Fuji MTB Team

Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day!!

2009-10-02T08:24:00.000-07:00

Hey all, short notice I know, but tomorrow is IMBA's national Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day!

I know of two good observances going on this weekend. One is at Wissahickon State Park in Philly where PMBA (Philly Mountain Bike Association) is hosting an event. Fuji will be there with shwag for all the kids. All the details can be found here: www.phillymtb.org

The other event I was made aware of was the one in Winston-Salem NC where Fuji dealer Mock Orange Bikes is helping out. Here is what Jay of Mock Orange had to say:

" This Saturday, October 3 we will observe IMBA's "Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day" at the Children’s Home in Winston-Salem. We will be there from 11 am to 3 pm. Bring yourself, your kid, and your mountain bikes! The land at the Children’s Home is really great and much fun to explore by bike. Also, our good friend Jay Doub will be manning the grill, so come hungry! This is always a great day and we are once again looking forward to it this year! The Children’s Home is located at 1001 Reynolda Road, Winston-Salem, 27104."

We wish the best of luck to everyone attending an event around the country. To find one near you go here: http://www.imba.com/resources/kids/index.html

HAVE FUN!

MASS Finale @ Bear Creek

2009-09-15T08:39:00.000-07:00

We wrapped up a very successful Mid-Atlantic Super Series this past weekend (September 13th) with 2 team members on the series podium. Dylan and Andrew Alesio finish 2nd and 3rd in the Elite Open (Pro) class respectively. Congratulations to Dylan and Andrew on a great series!

Congratulations to fellow Fuji rider Hal Batdorf of Danzeisen & Quigley in Cherry Hill, NJ. Hal took the second place finish in the Expert class for the day which clinched him the overall series victory in on of the most highly contest classes. Hal races a 2007 Fuji Team Issue MTB, but hopes to move on up to the SLM for 2010. Hal is pictured below in the blue Fuji t-shirt.

Here are some podium photos from Sunday.

2010 Fuji MTB's on BikeRumor.com

2009-08-27T12:19:00.000-07:00

In case you hadn't seen it, our new 2010 Mountain Bikes were just featured on www.bikerumor.com Thank you very much to BikeRumor for the post and the love. www.bikerumor.com is an awesome website with interviews, spy shots and so much more. You should definitely save the site to your favorites right next to our blog.

Here are the direct links:
http://www.bikerumor.com/2009/08/17/2010-fuji-mountain-bikes/
and
http://www.bikerumor.com/2009/08/27/2010-fuji-29er-mountain-bikes/

More 2010 Fuji "Spy Photos"

2009-08-24T07:31:00.000-07:00

Ok ok, they are not really spy photos when I work for the company and they grant me permission to blog about the new bikes. What can I say, the weather out here on the east coast has not the best for racing so the results have not been pouring in from team members. September is setting up to be a busy month with Bear Creek, Michaux and 2 more H2H races on the calender. In the mean time, the Fuji Tahoe line up is getting a make over for 2010. All new frames and the much anticipated return of our Tahoe 26" line up to compliment the 29" line that has been doing so well since the launch 2 years ago.

We will start with the 29" line. The frame is redesigned with a "Power Curve" squared tapered down tube, hydroformed Tri Top Tube and oversized seat tube all designed to improve stiffness with out sacrificing weight. Cable mounting is all moved to the top of the Top Tube to improve shifting and cable cleanliness. The Tahoe 29 series continues to be a value line up really lacking an all out pro level race build, but the top of the line Tahoe 29SL is spec'd with full SRAM x-9 and our own new OEM Handlebars, Stem and Seatposts but still manages to tip the scale under 29.5lbs in a 19" frame. The new frames are lighter, but I can tell you that Team Members riding the 09 Tahoe 29 SL have all gotten their bikes under the 25lb mark and anticipate getting close to the 23lb mark with the new frames and SRAM XX group.

Ok, here are the photos:

Tahoe 29 SL

Tahoe 29 Pro

Tahoe 29 Comp

And now, the 26" models.

These bikes share the same frames as their 29" counterparts but don't go as high end since we have all the carbon race hardtails that outshines the 26" Tahoe. I will get to the Carbon hardtails later in the week. Here are the photos of the Tahoe 26ers.

Tahoe Pro

Tahoe Comp

Team Jerseys for Sale!

2009-08-13T13:53:00.000-07:00

We have a limited supply of jerseys left from our 09 stock that are available to be purchased. If you are at all interested, email Greg and he can help determine sizing and let you know if we have said size available. gpolitz@advancedsports.com would be the way to go about that.

Details are: Louis Garneau Equipe Jersey (Euro Sizing) with custom design and full zip. Shorts are Men's Power Shorts with Airgel Chamois. These are the most comfortable shorts I have ever worn. We have a VERY LIMITED supply of bibs that will be first come first serve. Price is $200 for a full kit. Bibs alone would retail for $180. Incase you have forgotten what they look like, here is a photo. And a big THANK YOU in advance.

Fuji 2010 Bike Release

2009-08-10T11:49:00.001-07:00

We here in the office just wrapped up the 2010 North American sales meetings this past weekend in Philadelphia and oh boy, do we have some sweet bikes coming out. The SLM is only a year old, but Fuji product manager Mark Smith has been asking a lot of question and seeking a lot of feedback. In house employee/team member Chris Dietrich was intergral in the changes that were made and you may have even seen him racing one for the past couple of months. Thank you to Fuji Senior Graphic Designer, Nikia, for allowing me to use her catalog photos rather that the ones I took at the meetings. You all would have been squinting trying to make out the fine details. Ok, enough chatter here are some pics!

