Hot fot the time of the year with around 27 degrees C when I rode out on the Vortex for a series of laps on and around the Haasrode Industrie terrain. Still testing the F:izik Arione saddle and so far all is well. I did 50K today, which was the longest distance on the Vortex this year. I made sure to concentrate on riding without using too much force on the pedals, instead concentrating on smooth and fast pedalling. The laps went well, near the end the skies became menacing but I managed to keep it a dry ride.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 51K and 295 heightmeters (Garmin) in 01h46mins

2703/6880

20-05-2014, 20:56 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Today I felt well rested in my legs but I had some pain between my shoulders blades. I decided to ride out for a recovery ride and to check out a F:izik Arione test saddle I had on loan from Filip Sport. I was looking for alternatives to the Brooks, which turns out to be a very comfortable saddle but I feel it spreads my lower hips a little too far apart.
I rode towards the haasrode industrie terrain for 4 big laps reaching all the way to the Lindenboom, followed by 4 normal laps on the Industrie terrain itself. The sun was out in full blaze and there was a stiff breeze from the northeast. But I felt good and kept my pace, holding back on the power to avoid putting too much pressure on legs and lower back.

18-05-2014, 12:43 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

This morning I went to the Novotel in Leuven to wave out the KBC b.strong delegation which was undertaking a 7-day cycling trip to the Vosges and back. Normally I would have done this as well but the continuing problems with my lower back made me decide to throw the towel on this adventure. It hurt seeing them ride off into the sunshine.
When I got home I decided to go on a ride myself. Taking the Merlin Works 4.0 out I had a plan to ride a big chunk of the 42K Accro Bike. Making my way though Meerdael Forest and Bossut towards Grez Doiceau I started out on those familiar and well-loved trails. The first big climb into Biez was no longer rewarded by a splendid view over the valley of the Train towards the west. Some developers have been building house near the to of the slope, spoiling the view for years to come.

17-05-2014, 15:26 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

The weather was taking a turn for the better. The sun was out and it was drying rapidly. When I arrived home after a 2-hour stint in the car, covering 39km - I was happy to be able to relax my thoughts and get on the Merlin Works 4.0 for a ride into Meerdael Forest. The forest trails were still damp but not overly so. It also was not very warm so when I got at the back of the forest I decided to ride into the fields and plains of Valduc  and Hamme Mille, warming up in the evening sun. The wind was blowing from the east which suited me fine because I was headign west towards Bossut and Nethen. Into Meerdael Forest again and riding towards the North now I was following the bigger forest trails, making good speed on moist roads. A U-turn along the Weertse Dreef and then back through the old army barracks area towards Vaalbeek. A last loop following the Prosperdreef and then turning left towards the Naamsesteenweg and into Blanden. The legs felt good and strong and in all I had a pretty good ride.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 28K and 265 heightmeters (Garmin) in 01h19mins

2552/5470

15-05-2014, 21:00 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Still lots of showers but they are fewer and further apart. Should be dry the next couple of days. Until then I decided for a ride on the Tacx Satori. I even upped the resistance a notch and completed the ride on a good pace but with a little more effort than usually. Legs felt good though.

Ride Stats : 39.5K in 01h01mins

2524/5205

13-05-2014, 18:39 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Yesterday I decided to try a new saddle on the Vortex. Went to Filip Sport to get a test saddle from Fizik. An Arione with agully down the middle. I will try it out as soon as thet weather gets better. I did 40 minutes for Nancy Farzans' Core and Pilates exercises and had a good feeling in my body whilst doing them.
Today the weather was still windy and some occassional heavy shower interspersed with sunny interludes made me decide to stay indoors and settle on a long Tacx Satori ride. Long and at a fast pace.

Ride Stats : 62.5K in 01h31mins

2485/5205

11-05-2014, 12:36 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Wind, occasional rain and general unfriendly weather made me decide to take it easy and opt for an indoor ride on the Tacx Satori. Reading and listening to Spotify and spinning my legs in easy and fast circles.

Ride Stats : 54K in 01h21mins

2422/5205

09-05-2014, 18:59 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

The weather was unstable with lots of wind and the occasional shower so instead of riding out I decided for a recovery ride on the Hilset on the Tacx Satori. Time to catch up with some reading as well as I ventured into F.Paul Wilsons' short story compilation - a compilation of 16 "oddities" as he calls it - Aftershock.
The legs felt fine and the ride went smoothly. Looking forward to some dryer weather in the coming days for another ride outside.

