in a mode of constant change...

its been a loooong time coming...

2012-01-27T10:27:00.002+02:00

i'm back. again. i know i've been a lousy blogger, but here i am. 5 months to the "tour divide" great adventure, and i'm no where near the shape i need to be in for this kind of epic racing. OK, so i did some long hours in the saddle, but i could not keep it up for longer than 2 weeks straight, as i was too fatigued to go riding again. you know- life, work, a liitle baby running around, a damn cat who doesn't like sleeping at night. so i took a step back, and told myself to take it easy...

and that's exactly what i've been doing lately. there are two SingleSpeed races coming, and god knows i won't miss those. so i turned it down a notch, hours wise, and put on some short hard workouts. the tour divide training will wait, right? i mean, i have almost 10,000 hours of riding under my belt, so i'll wing it... i'll start riding long hours again in march, with a 5 day simulation in april, with all the gear and the right bike.

which brings me to the next question... since my sponsor is trek, what do you think i should do? go carbon, aluminium, or an older chromoly frame, like the Ferrous? its a big choice, one that has to be made soon. help.

meanwhile, back home...

2011-09-11T11:31:00.004+03:00

summer is almost gone, and the days are getting shorter. the sunsets are redder (is there such a word?) then ever, and we are trying to make the most of whats left... so we took Ori to the beach. the little angel likes to eat sand. mmm.

Moran and I are enjoying the time we have together, before i'm all into my next project- training for the TOUR DIVIDE. its still 9 months away, but training for a 20 day epic, 250 km per day kind of race is a little demanding, to say the least, so every moment counts.

ireland is now a distant dream, and the american rockies are on the horizon. oh, but before that- i'm going to Nice, france, in 3 weeks time, to cover the unveiling of SPECIALIZED's 29er bikes for 2012.
its a hard job, but someone has to do it... hard times, i know.

ireland- afterthoughts...

2011-09-04T10:05:00.002+03:00

the world championship is over and gone, and it was a race to remember. after the mud was wiped, i managed to finish 6th overall, and was pleased with the result, but was left with a feeling i could do even better.

it all started with me being israeli, and not reading the time schedule of the race, missing the group warm-up, and effectively, my whole warm-up. now, i'm an older rider (...), and i need my good warm-up. being ireland, it was also about 12-14 degrees, so my body ached even before the le-mans style start. after getting into my groove, which took me the whole long first climb, i found myself in 5th, closing on on the leaders...

and then i sliiped on a long, wet wooden bridge (a beutiful one, at that), and was hurt pretty badly all along my left leg and left wrist. it took me about 2-3 minutes to start riding again, by which time i was passed by 7 riders or so. after getting back on the bike, i was on a mission to catch my spot again, and so i did by the middle of the second lap.

from there on it was smooth sailing towards the finish line, finishing 6th (but being a singlespeed race, they don't care about the finishing order...), and a happy reunion with Moran, Ori, and my parents. this was my little race sum. details and stories about the whole trip will come up soon.

oh, this is a picture from the pre-race party in Limerick, where our little israeli team tried to win the rights to host next year's worlds, but failed... the south africans beat us...

mmm. maybe 2013.

single speed world champs..!

2011-08-22T18:44:00.002+03:00

it's been a while since i last packed a bike into a bike case... i missed it. last time was way back in 2008, when i went to the states to travel with my beloved RV.

the bikes have changed since, but so has the person riding them... 3 years ago i was a full time racer, no strings attached, out on my own kind of person. i loved every minute of. today i'm flying with my own family, as a husband and a father, and i'm so much more excited...

my two girls are already packed, and its just a few hours till our flight. my parents are already packed, too, as they can't miss any of my big races... this is the place to thank you, mom and dad, for being there for me, for us... i love you so much.

next post will be from Ireland, with a beer in one hand, and mud on my face. wish me luck!!

random thoughts...

2011-08-15T21:33:00.002+03:00

two more bike riders were killed on the road last saturday. another weekend, another road casualty. its such a shame, seeing whole families shattered to pieces... it doesn't surprise anyone any more, as the israeli drivers and infrastacture are both totaly useless, especialy when it comes to taking care of bike riders. people just don't care, and nor do the authorities.

riders will keep getting killed every other weekend, till the day every new road built, will have a separate lane for road cyclists. till that day, we'll just have to keep riding off road... i won't argue with that.

its one week till our flight to ireland, and today i finished my last hard workout- a race simulation in ben-shemen. i found this short course, that has it all- two steep hills, three fast singletracks and one high RPM, two minute spin fest. 3x30 minute simulation were more than enough, considering the 80% humidity.

by the end of the session my jersey was as heavy as my bike, and my legs were as heavy as our family car. conclusion- i'm ready to move to ireland.

getting ready...

2011-08-04T21:51:00.002+03:00

in three weeks time we'll be in Ireland, drinking beer, breathing in the scenery, chasing little leprechauns on the green slopes of the lush, wet hills. so moran and i thought it would be a great idea to go to the temple bar and practice our beer drinking.

we tried different kinds of beers, and i got home on my knees. i think i have to keep working on my drinking abilities. the irish people are not tolerant to weak drinkers like me.

french fries, on the other hand... these i can eat all day long.

got to love that fat.

mmm.

just cruising...

2011-07-29T17:10:00.003+03:00

its an easy week, so i'm trying to use some of the other bikes i keep in my stable, that don't see the light of day as much as i'd like them to. and so i found myself on my vintage carbon road bike (that now only wears one gear...), riding off-road, on some frickin' sandy double tracks.

a 23 mm tire doesn't do sand so well. it was hilariously stupid. 2 days later, there is still sand in my road shoes.

oh, and speaking of great stopping brakes- these are my favourites, by far... the m952 XTR v-brake levers. they have it all: power, modulation (v-brake style), lightness, reach adjustment and looks. will not trade them for the world. yours for one million dollars. huh!

and this is a new segment i like to call : "what was i doing three years ago, around this time...?"
well- exactly 3 years ago, i was on a flight back from the US of A, after spending 5 months on the roads in my RV. this is the last picture i took on US soil, on VENTURA boulevard, an hour before i drove to the airport. a super rare porsche 550 speedster.

that sums LA pretty well, doesn't it?

single life...

2011-07-27T20:07:00.002+03:00

training for the world championship is going well, and this week is an easy one. in the remaining 3 weeks i'll be doing some watt training, mainly 1 and 5 minutes intervals, with race simulations on the weekend.

meanwhile, i'm waking up every morning at 5 am, for three totally different reasons:

1. its hot as hell, so riding in the early morning hours is the only option.

2. the riders i train like to ride early, 'cause they have to go to work afterwards...

3. for some reason, Ori likes to wake up at 4:50 in the morning. mmm.

got these old Avid SL V-brakes for my "keep-it-simple" redline singlespeed. the old brakes were a cheapo TEKTRO, that hardly slowed my bike. these brakes are awesome. i love the simplicity
of V-brakes. they stop like crazy. good.

also, i've started testing this new WTB tire for the magazine. its called BRONSON, and its aimed at the trailbike crowd.

the tread is pretty aggressive, with soft compound and fast middle section. first thoughts? i like it. more details soon... stay tuned.

back for good...

2011-07-23T22:33:00.002+03:00

welcome back, dear readers, to the re-opening of Hanoch redlich's blog- this time, the real deal. no, really, i'm serious. it's been such a long time that there is just too much to say and share. i'll give it to you slowly, then.

this beautiful baby has changed my life. everything i do surrounds her. work, sleep, mornings, noons and nights. and i love her like i've never loved before.

and throughout it all i am happy to say that i've actually managed to train, at least in the past month or so. and its about time, too, because today is exactly 5 weeks to Single Speed WorldChampionship in Ireland.

i've been riding singlespeed bikes for the past 6 years or so, and raced all kinds of races with only one cog and one chainring, be it epic or super short. but there is no doubt that this is the pinnacle of my singlespeed career.

