zona zero

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Bike review - my new Commencal META AM 29 TEAM 2020

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Bike review - my new Commencal META AM 29 TEAM 2020

I choose the Commencal enduro bike over their trail bike, because I wanted a bike that gets me down some of the hardest trails in Zona Zero and Puro Pirineo with more confidence. Commencal nailed it in terms of designing the well balanced looking META AM 29 and a great paint job. This bike makes me a better mountain bike guide. This is the best bike I could possibly ask for as my next guiding bike. It makes me a more confident mountain biker, which is important because that gives me more energy to focus on guiding clients.

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Unbeaten Adventures in Up/ Down mountainbike magazine

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Unbeaten Adventures in Up/ Down mountainbike magazine

it is an honour to be in the mountain bike magazine that helped me become the mountain biker I am today

I am humbled to be in the Up/ Down mountainbike magazine with an article about all the beauty Ainsa & Zona Zero has to offer. And beyond stoked that I am on the cover too, that to me was a huge surprise. Up/Down mountainbike magazine was a huge inspiration for me back when I still lived in the Netherlands and now I appear in it myself.

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The 5 best things about mountain biking in Ainsa, Zona Zero

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The 5 best things about mountain biking in Ainsa, Zona Zero

I am going to add some mountain biking excitement for when the corona crisis is over and we can welcome you back to Ainsa again for some epic mountain biking. Here are the 5 best things about mountain biking in Ainsa, Zona Zero that are waiting for you are allowed to travel to the Spanish Pyrenees again.

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Support your local business NOW! Drink Rondadora beer.

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Support your local business NOW! Drink Rondadora beer.

Due to the lockdown, one of my favourite local business is also having a hard time. The Rondadora brewery has seen revenue drop to a minimum, because all the restaurants and bars are closed. They sell in supermarkets, but there main market has gone.

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My take on the Zona Zero badlands

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My take on the Zona Zero badlands

Youtube is full of POV shots from the trails in Zona Zero. Some are nice some are less interesting. The badland trails just 2 km from my house are very popular to ride with a GoPro. On a nice Sunday afternoon I thought I had a take on filming the badlands but not with my GoPro, but with normal camera and a tripod. This is stage 4 of the 2018 Enduro World Series race in Ainsa.

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Ainsa, Zona Zero through the eyes of a client.

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Ainsa, Zona Zero through the eyes of a client.

2019 marks the first full year of guiding for me. So far it has been an amazing year of guiding mountain bikers from all over the world. I showed more people around than what I had hoped for in beginning of the year. They came from all corners of the globe and they all loved this place.

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Becoming a Kona Ambassador for 2020 part 1

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Becoming a Kona Ambassador for 2020 part 1

Ok I am doing this. Applying for a Kona Ambassadorship for 2020. I am doing it in public by writing this as a blog…This part 1, if I don’t become an ambassador it stays part 1 otherwise we are going to have a series of blogs as a Kona Ambassador. Let’s see. Wish me luck!

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The 5 best trails around Ainsa, Zona Zero

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The 5 best trails around Ainsa, Zona Zero

A while ago I shared the 3 best trails for beginners , now it is time for some more hardcore Enduro trails. Therefore I present you with what I think are the 5 best Enduro trails you can ride straight out of the front door of your hotel, tent, caravan or camper in the Ainsa and Boltaña area.  

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What I learned so far as mountain bike guide, and What is next?

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What I learned so far as mountain bike guide, and What is next?

It has been a little over 6 months since I showed my first clients around Zona Zero. And really like guiding mountain bike enthusiasts around in this magical area. As as a designer, the other part of my brain, I am accustomed to reflect on the things I make and improve them when needed. So it was time for an iteration of the guiding business so far.

“ One part of my brain is wired towards mountain biking and the other part of my brain functions as a designer. They are an inspiration for each other and sometimes they meet.”

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The mountain bike weather in Ainsa, Zona Zero

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The mountain bike weather in Ainsa, Zona Zero

Spring and Autumn are the best and most beautiful seasons for mountain biking in Zona Zero. With temperatures around 20 degrees or a little hire it is a bliss on the trails here. The colours of the fresh green leafs and the blooming flowers in spring are stunning. And you just can’t beat the autumn colors of nature in Sobrarbe.

