Friday September 3rd, 2010
| 1 Comments | Kid Riemer
I didn't get to shoot too many photos at the Salsa Two-Four as I was too busy being MC and torturing folks with stories of the old days in Minnesota mountain bike racing, bad jokes, and other verbal nonsense that made its way past my lips. But I did take some and there are a few in the bunch that I actually like.
Last Friday it was all starting to go down. Festivities began with the Jolly Roger nightime DH race.
Men's race winner Thor Shellum who also happens to design products for sister-brand Surly...
Now say 'Fire' in a Beavis & Butthead type fasion...
Just about ready...
...and wham! Full-blow fire dancing action while the band Right From Rona kicked off the live music!
Eventually you have to actually start the 24-hour race though. Even the LeMans style start at the Salsa Two-Four is tough. Uphill, around a lift post, and back downhill to your bike.
Some folks are fast...
...but others are flashier!
...look real close...those underoos do say 'Flash' on them...
...others just ape around...sorry, that was bad...
Real racing got going though. And with it, some real suffering. One of our Salsa sponsored riders, Tim Ek, was entered in 8-hour Solo class. Tim had a rough day in the saddle. He was sitting in 3rd at this point, but was starting to cramp, and he put it, 'was in a real negative place'. I like this photo a lot. Look close, and you can see there's a battle going on inside his head.
But Eki got back on his horse and headed out still in the hunt...
...only to flat 20 minutes into the next lap...and then slashed his tire a few minutes after repairing it. One of those days for our boy Eki. Sorry Tim.
We did have a free Kid's race...
That's 9-year-old Powerful Paul being chased by 'almost 4-years-old' Owen...
More free live music on Saturday night from Right From Rona, 4 On The Floor, High Hopes, and Eric Swan. This is High Hopes.
Daytime, nightime, all the time is the right time to wear a bicycle helmet...
I happened to be standing 20 feet from him when he crashed on the downhill into the finish area. Gnarly. He checked out fine with the medics though. Helmet...your work is done here!
These last photos are of our other Salsa sponsored rider at the event, Danielle Musto, and her husband Scott. Scott was Danielle's pit crew at the event and I watched from the announcer stand throughout the event and was impressed by how dialed their pits were. Sometimes 15 seconds or less. Almost always under 2 minutes.
This series of photos was taken at about 3am, long after the heat of the day was done, and into the chilly hours of the night. I think they express the loneliness of 24-hour solo racing. Even with a pit crew, it is still that solo rider that has to go out and face their demons.
Danielle went on to win Solo Women's class and take 2nd Overall in Solo.
And that's it folks. Perhaps you'll join us next year for the 2011 Salsa Two-Four.
Friday August 27th, 2010
| 0 Comments | Kid Riemer
Salsa Two-Four weekend is here...and all Minnesota's mountain bikers are beneficiaries of the event...
Salsa is the title sponsor of the Salsa Two-Four, but MORC (Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists) puts on the event. Sure, we help out with some of the work but really it is on them to put it all together.
This year, Amanda from MORC has truly been kicking some organization butt. She's turned the Salsa Two-Four into the biggest, baddest, and probably loudest edition it has ever been. To put it simply there is simply more going on. More racing, more music, more art, more events...more.
It ain't easy being cheesy, but it's even harder to put on a kick butt event. Props to Amanda for all her hard work.
The Salsa Two-Four is a fundraiser for MORC. That's where the proceeds go. If you pay to do one of the races, the 'profits' after all the expenses are paid (and there are considerable expenses) go to MORC. If you eat a FREE burger, the money you put in the tip jar hopefully pays for the burger and results in a little extra ching making its way into the MORC coffers. If you come to listen to FREE live music on the Salsa Two-Four stage and choose to donate a few bucks into the hat that is coming around, those dollars will go to MORC.
This is Minnesota's mountain bike festival. If you are a Minnesota mountain biker and you are in the area, you should come out and spend some time here. You'll have fun AND you will help MORC develop and maintain even more great singletrack.
That's my plea to get a bunch of the local folks to stop out this year. But I also want to thank all the other sponsors that have signed on for this year's event...and there are a lot of them!
Thanks to (in no particular order!): Hammer Nutrition, Ergon, Light & Motion, Dirty Dog, Twin Six, Rack Attack, Pedros, CrankBrothers, Penn Cycle & Fitness, Resource Revival, Afton Alps, Jagwire, Timbuk2, Tifosi, Premium Waters, Spoke9, Thomson, Chamois Butt'r, Angry Catfish, Freewheel Bike, Shockspital, DWitt, Midwest Mountaineering, Sherpani, Fresh Start, Pro Bar, Equal Exchange, Adam Turman, WTB, The Four Firkins, Erik's Bikes, and Behind Bars.
These fine sponsors are helping make Minnesota mountain bike trails better through their support of this event. Please show them your support in return!
Thanks to the bands that have agreed to play for FREE at the Salsa Two-Four. That's right folks this is FREE, LIVE MUSIC ON AN OUTDOOR STAGE!
Thanks to Danielle Musto and Tim Ek for putting on a FREE Endurance Racing Clinic TONIGHT!
6pm on the bike portion, 7pm off-the-bike Q&A session...
And thanks to MORC for the hard work they put into not just this event, but toward building and maintaining many of our Minnesota mountain bike trails. The dirt you help provide is much appreciated!
And that is it...show up and show your support...play a fun bike game or two and possibly win a prize. We hope to see you at the Salsa Two-Four!
Monday August 2nd, 2010
| 63 Comments | Kid Riemer
Within the Salsa crew we have a handful of dedicated snow bike riders. We’ve dreamed, talked, and schemed for years over just what we would create when we got the chance. This past year, we finally decided to pull the trigger.
Jason testing an Enabler-equipped El Mariachi aka Snow Bike Litethis past March
Today it is my distinct pleasure to introduce the Mukluk, Salsa’s first snow bike.
