Thursday, November 22, 2012

How much would you spend on a downhill bike

What would you buy if you could spent 8000 € ?
Maybe buy a car or travel around the world ?  ...or buy a bike !
Of course there are only few people who are able to spend that much.

Such an expensive mountainbike has to be special and flawless.
I did some research to show you the "perfect" downhill bike in my opinion.

TREK  SESSION 9.9  Carbon
Mountainbike  Big Bike

This bike only weighs 15,7 Kg! That is amazingly light for a downhill bike and will give you a big advantage in races. The frame is nearly entirely carbon. Just the fox suspension is worth more than
2000 €.
- Fox  Suspension :  Fox 40 Fit RC2Hybrid Air with kashima coat       203 mm
                               Fox DHX RC4                                                  210 mm

Of course a carbon handlebar , the super light  Sram X0 DH shifting system , Truvativ X0 DH Crank and powerful Avid X0 brakes.  Top parts in a really special bike.
I never had the chance to test-drive one ( it is kinda rare ) ,but it is known to be very agile.
You can change the geometry to fit your style.

The Trek Session 9.9 is a super light downhill Racer. Perfect parts and an agile suspension.
A truly special Big Bike with an even bigger price tag.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Review: Strength in Numbers MTB Movie

It is again time for a review !
Just finished watching Strength in Numbers and want to tell you my impression.
Click on the titles to see the part.



My Opinion : 8 / 10 Points
The movie covers every aspect of mountain biking and cause it´s free, makes it really popular. It is a great movie, but i feel like there is something missing. Maybe a Story like "Life Cycles" would make the movie more interesting for me, but for people who like amazing trails and perfect riding definitely  a must see movie.                              
 



1. Part: Downhill Mountain Bike Racing UCI World Cup

In the UCI ( Union Cycliste Internationale ) Cup elite riders like Steve Smith or Gee Atherton compete worldwide to be the best downhill rider. They push themselves to their limit or try new technology just to get some milliseconds faster.


2. Part: Utah Free ride

The free riding in Utah is totally different to the normal downhill. It is not about how fast you are or ride the ideal line. The thrill is the most important Part and coming down safely of course. The riders need amazing skills and nerves to be able to ride there.


3. Part: Single Trail Mountain Biking - Switzerland

This part is for the AM- ( All Mountain) and enduro rider. For people who enjoy traveling with their bikes , reaching the top of high mountains and then ride down a single trail. Ride somewhere where you have never been and meet the local riders there is a great adventure


4. Part: Mountain Biking Dirt Jumping - California

The people there love and live for biking. With a lot effort and hard work they built an amazing playground for themselves. For me it is a great example what people can do if they are passionately about something.



 5. Part: Mountain Bike Community - Whistler

 Living near a bike park , being able to enjoy riding  downhill everyday that`s the dream of many riders. For the people in Whistler it`s everyday life. The bike park Whistler is one of the best bike parks worldwide and the meeting place for many riders.




6. Part: Lifestyle of Mountain biking - Nepal

High mountains and big cities with a lot people that`s what comes into my mind when i think about Nepal. I realised that there people everywhere in the world who enjoy biking .The movie shows us amazing trails and people who are part of a growing mountain bike community in Nepal.


7. Part: Freeride Mountain Biking - in BC ( British Columbia) 

 Amazing trails with a lot of action, definitely my favorite part. Riders built their own trail and shred it!
























Monday, October 29, 2012

My first Snowride

The weather is getting worse and the temperatures drop, but that's no reason to stop mountain biking !
It snowed and rained on Saturday, sadly most of it melted till Sunday. But there was still plenty of snow on the mountains. So i took my bike ( Wicked 160 LTD ) out for a ride.

After some meters i realised going uphill on snow is nearly impossible. The tires found no grip so i decided to push it to the top. Easier said than done, cause my mountainbike shoes also had no grip. Anyway somehow i managed to get to the top, exhausted and freezing. I rested some minutes and then got ready for going downhill. Put my helmet and my gloves on, checked my fork and brakes and then got going.

On the first corner i realised my tires still had no grip and pulling the rear wheel brake made me drift like a 700 PS Sports car with rear wheel drive. After some minutes i got used to it and enjoyed drifting around the curves.Downhill on slippery muddy underground is a lot more exhausting, cause you have to concentrate more to control the bike. Sadly many hikers blocked my path and i couldn't´get into a real flow. I still had a lot fun and will definitely try it again! Sorry that i forgot to take picture, i will take some photos next time for sure and i am planning to get the new Go pro Hero 3.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Review : Life Cycles mountainbike Movie

First of all it´s not just another mountainbike movie, it`s a masterpiece..
Check out the trailer, definitely worth watching.