Moran and Ori are coming with me, ofcourse, and so are my parents.

anyway- welcome back, dear readers...

stay tuned.

a lame blogger...

2011-03-23T12:05:00.003+02:00

i know i don't blog as much as i used to, but hey, i'm a great father...

Elmo is alive and kicking, thanx for asking. he is still in hibernation, but its spring time, and i think he's about to wake up. the guy in a hungry bastard once woken up from winter sleep... he eats cookies, ofcourse...

this little guy needs a nose job.

technophobia! ...sent from my cell phone...

2011-03-07T14:12:00.001+02:00

out and about...

2011-02-19T20:49:00.002+02:00

i want to get back into shape again, and race a few big races on my single-speed. i have not registered to the israeli cycling union yet, but the coming international races will be a good incentive, i guess.

the days have started to get longer again, and one can actually ride till 17:40 in the afternoon. still, for some reason, people i train prefer to ride at 6am in the morning... i hate getting up at

5am. damn.

daddy is getting back into shape as well, and here he is, taking a time out during a ride in Horshim. love you, dad.

just look at her...

LionOfZion after thoughts...

2011-02-10T20:39:00.002+02:00

the perfect picture was taken by Yael Rechter...

with the 2012 Tour Divide dream firmly on my mind, my eyes are now set on the 2011 single speed world championship in Ireland. the training will include some stupid power intervals, some crazy rpm intervals, a few cross-country races and a lot of beer drinking. the LOZ race in eilat was a nice preview of the real thing, albeit without the rain, shrubery, green fields, hundreds of competitors, mud and crazy irish single speeders... hmmm. a little different, then.
what the LOZ did have, though, was my favourite scenery- the deep israeli desert. thats me right there, the little black spot at the front of the singletrack.
the SS world championship will, some day, take place right on this single track- mark my word.

Oriki...

2011-02-08T21:51:00.000+02:00

enjoying a winter's sunny day...

on a winning streak?

2011-02-08T07:59:00.001+02:00

this beautiful picture was taken by the one and only- lior dayan

i guess the taper training sessions have paid off... i won the Lion Of Zion single speed race in eilat last weekend, by a nice margin. every race i enter is an unknown adventure of pain and suffer, with a good dose of fun. some times it ends up with a win, and some times all i'm left with is the pain. the greatest races leave me with both- and the Lion Of Zion was one of the greatest. ouch.

blood, sweat and tears.

2011-01-29T07:57:00.005+02:00

being a full time dad is playing havoc with my training plans, so i have to take a different approach. i train according to the races i plan on racing. i just do a taper before every race...

lets say i have a race in Eilat next weekend (which is exactly the case). 2 weeks ago, i did 2 interval sessions- the first on sunday- a 4 time 3 minutes uphill gig. it killed me for 3 days...

and then, on thursday- 3 times 6 minutes of climbing. i was flat till the next monday.

this week i did another two interval sessions. the first was on monday- 3 times 6 minutes intervals uphill, and on thursday- 5 times 3 minutes and 2x5 minutes. now i'm dead.

this week i'll just do 4x5 minutes of very high RPM intervals (around 125-140 rpm), and rest till race day. job done.

by the way- this is my new superfly frame. its stiffer than before, but, in my eyes, lacks a little in the visual department. its mighty fast, though...

600 and counting...

2011-01-23T08:57:00.003+02:00

this here, is the very first picture i posted on the blog, more than 2 years ago. so many things have changed since... i posted it again for a few reasons. first- this is the 600th post, which is alot of posts. yes.

another reason i posted that picture is, in fact, a promise to myself- i will, again, start posting more- a kind of rebirth, if you want...

sooo..... what did we have here lately? mmm... so much, actually. our little Ori is growing so fast- she's 4 months now, and already grew 2 teeth!! she's the cutest thing.

i won the Red Rain Allmountain Series, a three race series on various trails around the country, using my old Gary-Fisher rig singlespeed 29er. those downhillers didn't know what hit them. ha!

oh, and i'm going to the single-speed world championship !!! its in Ireland this year, and we'll make it into a family trip... Moran, Ori and i will have fun in Ireland at the end of August. what a rush.

and last, but not least- i turned 30 two weeks ago. now i'm old enough to ride a little slower. not.

promise to blog more. word.

life...

2010-12-08T18:33:00.002+02:00

there is life beyond biking. it includes spending time with my new family, playing the drums with my new band and reading... usually you'll find me going through car magazines, but i actually started a new book- the new edition of old Sherlock Holmes stories. its awesome.

i also had the time to visit the national bike show, and it was truly eye opening. the whole industry put on the best possible show they could master, and it showed. the israeli bike industry is probably the fastest growing in the western world, and its an honor to be a part of it these days.

the weather is finally about to match the date on the calender, and i hear the sky will open on sunday and monday... time to ride some singlespeed in the mud. pictures will follow, ofcourse.

have a good weekend, everybody.

racing...

2010-11-24T09:18:00.002+02:00

in the past year i havn't really had a lot of time on my hands, training wise, so i had to work with what i had. gone are the days of 5-6 hours in the saddle (for the meanwhile...), and a 2 hour ride is all i have. so racing has come down to short mini downhill races, all mountain races and the odd singlespeed race. that's why i decided to skip this year's 100 mile race...
i'll be back next year, i guess.

god, i miss blogging !!!

2010-11-20T19:49:00.002+02:00

well, again, it's been a while, and so much has been going on since i last blogged. so here i am, back in the saddle, so to speak. i hope there are still people reading this blog...

winter, so it seems, will never come back to israel, which sucks as hell. i really miss riding in the rain in Horshin, slipping all over the place, clogging my knobies with mud, getting dirty, tired and cold. winter- if you hear me, we get it, now its time to come back.

anyway... lots of great bike racing since last time. first, it was an all mountain race, sort of a super-D, during the only rainy day we had this winter. it was muddy and wet- and i won, riding my 29 inch singlespeed. you know it works awesome in the mud, right?

after that- the 24 hour race, in which i rsced as a member of a 4 man team. we did not win, but it was lots of fun, and i actually recorded the fastest lap of the weekend- on my 29 inch singlepeed...

and then- the singlespeed race in ben shemen, to which people refered to as "the israeli singlespeed championship". the field was packed, and it was an event to remember. going into the 5th and last lap, leading by about 3 minutes, a CAR ran into me (!!), as i was going at about 35 km an hour, throwing me to the ground. i got up, looked to see if there was anything broken in my body (there wasn't), jumped on my bike, and won anothr singlespped race !! wwwooohhhoooo. except, there was somthing broken... my beautiful Superfly hardtail. fuck.

i'll see what'll happen with that insurance claim.

and last, but not least- today i finished third, in anothr super-D race, on my singlespeed...

i think i see a pattern here.

i don't like gears.

who's your daddy?

2010-10-10T16:46:00.002+02:00

so... here we are, three weeks since birth, and as our Ori grows rapidly with every passing day- so are we, as parents.

baths, diapers, poo poo, wee wee, crying and relaxing. we have it all here... the only thing that's really lacking is sleeping hours. well, who cares? sleeping is for the weak.

once again, i've been asked to be the host of a major biking event- the israeli XC marathon championship. being out of shape as i am at the moment, i agreed to host instead of race. it was a nice little gig.

and speaking of getting into shape... there are 3 races on the horizon: two weeks away is the 24 hour race in ben shemen, and i'm taking it easy, being a part of a 4 men group. two weeks after that- the greatest ever SingleSpeed event, again, in ben shemen, and i intend to give it all i've got. and december- the annual 100 mile desert race. i think i'll go, once again, singlespeed. desired finishing time- 7 hours and 25 minutes.

time to get into shape, then.

she's here...