My personal experience on snow bikes goes back five years or so, but my interest in snow riding goes back much further. I first heard of the Iditasport race in Alaska in the early 90’s. In those days, the names surrounding that race included the likes of Stamstad, Reifenstuhl, Curiak, and Irwin. The bikes of that era didn’t usually have the super wide tires and rims that we have today. They were primarily stock mountain bikes equipped with 40-something millimeter rims and the widest tires that would fit in a desperate search for floatation.
Today, some of the names in the game have changed (Petervary, Basinger, Oatley, and Pramann come to mind) while others remain (Reifenstuhl and Curiak are still at it) and so have the machines they (and we) ride.
It is only proper to acknowledge Salsa’s sister-brand Surly for the important role they played in the modern development of the snow bike. Their snow bike, the Pugsley, was the first to be widely available. Their tires continue to drive the category. Without the product development risks they took, who knows what the modern snow bike world would look like. But I’m thankful that they did, when they did, and I’m thankful the snow bike market has grown enough to support multiple brands.
But this post is about Mukluk, and that brings a smile to my face.
Rustflake's sister Snowflake also developed a serious case of iron oxide during testing in Minnesota
Mukluk is designed first and foremost to be a snow bike. Snowy singletrack, snowmobile trails, and snow-covered frozen lakes and rivers are its home.
A snow bike is nothing without floatation. Wide rims, and wide tires run at proper pressure for the conditions, make the difference between riding and pushing.
Floatation, floatation, floatation...
Proper frame geometry is equally important. Mukluk’s geometry is extremely effective for snow riding. It is stable with slower handling than a ‘typical’ hardtail mountain bike. Mukluk rides comfortably at slow speed without sacrificing handling at faster speeds. You learn to lean the bike a bit more and it carves a fair turn. Mukluk feels ‘normal’ to me.
These handling traits are incredibly beneficial while snow biking because the trail/surface conditions can vary dramatically and change so quickly. Snow is not just snow. It can be heavy and wet or dry and powdery and anything in-between. It can feel like concrete or corduroy, a mix of sand and brown sugar or a fragile layer of wafer-thin glass.
Rustflake floating an Alaskan beach...
No matter how good the geometry, there will always be conditions that will bring any bike (snow bike or not) to a halt. We’ve designed Mukluk with a very low standover height to aid when forced to dab, stop/start, or dismount/remount.
Mukluk has a comfort-based cockpit. The tall head tube helps riders set their bike up for slow-speed snow slogging and long distance ultra events.
Mukluk sizing works in line with our other Salsa sizing. If you ride a Medium El Mariachi, you ride a Medium Mukluk
Later this week we’ll have a post explaining other design features and why we chose them.
Mukluk came to be with the help of others beyond the Salsa crew. We developed and tested the geometry here in Minnesota, but also in Alaska. We took input from slow guys like me, fast trail rippers, and a snow bike champion. We like what we’ve come up with. It works well. It feels good.
Joe rolling the bank of the Minnesota River
So the questions are formulating in your mind, and I’ll address just a couple. How does it work on dirt?
The short answer: Fantastic. We’ve put in loads of miles on dirt, sand, cobblestone beaches, and flood debris. Fat wheels will always take a fair bit of energy to bring up to speed, but there’s a heck of a lot of momentum once they are rolling. They are really just bigger, wider, and heavier 29’er wheels.
Mukluk thunder soon drowned out the hum of the flourescent lightbulbs
There is nothing better than floatation for sand riding though and we had a perfect spring with massive flooding that left us with trails that were only rideable on a snow bike. The large contact patch and ability to run low pressure make rock gardens, debris fields, and rough surface riding easier than on a ‘regular’ mountain bike.
Rumbling through the spring flood debris of the flood plain
Can I run regular wheels on Mukluk?
The short answer: Yes, but you’ll need to build wheels for it (more on that in the follow-up post). Also keep in mind that the geometry will be different from a ‘typical’ hardtail. If the feel of the bike works for you (as it does for me), you might love it. Joe is testing his right now in this configuration and will provide his feedback in the near future.
Joe is testing this setup with Gordo 29'er rims and some 2.4" Schwalbe treads
Please use our Comments area to ask any questions you have, and we’ll do our best to answer them in a follow-up post.
Jason on the mud flats
Back in ’89, the idea of riding on snow somehow captured a special place within me, and it hasn’t let go. While I’ve taken part in Minnesota’s Arrowhead Ultra 135, I haven’t yet done the Iditarod Trail Invitational (formerly known as Iditabike/Iditasport) but the idea of that grand adventure still tugs at me.
Most of my winter riding is simply about pleasure. It is my favorite season for biking.
Whether a cold, pre-dawn ride with a headlamp gently illuminating the terrain ahead, or a moonlit roll through a surprisingly bright world. Spinning silently on a soft snow-covered trail. Changing cadence based on the surface beneath me. Focusing on where I put my wheels, while relaxing the mind enough to let the clutter evaporate. Stopping to look at the beauty all around me. Watching as the sun begins to throw its warm, golden rays. Breathing in that clean, crisp, sometimes cold, air.
This year, those rides will be aboard Mukluk. I invite you to come along for the ride.
Today's post comes to us by way of the United Kingdom. Phil Buick is the racer/manager of the UK Salsa Factory Race Team. The team consists of four riders this season and though busy getting dirty at various 24-hour events, a couple of them slowed down for a few moments to record their thoughts on their new race steed: the Ala Carte Ti. -Kid
First from Phil:
I was very fond of my Moto Rapido. I still am. It rode very well, looked great and didn’t beat you up too much. It was a proper hardtail racer.
So a Ti frame based on the Ala Carte to replace it… hmm. Well, I’d never really subscribed to the Ti philosophy, certainly not as a material I’d hankered after other than for lightweight bits of kit. For a frame material it’s just another type of metal tube at the end of the day, isn’t it? I don’t think I am a sceptic, but I had heard the tales of the magical properties of Ti frames and thought “but we all love our bikes, we like exotic brand names and exotic materials, what’s not to like?” We certainly wouldn’t want to say they were average, okay, or not quite up to the hype. I was (I think you are getting the picture) prepared not to be wowed.
