A Slow Descent Into Madness

I was going about my life like most people: perfectly happy, overweight, overworked, stressed and with a life expectancy right around 49.


Then I ran into the kind of guy mother always warned against: a biker.
... and things took a turn for the worse.


It started as it always does ... with casual consumption.  Would you like to go for a ride?  It can't hurt can it?  Just ONE ride ... I'll know when to stop.  Then of course there was a second ride.


There were several more.


Quickly the initial enthusiasm started to fizzle and the rides had to get longer and more intense to get the same effect.


This is the account of what happens to you when you become a biker. It is the chronology of a journey that leaves in its wake thousands of Euros, thousands of kms and thousands of hours spent in the pursuit of the perfect ride on the perfect day on the perfect bike with the perfect form.


Will it ever stop?


2006: Merida ... the original sin.
Merida XC Comp from 2004.
Shimano XT / Marvic CrossTrails

2007: Carraro 906A ... initiation to road biking
Shimano Dura-Ace / Mavic Cosmic Wheels

2008: Merida Upgrade ... now we are getting serious
New Frame, Mavic CrossMax SLR wheels and Rock Shox SID fork

2009: Willier 101 ... beyond recovery
Campagnolo Chorus Groupset

2010: Topolino Wheels ... pure madness

Mothers, tell your children not to do as I have done.  You are warned, don't take that first ride ... unless you are ready for this.


Cheers,

Fred

La Randonnée du printemps à La Chapelle-en-Serval

Les deux Romains, Fabrice et Patrick, voilà l'effectif de ce 21 mars.

Peu de monde donc pour s'élancer au départ de La Chapelle en Serval.
Nous avons parcouru les 50 Kms (et non 55Kms comme annoncés) à des allures bien différentes qu'il serait utile de comparer, le dernier (dont on taira ici l'identité mais que les habitués auront immédiatement reconnu...) ayant bouclé la sortie en 3h59.

Une crevaison pour Romain² dans les dix premiers Kms; heureusement, Fabrice toujours parfaitement outillé avait le nécessaire pour dépanner l'imprudent. Pas étonnant qu'il aille si vite, pas encombré par le poids de la mallette de secours !

Une rando bien sympathique, parfaitement balisée, et qui nous a conduit sur des chemins gras et boueux en passant par Coye la forêt et Les étang de Comelle, Senlis et le Golf de Mortefontaine ou deux descentes s'avéraient particulièrement techniques et glissantes entre les rochers, et retour par Pontarme puis Montgresin et Ory la Ville.

La pluie bien qu'ayant menacé toute la sortie ne s'est pas manifestée ce qui fait que nous avons eu une matinée agréable sous une température acceptable. environ 10/12°c.

A dimanche prochain. et comme d'habitude, les suggestions de rando/raid sont les bienvenues.

Whistler by Summer

Ok ... so I didn't shoot any video this week, but it doesn't mean that we can't watch one right?
This video makes me want to take four weeks off of work and go to Whistler.  Maybe when the boyz will be old enough to come along ...

In summary:
The best six downhill riders in the world
The best mountain biking trails in the world (Whistler)
A soothing sound track
And killer photography (watch for the use of cable cams)

Watch it until the end.
Watch is twice?
Watch it with the music cranked!
Watch it over and over ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3nkzjACUG4

Cheers!!

Fred

Presenting: my new old merida

After the first shock of oversleeping last sunday (I woke up at 09.05, I guess right around the time you guys took of), I discovered the even bigger shock of you having a very very cool ride last sunday. This was especially not cool since my Merida is set up with some new stuff and I'm dying to try it out.

Check out my new old bike:
Initially I was thinking of buying a completely new bike this year, but being able to work on the bike is even nicer and less costly. So first came the wheels: Mavic Crosstrail 2010. After a first ride I was amazed how much difference a new set of lighter and stiffer wheels is to your bike. With a smaller tire in the back for speed and a slightly bigger in the front for stability it works out great.

All happy about that, I was doing some maintenance on the bike as our president tells us to and I changed my old worn chain. But the new chain was jumping all over the place when I was trying to shift. This meant I needed at least a new casette... and that opened the door to more upgrading. I did not go all the way and bought top of the line parts (the new bike idea is gone for now, but I'm guessing not forever...) and since I already had quite new Shimano SLX brakes (and happy about them), I decided to complete the SLX group with the shifters, derailleurs and pedalier. This is easier said then done, but with the help of a friendly neighbour who is bike technician in his spare time (really handy such neighbours, you should get one of those!) it all came together.


Now I'm not the world biggest bike technician, but even I can see that Shimano completely redid the rear derailleur. You can tell by the way the cable runs to the derailleur. There is no longer a big bend from the cable to come up to the derailleur from behind, but it runs straight down. Looks nice, doesn't it? Another advantage is that the derailleur itself does not "stick out" to the right as much as his predecessor.


So I still need to go out and test it for real, but at least it looks great and I'm happy how it worked out. Looking forward to see you all guys again soon in the forest!!

Alas, Here Comes The Sun

My friends, it's been a long, cold, lonely winter.
It feels like years since it's been here.

Here comes the sun,
Here comes the sun,

and I say:

IT'S ALRIGHT!
IT'S ALRIGHT!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMP1T8GALZE

We've got the sunshine, if could also get a little heat it would just be perfect!

Cheers,

Fred
(PS, Harry, thanks for not coming, this was a GREAT ride!!  : )

Le VC SENLIS à l'honneur!

Lu ce jour dans le courrier PICARD, Pierre est à l'honneur. Nous pouvons découvrir que ce valeureux pompier volontaire, solide VVTiste n'est pas mauvais non plus sur ses 2 jambes,
Bravo Pierre, continue je vais faire lire l'article à mon fils de 16ans!
Je scannerai l'article demain pour ceux qui ne l'ont pas lu.
Ce week end la météo semble clémente donc RDV dimanche 9h00 pour tenter enfin une sortie au complet.

@+ fabrice