Yes, if you look closely that is a SRAM XX groupo with Reynolds Carbon wheels! Changes to the frame include an integrated seat mast and extra clearance for the rear tire. We held a lot of internal discussion regarding the integrated seat mast. We had heard all the complaints about cutting a carbon frame such as: What do I do I cut it to low? What do I do if I want to sell my frame to somebody taller than me? We fixed all those problems with one solution! If the mast is cut to short the solution is to just cut it shorter. All you have to do is cut the mast down to about 1 1/2" above the top tube, cut a slit in the back of the seat tube, put a 34.9 seat post clamp on and insert a 31.6 seat post and you are back on the bike. We received a 19" version of this bike to have as a sample for the meetings and take to interbike. Fully assembled with an uncut seat mast this bike weighed in at 19.03 lbs!!!!!! More than 1.5lbs lighter than the team race bikes! If you are asking what kind of price point we are coming in at right around $8,000 with the XX (oh and by the way SRAM dudes have officially said that it is pronounced X-X, not Double X, so say right!). Good news to those of you who can only afford to spend around $6000 we will have a X-0 build one the same exact frame. Frame sets will also be available and of course, pricing is round about and has yet to be finalized.

Our other fancy new frame is a dual suspension carbon race machine. The D.S.R. (Dual Suspension Race) is a 4" travel carbon dualie that has endurance racing written all over it. Still borrowing a slightly changed version of the 4 bar linkage design by Specialized this frame is incredibly stiff and light. The frame features a tapered head tube with a 1.5" bottom bearing and the standard 1 1/8" top bearing. We have yet to see a ride able sample yet so I do not have an exact weight, but the sample is sub 24lbs with full XTR and the same Reynolds wheels as the SLM LTD. Just like the SLM, we will have 2 build packages. One with the XTR/Reynolds and the 2.0 with XT/SLX and Mavic Wheels. Keep an eye out on fujibikes.com for more detailed tech/spec info as well as official MSRPs. Another highlight of the DSR 1.0 is Fuji's first interaction with Fox Suspension products. Now don't get me wrong, team members LOVE their RockShox forks and baring the unforeseeable change, we will continue to support RockShox next year as well. Nevertheless, the addition of Fox as a vendor for Fuji, really shows that we are committed to building our brand of mountain bikes as well as the sport mountain biking in general. Ok, I will shut up now and hook up the photos. Enjoy!

I will post some more stuff once I have more free time, but these bikes are so hot that the phones have been ringing off the hook here in the office today and that probably won't change any time soon. Keep checking back or keep an eye on www.twitter.com/fujimtb for all the latest and greatest!

King of Spring MTB Race @ Spring Mountain

2009-08-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was the King of Spring event at Spring Mountain. And oh man was it an event to remember. Spring Mountain has a long history of wet mountain bike races and the new August race date did not change this. Saturday was an absolute beautiful day for the pre-ride and demo event. We gave out 2 demo bikes from 10am-2pm, but once people started showing up for the pre-ride we had a nice little line for and ended up giving out 10 demos. All 12 people came back with the same comment of, "I didn't know Fuji made such bad ass mountain bikes".

Fuji rider Jimmy along with Topher and Mike of Bikesport, put on a trials show that recruited a nice little crowd in the campground just before dark after the Bikesport guys did a pre-ride after work. Around 4:00 am the rain came and there was a lot of it. It pour for about 3 1/2 hours straight before slowing down to a drizzle. The beginner was race was pushed back from 8:30 to 9:30 because we kept hearing there were people trying to make it to the race but having trouble with flooded road ways and traffic.

Beginners went off with about 20 people on the line. We had a ghost rider, James Pinto of Bikesport, because he forgot his Bikesport jersey and it was an non series race and a non sanctioned race we felt it would hurt any one. James was sandbagging the race because he had to be at work at noon, but none the less got us our first podium of the day finishing 2nd in the Beginner Junior class. Our second podium of the day was a third place finish in the Beginner Senior 1 Men for Ron Dorsey of the Fuji Warehouse Team also known as the "B-Team" or "Good Game Racing". Ron raced Bear Creek last year, but got a little off course and didn't finish so he was happy to notch his first finish and his first podium.

Jimmy Hessler started the Sport race about an hour late after with about 20 other racers after about another 45 minutes of down pour drenched the course again and cause the Perk Creek to overflow it's banks and swallow the campsite in a matter of 30 minutes. Once the race got going the weather started to clear and as the course began to dry it became "peanut butter" as many racers described. Jimmy was one of the many riders who ran across the line because of a technical problem in the last section of single track. At "press time" for this post we were not 100% sure where Jimmy finished, but we are confident he was around 5th or 6th. Congrats to our friends Jeff and Pete @ Bikesport who finished 1st and 2nd in their home race.

Expert/Pro class went off at about 2:30 pm. We had 3 guys on the line for this start, Dylan and Andrew Alesio (Pro) and Chris Dietrich (Expert). Dylan and Andrew were off the front from the start as they didn't want to get stuck in the pack on the first turn. Dylan had a great race in which he lead the whole time, extending his lead with each lap. Dylan came across the line in around 1 hour 4 minutes to take the win in the Pro class. Andrew flatted 3 times and finished around 6th. Dylan was crowned King of Spring!

Chris road to a very solid 2nd place finish despite a flat on the ever important 3rd lap. Chris was very pleased with this race and thought it was a great way to warm up for Mt. Snow next weekend.

The last race we were well represented in was the kid's race. BMX Legend, Brett Downs, brought his sons out to Spring Mountain to participate in the kid's race. Sadly because of the weather no other competition showed up for them, so needless to say they finished 1st and 2nd. Congrats to Hank and Jack! I am personally proud of them since I retired undefeated in the Spring Mountain Kid's race back in the 90's.

All in all it was a great weekend. We had 4 podiums (6 if you count the kids) and a lot of fun. Thank you to the Bergey family for letting us be involved and putting together a great weekend. Hope to see you all there next year, just don't camp to close to the creek!

WE LOVE SRAM!!

2009-07-29T07:57:00.000-07:00

Ok ok, so we don't get to ride it yet but we do get to drool over it. Brand new SRAM XX just arrived for the sample bikes for Fuji's 2010 sales meetings that are happening next week. Team Captain Jude Vilain was given the privilege of assembling the 2010 Fuji SLM LTD that is looking to be spec'd with full XX. Everything from the Avid brakes down to the RockShox fork (with hydraulic lock out and uni-directional carbon lay up. Although the individual pictures don't do the parts justice and Fuji said no to letting me post photos of the complete bike until after the meetings, I can tell you that it tipped the scale at 19.1 lbs in a 19" frame with out cutting the steer tube or seat mast (oops, did I say seat mast?). Thanks to SRAM for the tease and needless to say, we can't wait to outfit the race bikes with the new 2x10 system.