The team were waiting for delivery of four bikes, three for ‘the Buicks’, mine plus my daughters’ Anna and Imogen, and one for George Budd. George had been in France competing in the XC version of Le Tour and was very excited to come back and get his new bike. Pictures immediately popped up on Facebook, and while camera phones are not the best for capturing the best bike pics, it did look okay and George’s enthusiasm was beginning to rub off a bit too. A new bike is always exciting.
Excitement levels were up when it came to collection time ... out of the box … class - not a loud ‘WOW’ - but oooh that is nice, class.
Anyway next day was race day up and down the side of a precipitous mud mountain and I wasn’t about to do that on a bike straight out of the box. That evening however the necessary parts were fettled ready for a ride the next day at a nearby Welsh trail centre, Cwmcarn.
And I thought this could be the beginning of something…
Anyway this is what I wrote to the guys at Ison Distribution (Salsa's UK distributor and team sponsor. as an immediate impression and a thanks:
Pat et al,
Back in the office after the Bank Hol weekend and a trip to S. Wales for BMBS #3. Highlight of Fri was picking up the new bikes, v. nice and thanks’ to all for the hospitality. Most of the rest of the day was spent in traffic and road works, not so good. Sat was wet and horrible as was the course, grovel up, slip sideways along and slide down + run a lot. Imogen podiumed with a 3rd., I slipped from 4th to 8th somehow with a few drivetrain issues and a bit of an off. Did however have time to get the new bikes together enough to ride on the Sun at Cwm-Carn. Where the sun came out and the bike was fab. Difficult to put a finger on it but it felt light, lively and responsive without being harsh. A friend, who was riding with me on his Giant carbon hardtail racer, summed it up saying the Ti bike seemed to be in a calm and quiet bubble of its own compared with his more noisy and animated progress … mmmm nice. Im wasn’t quite up for riding hers after dinging the Moto Rapido on Sat but did do a few laps of the car park environs, it’s ‘lush’ apparently. Anna is back from Uni this weekend so we will finish building hers up then, she’s very excited, plus she’ll be back in training after her forced lay off.
So all’s good, bikes are lovely and were much admired, hopefully we’ll all get together when Paul gets back. Thanks’ to Lloyd, Andy, Maz too.
I’m in Ely on Fri so if the wheels are in I’ll collect but no rush, meanwhile we’ll look forward to Mountain Mayhem on the new bikes.
Cheers,
Phil ..
Mayhem (24 Hr.) has now happened. The course was a brute, baked hard and rutted with 1,300 ft. of climbing per lap. The team did 28 laps, 7 laps each, like clockwork. I did the final lap, hopped off the bike, slapped my teammates on the back a bit and went for a shower. My legs caned a bit but otherwise, no aches, no pains, no cramp, no lost fillings, no detached retinas………. The bike? It just did it, like another limb, no drama, no worries.
I think this is the beginning of something, something special perhaps. Anything to do with the frame material I wonder…..Phil Buick
And now from Phil's daughter and teammate, Anna:
On seeing pictures of my younger sister Imogen’s brand spanking new Ala Carte Ti on Facebook, I let out a squeal of excitement and ran out of my room, down the corridor of my university halls and into my friend’s room just so that I could tell someone, anyone, how awesome it looked! I know looks aren’t everything but if these bikes were going to be as good to ride as they were to look at I was in for quite a treat. I travelled home for the weekend to find out.
I wasn’t disappointed. Despite having just come out of the end of a 6-week enforced lay-off and thus trying to ease myself gently back into the saddle, I could not help but push on the pedals. The bike just wanted to go faster. It was egging me on!
Out of the saddle the frame felt very light and responsive, as though I was carrying little more than my bodyweight up the hills. It wasn’t harsh though - it felt grounded and smooth and didn’t bounce me around.
Of course, what you hang off the frame affects the riding experience too. The gears are sublime, the DT Swiss forks respond according to whatever you throw them at and the Genetic saddle and seatpost are lightweight yet forgiving.
Having only ridden the Ala Carte on the smooth and fast trails of Thetford Forest it was good to have the opportunity to ride at Dalby, Yorkshire. Here the trails were rocky and technical, traversing and undulating across the hillsides. Following my last outing in Dalby Forest at the UCI World Cup earlier in the year, where I ultimately ended my race with a fairly spectacular crash, I was a little nervous about the technical sections. However, the Ala Carte Ti instilled confidence – despite the relentless sections of rocky trail it didn’t skip around or feel flighty, and it took off from logs and lips and landed without ever feeling erratic or out of control.
For me, the best thing about my Ala Carte is the strange but perfect way is seems to change weight! When climbing and accelerating it feels light and responsive, yet in the corners and over the top of small inclines it seems to carry such momentum. You can really throw the bike into the corners and let it rail you round, and in the tighter twists and turns if you whip the bike left and right it deals with the obstacles and allows you to carry on virtually in a straight line and without loosing speed.
All in all, the Ala Carte Ti inspires and rewards speed. It’s beautiful to ride and beautiful to look at. I love it. -Anna Buick
A few more images from Sol Sessions. Just Say Yes to ripping singletrack, wildflowers, dutch ovens, and campfires.
E-Fred goes Green...
Tornado Tim on home turf...
Paul gettling into the groove...
Scott running the wildflower gauntlet...
As the Fatman himself likes to say, 'We don't have any four thousand foot climbs, but we've got a thousand forty foot climbs.'
Wildflowers were busting out in the open areas...
Paul and Bobby on the wildflower trail...
More beauty in a small package...
From the land of sky blue waters...
K-Rocker rockin'...(also my favorite pic of the weekend - Kid)
Ryan, off the gravel warpath...