Ride Stats : 40K in 01h01mins

2369/5205

07-05-2014, 18:18 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Wanted to ride to day so I chose the Vortex for a spin around the Haasrode Industrie terrain. Quite a lot of traffic made me slow down more than I normally do, but since I was only out to do some easy kilometers on the race bike I didn't mind. It was quite warm in the late afternoon and the sun was still shining with a dry wind blowing from what looked to be the east.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 32.5K and 195 heightmeters (Garmin) in 01h07mins

2329/5205

05-05-2014, 19:22 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

After yesterdays' road ride I wanted to do another ride today but for this on I chose the Merlin Works 4.0 and decided to do the Meerdael Bloso routes. Starting around 10am with the sun shining but temperatures only around 10 degrees C and no wind to speak of. Ideally suited for a ride.
I started out on a good pace. I would maintain this pace throughout the ride. Putting some stress on my muscles and lower back so see how they would hold out. There is no other way to find out.
Starting on the green and working my way through the relatively flat sections in Heverleebos and towards Korbeek Dyle. The climb next to the railroad in Oud-Heverlee was a brutal switch from the big chainring towards the small one. I had 2 bikers behind me so I did not slouch. I lost them on the steep bit near the end. Short downhill followed by a cobble climb. Next onto the Blue Bloso at the Zoete Waters. This is the more hilly of the tree and some strain began to build up in my body whilst the steep sections were followed by - too - short downhill sections. On the climb behind the Kluis I had another biker in my sights but despite my efforts I could not close the gap. Down towards Nethen and then settling down for the long climb next to the Savenel wall. My aim was still riding in front of me, giving me a goa. Pity he followed the Blue Bloso to the left on the split with the Red. I continued along and still was able to hold a good speed. Out of Bierbeek the long climb into Mollendaalbos was the next big challenge. The sun was shining and I felt rather good on the bike. Taking care to keep my core muscles tight during the climb to relieve some of the stress off of my lower back. Back on the big chainring after passing the highest point in Meerdael Forest. The trails were super. It had rained a bit last week which has caused the dust to settle but there was no mud. The singletrack next to the Naamsesteenweg was a joy to ride. I stopped for a little photo break at the Dikke Beuk.

From then onwards the Red offers only a couple of challenges before crossing over to the Green. Back in Heverleebos and a couple of short climbs later I was where I had inserted myself on the routes a couple of hours ago. During the ride back along the Prosperdreef I was trying to initiate a cooldown but in practise I kept maintaining a good pace until the end.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 54K and 560 heightmeters (Garmin) in 2h33mins

2296/5010

04-05-2014, 14:25 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

It has been a while but today I finally got the Litespeed Vortex out for a ride. Since last year I changed the cassette and 50/34 chainrings and mounted a YBN SL-210 full titanium chain. Very expensive but I have had it laying around for a couple of years now so I figured I might as well use it.
I was weary getting back on a road bike because of the added speed, racy position and lack of comfort with tyres pumped up to 100psi/7 bars. But the titanium of the Vortex does dampen the shocks quite well. Obviously I was curious as to how my lower back would react to this bike.  My knees have been giving me trouble as well. Since I couldn't resist running a week and a half ago, my inner medial band is hurting. Went to the doctor and she said I have developed a slight O-leg stance so this put extra strain on that inner medial band. If I am serious about running, I should consider putting inner soles in my shoes to put my legs in a neutral position.
That being said, rediscovering this bike was a blast. It is fast, light and nimble and it demands a whole different level of awareness whilst riding in traffic and on these thin tyres. I put on a 21mm tyre in front but I changed that to a 23mm version as soon as I got home. I also put in a Joe's No Flat inner tube. Filled with Joe's No Flat racing fluid this inner tube weighs 50g more than a regular inner tube. I hope it lives up to its name. I have another one in stock in might put in my rear tyre one of these days.