2010-09-22T18:03:00.002+02:00

our beutiful daughter- Ori, was born 3 days ago, healthy and sound, weighing 3 kg and looking like a princess...

i have to say it was the most powerful experience i had ever had, looking at my new baby coming into this world from within the womb, after waiting for so long.

Moran and Ori are home now, and wer'e getting used to waking up at night, talking poo poo talks and enjoying watching her different baby faces.

it's been a long journey, and its the beginning of a new and bold one.

let's go.

and now we wait...

2010-09-07T14:43:00.003+03:00

its been a loooooooong time since i last updated the blog. i just did not feel like it...
i think i'm back now, but you never know, do you?

moran and i are awaiting our first child, a baby girl, who's supposed to come any day now, as moran is well into her 39th week. its the month of the jewish holidays, so it'll be the greatest present, to meet our baby right about now.

i've been trying to ride a little more in the past week, cause i plan on racing the 24 hour race, october 22nd, but if i'm not in shape by then, i'll do it as a couple's race with the shap. time will tell.

see ya soon? maybe.

another week, another bike test...

2010-08-05T13:22:00.002+03:00

just got this niner carbon single speed for a magazine test. it must be one of the most beautiful bikes i've ever ridden, with special thanks to this gorgeous rigid fork...

mind you, the frame accepts gears, so you do not have to be a sadistic ass to ride this piece of art. truly amazing...

moran and i managed to squeeze a short visit to the old city of Jaffa, before i went to play the drums with a new band i'm starting to work with.

after years of training so hard on my bike, when music has been side-lined for so long, its time for it to come back.

ah.... its music to my ears.

my secret project...

2010-07-31T10:26:00.002+03:00

this is my 9th and last bike (so far)... not sure about the year, but i reckon somtime around 93\94, and its TREK's first full carbon bike. got it from my brother in law, and i'm about to turn it into a city single-speed, messenger style.

i already started stripping it of any noticable gearing paraphernalia, and i'll equip it with v-brake handles and flat bar. any gearing suggestions? i want it to be a magic gear- no tensioners on this bike. would like to hear your thoughts...

a working man.

2010-07-26T10:19:00.002+03:00

after settling in in our new house, i can actually start working again. so, its an early morning session with new riders, working on technical stuff, and i mean REALLY early, because i found that people like riding at 5:30 am... and then i just chill at home till afternoon.

and then its time for a ride with a kids group or another technical lesson, and i call it a day.

somtimes i even manage to write in the evenings. oh, and what about training for my self, you ask? training is for the weak.

anyway, its almost august, and every year, around this time, i get these flashes of memories from the years i've spent racing and living in the states. the long looooong drives across the plains, riding through the rockies, racing with the TREK VW team... good times.

i wish that one day i would take Moran and the kid(s), and go for a long RV trip around the US of A. someday soon, i hope.

'been testing this UNIVEGA trailbike, and i rather like it. its an FSR suspension design, and other than the constant bobbing in the open position- its a very good package with excellent value for money. a full test- on the september issue of MountainBikeAction israel.

oh, and wer'e pitching it against a 120 mm 29er... hmmm.

see ya'.

MERIDA MULTIVAN TEAM IN ISRAEL.MOV

2010-07-15T22:15:00.000+03:00

the heat is on...

2010-07-13T15:11:00.002+03:00

being the host of the european championship was one of the most exciting things i had ever done. calling to the line and talking to riders like gunn rita dahl, cristioph sauser and ralph naf was an honor, and i had so much fun talking non stop to the microphone...

280 riders from all over europe were here, and the weather was hot, hot, hot.

now i'm back to my old day-job: riding bikes and write about it. well, it was fun while it lasted.

had a crazy video interview with the merida multi-van team. they're all so nice.

anyway, this is it for tonight, thank you very much. see you in the next episode of- the tonight show, with H redlich.

over and out.

the tonight show... with.... H Redlich !!

2010-07-05T19:34:00.004+03:00

no pictures- sorry...
anyway, i've been working like a dog in the past three weeks or so, and the peak is this weekend- the XC european championship, which takes place right here, in israel !!!
and, trying to multi-task, i'm the host of the hole shabang...
it a 4 day festival in which i have the best sit in the house, at the start\finish line, talking to the microphone, with thousends of people listening...
i'll try to update with pictures from the front line.

hey, if you can't beat them, announce them.

back. again.

2010-06-22T22:23:00.002+03:00

so... three crazy weeks have come upon me, and at last- they have passed. moran finished her year at university of Haifa, and moved in to our new house. wwoooohhhooooo....
so wer'e back in Sdey Hemed, surounded by horses, chickens and even some goats... oh, and there are those two roosters that kookoorikoo every two hours or so... we love it here.
tantan loves it here.

last weekend i even went to a CCC road training ride. it was a rather hard and fast one, and the weather was horrible- 34 degrees and as humid as hell. i chose my gary-fisher super fly, with the road tires, and while everyone was busy suffering up the hills, i flashed the camera with my nipple!!! take that, roadies!!!

moran's pregnancy is going great, and we actually feel our little baby kicking (or is it pedaling??) by putting our hands on moran's pregnant belly... it is so exciting.

this weekend i'm off to mizpe-ramon, for another technical course i'm teaching, and on saturday- a long long ride, but this time, with an important cause.

its an all night ride (175 km off road), to the start of the Free Gilad Shalit walk, from his house up north, to Jerusalem. its a noble cause, and the ride is our way to show that we care.

have a great weekend.

peace.

wedding season...

2010-06-14T01:06:00.002+03:00

its summer time, and with it comes wedding season. that means that my stomach is full of meat and beer, and that my wallet is empty...

'been testing these rather beautiful merida one twenty trailbike. it feels right in the middle between a cross country rig, and a trail animal... details in the august edition of mountain bike action israel.

sorry (again) for not updating that much lately. its been a busy month, with the move and all... i promise to update a little more.

moran has been taking some pregnancy pictures of me... notice my belly getting bigger and bigger.

i've been bamboozled...

2010-06-07T21:31:00.002+03:00

red bull after thoughts:
#1. you do not have to win every run, if the first two out of 4 go to the next round.
#2. being the fastest does not necessarily mean you're gonna win.
#3. mountain bikers rule!
#4. pressure suits make you sweat like crazy.
#5. i'm rather good at riding bikes- whatever discipline i take on...
#6. getting older does make you a wuss.
#7. do not leave your cell phone unattended. someone WILL steal it.
#8. downhill racing takes f-o-r-e-v-e-r...
#9. my bike choice was spot on.
#10.if you go too fast- people WILL conspire against you.
#11. getting to the half finals, and lose- sucks like hell.

sorry for not posting good pictures... i was busy riding and sweating. some good pics are on the way...

all over the place...

2010-05-27T13:56:00.002+03:00

the RED BULL road rage race is a week away, and i finally managed to get the bike ready. its my superfly 29er, wearing a 32 mm wide road tires (bontrager race lite hard case). the front fox shock has been replaced with a carbon rigid bontrager raceXlite fork, and a compact road cranks by FSA.

after riding the course 7 times, i can say its a little scary and brutally fast. lots of pedalling and loads of adrenalin. the braking points are easy to find, but the turns exits are somtimes hard to spot early, 'cause the turns are so tight. hairpins, really...

thats it. we are ready for the move, and on saturday evening we will be sleeping in our new house in Sdey Chemed. i guess next pics will be from there.

moran and i went for a walk on the beach, as a farewell to the sea, which was so close to our house in the past year and a half.

this house saw us getting ingaged, marrying each other, and conceiving our yet to be born daughter. we love this house, but its tiime to move on... and so we do.

sitting on the boxes...