Tired lets, bruised bodies, beers, and brats...
Odia from the bear den perspective...
Bobby's EM Ti enjoying a rich helping of northwoods dirt...
Geoff enjoying sunny skies, a green canopy, and rich dirt...
...and that's a wrap...
We look forward to Sol Sessions 2011 sometime next summer. It won't conflict with Father's Day next year (our bad on that) but will be another great celebration (or celebrations) of riding, camping, and the great outdoors. Thanks to all who attended this year. We had a blast.
NOTE: Today's post comes from guest blogger Jason Mahokey of XXC magazine. -ed
I have long been a fan of Titanium bike frames. About seven or so years ago, I had a Ti hardtail and loved it. But it had a flaw...it had little tiny 26-inch wheels and it eventually had to go. By that point, my wife and I had a son, different jobs, and a house purchase, so a Ti 29'er just wasn't in the cards for me.
Fast forward six years to 2010. This year with the help of the tax man and a nice refund, I was lucky enough to be able to get my hands on the Salsa El Mariachi Ti. I was super stoked to get this bike, and not just because I love the ride feel and durability of a Ti frame, but because the geometry that Salsa went with was darn close to the geometry of my (at the time) favorite bike the Dos Niner. And the geometry that was different, was better! Knowing that I was getting a sweet Ti frame that was going to fit great made my decision very easy.
I was lucky enough to get my order in early and took shipment of the frame back in April. Seeing the frame in person was amazing. The subdued graphics and lack of decals made it look super swank and classy.
After it was built up I had to wait on some parts and a wheel build until I got it where I wanted. Since I tend to do longer races and rides, my El Mariachi Ti is now built up with a mix of durable and lightweight components: Fox fork, Hope Pro II/Stans 355 wheels, X.0 shifters, Avid Juicy Ultimate disc brakes, XT crank and cassette, X9 rear derailleur, etc. And of course I have some items that are personal preferences at the contact points- like Ergon grips and a Fizik Nisene HP saddle. All in all a build I'm extremely happy with.
So how does it ride you ask? SMOOOOOOOTH! I really couldn't be happier. The frame is compliant, but not a noodle, and has a great snappy feeling on the trail. The term 'flickable' gets used a lot in mountain bike reviews, but darn it, I'm still going to use it here! Because the bike is indeed flickable! I have had three other 29ers and while I loved (and love) those frames, they just lacked that snappy feel coming out of corners and heading uphill. Part of this may come from my wheel build of course, as it's one of the lighter sets I've had. But I also believe much is due to the El Mariachi Ti, its weight and geometry, in particular its shorter chainstay length (17.71, size large).
My first real test for the frame came at the 9 Hours of Cranky Monkey race back in May. The race had a little bit of everything. From rocky climbs and descents to smooth and fast twisty singletrack. My gut told me to use my Dos Niner, but my heart told me to roll the EM Ti. And boy was I ever glad I did! The bike felt great the whole time and after 70+ miles, while I was of course darn tired, I never regretted my bike choice. Its light weight was great going uphill, and the compliant frame helped take the edge off a bit. No, not like a full-suspension or even a soft tail, but its efficiency made up for that and made it a joy to ride. Not to mention it looks swank! Did I mention that!?!
I have lots of plans for my El Mariachi Ti this summer. I'm even going to use it in the upcoming Hill Billy Roubaix race. HBR is a 70-mile race that is a mix of backwoods West Virginia pavement, gravel and dirt roads. Most folks will be rolling cyclocross bikes on. But I will be rolling the EM Ti with a rigid fork and some hybrid 'cross tires. While I don't see myself keeping up with the fast folks on 'cross bikes, I do see myself onboard a bike that I feel completely comfortable on for 70-plus miles of 'God-knows-what' roads.
Over the years I've often been asked or been sucked into web forum posts about what the best all-around or 'ultimate' bike for endurance racing would be. My answer has always been a Titanium 29er. Now I can honestly say that I believe that to be true. I'm looking forward to many miles with my El Mariachi Ti on everything from mountain rock gardens to tight singletrack, and pavement to miles of gravel and forest roads. - Jason Mahokey
Thursday June 17th, 2010
| 6 Comments | Kid Riemer
Salsa Sol Sessions 2010 is happening this weekend up on the marvelous CAMBA trails of northern Wisconsin. We'll be ripping primo trails, eating some tasty grub, and laughing at someone as their eyes get teary starting up the campfire.
Now we are hoping to figure out just who might be coming...doh, slight tactical error there, eh?
So...if you are heading up to ride with us please RSVP using the Comment function on this post with who you are and what size t-shirt you wear.
We look forward to riding and dodging mosquitoes with you this weekend.
Wednesday June 16th, 2010
| 2 Comments | Kid Riemer
Last evening we put on Ride The Divide to a packed house of 533 enthusiastic cyclists/movie-goers at the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis. What a fun night.
For me, it served as another reminder of what a great bicycle town Minneapolis is...towns really, as I should include the other half of the Twin Cities, St Paul as well. We have an uncanny ability to bring all sorts of cyclists from 'different' pursuits together.
Of course, a theater with most of the seats full doesn't make a film good. No worries there. I heartily endorse the film Ride The Divide. And I'm sure most of last night's audience would agree. It presents a delicate range of emotions and draws you into the lives of three racers, while also introducing the random cast of characters made up of those living along the route. Throw in spectacular scenery and a nice soundtrack to boot. Make sure you see Ride The Divide. You won't be disappointed. If you can, see it on the big screen so you can really soak in the big landscapes.
Special thanks go out to our Joe Meiser. Joe finished the 2009 Tour Divide race and was gracious enough to let us present his slideshow of the experience. It was a perfect warmup to the main event. Thank you Joe. It really added to the experience.