Fair Hill Race Reports

2009-07-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

Below are race reports submitted by Dylan and Andrew Alesio from the Fair Hill race on Sunday July 12th.

Andrew:

4th out of 28th open elite racers.
At the start line I did not pick any special spot because it was on a long fire road to the single track, so I just sat in mid-pack and picked my way up to the front. As it went into the first section of single track, I was still about six racers back from the lead. I decided to try to capitalize on the next fire road where I pushed myself to the lead. Now it was time to do what I love to do, and that was to pick up the pace so that only the strong could hold on. With in minutes I made a small train of racers that consisted of me in the lead, Brandon Draugelis on my tail, then Christopher Beck and Dylan on the back of the train playing it cool. I felt great, riding super smooth and fast. At every turn, root, hill, dip, whatever it may have been, I try to ride it faster then anyone else. I sprinted out of every turn, and held the pace up so that no one could have slacked for a second. This pace was so intense I could barely reach for my hydro-pack hose let alone my water bottle. I held this pace up for about 22 miles, when suddenly, it was like a light switch from on to off and nothing in between. I run out of fuel. I knew that I packed a little light on the fuel and I really paid for it. As Brandon, Chris, and Dylan passed me I tried to keep up with them, but it was not going to happen. Now, the suffering began and all I had to do was finish the last four miles. Let me tell you that those last four miles were not as fun when I was going half the speed. I finished in 4th knowing what I need to work out as far as fuel requirements so that I could race better. It is a simple concept that the hotter the flame the more fuel it needs to burn.

Andrew:

3rd out of 28+ riders in the open elite.
The start line was packed with almost a 30 man field and I started off to the side in the grass rather that the gravel tracks. I found myself near the front and started to reserve power on the long flat gravel road. Dust filled the air as riders made there moves around me. I held my place just to see who was around. When the single track approached I turned the heat on and jumped into 3rd or so. Once things got going, Andrew took the lead and applied pressure. In order to keep up I had to constantly sprint out of the turns, attack every hill at max effort, and pull several G's in the turns. With in 20 minutes there were only four battling the front line with Andrew leading, follow by Brandon Draugelis, Christopher Beck, and me. Only the strong could keep up that day. It took me many twisty turns of refinement to be able to flow as good as Andrew through the turns and not lose any speed. It was so intense that with every reach for the camel back nozzle I would lose several feet and when it came time to drink from the bottle I lost even more. The train of four stayed tight to Andrew's wheel and were shocked at the pace he was pushing. I provoked the break up as I tried to pass Christopher Beck on the fire road as Andrew started to weaken. Christopher held me off and attacked on the upcoming hill pulling away with Brandon. As they pulled away I felt my tank drain and had to reduce pace for the final 4 miles. Andrew blew his fuel fuse and found a place in 4th. Christopher and Brandon had a close sprint finish and 2 minutes 51 seconds late I finished 3rd and just over a minute Andrew finished 4th.

NJ State Championships

2009-07-13T07:02:00.000-07:00

Sunday was the H2H Bulldog Romp that also serves as the NJ State Championships for NJ residents. Proud Jersey boy, Chris Dietrich was attempting to successfully defend his title that he won in the Beginner class in 2007 and the Sport class in 2008. 2009 was to be in the Expert class. A challenge Chris has been looking forward to and all season. I will ruin the surprise and let you know that Chris finished 12th out of 16 racers and 7th in the State. He has written a race report that is posted below. We consider this a good result from Chris who has exceeded expectations and done very well his first year racing in the Expert class.

Today was the NJ State Championships at Kittatiny Valley State Park in Andover, NJ. I finished 12 out of 16 racers and 7th in the state championship. I had a really good race today as we raced for 28 miles. I felt really good all day today and I am noticing the work that I have been putting in is helping me. The conditions today were great. I thought that the course would be not so good as we had a lot of rain on Saturday night. The course was pretty much as fast as when I pre-rode on Saturday. My tire of choice today was the WTB Nano Raptor. I thought with its tight tread pattern and it being a wider tire than my normal Wolverine tire which is a 1.95 that it would be extremely fast on the course. The Nano Raptor flies on hardpack! It was the perfect tire for this course today. Well I will be back at it this week training hard as always. The next race will be the D&Q Summer Sizzler in Sewell, NJ on the 25th of July. -Chris Dietrich

Lewis Morris Challenge, July 5th

2009-07-08T11:56:00.000-07:00

Race report from Dylan:

5th out of 13 pro racers.
Like Andrew, I found myself in the second row of racers at the start. After your tradition mass start with elbows flying and bars knocking, I found myself leading for a short period of time until Andrew took my place atop the tight pack of five racers that had pulled away from the pack. The five racers stayed together most of the time until Aaron took off up a rooty climb jut after the halfway point. Andrew took off trying to catch him and Vegan Rob stayed on his wheel. I would have liked to stay with them, but when I reached for the needed energy I knew I would bonk if I tried to keep that pace and was concerned about finishing. Andrew did a great job nailing down 3rd despite a late technical and I was able to hold on to 5th place. All in all I could have felt better physically, but feel that I was mentally prepared and still pushed hard to finish.

Lewis Morris Challenge, July 5th

2009-07-08T10:54:00.000-07:00

Race reports from the Alesio brothers have just come in and here they are! Enjoy!

