I <3 Bike Racing
Its official, race season is here. For some it has been here for a few months, but for me it started this Sunday. I was not sure that I even wanted to race. It has been almost a month since I rode my mountain bike, and I spent the last 2 weeks on the road for work. Getting shelled seamed like the only thing that could happen. I was pretty sure that I was just going to go watch the race and hang out and see everyone and wait till I had a little more training under my belt before I started racing again. My girlfriend Ms, Lauren Browne had some good words for me and reminded me that the reason that I go to bike races is because I like it. Win or loose racing is something I enjoy. So I raced. I was even kicking ass till I got a little flat and dinged my rim to the point where it wouldn't hold a tire. Not a bad day, a bike race and a little hike back to the start finish. Could be worse. I still did not do that bad, even with the unplanned hike I still did not finish anywhere near last. Can't wait to race again!
-Raney
Monday, May 04, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Fruita
Oh man. Made it to Fruita Fat Tire Fest in 7 hours and met several
cold beers as soon as we hit town. The buzz here is amazing and people
are so psyched to ride bikes! It is a who's who of the bike world as
well as a
Yearly reunion for tons of people. This is an event for every
mountainbiker! ~ jb
cold beers as soon as we hit town. The buzz here is amazing and people
are so psyched to ride bikes! It is a who's who of the bike world as
well as a
Yearly reunion for tons of people. This is an event for every
mountainbiker! ~ jb
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Canzo 29ner
So this year for my Voodoo team bike I elected to
go a little different direction. I've already got my Ti 29 Zaka frame
from last year which is still my dedicated race bike, so I needed
something to expand my quiver. John Benson has been raving about his
Canzo 29 for the past year, so I figured I'd give it a try for this
year. I have to admit that I was a little hesitant about a full
suspension 29, considering the size that I ride and the potential for
frame flex and pedal slop. I built the frame up with a XT groupo and
some sick new Shimano 29ner wheels, which are a must for anyone who
owns a 29ner. I tried two different forks a 100mm fox which the bike
was designed for and a 130mm Manitou. Once again I am amazed at Joe
Murray's ability to design a bike. It has been a few years since I
have ridden a full squish and I have to tell you that this bike is
like nothing I remember. The first couple of rides took place in the
red rock nar of Sedona, a proper proving ground. I had the 100mm fox
fork installed first. The bike handled like it was on rails. It sailed
through every loose turn without the slightest hesitation. The wheel
track was spot on and this was only in the first few minutes of the
ride. I began to notice that I was going faster through rocky sections
then I would normally, I would see the rocks, prepare for the bike to
bounce around and then re accelerate out of the rock garden, uh wait,
there is no bike bouncing around and I felt like I was getting shot
out of a cannon rather then leaving an otherwise speed sucking rock
section. Ok, so the bike flows like water on the DH and rocks but how
is it on the technical up hill? Once again i amazed at the design work
here, the rear shock and suspension work perfectly to provide you with
what you need when you need it. Getting the traction for the steep ups
was no problem weather you were in the saddle or over the front of the
bars. The bike was effortless on the big pick ups and rock moves, but
still had positive enough steering that you didn't feel like you were
playing ping pong with your handlebars while you were climbing. The
adjustability of the Rock Shox monarch eliminates any pedal bob
issues, making it feel in a sense like a virtual hardtail. I mounted
the Manitou 130 minute just in time for some of the Fagstaff trails to
open up. The adjustment in steering to the new fork was minimal, the
bike was able to climb some of the most technical trails in flagstaff
like a goat. Now keep in mind this bike already railed on the DH with
a 100mm fork, it was like a beast was unleashed with the 130mm
Manitou, a few that have ridden with me have been jealous. Bottom line
this bike lays to rest any notions that a full suspension 29 is
lacking stiffness, stability and ride quality up or down. This is one
of the most enjoyable bikes I have ever ridden.