Special thanks also to Erik Mathy of One Gear, Once Cause who flew in for the event. We could only give Erik a few minutes to speak but he did a great job of quickly presenting his message that 'ordinary people can do extraordinary things and help make the world a better place'. Erik will be competing in the 2011 Tour Divide and you can follow his preparations on his website. He is also willing to help coach you if you have a passion and are interested in trying to help others. Contact him through his website.
And of course, thanks also to all who came out for the film last night. You helped raise just over $2300 for Erik's charity. Well done everyone. I hope you enjoyed the night.
Tonight is the night! We present Ride The Divide at the Riverview Theater. Showtime is 7pm.
Yes, there are still some walk-in tickets available. We cannot guarantee seats though because we don't know how many people will be in line for walk-in tickets.
60% of seats sold out online prior to our closing those sales last evening at 7pm. So 40% remain for those that didn't purchase in advance.
If you are planning on getting a walk-in ticket, I suggest arriving by 5:30 or 6:00pm. There are some nearby food and beverage establishments that you can enjoy after you score a ticket.
Thanks to all of you that purchased tickets. We look forward to seeing you tonight. We have a fun night in store for you!
Erik Mathy isn't the kind of guy who talks about doing something...he's the guy doing something. His charity '1 Gear, 1 Cause' will be the recipient of the proceeds from Salsa's Minneapolis showing of the Ride The Divide movie. We thought you'd like to no more about him and his charity.
Kid: Tell us a bit about yourself?
Erik: My cancer saga started long ago. My Dad has lost 5 brothers almost a sister to cancer. When Uncle Richard, who was the first, was undergoing treatment it was Dad who spent weeks at a time with him. He'd take Uncle Richard to treatments, stay with he and Aunt Gerry, help out, cook...whatever was needed. It's what Dad has done to a greater or lesser extent for all of them, the most recent being Aunt Jackie in Seattle. I learned from his example. When people you care about are in need, you don't think. You do!
There isn't much I haven't done at this point. I've ridden from Seattle to DC for the American Lung Association to fight lung cancer. I've coached in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Team In Training Program. I've helped run almost all the signature Lance Armstrong/Livestrong bicycle fundraising events from 2000 - 2009. Somewhere in there I've found the time to do the Great Divide Route (GDR) on a motorcycle as a cancer fundraiser, start raising my son and established a career as a geek.
Now it's time to saddle up once again for a trip down the Continental Divide. This time on a singlespeed bicycle, but as always to fight cancer.
Kid: I know you are originally from the glorious city of Green Bay, Wisconsin, but now live in not-too-shabby San Francisco, California...in 1000 words or less, describe the differences between those two cities?
Erik: I can do it in one word: Huge!
Really though, there are a great many things that I love about both Green Bay and San Francisco. Green Bay is a really friendly place with, at least to me, a small town feel. The farm fields and woods are gorgeous! It's flat but the wind coming off the Bay makes bike riding there challenging. That and the farm dogs. They help you work on your sprints! My family is still there, along with a great many childhood friends. I visit as often as possible.
San Francisco is almost the exact opposite. It's a big, cosmopolitan city with everything that comes along with it. The diversity is massive! So are other things like crime and pollution. There is always a trade off, you know? Being right on the Pacific Ocean it's got all the wind that Green Bay has, plus tons and tons of climbing. If you don't mind getting (very!) wet, you can ride year around here.
Kid: The Great Divide/Tour Divide route is not unfamiliar to you. Please tell us about your experience with it.
Erik: My cousin Scott Brendemihl was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in November of 2005. I found out on Thanksgiving in fact. At the time I was working in motorcycle shops and had the GDR in mind as a possible dualsport motorcycle trip. Scott's diagnosis changed that. I immediately decided to do the GDR solo as a cancer fundraiser for Livestrong, aka Lance Armstrong Foundation. The fastest time at that point was 11 days total for the 2,500 mile course. I made five days my personal goal with a start date in late July of 2006. I used a 1996 Honda XR600R with a Baja Designs street kit. My only backup was a satellite phone along with a passenger van being driven by my friend Poll Brown and my Dad. Every day I'd come off the trail somewhere around the 200 to 225 mile mark. Poll would gas up the XR. Dad would shove a PB&J in my hands, refill the hydration pack, give me fresh gloves/goggles and I'd be rolling in five to ten minutes.
We raised around $4000 for Livestrong and made the five day mark. It was one of the most intense experiences of my life.
Kid: What was the hardest thing about that motorcycle ride?
Erik: I was always on that ragged edge of disaster. When you're exhausted, riding 10 - 14 hours a day and going that fast it's easy to make a mistake. It's a simple matter to get lost, crash (which I did, once and yes, it hurt), break equipment, miss a stop point, you name it! There are a million variables that need to line up. At 25mph - 75mph offroad, they come fast and furious! You have to make huge decisions in a split second. The ramifications were being lost and late (best case scenario) or dead (worst case scenario).
Kid: How did you feel when you completed that journey?
Erik: Exhausted. Relieved. Triumphant. Full of incredible joy and love. In shock, really, that we'd pulled it off! Also sad and determined. On that last day Dad informed me that Uncle Lou had been diagnosed with cancer. We'd won a battle, but the war was still raging on.
Kid: You are preparing to take part in the 2011 Tour Divide race. Do you feel like your motorcycle experience on the route will help you much?
Erik: It will and it won't. At the very least, I feel like I know what the course has in store for me on the GDR portion. That takes a great amount of the guesswork out of it. On the other hand, things that were a fun on the XR600R are a huge source of concern on a bicycle. The infamous Great Basin is the best example. 140 miles of high desert. There may be water, there may not be. You never know. On the motorcycle it was amazing! I rolled through that thing in 5th gear, standing up on the pegs pretending I was racing in the Baja 1000 or Paris Dakar. It was incredible fun!
On the bicycle? Man! Don't even get me started on the 200,000 ft of climbing either, OK?
Kid: Why singlespeed?
Erik: Why not? OK, that's not an answer.
