Bike Check: Raphaela Richter & Tanja Naber Form Juliana Free Agents EWS Team
German enduro racers Raphaela Richter and Tanja Naber have created a new EWS pro team, the Juliana Free Agents, for 2021. Up until now, the two have raced separately as privateers, but since both already represented Juliana as part of Juliana's existing Free Agents program, it made sense to team up and become official with the EWS.
Raphaela, age 23, exploded onto the enduro race scene while still in optometry school, earning a career-best 2nd place in Les Orres and a 3rd in Zermatt in 2019 alongside her several German national titles. She can throw down on a downhill course, too, as she was the highest-placed German at the 2020 Leogang World Champs with a 6th place in the Elite Women's field.
Tanja, age 33, will handle most of the administrative work for the team, but she's also a strong racer, with several top-20 EWS results and a respectable Trans Provence campaign in 2019. Tanja and Raphaela said they have had a great dynamic together from the start, and their goal is to create a positive team atmosphere with Raphaela's brothers as mechanics and support crew. The pair will travel in camper vans, which they say reflects their racing approach and team name.
While the two share Juliana, Intend, and SQlab as sponsors, they also each have individual supporters. Raphaela represents Levelnine, Schwalbe, and Dahlmeyr, while Tanja rides for iXS, Trickstuff, Maxxis, Tunap, and trailguide.net.
Raphaela, age 23, exploded onto the enduro race scene while still in optometry school, earning a career-best 2nd place in Les Orres and a 3rd in Zermatt in 2019 alongside her several German national titles. She can throw down on a downhill course, too, as she was the highest-placed German at the 2020 Leogang World Champs with a 6th place in the Elite Women's field.
Tanja, age 33, will handle most of the administrative work for the team, but she's also a strong racer, with several top-20 EWS results and a respectable Trans Provence campaign in 2019. Tanja and Raphaela said they have had a great dynamic together from the start, and their goal is to create a positive team atmosphere with Raphaela's brothers as mechanics and support crew. The pair will travel in camper vans, which they say reflects their racing approach and team name.
While the two share Juliana, Intend, and SQlab as sponsors, they also each have individual supporters. Raphaela represents Levelnine, Schwalbe, and Dahlmeyr, while Tanja rides for iXS, Trickstuff, Maxxis, Tunap, and trailguide.net.
Raphaela Richter // Juliana Free Agents
Age: 23
Height: 1.65 m / 5'5"
Riding weight: 60 kg / 132 lbs
Hometown: Bayreuth, Germany
Instagram: @raphaelarichter
Age: 23
Height: 1.65 m / 5'5"
Riding weight: 60 kg / 132 lbs
Hometown: Bayreuth, Germany
Instagram: @raphaelarichter
Tanja Naber // Juliana Free Agents
Age: 33
Height: 1.78 m / 5'10"
Riding weight: 70 kg / 154 lbs
Hometown: Freiburg, Germany
Instagram: @tanja_naber
Age: 33
Height: 1.78 m / 5'10"
Riding weight: 70 kg / 154 lbs
Hometown: Freiburg, Germany
Instagram: @tanja_naber
Raphaela Richter's Custom Juliana Maverick
Frame: Juliana Custom Maverick Carbon CC, size M
Shock: Intend Hover, 160mm
Shock pressure: 310psi
Shock rebound: 2.25 turns from closed (out of 3.25)
Shock LSC: Fully open
Fork: Intend Bandit USD 170mm
Fork pressure: 80psi
Fork rebound: 3 of 6.25 turns from closed
Fork LSC: Fully open
Rims: Santa Cruz Reserve 30 29"
Hubs: DT Swiss 350
Tires: Schwalbe Magic Mary Super Gravity Ultrasoft (F), Big Betty Super Gravity Soft (R)
Tire pressure: 14.5-16psi front, 16-17.5psi rear
Shifter, derailleur, chain: SRAM Eagle XO1 12-speed
Cassette: e*thirteen Helix Race Cluster, 12 Speed, 9-50T
Crankset: e*thirteen LG1 Race Carbon Crank 170x73mm, 30t chainring
BB: e*thirteen 68/73mm BSA
Chain guide: e*thirteen TRS Race SL Composite Chainguide
Brakes: SRAM Code RSC
Rotors: Trickstuff Dächle 203 / 180 mm
Handlebars: Levelnine prototype bars
Stem: Levelnine limited edition 40mm stem
Headset: Cane Creek 40 IS Integrated Headset
Saddle: SQlab 6OX Infinergy ERGOWAVE active
Pedals: Funn Components Mamba
More info: Juliana Maverick
Frame: Juliana Custom Maverick Carbon CC, size M
Shock: Intend Hover, 160mm
Shock pressure: 310psi
Shock rebound: 2.25 turns from closed (out of 3.25)
Shock LSC: Fully open
Fork: Intend Bandit USD 170mm
Fork pressure: 80psi
Fork rebound: 3 of 6.25 turns from closed
Fork LSC: Fully open
Rims: Santa Cruz Reserve 30 29"
Hubs: DT Swiss 350
Tires: Schwalbe Magic Mary Super Gravity Ultrasoft (F), Big Betty Super Gravity Soft (R)
Tire pressure: 14.5-16psi front, 16-17.5psi rear
Shifter, derailleur, chain: SRAM Eagle XO1 12-speed
Cassette: e*thirteen Helix Race Cluster, 12 Speed, 9-50T
Crankset: e*thirteen LG1 Race Carbon Crank 170x73mm, 30t chainring
BB: e*thirteen 68/73mm BSA
Chain guide: e*thirteen TRS Race SL Composite Chainguide
Brakes: SRAM Code RSC
Rotors: Trickstuff Dächle 203 / 180 mm
Handlebars: Levelnine prototype bars
Stem: Levelnine limited edition 40mm stem
Headset: Cane Creek 40 IS Integrated Headset
Saddle: SQlab 6OX Infinergy ERGOWAVE active
Pedals: Funn Components Mamba
More info: Juliana Maverick
 | I am extremely looking forward to the races that I hope will take place and I believe that my winter preparations have been good. I am confident that under Tanja's organization and good humor we will have a good season! |
Raphaela's Juliana Maverick uses a Megatower frame, unlike the standard Maverick model, which is more or less a Hightower. Raphaela needed more travel than what comes stock on any of the existing Juliana models, so she gets a special one.
