Trebon wins National Mountain Bike Series #4 on a 29er

Maybe Ryan Trebon is just training for the upcoming cyclocrss season and he wants to keep that big-wheel feel going all season long. Whatever it is, it’s working. In his first season racing a 29er, Trebon will go down in the history books by putting his 29er on top of a National XC podium.

“I’d take time on Jeremiah on the climbs and then he’d catch me on the descents,” said Trebon. “I feel really comfortable on this bike [a 29er] so I don’t have as big a deficit on the descents. But Jeremiah still was definitely going downhill faster.”

Trebon’s victory at Deer Valley was the first time a 29inch wheeled bike has won a NMBS cross country race. There have been two previous wins by Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru/Gary Fisher) in short track and a time trial. Trebon is coming off a win on his 29er at last weekend’s Mountain States Cup Series stop in Crested Butte, Colorado for the Wildflower Rush.

Harlan Price continues his run of podium finishes on an Independent Fabrication 29er, taking a strong 3rd place at the Lumberjack 100. Price finished second last season in the Ultra-Endurance National Championship Series to Chris Eatough, who finished just behind Price in 4th at the Lumberjack

Frame Builders

There is a connection between us and them, more than us merely taking their craft and utilizing it as a precision tool to conduct our business of riding. It is more like a relationship, one of cultivating understanding, learning the little details of each other in order to create something greater then sum of the consumer and the artisan.

Builders aren’t a white-collar marketing guy coming up with target audiences and market segments, nor are they some 30-something hipster-duface with a goatie and a mouth full of insider slang, trying to make you feel less of a rider than he. They are the working class, honest day’s work for sometimes less that an honest day’s wage. They have tiny slivers of jagged-edged metal burs buried in their fingers, a yet are always smiling, and have great stories to tell.

Frame builders are great about reading between the lines, and peeling the onion to get down to what really matters to you in a frame. It is part science, part art and a dash of experience that turns out great rides. The beauty is in the details, and the great ones have the patience to massage the best out the materials they use.

Sometimes burning the midnight oil, they go the extra mile for their customers, and the biggest reward for them is seeing the end product under the joyous control of their new owner. Most good frame builders have a following, sometimes even clubs. They are celebrated in inner-circles like a messiah or rock star. But most shun the attention, and remain humble, eager to pass on lessons learned and to share their passion for the bicycle.

Do you know who built your frame?

Riding the Alps

The Zugspitze as a backdrop
Sandi on her way to the Steig
Somewhere up there is the summit
Fresh cut single trail
Old farm building in town
Morning traffic in Ehrwald
It would seem to me that some of the world’s best engineers would have figured out the need for switchbacks, or atleast how they make the vertically challenging life of riding/ climbing up mountains an easier proposition. I pondered this thought over many hard fought vertical meters during my extended weekend of riding in the Zugspitz Area surrounding Ehrwald, Leermoos and Bibierwier, Austria. Granted, the Germans are most know for their engineering feats, but hey, Porsche was started in Austria.

The Ehrwalderhof served as our launching point for our four days there. Designated as a ‘Mountain Biker’ hotel, they had a work stand station, bike wash, sauna & spa, but most importantly a good espresso machine. Day one was spent poking around and getting acclimated, which included riding up a road that I am guessing was somewhere around a 20% grade straight up the mountain to descend in the rain one of the more technical singletracks I have ridden. Berni’s, our host,eyes noticibly widened when we told him of our climb, and were followed by headshaking in disbelief of our descent, saying only crazy locals ride those trails.

We must have earned his respect, because the next day he sent us to check out some sweet recently built singletrack off the mid-station on Leermoos. He didn’t tell us that between us and riding paradise was a 450 m climb in 30min, you do the math… For giggles, we rode to the top of the mountain first to check things out, that was an additional 375 m, all together taking us 55 min. The new trail was designed for both trail riders, and downhillers, featuring some big obstacles and super steep lines. It had stopped raining but things were very slick and tricky. I had perma-grin, but my brother in law was not so amused…

The next day after climbing 1200m with Colin on my back during a hike in the morning, I took Sandi up to the top of Leermoos in the afternoon, she wanted to make sure we made it up under Jochen’s time, so there was no rest for the weary. The singletrack had substancially dried out and this time my riding partner was having as much fun as I.

On the last day, Jochen picked out our tour around the Wanning. The tour book said 4 1/2 hours, we figured on 3 hrs, and we would have made it in that time if it were not for Jochen’s poor sense of direction… Still, we managed to make it around, and find the final climb after having missed the first 3/4 of the ride searching for the trails. Once again, I pondered the use of switchbacks as we rode up sections that exceed 30%! That climb alone we did over 900 vertical meters, out of our grand total for the tour of 1600 hm. Ouch. The backside dropped us back into the valley, and once again I discovered another sick singletrack, rock strewn, twisty and tunry, it ripped down the side of the mountain in a free-flowing ribbon. Sometimes it went right down the fall line, and even crossed a avalanche chute or two. I called it sweet, they call it a ’steig’.

