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?
Y
Marla: 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: Are Bike requirements different for a century?
Marla: You can ride any kind of bike for a road century, because generally you're not racing. But if you want to go fast or make it easier, a light and comfortable road bike is best.
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.
We will have a booth at the Sea Otter so people can learn more. Also, a BIKE SUMO contest on Saturday at 4:00pm to give away a free trip for two to the resort. The website is / will be up soon. Check: http://www.singletrackjungle.com/
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?" 101bike.com: Anything else you would like to mention?
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!
Yes, It's going to happen. I just called the Cyclepath to reserve a road bike rental for Saturday.
I know I have been talking mostly about MTB's on 101bike.com, but I am riding with my colleague who also has a road bike.
I rented a Norco CRD - which looks good on the picture. It will be a good way to get to know these kinds of bikes and see how they handle in the city/park.
My colleague suggested to bring water, plenty of powerbars and gels. I guess we are getting a pretty serious workout on Saturday. Looking forward to it!
Hello everyone I am very excited and proud to present my first interview on 101bike.com with Pro Mountain Biker Nick Martin !
Let's jump right in:
Nick: Hey Mathijs, I am on the way back from AZ and was lucky enough to have my first win as a pro, check it out on my site. Feeling pretty motivated and looking forward to the season as it unfolds...:
101bike.com: How are you? Had a good weekend?
Nick: Went well, I won the opening Time Trial stage and finished up the weekend 5th overall.
101bike.com:: So, what is life like as a Pro cyclist?
Nick: A day in the life of... well I usually sleep in till 9 am and try to be on the bike no later than 10:30. If you wait any longer, it is easy for the day to slip by running errands. I spend about 75% of my time training on the mtb and average around 20-23 hrs per week. If I am not riding I feel like I am either working on bikes or working on line. I wish I could perfect the art of the nap but I have fallen short.
101bike.com: How do YOU buy a bike? What do you look for? What is important?
Nick: Right now I am lucky enough to get hooked up by Trek but if I where to buy a ride the first thing I would look for is frame material. I am a big fan of carbon for its weight and responsiveness. If I had one bike to buy, it would be a full-suspension mtb.
101bike.com: Do you have any other bikes besides your Trek bikes? If so which ones?
Nick: All my bikes are Treks, my Top Fuel 100 is by far the best bike I have ever ridden.
101bike.com: How much different are Pro bikes from the stuff we can buy in the stores?
Nick: You could go to the local Trek dealer and buy the exact bike we ride and race on.
101bike.com: This week is Brake week on 101bike.com. What kind of brakes do you use? Why these (besides being sponsored perhaps…)?
Nick: Disk Brakes all the way. Shimano XT brakes are the most powerful brakes I have ridden and nearly maintenance free. Can't be the price/performance benefits!
101bike.com: Do you test new materials/prototypes? What are you testing now?
Nick: Right now I am working with Garmin GPS units and will be downloads my local training rides on their site so anyone can log on and see exactly where I am training daily. I am also working with Nike on some different mtb shoes, namely the Nike 10//2.
101bike.com: Is aerodynamics important in your field? Does every second count?
Nick: It does play a factor but not like racing on the road. Every moment does add up...
101bike.com: How do you find managing a team?
Nick:I love it. I was a Marketing major in college and I enjoy the business side of the sport as well. I am lucky enough to have an incredible group of athletes, within an amazing company. I couldn't be happier.
101bike.com: What is the biggest development you see happening now in your field? What is hot/will be hot?
Nick: Full suspension has been taking off as well as the 29er scene. Technology blows me away. The carbon movement seems to be in full force, elevating the "gucci" factor to an all time high.
101bike.com: Which biker would you want to be seen interviewed on this site?
Nick: Tough question, Adam Craig always has an interesting perspective on the sport and reminds us all to keep things real.
101bike.com: Any other thing you would like to add?
Nick: Thanks for the opportunity Mathijs, I appreciate your time and effort.
Best of Rides
Nick
Thanks Nick! And all the very best of rides to you!!!
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'
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As from next week I will give my 101bike.com site an extra dimension. Until the first day of summer I will conduct various interviews with professional cyclists and enthusiasts. Cyclists I have gotten to know through references and blogging.
Let's learn from the pro's and find out what got them there and what they look for in a bike!
He has won many prizes and a few of his career highlights include: Winning Semi-Pro Norba Finals in Durano 2005, 1st Tour of Canyonlands, UT 2005, 2nd Duo - pro world World Championships 24 hrs of Moab, 2004.
The 10th International Bicycle Design Competition handed out its 2005 awards at the 2006 Taipei International Cycle Show earlier this month. This year's winners included fold-up bicycles, designs that fit into today's lifestyle and bikes that communicate directly with their riders.
In August 2005, an international committee of judges reviewed computer designs for the bicycle awards. The 21 finalists were then required to build models for the final judging in January 2006. Following are the winners.
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 safety, and they can trick you into thinking a poorly adjusted helmet is properly adjusted since it feels firm on your head.
So, I look for the least invasive head clamps I can find when buying a helmet. My current '04 Specialized has a single support for the clamp, that can be backed off to where it barely touches me when the straps are loose. When I firm up the straps, it feels pretty good.
I hate the stays from the clamp to the sides of the hemet that you see on Giros and Bells (at least back in '04). They can break too easily, and it's difficult to minimize the clamp's influence on the helmet. Actually, I dislike the entire internal headband on these helmets.
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?
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?
Today I went out for a little research and went to two bikestores on Yonge street - The Cycle Path and Sport Swap. The Cycle path was doing quite good business so it was not really the time to extensively talk. I headed over to Sport Swap on 2063 Yonge street.
Patrick helped me and really took the time to talk to me about Helmets and downhill biking. He showed me a really cool Kona STAB SUPREME bike. Wow! That is surely different from an old city bike. I was amazed by the suspension system these bikes have. You really can image the effect the suspension has when you are hitting those rocks, bumps, treeroots or whatever.
Anyway, I learned something again, thanks for your time Patrick.
Yesterday I spent some time visiting forums and posting a message regarding next weeks 'Helmet week' on this Blog. I have gotten quite a few reactions and good suggestions and would like to thanks all who have contributed so far.
Yes, the back to my house uptown. Uptown is awfull when you have to bike from DOWN town. It took me 10 minutes extra to get home. Plus traffic was busy in Toronto at 17:10.