The bike is complete with stylish frame protection.
It was important for Raphaela and Tanja to maintain their own individual relationships with sponsors. For example, Raphaela rides for Schwalbe while Tanja is on Maxxis tires.
Their drivetrains are a mix of SRAM and e*Thirteen.
Intend Suspension and SQ Lab: Some finer things in life.
I'd bet money that we'll see Raphaela on an EWS podium this year.
Tanja Naber's Juliana Maverick
Frame: Juliana Maverick Carbon CC, size L
Shock: Intend Hover, 140mm
Shock pressure: 325psi
Shock rebound: 2 of 6 clicks from closed
Shock LSC: 3 of 12 clicks from closed
Fork: Intend Blackline Ebonite 170mm
Fork pressure: 65psi
Fork rebound: 2 of 7 half rotations from closed
Fork LSC: 4 of 15 clicks from closed
Rims: Santa Cruz Reserve 30 29"
Hubs: DT Swiss 350
Tires: Maxxis Assegai 29"x2,50WT, DD, MaxxGrip (F), Maxxis Minion DHF 29"x2.50WT, DD, MaxxTerra (R)
Tire pressure: 20psi front, 25psi rear
Shifter, derailleur, chain: SRAM Eagle XO1 12-speed
Cassette: e*thirteen Helix Race Cluster, 12 Speed, 9-50T
Crankset: e*thirteen LG1 Race Carbon Crank 170x73mm, 30t chainring
BB: e*thirteen 68/73mm BSA
Chain guide: e*thirteen TRS Race SL Composite Chainguide
Brakes: Trickstuff Piccola
Rotors: Trickstuff Dächle HD 203 / 180 mm
Handlebars: SQlab 30X, 12°, 780mm
Stem: Intend Grace FR, 35 mm
Headset: Cane Creek 40 IS Integrated Headset
Saddle: SQlab 611 ERGOWAVE active
Pedals: HT T1
More info: Juliana Maverick
Frame: Juliana Maverick Carbon CC, size L
Shock: Intend Hover, 140mm
Shock pressure: 325psi
Shock rebound: 2 of 6 clicks from closed
Shock LSC: 3 of 12 clicks from closed
Fork: Intend Blackline Ebonite 170mm
Fork pressure: 65psi
Fork rebound: 2 of 7 half rotations from closed
Fork LSC: 4 of 15 clicks from closed
Rims: Santa Cruz Reserve 30 29"
Hubs: DT Swiss 350
Tires: Maxxis Assegai 29"x2,50WT, DD, MaxxGrip (F), Maxxis Minion DHF 29"x2.50WT, DD, MaxxTerra (R)
Tire pressure: 20psi front, 25psi rear
Shifter, derailleur, chain: SRAM Eagle XO1 12-speed
Cassette: e*thirteen Helix Race Cluster, 12 Speed, 9-50T
Crankset: e*thirteen LG1 Race Carbon Crank 170x73mm, 30t chainring
BB: e*thirteen 68/73mm BSA
Chain guide: e*thirteen TRS Race SL Composite Chainguide
Brakes: Trickstuff Piccola
Rotors: Trickstuff Dächle HD 203 / 180 mm
Handlebars: SQlab 30X, 12°, 780mm
Stem: Intend Grace FR, 35 mm
Headset: Cane Creek 40 IS Integrated Headset
Saddle: SQlab 611 ERGOWAVE active
Pedals: HT T1
More info: Juliana Maverick
| Riding and racing bikes, traveling and hanging around in the campervans is so much fun with Rapha especially when you can support and push each other! Crossed fingers Corona will kind of disappear soon and let the race season begin! We are definitely ready and bloody motivated. |
Tanja's Juliana Maverick.
Tanja started running the Blackline Ebonite fork last summer and decided to keep running what works for her, rather than switch to the newer Bandit that Raphaela rides.
Trickstuff Piccola brakes are the lightest MTB brakes around.
The very similar bike builds are personalized to each rider's preferences and individual sponsors.
Both of their bikes strike a nice balance with parts from small, niche companies and tried-and-true household names.
Tanja is the team's multitasker as a racer and the team's chief organizer.
These two are a team to watch this season.
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What I really want is a review of the Hover shock. Its much more dramatically different than their forks are.
Basically, the opposite of showing up on a new e-bike I imagine, with "is that a motorcycle" yelled anonymously from the distance.
I will say that from the Liv bikes that I have seen, I did not like any of the colorways.
All to each their own. I like raw and black... that sounds wrong...
Edit: Just saw that there is no 29er Juliana with more than 140 mm rear travel. Guess that answers my question.
- why choosing a maverick over a rubion?
- why the different forks?
- why different brake brands?
- rafaela riding super low tire pressure even considering her weight, how that?
would you be so kind and answer my questions? thanks
Strange also that brands need to have a different named female version of their bikes. But maybe is due to the not as great color choices for the men's bikes?