While working out all dates, I found that one weekend stood out against the rest. The first weekend of may is Enduro Nirvana for us in Central Europe, 6 events and counting! How cool is that?!

• Metabief Open Enduro
  
• Punta Ala (PRO#2 Super Enduro)
• Clans (1001XMB)
• Enduro de l’Ambleve (L’EREC)
• Meziers (Val de Seine Enduro tour)
• Sainte Marie Aux Mines (Elzas Bluegrass enduro)

Hard to choose? Check locations here, perhaps I’ll see you in Remouchamps (Enduro de l’Ambleve L’EREC)?

Top Enduro Weekend 5th and 6th of may 2012 weergeven op een grotere kaart
Visit: Enduro-mtb.nl

First, some background

As you’ve read on my blog, I’ve owned several bikes and did some testriding for Mountainbike.nl. I have no technical knowledge on how and why something works on a bike, but I know what I like and what works. Also, I have been puking my guts out the days prior to riding on the Slash. So I should not be very fit. Not the best circumstances to ride?

At first glance

I picked up my Slash at Fietsshop Uitgeest, my sponsor and well partner as we both started this team with 4 young riders and ourselves as senior riders on board. It is so shiny, the bike, the Kashima coating looks so sexy and our orange parts fit perfect with it. Some may add a few gram to the bike and the weight of the complete bike with new parts (incl.  pedals) was 14.8kg (32,6 lbs). It’s significant and prior to riding I was worried about the weight. Although I must admit, my Remedy was slightly heavier on racedays. So, considering what the bike is targeted for, I might not complain too much and ride first!

Schoorl

On of most popular xc tracks in Holland, 14 km long with 207m climb. Consider: we’re HOLLAND! Anyway, let’s not debate the practical choice for riding with the slash here, I was in the area ;-) But most people ride hard tails here, so how do I get by with the Slash?

I like a steep angle and rode the lap with the TALAS at 120 mm, it gave me a little xc edge. The  Float kept on position 2 (ride) the whole time but once. Normal pressure, no additional trail tuning.

What I noticed first was: it rides so easily, so light… but wait… it’s heavy I can feel that… How is that possible? Because the Slash sticks to the ground like glue, it’s grounded so you feel it’s weight. But it peddles so light and effectively you gain and maintain speed almost without effort. Schoorl is a bumpy ride, but on board the Slash you hardly notice it, it just gains speed because it’s so grounded.

The few steeper climbs in Schoorl where not a problem for me, I never had to dismount and finally I tried the famous “climb” switch and this bike became ridiculously fantastic at climbing. This feels like my Fuel ex with fat tires. I am not kidding, the Slash has a much better fit for me than the Fuel ex does, so it was even easier for me to climb! Forget comparing it to the Remedy, let’s compare with the Fuel ex!

Nijmegen

Saturday’s sun was long gone, or even… it never reached Nijmegen where it’s been muddy and raining for weeks. Januari 8th I was there with the Fuel ex: rain and mud. Now I was here with the Slash: rain and mud. Sounds like a good comparison? Oh wait, I had been sick a week and rode the day before D2/D3, I should be a little less fit.

You can see, we did almost the same trails and same climbs/descends (fuel ex: 21,55km 232m up | Slash 22,38km 246m up). Green is trail-profile and blue is speed. On board the Slash my speed seems overall a bit faster! For your comparison, heart-rate was the same for both rides. Average 146 and Max 177 for the Fuel ex and 174 for Slash. Average moving speed on the Fuel ex was faster according to Garmin 13,4km/h and 12,6km/h on the Slash.

You could study on the differences, but I see an overall of higher speed on board the Slash.

In short, for now

Okay, that was fun for the statistical geeks like me, but you just wanted to know how it rides and see the pictures. I’m pleased about the riding and climbing capabilities, this bike deserves a fitter me (working on it). The weight is noticeable, it’s very grounded. That gives you a little mental set-back, you should let go of that feeling on hinder, because it doesn’t hinder you at all and it’s you’re call wether or not you know are faster on this bike or your that mind is telling you nonsense.

I will not elaborate on the descents for now, you will believe me when I say it’s great and performs outstanding, I should go some place more deserving of such conclusions before saying more about this point.

Well, yeah it’s one hell of a bike and if you can afford one I have no idea why you should look further, this is the bike for enduro-riders that want no compromise going up or going down.

Shut up… show me the pictures already!

I’m so stoked right now. A little sad that I can’t ride myself this weekend to go out and play, but there will be riding this weekend, somewhere in the Netherlands around the border near Germany and Belgium you may see it in real live. Don’t stare too much if you see them ;-)

Don’t forget to check out Teamfietsshopuitgeest.nl for updates, we hope to have a new version of our website up within a week.

Trek Slash 9 review on Bikeradar.com

“It’s expensive, but Trek’s Slash delivers astonishing control and composure for enduro downhill or all-mountain blasts”

Vital MTB on the Slash 9

1. Buy a kettlebell!

If anyone can explain what it’s good for, it’s James Wilson:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_lZz7NmAXg

2. Do core stability!
   Adds strength and stability, so you can last longer and ride better. Even faster I dare say. You don’t need fancy equipment, just an exercise mat for your comfort. Want suggestions? Cycling crunches, plank or mountain climber-plank, or side plank, push-ups even single leg push up or wait: spiderman pushups! I can go on for hours, just mail me if you need more! Again 3 times a week for about 15 minutes is just right, don’t over do it.
3. D1 training: endurance.
   We all love just to go out and ride and if you don’t feel tired afterwards… we say we didn’t work hard enough! Training exactly these low heart rate zones (meaning: GO SLOW TAKE IT EASY) will allow you to recover faster and you’ll have the stamina to do the intensive workouts (or train a full race week(end) ).

Pinkbike.com: Road trips start with an idea, and at times it’s not your own, but one that is planted by someone else. This journey into the wild was nourished by our buddy Mike Dutton at Spank Industries, likely a result of surfing the web and wanting to live vicariously through his screen and our world, a world that is far from his desk. How could Mike experience an adventure without being there? He told us that he thought it was something that we should do, and we took the bait. Mike, here’s your trip!