All Mountain Next

White dunes part 1/2

2012-02-01T00:08:00.000-08:00

I have been eye balling this remote and secluded spot for an entire year. Its a place near the sea that has hundreds dunes, some of them reaching as high as 100 feet. The problems was however that the sand on the dunes was a bit too soft. Well say hello to Mr. Frost - the cold temperatures made the sand stiffen up, and now its all rideable. We packet our gear, grabbed our bikes, and gave it a go.

It gives me great joy to spin my bike a place I haven't before, to be honest, Im just happy to be out riding considering the amount of snow we got recently.

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Christian on his Spitfire.

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Last man down eats the yellow snow

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Spotting the lines is half the fun

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Everytime I visit this place, I stumble upon deers, this time was no different.

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Open space allows a wide range of line choices, I think we just scratched the surface.

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Stay tuned for part 2.

Snow tells the story

2012-01-27T01:11:00.000-08:00

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Reviews in Review

2012-01-22T23:41:00.000-08:00

I took a good look at my reviews of 2011, and although I stick to my ratings for the wast majority of the reviews, there was a few adjustment I would like to make. Take a look at what, and why;

661 Kyle Strait vs Fox Launch Pad Pro
I decided to up the score for the Fox Launch Pad Pro, more specifically, the score for its Durability. Ive had these pads for a long time now, and they show very few signs of wear, my 661 pads where in a world of pain at this time.
Check out the revised review here

Michelin Wild Rock'R 2.25"

Its big, durable, rolls easy, and hooks up very good, install it onto the front or rear, this tire will work either way. The fact that its relatively cheap is only adding to the score. GREAT All Mountain tire, that deserves a mark up in its total score, landing it a 6/6. Great job Michelin.

Check out the revised review here

Kenda Excavator 2.35"
One man's rise, is another man's fall. This tire is inferior to the Michelin Wild Rock'R mentioned above. Score is now reflecting that.
Check out the revised review here

January riding

2012-01-19T01:29:00.000-08:00

Had a few rides recently, weather has been fine, and the motivation has been high. Im really excited about the new lines that slowly materialize on my favorite trails. This post however show some of the "old" lines - still a bag of fun tho : )

Being used to a bit less techy sections, Henning had a good challenge this day, here he fights a steep, sandy and rooty descend.
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Its been a while since I last rode this stepdown, I actually forgot how fun it really is, and im still just riding it conservatively, there is great air-potential here.

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Turning mid air fun

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Poor camera placement of the day

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You are doing it wrong!! Video will be posted by popular demand : )
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Gear update

2012-01-15T07:57:00.000-08:00

Thought Idd do a small gear update. Lets start of with the bike itself;

Finally, the bike is dialed the way I want it. Would love to push the limits of this bike, but its so capable that I probably still have a long way to go. Fast and playfull, and so mush fun to ride!

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I wasn't completely satisfied by the performance of the RockShox Monarch RT3. So I send it off to TF tuned (think PUSH). And got it back a few weeks ago, and its just WOW! Pretty much every issue has been solved, and the shock is working better than ever.

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The Mavic CrossMax SX 2012 does a great job on my trails. I have no issues at all, just enjoying its great performance, stiff and light.

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I mentioned a sidewall rupture back in October 2011. My 2 year old Maxxis HighRoller finally gave in. I did an emergency fix with the Parktool TB-2. Cool thing is that its still working like a charm, you can just barely spot the patch in this pic(white stuff).

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Speaking of tires, I got quite a surprise when I spottet this sidewall rupture on my Schwalbe Nobby Nic EVO tires. I don't see my trails as being particular hard on sidewalls, so to see such damage in just a month of use is a disappointment!

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Most WANTED gear of 2012

2012-01-09T03:44:00.000-08:00

2011 was an awesome year for me gear-wise. I got myself a new frame, and alot of new stuff to install onto the frame. Most notable, besides the frame itself, has to be the RockShox Boxxer fork, and the 2 rear shocks from RockShox as well; an air and coil.

There is alot of new stuff for mountain bikers to get excited about, and 2012 is no different. I took a look at whats interesting for 2012, and why you should keep an eye on it.

Cane Creek Double Barrel Air

Why its hot:

Independent adjustment of high/low speed compression, and high/low speed rebound and naturally a spring rate adjust. This shock is the most adjustable shock on the market, and we like our adjustability. This could be the ONE shock you need for AM and beyond. Cane Creek has a great rep, so I have a feeling that they might just hit the sweet spot with this shock.. The Double Barrel should be available early 2012.

KS LEV adjustable seatpost
Why its hot:

Im into the impressive reliability of the KS adjustable seatpost, im however not into the remote adjust system they had up until now. Im talking about the fact that the cable was situated at the top of the post, going up and down along the seatpost head, pretty much every adjustable seatpost manufacturer has this solution. Well KS is about to change that with its LEV post.

The cable is fixed in a stationary manner, at the bottom of the post. The new design will give a cleaner and more direct routing line to the seatpost, and will allow greater flexibility with different bicycle geometries and manufacturers, and hence, better cable management. No more cables rubbing the rear tire.

They are targeting a weight of around 460 grams, which is 100 grams lower then it’s predecessor, and it should be available in early 2012.

A Fox Float 36 KILLER Fork
Why its hot:

I really like my Fox Float 36, it has an amazing AM performance, but I would like to see a fork that can outdo it. Well to "kill" the Fox Float 36, 2 forks come to mind; first the RockShox - Lyrik RC2 DH. Take the praised RockShock Boxxer, shorten it to 170mm, make it single crown, and you got yourself a Lyrik RC2 DH. I want to test if all the hype about this fork is true, is it really better than a Fox 36 Float?

The second fork that might be up to the challenge is the BOS Deville. Pretty everyone who's been on this fork has nothing but positive things to say, and claims about it outperforming the Float 36 are often heard. BOS has a very solid background, and alot of allround praise backing them up, there might just be some truth to the claims.

Good leg armor

Why its hot:

While I havent found a good leg armor yet, I want it to be comfortable, and give me a proper protection. Thats not hard, is it? Well apparently it is..

Twenty6 Predator Pedals 2012
Why its hot:
Thin, large, lightweight, reliability, and the best pin system ive seen on the market.Want. They should be available in early 2012.

Recent riding

2012-01-03T03:15:00.000-08:00

The weather has been a bit of a mixed bag. There has been sun, but showers of rain as well. Ive been riding it all. From xc to trail, to AM, and even some ligh FR sessioning. The bike is dialed, so im really enjoying myself. I shot some pics along the way, check it out.

Riding in sunny weather like this, at this time of the year is a true joy. Last year was a different story, and I keep reminding myself about that.

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More leaning, less, uhm, footing. Great little berm, that you can hit hard.

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Bringing a small grill to a ride is the besy idea since sliced bread : )

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Peter showed up on a all day xc trip with the most exotic "mountain" bike, youll never ride. Single speed with a 32x16 setup, 29'er wheels, platform pedals, and a curved handlebar. The cool part was that he did very well on this bike.

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The xc ride was somewhat refeshing, I was happy to see that I could outclimb (or at least keep up with) even the most tight spandex/lycra rider this day had to offer, they did however smoke my ass on the long xc-ish sections - but I can live with that. Mikael broke his shoulder, and Kim had a chance to spin his new xc ride seen below, its a Canyon Lux MR.

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I mentioned the new booster-drop a few posts back, and here it is in action. Scaling in at approx 1.6m (5.1 feet) if you simply roll into it. Its not big, but it does considerably boost your speed into a dual jump, that I hope to show you guys soon. Good stuff.

Raw edit. No sound. 8 seconds:

2011 - Reviews And Previews

2011-12-29T06:05:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the summary of reviews and previews of 2011, by All Mountain Next.
For easy and quick access to the reviews and previews, knock yourself out:

Reviews:
Canfield Brothers ONE 2011
E-Thirteen LG1+ Chain Guide
Kenda Excavator 2.35"
Manitou ISX-6
Michelin Wild Rock'R 2.25"
Point One Racing Podium Pedals
Rock Shox Monarch RT3 2011 (2012)
Rock Shox Vivid R2C 2011
Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro 2011 (UPDATED)
Shelter Frame Protection

Previews:
E-Thirteen LG1+ Chain Guide
Mavic Crossmax SX 2012
Rock Shox Monarch RT3 2011
Schwalbe Nobby Nic EVO 2.25" 2012
SuperStar Components CNC Nano Tech pedals 2011
Troy Lee Designs CP 5955

Features:
661 Kyle Strait vs Fox Launch Pad Pro

Coming soon (Reviews and Previews):
Continental Mountain King 2 (preview)
Mavic Crossmax SX 2012 (review)
Race Face - SIXC crankset (review)
Schwalbe Dirty Dan 2011 2.3" (review)
Schwalbe Nobby Nic EVO 2.25" 2012 (review)
Specialized Clutch SX 2.3" (review)
Troy Lee Designs CP 5955 (review)
Air Rearshock- Unknown as of yet
AM Fork- Unknown as of yet

Be sure to check out the reviews and previews of last year, do it here.

Best and Worst of 2011

2011-12-22T03:15:00.000-08:00

Thought idd do a roundup of whats good and bad from 2011. I did it last year, so its time for a new list. So, whats the WORST and BEST stuff of 2011 - lets take a look:

The Best (in random order):

Whistler
Not really a surprise huh? Note that its not just Whistler Bikepark, but the Whistler area itself. This area has the best crafted trails I have ever ridden. The amount of work, passion, and design that went into these trails is just amazing. From A-Line in the Bikepark, to River runs through it in the Whistler mountains. I need to get back to this place.

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Single Front-Ring setup

Someone out there might say; "Single ring wont work on my trails because that would make them unridable" I though that as well, but after a few months, I was riding trails that I never though was possible without a small ring in the front. It makes you a stronger rider, and simplifies a few things in the process as well.

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RockShox Boxxer R2C2 2011

Amazing performance, and a true joy to use. This fork really surprised me. When I did the classic parking lot test, I thought to myself; it feels stiff, and it wont work for my riding. Out on the trails, in the bikeparks, it came to life and put my parking-lot-test-doubt to shame, it was like cutting a warm knife through butter, when it came to the trails. And there I was, thinking my Fox Float 36 was plush..

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Honorable Mention: Life Cycles movie - (the Seasons chapter). Besides hosting sick riding, it features some of the most beautiful motion picture I have ever seen, combine that with a custom score just for this 5 minute chapter, and you have some of the best mtb footage ever created. Its downright emotional.
I hate to link to this, because this chapter needs to be seen on a big tv, in a high quality -anyway, watch the chapter here.

The Worst (in random order):

Poor carbon design

While im definitely a believer in its strength to weight ratio, it has to be coupled with a very important factor; Good design. It was a lack of good design that lead to 2 carbon frame failures in a short period of time. Last time I broke a carbon frame was the S-Works Enduro, had it had a different design, that could cope with the rigors of AM, then I would propably still be riding that bike. Dear industry, make use of carbon, but do so wisely.

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Poor trail design

I don't know where you ride, perhaps you are lucky, and have some sweet trails to ride, designed by some passionate mountain bikers. I'm afraid that I'm not in such situation. I continue to see poor use of terrain, features that are badly executed, a lack of continuity, and overall ill design. The quality of the official trails in the country I live in, is mind bugling poor, and there are no excuses for it to be this way. A thick fog of conservatism has corrupted the official trail building scene, and pretty much nobody does anything about it - because nobody really questions it. This picture wraps it up nicely:

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The 26" vs 29" debate
Its getting old, and it no longer brings anything new to the table, and I noted that the debate most often is spoken and fueled by 29" purists or 26" purists - and that doesn't do the debate any good. Let it be, lets move on, its about wheel size, now get over it.