If you are interested in watching the movie now, get the Blu-Ray for ~ $35 to support the movie makers. Or if you´re still not convinced keep on reading. Take a look at the riders. People like Cam McCaul, Graham Agassiz and Mike Hopkins are wold class riders . Mixing them with a great soundtrack and beautiful Trails can only end brilliant.

Nature trail
















For me the movie is not about the rider, it is about the bike itself. The harmony between the rider, the bike and the trail. The movie starts with a bike which is being built in the factory. Throughout the 45 minute long movie you will see what a bike has to go through in it´s life. Scratches, dents and the complete destruction..


broken bike











If you are looking for downhill races and amazing tricks , you are wrong here. But if you are looking for a special freeride feeling and the harmony to nature , you will be stunned by the movie. The amazing Pictures and the well chosen music create a perfect atmosphere to just sit and enjoy.
That´s it for now , i don't want to spoiler the movie so watch it yourself and let me know your opinion.
nature trailriding

I would give the movie 9 (10 is max)  points .













Thursday, October 25, 2012

Hikers ! What to do ?

Everyone has already experienced it , you ride down an amazing trail and all of a sudden you have to brake. Your way is blocked by ~ 60 year old hikers and that´s where "funny" situations start.

So here are a few of my own experiences with hikers :

1. I rode down a trail which ends right in front of a restaurant. The guest who ate outside could see the trail and me approaching. The trail ends with technically stairs and a really tight hairpin. I somehow managed to do it without falling off the bike. Some of the restaurant guests who saw me doing that clapped their hands for me. I was totally surprised and didn't even realise that they were clapping for me :D. One of my best Biker experiences.

2. Again i rode down a  trail again somewhere deep inside the forest. I didn't expect to see other people here so i rode as fast as i could. But right after a corner there were 5 Hiker so i pulled my brakes and just barley stopped in front of them. Of course they were shocked and me too.. I wanted to  apologizing
,but before i finished one of the hiker went really mad. The ~ 60 year old Man screamed : " Are you insane ?! What do you think you are doing ?! Riding that fast in the forest is forbidden , i will call the police !" I know it was my fault for being to fast , but discussing it wouldn´t help. I apologized , turned my bike around and rode the trail back while hearing him scream after me...

I hope i can share some more hiker experiences with you ! hopefully only good ones :D

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Tues 2.0 DH LTD WC

  12. 12 .12 !

That ´s  the date you should better not forget.
The YT Industries  Tues 2.0 is a great test winning bike , but the limited edition of it is just insane.
The Tues LTD is for ambitious driver , who aim to be the fastest in the Bike park.

Good Downhill Bike

I think the design looks stunning and 100% sure it will be a giant hit !
It costs € 3000,- ,but after looking at the specs you will know why.

Spec Highlights :

- BOS Idylle RaRe AIR!! Suspension Fork
- BOS Stoy RaRe Shock
- Sram X0 shifting system and the new X0 Trail Brakes
- E13 LG1+ Wheel Set with Carbon Hubs ( worth more than € 1000 )

As you can see the Spec is superb. You  order it with a Sticker  with your name and country flag.
So it is your really own bike and it will be easier to find it if it gets stolen.
Don´t forget the date 12.12.12. It will be released  on the YT Industries Online-Shop at 0:00 AM and will be available 24 Hours.


Monday, October 22, 2012

More fun on the trail

How to have more fun on the trail?

Here are some suggestions to have more fun!

1. Use the terrain !

Be observant and try to see big stones or fallen trees as ramps or jump over it with a bunny hop. Use your own hometrail like a Bikepark.

2. Mountainbiking is fun !

But you can double the fun , if you drive with friends. You want to impress them and try more difficult Tricks or be faster than usual. Of course if you have an accident , there will be people around who will help you.

3. Take photos !

Taking photos takes just a minute , but you will be happy to enjoy them at home or share them with your friends. Take a photo of the landscape or you in action.

4. Reward yourself!

After reaching the top of the mountain , take a break and reward you with something delicious ( sweets or a beer :D ). It will keep you motivated and will make going downhill even more fun.

5. Stop your time

If you have a favorite trail, drive it as fast as you can and stop your time. Try to beat that time the next time. It feels like a real downhill race and will keep you motivated to get better / faster. 


Good luck on the trail !