I've been riding singlespeeds for a long time now. There was a stretch where the only bike I had built up was a singlespeed. You just get used to them, I guess. I love the simplicity, the efficiency, the elegance of a singlespeed. And, of course, the challenge. My buddy Andrew always harasses me about my penchant to chase after Tough Guy Points. He's right, I can't deny it. I love the challenge!
Plus there are the tales of mud and mucked up drive trains from Joe Meiser. Singlespeeds don't worry too much about that. There is WAY less to break!
Kid: All of this boils down to your 1 Gear, 1 Cause effort. Tell us about it, how it started, and what you hope to accomplish through it.
Erik: For the last three years I've been the National Powerstop Coordinator for the Livestrong Challenge fundraising series. It was an amazing experience! After three years, though, I needed a break. It was time to stay home for awhile.
Yet I couldn't not do something to fight cancer. It wasn't possible. So I've decided to revisit the Tour Divide in 2011! My trip in 2006 was on a single cylinder motorcycle. The symmetry of going back on a singlespeed bicycle was too much to resist. Plus, as I stated earlier, I love singlespeeds. Doing it on a geared bike really never crossed my mind as an option.
I have several goals that all lead to each other. Physically, it's to finish. Not because I am super fast and want to win the thing. That's obviously not what I am about. I want to finish in order inspire other people to do something extraordinary for the world they live in. I want to give hope to folks who don't have any. I'm here to tell you that hope is worth more than anything to cancer patients and their families. It's completely intangible. You can't weigh, touch, see or smell it. Yet, for all that, hope is key to surviving cancer. If I can help give hope and maybe inspire some folks to do the same? Mission accomplished!
Kid: What would you like to say to all the people that happen to stumble upon this post?
Erik: I'd like to encourage everyone who is reading this to make the world a better place. Pursue whatever you are passionate about! It's my firm belief that every day folks like us can do extraordinary things for causes we believe in. In fact, we have to! It's nice when some famous person jumps in and all, but there are a few thousand of them to millions upon millions of us. No matter how rich or powerful they are, our superior numbers trump. If you hate cancer as much as I do, join the fight! If your passion lays in ending hunger or homelessness? Awesome! Get out there and get to it!
Be like my Dad and don't think! DO!
-------
Erik's charity 1 Gear, 1 Cause will receive the proceeds from Salsa's Minneapolis screening of Ride The Divide. The screening is Tuesday, June 15th at the Riverview Theater. Attending the show means you aren't just in for a fun night and a great bike flick, but you are also helping fight the good fight against cancer. Advance tickets can be purchased online and are the only way you are guaranteed of having a seat. Tickets at the door also cost more so buy your seats now. Click the logo below to purchase. Wondering what Ride The Divide is all about? The film's trailer is also below.
For this race I've chosen to ride my La Cruz disc. This bike is light and nimble, climbs well, and the disc brakes will give me a little extra confidence on the fast gravel descents of the Dirty Kanza 200.
The bike has a pretty standard CX build with a SRAM road group, 46/38T 'cross cranks and an 11-28 cassette.
Special DK upgrades are a Cane Creek Thudbuster ST post and Salsa Woodchipper bar.
The Thudbuster offers just over an inch of travel, which is enough squish to suck up the jolts and vibrations from the gravel roads. After a long day in the saddle my back feels much better when using the Thudbuster.
I use the Woodschipper bar because it offers multiple hand positions like a road bar but the shallow drops help keep my body weight centered on the bike for better handling on technical terrain. I ride my La Cruz a lot on our less technical local singletrack. This bar allows me to brake and shift better in the drops thus giving me more confidence while cornering.
Other special gear choices for the race are a frame pack for my hydration system and a stem bag for my food. Mounting my water to my frame takes the weight off my back, which reduces lower back stress and provides better ventilation. It might be awefully hot in Kansas. Using the stem bag for my nutrition makes it easier for me to snack throughout the race. For me I am always happiest when I am eating!
There you go folks, the cat's out of the bag and all my cards have been played. You have seen all my tricks. Now I have to rely on my solid fitness base from 5 solid months of commuting and 2 big races to get me through this epic journey. Wish me and the rest of the Dirty Six luck. Oh yeah, and don't forget Lucky 7 either. -Ryan
Wednesday May 26th, 2010
| 2 Comments | Kid Riemer
Salsa is fired up to announce that we are bringing Ride The Divide to the Twin Cities for a limited one showing engagement! Mark your calendars folks!
The Riverview Theater in Minneapolis will be the only place to be on Tuesday, June 15th. The event will begin at 7pm. This will be an incredibly fun evening as we've got a couple special surprises for those that come to check out the show.
One note on ticket sales. Tickets purchased online cost $5 plus a $1.26 surcharge. Tickets at the door will cost $10. The only way to guarantee you'll have a seat for the film is to purchase a ticket online beforehand. We hope to see out our showing of this film.
Where is the money going? Proceeds from our showing will go to 2011 Tour Divide racer Erik Mathy's charity, One Gear, One Cause. Erik will be riding a singlespeed Salsa Fargo during the 2011 event.
Haven't yet heard of Ride The Divide movie?
Ride The Divide is an inspiring journey about the world’s toughest mountain bike race, which traverses over 2700 miles along the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains. The film weaves the story of three characters’ experiences with immense mountain beauty and small-town culture as they attempt to pedal from Banff, Canada to a small, dusty crossing on the Mexican border.
Mike, a 40-year old family man who uses this challenge to chart a new course in life; Matthew, a leader in extreme endurance racing who’s competing for his 5th time; and Mary, the ?rst female rider to race this route, will set out to accomplish what very few have been able to. Over the course of a few weeks they’ll attempt to climb over 200,000 vertical feet over the Rocky Mountains. That’s the equivalent of ascending Mount Everest from sea level seven times.
They’ll experience mental breakdowns, treacherous snow, hellacious blisters, and total fatigue. Above all, they’ll race with no support – at times in total isolation.
The tests of endurance and the accomplished moments throughout Ride the Divide prompt us to re?ect on our inner desires to live life to the fullest.