go a little different direction. I've already got my Ti 29 Zaka frame
from last year which is still my dedicated race bike, so I needed
something to expand my quiver. John Benson has been raving about his
Canzo 29 for the past year, so I figured I'd give it a try for this
year. I have to admit that I was a little hesitant about a full
suspension 29, considering the size that I ride and the potential for
frame flex and pedal slop. I built the frame up with a XT groupo and
some sick new Shimano 29ner wheels, which are a must for anyone who
owns a 29ner. I tried two different forks a 100mm fox which the bike
was designed for and a 130mm Manitou. Once again I am amazed at Joe
Murray's ability to design a bike. It has been a few years since I
have ridden a full squish and I have to tell you that this bike is
like nothing I remember. The first couple of rides took place in the
red rock nar of Sedona, a proper proving ground. I had the 100mm fox
fork installed first. The bike handled like it was on rails. It sailed
through every loose turn without the slightest hesitation. The wheel
track was spot on and this was only in the first few minutes of the
ride. I began to notice that I was going faster through rocky sections
then I would normally, I would see the rocks, prepare for the bike to
bounce around and then re accelerate out of the rock garden, uh wait,
there is no bike bouncing around and I felt like I was getting shot
out of a cannon rather then leaving an otherwise speed sucking rock
section. Ok, so the bike flows like water on the DH and rocks but how
is it on the technical up hill? Once again i amazed at the design work
here, the rear shock and suspension work perfectly to provide you with
what you need when you need it. Getting the traction for the steep ups
was no problem weather you were in the saddle or over the front of the
bars. The bike was effortless on the big pick ups and rock moves, but
still had positive enough steering that you didn't feel like you were
playing ping pong with your handlebars while you were climbing. The
adjustability of the Rock Shox monarch eliminates any pedal bob
issues, making it feel in a sense like a virtual hardtail. I mounted
the Manitou 130 minute just in time for some of the Fagstaff trails to
open up. The adjustment in steering to the new fork was minimal, the
bike was able to climb some of the most technical trails in flagstaff
like a goat. Now keep in mind this bike already railed on the DH with
a 100mm fork, it was like a beast was unleashed with the 130mm
Manitou, a few that have ridden with me have been jealous. Bottom line
this bike lays to rest any notions that a full suspension 29 is
lacking stiffness, stability and ride quality up or down. This is one
of the most enjoyable bikes I have ever ridden.
Back to Blogger
Well, after using a WordPress blog for a few years we decided to mosey on back to Blogspot... so update your RSS and all that crap!
Friday, December 30, 2005
Busted.
My man John Sessa just busted me saying we don't update this very often. Which is true....
So Happy Holiday's and Happy New Year! We'll have a new website and a new blog site happening next week, so check back and let us know what you think!
-JB
So Happy Holiday's and Happy New Year! We'll have a new website and a new blog site happening next week, so check back and let us know what you think!
-JB
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
VooDoo Power
Just got this from our UK Crew. A gal name Sue Thomas is kicking ass on one of our Limba scandium cyclocross bikes.
So cool. Check it out here.
Great job Sue!!
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Surviving Vegas
The Vegas fog is lifing and Joe and I are enjoying some peace and quiet now that Eurobike and Interbike are behind us. I am backed up answering email from our website so be patient, I'll get to it.
29"er fans, check out this website: twentynineinches.com. There is a pic of our Dambala one speed and a you can see the Aizan behind it. By the way, Aizan will be in stock at our distributor soon so keep on the lookout. - John
Friday, September 09, 2005
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Mojito's in Ravensburg.
Another day in paradise? Met up with the boys at USE yesterday. They are coming out with a carbon wrapped suspension seat post and some kick ass new lights. They also have a left side front suspension that is super stiff and makes a normal looking bike look... bitchin' is the word I'd use.
We tried to see Jan Ullrich and Jens Voigt race yesterday but couldn't stay in Ravensburg long enough to see the start. Jet lag is rough when you're on your feet all day walking around!
Still nothing super duper cool that I have to have here yet, but tons of really cool people. Tonight is the big party here at the expo. I am sure there will be great stories tomorrow. Stay tuned....!
We tried to see Jan Ullrich and Jens Voigt race yesterday but couldn't stay in Ravensburg long enough to see the start. Jet lag is rough when you're on your feet all day walking around!
Still nothing super duper cool that I have to have here yet, but tons of really cool people. Tonight is the big party here at the expo. I am sure there will be great stories tomorrow. Stay tuned....!
Friday, September 02, 2005
Day one in the books...
So far nothing too exciting at Eurobike. But the beer flows free and the women are beautiful which sort of makes up for the lack of A/C and the constant state of sweat my body is in. I have seen 3 out of 11 buildings and nothing all that amazing to report yet. Jan Ullrich will be around today sometime as will Jens Voigt. I'll try and get some autographs if I can remember what time to be there...
Looks like we might go to the Czech Republic next week to ride for a few days. We'll meet with some potential new distributors from there later today and see what's up.