3rd out 13 Pro racers at the Lewis Morris Challenge
So my brother and I got to the starting line a little late to get on the front line, so we were forced to the second line back from the front. This would certainly change things a little for us, as I have been consistently leading every race the last month or more. As it starts I saw Dylan make some good passes and get in to the lead, while I was stuck behind. I got to the first climb and took my spot in the lead with a train attach to me. For half of the race I was leading the train of Aaron Snyder, Rob Lichtenwalner, Dylan and Mike "Motorboat", but I had no clue what to expect the rest of the race. Aaron and Rob made a few attack attempts, but I was able to hold them off. Just after the halfway point, Aaron became Euro Aaron and launched an attack no body in the Pro class could contest on this day. The race changed quite a bit as Aaron lead and a gap formed between us. Robby Boy and I gave chase as best we could creating another gap separating us from Dylan and Mike. Rob and I rode together the rest of the race, taking turns on the last lap as we were both suffering pretty badly. As we approached the end of the race, I was preparing for a sprint finish, that never came. The long race had taken its tole on my bike and any force on the pedals would cause my chain to skip all over the place. Turns out, I bent a couple teeth on my big ring at some point. Without the possibility of sprint finish, I was forced to settle for 3rd place. Overall, the course was fast and fun, with plenty of climbing.

Capping it all off, we had the best of the best professional Water-Boy, Jude, handing out our bottles. I highly recommend this race to everyone next year.

Lewis Morris Challenge, July 5th

2009-07-06T07:27:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend at the Lewis Morris Challenge in Mendham, NJ. Race report will be posted as they are recieved.

Here is Chris Dietrich's report:

Today was the Lewis Morris Challenge in Mendham, NJ which is part of the Campmor series. I finished 18th out of 19 racers today. Not a great result, but I went out there and gave it everything I had. I am definitely feeling it as I am writing this. The weather and the course were perfect. The conditions were dry which has been rare this year. There was a good turnout of racers today which is a great sign for this young series and for cross country racing in general. I know that I am gaining fitness and it will pay off eventually. I am going to continue to work hard and look forward to racing next Sunday at the Bulldog Rump which is also the NJ State Championships. I hope to see you there next week.

Managers Note: Chris is the 2 time defending NJ State Champion looking for his 3 State Title this year. We wish him luck!

King of Spring MTB Race @ Spring Mountain

2009-07-02T10:13:00.000-07:00

This subject is a very important one to your author, Greg. My parents hosted the Spring Mountain Challenge Race through the better part the 90's. Hell, I left the last Spring Mountain Challenge in an ambulance after crashing in the dual slalom race. I got to see the likes of Floyd Landis and Jay de Jesus tear up the course and have a ton of fun doing it. Another guy I used to watch race at Spring Mountain was Randy Bergey. Randy is the father of Gunnar Bergey the 16 year old who is currently tearing up the JR circuit and the promoter of the Kind of Spring Race that was just announced for August 2nd 2009. The Kind of Spring was just added to Bike Reg and can be found here: http://bit.ly/10b6AY

Fuji MTB will be there in full force for both the organized pre-ride on Saturday August 1st and the race on Sunday August 2nd. We hope to see a TON of people out for both days as well as at the campground on Saturday night!

Podium Photo

2009-06-30T07:30:00.000-07:00

Cowbell Challenge Race Report-----Finally!

2009-06-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Seems like the Cowbell Challenge Race organizers took their time posting results from the June 21st race. Chris Dietrich was the only team member who traveled down to the NC race. Here is his race report.

The Cowbell Challenge was stop number four in the Kenda Cup East series in Davidson, NC. The conditions were hot and dry. The course was awesome. This course was very fast with a lot of great singletrack. I started the race well until I burped the front tire enough to where I had to add some air. I had another minor chain suck issue on lap two. In total both minor technical problems took less than two minutes to fix, but on this course I was passed by some people. I ended up finishing 12th out of 14 racers. I was content with that finish. I am still seeing improvements in all aspects of my riding and racing every week so I think that my training is going well. The next race will be the Lewis Morris Challenge in NJ. I am excited for this race because I know this course extremely well. I hope to see you at the Lewis Morris Challenge on July 5th.

Dark Horse Gallop H2H Race Reports

2009-06-26T07:05:00.000-07:00

Below are the race reports for Dylan and Andrew Alesio from the Dark Horse Gallop H2H race.

Andrew:

2nd out of 14 in the Pro race
Ya, this was by far a mud race, the soupy slop that only wants to do one thing, destroy your bike components. At the start of the race I was leading and holding a pace that made me question why don't I feel so good? Well, I remember now, I was sick with a fever for three days after a free massage at the last race that I won at, the Williams Lake Classic. I guess that is what you get for a freebie. Note to self; pass on free massage, don't get any thing too deep after a race (does more damage), and keep on top of massages for maintenance of a happy and healthy muscles. Back to the Dark Horse Gallop mud fest, I defended/battled the lead for about three laps and lost it by the last lap as I was total shot. This race was just under two hours and forty minutes of just pure suffering. The shifting failed, took two hands on the grip shift to attempt to change gears. The mud disintegrated the break pad to the metal backing and making them thin veneers. The last half of the race I had no breaks. I just stuck with it and finished. This was a race I would not want to relive. I hope that next race is dry for a change. I think that Dylan and I are going to pass on Marysville.

Dylan:

DNF. At the start of the I was very reserved off the line, and rode in second behind Andrew. After the Prologue I wanted to pass Andrew, but I just sat tight. Shortly We dropped into 2nd and 3rd and back into 1st and 2nd. The condition were just wet, muddy and nasty. I started my second lap and found my bottoming my brake lever to the grip. I knew what had happen. No more brake pads left. I had trouble telling my to stop racing and after missing several turn and trees, I discontinued the effort to ensure that I don't hurt my self. So it did not go my way that day and I will only learn from this events.

Andrew and Dylan Finish 1 and 2 at Williams Lake Classic

2009-06-19T07:56:00.000-07:00

Andrew and Dylan Alesio finished 1st and 2nd respectively at the Williams Lake Classic on Sunday 6/14. Greg has been scouring the internet for photos, so if you come across any, email them to gpolitz@advancedsports.com

Here are the race reports:

Andrew

First place out of 11 pro racers.