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(Dis)honorable Mention - The long winter of 2011 - I dont know how the winter was where you where, but it sure was long and snowy over here. It was a big kick in the nuts, the best trails where unridable, and I was getting insane due to the lack of riding. Suddenly I was forced to look my girlfriend in the eyes and actually speak to her. Lets hope this comming winter will be more calm.

All Mountain Next turns 2 year old!

2011-12-18T04:40:00.000-08:00

Thanks for a great year! The support has been massive, and ive actually doubled my visit count since last year. Glad to see all those comments as well, I appreciate the involvement. Hope you guys enjoy this blog as much as I do writing it. I hope to continue All Mountain Next through 2012.

I did a small summary last year, about what this blog is about, and how it came to be, be sure to check it out here.

Got any comments or suggestions, well then feel free to submit your thoughts. Comments does not require a sign in.

Preview: Schwalbe Nobby Nic EVO 2.25" 2012

2011-12-13T06:30:00.000-08:00

Introduced in 2005 Nobby Nic has since won the heart of many mountainbikers, especially in Europe. Since its introduction its gone through several changes, knobs have gotten longer, and their direction has been altered among other things. In 2010 it got the AM-label as well - it was no longer just a xc tire - and that puts it in the spotlight here on All Mountain Next.

I have have a mixed experience when it comes to Schwalbe tires, I really like my Ice Spiker Pro tires, but dread the Fat Albert. My initial impressions of the Nobby Nic however, are positive, this tire feels like an all rounder, and im abit surprised as to how easy they actually roll, didn't expect that. The tire itself is a bit small for a 2.25", looks more like a 2.1" imo. The tire does have good grip so far, I have been riding it in alot of wet terrain, and untill now cannot really complain about anything. But will it hold up during winter time? Or will it fail to perform. Find out in the up coming review, right here at All Mountain Next.

Very light considering its AM label. Claimed weight is 545g.

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December riding

2011-12-09T00:15:00.000-08:00

No snow as of yet, contrary to last year at this time. That makes room for riding, the somewhat varm temperatures makes it even more enjoyable. We shot a few pics worth posting;

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Christian working it

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Some more volume lighting, I think I got really lucky with this shot

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Gotta love techy sections with off camber roots.

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Im back on my Vivid coil, I got fed up with my underachiving Monarch RT3, so Ive sent it in to TF Tuned. Hopefully they'll do their magic on it.

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Drop in.

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Gittin mah wheeep on

2011-12-05T10:03:00.000-08:00

Raw edit.No sound. 17 sec:

Sure its not perfect, but keep in mind that im still learning - and im having alot of fun in the process : )

Preview: Mavic Crossmax SX 2012

2011-11-30T06:54:00.000-08:00

After more than 2 years of use/abuse of my Sun Ringle Equalizer-29 rims, coupled with Hope Pro 2 hubs, I finally got some new wheels for my AM riding.

I decided to go for the Mavic Crossmax SX 2012, for several reasons; I have never been on straight-pull spokes before, and secondly I knew that Mavic has its AM line dialed when it comes to strengh.

Mavic has revised the Crossmax SX for 2012. Its gotten stronger by the use of a new rim extrusion, a new graphics package is in place as well. Other than that its known for its stiffness and strengh, albeit some hub issues, but ill get back to that in a moment.

The strongest and the best Mavic has to offer for AM riding.

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ITS-4 hub, loved and hated. Some people run these hubs without ever running into issues, other riders report of reliability issues. I hope that I fall into the first group of people.

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The Crossmax SX has a Maxtal rim, its 30% stronger than 6106 alloy, and tests has continuously shown that these rims has an immense strengh. The rims are even used for pro-level slopestyle, propably some of the most stressfull challenge you can pose a mtb rim.

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The spokes use a Zicral Alloy, its a very strong alloy of the 7075 series, with a strengh comparable to steel - just without the weight penalty. One interesting use for 7075 alloy is in the manufacture of M16 rifles for the military. Ok back on topic, so, im not a big fan of proprietary stuff, I actually often advocate against it, but the Zicral spokes didnt scare me away because of two things; they have a good rep for not breaking, and despite what some might say, replacement spokes are actually easy to get hold of, well for me anyway, as my LBS carries them.

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Front wheel, 826g.

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Rear Wheel, 937g
That makes for an actual total weight of: 1763g - pretty damn close to the claimed 1755g.

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So I allready had my first 11 hours of actual trail time on these hoops. My initial impressions are very positive. By switching to this wheelset I dropped a whopping 680 grams of the wheels (!). The wheels are stiff and responsive, In fact, im abit surprised as to how much more easy its actually become to roll my bike after the switch (well maybe all that talk about rotational weight was correct after all, heh)

The wheelset came standard with a 9x135 axle setup, so I had to convert it to a 12x135 to make it compatible with my bike. The problem was however that Mavic has done a really poor job of telling how to do that, I just knew it was possible. The included manual mentions nothing, and the online manual was very poor, so I had to google a bit, and after a little guessing and trial and error, I succeeded, its actually pretty simple, and I reckon I could do any conversion within 2-3 minutes. A x12 convertion kit was included as well btw.

Will these rims, spokes and hubs take the beating of my countless sideways landings, and general riding, or will they fail big time with a bang coupled with a furious fireball.. Well time will tell, stick around as I do a complete review, right here, on All Mountain Next. (thanks to Drea for hooking me up with these wheels)

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November Sun 2

2011-11-27T02:19:00.000-08:00

Awesome november weather has allowed for even more sunny riding, im excited about that, as It really comes unexpected - great stuff.

Awesome shot, including some volume lighting, early morning. I got lucky.

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The new booster-drop makes you litterly go from 10kph, to about 40 kph in a single second.
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Another lucky shot, this time around I captured it in the evening.

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November Sun

2011-11-23T00:59:00.000-08:00

Its actually been quite sunny recently, cold, but sunny. Grabbed my camera (adjusted it this time around), and shot some pics. What a great day af riding.

These trails where covered with snow last year at this time, happy to see its not like that this time around. Yet.

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Its not a foot-tap, if you don't touch the ground ; )

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Playing with the camera.

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Toying with a new small stepdown, on a longer descend section

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November air Part 2/2

2011-11-17T23:55:00.000-08:00

Second part of our air corrupted session.

Peter test riding the newly-angled stepup, landing is to the upper far left corner. He almost made it. If Peter cant, then I guess nobody can. Damn pesky step-ups.

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Madsen going full throttle

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Plain vanilla style

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Peter litterly drops in the background.

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November air Part 1/2

2011-11-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

Met up with some old mountain bike buddies recently, and we got ourself a whole day of riding. Spirits where high, wheather was cold, but we all managed to get by this day without any crashes or mechanical faults - kinda unusual when I ride with these guys - im not complaining tho' : ) Shot some pics with my new cam, but didnt notice that it was set at "auto-white-adjust" so the colors got a bit one-dimensional, well, lesson learned. Anyway, here are some of the riding we did:

First up is Peter.
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Kedde toying with a small, but fast section.
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Madsen (re)analysing this drop at the natural kicker. Landing is somewhere at the bottom of this pic.

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A bit camera shy, you have to be quick to catch whatever Peter does next. Riding a tree? Sure.
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Video: Whistler Trail Riding

2011-11-10T06:21:00.000-08:00

Finally had some time to edit some of the footage I shot in Whistler. I have loads of footage from Whistler Bikepark, but as of yet, I dont have an idea of what direction I want that video to go. So for now, I made this rather basic edit for the trail riding I did in the Whistler area. Btw, I wrote abit about Whistler trail riding, check it out here.

Be sure to check out the vid at youtube at 480p. For the embedded version:

New Camera

2011-11-05T10:08:00.000-07:00

I got fed up with my sluggish Olympus Tough 3000 camera, so I got myself a Casio EX-ZR10 - the big brother to my former Casio FC100 camera. The best thing about it? High-Speed.

It might look simple, put its crazy powerful for its size and price.

Tiny stepup. Raw edit. No sound. 240 FPS:

Expect to see some nice pics in the future, as well as more High Speed footage.

Bad leg protection

2011-10-31T01:48:00.000-07:00

I just recently did a knee pad comparision, and concluded that there are some pretty neat options out there. I cant say the same however for full knee-shin protectors. Ive had 4 as of yet, and none of them have been particularly good. Infact, im utterly disappointed. Take a look at some of those knee-shin protectors ive been using so far:

The problem with the 661 Comp Knee is a lack of knee protection, the front has good cover, but the sides are exposed, definitely a no-go when riding DH or FR. I also noticed that they would slide in different

directions, everytime I had a crash.

Granted the RaceFace Rally FR is best of the 3 mentioned in this post. But this RaceFace product fails on the comfort. Lower leg, and upper knee are badly irritated after some hours (4+) of use. The Rally FR rubs your skin, making it red and sore. And its not just me, other riders with this product are reporting similar problems.

The problem with the FOX Launch Pro Knee/Shin guard is lack of side protection at the knee. Its basically non existent. This really comes as a surprise, as the Fox Launch Pad Pro had left me with such a positive impression. What where they thinking?

All I want is a good knee-shin protector for bikeparks. Im looking for something comfortable, as well as something that covers a good deal of the knee, and stays in place. Am I really asking for too much? Im currently considering the 2012 POC VPD 2.0 Knee/Shin guard, or the more burly FOX Titan Knee Guard. Got a suggestion for me to try out? Or something to stay away from? Write me a comment, and I might just check it out (or keep away from). Comments does not require a sign-in.

Review: Rock Shox Monarch RT3 2011 (2012)

2011-10-25T06:54:00.000-07:00

My initial expectations for the Monarch RT3 shock where very high. Rock Shox promised a revised 2011 monarch, that had a competent midstroke, and factory set high speed rebound. This combined with a 3 way compression setting, sounded like just the right shock for me and my AM riding.

The first version I got was faulty, the shock had issues with compression and rebound, had to send it back in, and got a new version - faulty as well. You can imagine my frustration at this point. So had to send it back in, again, and I finally got a working version, and after 7 months of testing I can finally pin a review.

RockShox has stated that there is no difference between the 2011 and 2012 version.

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The RT3 has a 3 way compression tune, a low-speed rebound, and an internal pre-set highspeed rebound. I went for the high volume canister.
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Black and Pink line shows the official Rockshox spring curves. Green, Blue, and Red shows my impressions of the spring curve of a given compression setting.
So what you are looking at here, is a shock that takes a while to activate, as well as having a persistent tendency to stabilise on the hard-feeling sag. Small bump sensitivity is poor - I don't mind that actually, as my trails are very forgiving to such behavior. After the sag, the shock actually has a very good mid-stroke support, and ramps up nicely, but refuses to use all travel, as illustrated on the grapf.

All this is coupled with the fact that the 3 diffrent compression setting are actually giving 3 different shock behaviors, and for once ive actually been using the different compression settings - whereas I usually just set it in one place, and forget about it.

Blue: High compression setting
Green: Medium compression setting
Red: Low compression setting
(Grapf is simplified to better illustrate behavior.)
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Weight resembles a FOX RP23, size shown is a 216x63mm, with bushings:

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Set the compression to high, and enjoy a "firm" setting that makes you propel faster on pedally sections, but still allows the wheel to tracks the ground. Don't expect great small bump sensitivity tho'

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The Monarch RT3 does a great job sucking in well transitioned hits, small and big. Square-bump hits is another story, it feels inconsistent, and will sometimes give a kickback. Makes me wonder why the high-speed rebound doesn't kick in.

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The Good:
-Very competent platform settings, it really has 3 settings.

-Great mid stroke

-Handles big hits very well
-Different tune options
-You can get racy xc performance, whilst still being able to take hard hits

The Bad:
-High speed rebound feels inconsistent

-Does not use full travel

-Negative air spring problems in the High-Compression setting when riding flat sections.

