 months after writing about my reunion with the Bullit, I have another Trek-addition on the way to replace it. I feel bad, but happy altogether. It brings a few nasty details with it though, my mate just donated a set of wheels for it but I have to get another set for this one as it uses a different hub-size. Also a different bracket-size, and this one had ISCG tabs. So chainguide, cranks, bottombracket, wheelset and probably some cables and a short cage reargear. Will I be complete then? Gosh I hope so… impulsive actions always come at a cost, let’s hope the fun makes it worth it.

Push tuning: it should be mandatory!

by Tanja on May 17, 2011 in Gear with No comments

Recently I overhauled the Remedy and shipped the Lyrik and the Float to Tim Flooks for tuning and maintenance. Sending your shock or forks to Tim Flooks is not luxury, it’s a necessity! I’ve had my forks done by them since 2003 and even then I noticed the improvement. My buddie and I had been discussie PUSH tuning for ages and I had one of these “what the…”-moments when I booked my Float in for service. I’m glad I did!

It’s expensive, but our line of sport just is. The first thing I noticed was the amount of sag, a lot more then I’m used to. I resisted the urge to up the pressure and got to riding first, as per perscription of the shock-doctor who did the work on my Float. Before I had the pro-pedal switched on practically everywhere except for descents. But in Malmedy (±700m climb in 18km ride) I barely switched it on! I was kind of impressed… but it wasn’t untill I visited Nijmegen where my buddie and I do our fitness-rides and where I know the terrain like the back of my hand, when being impressed sounds just a little understated.

The Remedy climbs almost as good as the Fuel does (now I want to Fuel to be PUSHed too), there’s one rather fast descent in Nijmegen. I dropped the Joplin and attacked it with all I had and I couldn’t believe it. Brake- or speed-bumps? Like there where NONE! The Float feels endless, truly floating over the terrain and it responds so quickly yet allowing you to keep peddling like a full-efficient-maniac.

I would go as far as to say that PUSH tuning should be mandatory on every Fox driven All-Mountainbike.

A little info for you:

Looking for the ultimate performance upgrade? PUSH Factory Tuning Systems include our TF Tuned Rebuild, but then adds the installation of PUSH performance components based on rider weight and style, as well as year, make, and model of frame. We also add the Propedal feature to non-Propedal shocks, or retune the Platform feature of your current Propedal unit based on your application.

With this package, on RC/RL units, we replace the restrictive lockout piston with a PUSH high flow Vx compression piston for improved bump performance and control. We also remove the lockout mechanism permanently, add the Propedal feature, and custom tuned it to your application. More details here

PUSH Factory Tuning System Includes:

Complete Disassembly/Reassembly

Oil/Nitrogen Fill

O-Ring Kit

Factory Air Seal Kit

Push PTFE Endless Piston Glyde Band

R-Glyde Liner Eyelet Bearings

PUSH Factory Suspension Decal

PUSH Exclusive Vx Piston

Push Multi-Phase Compression and Rebound Valving

“Platform” Feature

Push Zero-Bleed Piston Bolt**

Factory Tuning System Float R / RC / RL (includes full service) £129 + P&P

Factory Tuning System (without seals on new units) £119 + P&P

Trek Scratch Air 8 on Pinkbike

by Tanja on May 3, 2011 in News with No comments

Finally, some more freeride news for you guys, you have been patient ;-) I just visited Pinkbike.com, and they showcase a amazing Scratch Air 8 and I have to show it to you:

Pinkbike doesn’t tell us the exact weight, just calls it “light”. It still features 170 mm rear travel and 160 mm and the ABP we love so much. Give it a adjustable seatpost for crying out loud, PUSH™ the shock and buy some Maxxis Advantage tires (next on my list) and bring on the Alps!

Another item crossed off my list…

by Tanja on May 3, 2011 in Personal with No comments

Where to begin… last Saturday was my first ever xc marathon. In Sundern (Germany) I registered for the 55km marathon. This marathon is known for having an entry level course and that sounded perfect to me. I can do that… can’t I? Can’t I!?

No, I can’t! Lack of sleep, back-pain, pollen or just not fit enough, you tell me. The first 5 km’s hit me hard and soon I was in the back of the field. That’s not fun, but I hung in there. Soon the riders of the 30 km tour caught up and I started to realize that I might be a lot fitter than I used to be, I’m still a crappy climber. And boy, was this climbing. It never seem to end, I swear wide paths and all going up. Not all very steep, but going up, and not very entertaining either. Before I was near the 15 km I was already contemplating how to get this over and done with. My back was killing me and my heart-rate was higher that I consider ‘fun’ and still nothing fun going on in front of me.

I realized the 30km was doing the same route, so I figured I’d take this short cut and I did. At the rest-post (23 km’s) I was stretching and also I found a small bottle of caffeine in my bag. After this I felt more ‘happy’ and the last 7 km’s was also more interesting and I managed to get to the finish line without getting really cranky.

So, what does this mean? I’m fit enough to endure 30 km’s of mostly climbing (766m) and if my back hadn’t bothered me that much, I would have endured the 55km’s but in a dreadful pace. I’m still not talented for riding uphill, I never was and apparently never will. Reality-check ;-) but with the next few weeks of power-training, getting stronger and faster, I will at least get a little better. Which will be very fine for the Bike Attack. In the mean-time… xc marathons will disappear from my to do list.

So… 9 things to do in 2011?

~~Train with Personal Trainer (excellent!)~~
Trek Bike Attack: in the 11th gear!
~~Sorpetal 55 km marathon (30 km’s, not my idea of fun)~~
~~Full marathon 100 km (NOT gonna happen)~~
~~Week of bike-fun around the PPdS & more F4G trips!~~
Shoot a freeride4girls movie
Clean my garage ;-)
~~Don’t freak… I may actually ride a xc race in Apeldoorn! (NOT gonna happen)~~
~~Get the Remedy in top shape before PPdS & TBA (looks awesome, will update asap)~~

We’re officially go for another epic season

by Tanja on April 28, 2011 in Personal with No comments

Last weekend I visited my favorite place (to get butchered) for trailriding; Malmedy. This time, my new found fitness provided me with the energy and zest to truly enjoy it to the max, up- and downhill. The revamped Remedy and me had a wonderful time on the trails and the Bullit and I got reacquainted since our dramatic season-end in Willingen last year. It was a bit rusty and careful, but ended with fun anyway. Give it time and we’re back on track again too. I can not wait until we visit France in June for the PPdS event and a week of trail- and downhillfun. Both bikes will come along and if the weather plays nice, it’ll be another epic adventure.

One more epic adventure coming up: next weekend my first marathon (55km), a lot less then the PPdS (85km) but with 1700 meters of climbing…O…M…G… keep your fingers crossed for me ;-)

Raceface quits!?

by Tanja on March 12, 2011 in Gear, general news with No comments

Just now I read on Pinkbike.com the news of Race Face closing it’s doors. I haven’t found anything on the Raceface.com site to support that fact. And I checked my calendar to see if it was april fools… It’ll be very sad to see a brand like Race Face disappear from the bike-landscape. It has become legendary and you can almost imagine the run on the remaining stock in bikeshops for the truely fantastic parts and clothes they make. Now the Race Face stickers I have from the many parts I’ve bought over the years may become coveted, and I’ll stick them on my bike or helmet as an hommage.

So sad to see you go Race Face, I miss you allready!