This course is privately owned and it was by far on my top three list as far as trails go. The pros had four long laps of the best single track ever. It was about 95% single track that was fast and a little wet/muddy. At the starting line there was a call up based on the order that the racers registered. Dylan and I were called up last, which put us onto only room remaining, on the tall slow grass. The gun went off, Dylan took the lead and I was right there until some silly racer decided to get in between us. With in seconds he slowed me down, so I passed him and got right behind Dylan. With half of the first lap done my bro and I had at least a thirty second lead back to third place. At that point I knew I it was going to be a battle between the both of us. Then, I heard a release of air, Dylan got a flat. When I finished my first lap I used my special twin powers, and I knew that Dylan had fixed his flat and was aiming for my spot, first place. So what the race came down to three and a half laps by myself. I just laid the hammer down from the start and did not let off once. There were lots of climbs and some were slick. I amazed myself, I rode every slick climb at least twice. The mud was the very fun and unpredictable. Just one big slip and slide. The trails are just amazing. There is a cave that you ride through with run way lighting (Very Dim; I felt sorry for people that had poor night vision). Some of the climbs gave you a treat of the most scenic views I have ever seen. There were some large mine hole straight down through the earth, just awesome. I rode this race strong because if I did not I knew that I was going to see some orange through the trees if I looked back. I rode so hard that Dylan never saw me, and that I had a ten minute lead on him. The paced I rode gave me a 19 minute lead on third place at the finish. After I finished, the announcer told me that I had a two minute gap on the first lap and ever lap after that the gap grew. I am happy with first place but it would have been more fun to have by brother around a little longer so that we could hurt each other a little more.

Dylan

2nd Out of 11 Pro men.

The best single track I have ever ridden. The course goes through a long cave with run way lighting. Amazing!!! There is area on the course where the temperatures drops to about 40 degrees, ice cold air from an old cave or mining hole. From the start I launched into 1st as Andrew became my shadow and follow me closely. I was ridding strong and focused. I flatted my rear tire and tried to fix it fast but every thing was slick. Shortly I was up and moving as I dropped way back. The flat was my error as all (most) flats are rider error. I was ridding along and asking too much from them, as a result a breach occurred. So I went from 1st to way in the back all with in the first lap. I worked very hard to catch Andrew, but I just ended up in 2nd place by the end of the second lap with a 2 minute lead on 3rd place. Andrew was long gone never to be seen again. When I passed the 2nd place guy, he told me that he was done and pulled out.The condition were wet and muddy. I love the skill of controlled power sliding in the mud. So another 2nd place for me and soon a 1st.

Neshaminy XC Race presented by Guy's Bicycles FOLLOW UP

2009-06-19T07:54:00.001-07:00

Yo, the Neshaminy XC Race this weekend has been postponned. Team members are scattering to change plans for this weekend. Some are headed to North Carolina for the Kenda Cup race while others are going to the H2H Darkhorse race in up-state New York.

Neshaminy XC Race presented by Guy's Bicycles

2009-06-17T14:50:00.000-07:00

Just a heads up to everyone local to the Philly area. Fuji MTB will be in full force (minus Chris Dietrich who is headed to North Carolina) at the Neshaminy race on Sunday. All the information you could possibly need can be found here:
http://www.masuperseries.com/2009/index.php?view=details&id=11%3Aguys-neshaminy-xc-classic&option=com_eventlist&Itemid=12

Hope to see you there!

Sponsorship Opportunities Available!

2009-06-17T12:34:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to throw this out there to get an early start.

With everything long past finalized for the 2009 season now, it is time to think about the Cross 2009 and MTB 2010 seasons. Fuji MTB has opportunities for product and cash sponsorship for both seasons. I will spare you all of the details, but if you or someone you know would be interested in discussing sponsorship for either upcoming seasons please email Greg directly at gpolitz@advancedsports.com

Greg is always accepting racer résumés as well if you dream of racing with Fuji. Obviously we are set for 2009, but one never knows what the future holds.

Kenda Cup Race #3

2009-06-16T13:53:00.000-07:00

Here is the race report for Kenda Cup race #3 in Virginia from Chris Dietrich.

This past weekend was the Kenda Cup East #3 race at the Massanutten Ski Resort in western Virginia. As with all but one race this year it was another mud fest. Twenty five miles of some awesome singletrack with plenty of climbing and technical parts of the course. Within the first three miles of the race I had a rear flat. By the time I got going again all the Sport riders had passed me. I was working hard to get past them and I did get past a lot of them, but most of my class was long gone. I finished 10th place which was the last finisher. There were four DNF’s in my group which I thought was a lot. Overall, it was a good performance from me minus the flat, but that’s racing. This week I will be going to the fourth stop on the Kenda Cup East series in Davidson, NC for the Cowbell Challenge. See you there.

-Chris

Tour de Tykes race report

2009-06-12T11:12:00.000-07:00

Here are race reports from the Alesio brothers.

Andrew:

6 out of 14 in the Elite Open class
Some days you have it and some are just a little slower. After traveling to and from Alabama, I had a few night of not so good sleep. Pretty much watching the clock tick as i ask myself why I can't fall asleep. Warming-up just a few minutes before the start of the race I knew that it was going to be an off day. I could feel my legs not responding so well, and no warm-up could change that. I started the race and worked my way into my finishing position with in the first few minutes of the race. I had enough power to defend sixth place the whole race but not enough to move up any position. This race was one of my slowest starts this year. I am use to leading the race for about three quarter of the first lap, but not this time. I think that I had a lead for about half a minute. Though I did not start the race the way I wanted, I did pull myself into form later into the race. That was a very good thing because most of the course was far from flat. I love these trails, they are tough and fast. The big 29 inch wheels just ate up the trail and gave all the traction need for the tight turns and the hard breaking.

Dylan:

2nd out of 14 Elite open racers.
From the start of the race I was in the very back of the field and shortly after I found myself up front leading with Andrew (but he did not last as long). I was first on to the fire road and than was battling to hold the position. I dropped back to 4th place for a few minutes and was ready to attack hard. I made my way in to second place and feeling strong as I tried to get 1st back into sight, but I realized that Brandon Draugelis made his move and put the time in between us in the beginning. I attacked every climb. I feel that I am coming into form and really feeling right. I rode flawlessly, no dabbing, and no running. The big wheels are just right.