2010-05-24T21:49:00.002+03:00

moran and i have almost finished packing the house, and the memories of this place are coming back... the moments we shared... from the house warming to the moment we found out moran was pregnant.

meanwhile, and through the chaos of this month, i've managed to squeeze a few rides of my own, in preparation for the RED BULL road rage down hill race, which happens next week.

tomorrow i'm heading to the race course, with the bike i barely managed to prepare. its my superfly, with 32 mm road tires and a compact road cranks...

pictures will come soon.

a busy, busy, busy week.

2010-05-16T19:22:00.002+03:00

i've been all over the place in the past few weeks. my car has been munching diesel, as i've been driving to my parents house back and forth, working at our new house. its looking good...

i wonder how tantan will manage the move. oh, by the way, the little tiger found a snake today in our back yard!!

at last- i have a race in sight: the RED BULL ROAD RAGE downhill race. its happening on june 4th in Mevo Hama, one of the country's most famous climbs. i'm one of the few who got an invitation to this crazy race. now i have to prepare the right bike. a road, downhill race- it must be a mountainbike, then...

moving to the country...

2010-05-09T21:42:00.002+03:00

wer'e moving. in three weeks time we will be leaving the carmel mountains in favour of my old place at my parents back yard. we've had some great times at this house, and i'll write a farewell post when the time comes.

found this good ol' TIOGA PSYCHO-K tire somewhere, and put it on my vintage 9800 as a rear tire. the last one started peeling off... no wonder, i guess, as it was about 17 years old.

the PSYCHO-K (which stands for Kevlar) was the tire of choice circa 1995, as it was a great all rounder. it is truly light weight, even in today's standards. being that i rarely ride the 9800, i think it'll last another 15 years... (fingers crossed).

redlich- the next generation...

2010-05-05T22:31:00.002+03:00

so... i've been keeping it from you for a while, but now seems like a good time to say it : WE ARE PREGNANT !!! wwwwwwooooohhhhhhooooooo.... the last 4 months have been quite a journey, and we're proud to finally share it with you all.

Moran is feeling well, and has been feeling well from day one. we are now in our 22nd week of pregnancy, and every day that passes is one day closer to becoming a family. i'm sooooo excited.

its a girl ! our own little princess... she'll have the nicest cycling outfits. yes.

me- a dad... who would have thunk? a father in tights...

i know its going to be hard and demanding, but i truly feel up to it, but more than that, i know moran is totally ready to become a mom. mommy. mama.

ohhhhhhhh.... this is all so very exciting.

May is here!!!

2010-05-03T08:57:00.002+03:00

i have not been updating much lately, and the only excuse i have is that i'm totally busy. working and writing and riding... but also because its not coming from within me. somtimes i just don't feel like sharing. but now i'm back.

'been testing this awesome Giant Trance X sl. a truly light and effective trail-bike. carbon bikes are spreading all over the biking world, from road to down-hill, and if you have the means, its a great way of spending your money.

it's been two weeks of riding this full-suspension bike, and i can totally understand why people are drawn to the comfort and security that this technology brings. especially when they're this light and nimble.

but you know what? i'll stick to my hard-tails.

i FEEL faster, riding them, and if not for the FEEL, what are we riding for?

random signs...

2010-04-24T20:54:00.002+03:00

feeling a little fat lately, coming back from pizza country, gaining 5 pounds or so... i'll have to ride it off.

anyway, raced a little mini downhill race today. having no trail bikes nor down hill ones for magazine tests now, i took my good ol' gary fisher rig singlespeed 29er, and went racing. my setup was simple- 18 cog in the back, 80 mm out in front, and alot of nerve...

the course was fast, with lots of pedaling, so i was out of oomph rather fast. still, managed to squeeze myself into the top 5, finishing 4th, 4 seconds off the winner's time. next time i'll go geared. i might even win... i might be off the pace on the uphills, but at least i can still go downhill pretty fast.

it seems like its going to be a busy week. working, riding- both at the same time.

some more pics...

2010-04-21T12:03:00.002+03:00

i did not know he was into all that facebook shit. whatever.

moran had a great time, taking some time off her studies. with all that passover holiday and the trip to italy, it's a little hard to get back to reality.

yes, somthing is definitely wrong in this picture, but its totally real. the house is really blue. and the tower is about to fall...

i was supposed to race the Dusk till Dawn race, tomorrow night, but not only am i out of shape, i'm also a little sick, so i'll have to pass this one. bummer.

its been a while...

2010-04-20T11:40:00.002+03:00

well, back from beautiful Italy. it was so intense and romantic... the mountains were full of snow, still, and the weather was perfect. we had a great time together, driving our little car on the roads of northern italy, and even getting into switzerland... This is us in Venice...

we had some weird picnic in the middle of a snowy field. it wasn't too cold, and the scenery was amazing. i'll post some more pics soon.

we had ice creams of all kinds... this one wasn't on the ground for more than 5 seconds...

it was tasty...

honey mooning.

2010-04-03T11:22:00.002+03:00

Moran and i are married for almost 6 months now, and its time for a little get-away together. so, we're packing our bags and heading to northern italy !!!!! wooooohooooo...

having never been there before, i can only imagine it looks a little like this- Mishmar ha'emek in the spring time. but i guess its a little more striking than this.

tuesday is our d-day, and then its 9 days around the lakes and towns of northern italy, including Venice and Milano... mmm... life is hard, i know.

the passover spirit...

2010-03-28T12:09:00.002+03:00

spring is most definitely here, and there is no better way than passover Seder to celebrate the end of winter. you eat like there's no tomorrow, drink like crazy, and then eat (again)...
Matza with chocolate is like the food of the gods. really, it says so in the bible or somthing.

the desert weekend went great, and the weather was on our side, as just as we finished our beautiful ride, it started raining hard. in the desert. at the end of march.

it must be the passover spirit luck.

happy holy-days, and keep away from the Matzas... their full of calories.

out again.

2010-03-22T08:31:00.002+02:00

well, i'm off for a few days, going upnorth for a kids training camp. i hope i can use these days to have a little diet going, as i need to lose a few pounds. 5 will do.

'been testing two bikes lately, for a magazine shootout- 2 different 120 mm bikes. two different approaches, two very different bikes. its a GT sensor against a Cannondale RZ one twenty.

these pictures were taken in Ma'anit forest, by the very gifted photographer Lior Dayan.

i'm off. peace.

its in our hands...

2010-03-21T09:39:00.002+02:00

riding back to back rides in the northest part of israel and in the deep south, i can honestly say we have a beautiful country. being able to ride in the shade of old trees and lush green shrubbery, and enjoy the dramatic desert mountains in the same day, is a thing to appreciate.

the desert is all blooming these days, after the last few heavy rain showers.

and some trees upnorth are loosing their leaves, all yellow and brown...

beautiful.

it's a mag world...

2010-03-18T16:48:00.002+02:00

'been working and writing a lot this month for the magazine and some other publications i work for. don't get me wrong, i love my job, but writing is somthing that comes from within, and writing that much takes a lot out of a person. you need to use words, you have to write an article, you have to beat the deadline. some times i'm too tired writing for my blog... this is why this month's crop is rather low. sorry.

anyway, its been a tired week, my body is recovering from the load i put it through last week. but next week is a nice one, coaching for 3 days in kids bike camp up north, and then, its straight down south for a 2 day technical riding course that i teach. a busy one, once again.

and now, for that short XX review.

the system works really well, even under heavy pedaling loads. having 10 cogs in the back, with a 36 tooth being the largest, and a 29\42 chainring setup at the front gives more than enough spread of gears for any situation. the shifting feels very positive, and the lever throw is shorter than it used to be on the X.O triggers. i use a grip-shift for the left hand (front mech) shifter- just because i like it that way. the front XX deraileur is a work of art, and shifts flawlessly at all times, right now, no questions asked. its the best i've ever used.

all in all, its a very nice setup, but if you ride a 29er and like to ride all over, and race somtimes, i'd go for a 26\39 chainring setup, and have all the gears i would ever need.

and suffer i did...

