The Junedoggle // Strava Challenge for June

So, here I am: signed up for my first Strava Challenge! I used Strava every now and then in the past, but this year I decided to upload all my rides (except my commute 'cause it's about next to zero anyway) to this site. Why? Because I simply love the way it's competetive! 

But riding all my favourite segments over and over again to try to beat my own (or other's) time is only one thing. But this June Challenge is even more exciting: "As part of the Monthly Training Series, we're challenging you to ride as many kilometers as you can during the month of June. " 

Cool! Let's try it and see what distance can I clock up in June! The game starts tomorrow and by the end of June I'll see how I'll finish in this cool competition! Bring it on! :) 

Wicklow 200 // The countdown has started!

Oh yes, it's that time of the year again! The Wicklow 200 is coming up soon, so I started my own little countdown. The days are counting back on my white board on our kitchen wall until the 9th of June but until then I have tons of things to do: get some long spins in, prep the bike and all the rest. 

The W200 2 years ago was a complete disaster and I missed the one last year. So needless to say how exctided I am about this year's event! I would love to see a nice day for it and I would love to get it done with a good time this year (or at least better time than I finished with 2 years ago...) 

So, the plan is there, the countdown has started! Bring it on W200 2013!!! 

Team ThinkBike 2013 // The new kit has landed today

And here it is, the brand new team kit that I've been waiting for in the last couple of weeks! Simply lovin' the fresh, new design! Looks sweet! :)

Couldn't resist, had to go for a spin wearing the new kit! :)

Giant Talon 29er 1 // 29er Test Spin # 2

After my first 29er test back in Hungary I was buzzing and I didn't rest until I got a demo bike for the weekend so I got to try the big wheels on my home trails in the Wicklow Mountains. Roots, rocks, tight switchback turns & trail centres were all waiting for me and the beast looking Giant Talon 29er 1!

After a few modifications the machine was ready to rock!

So, the main plan was to give the 29er a proper try on all those trails that I'm usually riding on. This way I can really compare it with the 26" bike. The route that I've picked had some nice combination of a bit of everything: tarmac road, fire road, rocky trails, forest trails, sweet techical climbs & descents.

My first destination was the Leadmines and of course the Epic MTB Club Course. One of my favourite XC course that really puts rider & bike under test! Then I went up to Threerock to do some natural trails and the Coillte Trails as well to put the bike through a bit different stuff. 

I really gave everything I got today and I'm very happy with how this spin turned out. Enjoyed the bike, enjoyed the ride and got another step closer to revolutionize my mountain biking! :)

Thumbs up to the 29er!

My thoughts after the second test ride

• One of the biggest suprise was the fact that I definitely feel comfortable on a M size frame. Flipped the stem to negative and removed all the spacers to have the bar as low as it can be and that's all! The rest of the setup was straight forward comfy!

• These wheels are rolling fast. I mean FAST! It's very easy either to get up to a high speed with them or to maintain the speed with less effort. I noticed this mainly on the road / fire road but also very noticeable on singletracks.  

• Because of the bigger wheels the contact patch is bigger too, so the other thing that was very hard to miss is the added traction. Climbing on steep & technical climbs was easier for sure and the cornering ability of the bike was brilliant as well. Extra speed on uphill and extra confidence in bends. Just can't go wrong! :) 

• The bigger wheels are rolling over obstacles easier and better and I think this was another big thing that I have noticed. Didn't need to place the front wheel that precisely, just let the big wheels take care of it. This and the added traction is the winning combination in my opinion.   

• The only one thing I disliked a bit was the bit poor acceleration. Once the bike is in motion changing the pace is not a bother but building up speed from standing position takes a bit more time. However I'm sure this issue can be fixed with a nice set of light wheels and tyres! :)

Hmm...If you ask me about 29ers about a year ago I would of said that they are not my cup of tea. But now (especially after today's spin) I take the risk and say it out loud: I like them!! The bikes with the big wheels changed a lot, got much better in my opinion. Yes, there is a hidden (or nor so hidden) marketing pressure about them but let's not get into that...