Results can be seen here:
http://bigwhitetrailer.com/timing/results_2009/20090607TDTElite-Expert.HTM

Cyclefitters.com

2009-06-10T07:15:00.000-07:00

Jason Fritzsche just had his fitting done by John @ Cyclefitters.com out in Palmer Township (just outside of Allentown) and his unsolicited review was so good that I thought I would just copy and paste it right from my email.

"I really recommend going to cyclefitters. Just spinning on the trainer after some of his adjustments, I could feel the difference. I also needed these special insoles that he sold me on, but they get my feet back in line with my knees and hips. Just stuff that I never would have thought about. Also turns out that I was riding my seat almost an inch too low and the saddle too far back. Worth the trip, he’s just outside of Allentown." -Jason Fritzsche

Cyclefitters.com is an official team sponsor. So far Dylan, Andrew and Jason have all had fittings done and experienced significant changes in their performance immediately following their fittings. John was trained at the Serotta International Cycling Institute and is skilled in the fitting of both road and mountain bikes. Check him out at www.cyclefitters.com and tell him Fuji sent you.

Bump N' Gring Kenda Cup Race

2009-06-05T12:07:00.000-07:00

Here are race reports from Dylan and Andrew Alesio who were in Alabama last weekend taking part in the first east coast Kenda Cup race. Otherwise known as the Bump N' Grind, this race was sure to draw some of the biggest names in our sport. Dylan and Andrew both wrote their own reports. Enjoy!

Andrew:

32nd out of 64 pro racers at the Bump n Grind.
Saturday, the day before the race, I rode two laps with Dylan trying to feel out the course. The course was about 30% road, but the rest was some ripping high-speed single track that had some tight turns and roots. Defiantly these trails were really fun and fast. After the pre-ride, I gave by bike some love as I always do before a race. I made sure that my bike was clean and that it worked perfectly. The day of the race I warmed-up with Dylan by riding to the start line from our hotel. The announcer called me up two spots before Dylan to the start line. Dylan and I were side by side at the start line with more rows of racer in front of us than behind us. BANG! The gun goes off, I jumped right behind Dylan and held on for dear life just trying to defend my spot. Then it was time to funnel down to the tight single track. The pack aims for the tight single track and it was still about six racers wide and made for one. Racers started jamming up and Dylan forced his way through the center with me right behind him. When the racers were in the single track it was packed from bike to bike. If someone lagged, made a turn too wide, or something of that manner they would be passed by at least one racer. This was the most exciting start ever. In the first road section I had to catch up to the pack that Dylan was in. I put everything I had to the pedals to catch that pack. I could feel my body telling me to stop, but I did not listen and I caught that pack. I was in the middle of the pack going through the start/finish and into the feed zone. Now the only problem in the whole race was the first feed zone. I am pretty sure that this is a simple physics problem. Two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time. My feed zone man, Matt Miller, just could not bend the rules of physics, as I was right behind Dylan. I flew by Matt with no bottle, and then stopped, while Matt ran to me, the time that was
passing felt like an eternity. I got my bottle and hammered off into the single track. Even with four more laps to go there was nothing that I could do to catch up to Dylan. I finished in 32nd place, 14 minutes and 4 seconds behind the leader.

Dylan-

28th place out of 64 pro men.
Friday 4:00am WAKE UP, 5:00 Jordan Kahlenberg arrived and stared to pack his Honda Element with every we needed. The Trip started with Jordan having to modify his roof rack to allow clearance for the brake calipers. He asked for a hack saw and I gave him a powered reciprocating saw and I minutes the job was done. After getting that worked out we were on our way. After 16 hours of driving we arrived to the wonderful location of Pelham, Al. We quickly unpacked the car and geared up to treat our leg to motion after being immobilized. Jordan got on his trainer, While Andrew and I rode towards Oak Mountain park. The roads were covered with moon light and a weak homemade LED riding light. Riding in the dark was the best way to clear my head and prepare my legs for Sunday race. Saturday Andrew and I got to pre-ride the course. The Pro course was 5-6 miles and had plenty of passing room on the road sections, but zero room to pass on the single track. In the fourth row of the start line, I know I had to play it smart in order to get into the single track without waiting for the masses to clear. Andrew followed me as I slipped through the middle of the pack just wide enough for half a person. It happened so fast all I remember seeing was elbows, feet, handlebars, pedals, and wheels everywhere. I worked my way in to the mid twenties by the middle of the race. During the race I found my self riding with TJ and several other racers. We worked together on the road section and I lead through the single track. Finishing lap 3 of 5, I found myself drafting off of TJ until Sam Jurekovic passed us like a motorcycle. I jumped on the pedals to catch his draft. Once in Sam J's draft, I still had to work hard to stay with him as we teleported to the start finished line. I later resumed back to my speed and finished strong. It came down to a sprint finish and my legs had it. Overall I am happy about my performance. The 29er trend has finally made it to the Pro circuit. It seems that it was mostly dual suspension 26 and 29er hardtails. 12 minutes 33 seconds form first, not bad.

More from Iron Hill

2009-06-05T11:09:00.000-07:00

Here is Jason's report from Iron Hill. Enjoy!

Iron Hill is a pretty straight-forward place to ride, cruise down the hill, then grind your way back up. There are some punchy and technical sections to keep it interesting like the "bone shaker" and the "mega dip". Much to everyone's disappointment, the morning showers forced the closure of the mega dip, the trademark of Iron Hill. The course had pretty much lost its slickness by the time our 2pm start rolled around, but the ground was still a little spongy. Not really a problem, until you have to pound out all of the climbing on the back side. This proved to be more of an energy drain than most single-speeder's anticipated, and by the 4th lap I was gritting my way through it. My lackluster start had me pretty close to the back as the group entered the woods. Mostly because a few of us tried to flank and pass pretty close to the wooded edge, but somehow forgetting around the giant rock planted firmly in front of us. That small moment of hesitation was enough to let the lead group break off and begin their assault. I managed to catch back on to the mid-pack fodder and gain some positions. Overall, I was happy with my 11th place finish. I put in a strong ride, but wish I hadn't bobbled on the start.
-Jason

Iron Hill 5/31/2009

2009-06-03T09:06:00.000-07:00

Here is the race report from Chris for the Iron Hill race last weekend (5/31/2009). Dylan and Andrew Alesio were in Alabama for the Bump N' Grind Kenda Cup race and should be submitting race reports shortly. Photos were tough to come by at Iron Hill as the sun was in and out of clouds and I couldn't wonder to far from the team tent to find a good place. I will post what I have.