Until tomorrow... -jb
Looks like we might go to the Czech Republic next week to ride for a few days. We'll meet with some potential new distributors from there later today and see what's up.
Until tomorrow... -jb
Wasted on a jet.....
...flying over the Atlantic ocean to.... who cares. The point is - BYOB. You gotta bring your own booze on the plane. Jose and I bought a bottle of Tanqueray at the ol' Duty Free shop and we are drizzunk! This is by far the best way to fly for 8 hours. Why pay $5 for each drink when you can spend $20 on a bottle??? Just order lots of free Sprite and club soda while you can...
Thursday, August 25, 2005
And they are off...
We are blowing out of Flagstaff for awhile to check out some good boys and girls in North Carolina and then on to Germany for Eurobike - the european version of Interbike, but cooler because it is in Europe. Hopefully this year will prove as fun as the last. Last year: I met Jan Ullrich, Paola Pezzo, and Hans Rey; danced and drank myself silly to a bad ass euro-cover band that played everything from 'Rock around the clock' to Evanesence tunes including a rendition of 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' that played out like 'Phantom of the Opera' on stage. Evil Kim and I were laughing histerically the whole time!
So here I sit with my Tall-boy Tecate in a hotel in Phoenix. Hoping I remembered everything. Can't wait until that wake up call at 3:30 am... - jb
So here I sit with my Tall-boy Tecate in a hotel in Phoenix. Hoping I remembered everything. Can't wait until that wake up call at 3:30 am... - jb
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
How about...
These new jersey's? We also have a few pairs of socks and a few coolmax t-shirts available. Check it out at: VooDooCycles.net
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Check up on the racers...
Head on over to the VooDoo Racing blog and see what those foolios are up to...
liveWRONG
Here's a little bit of the 'liveWRONG' mania for you. Got this photo on a tip jar at the Pay 'n Take, our local watering hole here in Flagstaff. liveWRONG is sort of a town motto these days. T-shirts are all over the place as well as black bracelets. There are even rumors of girls taking photos of themselves wearing a liveWRONG thong...
That's so cool.
Send us your favorite liveWRONG moment and I will post it here. Better yet, send a photo. I'll post it and make you famous.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Can't we all just...
Big Jonny just brought this to my attention: http://just-riding-along.typepad.com/just_riding_along/2005/08/voodoo_starts_a.html
Admittedly, linking DC is a bit risque but then so is our ad in the August issue of Bike Magazine. Haven't received one email about the voodoo doll in that ad yet... anyone with a brain knows that drunkcyclist.com is not really a porn site. He 'links' to porn sites. Those links pay for that website. Not a lot of money in having a website with just a bunch of words on it. I also agree with Big Jonny that linking to Starbuck's is repulsive. But its cool to someone.
Don't sweat the small stuff. This is about riding bikes and stating opinions. We are off to a great start! Thanks for the comments on both sites! - John
Admittedly, linking DC is a bit risque but then so is our ad in the August issue of Bike Magazine. Haven't received one email about the voodoo doll in that ad yet... anyone with a brain knows that drunkcyclist.com is not really a porn site. He 'links' to porn sites. Those links pay for that website. Not a lot of money in having a website with just a bunch of words on it. I also agree with Big Jonny that linking to Starbuck's is repulsive. But its cool to someone.
Don't sweat the small stuff. This is about riding bikes and stating opinions. We are off to a great start! Thanks for the comments on both sites! - John
Friday, July 29, 2005
Ramblings...
It's Friday July 29th at 4PM. I'm looking out the window and it's been raining pretty steady for about an hour. Our much appreciated Southwest monsoon is doing it's stuff today....finally. Here in Flagstaff we bikers all know what a good mid-summer afternoon soaking means: the best single track riding conditions the next morning. So meanwhile, my VooDoo Canzo full suspension is pretty thashed and in need of new derailler cables and some other things. I'll be working on it while it rains.
Flagstaff is far south in the United States that the monsoon thunderstorms form by the condensing moisture that flows northward usually from the heated waters from the Gulf of Mexico. You can see the clouds appear in what once was a completely clear blue sky, balloon and expand to a where everything turns black and then all hell breaks loose. There's flooding when at times a couple of inches will fall in less than an hour. These storms are typically from July through August and sometimes into September. Six to Ten inches of our total yearly average of twenty-two inches of precipitation occur during the summer monsoon. The other precipitation is from snowfall in the winter. Last year our little ski area received about 300 inches of the white stuff. That was some awesome skiing for Arizona.
