leave no trace!

Are you a responsible rider? I mean, do you take the correct measures to keep your perfect trail in shape without affecting the surrounding wildlife?…  this one might be tricky, since sometimes we tend to overreact during trail building and riding. I would say that our backyard it’s the correct spot for building our little trail for a daily basis dose of MTB personal amusement, but we must be careful while riding in protected areas.

Guys, we should pass-by and drop the rock garden at full throttle, but we shouldn’t transform the trail to suit our needs. That’s what All Mountain Biking is all about!

I recently discovered the Leave No Trace organization, their Mission Statement  is self explanatory:

The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics is an educational, nonprofit organization dedicated to the responsible enjoyment and active stewardship of the outdoors by all people, worldwide.

If you can spare 5minutes of your precious time, have a look at the Leave No Trace Principles. Nature will thank you.

still in the couch?

Are you still in the couch???  what!!!…   at least check our new Media section and get some extra will to ride your bike!

January means… new season!

I there, happy new year! 

So…  it’s cold outside and it’s January, what to do?  get the calendar and mark the 2009 events you want to be in during this year, not the ones you would like to be just for fun, but mainly the ones you are really going to take seriously!!! done? okay, now that you have your goal, work for it!

how? prepare the machine (bike + yourself), which means train for it!  yup, training is never enough

which is my goal?  get ready for my second Megavalanche at Alp d’Huez.

“Bike-Sexual”, anyone?

Just got the perfect definition for some of us, directly from the Urban Dictionary…

Unlike guys who like gals, guys, or guys and gals; bike-sexual guys are only into bikes.
“I’m into him but it seems like he’s not into me. At first I thought he was stuck on his x-girlfriend but now I think he’s just bike-sexual”

well, I’m not into this bike-sexual stuff – I like girls! – but sometimes we (All Mountain Addicts) do seem to be a little bike-sexual…  see you in the trails!

Old bike vs new bike. A sad day, or the perfect day?

Last weekend was a mix of feelings….  I retired my SantaCruz Heckler frame and put it on sell.

At a first glance it shouldn’t be any problem on that (since I’m going to a Nomad), but thinking on what the Heckler gave to me I just wish I could afford to have both bikes…

I’m in the mountain bike scene since 1994, started with a GT bike and stick with it. Of course none of the original parts is still in the bike (the oldest is probably the Magura HS-22 Brakes, blue edition from 1996) but when I look at it I can remember a thousand stories I lived with this bike, It’s an open book for my memory.

In 2006 I decided that was time to get a bike specifically for the all day Epic rides (and maybe for some Avalanche races) and my SantaCruz Heckler was born (but still keep the GT). The perfect machine for the “do it all” task, never let me down, even once!  With it I learn the meaning of full suspension bikes (we can go much faster than on hardtails!); with it I started to experience previously impossible lines on the descends; I did my first Downhill Marathon Race (aka Avalanche races); I broke a rib; I understood why DH tires aren’t the best ones to climb (to heavy!); with it I went to the craziest MTB competition on earth in the French Alps, etc, etc…  summary: with my Heckler I understood the true meaning of the All-Mountain concept.

And now, I must sell my Heckler to buy a Nomad… why can’t I have both? not fair indeed. The Heckler set new boundaries for my riding, I wil never forget it.

bye, bye, baby Heckler… Hello Nomad! Was this a sad day or the perfect day?

Hello world!…

just to leave the typical “Hello World” message for all Mountain Addicts, let’s see some action!