May E-bikes heal you

I have had it with electric mountain bikes, or rather with arguing about them, wondering what people have to say in that subject. Perhaps because I've also had it with converting people to what I think and that is the only thing I am willing to convert people to these days: to live and let live. I have read two e-cycle threads too much, one on Dirt website and one on a Swedish forum. It seems impossible, I know, but the growth of the supermassive black (a)hole in the internet, that appeared long time ago in the place of word "dignity" is accelerating. Aluminium, Disc brakes, air shocks, carbon, number of speeds, wheel size generated incredible amounts of pseudo intellectual garbage, mixed with dumb hate shyte that instead of repelling people, makes them gravitate towards it. Controversial opinion seems irresistible to be left alone. Here's what I think is the real issue in that subject, as with many others, I hope this article will shed some light on every discussion on the internet that got too long.

LEARN TO WHEELIE IN 30 DAYS! Ryan Leech can teach

I wanted to let you guys know about a real great site that I am a member of since some time. The MTB trials and MTB movie star, and absolutely awesome guy Ryan Leech has launched a website called Ryan Leech Connection. I was fortunate to work with Ryan for 9 months on my private, personal integration coaching program.

Test: An Artifact of the past - SHIVER SC

Manitou, Rockshox, DVO and X-Fusion have brought upside down forks back to the mainstream. Under the peer pressure of internet to own such thing I decided to buy one, it's just that all those new beauties are the most expensive forks in their respective segments, so I had to satisfy myself with something else. It is an old dream of mine from times when I started riding, 11 years old dream to be exact: 2003 Marzocchi Shiver SC 120mm. I just had two rides on it and I will tell you how USD works, is it that flexy, is it that plush? It is also a great opportunity to reflect over the fact how far did bike suspension go from 2003 to 2014. Let's go!   

The King is dead, long live the King!

I believe the World has it's way of balancing itself. Surplus causes vomit, uniformity rebellion, deficit creates need - as simple as that. (Modern) Enduro is burning real hard these days, and it was inevitable, because this kind of riding was close to most MTBers heart, no matter the place on earth. It's been there rising, like a magma chamber under a volcano, large races were there, bikes were pretty much there, but it was the Enduro World Series that caused the eruption. It gave the worldwide phenomenon status to it, it pinned it's identity, allowing everyone to feel proud of having a bike that is no longer a smaller penis of DH racer. More and more people feel that getting 6" bike is the most reasonable choice one can make when buying a new bike. While complete DH race pyjamas from TLD made you stand out until everyone in the line to the lift looked like Sam Hill or Steve Peat, the new breed of bicycle clothing got born manifesting itself in rather solid yet colorful, unmatching kits, padding and XC helmets, DH helmets and soft padding - mix of cultures that is, fun-freaking-tasteic!

Expensive bikes and gear - is mountain biking becoming off-road golf?

Few days ago on Pinkbike I was checking a photo report from 2014 Eurobike and someone made a funny comment under one of super expensive bike components: "Biking was a cool thing to do but I can't afford it anymore so I am riding MX". Are mountain and road bikes ridiculously expensive? Yes but... so what?

Test: Light Bicycle AM33 wide carbon rims

I am repeating this very often: A great bike is about the whole package, geometry and components, you cannot take one thing out of the formula and make it a deciding factor, sometimes a supposedly positive change can require more than one component replacement for the package to feel right. Things can get unbalanced. Then another mantra is that and everything in MTB is very subjective. Just because something feels fast it does not mean it is fast, and symmetricaly if something feels slow it doesn't mean it is slow. The first ride impression on those wheels have proved those points. Here is the review of the recent rims form Light Bicycle.

Test: Ultimate MTB Workout

We often get into buying speed, lighter parts, better suspension, optimized geometry, faster compounds. Those things surely make you faster, they may cut seconds of your race or Strava runs, but the truth is that vast majority of us are not seconds but minutes behind, to what is possible on a specific track in specific conditions. More skilled and stronger we get, the more fun is riding our bike - that is simple. Being able to scrub a table top on A-line is more fun than rolling on top of it or just jumping it and buying shit is not an effective way of getting from being scared to turn handlebars in the air, to throw whips and no handers riding 40k per hour. Being stronger allows you to enjoy your full skill level longer, if you get battered already 30 minutes into the 3 hour ride then clearly you are not having as much fun as a bloke who doesn't hit a wall after 4 hours. But well, buying stuff is fun and can be a good game on it's own, my Swedish forum friends (hello Nils) enjoy their shopping lives more than "that random grump" on the hill talking shit on eating less and riding more. So if we have the disease of MUST BUY, how about we think outside the box? How about we invest in the engine?