When I first moved to Flagstaff in 1994, I seem to remember that pretty damn close to noon everyday in the summer, you could count on alot of thunder, lightening and a good dump of rain. Today, it's not so regular I think. The monsoon has come later than I've ever seen it this year and then it's been spotty. Makes me wonder about Global Warming and what's in store for us in the coming years. I've noticed that it's pretty much become accepted that the warming trend is reality and more and more of us clever apes realize that all the CO2 we've been pumping into our atmosphere is actually causing this. You would think that how can there not be some affect by all the carbon emissions! Some people think the planet can take anything we do to it without any negative affects. It's time to get real.
The level that we use energy to do so many things in our lives is huge. It's much more than when our great-grandparents cruised around in horse carts and sailing ships yet generally stayed put growing wheat, hemp and potatoes. Now we are extracting, building, manufacturing, shipping stuff everywhere and travelling in cars and jets all over the planet. Everything we eat and use from the computer I'm writing this on to an apple requires a surprising amount of petroleum. The apple is produced with about one to two times it's weight in fossil fuel. The computer is hundreds of times it's weight in the dead dinosaur stuff and every gallon of gas burned is alot of that good old CO2 pumping into the air. I could go on of course, yet for those who are interested, some my rant was enspired by "The End of Oil" by Paul Roberts. It's a brisk yet sobering read. Basically we've got 10 years off gasoline left and we have to find other energy sources if we want to keep up our living high on the hog lifestyles, not to mention the change in climate that I would bet my favorite grey cat is happening big time.
The rain's still coming down and the sun is out at the same time. It's a beautiful rainstorm. The summer rains are one of many reasons I love it here. During a hard rain up here in the pines at seven thousand feet the problems with the world don't seem to matter nearly so much as they usually do. And I look forward to kick ass single track shredding tomorrow.
-Joe
Flagstaff is far south in the United States that the monsoon thunderstorms form by the condensing moisture that flows northward usually from the heated waters from the Gulf of Mexico. You can see the clouds appear in what once was a completely clear blue sky, balloon and expand to a where everything turns black and then all hell breaks loose. There's flooding when at times a couple of inches will fall in less than an hour. These storms are typically from July through August and sometimes into September. Six to Ten inches of our total yearly average of twenty-two inches of precipitation occur during the summer monsoon. The other precipitation is from snowfall in the winter. Last year our little ski area received about 300 inches of the white stuff. That was some awesome skiing for Arizona.
When I first moved to Flagstaff in 1994, I seem to remember that pretty damn close to noon everyday in the summer, you could count on alot of thunder, lightening and a good dump of rain. Today, it's not so regular I think. The monsoon has come later than I've ever seen it this year and then it's been spotty. Makes me wonder about Global Warming and what's in store for us in the coming years. I've noticed that it's pretty much become accepted that the warming trend is reality and more and more of us clever apes realize that all the CO2 we've been pumping into our atmosphere is actually causing this. You would think that how can there not be some affect by all the carbon emissions! Some people think the planet can take anything we do to it without any negative affects. It's time to get real.
The level that we use energy to do so many things in our lives is huge. It's much more than when our great-grandparents cruised around in horse carts and sailing ships yet generally stayed put growing wheat, hemp and potatoes. Now we are extracting, building, manufacturing, shipping stuff everywhere and travelling in cars and jets all over the planet. Everything we eat and use from the computer I'm writing this on to an apple requires a surprising amount of petroleum. The apple is produced with about one to two times it's weight in fossil fuel. The computer is hundreds of times it's weight in the dead dinosaur stuff and every gallon of gas burned is alot of that good old CO2 pumping into the air. I could go on of course, yet for those who are interested, some my rant was enspired by "The End of Oil" by Paul Roberts. It's a brisk yet sobering read. Basically we've got 10 years off gasoline left and we have to find other energy sources if we want to keep up our living high on the hog lifestyles, not to mention the change in climate that I would bet my favorite grey cat is happening big time.
The rain's still coming down and the sun is out at the same time. It's a beautiful rainstorm. The summer rains are one of many reasons I love it here. During a hard rain up here in the pines at seven thousand feet the problems with the world don't seem to matter nearly so much as they usually do. And I look forward to kick ass single track shredding tomorrow.
-Joe
Thursday, July 21, 2005
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