Check out the trailer below. It'll whet your appetite. More to come on this in the next three weeks! And please help spread the word about this folks. We'd love to fill the theater.
The Dirty Kanza takes place in a few weeks down in Emporia, Kansas. It is a 200-mile gravel grinder through an area called the Flint Hills. We're sending the Dirty Six...plus Lucky Seven...to take it on.
Each of these guys has his own motivations, and his own fears, for this event. Today they introduce themselves, their goals for the DK 200.
The Dirty Six
Eki - I've thought about the Dirty Kanza 200 for a few years now and have always viewed the race as one of the pioneers of gravel road racing. Having completed the Trans Iowa twice I knew the DK was always on my horizon.
My goals for this year's race are simple; finish, be in the break, and have fun! I've found that overcomplicating a race with detailed goals only leads to disappointment. I believe in the 'keep it simple' plan.
However, my hopes for the race do become a bit more detailed. I hope my 'dark times' do not resemble black holes and their duration is short. I hope to be positioned in such a way during the closing miles that a podium spot is possible. Finally, I hope to finish with a smile on my face, a few slaps on the back, and one more successful adventure under my belt.
Gnat - Over the course of the last month lots of folks have been asking me. “Why would you ride 200 miles of gravel in Kansas?” On the surface, it appears to be a great question. However, my response is more of “Why wouldn’t you?” Over the course of the last 3 years I’ve developed a real passion for solitude, gravel and natural beauty. I think the DK200 and Kansas has mile after mile of those things.
Beyond those these things called out above, I’m doing it to push myself further than I’ve gone before. I’ve never ridden 200 miles in one day. In all honesty, finishing may be a challenge for me. However, the anticipated feeling of finishing and accomplishment outweigh my fears.
What is Gnat’s bike choice and set up for the event?
I’ve never been known to do things halfway so when I decided to do this event, I set out to build a purpose-built bike. This bike will take on the DK and another un-named event I hope to one day complete. It is a pretty amazing bike. I could write for hours on end about why I did what I did and chose what I chose when designing the bike. However, at the moment, I simply want to share a couple of pictures.
My set up for the DK is ever changing. I’m still tweaking and tuning. I have one goal though, to get as much weight off of me and onto the bike as possible. The DK is long and grueling and taking weight off the body is critical for me to manage my fatigue.
Sean - Growing up in Tennessee, we would travel to Kansas once a year to visit my dad’s family. I always loved Kansas because it was so much different than Tennessee. I love east Kansas and its limestone hills and huge bald plains. Last fall when I found out there was a race through this same area I knew I had to do it!
I’ll be riding a completely taken apart and put back together Chili Con Crosso. The Trans Iowa this year reeked havoc on my drivetrain and hubs. I had to replace the front hub bearings and put a new chain on it just because of the TI. I think the highlights of the bike are: very lightweight (especially for a 60cm), Cane Creek ST thudbuster, and Conti speed tires. The Jandd frame bag I have works pretty well too.
I feel like my fitness has continued to increase this spring especially now that I’m rubbing elbows in the local road and criterium races. I think I would enjoy just getting to stay with the leaders like Joe Meiser, Tim Ek, Charlie Farrow, Ryan Horkey, Charlie Tri, and anyone else that’s fast (you know who you are, I could name off quite a few people now that I’ve done the Trans Iowa!). I mean honestly what a great group of guys to ride with just because of the quality of the people, and also because of how strong they are and how they push me. I hope to stay with them as long as possible, hopefully finishing with them, and to also enjoy the beautiful scenery of east Kansas.
Joe - My goal is a sub 13-hour finish. I'll be riding my La Cruz Ti prototype.
I'm scared of what the road surface is like. I keep hearing these stories of these flint shard roads and I know that flint makes good knives in a pinch!
Ryan - I'm doing the DK200 because I got bored doing 20 to 30-mile XC races and started enjoying long 100 to 200-mile road rides. I want a race that will stretch my limits and take me out of my comfort zone. I don't know exactly how my body will react to the stress of a 200-mile race. I enjoy the preparation and strategy (as rudimentary as it may be) of planning my nutrition, carrying gear, etc.
I will be riding a steel La Cruz with disc brakes, Woodchipper bar, SRAM group, Cane Creek Thudbuster ST, and 35mm tires. I will also be showing off my new full custom map holder by ZipLock!
My goal is to finish strong with the lead group. I know there is a handful of accomplished riders starting the race along with the very capable Salsa contingent, so the pace should be fast. If can finish in the top ten I will be very pleased.
PK - For myself, the DK is way to experience a completely different aspect of bicycle riding than I typically pursue, and also to see where my limits are. I want to see if I can ride that far in one take. I’ve only ever ridden 2 century rides and nothing longer. The first included a 1.5 hour lunch break, plus a Dairy Queen stop at mile 85, so it was hardly 100 miles straight. The second was just a couple weekends ago at this year’s Almanzo 100. My average idea of a “long ride” is from the top of the Garbanzo chair back down to Whistler village. “Hydration” usually means riding across the street from the DJs to grab a ‘Dew at the convenience store. This whole “gravel racing” thing is a bit outside my normal scope and I’m looking forward to getting up-close and personal with it for a few hours.
For the DK, I’ll be pushing the same setup I used in the Almanzo: A proto Vaya frame with Woodchippers, a Canecreek Thudbuster ST and a set of DT 240 hub'd wheels, setup tubeless with 42mm rubber. I’ll likely be using the same configuration of frame bags with H20 bladder as well. That seemed to work really well for the Almanzo where I went the full 100 self-supported. I like having nothing on my back. With the ability to refuel at the DK check-points, it should be even easier in terms of carrying “enough” food and water. The extra 100 miles? I’ll just have find out….
And finally...Lucky Seven...Matt - This will be my third Dirty Kanza 200. My best finish in the race was fifth place in 2008. I wasn't able to compete in the 2009 event due to a friend's wedding, so I'm looking forward to being back in Emporia toeing the line in a couple weeks.