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Video: My Bike Takes Me To Amazing Places! by McTrail rider

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Video: My Bike Takes Me To Amazing Places! by McTrail rider

It is always amazing to feel when things click. Andrew and I really connected on our first ride together. So on his last day in Ainsa we went on another bike ride. We explored the El Confesionario trail also know as the ride to the pussy of the world/ El coco del mundo. This trail was new for the both of us.

Of course Andrew filmed it all and he threw in some amazing drone footage of Morcat and the Confesionario as well. Enjoy watching!

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Video : An Unbeaten Mountain Bike Adventure by MacTrail Rider

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Video : An Unbeaten Mountain Bike Adventure by MacTrail Rider

Andrew also known as the McTrail Rider was in Ainsa, Zona Zero last month. Together with his girlfriend Alix, he travels through Europe to ride as many cool trails as possible and share his experience on his McTrail Rider YouTube channel.

A few weeks ago I contacted him via Instagram and we went out for a ride together. I showed him the la Caparra trail - ZZ-011 (Trailforks) and he showed me how to do proper switchbacks on my hardtail mountain bike.

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The 3 best mountain bike trails for beginners in Zona Zero

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The 3 best mountain bike trails for beginners in Zona Zero

Which trails can you ride in Zona Zero when you are new to Enduro mountain biking? Zona Zero has a map with ZZ Light trails. The map contains 6 trails varying from family trails over dirt roads to pretty difficult. You can find some of the easier trails on the normal big Zona Zero map with 20 Enduro trails. They probably made the big map before the Light version.

I personally selected 3 trails for you when you just started with Enduro mountain biking. They are fun, challenging enough and they have great views. As I mentioned before you’ll find easier trails, but these 3 trails give you a good start of your Enduro career.

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Why hire a mountain bike guide in Zona Zero?

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Why hire a mountain bike guide in Zona Zero?

Imagine arriving to a place were there are more than 1.000 kms of amazing mountain bike trails. All the trails have something to please all the biking tastes, rocky, fast, flowy, technical, forest…you name it we have it here. The views, the trails, the experience will have you wanting for more! If you want to have the best mountain biking experience in this paradise, getting the maximum out of a day… riding with a guide is a smart and fun decision. 

A mountain bike guide can show you the best trails suited for your needs, your ride will be enchanted by the history of the trails and you will learn more about the local customs. As a bonus, you will see the best views and get all the tips about food and drinks! 

How to deal with hunting season in Zona Zero, Ainsa?

How to deal with hunting season in Zona Zero, Ainsa?

Autumn is slowly taking over the landscape here foothills of the Pyrenees with its beautiful bright colours. With autumn an annual tradition returns to the area, Hunting Season. The battue or batida in Spanish, is a way of hunting where beaters drive the game towards the hunters who are waiting with there shot gun. The hunters are after wild boar and corso, a small dear. These batidas are both tradition and a necessity as there are way to many boars and dear due to a lack of predators aka wolves.

Read the 6 tips to avoid bumping into hunters in Zona Zero.

Riding the Enduro World Series Challenger in Ainsa, Zona Zero on a hardtail

Riding the Enduro World Series Challenger in Ainsa, Zona Zero on a hardtail

I never raced a lot on my mountain bike. I am not sure if it is because I am not competitive or because I am too competitive and I cannot stand loosing. But in 2018 the Enduro World Series came to town and I didn’t want to miss out on that opportunity. So I signed up for the EWS Challenger.

Since a couple of months the bikers in town were whispering about which trails would be used during the EWS. There were signs of mid summer trail cleaning so the guesses were pretty accurate when they released the EWS stages on the Monday before the race weekend.

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How green is my bike? Let's do some sustainability research.

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How green is my bike? Let's do some sustainability research.

How green is your bike?

For me mountain biking is one of the most fun things to do. It is a way I can enjoy nature, do sports and meet new people along the way. Everything can occur at the same time. With my interest in sustainability I find it hard get my head around doing this sport in a more sustainable way. I am not a fanatic or short sided when it comes to sustainability and I truly believe that more people should bike instead of drive a car. After all we all want to promote biking. Surprisingly I don’t see much brands in the industry taking real action, for example circular business models or doing active recycling programs of taking in old products to up-cycle. Perhaps, I haven't done enough research yet.

Why we ride?

Why we ride?

We recently moved to Spain and people ask us a lot why we moved and why we like mountain biking so much. So we taught it would be nice to share the answer to the question: "Why we ride?".  Mountain biking gives us freedom & confidence. For us it is a learning experience while being outside in nature, in the mountains. Why do you ride?