Our four days in paradise quickly came to a close. I look forward to our next trip to the mountains and some more Alp style riding, now if I just can find that granny gear…

Riding Girls Bikes

It is rare that you see that the female spouse in the relationship equation have a bike = to or > than the male. Granted there are exceptions, but this is about the rule. That being said, most of the guys I know have significant that are the least bit interested in the latest tech, neither give a crap about inertia weight nor fork valving, they just want the bike to work. These are the girls relegated to riding leftovers from sponsorships, last years bikes or even worse, the oh-so popular Stumpjumper.

Things work a little different around the Bloomer household, I can tell you that. Sandi might have her fingers on the pulse of the latest & greatest, but she knows a good bike when she sees one. Better yet, she has ridden, raced and tested a lot of bikes, and knows what she likes. On my side, it works like this, if I want a new ride in the quiver, I have to tend to the queen bee first.

Last week I took her single speed out for a few spins, a sweet baby blue & pearl white steel Deluxe, I was jealous. Riding this bike put a huge smile on my face, handling was crisp and precise, slicing up the singletrack with the skill of a Beverly Hills surgeon. And it was smooth as a well aged bourbon, gliding over variations in the trail while remaining calm, cool and civilized.

The components are enough to make any bike-geek salivate with lust, matching pewter KING headset and hubs set the frame off framing the beautiful masterpiece of a paintjob courtesy of Sommerville, Mass. Silver Thomson Masterpiece post and X4 stem, along with the White Industries polished cranks dangle of the bike like elegant jewelry, The oh so comfortable, yet high performance Aliante Carbon saddle looks like it came from the Ferrari factory between the carbon and leather. Notice the ProtoTyres from Hutchinson, super soft tacky rubber that are a blast to push to the outlimits on any trail. The FOX F80X is all business up front, offering second to none suspension. The Magura Marta SL’s still set a high benchmark for braking performance and mesh into the overall bikes theme.

This bike is overall a bit short for me, but is still a blast to ride. It is one of the best handling bikes I have ridden, thanks to the perfect blend of steel selected by IF. It’s function is flawless, and will surely be in Sandi’s quiver for some time.

Before you run out to appease you better-half, take an example from this ride, and get her a bike YOU would want to ride. Who knows, you just might get lucky…

six or nein

Racing is in full swing, riders have logged many race miles by now and the cream has been rising to the top. Favorites are starting to be tipped for the ‘Games’, for what is sure to be a fast, road-dirt mountain bike crit in the land of the Great Wall. While to pick a woman might be a bit foolish, on the men’s side a clear favorite is bit safer. Absalon has run the table on the World Cup and has been equally dominate in other races.

Simply the best.

But Absalon might just bring his own element of suprise. Sources close to the World Champ say that he is considering running a 29er setup for the Olympics. He has been testing a custom carbon 29er from Orbea, and has requested some custom Tubeless tires from Hutchinson.

Rumors have been abound for several riders allegedly pursuing the use of a 29er for the big showdown this year, especially considering if there were ever a course to favor the bigger wheel, this will be it. But if Absalon were to mount a 29er, then maybe even the locked traditionalist gates of the European mountain bike scene might be cracked for an influx of bigger wheeled bikes.

US Road Trippin

Back in the US for two weeks, Colin, Sandi & I have been doing a road trip through Colorado and Utah visiting friends & family. The remnants of an epic winter were abound, and made us realize how big this past season really was. I was even tempted to throw on some skis and make my way up CB, how they will have the Wildflower Rush is beyond me. It will take a series of very warm days to melt off the large remainder of 400+ inches.

After experiencing the lingering winter in Gunnison, we headed to Telluride to visit our good friends Mike & Soph. I took mike’s 29er for a spin w/ he & Soph up to a mine above Rico. Snow kept us low and off any trails. After a couple days of indulging in their hospitality, we drove on to Moab for some camping and more riding. We had picked up some nasty crud during our travels, and it kept us feeling a little ill.

our first night in Moab was a wash, literally. A heavy downpour flooded our tent, which we abandoned for a motel room at the Bowen. The next day we returned with a rental mtb, a 30lbs piece of junk, that only Sandi rode as I was still reeling from my cold. She did the tourist thing and rode Slickrock, which was straight out of our campground.

Then it was onto Fruita, where Over the Edge set us up with a much better bike, the Ibis Mojo. I have always wanted to ride this bike, so I rode it out from the shop to our new home on 18 road. Prime Cut, Joe’s Ridge and a few other buff singletracks where on order for our two days in the GJ area. Popped by DT Swiss to see my guys Paul and Kenny, Paul was in the house while Kenny was somewhere between Jamica and Mallorca, living the dream.