03-05-2014, 12:49 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Time for a longer ride. The weather forecast called for pleasant and dry weather in the AM but in the afternoon the possibility of showers would increase. So I rode out around 10AM and made my way through Meerdael Forest and Sint Joris Weert towards Sint Agatha Rode where I picked in on the Overijse Bloso trails. The trails were super, dry except for the mudtrap near Overijse and fast. The Merlin felt right at home and I was happy to be able to ride these familiar trails again. I nearly went OTB when my front wheel got caught in a deep rut filled with water near the Overijse ponds. But I managed to prevent myself from tipping over and rode on unscathed. Through Overijse where I almost collided with a car that stopped right in the middle of the bicycle lane at a red right. Good thing my Hope disc brakes are strong and my reactions fast. I was glad I was out of Overijse and climbing along the Reutenbeek for a super section working mt way towards Tombeek. I was by this time almost 2 hours into the ride, my longest ride to date this year, and I was a long way from home. Down the Schaatboekstraat and then onwards towards the Bilande farm. Stopping for a picture break on the bridge over the Lane.

01-05-2014, 00:00 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

I felt rather good today, apart from the upside of the shin/inside of the knees area which still is painful. I took the Moots YBB out for a ride that would comprise a fair bit of climbing in a compact area . I tried to take in a couple of fine trails with descents and climbs and while I could do a super loop, I had to dismount here and there because of forest works which left large trees scattered over the trails.
Nevertheless I did enjoy myself during the 9K and almost 250 heightmeters Wolventrail. If you can do this 10 times in succession you are a mountainbike hero. In my current condition even doing it twice would have been too much. My knees give me pain when I'm standing up , directing the bike between my legs in the downhills. I think I should take it easy for a couple of days to allow the painful areas to recuperate and heal.

After the intense trails, I returned to easier tracks over the Kluis and the parallel to the Weertse Dreef. Some kind of cooling down. I noticed the grazers were back in the open ex-military areas whilst I was doing another loop towards the Keiberg and Vaalbeek , to enter Heverleebos for a brief stretch before returning into Meerdael following the Prosperdreef.

The weather was great. It had rained a bit during the early hours of the day which left the trails dust-free but still relatively dry. When I rode out it was still 20 degrees C.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 23.5K and 350 heightmeters (Garmin) in 01h19mins

2158/3590

29-04-2014, 19:26 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Although I felt some fatigue this morning, I decided to ride out to check how my body would react whilst riding 2 days in succession outside. I decided to ride towards the Brabant Walloon region, a region I know very well and have come to love over the last 10 years. It has been a while since I rode a mountainbike out of Meerdael Forest and into the plains of La Malaise. Into Florival and then along a small track towards Gastuche. The hills are all a bit longer here, and sometimes old tracks that lead somewhere have now been blocked. I had to turn back twice. Once because of a private forest blocked the road, another time while trying to circumvene some military installation near Grez. The road seems to have been blocked, almost comouflaged, at the top of a very steep and deeply-rutted climb. I had to dismount several times, riding up and coming down. I took plan B to make it into Grez and then dropped into the village where some kind of bric-a-brac forced me to ride back towards Archennes where I took the steep Rue de la Hocaille out of the Train valley. Along Bossut and then back into Meerdael Forest via Les Claines. The sun was shining but when some clouds obscured her, it became noticeably colder. It was fresh in the forest as well but I enjoyed some technical bits over the Warande pond before returning towards the Naamsesteenweg along some nice singletrails and bigger trails alike.

Crossing the N25 I rode home along the Margrietendreef, having enjoyed a great ride.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 30.5K and 365 heightmeters (Garmin) in 01h36mins

2135/3240

27-04-2014, 13:13 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Having more or less recovered from the hurting shin/knee, I decided to take the Merlin out today for a spin along the second part of the O2 Bikers Bierbeek roadbook. Picking up where I left it last monday , the section dropping down and riding out of the Nethen valley proved to be a very physical one. Steep climbs followed by tricky descents, just the way I like it. The bike performed well and before long I was at the Hertebron drinking some fresh water.

Onwards in and out of Sint Joris Weert and another drop that took me at at bottom of a long climb out of the Borrestraat. The trail now made its way towards the Zoete Waters where I stopped at the Minnebron for another sip of cool water.