Score: 3/6

As I stated before, I had somewhat high expectations for this shock, and it just didnt deliver what I expected. Its not a bad shock, it definately has its moments, but overall its nothing special. So once again I end up with a shock, that doesnt live up to my idea of a good AM shock. Funny thing is, that the best air shock I have been on so far, was a 2009 Fox Float R. Cheap, consistent, and just felt damn good. So, where do I go from here shock wise?

October AM 2

2011-10-21T06:47:00.000-07:00

Been out riding some more, shot some pics along the way. Check it out.

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The pic above doesn't show this, but its been a quite a wet affair recently. Im usually a bit shy of rain, but it hasn't bothered me these last few rides, rain or not, ive been out riding.. Much credit goes to my Mavic rainjacket, good stuff.

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Wet terrain equals wet roots, and decreased traction. Its all good fun tho'

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Find Waldo:

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Henning dicking around a small natural drop.

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The Ritchey WCS C260 stem is still going strong, not that I expected otherwise. Note the saddle, its the Charge Spoon. Its a multi award winning saddle, so I just had to try it. Its actually quite comfortable, considering I never use any inside padding in my shorts. Actual weight: 285g.

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661 Kyle Strait vs Fox Launch Pad Pro (updated)

2011-10-17T02:55:00.000-07:00

Pretty much every rider that wears knee pads know the 661 Kyle Strait, its been here for years, and enjoys the title of being one of the best knee pads out there. It fits the knee well, and protection is good.

The relative newcomer to the "Kyle Strait'ish" knee pad segment is the Fox Launch Pad Pro. Fox is a well established brand, and they have a tendency to do things right, but getting into the knee protection segment, where the 611 Kyle Strait is dominating is definitely not an easy task. I have an impression that Fox took a really long and hard look at the Kyle Strait pad, and began improving upon it.

Let me say this right away; Both pads are very good. There, had to get that off my chest. There is a difference however, have a look:

661 Kyle Strait vs Fox Launch Pad Pro.

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Comfort:

661: 5/6

Fox: 6/6

Whereas the 661 is less prone to cloth chafting, the Fox sits better on the leg, the Fox pad is also very resistant to unwanted movement because of a silicone strap. The Fox is also 25% lighter, this adds to comfort. Note that the Fox Launch Pad Pro takes considerable more time to "bed in".

Protection:

661: 5/6

Fox: 6/6

Fox has a superior protection in the upper and lower front, the padding on the sides is a bit more thick as well. The front itself, and the sides is almost identical to the 661 offering.

Ventilation:

661: 4/6

Fox: 4/6

I don't feel any difference between the two. I do however think that there is room for improvement, for both brands. They do get hot in the summer.

Durability:

661: 5/6

Fox: 6/6

Both are pretty tough, I do however see that the Fox holds up a bit better. Its not as torn after months of hard use.

I have been using the 661 Kyle Strait for years, and they have served me well.

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The Fox Launch Pad Pro however is new to me, but im really surprised by its quality.

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489g

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382g. Less weight, more protection, a win-win situation?

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The additional protection the Fox Launch pad offers is mostly in the upper and lower section of the pad. Pads in the sides are a bit more fat as well.

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Final conclusion:

The 661 Kyle Strait is very comfortable to wear, cloth chafting is very rare, and you are most likely to forget that you are even wearing them. The protections is there, albeit inferior to the FOX. You might get some issues if you walk around alot while, say, sessioning, as the 661 tends to slide down the leg a bit. It may, or may not annoy you.

The Fox Launch Pad Pro is more prone to cloth chafting, particular the first few months. But after that, they fit like a glove, and stay where you put them, partly because of the silicon strap. Protection is superior, and its more lightweight.

Should I choose between the Fox Launch Pad Pro and the 661 Kyle Strait, then I would have gone with the FOX offering.

Fall riding

2011-10-10T03:30:00.000-07:00

Fall. Leafs are falling of the trees, and the colors of the forest change, its a beautiful time to be out riding. I took my camera and shot a few pics

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Still testing the new stepdown. I really enjoy it, but hitting it full force makes for a mind bugling air time (in AM terms), im still a bit hesitant, perhaps I should go try it with a neck brace and a fullface helmet to get more confident trying it at full throttle.

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Wah, my beloved High Roller tire is finally giving in. Its been servicing me since 2009, so its done its share I guess. Anyway, you can almost see the tube sticking out. I made an emergency repair with the Parktool TB-2. Its actually holding up pretty damn good, im 3 hours in of active riding, lets see how long it lasts.

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Well well well, im starting to use the High compression setting more and more on the Monarch RT3, didn't see that coming. Shock is review pending, stick around.

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Review: Shelter Frame Protection

2011-10-05T12:21:00.000-07:00

So after 7 months of use I can finally conclude my review of the Shelter frame protection. And before I explain what so special about this frame protection, you should see for yourself:

It contains two 55mm X 500mm strips, enough to plaster most of your bike, and downtube.

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I have been using this frame protector in obvious places like the downtube:

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..And on the chainstay as well (even tho its pretty hard to see in this pic). Holds up surprisingly well

despite the fact that this place gets smashes by the chain all the time.

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It comes in handy when using a dual crown for as well. My frame doesnt have an integrated frame protector for dual crowns, so the Shelter Frame Protection comes in quite handy here.

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There is not much to say really, it does its job, and Shelter sticks to the frame as it should, even after all this time, and after all the washing, rain, dirt, rocks and whatnot, it still sticks. So the durability is definitely there. I cant find any flaws about this frame protector, score reflects that.

Score: 6/6

Review - Canfield Brothers ONE 2011

2011-09-26T13:07:00.000-07:00

Bout time I post this review. I wont go large on the words here, let me keep it somewhat simple this time:

4 different travel settings, 2 different shocks lenghts: (165mm-190mm with 216x63mm shock / 177mm-203mm with 222x70mm shock).

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This is the geo for the medium. See more sizes at the Canfield Brothers website.

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According to the Canfield Brothers, this link takes 8 hours of CNC work. Check out the sturdy 20mm bearings, they should last 2-3 years according to Canfield Brothers. "Its the kind of bike where you dont have to do anything" - Chris Canfield.

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Sturdy ISCG tabs.

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Weight without shock, size medium, in kg (thats 7.94 lbs):
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The good:

-Very good pedalling efficiency
-Feels very nimble despite its weight
-Absolute ripper when pointing it downward
-Very playfull, and skill boosting
-Feels mistake swallowing
-Versatility! Strap on a dual crown and you got yourself a capable DH bike. And it really feels like one.
-Feels strong and stiff
-Very low top tube, makes alot of room for tricks.
-Works great with Air and a Coil shock
-Full 1.5 headtube, makes it compatible with everything
-Geometry that's years ahead of time

The bad:

-way too low BB in the 165mm setting - with a 160mm fork in the front
- poorly designed dirt "pockets"
- a X12 rear axle would have been better
-You might get problems with pedal-strikes in pedally rocky tech sections if you sag the shock alot (35%+) (too low BB)

Score 5/6

AM setup. Easy to pedal uphill, lots of high speed stability, and playfull. Aggressive AM it is.

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DH setup. More travel while still retaining its playfull character. Its not a full-breed race-dh bike in this setup, but its great for bikeparks.

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Btw, the German mag called "FREERIDE" did a 2011 ONE review. They rated it with a nice 9.5 out of 10. Check it out here.

Got a comment? or a question? feel free to write in the comments section, I does not require a sign-in.

2012 Ritchey WCS C260 stem - the controversial choice

2011-09-22T03:40:00.000-07:00

What is it?

Its the new 2012 Ritchey WCS C260 stem, one of the lightest alloy mtb stems on the market. Not only lightweight, but also strong and stiff. Its 3D forged and machine cut from 7050 alloy, nothing extraordinary there, but what sets this stem apart from others is the 260 deg clamping area. This clamping area wraps around the bar, and has allowed Ritchey to cut more alloy away, whilst still having an extremely stiff stem.

So how light is it?
This light.

Surely thats too lightweight for AM use?

Thing is ive allready been riding this stem for 3 weeks, with no issues at all. No sideflexing, no creeks, no snapped bolts and no lateral/vertical flex. So far its no different than my previous PRO Koryak AM stem.

Apparently the CEN testing score (international strength testing) got passed with flying numbers, and Ritchey says its the strongest stem they have ever done.

Heres my thought about it: Sure its lighweight, but you have to take into account that im using a 70mm version, that's a whole different leverage ratio than, say, 120mm. Shorter is stronger. I did some research, I couldnt find a single broken alloy 70mm stem out there (no I didn't count older stems, nor freak accidents). Thing is, stems breaking today, is extremely rare - You are more likely to snap something else on the bike.

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260 deg clamping area

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Small 3mm bolts, and there is 3 of them in the back, along with a sweeping clamping system (its hard to see in this pic tho'):

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70mm, anodized black, 7 metal bolts in total:

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Im still stressing this stem. Stay tuned.

Rainy trail riding

2011-09-18T00:44:00.000-07:00

Rain, rain and rain. Man it just seems to go on and on! Normally I dislike riding in the rain, but sometimes its just a joy. This trip was just that. Peacefull, in new territory, and early in the morning.

You can just barely spot the trail, bikers are obviously not in large numbers here. Fits me just fine.

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Ultra-lushness (yes that's a word) like this reminded me of the B.C. Northshore.

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Now, this anthill had to be about 1.6m (5,2 feet) tall. Its like the godfather of all anthills. Crazy.

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It still rains btw.

Review: SuperStar Components CNC Nano Tech pedals 2011

2011-09-13T00:06:00.000-07:00

Superstar Components are rapidly growing, the reason they do so is that they rebrand existing products, and sell them at a lower price due to the fact that there is no middleman. Its an old trick, but its still a smart way of keeping the cost down. I gave it a shot with a pair of pedals.

One of the things they put their sticker on is the CNC Nano Tech pedal. Big and tough, yes. Heavy, with poor grip, yes to that one as well im afraid.
It does have a satisfying big platform, and there where no reliability issues in the 4 months period I have been testing this pedal. But heres the thing; I want my feet to be sticking to the pedals as much as possible, while still giving me the freedom to move my feet should I need it. Problem is that these pedals have such poor grip that you'll be using energy/concentration just to keep you feet on these things. Unacceptable. They where just barely usable for AM, but when used for DH the pedals just couldn't keep up with the grip, and I found myself to be "bounced off" several times. This pedal-behavior spawned some unwanted situations, and in the end; a slower speed.

Quite heavy

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In desperation I tried to sharpen up the pins. It still didn't do the job. Pins are simply too fat and short.

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The good:
-Reasonably priced
-Tough
-Satisfying big

The bad:
-Poor grip
-Heavy

Score: 1/6

September AM

2011-09-09T03:53:00.000-07:00

Christain brought his new camera to a recent ride, and the 3 top pics in this entry is a result of that.

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Christian:

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I think most mountain bikers that like seeing some airtime, would agree that they have a "favorite" side they throw the bike into, being right or left. This is established early in the riders "career", and it will probably stick with the biker rest of his time on the bike. My strong side is definitely my right side, as seen in the first pic of this post. Recently ive been trying to un-program this behavior, by forcing myself to control the left side as well. Why? It definitely adds to the flexibility, and improves skills as well as flexibility, oh and its fun as well. Last thing: I honestly dislike seeing myself hiding in my "safe-zone" that is my right side. Variation is good. Trying new things is good as well. Pic below shows me doing a small "leftie".

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Twisted branch

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Seriously Cannondale? I had these grips for what, 3 weeks? And they are already coming apart.

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My Selle Italia saddle snapped as well, just during a normal run. Thats 2 saddles in 3 months time. Whats up with that?

