Boys
Girls
Excellent score for the dutchies (including one living in Belgium), really looking forward to the Trek Bike Attack 2012.
Yesterday was the first day we could actually enjoy some sun during the ride and after talk. Sign of the birth of a new season, and while plans have already been made long ago, it’s fun to share and let the fun begin.
TBA, ofcourse, in August, this year with 10 Dutch girls on the grid. Oh boy… Must be awesome! And a few weeks later, 11steden-MTBtocht. Do me a favor and google “elfstedentocht”, is an iceskating tour of 220km and only held when our winters are fierce enough, which is hardly ever. We came close this year though and that made this subject hot again. The organization of the 11steden-MTBtocht redesigned their route and came to a 3-day event with 260km for duo’s only. So me and my friend Annemieke enrolled just because we can and now we are stuck training for it ;-) It’s good though, because I want to ride the Trans Provence next year and I can use the extra milage.
We had decided against the PPdS this year, but other plans got delayed and we impulsively registered for the PPdS anyway, opted for a few extra days of riding near Morzine, we’ll have a blast!
Speaking of The Blast, this new format of enduro-racing has two dates announced. First in Malmedy and next in the Vosges, just a week before the PPdS. Not the best timing for me, but you should consider, it’ll be legendary!
About 5 races in the Easyphone enduro cup and two others are the races I’ve committed to this year and I think that’ll keep me busy enough this year.
What are your plans?
So, the first enduro was last weekend and it was fun. Started off with sun, so many optimistic clothing and tires. Soon it turned into rain and mudfest. Not that it spoiled much of the fun. These enduro’s in Belgium have timed stages, in Esneux 4. Three where about 1km and one was 3km. This one had a nasty climb and there is where my fitness is not up to par. Not a problem for the first enduro of the year, where much of the testing was done on ourselves, the bike and the gear.
The Slash was fantastic, in the fourth stage there was a technical decent on stone underground, really tricky. Not for the Slash, he wanted to go way faster. In the end I took a third place and promise of better if I improve my form, let’s do that.
I had a great time with the boys from my team, and we are eagerly awaiting the team gear, next race we’ll be uniform :-)
I’ve launched a new website: enduro-mtb.nl stricktly to collect all enduro events and dates in central Europe, so I can have one complete calendar. And share it with you all. What do you think of it, are you missing something? Care to help out?
While working out all dates, I found that one weekend stood out against the rest. The first weekend of may is Enduro Nirvana for us in Central Europe, 6 events and counting! How cool is that?!
Hard to choose? Check locations here, perhaps I’ll see you in Remouchamps (Enduro de l’Ambleve L’EREC)?
Top Enduro Weekend 5th and 6th of may 2012 weergeven op een grotere kaart
Visit: Enduro-mtb.nl
Myrte shared this video yesterday on Facebook and now there’s a translation. You do NOT want to miss this!
The first few km’s on the Slash are in the pocket! I picked this handsome ride up on saturday, went for a sunny ride in the dunes and for a rainy and muddy ride on sunday in Nijmegen. Two totally different riding days, so how did this baby perform?
As you’ve read on my blog, I’ve owned several bikes and did some testriding for Mountainbike.nl. I have no technical knowledge on how and why something works on a bike, but I know what I like and what works. Also, I have been puking my guts out the days prior to riding on the Slash. So I should not be very fit. Not the best circumstances to ride?
I picked up my Slash at Fietsshop Uitgeest, my sponsor and well partner as we both started this team with 4 young riders and ourselves as senior riders on board. It is so shiny, the bike, the Kashima coating looks so sexy and our orange parts fit perfect with it. Some may add a few gram to the bike and the weight of the complete bike with new parts (incl. pedals) was 14.8kg (32,6 lbs). It’s significant and prior to riding I was worried about the weight. Although I must admit, my Remedy was slightly heavier on racedays. So, considering what the bike is targeted for, I might not complain too much and ride first!
On of most popular xc tracks in Holland, 14 km long with 207m climb. Consider: we’re HOLLAND! Anyway, let’s not debate the practical choice for riding with the slash here, I was in the area ;-) But most people ride hard tails here, so how do I get by with the Slash?
I like a steep angle and rode the lap with the TALAS at 120 mm, it gave me a little xc edge. The Float kept on position 2 (ride) the whole time but once. Normal pressure, no additional trail tuning.