But I can tell: what I experienced on this 29er's saddle today was something that convinced me: it was fast, was just as easy to handle as my 26" XC bike and the overall riding experience was just simply very positive! And that's more than enough for me!! :)

Many thanks to Richie Byrne from Giant Store Dublin for lending me this machine, I appreciate it!

Giant XTC Composite 29er 1 // 29er Test Spin # 1

I have been thinking about 29er bikes a lot lately and I didn't rest until I tried one. I finally got the chance to test out one of these excellent machines: the 2013 Giant XTC Composite 29er 1. I had an XTC before so I knew exactly these bikes are simply brilliant.

There it is, the machine itself

 

During my holiday back in Hungary I went for a spin with and old friend of mine Gergely Torma. He owns this beautyful bike and he offered me to have a quick go and see it myself what it's like to ride on the big wheels. Obviously I couldn't say no!! :)

My first test spin on a 29er XC bike

So, I had a very short test ride on his bike and I have to say I am very impressed. Now, of course this short little test run wasn't enough to have a proper opinion about riding on 29ers but it was definitely enough to have a very nice first impression!

My thoughts after the first test ride

• The size of the frame was M, so at the first time I thought it'll be way to big for my height (5'5"). But strangely it didn't feel big at all. Of course because of the bigger wheels and the suspension fork the front of the bike was higher than I'm used to but the stem was fitted in a negative angle without any headset spacers, so the handlebar was nice and low for sure. I really liked this setup!

• The other thing that really surprised me was the lenght of the bike: it didn't feel long at all, in fact the whole riding position felt very-very similar to my own 26" XC bike. 

• Of course because of the different headtube angle and the 29" wheels the handling of the bike is a bit different compare to a regular 26" MTB but there's nothing that the rider couldn't get used to in a short enough time in my opinion. 

• One of the biggest difference I have noticed is the speed: the bike definitely climbs faster and better than the 26" version. Even this short run was enough to see that! 

So, what can I say? I am even more curious about 29ers than I was before! I would love to try the XTC 29er again and have a proper off-road spin around the Wicklow Mountains and test it out on all the rough technical trails! 

I hope I don't have to wait for another test spin for too long!! :)

Huge thanks to my mate for lending his race machine, I apprecite it!  

Back to the old trails // XC spin around Budapest

 

 

I'm spending 10 days holiday back in Hungary now and after 8 years I managed to have a proper mountain bike spin with my old racing buddy Gergely Torma. Luckily my family home is only about 45 minutes drive from Budapest, so I hopped in to the car and off I went on Friday morning to meet him at his workplace.

 

 

My machine for the day: Giant Anthem - massive thanks to Alpinbike for this brilliant bike

 

Old friends catching up, it's always great indeed. After we got everything ready we were on our way to hit some of the coolest trails around Budapest and to re-live many of our 10 years old racing memories together.

 

 

The Dudes :)

 

 

As an experienced tour guide my mate knew all the local trails & all the hidden shortcuts. It was absolutely deadly! Rocking on the old XC race course, getting all the 'aul rocky climbs done and havin' great fun on the super-mega-uber steep descents! And as a bonus we did all this in about 25 degrees! Can't beat it! :)

 

 

The best view on a Friday morning

 

The machines are resting whilst we picked up some fresh water

 

Little bit of a climb

 

On the top of the climb

 



Another great spot, was slippery though

 

There was a wooden door behind me, next time we should check it out what's behind it :)

 

The Two Pedros AKA. The Skinny Ones :)

 

 

So, there is only one thing I can say about this spin, or... actually there's loads more than only one thing! It was brilliant!! Simply amazing to ride on all those trails and visit all those places where I haven't been for so long. I used to do my training spins around these mountains and to visit and recognise the trails, the climbs, the drops was just simply priceless to me. And to be able to do all this with an old friend made the spin even more special! I hope we can do spins like this in the future! 

 

I'd like to say thank you to the Aplinbike bike shop ( www.alpinbike.hu ) for the demo bike for the day, I really appreciate your help guys! Also massive thanks to my mate Gergely Torma for sorting out all this for me!

 

We had a great Alpinbike - Team ThinkBike spin around Budapest and I'm hoping to pull an even better Team ThinkBike - Alpinbike spin together in the Wicklow Mountains some day soon!