Inbetween Christmas/New Year job....... |
January 14th, 2010 |  |
Super lightweight carbon city bike for Bram Moens' mother, because an electric bike was not an option! | ||
) It's in the genes, that much is clear. Bram's mother is almost 86 en does around 6000 km all year round on the bicycle. Up till now she used an already lightweight custom-made bicycle with Cr-Mo Reynolds tubing. So, the weight of this city bike was already little with approximately 12 kg, but starting and stopping it was a bit hard because of the relatively high positioned top tube. Therefore a full carbon lightweight bicycle with a much lower frame curve and obviously a lot of lightweight M5 components (hubs, brakes and rims) was made. The result is a remarkably rigid, smooth and lightweight (7.3 kg) carbon city bike with a 9 speed gear system. The crank is acquired from another recumbent builder in the USA (Lightning). Two carbon chain rims around the 42 toothed blade make sure the chain is kept perfectly in place. | ||
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From Rome to Mekka by M5 Carbon High Racer |
November 11th, 2009 | |
A report of Henk Holsteins' riding experiences. | ||
) On September 23 2009, together with twenty bicycle friends I started a cycling tour from Rome to Mekka in 32 days. With this trip a bridge was build between Christianity and Islam. We wanted to improve understanding and respect between religions in the world.I selected this bicycle because of the comfort, combined with a low weight and high speed. Six weeks in a bend over position at a relative low speed didn't seem to be a pleasant prospect. Backache and a painful bottom seemed inescapable. However, the ride is finished and the anticipation that I would end this trip of 3000 km comfortably and painless seemed fully justified. During stretches that were reasonably flat, the CHR was undisputed the fastest. Up to 6% slopes the CHR remained a very fast and was still unbeatable. From 6 to 8 percent little difference was noticeable. Only above 9% I had to let my mates go first. Observe that I am a heavy rider (96 kg) and that heavy cyclists generally need some extra effort during steep ascends than their lighter colleagues. Therefore it remains a secret if the slight differences should be accounted to the recumbent or my bodyweight. In short, the ascending properties of this recumbent are definitely positive. The bike rode easy and descending at high speed (80 km/h) went excellent. The higher the speed, the better the road-holding. Descending at high speed with an escort of several police cars with flashing lights ans sirens is an experience I'll cherish. The CHR got a lot of attention. I was photographed thousands of times and seized the front page of Turkish newspapers. There's a lot of interest for this superior recumbent. I choosed a chain line with little resistance. This means that the chain is guided along the front wheel and has no chaintubes around it. After some getting used to, it's not hard to ride with this chain line. When positioning a pedal before starting, while moving it in the opposite direction, it's important the have the front wheel pointing forward. If not, the front wheel pushes the chain off the blade and needs to be put back in place. The low chain resistance increases speed and fits perfectly with the design of this bike. I'm very satisfied with this CHR and recommend a test ride to anyone, although I have the opinion that some experience with recumbents is useful, before this thoroughbred is deployed. It took several hundreds of kilometers before enthusiasm kicked in. Really, an candidate buyer needs to appreciate the design criteria of the CHR, in which speed is combined with the comfort of a carbon frame and a long wheel base of 138 cm. Suspension is definitely redundant on this bike. So, after some exercise and adaptation you'll get a fast and comfortable recumbent bike. Perhaps a bike that's superior to this recumbent will be developed by M5 in the future, but this will not be an easy task. M5, congratulations with this Carbon High Racer! A contended customer which has respect for the perseverance by which this bike has been developed. Thanks M5, Henk Holstein More info on this bike tour can be obtained at cycletourromemecca Note by M5: the remarkable fact about the last published items, is that it handles every time about the same bike. No matter if it's a world record that needs to be attempted or another extreme tour. Apart from that the bike is of course used in large numbers by our commuting customers. | ||
M5 riders: 6 new world records and a new Dutch record! |
October 20th, 2009 | |
Or: Riding worldrecords with a standard commuterbike | ||
) We already had some expectations, but this many world records in just one weekend is rather unique! The party started saturday with a new world record of our 'veteran' Gert-Jan Wijers on our standard M5 Carbon Low Racer. He surely does not show any wear and tear with 51.287 km in an hour, telling everybody afterwards that it was so easy compared to last year... In the afternoon Niels van der Wal squeezed out a new sprint record on the 200 metre with the new M5 Carbon Medium Racer (28"/ 26") with a stunning 64.696 km/h! Considering he only trained for the hour race... This record was soon followed by another one when 13 year old Bas van der Kooij set a new world record in the junior class with a completely standard M5 Cr-Mo Low Racer at an incredible 57.066 km/h. A day later he'd improve his new record to 60.231 km/h. Unprecedented for a 13 year old! In the early evening Barbara Buatois set a new world hour record at the ladies with a fast 46.048 km, just beneath the world record by Therese Schuit of 46.42 km in the partly faired class. Emmy Bezemer from Rotterdam surprised herself and the others with a new Dutch hour record unfaired of 44.110 km with a standard M5 TiCa Low Racer with a 26" front wheel. Emmy had only been able to train 150 km on this bike. Probably to be continued! The races on sunday were opened with an improvement of the world record set a day earlier: Niels van der Wal doing a distance of 51.330 km., which is 43 metres more than the previous record. Technically this is the fastest bike, but because of selecting a too high fixed gear Niels was not able to get in a rithm and was continuously forcing his legs around. The potential is there, we just have to wait for a new attempt. Next came former world record keeper Aurelien Bonneteau. On saturday he did an fruitless attempt, but this time he made his revenche: with a formidable 52.074 km he can call himself keeper of the world hour record once again. Notable detail is that Aurelien has only one hand on the handlebar during his rounds for the world record. Both Gert-Jan and Aurelien use our completely standard M5 Carbon High Racers, having the seats in the most flat position and using discwheels. Finally a huge applause for all riders, builders, organisers and anyone else who made the last weekend such a success! | ||