Colin has been awesome on this trip, he is so easy to travel with, and puts a smile on every one he meets (and sometimes his weary parents). He loved staying the cabins, playing the bunkbeads, and also rolling around in the tent. It is so fun to share all of this with him and to see how he reacts. It will be fun sharing so many more experiences with him in the future!

One day left and it is back to Germany, riding clinics and our first event for IF!

DM

We made the drive to Bischofsheim for the Deutscher Single Speed Meisterschaft ‘08. It is the mid-region of Germany, but lies in Bavaria, therefor was part of a weekend of racing from the Bayern Cup. The event was very low-key, I mean think of your local series race, and go even lower than that. Pity really, we were hoping for a bit more action, and atmosphere, but the scene over here seems to lie in the controls of those looking to keep things on the more, um, let’s just say relaxed side. I was being heckled for my shaved legs and putting my number plate – er I mean left over food plate with USA BOB 2 on the front of my bike. I am all for having fun at races, that is why we do it, but I am there to race. So I think an event like this could be much more. The upside is what the field lacked in quantity, it made up in quality.

In typical fashion, organizers made a dogpile out of our bikes, which we ran a few hundred meters to. Sandi’s was up front, mine? It was buried. I think they intentially did that to the the ‘fitfuckers’, na-ja. After being the third person to the dogpile, I was about 7th out, and was into third as we made it back up hill to the ’start’.

From there I tucked and rolled my way down the downhill start for the first kilometer, and had picked the first two riders by the first climb. I was feally good considering I felt like crap. I was cleaning the steeper climbs and rolling along strong when I was picked up by the second place rider. Also with shaven legs, he made fairly easy work of me, but did not get too far out in front. Entering the start/ finish area, there was some tape down, I chose to ride the course it was meant to be, but several others didn’t. Quickly I went from 2nd to 5th like that.

Shaking my head and laughing it off, I went back to work, again picking off riders. Son I was back to chasing second, and was pulling everyone back on the climbs. Like Muensingen, the speed on the flats, and slight uphills was giving me problems. Going into the last lap I dug in, and was soon back in second. On the second steep climb, a bobble forced me off the bike to run, and the 3rd place rider snuck through. The chase was on over the top, but without any more climbs, i didn’t have it in me to pull him back and was relegated to my 3rd place. Not bad for where my condition is, much better that how I ran in Muensingen.

Sandi on the other hand, flat out dominated the women, taking charge early and never looked back. I heard the second place woman say that Sandi’s pace was “zu Heiss” (too hot). As Deutscher Meisterin, Sandi received a lovely Roubaix looking stone with a discbrake disc mounted on top. Some schwag was tossed out, and a local band would play into the night. Due to our flight back to the staes on Monday, we were unable to stick around and enjoy the good vibes.

Unfortunately for this event, the organizers claim this is the last one. Too bad. I understand the sub/ counter-culture of single speeding. But also I have been part of( not to pat myself on the back- but was one of the main catalyst for the growth of single speeding in the Mountain States Cup) some really fun, yet competitive single speed events. Besides, who really ‘owns’ and event like this. I see it as community property, which is guided by the will of the community. As long as there is a passion for mountain bike, getting together, and maybe even riding fast, then it should be the interest of the community to see such an event grow and flourish, not to be smothered out because it doesn’t match a select few agendas.

Technique

The Man & Me.

Went out for my evening MTB Technique Riding Clinic that I am doing through Der Laufladen last evening with Paul & Wolker. They are 55 and 58 years young respectively, and are doing the TransGermany in the 110years old combined class. A life time of rnning has taken a toll on their bones, so they have turned to mtbing, specifically doing marathons for their active endeavors. It was a lot of fun to show them some skills, we are going to do a weekend clinic with them when I get from the states. They say they lose all of their time on the technical sections, but I am sure they will get that dialed in, i saw an improvement last night, not too mention they had some fun.

Sandi showing the boys how it is done.

We did a clinic last weekend with another group, which was also a good time. Everyone picked up some valuable skills and we rode some great singletrails. This weekend is the German Single Speed Meisterschaft, Sandi & I are as ready as we can be with all of the stuff (life) going on around us. We are not where we used to be racing wise, not that it matters. We ust want to be somewhat competitive and have some fun. Rode with Colin in the Chariot on Monday, that was fun. I found sweet sandy-smooth forest road I took the ‘cross bike down. It was good for Colin and it didn’t shake him around like a cement mixer.