Iron Hill Challenge at Iron Hill State Park in Newark, DE. This race is part of the MASS series. The conditions were fairly good with slippery roots and rocks from the mornings rain. I finished 14th out of 18 in my class which I am pleased with. I didn’t have any technical or physical problems as I felt good the whole race. Like I have been saying since the start of the season I am pleased with my steady progress week after week. This week I will be heading off to Virginia to the Massanutten Ho-HAA which is a Kenda Cup East race.

Our "Demo" set up with Fuji's brand new Dodge Sprinter. The Sprinter we be getting decalled soon!

Another picture of the Sprinter, this time with a Notubes.com banner. Have you seen the Notubes.com white rims?

Jimmy at the start line.

NEW SPONSOR!!

2009-05-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

We have reached an agreement with Native Eyewear for product sponsorship for 2009. Native was nice enough to send each rider a couple of pairs of glasses to keep their vision clear throughout the year. They were even willing to send the team manager, yours truly, a set. I snapped some pictures of mine and will be sure to get a couple more in the next couple days. Be sure to check out http://www.nativeeyewear.com/ for some really nice eyewear and soft goods (clothing, hats, t-shirts etc.)

Random Photos

2009-05-27T07:16:00.000-07:00

A lot of people have been sending me random photos from the first 2 months of racing and I am just getting around to posting them. If you are one of the contributing photographers, thank you very much and keep them coming. Dylan or Andrew giving hell in the corners

Dylan or Andrew holding a lead

Jason throwin down on the 29er SS!

Proof that the Alesio Twins are of legal voting age. Look at that chest hair. Or is it mud?

Jason's butt. Thanks to NoTubes.com for sponsoring our ass'!

Jason reelin in the competition Chris on his freakishly small looking SLM. It is a 19" for the record

Jimmy at the Greenbriar starting line

Jimmy keeping the title sponsor happy.

Jude and Chris "Terminator" Dietrich at the start of Greenbriar

Photos from Michaux

2009-05-08T07:17:00.000-07:00

Jude and Jimmy were both spotted at Michaux last weekend. Check out some professional picture taking skill.

http://singlespeeder.smugmug.com/gallery/8119862_vhZtE#529410571_BJXag

http://singlespeeder.smugmug.com/gallery/8119862_vhZtE#P-12-9

Race reports from Michaux coming soon!

Yes, I would like to escape from Granogue!

2009-05-08T07:15:00.001-07:00

Here is Jason Fritzsche's report from Granogue. Enjoy!

This year it was clear why I was Escaping From Granogue. Never sure what the name of the race is supposed to mean, but I have a slightly better sense now. This one was a challenge of mind, rider, and equipment. Rain, rain, rain, and more rain turned the course into the one of the worst peanut butter mud-fests I had ever ridden in. I can take the mud and rain, but when you just simply can't move because of the growing glob of sticky mud around the essential moving parts of the bike, it's time to just call it. The actual decision was a culmination of many things. The mud grew so dense around the fork that it actually forced me over the bars on a descent. As a result of that, I tore a hole in the new kit, the chain was thrown off numerous times, and the rear brake lost all pressure and was leaking fluid. Lots of damage for only 3.5 miles of trail. The bike wash line was all too tempting when I spotted it on the climb in the open field. Done. Hats off to the riders who trudged through that mess for 3+ hours, wish I could say the same. This one is in the books as epic conditions, people will talk about Granogue 09 for years to come. As a bonus kick in the ass, I got the car stuck in some deep slop while trying to leave the parking area. Thanks to those who helped push me out. On a preparatory note, I read that spraying your bike with PAM will just wick away the mud. Is there any truth in this?

Chris Dietrich is famous!!

2009-05-06T07:09:00.000-07:00

Chris was spotted at the Mt. Snow National in July 08. I don't know who originally found it, but 3 different people email it to me last night. Enjoy!

http://www.usacycling.org/gallery/album297/Crowdwomen_start

H2H Spring Cleaning

2009-05-05T14:15:00.000-07:00

Here is Chris Dietrich's report from the H2H race in Wawayanda State Park (NJ)

Race #3 of the season, #1 in the Campmor H2H series.
Conditions: Rainy and muddy.
Course: Very technical with slippery roots and rocks everywhere.
Distance: 30 miles.
Time: 3:21

Overall I took 21 out of 22. Not anything to brag about, but I am still learning how to pace in a race this long. I felt good during the race and I am happy with my progress as the season is just under way. Had I pushed just a little harder there were about four other riders about 5-6 minutes ahead of me that I may have been able to catch. I did not have any technical issues or crashes, but it was a tough race. I saw some familiar faces at the race so I know some of the guys who finished in front of me. Some of those guys I can try and beat at Tymor in two weeks.

Chris races in the Expert Senior 1 class and is the 2 time defending New Jersey State Champion.

Greenbriar Challenge 4-26-2009

2009-05-05T09:14:00.000-07:00

Here is a race report from Jason Fritzsche. I know I am a little late in posting it, but better late then never.

