While #6 “Do bi-weekly training ride with Isil (and anyone who’ll join)” slowly is turning into a WEEKLY ride (yes, you’ve heard it right!), I’ve been busy doing #9 as well.

#9 Take more pictures!

Unfortunately, eighter I’m loosing my touch (I did forget the whitebalance thingie!) or my cam is slowly loosing it’s touch (I’m always gain for new gadgets, just not when I need one). Yesterday’s secret trail-ride has given me more blurry (no pun) shots, than sharp ones. I hope this doesn’t become an epidemic, I remember my friend R’s camera is slowly dying too…

But not all is lost…

I’m don’t usually do this, ventilate my personal feelings in a public ‘flame’, but this one you can’t ignore. The goones from MS Racing joined forces with EVIL, well good for them, Filip Polc, Steve Smith and Matti Lehikoinen. Not for dutch rider Anneke Beerten, she won last years world championship ánd the overall worldcup. What more could a team ask for you say?

“Team Director Markus Stöckl commented; “MS-Racing has been working on building of our vision of a mountain bike team for almost 5 years and we have worked with a couple of partners in the past. After we won the 4X team overall and women’s 4X overall title in 2008 we felt stagnant somehow and knew it was time for a change“

Beerten has been let go, but I’m sure a rider with that much potential soon gets swept away by some very smart team-manager. Markus Stöckl has immortalized himself with this thoughtless quote. If you want change, if you want different riders, whatever: don’t put it on feeling STAGNENT over the two biggest accomplishments: winning the overall and the world title. When you say that, you degrade the effort of a rider that has worked her ass of for you and your team.

Do I like resolutions? Not really. Why? They suck.
But I do like lists (those that know me, have my permission to slightly grin (okay, don’t overstretch yourself!). So here’s a list, and I’m not calling it resolutions, because everything on it is fun do to! What’s the secret to a successful list of things to do?  Not overdoing the level of ambition and keep it fun (o yeah and reward yourself, but I guess with buying a new bike, I kinda did that in advance (= funny, that’s the name of the company I work at)). So here’s my list and don’t be shy: share yours!

1. Ride in Switzerland (= august Bike Attack),
2. See if I like (I like!) my new Inbred frame (harhar) and paint it purple (thank the Remedy: the Inbred has been sold because it was gathering too much dust),
3. Go to Belgium or Germany once a month (at least, or anywhere else abroad),
4. Buy a new helmet (or two: xc (=check) and dh(-check)),
5. While at it, get new riding gear too (ride my own fashion),
6. Do bi-weekly trainingride with Isil (and anyone who’ll join),
7. Pickup BMX’ing again,
8. Ride PPdS in 8hrs or less (workout harder or suffer!),
9. Take more pictures!

I’m almost there. My final decision came to the Lapierre and the Trek. De Lapierre because it’s supposed to be as good as a VPP bike with the benefits of horst-link. That does sound good! However, the Spicy 316 has a rather basic setup and the Spicy 516 is somewhat to expencive. Unless I shop in the UK, but somehow I’m not that eager getting a bike through mailorder, without any servicepoints in the Netherlands.

The Remedy 7 on the otherhand, has the basic setup I wanted: Lyrik U-turn and Fox Float RP2. The rest of the setup is somewhat basic (Shimano SLX: but I don’t really prefer Shimano), Avid Juicy 5 brakes (owned then: just fine) and a bunch of Bontrager stuff.

I’m not going to change everything at first: just the two things I think I need:

MRP XCG GUARDS: chainguide for triple setup: 120 gram!

Crank Brothers Joplin: mechanic seatpost

Within the next 3 to 4 weeks I should have a new ride!

It’s been a LONG time sinds my last blogpost. I’ve been enjoying my last rides with the Switch. Had the best time with the dutch marketing team from Trek. Which was good, because I have had my eye on that Remedy of theirs for a while now. Unfortunately they didn’t bring a medium sized one.

But okay, the Switch is going back to the sponsor sometime next year, ending what has been 2 excellent years of sponsoring by Stappenbelt.com. The best LBS if you ask me, and I’m still gonna support them, whenever I can. Leaves me without a bike however, so I’ve been thinking about what would make the best bike for me. And I know what that is: A Rocky Mountain Switch on a superdiet with a little less travel. It has the best geometry, especially when I run the forks at 140 mm (almost always) and it’s even fun on and xc ride. In my own pace that is ;-)

So my shortlist:

• Trek Remedy 7
• Lapierre Spicy 316
• Cube Fritzz
• Canyon Torque ES 7.0

Allmost made the cut: Specialized Enduro SL (boring), SC Nomad (Hot, expensive and doubtfull about VPP for me), Scott Ransom: too many horror stories, Norco Fluid: dunno, Mongoose Teocali/Khyber: LOVE ‘EM. Poorly distributed here (often no mailorder in foreign online shops). Khyber seems a bit to heavy, Teocali skinny on the travel-side. Slayer: wheelbase is too long, plus a bit heavy.

So what constitudes THE All Mountain Long Travel bike for me?

• Around 14 kg,
• Travel 150-160 mm,
• Geometry: Short wheelbase and chainstain. Rather steep stering- and seatangle,
• Adjustable fork; preferbly Rockshox Lyrik U-turn(coil),
• A good/smart setup, parts can be upgraded,
• All day ride, once for Alpes/Ardennes and for Bikepark-flow and fun.

Breaking it down

Trek Remedy 7

Cost: 2599 euro
Pro:

• Lyrik U-turn (coil) with Fox Float RP23: excellent setup. Good enough specs.
• Rave reviews, can’t find a bad one.
• Good distribution and warrenty network.

Con:

• Did a short testride on a previous model, not sure about the rockerlink, direct feel.
• Rave reviews, can’t find a bad one.

Lapierre Spicy 316

Cost: 2299 euro (could pick up a 2008 one for 2000 euro)
Pro:

• Hothothot + Vouilloz,
• Light, 160 mm

Con:

• Float R shock (checking if it’s upgradable)
• FOX 36 VAN R fork, not adjustable
• Rather basic parts, however, could upgrade some parts along the way and end up with dreamy bike.

Cube Fritzz

Cost: 2599 euro
Pro:

• Rock Shox Lyrik 2StepAir (eventhough I’d prefer the U-turn with coil),
• Good specs for the cash,
• Goed reviews.

Con:

• It’s a CUBE…

Canyon Torque ES 7.0

Cost: 2399 euro
Pro:

• RockShox Monarch 4.2 (very curious about that one) TALAS RC fork (adjustable at least)
• Horstlink,
• Good reviews,
• Rob J rides for Canyon (ex-Rocky Mountain),
• Great specs for the cash

Con:

• Not sexy!
• Sounds good on paper, but is it really…
• Long estimate delivery.

So what do you think? Can you help me out? Comment below.

I can’t figure it out any more. They all seem like great bikes and my preference switches (no pun) daily. Would they all cost the same, with the same basic spec? I might choose the Lapierre Spicy…