I miss the pump track, I am trying to get the town here to let me build one. Then maybe a mtb park…

650b vs. 29er

HMMM, did I make a mistake in buying that 29′er or should I have gone 650b…

Needless to say I am surprised that 2 of the first three bikes we have sold in Germany are 29-ers. All of the ‘experts’ I have spoken to over here, would not give a 29 better odds the a cube of ice in the fiery depths of unholiness. I myself am not fan either, but this is not about my nor others unwanted opinions, but rather the validity of 650b and 29 and their viability in a market constantly screaming for the latest and greatest.

Finally a high-performance fork for the 9er crowd

It was nearly ten years ago I was exposed to 29er as the TuneUp picked up two identical Viscious Cycles 29′ers, which I was able to ride. While I was not impressed, I watched with the rest of the cycling community as the big wheel revolution grew. First it was a band of small framebuilders and component manufactures, that grew over the last ten years to encompass virtually all major bike and component manufactures. And it is rumored that if Jeremy Horgan Kobowlski gets his Bejing ticket punched, he will be on a Fisher Superlight 29er for the Olympic Games. It has been called a cyclocross course. Also seen sporting a 29er is TwinTowers Ryan Trebon.

Shimano 29 wheels

The last two years during the NAHBS the spotlight has turned towards 650b, offering a more manageable size, less toe-over lap, lighter weight, strongerwheels among other benies. However, 650b is experiencing the same growing problems as did the niner revolution ten years ago, lack of of available components.

Pacenti

Kirk Pacenti can be sited as the epiccenter of the new 650b movement, having been the most recent builder start back up with this design, as Ritchey, Bontrager and others have toyed with this design before. Pacenti with Panracer produced wheels and tires for this new set, and since Kenda and other are on borad as well. But you have to wonder, it took many manufactures time and money to ramp up their 29er production, with 650b is all of that just going to be obsolete? I doubt it. And what about the local hipster-duface that just bought his first 29er? Dohhh!

But don’t run out and place you order for a new Sycip (enter any other manufactures name as you wish here) just yet. Companies like White Brothers claim their 29er forks are just fine for 650b applications, huh? Say what? Needless to say there is still a big void of forks, rims/ wheels and tires.

Big wheels make the world go around.

I personally have yet to ride, let alon even see a 650b bike, but as always am eager to give it a ride.

Big Wheel Sites:
Twenty Niner Forum
650b
bike29
FOX F29
Niner
Everybody needs a good beer
Pacenti
BikeRadar

Media vs. Cycling

Sabine takes on the media and doping. Photo: Ralf Scheuble
The relationship between cycling and the media is a delicate one, cycling lives fromthe visibility generated for sponsors and events, and the media enjoys dramatic story lines to fill their pages and broadcasts. Unfortunately the latter has become all too common, a constant tale of drugs, lies and story that has all but villainized the entire sport.

Here in Germany the damage done by the press is catastrophic. Team and events have all packed up and left a vacuum void of competitive opportunities. “It (the media’s attack on radsport) is just another reason for sponsors to pull their money out,” German pro roadrider Frank Dressler Lehnof (Mitsubishi-Jartazi-Protech) says about the current climate in German cycling.
Frank went on to say, “Nobody wants to do anything, team wise or race organization. A lot of events have just gone away because of these conditions.”

The latest in media’s spotlight on doping was a Rheinpfalz article on Sunday about the new stricter controls from UCI and how riders are dealing. The article featured former World MTB Champion Sabine Spitz, where she commented on her own experiences with the new doping mandates, along with an extensive line of questioning on other riders.

The author specifically asked Spitz her take on the pending suspension of the Lado and Manuel Fumic for missing a couple of out of competition tests. Most riders I have spoken to won’t even candidly take on position on such a line of questioning, but Spitz took it head on saying, “We all know the rules and have to live by them. Obviously if the Fumic brothers are having trouble with this, they have something to hide.”

The article went on to elude to the speculations that the Chinese women are doping, once again Spitz in her reply acknowledged these suspicions, “All of the sudden the Chinese women were there (on the front of the World Cup), Ren Chengyuan won Houffalize last year out of no where.”

Spitz went on, “We will have to see what kind of controls the UCI will have in place leading up to the Olympic Games, and how the Chinese women will fare in competition. But it surely has raised more than a few eyebrows.”

Photo ©: Luke Webber

Spitz has long been a critic of the BDR (Bundes Deutscher Radfahrer) and it “lack” of sufficient doping controls. During the World Cup this past Sunday in Houffalize, Ren Chengyuan repeated her victory from last year, by coming from far behind to win, while Spitz finished five and a half minutes back in 10th. On the men’s side, both of the Fumic brothers raced despite a doping charge from the UCI and a possible 1 month suspension from the BDR, with Lado finishing 35th and Manuel 67th.

Photo ©: Fumic Brothers Int.