2010-03-12T20:03:00.002+02:00

as much as i like to go out and watch other riders suffer as they battle it out on the race course, i like it even better when i go out and hurt a little.

today i raced my first XC race of 2010, the international race in ma'anit. it was sure crowded, with 30 fast europeans coming here to catch some sun tan, and some uci points.

all considered, i did rather well (having no training plan or a coach...), and managed to finish 5th or 6th fastest among the israeli riders. i even got to ride 3 laps with the Shap (as you can see in the great pictures of one, master Lior Dayan), who had a shity race. the guys are racing again tomorrow, but i'm taking a day off... maybe i'll go out and watch them suffer.

USA thoughts...

2010-03-08T20:27:00.002+02:00

every March, for 4 consecutive years, i used to pack my bags and bikes, and go live and race all over the states in a beautiful RV. my home away from home...

so, its no wonder that every March i get that feeling. it might be somthing in the air, a scent of some sort, or maybe its the spring weather. whatever it is, it gets me thinking of the places i have been to, the open roads i passed through. my life is much different now, and i like it even better.

anyway, didn't race last weekend. i lost my racing permit, and can't seem to find it. maybe it was a sign, as i didn't feel like racing that much anyway.

this weekend i will race, though, and tomorrow i'll be on the race course, doing some hot laps.

a racing weekend.

2010-03-03T12:11:00.002+02:00

on saturday i'm racing the international XC race in Misgav forest. the weather will be awesome, and the race course is wicked. i love that course, fast, technical and with lots of climbing.

i know my form is not what it used to be, but i'm truly at peace with it. that's life... not being a full time pro makes you a little slower, but then, you can only surprise your self.

fingers crossed.

not feeling it.

2010-02-28T16:53:00.002+02:00

it might be that road tour two weeks ago, or it might be somthing else, but i'm just not feeling it. in the past year i've been right on the fence, somewhere between a coach and a rider. every once in a while i feel like a racer- just let me train as hard as i can...

but most of the time i'm just working on the bike. i used to go out and ride- no matter the conditions... it was for a reason- getting faster. these days, when its cold or wet, i don't feel like riding.

i prefer staying home, sleeping or cooking or writing.

instead of getting faster, i'm getting fatter.

i hate sitting on the fence.

an eating machine.

2010-02-24T09:52:00.002+02:00

ever since coming back from the road tour in eilat, i've been eating non stop. my legs are still hurting from the weekend's efforts, and i couldn't even put a good hard workout since saturday.

i eat whatever is in the way. i mix sweet and salty, cold and hot. just bring it on... i actually think i'm losing weight in the process of eating.

the weather has been nice, so i wish i felt better, and could put some nice long rides in, but i'm just too tired. next week. maybe.

why?

2010-02-22T19:20:00.002+02:00

why do my legs look so skinny, and other's look like this?

the eilat inferno...

2010-02-22T14:19:00.002+02:00

so... another weekend of racing. i'm so glad its behind me, as it was a hard one. taking the bus to eilat proved to be a good decision, and i spent the 6 and a half hours on the bus reading two "EVO" magazines. its a car thing i have...

the bike, meanwhile, made some friends in the trunk.

the race was a three stage, two day event. a 10 km uphill individual TT, with 620 meters of elevation gain (around 2000 feet) on friday morning. and then, a 70 km criterium race at 2 in the afternoon.

the next morning it was a 120 km road stage, which took everything i had out of me.

the hotel was great, and i love the way they arrange their soaps...

anyway, if i was out of shape before the race, there is no doubt i'm on my way back into it after this weekend. i did rather fine in the uphill, finishing 14th overall. i was ranked 18th by the end of day. giving it all i had on the road stage saw me dwindeling down to 33rd by the end of the whole thing.

still, it was a great weekend, and some good workout.

the Shap finished 2nd in the uphill race, and 5th overall. the guy learned from the best, what can i say... good job, kid.

a long story short...

2010-02-17T20:59:00.001+02:00

i'm off to Eilat for the weekend. a road stage race. taking the bus. TREK madone in the trunk.
see you on sunday.

life.

2010-02-17T08:58:00.002+02:00

in the past two years i've turned from a fully dedicated mountain bike racer, into a bike person. i live and breath bikes for a living. being a racer, and only a racer, seems a little one dimensional to me now, looking back... these days i'm expanding my interests in the biking industry, working every day with bike related issues and people.

writing about bikes, coaching kids groups and working as a private technical riding coach to some of the best riders in israel. i'm all over the place. if you asked me 5 years ago what would i be doing for a living as i approached my 30's, i would never think this would be it.

tell you what, i'm as happy and complete as i can be.

being in a position where i can also race, and be good at it, is just the icing on the cake.

mmmmmm.... cake.

triping.

2010-02-14T22:31:00.002+02:00

moran and i took a few days off, and went for a trip through the old streets of jerusalem. this city is a magnificent mixture of old and new, ancient and modern, jewish, arabic and christian.

the nerrow streets, the 2000 year old bricks and the religious atmosphere get in to you, and make you wonder how life looked in this town thousends of years ago, and what these walls have seen through those times. amazing stuff.

a remake of an old photo i took 2 years ago.

this weekend i'm off for a stage road race in eilat. i really feel that my body is not ready for these kinds of loads, and saturday's race was a true mirror of that, but i'll wing it. its for the team, and i think we've got some really good riders in contention...

road racing... can't live with it, pass me the beer nuts.

and......... we are back.

2010-02-13T18:59:00.004+02:00

it has been a long time, eh? well, i've been around/ my computer has been around...
it seems like ages ago since i last posted a picture, but i've got loads of new ones.

it's been muddy, it's been hot, we went for a trip, i actually raced (rather poorly, if i might add), i'm about to race in a road race (!!) and i've shaved my legs...

in the next few days i'll update and tell the tale of the missing two weeks. its a scary one, i tell ya'...

it all starts with a recycled animal.

it all starts right here, right now.

the wait is almost over...

2010-02-08T19:30:00.002+02:00

Having no computer feels like a fish trying to ride a bike. yeah...
well on wednesday eve my laptop is back, and then you'll get some posts.
sorry for the empty days.
next.

nothing to see here... move along...

2010-01-31T20:57:00.003+02:00

well, my laptop is down. fricking microsoft Vista.
anyway, 'been to be'eri on saturday, and i'm still caughing dust from the storms...
the weather is all over the place, and i have a sneaking suspicion it has nothing to do with bikes polluting the atmosphere. if you live within a city (first, my condolences), ride your bike to work. it'll take you less time, cost you less money and you will be able to drink another beer every evening, knowing that your beer belly is not growing anymore, now that you're riding every day and all that...
next time, a picture ! huh.

good news.

2010-01-27T18:56:00.002+02:00

so... daddy is officially cancer free !!! the guy is a true hero, fighting two different cancers for the past few years, using the power of positive thinking and positive doing. love you dad.

and for some planning ahead- the racing season is upon us, and having the freedom to pick and choose my races is a very cool thing to do at the beginning of the season...

a few road races, a few XC ones, and a few marathons are on the menu. i think they will all be done upon my superfly 29er, now that its built like a spaceship. some will be done single geared, and some will be done geared to the teeth.

my balls are freezing these days. is it just me? brrrrrrrrrr.....

a 10 speed cassette? surely not...

2010-01-24T14:43:00.003+02:00

so... the superfly became a 20 speed bike. now i'm a roadie. phewwwww !!!

i'll give you some insights about the XX in a few days...

desert life...