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Stijn van de Maele (Belgium) 3 time world champion during HPV World Championships in Mannheim (Germany) |
June 19th, 2017 | |
| Stijn did it again!! With only an upgraded rear wheel Stijn used his very standard M5 Carbon High Racer to prove that this bike works as well for commuting, shopping, vacation tours as winning world titles on speed championships.... With the highest excuses to his family for being out so many hours on training sessions But the reults are stunning of course despite the fact that Stijn reaches 40 years of age. No trace of slowing down so far: -1st place at the 333 meter sprint -1st place at the kilometer standing start -1st place at the 3 hours race The climbing time trial was deleted because of an approaching thunderstorm while riding second place. | ||
Historic victory M5 recumbent in mountain stage Viking Tour Norway amongst 300 road bikes |
July 22nd, 2014 | |
) On the third day of the Viking Tour Herke Wendt (40), one of the members of the M5 Team, won a 109 km mountain stage with uphill finishing. Herke finished a full three minutes ahead of the front group. He averaged at 35 km/h, which includes the mandatory first 12 kilometres at low speed while passing a tunnel with escort. Herke's victory is extra special when considering he did the full distance solo, while the group keeps changing the front man. All members of the M5 Team ride solo. The field of participants consists of very strong athletes. Among them is the National Triathlon Team of Norway. Today another mountainous leg which started and ended with 550 metres of ascending. Again Herke was fastest among the recumbent riders, but didn't manage to overtake the leading group this time. The atmosphere during the Viking Tour is very good. We had a warm welcome by the organisation board and the other participants and there's a lot of amazement about the accomplishments of the recumbent in these mountainous circumstances. Lengthy ascends are standard, but that doesn't pose any limitations. Descending is simply spectacular: Bram reached almost 94 km/h today. Obviously, every leg is hard work, especially in the current tropical conditions. But we're rewarded with a stunning landscape: mountains, glaciers, snow, forests, fjords, a more marvellous stage is hardly imaginable Picture: Herke, Wout and Bram after finishing on the third day | ||
Sunny bike tour to the medieval center of Veere |
July 9th, 2013 | |
| Starting from the M5 head office with M5's M-Racer and M5's Carbon High Racer through the | ||
Weather alert? |
December 17th, 2010 | |
Just keep on biking with spikes! | ||
) Despite global warming it is at least in the Netherlands usefull to stock an extra set of wheels with spikes for your recumbent. Even sharp cornering is without risk thanks to these wonderful pins. At least available in the following wheelsizes: ETRTO 406 and 559 | ||
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| Middelburg is in de ban van de GIRO die finisht op 10 mei. Mede daarom heeft M5 op uitnodiging van DE boekenwinkel van Nederland, namelijk "de Drukkerij" een 4-tal M5 ligfietsen geëxposeerd in deze boeken "belevingswinkel". Naast de M5 Ice Blue Carbon High Racer hangt daar nog een werelduurrecordfiets; de M5 Carbon Low Racer en speciaal vanwege de finishende GIRO een GIROrose M5 City Cruiser. Op de reisafdeling hangt een appelgroene M5 Low Bar met complete tassenset. | ||
International weekend of records. |
October 20th, 2009 | |
October 17 and 18 is recumbent weekend in Apeldoorn (The Netherlands). On the new race track an international recordweekend will take place with participants from France (2), USA (1) and the Netherlands (5). It has never been more sensational: with four gentlemen whose mutual performances are hard to distinguish we wouldn't know how to place our bet. The male candidates - Former world record keeper Gert-Jan Wijers (42), riding an M5 Carbon High Racer with a personal record of 50.392 km. - Current world record keeper Niels van der Wal (40) on an M5 Carbon Low Racer. However, in Apeldoorn he'll be attending with a specially tuned M5 Carbon Medium Racer - Aurélien Bonnetau (26) from France on a standard M5 Carbon High Racer. He is keeper of the current world record with 50.521 km. - Another powerful rider and also the youngest participant is Bob Vroegh (19), riding a German Razz Fazz. The female candidates - Emmy Bezemer (28) is participating for M5 on another M5 Special: an M5 Titanium-Carbon Low Racer with 26 inch front wheel. She will make an attempt to overtake her very powerful French rival. Noteworthy detail is that Emmy's front wheel was used in 1994 during Bram Moens' world record race (77.123 km) in Lelystad! Support enhances performance, so attend in large numbers and come encourage the racers! | ||
Two days at the races, a fast World Championship |
July 10th, 2009 | |
Niels van der Wal (NL) is the new worldchampion on a M5 Carbon Low Racer | ||
| Niels van der Wal prepared himself well for a long period towards the World Championships in Tilburg, the Netherlands last weekend. It brought him even to South America this winter for a well deliberated stagecourse. And not without results! He surprised us and all other spectators and participants by winning the 4... hours time trial even from the faired vehicles!! Together with his strong performances on the other competition parts we may call him the new World Champion 2009! Niels is part of the M5 Racing Team together with David Wielemaker, Emmy Bezemer, Robert Carlier and last year Worldhourrecordholder Gert Jan Wijers David and Robert did perform strong as well with memorable times on both timetrials. Robert even catched a world championtitle on the 20 K timetrial. Emmy (M5 Cr-Mo Low Racer) went for a consistent second place and may call herself vice-world champion.Former worldhourrecordholder Gert Jan Wijers did not have his ultimate racingweekend but we're sure we'll see him again at the end of this year for the new hour recordattempts! Will be continued... | ||
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