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The Harz mountains; Trip number 492 (or so)

2011-09-06T01:53:00.000-07:00

Shot some pics on my most recent ride to the German mountains. Here is a good mixed bunch.

You have to look hard to find ultra lush trails like this one in the Harz area. It pays off tho'. Riding these rooty offcamber descend sections is not only tech as hell, but also provide a big joy. Sniff it it, and let it work inside your brain : )

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Got lucky with the lighting in this shot. Rider is unknown.

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Roots, I loove roots..

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..and I love beer as well. Germans do a great job regarding that.

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Finally a pic that justifyes this drop in Braunlage Bikepark. The transition is...interesting..not only due to its steepness, but due to the fact that it consists of big roots and rocks. Somehow it doesnt pose a problem tho' The far left drop, is actually a stepdown, and is about 3+ meters(9.8 feet), the one in the middle is about 2 meters (6.5 feet), and the one on the far right is about 1.5 meters (4.9 feet).

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I was positively surprised about the FOX Launch Pro Knee Pad (review pending), I went ahead and got the bigger version, called the FOX Launch Pro Knee/Shin Guard. It covers the shin and the calves. To my surprise, this version is INFERIOR to the FOX Launch Pro Knee Pad when it comes to knee protection. You see, the padding on the sides of the knee is very thin, barely offering any protection at all. The shin protection is fine, and the guard itself is pleasent to wear. But if you are looking for addtional protection, then look otherwise! You screwed that one up FOX.

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Video. Last run on the DH line.

2011-09-02T14:43:00.000-07:00

Last run of the day. The DH setup works very good, as of now I cant really pinpoint anything I would like to change (well there's allways that BlackBox gear, but you know what I mean). Cant wait to test this setup in Winterberg, where gravity will be in focus.

Anyway, didnt shoot much in Harz, but got this, and the "crash" in the end was just plain stupid, you can allmost feel my frustration. What a waste of flow. Ok, lets get to it;

Raw edit. 2m55sek.

Direct link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K0mM4Oiyvs

Embedded version:

(do yourself a favor and choose the 480p resolution)

Current DH setup

2011-08-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

Just returned from a DH session in Germany, and had the opportunity to test my new setup. Even tho the changes are subtle, they are critical. Well, instead of spilling more words, lets get to it, first a pic of the entire setup shot on the Bikepark parking lot:

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About damn time I install a direct mount stem. The 70mm stem before worked "ok", but this will work way better. The stem is a Blackspire, with adjustable length (42-47mm) and a 30 deg rise. Note the integrated topcap. Its from Point One Racing, cool little thing.

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I had some problems with my former I-beam seatpost and saddle, well the seat got destroyed on the last Bikepark trip ("Tour of Destruction" as I like to refer to it) Anyway, slapped on a Thomson seatpost and a Selle Italia Shiver saddle (Corratec edition). Simple, and more reliable.

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Im back on the Point One Racing Podium Pedals. Even tho I gave them a hard time in my review, they are still the best pedals I have ever been on. Superb grip (with the longer pins), lightweight, and thin as hell. This version is from a newer batch, so lets hope the durability has been improved.

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Weight is pretty much the same, it dropped a tiny bit to about 15.9 kg. Thats 34.9 lbs.

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Thoughts: After alot of riding I can conclude a few things. First up the shorter stem works great. Bike is more maneuverable and I like how its positioned me a bit further back. Secondly the Point One Pedals are a blessing after those piece of shit pedals from SuperStar Components, that definitely didn't go well with DH.I would also like to comment the RockShox BOXXER R2C2 fork. I'm still in awe of how amazing it works, it just EATS the trail. Just wow! I also found myself adjusting the Vivid coil to its medium compression setting, and it works better than full open. Softer is not always better.

Btw a small video of some riding is coming up. Stay tuned.

Preview: Troy Lee Designs CP 5955

2011-08-23T09:26:00.000-07:00

Troy Lee Designs has been spending the last few years on the drawing board with the Shock Doctor team, the ambition was to design the best chest armor possible. A little year ago they presented their result; the CP 5955. I wanted a better and more cooling upper body armor, so the CP 5955 cought my eye. Now I finally got my hands on it, check it out:

The CP 5955 is highly adjustable, with no less than 50 different settings.

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Exploded exterior view. The protection is definitely concentrated around the chest, ribs, the clavicle, shoulder and upper back.

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Exploded internal view. Notice the massive amount of channels. They are there to make the air flowing. The system is called VENT-TRAK.

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Troy Lee Designs is keen on telling that this armor is based around a neck brace device. Lets hope others will follow just as passionately.

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Insert the Leatt Brace into this "slot" on the back of the armor to hold it in place and to stabilize it. Works surprisingly well.

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1.14kg (2.51 lbs) Thats pretty damn light.
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The CP 5955, plain. Are few front plates are removed to allow the Leatt Brace to fit into it.
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The CP 5955 with the Leatt Brace attached to it.
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All together. Im used to a bulky armor. This is just the opposite.

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Initial opinion:

I have been using the acclaimed Rockgardn Trailstar armor. Its protective, but gets silly hot, and is a bit too bulky. Strapping on the CP5955 is something different! I have been using it in a bikepark just recently, and even tho I haven't had any chest-related crashes, it feels nimble, light, and noticeably less hot than the Rockgardn Trailstar. Works flawless with the Leatt Brace, no straps needed, the brace stays where its supposed.

I need to test this armor a whole lot more before writing my concluding review here on All Mountain Next. Stick around.

August AM

2011-08-17T05:29:00.000-07:00

Wheather has been somewhat dissapointing, with quite alot of rain. When it didnt rain, I had to move fast to get some riding. And man do I crave riding when weather hinders it.

Oh I do enjoy this pic despite its low res character. Bike is allmost sideways, compared to the landing area (brown spot on the ground)

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This stepdown is new. And its pretty big. Note the wooden kicker in the far left, and bike is placed where the preferred landing is. Now all it takes is two wheels, and alot of speed.

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Seeing a deer is not a rare sight, in fact I see them all the time. What is rare is that this deer allowed me to stop up, take my Camelbak off, find my camera and position myself for the shoot, all while this deer just stood there and observed me. Normally these animals shit bricks when they see someone. Shot turned out great imo.
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Bad tan, or dirt? Perhaps both : D
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Trail riding

2011-08-12T01:11:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to spin my bike in a forest I rarely visit due to the distance I have to drive to get there. Happy to say that I had a great time, and found some new stuff as well. I really didnt expect going for air on this trip, but the trails wanted otherwise : )

I really enjoy finding small kickers like this one. You could easily ride by it without noticing, I did by accident. An evidence that this forest has its own air-loving riders. Enlarge the pic to see the arrow I made that shows the discrete kicker.
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It would be nuts of me to ride past it without giving it a go. The entire road can be cleared.
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I remember seeing this drop for the very first time some years ago. It looked way to big for me, and I had my doubts. Progression has led to a different evaluation of the drop.
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The faster you go, the bigger the drop, I prefer faster as it gives me a feeling of stabilization, I can easily pull a 2 meter (7 feet) drop from this huck.
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Not all my post-ride meals look like this, but I sure enjoyed this one.

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New Drivetrain

2011-08-08T04:42:00.000-07:00

Chain, casette and front ring where dying on me. So I did a small swap, shot some weight pics along the way, for those of you who enjoy actual scale numbers:

XTR chain, 9sp, 114 links. (I will be reducing the chain-lenght for my use)

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11-32 XT cassette

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E13-guidering 32t 2011
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Yearh I know that grips dont have anything to do with a drivetrain, but ill post this one anyway. Got these by accident; 2011 Cannondale Foam Grips, with a lockring. Still not decided as to what to say about them, they are on the shorter side, and a bit thick. Ill give them a go.
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Recent AM sessions

2011-08-05T00:48:00.000-07:00

More trail shots, from recent rides. Cardio slowly getting better btw ;) Met up with some old riding buddies as well. Stay tuned for more.

Lars brought his Specialized SX Trail 2 to the fun. Such a cool bike. I definately see a resemblence visually between the SX and my ONE bike. The similarities pretty much end there tho'

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And there he goes.

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My take, on my own bike. I gave the SX a quick try, and really liked it, fun and playfull.

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KS 900i galore. Going a few years back, such sight wouldnt even have been possible where im located. Its so cool to see not only the evolution in gear, but gear-use as well.

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Propably the thinnest singletrack trail I know of, the width is about the size of a palm : )

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Michelin Wild Rock'R tire review UPDATE

2011-08-02T06:32:00.000-07:00

Updated my review of the Michelin Wild Rock'R tire after testing it as a rear-wheel tire, check it out here

July AM 3

2011-07-30T00:53:00.000-07:00

More July AM pics of recent sessions. I working up my cardio, but there is still some work to do. Meanwhile we gotten alot of rain, and while that might sound bad, its actually improving the trails I ride, as they usually get really dusty and litterly get torn apart in the summer due to the heat and dryness. Rain hinders this, holds the lines together, and sometimes creates "hero-dirt" -the perfect mix between moisture, and dryness - the best trail conditions there are.

Drea ripping into a corner on the switchback line on his Norco Range.

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I really like this pic for two reasons; first it has an asymetric wibe to it when looking at the kicker and the rider, secondly, drea is still way up there in the air here, landing nowhere to be seen. Go ahead and enlarge.

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Im getting more and more frustrated by the lack of grip on the Superstar pedals. The pins just dont offer great grip, and often makes my foot wander around on the platform, even tho im on 5.10. shoes. For DH, the grip is downright poor.

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I play along.

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Review: Rock Shox Vivid R2C 2011

2011-07-25T15:29:00.000-07:00

Ok, so more than 3 months of versitile testing is finally complete. This shock has seen pretty much everything, from AM to bikeparks. And im happy to say that its done very good. Last time I was on a coil shock was a FOX DHX 4.0, an ok shock, but it never really impressed me. This time around things are stepped up, performance wise, not price wise, mind you.

Im talking about the Rock Shox Vivid R2C 2011, the improved Vivid coil shock, for DH, FR, and AM.

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The Vivid R2C has a low speed compression adjust, and for once its actually effective. Set it high, and its actually usable for AM. I was actually testing this shock entire two months for AM, including alot of climbs, and sure, a good air shock would have been preferable, but the Vivid did a surprisingly good job, its definitely capable to get you UP as well.. Set the compression low, and enjoy that buttery smooth trail absorption on the downhills. The fact that the compression adjust is so effective, makes this shock very versatile.

So how does it feel? Well to sum it up in a simplified manner: Linear. What you'd expect of a good coil shock. Amazing ground tracking, great mid stroke, and a solid end stroke.

Rebound feels consistent, and due to the high/low speed adjust its very controllable as well. The fact that you can make it work fast over trail chatter, but give you that controlled slow rebound on big hits, makes the 2 rebound adjustments (dual flow) very attractive.
The bottom out adjuster might seem a bit primitive at first glance, being just rubber bumbers you put on to the shock, but it works, so im not going to whine about it.

Make the rebound feel exactly how you want, no matter what your bike is doing:

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Weight is what you'd expect from a coil shock, the shock shown is a 222mm x70mm with bushings.

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Note the "M" and "H". These are codes for what tune this particular shock has. Bikes have all kind of different suspension types, and leverage ratios, so having a standard tune that's supposed to work with it all types just doesn't make sense. Rockshox acknowledges this and makes the Vivid in different tunes, so that you get the best possible tune for your bike. So the "M" you see is a Medium rebound tune, and the "H" is a High compression tune.

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Let the shock work for you on the DH trails, where it really shines. FOX - you better watch it!

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Go for the jumps and drops. The Vivid will be doing a great job giving you a controlled landing.

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Crank up the low speed compression, and use it for AM as well - and have a blast.