What I noticed first was: it rides so easily, so light… but wait… it’s heavy I can feel that… How is that possible? Because the Slash sticks to the ground like glue, it’s grounded so you feel it’s weight. But it peddles so light and effectively you gain and maintain speed almost without effort. Schoorl is a bumpy ride, but on board the Slash you hardly notice it, it just gains speed because it’s so grounded.
The few steeper climbs in Schoorl where not a problem for me, I never had to dismount and finally I tried the famous “climb” switch and this bike became ridiculously fantastic at climbing. This feels like my Fuel ex with fat tires. I am not kidding, the Slash has a much better fit for me than the Fuel ex does, so it was even easier for me to climb! Forget comparing it to the Remedy, let’s compare with the Fuel ex!
Saturday’s sun was long gone, or even… it never reached Nijmegen where it’s been muddy and raining for weeks. Januari 8th I was there with the Fuel ex: rain and mud. Now I was here with the Slash: rain and mud. Sounds like a good comparison? Oh wait, I had been sick a week and rode the day before D2/D3, I should be a little less fit.
You can see, we did almost the same trails and same climbs/descends (fuel ex: 21,55km 232m up | Slash 22,38km 246m up). Green is trail-profile and blue is speed. On board the Slash my speed seems overall a bit faster! For your comparison, heart-rate was the same for both rides. Average 146 and Max 177 for the Fuel ex and 174 for Slash. Average moving speed on the Fuel ex was faster according to Garmin 13,4km/h and 12,6km/h on the Slash.
You could study on the differences, but I see an overall of higher speed on board the Slash.
Okay, that was fun for the statistical geeks like me, but you just wanted to know how it rides and see the pictures. I’m pleased about the riding and climbing capabilities, this bike deserves a fitter me (working on it). The weight is noticeable, it’s very grounded. That gives you a little mental set-back, you should let go of that feeling on hinder, because it doesn’t hinder you at all and it’s you’re call wether or not you know are faster on this bike or your that mind is telling you nonsense.
I will not elaborate on the descents for now, you will believe me when I say it’s great and performs outstanding, I should go some place more deserving of such conclusions before saying more about this point.
Well, yeah it’s one hell of a bike and if you can afford one I have no idea why you should look further, this is the bike for enduro-riders that want no compromise going up or going down.
Our team bike, the Trek Slash 9 has arrived, and thus also my team bike. I’m very grateful to my sponsor Fietsshop Uitgeest (don’t judge their site, these guys KNOW mountain biking in all facets) and of course also Trek Bikes, Continental tires, Raceface parts, Crankbrother parts (Cosmic Sport), AGU and SRAM, Maloja, 661, Bontrager and Fizik. For their believe and support to our new team and riders.
I’m so stoked right now. A little sad that I can’t ride myself this weekend to go out and play, but there will be riding this weekend, somewhere in the Netherlands around the border near Germany and Belgium you may see it in real live. Don’t stare too much if you see them ;-)
Don’t forget to check out Teamfietsshopuitgeest.nl for updates, we hope to have a new version of our website up within a week.
My new team ride, the Trek Slash 9, is about to arrive next week and I have some video’s and photo’s to keep the spirit up.
“It’s expensive, but Trek’s Slash delivers astonishing control and composure for enduro downhill or all-mountain blasts”
The last year I’ve been learning a lot about training and not just the old fashioned kind, but modern ways of getting fit that fit our busy lives. I have 3 tips for you, please comment if you have suggestions or want to know more, getting stronger and faster is within your reach!
If anyone can explain what it’s good for, it’s James Wilson:
Pinkbike.com: Road trips start with an idea, and at times it’s not your own, but one that is planted by someone else. This journey into the wild was nourished by our buddy Mike Dutton at Spank Industries, likely a result of surfing the web and wanting to live vicariously through his screen and our world, a world that is far from his desk. How could Mike experience an adventure without being there? He told us that he thought it was something that we should do, and we took the bait. Mike, here’s your trip!
Thanks for droppin' by, this is the personal weblog of Tanja de Bie. Dutch freerider and graphic designer. I've been riding Trek bikes for the past three years and have been smiling every day.
Feel free to send me an e-mail or comment to one of the blogposts, I'd love to hear from you. You can also check out enduro-mtb.nl to keep up to date with all enduro events.
Have a nice day, and now go out and ride!
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