Cycling

The Classics 2024

Every year, I eagerly anticipate the (Belgian) classics, yet they seem to pass by in the blink of an eye. Here are a few images I've chosen from E3 Harelbeke, Gent-Wevelgem, De Ronde van Vlaanderen, and Paris-Roubaix, captured by the exceptional visual storytellers Jered and Ashley Gruber.

Tour of Flanders

Well, yesterday didn’t really go as we would have liked personally, but despite everything that didn’t go to plan, I enjoyed myself.

Mathieu van der Poel attacked on the Koppenberg in the rain to avoid the mayhem that followed. What happened next was like a scene from the wayback machine with riders on foot trying to get to the top. In the women's edition I'm so glad that Katarzyna Niewiadoma had a second place. That girl's fighting spirit will reward her with a first place in the future, I'm sure!

These photos are filled with stories, capturing the emotions and hardships experienced within them. However, this year will be remembered for some personal misfortune, as Jered torched his ACL and MCL, requiring surgery and a recovery journey similar to those of the athletes he captures so masterfully. I'm confident he will emerge stronger, just like those professionals! 

E3 Saxo Classic

Gent-Wevelgem

Paris-Roubaix

The thrilling final of the women's edition of Paris-Roubaix will stay with me for a long time. Everything felt like it was game-over but Lotte Kopecky appeared from what looked like a lost position and worked her way to the front with that devastating final sprint.  

2023 In Numbers

This might sound contradictory. You see, I'm not particularly fond of lists, rankings and such. I’m more of a numbers, data, statistics person. Numbers, in particular, captivate my attention during walks and bike rides. During my walks I usually listen to podcasts, but when cycling, my focus remains on the road. I frequently challenge myself with small estimations, such as predicting the precise time of arrival or estimating distances between points A and B. During walks, I might estimate the number of 'macadams' when approaching the 30 km sign in the village or a specific intersection—quirky things like that.

As mentioned, statistics are always enjoyable, and here's what Strava has compiled for my 'Year In Sport 2023.' Inspired by the captivating article by Scott Boms, I decided to craft my own illustration:

Ever since I own an Apple Watch, my focus has been on completing my activity rings, which entails engaging in at least 20 minutes of exercise each day, burning 560 calories daily, and standing up for a few minutes every hour. Personally, the daily stand goal holds particular significance for me, especially since I spend extended periods sitting while working. The watch prompts me to stand up if I haven't done so within the hour, a health-conscious feature in my opinion. I strive to meet the other goals daily for overall well-being. According to my Apple Watch, I have successfully closed all rings for the past 543 days. However, there was one day I recall when I forgot to charge my watch properly 🤦🏼‍♀️, disrupting the counting as certain rings remained unclosed on that day.

I'm thrilled to have achieved the set goal of riding 12,000 km again. However, we faced some challenges during the Summer and early Fall, with periods when we couldn't go for bike rides due to ongoing construction and installations around the house. Instead of being ahead of our usual schedule, we found ourselves behind when the wet and windy Fall weather set in. Since around mid-October, the weather has been consistently dreadful, with an unprecedented number of wet, windy, and grey days in 2023. Despite the challenges, we persevered. After each ride, we had to clean our bikes. Fortunately, the fenders provided substantial protection for both the bike and our apparel, but even with them, the bike ended up dirty after every single ride.

Fingers crossed for better weather in 2024 🤞🏼. Unfortunately, the first few days of this new year haven't been promising, with a few storms and heavy rain, even posing a flooding threat in our nearby neighborhood. However, next week I see some dry days with periods of sunshine showing up in the forecast, along with freezing temperatures. It’ll be cold for sure to ride my bike, but I don't mind as long as there's sunshine.

Hammerhead Karoo 2

Since you're subscribed to my Sidenotes, I assume you're aware of my deep passion for cycling. Around 2009, I acquired my first GPS cycling gadget, the Garmin Edge 500.

For years, my loyalty was exclusively to Garmin Edge GPS devices, including the 500, 800, and 1000 series. Despite my loyalty, I encountered several issues, such as software glitches and the power button wearing out over time. During that period, Garmin seemed to be the top choice with no real competitors. However, this landscape has changed for quite some time now. I've been using the Hammerhead Karoo 2 for the past few years, and I cannot express enough how satisfied I am with this device.

The contrast from the past is simply immense for me. Let me begin by highlighting the vast difference in navigation. When I was using Garmin devices, encountering overlaps in the route often led to confusion and uncertainty. The default "turn guidance" with prominent white arrows would appear as a turning point approached, causing distractions and a close-up view of the map. Personally, I disliked this feature, as I prefer maintaining a comprehensive overview of the roads.

