Last night temperatures dropped to -7 degrees C, so the snow got freeze-dried. This made fot a HUGE difference in ride-ability today. The tyres of my Litespeed liked the crackly snow, the water was gone, and except for the big roads, the trails were amazing. Offering good grip and not dangerous at all. I wanted to have another big shot of heightmeters today so I set upon riding my Meerdael climbing. Taking my time, focussing on riding almost surgically into my own trail I rounded the loop 9 times. I did the 3 climbs in succession this time. After some 33K and 1050 heightmeters I was ready for part 2 of todays' activities.

Yesterday I met Koen Viaene of Poco Loco and made an appointment to join them at The Kluis today. There was a meeting organised by Poco Loco and Broederlijk Delen, bringing together the participants of a Burkina Faso adventure. There would also be a chance to test-ride one of the already famous Sandman bikes. When I arrived around 2pm it was pretty busy with people leaving for a GPS trip in and around Meerdael Forest.
There were a lot of Sandman bikes on display and I arranged to ride a green Atacama, the non-butted alu entry model. This bike was fitted with a beautiful Maverick SC32 suspension fork and big 200mm disc brakes. And obviously also sporting the chunky Surly Larry 3.8 inch tyres. The handlebar was a bit too high for me, and seemed very wide.

So I set out for another 3K/115heightmeter lap on this bike. The tyres were at a little less than 1 bar. At first the high and wide handlebar bothered me. I would certainly put it lower. But the width is actually needed to steer this bike around. The big tyres offer great traction and comfort, this bike actually seems to float over all the obstacles. The snow didn't bother it at all. The step upwards in comfort and sheer ride-ability is perhaps even bigger than going from a non-suspension bike to a full suspension bike.
The big brakes offered good speed control because I was going a lot faster downhill than with my V-brake Litespeed. In the uphills the bike just moves forward, it is not as lively as with normal 26 inchers and a bit reluctant to turn . In that aspect it resembles a 29 incher, which of course in terms of wheel circumference it equals or surpasses. The wide handlebar really is a plus here, and after a bit of getting used to I could make it turn just the way I wanted it to turn. But with this bike, getting off of the perfect line is no problem. Just pedal and the broad tyres take you where you want to go. Great experience.
I heard that they will make a small batch of titanium frames. When I thundered down the long straight downhill towards the Kluis I decided to take a small singletrack going up to the parking lot again. This is a very steep track with several steps and of course, no-one had been here so the snow was fresh. The big tyres showed their limits here traction-wise when I had to take the steps but I made the climb without any trouble. I was seriously impressed with the way this awkward-looking bike handles and feels. It must have weighed more than 13kg but the weight didn't bother me for an instant. It makes up the weight penalty with enormous traction, comfort and handling. Seems like a good thing. If you have the chance, try to test it.

So , with another lap I nicely surpassed the 1200 heightmeters mark today. The average temperature of -3 degrees C didn't bother me at all during my long ride. I was well-protected and obviously the climbing kept me well-heated as well. Good workout and a nice experience with a new concept in biking.

Ride Stats : 40K and 1270 heightmeters (Garmin) in 3h44mins

8923/98450

18-12-2010, 17:29 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

Lots of snow yesterday evening and this morning. And not the best kind to ride in. It was wet and sticky. This made for beautiful landscapes with the snow literally stocking to almost everything. But the trails were sticky as well. It had rained before it started to snow yesterday evening and this rain was presenting itself as mud beneath the snow. So the going was tough and with the snow clogging up wheels, gears and brakes the bike also got a workout.

I settled for some climbing near the Kluis area. The uphills were slippery where the sun had melted the snow. This was the south side of the forest so it took a lot more sun than the other side, where I would pass later. The snow also seemed less dense here. When I came by the Kluis I noticed the jeep of Poco Loco. And indeed, mr Poco Loco himself , Koen Viaene, was there, changing into bikewear to have a ride with his newest invention, a Sandman.

I know Koen from 10 years ago when I attended his "Coast to Coast Pyrenees" adventure and we stayed in contact over the years. It was good to see him again. The Sandman is a bike 'Handmade in Belgium' with a special frame to incorporate really big tyres. With very low pressure in the tyres they float over just about everything. I may have to test this bike soon because Koen told me that they had settled a deal to make some titanium "Sandmen". 
Moving on I enjoyed the rest of my ride whilst my bike was getting heavier and heavier with snow and mud that started to freeze as the temperatures dropped below zero. The low sun playing in the trees made for a very beautiful landscape. I took some pictures but they hardly do justice to the reality.

Moving towards the Mollendaal forest, crossing the Naamsesteenweg and I added a last little loop before venturing home. I hope it freezes hard tonight so that the snow dries out a bit and becomes more solid. More snow is forecast in the weekend.

Ride Stats : 19K and 320/345 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 1h36mins

8883/97180

17-12-2010, 17:06 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf

I had prepared a very fine ride for today. Combining the 65K Meerdael 2000 track with the Pietrebais track near Chaumont-Gistoux I had concocted a 75K/1000 heightmeter loop and uploaded that into my Garmin . I would cut short some flat sections on the way and I was really looking forward to get a solid ride in. Unfortunately, the weather did not allow it.
It started out fine with some light snow and temperatures around 0 degrees C. Riding through Meerdael forest the trails were OK, with some icy patches under the snow but nothing I couldn't handle. I was feeling OK and the cold did not bother me.
But then it started to rain, slightly at first but when I arrived at Tourinnes and rode into the fields, the rain became more intense and the trails became icy and treacherous. Looking around I saw nothing but dark skies, no sign of clear spells approaching . I don't mind the cold, but even with all the layers of clothing the wetness of the cold rain started to reach my skin. This was not good. So I decided to cut the ride short and return home before I started to chill.
In all I did manage at least to get a ride in today but I would have preferred it to be longer and with some more heightmeters.

Ride Stats : 18K and 225/235 heightmeters (Polar/Garmin) in 1h28mins

8863/96835

15-12-2010, 12:54 geschreven door Big Bad Wolf