If not working, you often find me on a bike:

On this page you can read up on my observations, tweaks, experiences, and thoughts on these. For rides follow me on strava, routes are planned wiht komoot, trainings are planned with intervals, and I am fairly happily chained into the Garmin ecosystem:

  • Edge 520 head unit,
  • Varia 615 radar/light (in my opinion the best bike purchase you can do!),
  • Instinct 2s watch (which gave up after 2 years..).

Cube Attain Race Disk 2017 (60cm)

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  • Alumninium frame
  • Shimano Tiagra 10x2 speed (4700) - 11-34T / 50/34T
  • Hydraulic Discbreaks (RS405)
  • 10ish kg naked
  • 25mm Conti GP5000

Absolut solid bike that brought me into the drop-bar sport. Trusty back-up if some other bike fails. The only nightmare was sourcing a derailleur hanger (but on which bike it isn’t..). I am a big fan of the 10 speed Tiagra set-up as it is low maintenance, low cost, and servicability is good! Has seen north of 30 000km of road with me since 2018.

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Canyon Endurace CF SL 7 (L)

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  • Carbon frame
  • SRAM Rival eTap AXS 12x2 - 10-16T / 48/35T
  • SRAM Rival Hydraulich Discbreaks
  • 9kg with bottle cages and pedals
  • Bontrager Aeolus Pro 27 TLR Wheels (21mm internal) with 30mm Conti GP5000

I like this bike, creating a lot of memories with it, since 2022. Stock wheels are mehh, the wheel “upgrade” unlocked better cornering capabilities. Using the wireless SRAM groupset is a “don’t think about it” experience, as long as you don’t forget the charger on longer trips. Ohh and it has a standard round seatpost <3. The carbon handle bar looks good (and you look a lot at it!). It is a bit to wide for me, but as it fits a Top-Peak Frontloader perfectly, I will live with this compromis.

After over 25 000 km and being on the second frame, here are my thoughts:

  • So far, the bottom brackets had a lifetime of about 10-15k km, it is pressfit, it sucks.
  • Being crashed by an e-bike, the first frame broke. Went through Canyons crash replacement service:
    • Pro:
      • Same frame and color;
    • Con:
      • Turned out to be almost as expensive as a new bike (although all components, wheels, handlebar, saddle got switched over from the old bike).
      • Rebuilding the bike took RadRace almost 5 months.
      • RadRace did a mediocer job building the bike:
        • missing grommets (and not having them on stock),
        • broken saddle wasn’t noticed,
        • communication with the store was a nightmare.
  • SRAM consumables are on the more expensive side and ware out a bit to fast for my liking. I suspect the sand of Berlin and Brandenburg being the fault here:
    • breakpads last around 3k,
    • chains between 3-4k,
    • casettes and the big ring around 7k.

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Focus Atlas 6.7 EQP 2022 (L)

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  • Alumninium frame
  • Shimano GRX RX400/600 10x2 speed - 11-34T / 46/30T
  • Hydraulic Shimano GRX400
  • 13kg with bottle cages and pedals
  • The worst frontwheel: WTB ST i23 TCS Boost with Shutter Precision Dynamo Hub, after changing to it a great backwheel DT Swiss LN 25/28 Boost

This bike reminds me why standards are a good thing and designing/buying cheap makes you buy twice:

  • The Focus has the absolutely worst wheels on this planet (WTB ST i23 TCS). How can a company get away with selling such a low quality product.
    • Good luck in keeping them true, they will see at a rock from afar and decide to bend.
    • Back freehub was stuck after 600km, the Novatec hub is non servicable -> a complete wheel in the trash.
    • Finding replacement wheels is like searching a needle in a haystack, as the bike is rocking the “Road-Boost-Tech” with 110/148mm width, not a standard at all.
  • Fixing a broken shifter cable in the middle of France, can be done in 10min (cables are 100% sleeved, everyone should do this on (semi-)integrated set-ups). The shifter cable is a standard, this is gold!
  • Front mudflap hanger is undersized and breaks off after half a year of use, not a standard one, luckily a 90degree kitchen cabinet hanger, a drill, and some screws solved that.
  • Stock cheap backlight build with a lot of “air”, creating a rattle can and destructing itself. Replaced it with a B+M my: plus, could not be more happy.
  • Had an absurd wide handle bar, but as it is using standard diameters, could be switched out easily.

Besides this, it is a solid base frame with a screwed in bottom bracket. The bike is doing a great job, even if weighted down by 2 Ortliebs and a top-role, 2 forkbags, a tent, and over 40kg of equipment + me. I hope the Acros non standard headset is not giving up anytime soon…

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Rose Backroad GRX820 2024 (59cm)

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  • Carbon frame
  • Shimano GRX820 12x1 speed - 10-45T / 40T and 46T
  • Hydraulich Shimano GRX820 with huge front disc
  • 11,2kg with 2 full bottles and pedals
  • 45mm Schwalbe G-One RX (sounds AMAZING on the road)

Newest addition to the garage, changed the handlebar directly to a narrower one, an absolut fun machine. Sadly the seatpost is a d-shaped proprietary crap and the seatpost clamp design is out of hell (or just badly done). Be aware that you will be appllying carbon paste after every wet ride, or otherwise everyone riding with you will go deaf. The design accomodates more “flex” but also channels all the spray from the backwheel directly into the clamp. Otherwise a great bike, with mounting points, with a mechanical shifter, with great breaking!

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