In that state, the comprehensive overview of the route was lost, and to make matters worse, it was riddled with flaws, occasionally even directing you in the wrong direction. It was only after several months that a friend (Jered Gruber, to be exact) enlightened me about the possibility of switching off the turn guidance: "I always ride like that. I just see my line and I follow it." Great, problem solved, right? Well, not quite, because I have numerous routes with overlaps, especially the MTB ones. To cope with this, I used to memorize all the overlapping turns before starting and jotted them down on paper, keeping it in my back pocket as a backup. However, even with these precautions, things often took unexpected turns, leading us into adventurous experiences where roads would abruptly end in impassable fields or encounter roadblocks, forcing us to deviate from our planned route, resulting in a real mess to get back on our route.

Since I began riding with my Karoo 2, all those previous issues have completely vanished. Now, I still follow a yellow line on the screen, but this line comes with helpful direction arrows. However, the real game-changer is the map itself, which is by far the best I've ever experienced. It beautifully differentiates between roads with bike lanes, off-road trails, paths, and major roads with bike lanes, each marked with distinct colors and clear indicators. Even our regional biking network (Knooppunten netwerk) has its own purple colored lines. And when you are about to ride on an off-road segment, you'll get a warning that the road will go off-road counting down the remaining distance until your back on the hard surface.

In addition to the exceptional map, another aspect I appreciate about the Karoo 2 is the regular software updates that bring continuous improvements and new features. One particular feature that I've grown to adore, available for quite some time now, is the option to ride a route in reverse. It's become a favorite of mine, as it gives the sensation of exploring an entirely new route. In stark contrast, I struggle to recall any notable feature updates on the Garmin Edge devices throughout all these years. Moreover, the outdated GUI look reminiscent of the 90s has been a constant bother for me as a designer. If the device operated according to my preferences, the outdated GUI look wouldn't bother me as much, but unfortunately, I was frequently annoyed by its performance.

Another problem I faced was the battery percentage issue. During long rides, it often became a concern, and I even encountered troubles when uploading my rides to Strava. However, since I started using the Karoo 2, I haven't experienced a single issue so far (knock on wood). The interface is aesthetically pleasing, user-friendly, and well-thought-out, and the touch screen functions seamlessly. I particularly appreciate the simple logic behind it, and the recent update that directly displays the sensor icons (speed, cadence, heart-rate, etc.) at the top of the screen is fantastic. It allows me to quickly see if they are properly connected, indicated by the icons turning green.

I apologize if it may come across as a rant towards Garmin, but I must be completely honest about my experience. The difference between my previous devices and the Karoo 2 is so immense that I can't help but rave about this remarkable device and the brand as a whole. Initially, I bought the Karoo 2 at a discounted price since my friend Geert had already purchased the Karoo 1. The Karoo 1 was a significant improvement over my Garmin Edge 1000, but it had some room for enhancement, mainly regarding its size. However, when the Karoo 2 was launched, it was the perfect solution, and we both decided to get one. To sweeten the deal, I received an extra heart-rate strap or a discount with my purchase (I can't exactly recall). When I faced issues with the strap as it stopped working, the support team promptly sent me an improved replacement for free. These new straps outperformed the Garmin ones by lasting much longer. Although it's a shame that one of them got misplaced somewhere in my house, I'm still on a quest to find it—a total mystery indeed.

If you are looking for an excellent GPS device, I can highly recommend the Karoo 2.  Currently, you get a 50% OFF on a Heart Rate Monitor with your order if you use the code 'K2-HRM'. In case you wonder, I am not sponsored by Hammerhead for saying this.

The Badger Divide

The journey from Glasgow to Inverness spans an impressive 339km, encompassing epic mountain passes, forested trails, and crossings over lochs and rivers, all amidst the breathtaking landscapes of the Scottish Highlands.

The name "Badger Divide" is a clever wordplay, inspired by the well-known bike-packing route in Baja, California, called the "Baja Divide." On a bicycle, the Badger Divide promises a fantastic off-road adventure, featuring more than 5000m of altitude gain. Here's the route on Ride with GPS.

I’ve never experienced anything like it on a gravel bike - and I dream of the next time, if there ever will be a next time.

Last year in the fall, my photographer friends Ashley & Jered Gruber embarked on this incredible adventure. Jered's storytelling skills are unmatched, and I can't do justice to the tale, so I highly recommend reading it for yourself. It's an unforgettable photographic journey you won't want to miss! But if reading or looking at pictures isn't your thing, don't worry; there's a captivating movie about it as well, which you can watch below.

Riding The Untamed Northwest

I've linked to quite a few movies with Danny MacAskill in my newsletter but usally always on his trail bike. This time it is different though as he is on his Santa Cruz Heckler, built for the rigors of true mountain biking. That's exactly what you'll see in the brutal beauty of the Northwest of Scotland.

Don't wait, go enjoy it!