2010-01-23T18:33:00.005+02:00

went down to the desert, again... but this time- work. i have started working with a bike hotel, designed for mountain and road bikers who want to explore the beautiful region of the Ramon crater. its a two day technical riding school- and i'm the teacher !!!

its a really beautiful place in which to stay, and the food and company are top notch. the hotel is called "I-BIKE", and it is run by a couple who love biking, and are the greatest of hosts. Aviva and Menachem will take care of every little detail there is, and will make your stay as warm as possible.

my first group consisted of avid riders, some of them are new to the sport, and some are rather experienced. i had a blast teaching them some new ways to ride faster, better and with more confidence, and i'm amazed every time to see how fast people catch on my insights, and practice them.

the desert was alive, after the big floods of last week. the sleeping plants inside the desert's earth had waited a long time for this water to come, and everywhere you look, a fresh layer of green leaves is arising. its awesome. grab your bikes, and head down south- on your way, stop at I-BIKE for the night. it will be an experience to remember.

the madness...

2010-01-17T22:14:00.003+02:00

another "pity the pirate" event is in the books, and it was, yet, another one to remember...

as always, its was all about the vibe, the people, the beer, the meat, the "back to the roots" atmosphere... and it had all that by the sh#t load... both literally and figuratively.

i felt great after the 5 day sickness, and had a blast riding the superfly down the fast singletracks.

the start was le-mans style, but not before gulping half a litre of the most disguting beer ever made. they seem to find a shitier beer every year, and for that they deserve my applause.

and the man behind the whole shabang is this guy, one mr. Warren Frayer...

the guy built the first singletracks in israel, and is one of the spiritual fathers of the israeli bike scene.

Warren- we salute you: schwing !!!

drunk single speed race !!!

2010-01-15T18:02:00.002+02:00

two years ago it looked like this...

last year it looked like this...

how will it look this time?
the rules say you must drink while riding your bike. the winner takes all the hard worked Shekels of the other racers. then you eat meat at 08:30 in the morning.

what could ever best this?

as sick as a dog...

2010-01-11T19:25:00.002+02:00

i've been off the bike since friday. caughing, sneezing and dripping... i'll have to pass on the training camp, and hope i'll be fine comes weekend with its pirate SS race.
tonight wer'e going out for a beer with some friends, to celebrate my 29th b-day, and tomorrow my parents are back from 6 weeks in new-zealand.
i need to work on my superfly, and get it ready and shiny for saturday. let's go racing !!

another weekend is in the books...

2010-01-10T12:50:00.002+02:00

went to a big bike event on friday- the "golden ring". (beats a "golden shower", if you ask me...). it was a 90 km road ride around the sea of galilee, with a huge climb to spice the trip up a little. i felt a little weak, and my legs were hurting like a mother f%$*&er, but it was a great day out in the open.

the weather was awesome, and the air was clean. but i felt like somthing was coming... by the afternoon i felt ill. so now i'm here, caughing with a running nose (or is it a biking nose..?).

nevermind, i have a big week coming.

(this guy obviously had a few too many beers).

on tuesday its my B-day. i'll be 29.

on wednesday i'm out for a 3 day training camp with the CCC squad.

and on saturday its the singlespeed "drink as much as you can" race, by peaty the pirate, volume 3. i will be a total wreck by the weekend, but i have to go out and defend my title...

new year resolutions...

2010-01-05T13:20:00.002+02:00

(the pictures you see here were taken by the one and only- lior dayan...)
well....
i wish to be better at desk-job stuff, like filling paper-work on time, and paying the bills. you know, all the shity headache.

i want to ride in new places. it doesn't have to abroad (although that would be nice). it could also be right here, in israel- just in places i've only heard of, and have never had the time to go and explore them. oh, and i want to take moran and go ride our bikes in those places, too.

i wish to be a little more patient. a little more giving. a little better at fixing household problems. a little more vibrant. i wish to play the drums more often. i wish to visit my parents more often.

i wish to be a little faster. i wish to take a long vacation with my wife. yes... that would be nice.

i wish you all a very good year.

desert trip...

2010-01-03T10:12:00.002+02:00

with the spirit of the new year in our hearts, Michal, Uri, Moran and I went down south for an off road vacation, that has absolutely nothing to do with biking. it was the perfect 4x4 trip.
a late friday drive into the night, a poike pot dinner in the fire... life's good.

it was not an extreme kind of vacation, just two couples, hanging out in the desert, talking, driving, enjoying each other's company.

a look at Ramon crater from the south east corner. it was only a few days after the desert had been washed with floods, and the soil was hard packed, and not dusty at all. the air was clean and fresh. the roads await...

my babe. mmm...

2009- a retrospect...

2009-12-31T08:32:00.002+02:00

2009 was, no doubt, the most important year of my adult life. these are four pictures that represent it the most, in my eyes.
a krembo crash- having met moran two months prior to this picture (that was taken on the very first day of the year), and finding out she really likes krembo !! i bought her this one, and it fell straight on the floor in her old appartment.

march- a 230 km race, with a knee problem that dominated the next few months after it. it was totally worth it, though...

summer 09'- moran and i have moved in together around march, and spent the spring, summer and fall living in the same house. in May i popped the question, and from there on, we were planning our wedding...

october 09'- the wedding day... it was an awesome wedding. an exciting day. a day we'll remember forever.

2009 was the year i became an adult. the year i started WORKING in the biking industry. the year i started my own family. the most important year of my life...

bring on 2010- i'm READY.

WE are ready...

the desert and i...

2009-12-27T08:44:00.002+02:00

riding into the desert in total darkness is always a good start for an epic ride. the pace was rather fast, so my partner told me he would not ride with me, and that i should continue on my own. and so i did. seeing the desert waking up, the mountain tops take shape out of the darkness, and meeting my new friend for the day, courtesy of the sun- my shadow...

after barak told me to go on my own, i decided i should try and break last year's finishing time. the only way to do it (considering that this year's edition was actually longer...) was to stick to the plan: never stop, never stop pedalling, and when off the bike- run. thats what i did. its a meditative state, pedalling non stop, and it worked.

the desert was in a beautiful state, with water in the streams, and the weather was spot on. i rode like there was no tomorrow, and finished 1st, breaking last year's time by about 15 minutes. could have kept riding for another 100 km or so...

i wish to say thanx to all the epic riders taking part in these long loooong races. you all have mtbikers souls.

and- a last thank you to all my blog's readers. the numbers have just passed 10,000. spread the word, give some links to friends.

love you all, H.

out and about...

2009-12-21T13:01:00.002+02:00

the awesome weather calls for some long rides. so that's what i do... took the superfly single speed and went stretching its legs. this bike rocks.

by no means is it forgiving or comfortable. its harsh and unyielding. its a true race bike.

nature at its best.

by the way- you all HAVE to go watch the movie Avatar. its unbelievable. james cameron has created one of the best movies of all times. its not all about the effects (which are beautifuly made), its also about the story, and the rythem in which it unfolds. amazing.

this friday its the "100 mile race"- take two. the bike is most definitely ready... the rider?

stay tuned...

sorry... maybe next week.

2009-12-17T10:15:00.002+02:00

due to the foul (and frankly, shity) weather, the 100 miler will have to wait 'till next weekend. i think this is the worst racing year i've ever had, bike events being cancelled right and left.

over and out.

a hundred miler... single speed.

2009-12-16T14:05:00.003+02:00

so, getting ready for another 100 miles in the desert... it seems easier with time, and i find myself doing all the arrangments without any added pressure. two 29 inch tubes- check, multi tool- check, enough food- check... and so on.

i know the course by heart, so i'm not taking any GPS or maps. i'll wing it.

my fitness is on a down curve, since i stopped "training" after the 400 km race, so i'm not in the greatest shape, but i think i'll do just fine.

at least the bike is all ready for the job at hand. its a beautiful machine, the superfly, and being a single-speed only makes it look sexier...

see ya' on the other side. here comes the pain !!!

weekend's here...