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The good:
-Controlled and liniear compression.
-Highly tunable low and high speed rebound.
-Very efficient low speed compression adjust, allows AM use.
-Different tunes available.
-Reliable.
-Price.

The bad:
-A high speed compression adjust would be nice, but now im just pushing it.

Score: 6/6

July AM 2

2011-07-19T01:07:00.000-07:00

Got some air-corrupted pics to share, from recent rides, check it out.

This jump actually goes all the way around a small rise, im just peaking it in this pic. Great stuff.

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I really need to get some new grips. Note the scratched up brake - all battlescars from Braunlage bikepark.

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Inspecting the landing, of a new drop. Takeoff is just visible to the far left.

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Its not big in any way, but I really like its "authentic" feel to it, in the way that you really need to stick your ass way back to land it properly. Fun stuff.

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The rest:

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Review: E-Thirteen LG1+ Chain Guide

2011-07-14T02:05:00.000-07:00

Ive taken the E-Thirteen LG1+ Chain Guide through its paces, so much so that I can do a review.

Im done being letdown in terms of chain loss, and the bash plate has proved it can withstand brutal impacts. Sure there are several other chain devices that can also fulfill those criteria, but where the LG1+ really excels is in its user friendliness. All the subtle design details mean that it’s a joy to work with, and thanks to the range of adjustments on offer it also fits a massive range of frame designs. The fact that it also happens to be one of the lightest systems is just an added bonus.

Its taken a few very hard direct hits in the bikepark sessions not long ago, like, the only thing that touched the rock was the taco guard itself (!), and the guard shook it off with a smile. At worst, I had to re-adjust the screws that keeps it on the ISCG, it took 1 minute, but other than that it just continued, nothing got broken. There is no real rocket science to this device, so all im going to say is, that it works really good.

Propably the lightest chainguide/bashguard system out there.

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Honey comb design ditches weight, but keeps the guard strong.

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Indicators for front ring size:

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The bashguard has taken a good beating, but its still going strong.

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The E-Thirteen LG1+ does its job, the fact that its silent, adds to the score.

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The good:

-Tough

-Light weight

-Silent if set up properly
- Easily change chains and chainrings without removing wearplates

-Adjustable

The Bad:

-Silly expensive

Score: 5/6

July AM

2011-07-09T09:07:00.000-07:00

Back on the single crown, and shreddin' the AM trails. Love every bit of it. Its all about tech riding for me these last few months, so my cardio suffered a bit, as I havent been doing those long 3 hours riding sessions, where stops where few and far between. I do however believe that I got the best out of it, as I feel that I stand stronger than ever tech wise, very rewarding and motivating btw. Best part? Im having so much fun.

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Choice, its all about choice:

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This bike is growing on me every time I ride it hard, its such a crazy tool for aggressive riding. Btw the Monarch RT3 is working really well with the ONE for AM, efficient climbing, supportive mid/end stroke for the hits.

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I recently got my hands on some FOX Launch Pro Knee Pads. I have been on 661 Kyle Strait for several years now, and I know alot of you guys out there are using them as well, but seeing all the positive feedback on the FOX Launch Pro Knee Pads, made me want to try them out. Sofar its been very positive, these pads stay in place! Im thinking about doing a comparison; Kyle Strait Pads vs Launch Pro Knee Pad. I pulled up my shorts a bit in this pic so that you can see the entire pad.
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Got lucky with some sunset in the wing mirror.

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New Vid: PARK

2011-07-04T12:15:00.000-07:00

I did a vid from our latest bikepark trip. Footage from 3 days, in 2 different German bikeparks, boiled down to 3 minutes. be sure to check out the crashes as well in the end of the vid. Enjoy:

Do me a favor and watch the higher resolution version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45X34VDrb_s&HD=1

Embedded version:

Think it turned out ok, I intentionally left out all music, and wanted the sound-side of things to be as "raw" as possible. Its been fun cutting this vid together, but I was once again reminded of 2 things; A) Of all the footage we shoot, below 1% is actually used. B) Making a vid is very time consuming, no matter what I try to speed up the process. Tell me what you think in the comments section, comments does not require a log-in.

Preview: Rock Shox Monarch RT3 2011

2011-06-30T01:45:00.000-07:00

The elusive Monarch shock. Man ive been trying a long time to get my hands on this 2011 version, now I finally succeeded.

The first version I got was faulty, the shock had issues with compression and rebound, send it back in, and got a new version - faulty as well. You can imagine my frustration at this point. I finally got a working version, and are now setup to do some proper testing.

My initial impressions are positive, this shock has very good midstroke, and the most effective compression adjust ive ever had the opportunity to try. The low/mid/firm setting is really just that, way more efficient than the one you find on the Fox RP23.

On the downside, I think that the beginning stroke is a bit hard, and end stroke is very hard to reach. However, the compression-curve to the endstroke is satisfying liniear, so I have some issues even mentioning this "fault".

To be honest, Its hard and snappy initial stroke makes me feel like its more a XC shock, but its potent handling of big hits allways makes me doubt this very idea. This shock has a split personality.

The RT3 has a 3 way compression tune, a low-speed rebound, and an internal pre-set highspeed rebound. I went for the high volume canister.
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Officially the monarch has a spring curve that looks like this. The actual spring curve looks very different tho', I will post my study in the final review.

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Weight resembles a FOX RP23, size shown is a 216x63mm:

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So is this a XC shock with a high volume canister strapped to it, or is it a legit AM shock that takes whatever you throw at it. Stick around to find out in the actual review.

BikePark Shootout JUNE 2011 Part 3/3

2011-06-27T00:54:00.000-07:00

Third day of our bikepark shootout was supposed to be Schulenberg Bikepark - a rider owned park (rider build as well). Turned out they where closed this day, bummer. We packed our gear and went back to Braunlage Bikepark instead, glad we did, because we had a blast here! We cranked everything up, 2 days of bikepark riding hones in the speed, and the desire to push it even further, thats exactly what we did here.

This attitude does backfire a bit tho'; in the end of this third day all the bigger crashes came, and fatigue was showing its ugly face, and rookie mistakes where more common.

Check out the pics taken this day:

Some fun on a table, this park should really build some more (and bigger!). First up Janus, next up me.

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Braunlage Bikepark is still under construction, and had a brand new addition to the DH section, it was closed tho'. Being the gentlemen we are, we naturally resisted the temptation to ride it anyway.

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The top section of the RaceDH line in Braunlage Bikepark must be some of the most steep and tech sections ive ever ridden, and ive seen some crazy lines the last few years. Evil rockgardens, loose rocks and stones, loose dirt, and offcamber root-sections, combine this with rocks that point in all the wrong directions and a line thats just steep as hell. I love this shit. (the latter 2/3 of the line is plain poo in comparison tho')

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Youre doing it wrong!! Oh, thats me btw : ) One of my most dramatic crashes, look forward to seeing it on video. I walked away btw - albeit a bit dizzy from slamming my head into a log, thank god for the Leatt Brace.

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Drea crashing on the wall ride, I was riding right behind him, so I had to brake - in the middle of the wall ride - and that equals a crash as well. We walked it off, and had a good laugh. Next pic is Drea showing of.

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I give the wall a spin. Good fun, just remember to bring speed ; )

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All in all a pretty sick trip, great crew, and shit loads of fun.

BikePark Shootout JUNE 2011 Part 2/3

2011-06-23T10:07:00.000-07:00

Second day in our 3 day bikepark shootout was in Hahnenklee bikepark. An eventfull day, read on:

Chasing scene in Hahnenklee, im followed by Drea, gopro cam is strapped to Janus's back with the chest mount, worked surprisingly good.

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Drea going fast in the northshore section, even tho its a bit odd constructed, we did have alot of fun there. Considering Drea's 160mm front and rear (air) on his Norco range, this guy did really good, and there was no holding back.

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Janus checking (and trying) out a drop/stepdown, its ill design meant that this particular construction didnt allow us to ride it, it required silly speed, which could not be archived in this section of the trail. Makes me wonder what the park designers had in mind. Even tho' I flame this park a bit, I would say that most of the work done here is pretty decent. But coming from places like Whistler and Winterberg suddenly makes everything looks a bit different.
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A kid crashed. Hard.

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Im really happy with the Vivid Coil, and Boxxer setup. The bike is fast and very playfull, unlike other DH bike ive tried. Next up is a direct mount stem.

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Treating Drea's multiple fractured hand after a failed, but huge backflip on a wall gap. Nah, he actually sprained it while dicking around in the pool area : ) Good story tho' : D

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I dropped into a big water drain canal (!) and slammed my balls full force into the saddle, so much so that it cracked from the seatpost. I had a stinging sensation in that area for an entire hour. Note how the "rail" system is torn in different directions on the saddle.

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The plan was to visit a third bikepark the third day, namely Schulenberg Bikepark. Turned out it was closed this day, so we went for Braunlage Bikepark once again. Glad we did, becuase this had to be the most crazy and eventfull day of all, stay tuned.

BikePark Shootout JUNE 2011 Part 1/3

2011-06-20T00:48:00.000-07:00

I packed my gear and went south, heading once again for the German Bikeparks. 2 things made this trip different from the other trips. 1) We where destroying gear and equipment at an alarming rate - the bikes really took a beating. 2) The drama, oh the drama! Crazy high speed crashes was the name of the game, not only for us, but for other riders as well. More on this later.

Lets get to it.

Choose your line. Braunlage Bikepark has some very long tracks, often splitting into multiple lines. This allows for some competitive riding against fellow riders.

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Janus cracked his Reign X, so he had to go for a rental. He went for a Giant Glory. 2 fun facts; This bike is shorter and has a more steep head angle than my ONE. Makes me wonder if the Glory is under developed, or if the ONE is overdeveloped - regarding geo : )
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Braunlage Bikepark had some pedally DH sections as well. Not to my liking. The ONE didnt like it either, the very low bottom bracket causes issues, its obviosly build for more steep stuff when things get rough.

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Janus riding the wall. Such a cool pic.

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We had a quick look at the upper DH-RACE track this day, we didnt ride it, but acknowledged that it was tech. 2 days later we found out just how much.. Im not sure ive ever ridden anything like it.

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Time to wrap it all up for this day, Drea puts away his Norco Range, and priorities like food and a six-pack are on top of the list.

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Next up was Hahnenklee Bikepark, a place that somewhat splits me in two, its a love/hate thing, things has turned for the better tho'. The "tour of destruction" also kicked in this day, stick around for part two.

June AM

2011-06-16T15:06:00.000-07:00

Been doing a ton of riding. My compact cam is broken so I dont shoot as much as im used to, still film a bit with my GOPRO tho'. Took out a few frames, check it out:

I really appreciate a good chasing-session, definitely improves on tech and speed. Christian always provide a good challenge. Oh did I mention its a ton of fun?

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Never too shy to do a small flip when I get the opportunity : ) Christian right in front of me.

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After 2 rebuilds, I finally got a working Monarch RT3 2011. Its still getting bedded in, but initial impressions are very positive, it has a very interesting progression curve. Stay tuned for a preview.

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Guess the shadow tells the story here:

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Vancouver pics

2011-06-11T04:43:00.000-07:00

Shot some pics in Vancouver. Check it out.

Love this city.

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So before someone puts some hate on me for making a non-bike related post, I can treat you with this: The prototype and rare SAINT rim from Shimano. Spottet in Whistler (where else).

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Hope you enjoyed.

WHISTLER 2011 part 2/2

2011-06-07T03:01:00.000-07:00

So I went to Whistler with the idea that I would only be riding Whistler Bikepark. That was also going to happen, untill I accidentally stumbled upon some off-park trails. My jaw dropped, I began to explore and quickly came to a conclusion; this place is riddled with trails!

