Bike Check interview: Mathijs Verhoeven (BEL)

Oct 06, 2020

Written by Bart de Jong

Read 3727 times

Name: Mathijs Verhoeven
Sponsors: Oegema Transport, TVE sport, Meybo bikes, Vee tire, Renthal, HT Components, 6D Helmets, SD components, Bensink BMX Gates, Eurol, RD Gloves, Optiek Van Gorp, Sunlighten Kempen
Mechanic: Team Mechanic Team Oegema TVE, my dad and sometimes if me and my dad don’t know how to solve the problem we go to Jan Segers who I also trust 100% as a mechanic.

What was your very first BMX bike?
Mathijs Verhoeven: My first racing BMX was a Haro from the year 2006 I think.

How much different is it from the one you're racing today?
Mathijs Verhoeven: A big difference, for sure the size! Haha. The bikes from today are much lighter and stiffer! At that time there was no Carbon or anything Carbon on a bmx bike, now almost everyone has

something Carbon on their bikes even the small kids.

What is a new product that you thought was very welcome in BMX?
Mathijs Verhoeven: I think Meybo bikes did a very well job with the rear end stiffnes. When I was a young kid I rode a Meybo and it was already a good quality bike but nothing special. Since this year I’m riding back on a Meybo with Team Oegema TVE and I just love that stiffnes at the rear end that makes the bike so special.

Do you break a lot of parts?
Mathijs Verhoeven: At this moment not a lot haha, I hope it stays like that in the future.

What is the geometry and length of your race frame?
Mathijs Verhoeven: I don’t really know to be honest. Haha.

Do you ride with flat pedals when you're just messing about or are you always clipped in?
Mathijs Verhoeven: I’m always clipped in. I’m not such a technical racer, I like it more when I’m clipped in and go fast instead of doing a slow technical line with less speed and flat pedal.

Are you picky about how much your bike weighs?
Mathijs Verhoeven: No not at all. I don’t really care about it and I never think about it. I feel like my body has to do the work and not the bike weight.

Do you like bike maintenance including the cleaning?
Mathijs Verhoeven: No not at all, haha. Normally my dad or a mechanic does it always but of course I do it as well if I have to. I did it once before a Belgian Championship and I lost it big time so I think it is a little bit of bad luck for me that's why I’m not a big fan of doing it.

How do you like disc brakes, are they better for manual control than V-brakes?
Mathijs Verhoeven: I like disc brakes a lot! I’m not a big fan anymore of V-brakes. I once crashed in wet weather conditions with V-brakes on a carbon rim. It did not brake very well anymore so I rode in on someone during racing, so the next race I had disc brakes and it never happened again.

What's a bike part you change on the regular?
Mathijs Verhoeven: My gearing in certain training periods and also in testing sessions. I love to change it to see if I improve or not.

Please take us through your parts list:

Frame - Meybo HSX 23.0 inch 2021 with fixed rear end
Fork - SD Components Carbon
Bars - Renthal
Grips - Renthal
Stem - Custom Made
Headset - SD Components
Brake lever - Shimano XTR
Brake - Shimano XTR
Cranks - Shimano DXR 180mm
Pedals - HT Components T1 - SX
Sprocket - Renthal 50T
BB - Intregrated in the frame
Chain - KMC Z1eHX
Seat - BOX Components
Seatpost - BOX Components
Seatpost clamp - SD Components
Front hub - SD Components Sniper pro
Rear hub - SD Components Sniper pro
Front rim - SD Components Carbon
Rear rim - SD Components Carbon
Spokes - SD Components
Tires - Vee Tire Co Speedbooster Elite 1.75
Tubes - Vee Tire Co
Chain tensioners - Custom made
Number plate - BOX Components
Weight - 8,5kg

Thanks to: My family, friends, teammates, coach Martijn Jaspers, Team Oegema TVE and everyone who ever helped me behind the scenes and will help me in the future.