2009-12-11T11:32:00.003+02:00

every friday morning i have a women's team that i coach. every friday in a different place, different weather, different scenery. today we went riding around yokne'am, and the trails over there are so beatiful now. the girls kick ass, riding up and down the hills like pro's.

anyway, this was a slow week, riding wise, as the rain did not stop... but family wise it was great, because moran's sister- gilat, had her first baby born !!! her name is Amit, and she's healthy and beatiful.

tomorrow its a road ride with the CCC squad. its been a long time since i rode with the team. sure missed everybody.

next weekend- a century race (160 km) on my singlespeed superfly. i'll have to convert it into a siglespeed on sunday, i guess. i think i'll put an 18 cog in the back. or maybe 17? we'll see...

back from the dead.......................sea.

2009-12-05T21:06:00.002+02:00

well... the Veolia Desert Challenge was one of the best bike events i've ever attended, and i've been around. the vibe, the scene, the people, the biking. i actually feel proud of the israeli biking scene, and of the people who create it. i'm also proud of the fact that i've been around long enough to see it grow and blossom, and being there when it all happened.

Geva alon is an israeli folk-rock artist, and he performed the night before the race... the guy can sing, and write. you have to check him out. (he sings in english...).

my parents are on their way to new-zealand for a month. lucky them. love you mom and dad, and have a good trip.

i'm drooling here...!

2009-12-04T10:48:00.002+02:00

this is my dream car. oh my god, its a beauty... the combination of the most beautiful car ever built, the citroen ds, and an off-road monster. the thing does it all...

anyway, i'm heading to the dead sea in order to participate in the couple's race over there, and write about it for the magazine. see you on sunday.

out and about...

2009-12-02T08:33:00.002+02:00

a 69er kind of shade.
i went to my parents house yesterday, and used the opprrtunity for a 2 hour ride on my old home turf- Horshim. the place is in the best shape now, and the ride is technical and agressive, just the way i like it. i miss that place...

in the past few weeks Erez and i were thinking of taking a serious commitment. somthing of the epic kind. a race with lots of miles and lots of climbing. as the 400 km came to a halt, we had to find somthing longer...

having no other choice (...) we had to sign up for the TransAlp stage race. this july wer'e heading for the ride of our lives, crossing the german, austrian and italian alps, in an 8 day blast through the mountains. yes, life is hard.

meanwhile, i'm getting ready for a few weekends of biking, with a mini DH race next saturday (a 29er? maybe...), and a 160 km off road race in 3 weeks time. singlespeed style...

family guy, the desert ride edition.

2009-11-30T09:45:00.003+02:00

riding 360 kilometers with my family was a true adventure that proved a few things:
1. my family rocks.
2. riding a bike for such a long distance is a true mind test, and has less to do with your actual phisical ability.
3. the hardest thing about riding a bike, especially for new riders, is sitting on their butts on the thinly padded seat.
4. biking runs deep in our family's blood line.

Dor, my 11.5 year old nephew rode the whole thing...! 360 km of riding, 4 days straight. the guy kicks ass !!!

and this is the place to thank all the participants in this family adventure: Amiri, Hana, Avraham (daddy), Hen, Keren, Dor (king of the mountains...), Raz, Tamar, Tzachi,Shaked, Shahaf and last but not least, my love- Moran.

it was a truely epic ride, which got all our family closer, in a way that only bike riding can...

here's for the next trips.

out of reach...

2009-11-29T21:04:00.001+02:00

sorry for not updating, its just that my internet is down.
back from the family road ride to eilat, and it was epic. pictures will come tomorrow...

and now, for somthing completely different...

2009-11-23T11:05:00.002+02:00

Erez was kind enough to loan me his singlespeed 69er, with the prospect of me buying it. two rides were enough to understand that this is the snappiest, most unpredictable bike i have ever ridden. i want it.

its like trying to tame a wild horse... you move too fast, and it jumps to the side. its as stiff as hell, its raw. you move your weight to the back, and the front lifts off the ground. you turn and lean on the front, and the rear end slides...

its a new feeling, that i've never in my life felt on a bike. oh, and it is soooooo sooooo cool.

its exactly like Travis Brown described it: its the reverse mullet, a party at the front, all business in the back. perfect.

and she's free.... free falling.

2009-11-23T09:27:00.002+02:00

jumping out of an aeroplane seems like an un-natural thing to do- being a human, having no wings and all... so sitting on the ledge of an aircraft, looking down at 4 km of air between you and the solid hard ground, is a strange experience. i mean, do you really have to jump?

and then you do it, and you're hanging in mid-air, falling like a brick at 200 km an hour, screaming your head off- and loving every minute of it. jumping out of an aeroplane is awesome... who would have thunk?

on wednesday wer'e starting our ride from tel aviv to eilat. its a family adventure. the weather does not seem to mind our plans, and it'll be windy and wet. now we'll see just how strong minded my family is. i think i'll be pleased.

out and about...

2009-11-19T21:02:00.004+02:00

the weather is awesome these days, with sunny skies and semi-cold air. the late morning is the best time to ride, and so i do. my new superfly is a hoot, changing direction without the usual hesitation one might relate to a 29 inch bike. its also mighty rigid, and super light. 10 kg light...

tomorrow moran and i are going sky diving !!! we've never done this before, and are very excited. actually, my only concern is the shity aeroplane in which we are taken up up up, all the way to 12,000 feet. it has propellers, for crying out loud.

and next week most of my family and i are riding our bikes from Tel aviv to Eilat, on the road. its a 4 day adventure for all of us, following the tire marks left by my uncle Chanoch, who rode the same roads as we're about to ride- 51 years ago. Chanoch did it single speed...

i wonder where he got that idea from...

back to the real world...

2009-11-17T14:29:00.002+02:00

the days after the non-400 km race felt empty. it was a real anti-climax. so getting back on track seems like the best thing to do. hence- i went riding...

the last rains did good for the shrubbery, that seems like it had been waiting for ages for the water to pour down on it. its beautiful.

the shap likes it green. yes, he likes it really green.

it's so sad, that it's funny...

2009-11-14T20:47:00.003+02:00

without getting into details... we were fast, felt great, and were stopped after 150 km because it is not allowed to ride in those areas at night.
i'll say it once, i'll say it loud: FUCK.
sorry for the bad language...

choose your weapon.

2009-11-11T08:28:00.002+02:00

so... 2 days to D-day, and i'm feeling it. the tension is in the air, no doubt, but i know that once i embark on the 400 km journey, it will all fade away. it will only be the desert, the bike, my body.

it will be the place i love the most, the machine on which i spend my days, and the machine that i am. actually, its rather simple, isn't it?

Erez is most definitely ready. lets hit the road !!

i can see clearly now...

2009-11-06T19:49:00.002+02:00

the rain has gone. it was one hell of a rain period. but, being israel- its already hot these days. moran and i are heading for the Kineret (the sea of galilee) for the annual "ride around the Kineret" event. its a 65 km ride, with thousends of participants.

a re-production...

today is exactly one year since i first met moran. i knew right away she would be my wife. here's for the years to come. love you babe.

anyway, this is the last week before the 400 km race- the biggest and most grueling bike event (or endurance event, for that matter) to have ever been done in israel.

and- i actually have a racing partner. its the man and the legend- Erez Haiun, my old 100 mile race partner. he's fit, he's hungry, he's fast. my 24 hours estimated riding time seems a little conservative right about now... how about 20 hours? hmmm.

its raining, man!!

2009-11-02T20:00:00.002+02:00

the rain does not seem to stop. the 100 km race was cancelled due to the weather, but i managed to find a 5 hour gap to squeeze a 5 hour ride through... i'm not in the shape i really wanted to be before the 400 km race, but that's life, isn't it?

today i went on an easy ride with my singlespeed. the bike was a mud fest, but it got as clean as a whistle when the hard rain started to pour from the sky. my god, its like buckets of water thrown right at my face...

i want some sun. that's it.

sceptic israeli.