Turns out that trail ridng is a big thing in Whistler, and the trail builders are obviously very passionate. There where trails ranging from easy difficulty, to "expert" levels. Make no mistake, some of the trails I got to ride provided more technical challenge than what I rode in Whistler bikepark(!)

I love a good DH session, but im also an absolute sucker for a good trail ride as well. Even tho' the more difficult trails featured drops, jumps, skinnies, stepdowns, it was rarely true All Mountain, but always more in the lines of aggressive "Trail". Still a ridiculous good time on a bike. The trails where plentifull, varying in lengh and challenge.

Nature is jaw dropping beautiful, and so green, trails almost blend into the nature:

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Moist and humid. You would think that northshore sections like these would be slippery as hell, but they are not. Suck in the fresh forrest air, and enjoy the trail lines in Whistler.

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It was a good mix of rock, roots dirt, and northshore.

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There was some obviously creative and passionate trail builders involved in these trails. Notice the small gaps and step downs:

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The attention to detail and challenge was satisfying; Keep left to ride the easy line, go right and ride the tight skinny. Your choice.

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The rental I went for was a 2011 Giant Regin. A border-line All Mountain bike, with great climbing skills, and competent decending geo. It had 700mm wide bars, while a bit too short for my liking, it was however nice to see that even Giant acknowledges wider bars. One disappointment was the Fox 32 150mm up front; surprisingly under-archiving, its way behind my 36 RC2. I also missed an adjustable seatpost. Big time.

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Evil rocky climb. 2 things the cam doesn't show: 1) How steep it is. 2) My big smile.

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British Columbia is riddled with life. I saw 4 wild black bears, a ton of racoons, squirrels, chipmunks, and even hummingbirds. Here is a shot of a racoon chillin'. Funny fellas:

So that concludes my Whistler report, im working on 2 movies that will depict the 2 distinct riding possibilities in Whistler, the vids will be out in a few months, so stay tuned for that!

WHISTLER 2011 part 1/2

2011-05-29T01:21:00.000-07:00

Whistler, Canada. The best place to ride - on earth.

Whistler has a legendary rep, so no wonder most mountain bike riders all over the world dream of coming here. So did I. The idea started to materialize in my head 2 years ago, back then my bike technique was not honed in yet, I didn't feel "ready" just yet. If I was going to Whistler, I would want to ride everything, every line, drop, jump, wallride, whatever the park had - I wanted to roll it. 2 years later (and many bikepark rides later) I felt that Whistler had to be next. Got the the plane tickets, packed my stuff and went to Canada : )

Let me start with some praise of the Canadian people. Besides being helpfull and friendly, they are very social as well, and you wont wander long before someone wants to get a small chat goin'. I really enjoyed that, and I wish it was more like that here where I live. Canada also left me with an impression that its a very clean country, and it seems to me like people care about keeping it clean. Props for that.

Whistler is a beautiful place, dirt, vegetation, and the mix of rocks and stones really make it a perfect place for this sport. I was amazed. Oh, and I finally got to see some bears in the wild.

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My first day at Whistler bikepark, I got lucky, within the first 30 minutes I stumbled upon Paul (white shirt), and his brother Ian (black shirt), they where kind enough to show me around the park. And before I knew it we where all rippin' together. Such cool guys. Paul was actually a whistler-local, besides being ridiculously fast, he pulled whips like no other, just wow! I have so much to learn.

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I planned to bring my own ride, but changed mind last second. I had a feeling that I could get away with a rental. I packed my body armor, and pedals - thats it. To my surprise, the rentals in Whistler where of a very high caliber; 2011 Norco bikes, 2011 Giant, 2010 Specialized and 2011 Trek to mention just a few. My ride was a 2011 Devinci Wilson. While not as playful as my Canfield Brothers ONE, it sure was a sweet bike to ride, slack, fast and very controllable, the rear end felt bottomless.
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Gettin' mah wheep ooohn, some of the tables where absolutely huge here, and gave the opportunity for some serious airtime. I wont show too many pics of the park and rides itself, as im in the midst of making a short vid. So stay tuned for that.

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Tight section on lower A-line. The Whistler bikepark is HUGE, you could easily ride here an entire week without getting too repetitive.

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The famous GLC drop. Hit it fast and enjoy the air-time.(Paul just landed in this pic)

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I met freeride legend, and mtb pioneer Brett Tippie. Such a cool character!

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Im chasing Paul, he salutes with a whip : )

The park wasn't fully up and running due to the snow. The more popular trails where open. Im sorry I missed Dirt Merchant tho' - A good excuse to come back ; ) The trails I rode where very fast, and so much fun! The lines where often quite wide, making it possible to make multiple lines in one, at some points. Clearly the main focus for the park is good airtime, so dont expect your bike to be grounded for too long. Lines are as professionaly crafted as youdd expect of a place like Whistler.

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As I mentioned earlier, I wont be posting much more Whistler pics, as I have 12 gigs of vid, that im currently compiling into a short vid. So, this wraps up my bikepark side of Whistler. If you got any questions, feel free to ask, the comments section does not require any sign-in.

I got more stuff tho', you see, I stumbled upon some trails outside the park, and got a bit of a surprise..

Stay tuned.

Sorry for the lack of updates.

2011-05-23T11:13:00.000-07:00

But my hands are full

Stay tuned

Teaser Video

2011-05-14T03:35:00.000-07:00

60 seconds of trail action in 2 German bikeparks.

Follow the link to see a better quality:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v96zA8ypSUY&hd=1

Gear update 2

2011-05-11T01:08:00.000-07:00

Got back from an AWESOME weekend of German bikepark action(Winterberg and Braunlage). I had such a blast, and had a great time testing my gear. Biggest surprise is the RockShox Boxxer R2C2 2011. Just WOW, what a difference! Plush beginning beginning stroke, a midstroke that actually exists, and a end stroke that wont bend your bars when you get to it. Adjusting low and highspeed rebound took an entire day to find the sweetspot, but I think I got it now.

The bike itself was just shredding, it has such a playfull character. You sit deep into the bike, so its more like that, rather than sitting on the bike, its more intuitive with your body movement, that's the best way I can describe it. I also got a chance to test the claimed "active suspension while braking" - and it does just that. The 200mm up front and rear makes everything faster and more forgiving in the bikeparks than my previous bike, the Enduro SL. I had a blast.

Anyway, more gear landed at my door step, so let me take you through it:

My SRAM X-0 shifter finally died. So I went with a SRAM X-9 this time. BEWARE, its a full 5 GRAMS(!) heavier than the X-0. Silly.

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Got the newest Freerider 2011 shoe from FiveTen, propably the best shoe for platform pedals there is. Its the third generation, and the one that has seen most revisions and improvements. Shredding almost 200 grams, a bit lower profile, and its a bit more ventilated up front.

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Got a direct mount stem from Superstar Components for my Boxxer. Im not sure what size fits me best, so I went with a cheap option to see if it fits. It might be a bit hard to see the weight numbers, but the scale says 150g.

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Specialized Clutch SX Dual Ply for the DH trips. I was using this on the rear wheel this weekend for the DH runs, but I originally intended this tire to be up front for wet/muddy or very loose conditions. Actual weight: 986 g. More on this tire later.

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Forgot all about posting the weight of the RockShox Boxxer R2C2 2011. 3.09kg (6.8lbs) Uncut steerer:

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Gear update

2011-05-05T01:33:00.000-07:00

Ive had alot of things going on right now with my gear. So I thought ill give you guys an update.

Finally got my Monarch RT3 back from service, the compression and rebound adjuster didnt work, so I had to send it in. Now I got it back and installed it onto the bike, and was happy to see the compression adjuster is working - however the rebound adjuster still didn't work! Man that sucks! I though SRAM would at least check the shock after servicing it. Apparently they dont. CanfieldBrothers.EU told me they where sorry (its not their fault), and that they would contact SRAM in order to get this right - once and for all.

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Got a new set of PointOneRacing Pedals under warranty. Im quite sure that PointOneRacing has continuous revisions, some of it is already evident, so im hoping for a longer lifespan for this set ; ) Check out the new raw finish. I have a weak spot for these pedals, so even tho I gave them a hard time in my review, I still gladly run them - they are that sweet (when working). I still havent got the longer pins, so im not installing them just yet.

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..What I do have installed are these flat pedals from SuperStar Components. The CNC Nano Tech pedals has got alot of very positive reviews, and I have to admit that they feel pretty good, sturdy, and are pretty thin. Lets see how they hold up. 450g btw.

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Its late spring, and the bikepark trips are queuing up. So check out the bikepark setup. Following changes are made compared to my normal AM setup:
-RockShox Boxxer R2C2 2011 up front.
-Vivid RC2 2011 in the back, coil set to 30% sag.
-Adjustable seatpost swapped with a normal one, with a lightweight saddle.
-Dual Ply tire up front. 2.3" (Specialized Chunder SX)
-Pedal boots on my SIXC crank.

Im really looking forward to test this setup. I got a Dual Ply rear tire ready for installation as well, should the conditions require it.

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15.98 kg. Thats 35.16 lbs. Not bad.
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A BOXX of fun..

2011-05-02T09:55:00.000-07:00

Low/High speed compression, Low/High speed rebound, and bottom out resistance - right at my fingertips.

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Stick around.

Testing the GOPRO HD

2011-04-29T02:59:00.000-07:00

Got my hands on the GO PRO HD. Ive just got it, so im still fumbling with functions. I took it for a spin today, just a test session, and tried different positions with the chest mount.

Its got some neat vid functions such as the ability to record 720p at 60 fps - for that silky smooth recording. Or up to a 1080p at 30 fps. I'm playing around with the 960p as im told its the best mode for a chest mount.

Sound isn't good, the cam is tucked into a "bulletproof" housing, and that hinders proper sound recording. No biggie for me tho'. Other than that my initial impressions are very positive, it seems to be a quality product. The outer lens has a bit of a fish eye effect, great for trail shooting when cam is mounted on a helmet or chest strap.

Chest mount - obviously without the cam attached. It fits me well, and im currently trying to make it co-work with my Camelbak - no real issues yet:

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The GOPRO HD is also capable of taking pics (5mp):

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Trail pic from the GOPRO (compressed). I just had to share this. Story behind pic: I love to attack corners, but I almost took it a bit too far this time - my rear end drifted more than planned, and I came so far down horisontically that I almost hit the ground with my left hand (see pic). Crazy thing about this is that I actually came out of this without crashing - and without foot tapping the ground(!) See last section of the vid below to see this move in action.

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Raw test-video.Compressed. 40 sek.

Review: Point One Racing Podium Pedals

2011-04-25T11:02:00.000-07:00

9 months of testing complete. It was all good and dandy - untill the testing suddenly ended. So lets take it from the beginning; Lets go 9 months back:

First thing that came to mind when I got hold of these pedals is that they are big! Its 100mm x 100mm but thats the platform itself, actual size is bigger. Second thing that struck me was that these pedals are VERY thin, coming in at 11mm, these pedals are literally thinner than your little-finger.

Ive mostly been running these pedals at my local trails. Definitely not a place thats hard on pedals, ive also taken them to several bikeparks, and some evil rockgardens as well. But the pedals mostly (90%) saw pedal friendly trails.
So it came to me as a surprise when they recently died on me. These pedals are some of the most expensive platform pedals money can buy - I figured they would at least outlast their warranty. Somehow the pedal-body torn itself from the axle. Bummer. Warranty has me covered tho'.
So my excitement for the Podium Pedals went from sky high, to pure dissapointment.

The quality is very high - with beautiful CNC cutting at angles and places I didn't even know was possible, it just oozes quality. Work it Minion:

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Instead of spilling more words, let me just sum it up for you:

The Good:
-Very thin
-Pedal-BODY is tough
-Big and comfortable platform
-Weight
-Easy on the eyes, man are they sweet looking.

