November Ride

 Quick mash up from a few rides this November, testing the Go-Pro 10 Black.

Review: One UP - Aluminium Pedals

14 months of testing is done. The One Up Aluminium Pedals is a tad overhyped. While having a strong dna-potential it ultimately falls flat due to inferior grip. And i'm all about grip.

I had more than one direct hit into rocks and stones, and this pedal is surprisingly tough and durable. The axle spins just fine, even after the 14 months. The other thing i really did enjoy was the sheer size of the platform; 115mm x 105mm. Its quite thin as well. The mass ends up at a respectable weight: 383 grams.

So lets address the elephant in the room: Despite having 10 tough and long pins per side, the pins don't bite deep into your 5.10 shoes. Well definitely not deep enough, I had multiple occasions where my foot slipped and I lost grip, I know its due to the pins. Its such a shame really, as this could have been one outstanding pedal.

Claimed weight is 365 grams. Actual weight is 383g.

I had to use a grindstone to grind the pins into sharper entities. The grip was simply not up to the standard of former pedals i've had.

In the end, this pretty pedal ends up disappointing due to its lackluster grip. These pedals are outrun by (sadly discontinued) pedals sucks as LG2 and Predators.

Pros:

- Tough body and pins

-Thin

-Large

-Low weight

Cons:

-pins are too fat for optimal grip

Score: 4/6

On

...and Epstein didn’t kill himself

Happy new year

Let me help you out with 2018:

-Eat less sugar (its bad for you)
-Get of Facebook (this is bad for you as well)
-Push everything to get most out of life. Be it riding, climbing, reading, laughing, education, self-knowledge, cooking or fucking. PUSH.

You are welcome.

Just sayin'

The industry doesn't want you to maintain and ride your current bike for 5-8 years. With proper maintenance, a bike can last a long time. That cuts into revenue. So the "solution" is to make your parts outdated as quickly as possible so that you have to "upgrade".

A comfort zone is a nice place, but nothing grows there.

The sum of all Experience

A video from my favorite day in Whistler. Surprisingly few people know that the best stuff in Whistler, is outside the bikepark. Jan, Jakob and I, along with a group of 5 guides went deep into the forest outside the park.

Video is 6 minutes long. Expect a lot of "ooouuh" "ahh" and "Wow!"

For those who want to know, trails ridden in the vid: Top of the World, Khybers Pass, Middle of Nowhere, Kasmir, Kush, Legalize It, Bush Doctor.

Whistler Mobile Edit

Vids from my phone. Quick and dirty edit, check it out:

We meet again, Whistler.

Je fais le même rêve tous les soirs

GCS 16

The Mobile Edit

Found some footage on my phone, compiled it into a short vid, go check it out:

Bump the lamp

Some recent riding, High speed footage.

I'm on a brand new laptop, without my usual editing software, so the cut is a bit rough, anyway, check it out : )

58sec 120fps

More from Winterberg

Some more footage from Winterberg, Germany. I start of solo, but am following Tom in the last bit.

HD 60fps 1.37min

Eating

Riding a new line in Winterberg Bikepark. Its not quite done yet, but we sneaked in a run or two.

Its not a difficult line, by any stretch of the imagination, but the lower sections allows for some warp-speed, and that's certainly enjoyable ; )

Anyway, here we go:

1m39sec 60fps HD:

Its floating in my bloodstream now

Jan got a new cam; the new Go-Pro Black. So we went out and gave it a test. The 1080p 120fps feature is crazy.

1080p 60 fps, 48sec:

Oh, btw we are still here, we actually never really went away ; ) Bike, blood, distance, and purple rings, all pouring in.

The birth of All Mountain Next LITE!

Welcome to All Mountain Next LITE!

This is a scaled down version of my All Mountain Next Blog, this "LITE" version is updated whenever I want, with what I want. The number of updates is going to be fewer, but that lies in the word "LITE" I guess. There will still be an occasional review, a video, pics, and an opinion. I might go out of left field once in a while, unless I reserve that for an entire new project I'm working on. Anyway..Its going to be good, so stick around..

Cya! : )

The Death of All Mountain Next

This is the final post of All Mountain Next as you know it. Its been a fun and educative 7 year long run for me. But it ends here.

So I ended up with;

528 posts

780 comments

..during the 7-year-ish lifespan. And can proudly say that I had the biggest non-commercial mtb-blog in the country I live in.

