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Mountain biking Blog Posts

Long Term Test: Kona Hei Hei 2-9

By Mazzman - February 5, 2010 - 17:37

By Vernon Felton

Sometime ago, I took possession of Kona’s cross-country, full-suspension 29er, the Hei Hei 2-9. Since then, I’ve ridden the bike through every season and in every possible condition. For 2010, the evolution of this model gets a bit more interesting, but we’ll tackle that later in this review. For now, a long-term review of the existing bike is in order.

Beyond the occasional 3- or 4-month stint aboard a test bike, I haven’t spent too much time riding 29ers. But there are some constantly rolling, root-strewn, low-lying trails in my neck of the woods and on these trails many longer-travel bikes tend to wallow about annoyingly. Pat White, product manager at Kona, suggested the Hei Hei 2-9 as a solution.

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North Face Costa Rica Trophy Bike race showcases country’s diverse scenery

By Brice Lee - November 20, 2009 - 14:47

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The 2009 North Face Costa Rica Trophy Bike race drew 68 riders of varying levels—including French cross-country luminary Miguel Martinez—all eager to sample the country’s singletrack while soaking up the incredibly diverse scenery.

The three-day race took riders through a variety of ecosystems, from lush tropical jungles to steep volcanic mountains, starting from the Arenal Volcano and ultimately ending up in Monteverde, the capital of Costa Rica’s gold coast. The stages ranged in distance from 25 to 35 miles each and offered everything from buff singletrack to steep fireroad climbs, all punctuated by swift river crossings.

cr2“The landscapes traversed are really beautiful, wild and varied,” said Martinez, the XC gold medalist of the 2000 Olympic Games, who finished fourth in the Costa Rica race. “This country is great for those who can enjoy these special moments in which they find themselves in postcard landscapes.”

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Prado, Kobin Beat the Rains and Take La Ruta Titles

By Mazzman - November 15, 2009 - 20:45

Prado, Kobin Beat the Rains and Take La Ruta Titles

Source: La Ruta

After battling for three grueling days, competitors at La Ruta de los Conquistadores faced another menacing obstacle on the race’s final day—unrelenting rains. The Caribbean clouds opened and rain fell from the heavens all Friday night and throughout Saturday.

Setting a fast pace, the small leading group left the town of Turrialba headed toward the railroad tracks in the lowlands. There, riders crossed more than 30 miles of tracks, including narrow bridges crossing rivers surging from the recent rains. Organizers even employed special carts to carry some racers suffering from vertigo across the bridges.

Stage Four's second bridge crossing, over the Second bridge crossing, over the Reventazón River. Photo J. Andrés Vargas

Stage Four's second bridge crossing, over the Second bridge crossing, over the Reventazón River. Photo J. Andrés Vargas

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Monavie-Cannondale Attacks, Prado Holds in Costa Rica

By Mazzman - November 13, 2009 - 22:29

Monavie-Cannondale Attacks, Prado Holds in Costa Rica

Source: La Ruta

Team Monavie-Cannondale has suffered its share of hardships already in La Ruta—Jeremiah Bishop and Ben Sonntag have both suffered from mechanicals and Tinker Juarez DNF’d in stage three after getting lost for more than an hour.

But the team rose on the flanks of 11,000-foot-high Irazsú Volcano. Juarez, who is still racing for fun, put in an outstanding climb and was followed closely by Bishop, Costa Rica’s Deiber Esquivel and Marc Trayter.

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Sam Brown’s Story To Hit the Big Screen

By Mazzman - November 13, 2009 - 12:29

The story of Sam Brown is going to be told on the big screen. Just months after Rolling Stone wrote a feature story titled “Death of a Freerider” about Brown, Jason Priestley has optioned the rights to turn the story into a movie, Variety reports.

The 24-year -old Brown, who appeared in New World Disorder 3 and was known for building incredible stunts, like the Deconstructed Wheel, was apprehended earlier this year after flying a helicopter loaded with drugs from Canada into the United States. He then committed suicide while being held in a Washington jail.

According to the Variety report, Priestley plans to start shooting the film by the end of next year.

Click here for the Variety story.

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