Up the Keiberg and then onwards to reach the Kluis, where another couple of fine trails were awaiting me. The steep climb on the Blue Bloso and then a left along the ridge and another left towards the Denteneerspad . I was now back in the region of the DOVO military compound and finished off the ride over the bridge across the Naamsesteenweg and the following some single track towards the Margrietendreef. Back home with a good feeling and a fine ride behind me.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 23.5K and 355 heightmeters (Garmin) in 01h21mins

2105/2880

26-04-2014, 13:28 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Another Tacx Satori ride today. My knees were feeling better compared to yesterday but I decided another day on the rollers wouldn't do any harm. Outside it was well into the 20ies temperature-wise but I toughed it out on the Hilset and the Tacx Satori. Hoping tomorrow would still bring some clement weather .

Ride Stats : 40.5K in 01h01mins

2080/2525   

25-04-2014, 19:03 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Yesterday I did a powerwalk session, meaning I walked for 3 minutes and jogged for one. Alternating for 6km. Afterwards I could feel the inside of my knee/shin joint becoming painful and this morning and during the day that pain got worse.
So instead of riding out this late afternoon I decided to stay indoors and sweat it out on the Tacx Satori instead. Riding on the rollers allowed me to make clean circles and not stress any of the painful areas. Bummer because outside it was really fine weather. Lessons learned, stop believing that you can still run ! I have to be realistic about this. At this time I have no time to check out what I am doing wrong whilst running/jogging. Instead I need to focus on the bike . So no more running, only walking it from now on.
On the Hilset I still was able to maintain a very good speed, resulting in a high average with a low heartrate.

Ride Stats : 41.5K in 01h01mins

2040/2525

24-04-2014, 18:41 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

I had to try the O2 Bikers Bierbeek roadbook today. From what I read it looked promising.I took the Merlin out again and decided to take it easy. The Merlin is a very good bike and it always beckons me to ride it fast. But my body is not ready for fast yet. So I took it easy as I set out into Mollendaalbos and making my way towards Bierbeek. The roadbook took in some nice little trails and it looked like who-ever devised it knows his way around these forests. Back into Mollendaal for another succession of trails that are also in my personal favorites. When the track crossed the Naamsesteenweg things got serious heightmeters-wise. The deep valley of Sainte Nicaise offers quite a few steep hills and descents. The loop didn't shy away from dangerous sections either so I was glad I was on the Merlin because of the added safety of full suspension and disc brakes.

The trail then went towards the Savenal area and here I decided to leave it for the time being, doing the last quarter on another ride. I was nearing the 1h30 mark and that is the most I want to be out for at the time being. Taking some easier forest trails on the last couple of kilometers in order to cool down properly.
Afterwards I did a stretching and Core Stab session, focussing on static exercises.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 28K and 365 heightmeters (Garmin) in 01h31mins

1998/2525

21-04-2014, 13:23 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Time to wake up Mr Merlin from his long winter sleep. It has been in fact over 2 years ago since it has ridden. On March the 21st of 2012 to be exact. I had to check the pressure in the suspension and the rear tyre needed an inner tyre because the NoTubes fluid had long ago evaporated.
Riding out on this bike shows exactly what a full suspension bike does for comfort and speed. I passe Roger L. on the climb out of the Zoete Waters. He was fiddling with his saddle height so I let him do that and then we rode on together; It had been a while since we met and we had lots to talk about. While we were doing that the perfect offroad trails passed under out wheels. We crossed Geert B. but he looked to be miles away. I'm sure he did not recognize either of us. Or at least his reaction did not surmise that he did.

We did an alternative uphill after passing the Kluis and also a much more exiting downhill towards the Savenel wall. NEa the end I added an extra loop to make sure I had an hours' worth of riding. Roger already had a lot more kilometers so when we shook hands I believe we were both very pleased with the ride.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 25.5K and 285 heightmeters (Garmin) in 01h14mins

1970/2160

20-04-2014, 13:42 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Yesterday I did a session of Nancy Farzans' core and pilates exercises. I received my foam roller and ankle bands and could do all the exercises. The foam roller in particular is a very painful experience. I looked at a video showing its use for the complete body and did some more exercises for my legs and buttocks this morning.
In the afternoon I took the Moots YBB out for a quick spin along the Red Meerdael BLOSO route. The trails were bone-dry and hard and there was a mean wind blowing from the north. Intermittent sunshine made it more or less bearable but I still wore long sleeves and a windstopper.

Endomondo track


Ride Stats : 23K and 285 heightmeters (Garmin) in 01h05mins

1945/1875

18-04-2014, 16:06 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf