I got some pretty interesting reactions on the groups.google.com. My question was:
I am looking into bike shoes. Is it the ... more »
|
|||
|
Login
Interviews on 101bike.com
This Month
Month Archive
Bike Shows
Brakes
Brands - ATB/Mountain Bikes
Brands - Roadbikes
Chains
Favorite Blogs (not Bike related)
Helmets / Safety
Saddles and Bike seats
Stores
My Favorite Web Logs
|
Monday, April 24
Thursday, April 20
Bought a Helmet!
by
Mathijs
on Thu 20 Apr 2006 09:21 PM EDT
Remember I spoke about Helmets? I finally got one. So the first part of my total outfit has been purchased. It is a Bell Venture.
Here it is! Bought it at Mountain Co-Op for CAD 30. I will use it tomorrow when I take the bike down to my work. Lets hope no bees get stuck... Friday, March 31
Interview 2: Marla Streb - Pro Mountainbiker US and World Champion
by
Mathijs
on Fri 31 Mar 2006 04:00 PM EST
Your weekend could not start any better! Here is the interview with Marla Streb. Enjoy - and please tell me what you think of the interviews? Two days ago I spoke to Marla Streb, Pro Mountain Bike Racer and member of the Luna Women's Mountain Bike Team. Marla has been around: In 1997, she won her first bronze World Cup medal with a 2 hour-old broken ankle in South Africa. She became single speed world champion twice, three time U.S champion and won many many more prizes.
101bike.com: Hi Marla! How is it going? Marla: Great 101bike.com: What's happening on the biking front? Marla: Just held a skills clinic today. Still riding trails at 8 months pregnant! I've been working out or riding daily, trying to stay in decent shape. I plan to start racing about one month after delivering. 101bike.com: 101bike.com is about selecting a bike and/or parts. Let say you had no sponsor, how would you select a bicycle? Marla: I would find a bike that could do it all. In my case, it'd be a full-suspension 28 pound all-trail bike. Something that both climbs and descends well, and has very active suspension that can lock out. I'd probably spend around $1500. 101bike.com: Which details do you look for? Marla: I look for very good suspension (like Fox Shox) and high quality tires (like Maxxis). And I always ride Shimano parts. 101bike.com: What kind of bike you have now? Marla: I ride Orbea's, which are made in Spain. 101bike.com: What kind of bike do you have 'at home'? Marla: I have Yeti's, Marin's, Santa Cruz's, and Orbea's at home. 101bike.com: I am curious but what made you fall in love with 'downhill'? Marla: I really fell in love with mountain biking, not necessarily DH. But I was better at downhill than xc at first, so I went with that. Also, it was easier for marketing, andI found I had more opportunities when all the media was looking for something "extreme". 101bike.com: What kind of 'scene' is this compared to road biking for example? Marla: It's a much more casual scene, and a younger demographic. Also somewhat less sophisticated, to say the least. I find other mountain bikers, both in XC and DH, more approachable than the roadies. I think it has to do with riding in a peloton. People are tentative to ride with someone they don't know on the road. They're afraid of getting taken out. That's not an issue with moutain biking. 101bike.com: What special requirements does it have for you and your bike? Marla: For downhill, you need to have all-body strength, not just lower. It requires lots of training on technique, on top of fitness. Cross country and road are mostly about fitness. Of course the equipment is much different in downhill. XC riders van get away with any light bike really. But downhill bikes are so much more complicated, and they must work well. 101bike.com: How about Forks is that an important part? Marla: Yes. A less than par fork can ruin your season. I use Fox Forx right now. They have the highest strength/weight ratio on the market, and are the most adjustable. 101bike.com: Has the sport changed a lot over let's say the last 5 years? How? YMarla: Yeah, it's supposedly "evolved". Now people are riding much bigger stuff, longer jumps/drops, etc. And at some events, it's become a judged sport (like the Red Bull rampage). 101bike.com: How will in be 5 years from now? Marla: I think the bikes will get lighter, so they are more versatile. Not everyone can afford a downhill-only bike that can't climb. Not everyone lives near a chair-lift. 101bike.com: You are writing: 'Bicycling Magazine's Century Training Program' How is the book coming along? What is a century? And is this a new field of interest to you? When can we expect the book to come out? Marla: I've finished the book. It should be on the market now at book stores and bike shops. A century is a 100 mile road ride. I've always liked long distance riding, especially point to point because I like touring. And riding a road century is very social.
101bike.com: I read you were busy with a Costa Rica mountain biking park. How is that going? What is there to do? And how can people learn about that park? Marla: I'm in the process of designing and promoting my new mountain bike park in Costa Rica. It's called "Marla Streb's SINGLETRACK JUNGLE". In fact, I just came back a couple days ago from flying around the 4,000 acre property in an ultralight, and scouting on ATV's. Maybe not the best idea for a pregnant woman of 8 months!Anyway, we'd like to open it by '07 with introductory cross country trails and a free ride area. Then we will start building more advanced stuff. 101bike.com: Which famous cyclist would you like to be seen interviewed on 101bike.com and what would you like to ask this person ? Marla: Shaun Palmer. "Now what?" Marla: Yeah. I just discovered yesterday that if you look pregnant and get pulled over by a cop for speeding, you can just tell him you're having contractions and he has to let you go. That's a good deal! 101bike.com: It was great talking to you , thanks for your time and the extra insights our readers will enjoy! All the very best these next few weeks and also with your other very exciting projects! We hope to hear from you again! Marla blogs on Mountainzone.com
Saturday, March 25
Friday, March 24
Helmet week: President's wear helmets too..(remember?)
by
Mathijs
on Fri 24 Mar 2006 10:35 PM EST
Someone reminded me of this incident and sent me this picture. The damage would have been a lot worse if he had not worn a helmet.
'Bush bruised after bicycle bang'
more »
Helmet week: Visors, Chin Guards and Bee stings????
by
Mathijs
on Fri 24 Mar 2006 06:48 PM EST
A very nice contribution from Martin:
I am part of a local bike club in the Bay Area, SF. ... more »
Tuesday, March 21
Helmet week: 'I hate the modern head-clamps'
by
Mathijs
on Tue 21 Mar 2006 01:00 AM EST
I posted a topic on Google groups and got a response from Mike Reed. Thanks for letting me put your input on my Blog! "Anyway, I hate the modern helmet head-clamps. They don't add any So, I look for the least invasive head clamps I can find when buying a I hate the stays from the clamp to the sides of the hemet that you see Let the pads and straps do their jobs! What do you think? Monday, March 20
Helmet week: The law? For all ages?
by
Mathijs
on Mon 20 Mar 2006 08:48 AM EST
Helmet week - Should helmets be mandatory for all ages?. I have done some little research on the Helmet laws. Apparently in New Zealand is the only country where it is mandatory for all ages. In the US there are certain states that also have this regulation. Other countries such as Canada require it only for children until they are 18. I know in the Netherlands and the UK it is not mandatory, it's the responsibility of the parent or the rider. What do you think? Safety first? By law or is it one's own responsibility? http://www.cyclehelmets.org/mf.html?1019 http://www.cycle-helmets.com/zealand_helmets.html http://www.cycle-helmets.com/england_helmets.html Sunday, March 19
Helmet week
by
Mathijs
on Sun 19 Mar 2006 09:51 AM EST
This week is Helmet week. What are we planning to cover? I would like to discuss the benefits of using a helm and like to hear from you what you're experiences are with helmets. I would also like to focus on the design on bike helmets. The last 10 years there has been a great advancement in materials used, the design and aerodynamics.We will also review some Helmets. Related to Helmets is the safety of course. Is it in your country common to wear one? Should it be mandatory? Should bicycle Helmets go all over your head? Send me your Helmet photo's if you wish. Looking forward to hearing your comments!
Thursday, March 16
Next weeks feature: HELMETS
by
Mathijs
on Thu 16 Mar 2006 01:02 PM EST
After having driven that bike through Toronto, I think it is a good idea to get a helmet. Eventhough it looks totally retarded and I have never ever wore one before, I think it would be wise to get one. So next week we will focus on Helmets and I welcome your suggestions! Liam told met the following: Helmets. A good topic for the week. A helmet saved me while mountain biking two years ago. I fell straight on my head from five feet up when I was crossing over a ditch on a fallen log. I didn't make it across and spent 12 hours in a Barrie, Ontario hospital on a flat board going through a battery of x-rays. Luckily, no damage to my head, just some residual muscle pain for a while. Three months of physio appointments fixed that. The helmet didn't make it. It cracked in half. It took the bullet for me. Anyone good or bad expereiences with helmets yet?
Let's go to the cyclepath and talk to these guys this weekend and also find out what they think of the Blog. |
||