2009-10-30T11:00:00.002+02:00

now, being an israeli, and knowing the israeli weather, allow me to be VERY sceptic when it comes to the weather forecast. they said it would rain. alot. which means...

... it will not rain. at all. and if it does rain, it would only get the edges of the trees, the roofs and the very top layer of the ground a little wet. and being an israeli, it also means i'm never wrong. ever.

so now our yard is a big swimming pool, mud is all over the place, and we can't get out of the house without getting soaked... good thing wer'e going down south.

thing is, i forgot that the weatherman is also an israeli guy. which means he's never, ever wrong. hmmm...

going bi-color...

2009-10-29T09:16:00.003+02:00

it's been a while since i really "trained" on my bike, so going out and logging the hours in the saddle was hard at first. but in the last two weeks i gave it a boost, and now i actually feel rather fast. two weeks ago, just finishing a 5 hour ride was hard, and left me tired and frustrated. in the last 3 days i rode 18 hours total- and i feel great. good.

this weekend wer'e going down south for the "sde boker 100". i'll ride my 9.9 singlespeed, and i think i'll do good. i'll ride a steady pace, and try to go faster every lap.

and finally, the rain is here. its not cold, by any means, but the single tracks have been crying for some water streaming down them.

here's for some cloudy days.

mt. Hermon singlespeed climb...

2009-10-25T17:42:00.002+02:00

friday, 6am. a silent group of mountainbikes starts the long climb up the highest mountain in israel. the bikes are silent, alright, but the riders are anything but... this group is an amazing gathering of people of all ages, and all parts of society. they are really the best of the best.

the climb itself seems easier and easier each time i do it. i'm there for the vibe. for the guys (and girl...), for the experience.

the single speed commune has become the most vibrant and lively group of riders in the israeli biking scene, and it all started with one guy- Ilan Carmel. the man celebrated his birthday on friday, by climbing up the Hermon on his SS, with the group he had gathered up. respect.

and mazal tov, Ilan.

this week will be about more riding hours, and a 100 km race on saturday, which i'll ride aboard my Singlespeed. maybe i'll wipe the dust off my 9.9 racebike.

maybe.

fall events.

2009-10-21T11:13:00.002+02:00

the next weekends are packed full of events and rides. this weekend is the Hermon singlespeed climb, and a night with my babe on the Kineret's beach. next weekend is the Sde Boker 100- a weekend for the soul...

Moran and i will go down to sde boker, and spend the night in a tent over there. in the morning we will ride our separate ways- moran heading for a ride through the scenic roads of the area, and i will race the 100km race on my singlespeed. awesome.

and the weekend after that is the Ride Around The (what used to be) Galilee sea. ofcourse we can't miss that, right? see you down the trails, i guess.

new bike day..!

2009-10-16T21:02:00.003+02:00

oh, the joy of the new bike day... just got my new ride- a 2009 gary fisher superfly. its sweeeet.
ofcourse i put it right away on a little diet. i switced the seatpost, handle bars, cassette, cranks, seat and tires. now it weighs a respectable- 10.17 kg. again- sweeeeeeeeeeeet.

so next week is a big one, with lots of riding. this saturday will see me riding a 7 hour pre\race\post race ride, and on tuesday- a 5 hour desert ride. on the weekend i will (maybe) climb up the Hermon mt. with the singlespeed gang, and ride back home the day after the climb. here comes the pain.

and moran and i managed to squeeze awesome trip up north on tuesday.

life is good. yeah. good.

well, back to reality...

2009-10-12T21:07:00.002+02:00

so. here i am, a full month before the longest ride of my life, and i feel a little out of shape. the wedding preparations and all, you know...

so i built myself a little training plan. a two week ride-your-bike-as-much-as-you-can, and go to sleep early kind of plan. its working. i do go to sleep early.

and i am hungry all the time, so it must say something about my riding. it also might just say that i'm about to get fat.

here comes the bride...

2009-10-07T18:24:00.002+02:00

okay, so that's it... wer'e married. now i can tell that we gave away 150 bike bells, so that the guests would use them as we went down the aisle... except i did not walk... i rode my trek 9800 down the aisle, to the sounds of Queen's song- bicycle race. it was awesome.

moran walked down the aisle, looking like the princess that she is. this is a picture i took, standing under the chupa, waiting to kiss my wife.

the braking of the glass symbolises that, still, not everything is perfect in the world. it also symbolises the end of an era, and the beginning of a new one.

and this is where i stand. where we stand...

welcome to the new world.

even a 1000 mile trip...

2009-10-04T21:07:00.002+02:00

that's it. its the end of an era for me, and the beginning of a new chapter. i never thought that closing the lid on my single life would look and feel so right and easy, but it is...

next ride will be a married man's ride.

its the same ride, only different.

5 days to go...

2009-09-30T07:05:00.002+02:00

so... its five days to D day. i'm not that excited just yet, but i know i will be. seeing moran wearing her wedding dress and all... my best friend, lior, is flying in from LA, in order to be my best man at the wedding.

yom kipur went well, and we managed to squeeze a few rides. we even rode all the way to Haifa, and moran went up to the city through the Freud climb. the girl got strong legs and will....

so, the yesterday i embarked on an epic road ride, which i had wanted to last around 8 hours. i rode up beit oren, down nesher, through tivon, ramat ishai, and through afula. i rode down to the jordan valley, and than up the gilboa mountains. came back through afula and ended up cramping like hell in yokne'am. moran had to pick me up. still, i managed around 170 km. got to buy some isotonic drinks... i was out of salt in my body. well...

random thoughts...

2009-09-27T10:40:00.003+02:00

as this is yom kipur evening, i thought it would be best to ask for the forgiveness of every person whom might have been offended by me. sorry, it was not intentional...

Uri and Michal got married on friday, and their wedding was one of the best i've ever attended. music, friends, food... it had it all.

on saturday morning i raced a mini down-hill race in ben shemen. the course was rather tricky, with lots of technical elements in its first half, and lots of pedalling in its second... i did not have any full suspension rig on test for the mag, so i chose the superfly 29er... it proved to be pretty fast, and i finished 6th overall, 4.5 seconds off the winner's time.

i love riding bikes, and love the idea of blasting a 2 minute race, as much as i like riding 400 km
in the desert. bikes is god's gift to man-kind.

fall.

2009-09-20T19:43:00.002+03:00

the days of scorhing heat are over. fall is here.

one can actually wake up at 9 AM and ride till noon. which exactly what i plan on doing in the next 2 months. a 400 km race means more than 20 hours of riding, and being able to sit on the thinly padded seat is a built in requirement.

i'm about to get my new bike... an 09' gary fisher superfly. i think i'm about to put it through my regular "pimp my ride" treatment, though, as i find it a little heavier than i want.

tantan is in his regular mode. sound asleep.

back to business...

2009-09-13T12:52:00.002+03:00

coming back from vacation is proving harder than i thought, but there's no escape from the daily grind. so here i am, writing bike tests for the mag, getting ready for the afternoon ride...

and speaking of rides, i must put on some more hours. last week i rode 3 hours all in all... on the other hand, i got married, and had a wonderful vacation with my babe. you gotta live a little, don't you?

hummer sucks.

wedding bells...

2009-09-12T13:40:00.003+03:00

that's it. wer'e married !!! ofcourse its official now, but it will be even more official after the wedding in israel, infront of all our friends and family. still, putting the ring on moran's finger was a very exciting moment.

we spent the remaining days on the island traveling around in the mountains, exploring the beaches and resting. it was an awesome vacation.

knowing that moran is my wife, and that she's the woman i'm going to spend my life with makes me the happiest man on earth. this girl makes me smile.

i mean, look at her...