2nd stop of our 09 race season, the Greenbrier Challenge is a qualifier for the Nationals in July. My only preview of the course came from Josh's past recollections during the 3 hour drive. Three climbs, two of them significant, rock gardens, loose gravel rock, babyheads, blazing fast decents, technical muddy/rooty/rocky portion, hug the very edge of the lake shoreline, open field for recovery and onto the next lap. To sum it up, the best parts of Jim Thorpe all rolled into a 5 mile loop, true mountain biking. Sounded like my kind of course, I generally need those climbs to gain / gap other riders. Right from the start those hills started to break up the field. 1st, 2nd and 3rd broke off the front and I settled into the 4th, 5th, 6th group. I immediately began to see that our efforts were not enough to catch the lead pack and broke free shortly after the first climb. From that point on nothing really changed. Held onto to 4th, couldn't see anyone in front or back of me, suffered on the climbing, let it all go on the decents, remained smooth in the tech parts, and tried to keep the heat out of the rotation of thoughts. At the end of the day it was pure fun. Great course, podium finish, and a place in the singlespeed category at Nationals. Now accepting donations for airfare to Colorado.

Jason races in the Expert Single Speed class, designed our team jerseys and maintains his own blog. Check it out at http://www.dirtbaron.blogspot.com/

Updates from last weekends Michaux, H2H and Granogue races coming soon.

TEAM KITS ARRIVE!!

2009-04-24T11:25:00.000-07:00

Check out the 2009 Team Kit. Produced by shoe and helmet sponsor Louis Garneau. We went with LG's Equipe Jersey featuring their new Carbon Ion fabric for the jersey and the men's Power Shorts w/ Airgel Chamois for the shorts. I have yet to test ride the kit, but most of the team member road the kits all the weekly Belmont ride last night and reported extreme comfort. We don't have these kits for sale, but have received a good amount of interest in them. If you would be interested in one, email Greg at gpolitz@advancedsports.com to let him know. We are thinking about doing a second run to sell off. Kits will be officially unveiled at Greenbriar on Sunday. Hope to see you there!

MORE SLM COOLNESS

2009-04-15T11:53:00.000-07:00

These are pictures of a SLM frame cut out. The SLM features a new frame technique called R.I.B. Technology. Basically, there is a horizontal carbon support bar continuously running through the top tube and down tube that increases lateral stiffness. There is another photo below taken with a ruler to give you an idea of how thin the walls of this frame are. Be sure to stop by the Rally in the Valley at Wisahickon State Park on Saturday 4/18 and take an SLM out for a test ride. Race Team members will be hanging out in the Fuji booth all day so bring the little ones for autographs. Also appearing at Rally in the Valley is BMX Legend Brett Downs, who volunteered to be our hand model for the photos below. Thanks Brett!

Chris Dietrich's SLM Review

2009-04-07T12:49:00.000-07:00

Chris Dietrich received his new race built Fuji SLM about 3 weeks ago and has prepared an initial review. Check out some photos and what Chris has to say below. We will ask him to prepare a follow up once he has logged some more miles and completed a few races.

"At first glance this bike screams “race me”. The SLM tipped the scales at 19.7 lbs. without pedals (very impressive). The ride on this bike is absolutely amazing. It is extremely light, nimble, and extremely stiff. When you first get on this bike you can feel within the first couple of pedal strokes that this bike wants to take off. I have never ridden a bike with so much acceleration. I have ridden the SLM on all types of terrain in my preparation for the 2009 cross country racing season and it has never let me down. In super technical riding, and in fast, flowy, singletrack, wherever you point this bike it will follow without any trouble. The SLM climbs like a mountain goat with its light weight and efficient geometry. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t change anything about the SLM and that I am looking forward to racing on it this year."

FUJI MTB IS NOW ON TWITTER!

2009-04-07T11:11:00.000-07:00

Hey all! Be sure to sign up to follow the Fuji MTB Squad on Twitter. www.twitter.com/fujimtb

-Greg

Chris Dietrich's Fuji SLM race bike

2009-04-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

Chris' race bike. Full specs listed below. Chris' hand written review coming soon!

Frame: Fuji SLM C-10 carbon with R.I.B. technology 19"

Fork: RockShox Sid World Cup 100mm
Wheels: Notubes.com ZTR hubs on ZTR Olympic rims

Handlebar: Truvativ Noir Carbon

Stem: Truvativ A.K.A. Team

Shifters: SRAM X-O Grip Shift

Crankset: Truvativ Noir 3.3 Carbon 175mm

Bottom Bracket: Truvativ GXP Ceramic

Front Derailuer: SRAM X-9 Top Pull

Rear Derailuer: SRAM X-O Blackbox

Cassette: SRAM 11-34 PG-990

Chain: SRAM PC-991

Brakes: Avid Elixr CR disc

Saddle: WTB Devo

Tires: WTB Wolverine 26x1.95

Seatpost: Truvativ Team Carbon

Cages: King Titanium

Final Weight: 19.71 lbs

Official Team Members (Sorry Chris)

2009-04-07T09:26:00.000-07:00

Chris Dietrich

Official Team Members

2009-04-07T08:43:00.000-07:00

Jimmy Hessler

Jason Fritzsche

Jude Vilain

The other Alesio Brother. Or is it the same one?!?

Andrew or Dylan Alesio. I can't tell them A from B unless they are in person. Dylan does all the talking.

2009 Fuji MTB Race Team

Sexy Parts from SRAM

2009-04-07T08:22:00.000-07:00

Truvativ Noir Carbon Handlebar

X-O Grip Shifter and Cassettes

Truvativ Noir 3.3 Crankset

Avid Elixr CR brakes

09 Kit Preview

2009-03-12T06:28:00.000-07:00

Sneak peek of our new kits for the 09 race season. Louis Garneau hookin' it up!

Can't ask for something better to roll with!

2009-03-10T11:53:00.000-07:00

Team wheels showed up last week. Thanks to the guys and gals at NoTubes.com who sent over 20 boxes of goodies. Team members will be racing Notubes.com's new ZTR Hub on Notubes ZTR 355 (29er) and Olympic (26") rims. These things are frick'n cool lookin, check back for durability updates!

FIRST POST!!!!

2009-03-10T11:33:00.000-07:00

WELCOME TO THE FUJI MTB TEAM BLOG!!!

KEEP CHECKING BACK FOR RACE RESULTS AND UP TO THE MINUTE TEAM UPDATES!!!

LOOKING FORWARD TO A GREAT SEASON!!!

-R. Gregory Politz
Team Manager