And a few fun facts:
Amount of  FiveTen shoes torn to pieces during the life of this blog: 13

Visits to the ER: 2

Broken bones: 0

Broken honor: 2

Bikes owned during the life of this blog: 6

Bikes broken during the life of this blog: 3

Carbon frames broken during the life of this blog: 2

Pedals destroyed during the life of this blog: 4
Amount of countries I visited on my bike during the life of this blog: 8

Worst bike so far: Trek Fuel EX 8

Worst component so far: Crankbrothers Joplin
Amount of bears spotted from the lift:1
Amount of blowjobs spotted from the lift:1
Most famous mtb-person I've met and talked to: Brett Tippie

Most Visitors from: USA

Most popular post (views): Review: POC vs FOX vs 661 vs SCOTT

Most controversial post (hate mails): The problem with Fox...

My personal favorite post: The Anatomy of Intelligent Trail Design

I am spoiled in my own autonomy, and haunted by my own ambitions. So I end it here, and start to focus on other aspects of life. Thanks all! : )

Stay tuned...what who said that??

Bending the Barnum effect

I'm still here, believe me.

And this is where I am:

Stay tuned.

Breaking the 4th wall

So as a part of my shutting down of the All Mountain Next blog, I am going to answer some of the questions I get in my inbox. Many of them get asked again and again, so let me take some of the most popular ones here;

Anex4real asks:
What bikeparks do you recommend?
Well the obvious answer would be Whistler. It really IS amazing. But I have to admit that the lines in Geneva (Monnetier-Mornex, Jura Mountains), made the biggest positive impression. Some of that stuff still rank among the best lines Ive ever ridden. And yes, there is a lift - just bring a guide tho'.

Minddoctor asks:
What is your profit from the All Mountain Next blog?
None. I never wanted it to be commercial. I guess the monetary independence has always appealed to me.

K12 asks:
Will you continue the blog at some point?
Not really.

OnionRiver asks:
What mountain bike would you recommend?
Depends on what you want to do on that bike. But today we got some seriously capable All Mountain rigs, so I would probably recommend that.

PoWeRoNiCs asks:
Do you often crash?
Actually very rarely. I'm just very lucky I guess.

PoWeRoNiCs asks:
Whats your worst crash?
I slammed my head into a tree once, after doing a drop, and had pain in my neck for like 6-7 months. Then there was this other time where I tore an artery in my foot. Freak accident.

Zana89 asks:
Can you add me in Overwatch?
What?

AlexT asks:
Do you dislike hardtails?
No, I just really don't like them.

Achmad Bisri asks:
How old are you?
I have many ages.

SIXTH
Where is your Instagram?
I actually don't have an account, but I will consider making one.

Quick95 asks:
Can I haz 222mm on my goat?
What is this? but yes.

(everyone) asks:
Is X better than Y?
If its not on my blog in a review, I would rather not comment on it.

Nombre Hombre asks:
How many dicks do I need to suck for you to continue the blog:
Just one.

Lost pics of 2016 Part 2/2

A few more pics;

I have a little fun on a table in Villingen Bikepark

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Kim hitting the tree-gap

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 So does Tom in this pic. I think this was his virgin-journey

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Well who doesn't get an instant erection when seeing some tight spandex. Karl knows this, and plays with our feelings..

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Jan about to eat travel on a drop-to-flat

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Tom pulling the eject-lever

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Small roadgap in Villingen Bikepark. Oh did we have a lot of fun that day..

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Lost pics of 2016 Part 1/2

The lost pics of 2016.

Some pics get lost, or don't get posted due to my space restrictions (I try to never post more than 6 pics at a time). And sometimes its a shame really, because some of them are actually quite good. Well, this post is where they get their redemption, I found 13 pics worthy of blog-publication (well actually found more, but hey, lets take it easy mkay).

The pics don't have to be dramatic or wacky, it can just be a good remembrance of a trip.

Take a look:

Henning hitting the tree-gap

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 Henning in Villingen, we where sessoning some tables

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Tom hitting some unofficial stuff

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Kim on the platform drop

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Mr.Madsen, on a yet-to-be-named booter.

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What I learned from 10 years of Mtb riding

So I just recently passed my 10th year of mountainbike riding, and you know what, I learned A thing or two in the process. From the bitter, to the optimistic, let me take you through what I've learned, perhaps I can pass on some knowledge. Some of it has been very expensive for me to learn, some of it has taken a lot of time to see a pattern, and some of it is just plain obvious. Take a look:

Today, cheap parts, are as good as expensive parts

With the exception of wheels and suspension parts, choosing the cheaper alternative in gear/parts, will not set you back performance wise. Yes there I said it, and I fucking stand by it.
(Yes there are a few exceptions to this, but they are rare, so shut up.)

For 56€ on CRC you can get this Shimano Zee derailleur. You can take a huge dump on it, and it will still shift crisply.

For 286€ you can get the SRAM XX1 derailleur on CRC.

A difference of 230€ (!!)

I dare you to look me into my eyes and say that those extra 230€ are justified against a Zee shifter..