The Bad:
-Pins can be hard to swap if they get damaged
-They ultimately failed

I hate when stuff fail, and I refuse to recommend you guys stuff that doesnt cut it, score obviously reflects that:

Score: 0/6

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I got some longer pins, increasing grip.

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Ultimately it failed

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April AM 2

2011-04-20T11:09:00.000-07:00

Been doing a ton of riding, im so stoked about the new lines that I can hardly keep my bike still. 2 tight swithback sections, and a huge whip-compatible(finally) jump with an oversized transition with enough room to land a friggin 747 should you mess up the whip. Handy. No pics yet tho'

Besides sessioning the lines, I managed to continue my gear destruction: First it was the Podium Pedals, then my Camera (third time, fuck you right back Casio), now its my X0 rear derailleur - this really has to stop. Im still riding, so cant really complain ; )

Enjoy the pics, got lucky there.

I really like this picture - it has a sort of anti-symmetric vibe to it. Btw, make no mistake, im working hard here : )

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There is a line between all those trees:

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Small offcamber drop:

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A bit bigger drop, and uber smooth landing IF you get the transition right. Spitfire landing here, takeoff in upper left corner:

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Ditching the front derailleur was a good decision, definitely improves on explosive acceleration when needed - the clean look is just a bonus : )

April AM

2011-04-16T01:23:00.000-07:00

We had some awesome rides lately, some of the more recent lines are still getting dialed in, but they are getting faster everyday.

Sessioning a fun descend, the bike absolutely rips when pointed downwards:

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Drea on his Norco Range, sweet bike

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Some steep tech:
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Mr.Madsen on his Specialized SX:
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Man, why do these things keep happening to me:
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More to come

Shock trouble

2011-04-13T00:27:00.000-07:00

Quick summary of recent events:

The bad: Turns out that my Rock Shox Monarch RT3 is faulty. Rebound and compressions settings didn't work properly. Huge disappointment! Ive sent it back to CanfieldBrothers.eu and they promised me a quick resolution.

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The good:

Just got the RockShox Vivid R2C 2011. The top of the line coil shock from RockShox. So Im technically still on two wheels.

HOWEVER, the Vivid R2C shock is setup for bikeparks and DH sessions only, its sagged at 30% for that reason - not ideal for techy AM.

So for the moment im riding the coil, and it does admittedly feel a bit weird, a bit unresponsive, and harder to pedal. But as soon as I point the bike downhill, it just blows my mind! Such a sick shock for the descends! Watch out for the preview of the Vivid R2C right here on All Mountain Next.

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Review: Michelin Wild Rock'R 2.25"

2011-04-09T02:21:00.000-07:00

Michelin hasn't been on peoples mind for a long time regarding mtb tires. Michelin somewhat lost grip of the market, and other companies has been more than villing to fill the gap. So for 2010 Michelin decided to get back into the market with a fresh new line of tires, some revised classics, as well as a new approach to costumers via marketing. One of these tires is the Michelin Wild Rock'R, an All Mountrain compatible tire, that somewhat resembles a Maxxis Minion tire, one of the best tires out there - so does it mimic more than just the looks?

Ive been running this tire for some time now, in soft and loose conditions, both dry and wet, and this is actually a decent performing tire, I have a hard time putting my finger on a single bad thing for these conditions - well besides the slight-above-medium rolling resistance. The big side logs does its job in the corners, in off camber situations, and the tire hasn't let me down a single time yet, to my surprise, and Ive been trying to push this tire hard. Speaking of rolling resistance, the big and tall center logs provide great grip in loose/wet/muddy conditions, but Its not a fast tire on hardpack, so dont expect Maxxis Highroller/Specialized Chunder performance. Do, however, expect mistake swallowing performance.

UPDATE: Been also using this tire as a rear-tire for the last 3 months, and it shows a performance thats to my linking. Great control, predictable drifting, and a serious grip. The thread holds up just fine, well more than just fine, because I can hardly see its been used, michelin did a good job there. The Wild Rock'R performs great in muddy and wet conditions as well. I really feel that this is a very good balanced tire. There is just one thing, and its the rolling resistance, its not BAD, but its definately there. Is it worth it? It is yes. The rolling resistance does wear off abit after some bedding in.

Great tire for the All Mountain biker who gets his bike into loose trail conditions, its a tire that really sticks to the line and keeps it there. The generous size also adds to the score - this tire has a great volume. Wild Rock'R is preferable in the fall/winter/spring time due to its cut out.

Size: 2.25"
Tested on: Front and Rear
Claimed weight: 690 gram
Actual weight: 717 gram
Score: 6/6

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Put it into wet or moist conditions, and watch it work.

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Competent as a rear wheel tire as well.

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Recent All Mountain sessions

2011-04-05T01:05:00.000-07:00

There has been a ton of riding recently, and I got to ride a bit more on my new frame, yay for that! : )

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..whilst still stumbling upon new lines:

Im a bit uncertain about how big this drop actually is, feels smooth tho' - IF you hit the transition that is..

The Banshee Spitfire rips into a corner. Go ahead and enlarge the pic, its a lucky shot with all the "debris" in the air:

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But the result was this, tire popped out of its rim:

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Its a bit hard to see, but this is actually a decent sized stepdown:

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More to come.

Preview: E-Thirteen LG1+ Chain Guide

2011-04-01T00:43:00.000-07:00

I finally ditched my 2x9 gear setup, and went for a 1x9 setup instead. I have some quite demanding climbing sections on my primary trails, so I wonder how it goes. But im optimistic, as ive been forcing myself to use only the 32 front ring the last 4 months, thereby simulating a 1x9 gear ratio. It went surprisingly well, and as a bonus It actually made my legs stronger.

I had a bashguard ring on my RaceFace SIXC crankset, but got sick and tired of chaindrops when things got shaky (bigger drops and jumps). So I decided to ditch the bashguard ring entirely and get the chainguide with a taco-bashguard.

I look forward to fully test this device, and to see how it fares with wear and tear. Check out the review soon here on All Mountain Next.

Propably the lightest chainguide/bashguard system out there.

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Honeycomb design, keeping it strong while reducing weight:

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Indicators for ring size:
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By installing it, I ditched the front derailleur, the front shifter itself, cables, bolts, a bashguard ring, and the 22t front ring, all in all it turned out to be alot of weight:
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Be sure that your frame-warranty supports a ISCG tabs powered taco bashguard. Not all frames does, and thats even tho' they have the ISCG tabs.

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On the trail it runs smoothly, best of all; no more chain dropping.

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And there she is..

2011-03-29T08:45:00.000-07:00

First 7 hours of testing complete.

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Big thanks goes out to Christain, who helped me build it up. Thanks man.

More to come.

New Frame - Canfield Brothers ONE 2011

2011-03-26T03:42:00.000-07:00

Finally got my new frame!

The service I got from CanfiedlBrothers.eu was awesome. I presented my problem, with the broken Enduro frame, and Canfield Brothers.eu told me they would ship the frame by plane, so that I could get the frame earlier - so that I could be back on my wheels ASAP. Awesome. Now its finally here, lets take a look:

I went with the black ano, with white links:

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12mmx135mm thru axle. I was getting sick and tired of the pre historical quick release 9mm axle. Thru axle was one of my deciding factors when choosing between frames. You would think that such a huge axle would be a big weight gain, but actually, it reduced the weight with 22 grams on the hub and axle itself - compared to my previous standart QR setup. Notice the pinch bolt system:

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Sturdy ISCG tabs. Im going with a 1 x 9 gearing for this build, so a chainguide with a taco bashguard is already waiting to be installed.

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So I basically sold the lightest 160mm AM frame there is (the new Sworks Enduro), and got myself one of the most heavy instead : ) Im confident that ill benefit from it despite that - speed wise and tech wise. Weight without shock, size medium, in kg:

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I thought a long time about what rear shock to get, Ill primary be riding AM, so I went for the 2011 Rock Shox Monarch RT3 with a High Volume canister. More about this shock later. Ill be running another shock for the bikeparks tho'. Notice the 2 different shock-mount-holes, one is for 165mm, the other is for the 190mm - with the current rearshock size.
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Im almost done building her up, and the bike is starting to look downright evil..

Its here..

2011-03-25T08:10:00.000-07:00

Oh yes:

More to come..

Jump Session

2011-03-21T02:38:00.000-07:00

Finally a jump session. I haven't been jumping since I broke my frame, so when I got the opportunity to catch some air I emidiately went for it. We went riding for 4 hours, mostly sessioning sections, adjusting a few things on the trails, and Christian even had a big crash in the end of the day.

Out of shape, skills lacking, rusty and a bit unsecure. But I had a really fun day nonetheless. Besides my hardtail, I got to borrow Christians Banshee Spitfire now and then, such a fun and nimble bike to ride:

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A small stepup, good fun.

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New stepdown:

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Talk about a deep impact; check out the tire and rim...

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Im sooo looking forward to get the new bike, its like waiting for friggin christmas when I was a kid.

New gear: Shelter Frame Protection

2011-03-16T07:49:00.000-07:00

Well perhaps its not gear per se, but its interestingly enough for me to make a small post about it. Got this stuff for my soon-to-be-here frame. And before I explain what so special about this, you should see for yourself:

Pretty cool huh? I will update you guys on how it goes with installation, and how it holds up.

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It contains two 55mm X 500mm strips, enough to plaster most of your bike, and downtube.

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Its surprisingly thick.

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Hardtail Hell

2011-03-09T12:41:00.000-08:00

So, im currently without a bike, well, I do have a backup frame, so... BAM! there it is, my current ride:

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Its like being bombed back to the stone age - the most inefficient rear wheel tracking there is, and im stuck with it until the new frame arrives. The headangle is about 73 degree, and that does absolutely nothing for me, im not being negative, it just doesn't. The seattube diameter is small, so I cant fit my adjustable seatpost either. Bummer.

The frame is a Merida, they are actually big players, they weld Specialized frames as well. The model is the TFS, it has a nice low toptube, that invites you to play around. It climbs well, but I truly dont feel any advantage compared to the Enduro and its horst link. Im not faster on the climbs or anything. As I said before, im back to the stone age - and it hurts to be here.

Dropped the seat here, before entering a fun tech section, dont blame me for not trying ; )

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Installed my millenium bar (750mm), works surprisingly well for xc hardtail riding, even tho' I do pretty much no aggressive riding at all right now. Installed nc17 mag pedals as well. Other than that its all flimsy xc gear - it does its job, for xc. Man do I look forward to get the new ONE frame from Canfield Brothers.

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Speaking of the Canfield brothers, and to end this post with some stokage, you should check out this vid. Its Chris and Lance (guys behind Canfield Brothers) ripping it up, and I really do mean RIPPING:

Catastrophic frame FAIL

2011-03-03T13:52:00.000-08:00

There you go:

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What happened? We where riding a fast, but easy descend with two small jumps. Fun section, and we actually rode it over and over for more than an hour, then suddenly I heard this nasty *CRACK*, and my frame just collapsed under me. The shock eyelet had given in, and got torn completely off the frame. This frame is dead.

What about warranty? You can say alot about Specialized, but I have a hard time saying anything bad about their warranty. They had me covered 2 times with the frame, and 2 times with my Specialized e150 fork. Its allways been a no-bull shit approach. And so it was this time as well, they gave me the new revised Enduro S-Works platform. Shock eyelets are positioned in a completely different way, putting less stress on the frame, way better than the old frame imo, and I have a hard time imagining that this could happen to the newer frame.

Yearh, you can call this a pretty cool warranty: If a frame ever was sexy, this would be it.

