I was just adding a list of history of all bikes I’ve owned for my “about”-page and it turned out to be quite a list. And I still need to collect more pictures, some I may never find I’m afraid. But making the list was actually so much fun with so much memories… I thought I’d turn it into a blogpost.
Raise your hand if you started out with crappy bike!
1995-1995 no-name steel rig with plastic pedals
My first mountainbike was actually a really crappy cheap bike a got from my dad. He bought a better bike and I thought I could find out if I’d like it. We charged down slopes we considered mountains and I started saving money to buy a real bike.
1995-1997 Batavus Hunter Carbon Pro
I went into the store to buy a lighter, better specced mountainbike with no suspension. But I ended up buying this carbon bike (elastomer suspension forks) that looked so good! I got it oktober 2005 and in I rode my first xc race on it in Bergschenhoek. I died! My best memory is a bikevacation in Marocco september 2006. I must have some pictures of it somewhere, I’ll add them asap.
1997-2000 Coyote Easton (Team Liersen Eemnes)
My local bikestore liked my enthusiasm and got me this awesome bike to ride. In their jersey I’ve done serveral races and I would have done pretty good if I had my act together. But I was young, work was demanding, social life, romance… well… whatever. Me and this bike went to England for a race in the Lake District, that was awesome. I entered the downhill race (on this xc bike!) and I was so scared! It was memorable though.
2001-2003 Giant XTC Big Bear
Working, racing, relationships… it all kinda took it from me. I hadn’t been out riding much and I didn’t like is much. Then I got into some money and decided to spend it on a kick-ass bike. Looking to buy got my mountainbike-heart beating again and it’s never been the same. My bike experience on this great bike was so intensive… I loved it to pieces! I shouldn’t have sold it! Why did I? Well, I started to like jumping and going downhill and I was sure the thin alu wouldn’t hold it. So I ordered a new bike and sold this one as I thought one bike would be enough (silly me).
I organized tours in Apeldoorn, where I live, that focussed on cool decents, stairs or small drop-offs for our first freeride adventures. This next video by Jass is a great example of our first steps. Mén did we have fun!
Enter the freeride-era
2003-2003 Da Bomb Cherry Bomb
This was supposed to be the bike that would last forever! Five inch suspension front and rear, that would be enough for me?! I bought it in April and sold it in Oktober. I felt bad! But the bike I bought later would change my riding forever! I have so much good memories of this bike. Going to Todtnau with my dearest friends on our first bikepark trip. We where so green! I have a small movie that Reinier made called “Fokking Ventiel”
2003-2005 Sunn Cross UN Singlespeed
The Cherry Bomb was belated, like months, and I had stripped my Giant from it’s parts (that I wanted to put on the Cherry Bomb. Now I know these won’t automatically fit!). I wanted to ride and I bought a frame cheap of a friend, build it even cheaper and I was riding. Had so much fun on this bike! It’s still in the family though! My dad rides it geared nowadays.
2003-2005 Santa Cruz Bullit
Legendary bike! Not just for me, but for the freeride history. The dvd Kranked 5 is flooded with Bullits! They rock, and the new 2007 version tickles! I bought the Bullit after I borrowed a friends Intense M1 and I discovered a new side of downhill riding. Riding with the Bullit was awesome, there was actually nothing this bike couldn’t do. I did a drop-off of a huge funbox in Winterberg. Entered the Megavalanche and became the Dutch National Champions in 2005.
2004-2004 GT Moto toxic green
What can I say… impuls buy. Cheap frame, geometry looked interesting. But it didn’t suit me like at all. I thought four-x just wouldn’t be my thing, so I sold the frame and the parts: wouldn’t want to be temped to build another dirtbike.
2005-2005 Specialized Enduro (1998 model)
I had a little accident with the Bullit, twisted some discs in my back and found riding hardtail to tough on my back. This was a nice and cheap bike. But I kept bottoming it, so time to pass it on. Had it for 2 months or so.
2006-2006 Ghost ERT5700 (Team Ghost Bikes Nederland)
Me and my friend got sponsored by Ghost Bikes and I finally got a proper enduro bike. Wanna laugh? It’s very… very similar to the Cherry Bomb I had. But lighter and air-sprung. I had a superb geometry and linkage, would have kept it if it wheren’t for a new sponsordeal.
2006-2006 Ghost Team Worldcup DH
Along with the sponsordeal from Ghost Bikes came this Worldcup downhill frame. Rockshox gave us the chance to ride with Boxxers (Worldcup slippery sliver!) and Truvativ cranks that where awesome. With this bike a realised another dream of mine: entering a Worldcup downhill race. In Willingen, I finished last, 35th (out of 40 entries 😉 ) in a respectable time of 3.08 min where I had expected to ride between 5 and 7 minutes. I did better than I ever thought I would. This bike unfortunately was to much for me, it was so fast… I crashed more than I ever had my entire bike-carreer. Last oktober I dislocated my shoulder and that was the tippingpoint. I sold the bike and on good terms we ended the sponsoring.
2007-2008 Rocky Mountain Switch (Team Stappenbelt.com)
I had decided to go for freeride-events, races that where fun and spectacular. And at the right time and place I cought up with Stappenbelt, my local bikestore, and was offered a deal of a lifetime. These guys make sure I had the best bikeparts, the best gear and protection and they’re super supportive and enthusiastic. I love riding for them and I hope to do so years and years to come. Me and my Rocky are about to make new legendary memories. Going to the Passport du Soleil was awesome, claiming 4th place in Winterberg was too. And crashing at the Megavalanche…
2007-present Gazelle steel rig Singlespeed (1994 model)
I have a thing for this brand, especially the good old steel frames. I had a roadbike, from about the same period and it’s steel as well. It’s a sweet ride. I would only trade it for a Rocky steel rig.
2007-2008 Mongoose alu cruiser (bmx)
The local bmx-club won’t have mtb’s on it’s track and I want to train there, especially during the winter.
2007-2011 Redline Proline cruiser (bmx)
I really like the workout on the bmx track, so I bought a better fitting cruiser.
2007-2008 Banshee Scirocco
What another four-x project? With a tight budget I bought a used Scirocco frame and build it for four-X and semi-xc training.
2008-2008 On One Inbred
The Scirocco didn’t get much four-X action and it was rather small for the semi-xc training, so a new project in the shape of the Inbred came on my path.
2009-2011 Trek Remedy 7
After two wonderful years riding for Stappenbelt, I had to turn the Rocky back to it’s stable and I bought this super sweet ride. Trek Remedy 7 is the best deal for money and magazines just can’t shut up about how good it is. I can only agree! The only downside… it’s making me want a Session 88, just because if the Remedy is this good… what about that Session 88?
Men, this is a bike collection!