A dropper post is a must

I don't care if you are on a hardtail, fully, on an allmountain rig, or a fatbike. A dropper post will be your friend. It adds so much to the enjoyment, at a small weight penalty. Nuff said.

When I started mountainbiking, there was no such thing as a dropper post, alot has happened in that regard over 10 years..

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What you drink, matters.

I started out by just drinking water when I was out riding. Today I drink a combination of :

-Magnesium (electrolytes)
-BCAA's
-Caffeine
-Creatine

And after 10 years of combining things, I really think I nailed it. My mix of ingredients listed above improves my concentration and increases alertness, it also reduces tiredness and fatigue, and it helps maintain hydration during our rides, and lastly, it builds up power and muscle. And I truly feel a difference. Don't just drink, drink smart.

From left to right: Tabs(magnesium, caffeine), BCAA, Creatine. Put all of it into your Camelbak, or water-bottle, and go ride!

(my gawd this picture resembles last new years eve .. )

Carbon is overrated

Oh sure carbon is sexy; those curves and weight savings can mesmerize anyone. Ive had my share of Carbon AND alu frames, and the carbon was never defining the ride. A great alu frame can outperform a carbon frame, and vice versa. What I'm saying is this; frame material does not matter; what matters is good design and engineering. 

Sure a carbon frame is sexy, but is it functionally superior to an extend, where there is an actual gain?

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Heavy chunk of alu, yes. But a truly great design, superior to the S-Works(s) Ive had.

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The bike industry is not your friend (although It wants you to think so)

26inch wheels are best.
29inch wheels are best.
27.5inch wheels are best.
27.5inch+tires are best
10 speed is best
11 speed is best
12 speed is best *facealm*
Boost 110 is best
Boost 148 is best
Metric shocks are best.
Wide rims are best.
and so on..

Oh the industry knows whats best for you right? No they are driving sales! Its actually very obvious, but I'm still shocked as to how many people just eat it raw, without really asking a simple question: "is this new change/standard really be something that will impact my riding experience"

..or are you just buying into the hype and marketing machine?

That brings me to...



Commercial reviews suck

Be it on Pinkbike, or some German bike magazine. In the end, these sites and magazines need to run a business. Salary comes from advertising. Advertisers need to sell products, good reviews sell more products. Do you see where I am going?

This is not witchcraft, its pretty simple actually. Commercial reviews have a huge bias towards the advertisers that put money into the website or magazine.

When the German magazine BIKE tests tires in a Schwalbe factory, the Schwalbe tire always wins...Hmmm that's odd.. *obvious sarcasm*...

Suck it down and love it!!

Ride with people that are technically better than you

If you have the chance or opportunity, then strive to ride with people that are more skilled than you. Observe what they do, at what speed they do it, and try to copy it! Be it tricks, small technical details, body positions - its all contagious. Watch and copy!

Be aware, that if you ride with less skilled people than yourself, you are being dragged in the same direction. You spend less time experimenting, you automatically copy "poor line choices" and in general, don't push anything forward.

Skills are contagious.

If you know (or find) a ripper, then watch and copy!

And a few bonus-"wisdom" points;

-Crash zones by drops or jumps can save your ass, or even your life.
-Riding improves mental being as well.
-Crashes; you always hit two things; knees and wrists.
-Explore the woods, there are gems everywhere.
-If you ever get the chance to ride on frozen dunes..then do it! Its amazing.
-You are more skilled than you think.
-Be polite and greet other riders. Its contagious.

Sure some of my points can be a bit controversial, but after 10 years I guess its aligned into these points. Don't agree? Fine! Put a comment in below : )

Cheers.

#ihasdrunk

All Mountain Next turns 7 years!

My blog turned 7 years, yay. This blog is just a few weeks from closure, so things are slowly shutting down regarding the content. But after 522 posts..I think I've done my job ; ) My stats are still very solid, so I'm actually not shutting this down due to the lack of interest. But I want to do something different.

So as of now I might go 2 ways:

1)Keep this blog in a "lite" version, with rare updates.
2)Just let the blog go.

I don't know, I got all these ideas for a different blog, and I currently don't know what to pick up. Its all in my brain, brewing, on the verge to pop my head.

Hello friend

So this is me last year dressing up for a convention, my mom (and her dog) gave me a ride. Anyway, 7 years of blog-writing makes you strong!

Okay, so this turned into a mess.

Recent Riding Part 3/3

Last batch of pics:

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Recent Riding Part 2/3

More shots from the woods:

Henning hitting the tree-gap

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Henning brought his YT Tues AL

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Jan hitting a new feature

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Mr Madsen got a "new" bike as well. Its a Commencal, thats all I rememeber.

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Kim giving the tree-gap a go

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