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What now? I really saw this is as a hint for me to go try something different, so im all over that. I sold the warranty frame, and began to think about what other frame to get. I wanted something with a different suspension type, dont get me wrong, I like the horst link, but I just wanted something new (no single-pivot tho'). Also wanted a more versatile frame, that could be adjusted. I also wanted to have a low leverage ratio (shock-stroke, vs wheel travel). Climbing capabilities are important, so is descending. It should be bikepark compatible as well. Frame weight is not important, nor is material (carbon/alu) - function is everything. Those of you following this blog might not be surprised that I ended up going for the yet to be released Canfield Brothers 2011 ONE frame.

Just check out the specs. Insane geo, adjustability, flexibility, and more feature packed than anything else out there. This frame is way ahead of its time, and the numbers are perfect for aggressive AM, so I already have my expectations set high. The frame should be here sometime this month. Oh, did I mention it will be equipped with a 2011 Monarch Plus? : )

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Vids of 2010

2011-02-25T03:15:00.000-08:00

Better late than never, here is a compilation of the vids I did in 2010.

So 2010 started with 2 test video's with the Casio FC100, cool thing about this cam is that it has the ability to shoot up to a 1000 pics a second(!), for the first two movies I settled with 210 pics, as I wanted to keep the quality as nice as possible. This vid shows early 2010 riding, and even has rare in-country dh session footage in the end:

So this is the second High speed test vid, it came out pretty good, and I really like the exploding tree stumps in the end - came out great:

Source was meant to be a true All Mountain video, and I'm happy how it turned out - considering its all self-filmed. However I wish Idd shot some more footage riding in the breathtaking scenery, instead I somewhat ended up using the footage that doesn't really showcase the huge mountain and the surroundings. Bummer - but I learned my lesson. The video edits and music edits took forever to get right, but it was a fun project, and this video reminds me of the best mountain bike riding I have ever done. Almost to a nostalgic degree:

I usually don't release unfinished projects, but I really didn't feel I could do any thing else but, with the "Trail riding - Fall 2010" vid. I started to film in the mid-fall, and ended it late fall, realizing I had to cut it where it was, the forest light changed so much that proper continuity wasn't longer possible. It came out ok, but for some odd reason my skills truly accelerated after the end of the shooting of this movie, and I feel somewhat distant to its content today. The mix between high speed and normal speed had a mixed reception, I for one like it, I do however acknowledge room for improvement:

I had loads and loads of unused footage from bikeparks and general riding on my harddisk, and after our trip to Winterberg, I just had to mix it all up into a small vid. Chainsmoker was actually made, from start to finish, in just 2 weeks, thats pretty fast considering some vids take several months (eg Source). The video edit file itself actually crashed in the very late edit fase, and everything got deleted. I did a huge facepalm, took a deep breath, and released what I had so far, luckily I was so late into the production, that its almost not noticable that this is in fact a "beta-edit". The trained eye might catch a few glitches here and there:

So thats it, I hope to shoot alot more in 2011, im looking into some new vid-gear, that im getting pretty excited about, so stick around. All Mountain Next.

Snowy jump session

2011-02-18T10:18:00.000-08:00

Its back..the snow : /

We did a small jump session despite that, and the day ended up being pretty sweet anyway. We shot a few pics as well.

Always a joy to watch Morten and his tricks:

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Christian trying out a small whip to his left side, considering he is a "right" man, he did pretty good.

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Morten did a full moto-whip, its hard to show with a single pic:

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BONUS: Got an itching nose mid-air? No problem! :

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February rides

2011-02-13T06:48:00.000-08:00

Never even dreamed about riding as much as I did last month, hopefully February will be just as awesome, it has a good start nonetheless : )

Finally switched back to normal tires. The Schwalbe Ice Spiker are great in snow and ice, but a real drag for everything else. So currently its the Michelin Wild Rock'r for the front, and Kenda Excavator for the rear.

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..And installed a Fox Float R, known for its simplicity and reliability. And despite its simple setup, this shock rocks. Competent midstroke, and endstroke is pretty good as well, definitely comparable to a full blown rp23 in that regard. Still waiting for the 2011 Monarch tho'.

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One of the bigger drops got angled a bit different, huge improvement if you like air-time. Landing is by the tree:

Review: Manitou ISX-6

2011-02-10T13:12:00.000-08:00

The mysterious Manitou ISX-6. Why mysterios? Because no one really knows how it works or how you tune it - well outside Manitou. You see, Manitou has been tight lipped about information that's otherwise normally freely available online. So that leaves the end user in a unwanted game of guessing, and googling for information and experiences from other users. None of it is official.

The Manitou ISX-6 rear shock comes with independent high and low speed compression damping adjustments, rebound adjustment, volume control (which controls spring rate near the end of travel), and spring rate (air pressure). These are all the controls you need for everything from stuttery, rutted, rocky trails to big drops that would normally cause your bike’s rear end to bottom out.

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Ok, so how is the performance? Thing is that all this doesnt work in harmony together.
High speed and low speed compression are barely noticeable from its low-high setting, rebound is ok, but its easy to adjust either too much, or too little. Speaking of rebound, it feels like its loosing its "power" when you return from mid or end stroke, like if you prejump something, that results in a bike thats less "pop-able" good for some riders, bad for others I guess - I didnt like it. The volume control works great tho', and has a good use if you like to tune the end stroke a bit. Speaking of end stroke, this shock makes good use of it, just like the midstroke, this shock takes some effort to blast through it, making this shock effective even when sagged deep - good for those DH sessions, make no mistake tho' a coil will do the job better.

The ISX-6 is useable for trail riding, but there are better shocks for this.

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Let it loose in a bikepark, and enjoy its performance. It wont beat a coil tho'

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I have been on 4 different shocks in 2010, but after aprrox 4-5 months of effective trailtime on the ISX-6, the shock finally failed. Big disappointment, this is an high end and expensive shock, and it really shouldn't fail this fast. After a medium sized drop at 1.5m (4-5 feet) to a good transition, my ISX-6 rearshock made a "pop"-sound and all air blew out of it(!). Adding more air did nothing - the shock was dead. Here you see how the shocks sits in its travel when I sit on the bike. Indicators on the picture show how much travel I have left.

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I was about to score this shock 3/6, but since it failed after only 4-5 months of effective use, I cant give it more than a zero, this failure is unacceptable. The Manitou ISX-6 is an expensive way to partially enjoy good midstroke and end stroke support.

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The good:
-Bottom out resistance adjuster works well.
-Can be sagged deep without blowing through the rest of the travel
-Acceptable midstroke

The bad:
-Low/High speed compression dials have little effect
-Rebound is not consistent
-No real online support
-Difficult to tune for efficient trail riding.
-It ultimately failed

Score: 0/6

Winter all mountain riding

2011-02-05T04:48:00.000-08:00

So I'm back on the FOX DHX 4.0 coil rear shock, and its been a joy to play around the descends and jumps. The climbs has gotten a bit harder tho', and it bothers me that the shock never really settles when riding - its always doing something. Nonetheless the rides recently has been friggin awesome, one of the trips even offered one hell of an all-day ride where we cashed in 6 hours and 20 minutes of trail time..not bad for a winter ride! I'm ready for more.

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Wait a minute, isn't that?? Well yes it is...

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Thomas trying out a natural drop:

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The spitfire in action:

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Working the whip, we really need a proper jump to practice it, with a proper kicker, and a whip-friendly landing.

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Review: Kenda Excavator 2.35"

2011-02-01T11:41:00.000-08:00

This Kenda Excavator 2.35" is one of the newer offerings from the Kenda family. It saw introduction in 2008, and was hailed and promoted as a moddable tire, as well as a (Kenda) Nevegal variant -but with more grip. The Kenda Nevegal didn't impress me, so I had some reservations regarding this tire - I'm happy to say that my reservations got put to shame. This is nothing like the Nevegal.

At first glance, this tire does looks like its going to create one hell of a rolling resistance. The odd placed knobs and special pattern made me think that this tire would feel sluggish and heavy. Happy to say I wrong!

The Kenda Excavator is a true workhorse, and that's apparent from the very first ride, it digs in and works with the soil and dirt as soon as needed, and does everything it can to avoid spinning or loosing grip. Roots, rocks, just bring it on, and you'd be surprised to see that wet conditions doesn't scare this tire away - it continues to work hard. The only time I lost control was when I hit deep mud in turns - but that pretty much kills every tire, unless its mud-specific, so I feel a bit bad about even mentioning it.

The weight is acceptable for AM, not too heavy, not that light, it just sits in the middle. The Excavator has a moderate rolling resistance, its size wise generous, has a very good braking and drifting control - definitely positive assets for any AM biker. I did wash out a few times, but I always saw it coming. The drifting that's possible with this tire leaves you with a big smile. The tire holds its thread impressively long, and I don't even remember cutting it any slack. The sidewall is strong, and proved itself through dozens of sharp rockgardens.
I see this tire as an all-year performer, for the trail rider, or the all mountain biker, you can even get away with it for dry DH/FR sessions. You wont get the most out of it by riding it on hardpack, nor does it excel in deep mud for DH, but spin it on some more "normal" yet demanding soil, and it will work for you. This is a very competent AM tire.

The Excavator won the best-tire award on mtbr.com in 2009, the fact that its modifiable make it even more desirable.

Size: 2.35" DTC
Tested on: Rear
Claimed weight: 735 +- 35gram
Actual weight: 752 gram
Score: 5/6

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Check out the official modding tips for this tire:

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Heavy Tech AM

2011-01-27T13:40:00.000-08:00

Oh yearh, 5 Hours of solid AM riding, jumps, drops, and fast lines was the name of the game, and we got what we came for. Some of the pics came out pretty good imo.

Christian rips it into a corner, and into a descend:

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Say hallo to "The Wall". A new spot that offers everything scetchy. Approach, kicker and landing, its all scetchy, and toys with your head, whispering "dont do it". But we did, although it took some mental persuasion. Here you see one of the 3 drops "the wall" has to offer, biggest is approx 4m (13 feet) - we didn't ride that tho'. Anyway, pic shows Christian and Kim discussing ridable lines. Awesome spot.

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I got to hand it to Kim, we tried to stress this guy with scetchy stuff, but time after time he ended up riding the same stuff as us "locals". Props man.

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Chritian and me playing around with whips (still learning mind you), we have two very different approaches to it. Whereas Chitian is using his energy to pull the whip back in, I on the other hand want to flip it out as far as possible, while still landing on the front wheel - making my get-away. Pic of my take on it comming soon. Meanwhile Chritian brings it:

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Working for speed:

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One of my best pics yet, no edits, this is how it actually came out.

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Christian drops "the wall" - we all did btw. Raw edit. No sound. 210 fps. 17 sec:

Frosty AM riding

2011-01-23T12:20:00.000-08:00

The snow has retreated, thus opening otherwise inaccessible trails. Makes me a happy mountain biker : )

Its good to be on back on the AM trails again:

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Frost is a returning guest, the good thing is that it makes the forest ground very hard, and that makes for some pretty fast lines:

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New lines are popping up everywhere these days, kinda crazy, Ive been riding past by some of these spots for years without noticing them. Testing a new line:

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The lost pictures.. 2010

2011-01-19T07:39:00.000-08:00

Shot in 2010, printed in 2011. Sometimes we end up shooting a lot of good or interesting pictures, but not all make it all the way to this blog. So I decided to bundle a small selection of some of the good/curious/interesting/disturbing pics from 2010, that missed the blog-publication. Enjoy the pics.

Lets start out with this cool pic. Morten sticks the bike into the air in the midst of a dawn

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The most evil mountain climb I have ever ridden, it just went on like this, and there was no "line". Tatry Mountains, Poland.
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Hilmer on the Continental track in Winterberg, Germany.
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Ever seen a forest crab?
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Some pics miss publication for obvious reasons. My eyes.
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I shot this pic from a "trail" in the Tatry mountains, this place still stands as the best AM terrain ive ever ridden. It spawned an endorphin explosion in my head. Good times.
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