I'm choosing my Salsa Vaya for the 'Kanza, as it's the perfect combination of speed and strength for the demanding Kansas Flint Hills course, based on my experience. In my first two 'Kanza finishes, I was on an El Mariachi in '07 and a La Cruz in '08, and I went three hours faster on the La Cruz. I know this year the field is stacked with talent, so I'll be very happy if I end up in the top ten, but am also realistic enough to know that might be optimistic.
As long as I have fun, ride hard and finish, I'll be proud and happy, as everyone that finishes this awesome 200-mile event should be.
Wednesday May 19th, 2010
| 7 Comments | Kid Riemer
Back in October, when we introduced the first prototype of the Enabler it caught some folk’s attention. That’s a good thing right? Well, except when you’ve got folks fired up for the product but you won’t deliver it for a few months. Sorry about that. It did take us a bit longer than planned to come to market.
Well, we’ve had the Enabler Fork in stock now for a while (as many of you have noticed) and it seemed time to share a bit more about the fork and just what it allows you to do.
It is a slightly complicated, freak of a fork in many ways. People often get hung up on the massive tire clearance and immediately think ‘snow bike’. There are a couple things to keep in mind in that regard however. Remember, the Enabler is a 29’er fork. Throwing it on your existing snow bike might throw it out of balance a bit. Check the Enabler product page for all the critical measurements and compare to whichever fork you are currently using.
It does ENABLE you to create what we’ve been calling ‘snow bike lite’: a 29’er with a bit fat Surly Endomorph or Larry tire up front. Lots of floatation for snow or sand, and if you run a wide rim (like a Salsa Gordo 29’er Disc) on the back end with a 2.5” 29’er tire, it just may turn unrideable terrain into rideable terrain, without buying a new bike.
Here are a couple shots from this past winter of Jason on board his prototype El Mariachi set up as a ‘snow bike lite’.
But don't let yourself get pigeon-holed into just the Enabler-snowbike lite-phat tires mindset. Remember, the Enabler is at heart just a kick-butt 29'er fork. Clearance for Endomorphs or Larrys means that there is gobs of room for any 29’er tire. That in turn ENABLES you to run your choice of 29’er rubber up front for ‘regular’ off-road riding.
Remember that bit about it being a ‘freak fork’?
Well, the Enabler uses a rear wheel. If you’ve got a spare 29’er rear wheel it will drop right in and become your front wheel. It uses a front brake adapter however so you don’t need to worry about coming up with a second rear brake adapter. Your front brake will swap straight over. Essentially the Enabler is a sweet riding fork for those rigid riding situations that has a ton of clearance and other features. The fact that it uses a rear wheel is just another benefit.
Why have a rear wheel up front? Well, for longer adventures it does give you a backup should your freehub go bad. If singlespeeding, it also gives you the potential to set up your front wheel with a different sized cog thereby giving you a second gearing option.
But wait, there’s more!
This fork ENABLES you to run water bottles on your fork legs. While some might scoff at this, I’ve come to love having water bottles to access there. It allows me to carry enough water on my bike that I rarely ever need to have a hydration pack on my back. Plus, we’ve placed the water bottle braze-ons to offer two positions: high or low, depending on your preference, or as mandated by your ohter equipment choices.
The fork also ENABLES you to run racks and fenders. We’ve got braze-ons for racks and fenders on the stainless steel, forward facing fork dropouts. Plus, we’ve included mid-blade lowrider mounts. The Enabler will work perfectly with our upcoming Minimalist rack and Down Under lowriders.
You just may want to ENABLE your 29’er to become a rack-toting, bikepacking or off-road touring machine.
As you can see, the bottom line is that the Enabler allows you to do a heck of a lot with your 29’er. In fact there are so many options that we all have different favorite things to say about it.
Jason - My favorite thing about the Enabler is how it makes my current El Mariachi, or most 29ers, even more versatile. With the Enabler I now have a “Snow-Bike Lite” and it opened up new trails, lakes and places to ride. I also like carrying stuff on my fork, something I can’t do with current rigid 29er forks.
Pete - My favorite part of the fork is that I got to design the I.S. mount to be front specific, but offset to work with the rotor location of a rear hub. This allows the user that is adding the Enabler fork to their existing frame/bike to simply swap over their existing set of brakes. For someone doing a new build, it gives them the convenience to purchase a standard front/rear brake set instead of having to locate two individual rears or an extra rear adaptor for the front brake. In short, you get to use a standard front disc brake on the front fork…no gimmicks, just common sense & logical. It also means no funky stuff for the wheel either. No special proprietary hubs, no funky offset, any plain old 135mm rear wheel will work in this fork. (Disc-ready of course if you intend to run a front brake!)
Tim - It’s the first fork to allow 29ers to take lowrider racks.
Joe - Carries stuff, clears mud, floats on snow, and it is intelligently designed.
Sean - I think the enabler is great because it just adds versatility to your bike. It lets any normal 29er (preferably a steel El Mariachi) become something new and totally different. It adds a whole new way to ride and enjoy the trail just by changing out the fork!
Mark - You can give your bike that ‘monster truck’ look you’ve always wanted.
Kid – For me, it takes the rigid fork and elevates it into a Swiss Army Knife of sorts, but having the water bottle access is my favorite thing. My snow bike and Fargo turned me on to that in a big way; I don’t know why I’d ever do without it on a rigid fork.
Almanzo tried to kill me. Well, not really. It just seemed like it tried to kill me.
I'm sure you've had similar days on the bike. But perhaps you haven't. Maybe you never will.
This year's Almanzo 100 course was stellar. Beautiful scenery encompassed the 100-mile lollipop of gravel. GPS toters returned with a registered 6800 feet of climbing.
For me the day quickly turned into an exhibition of prolonged suffering. Numerous farmers along the course broke into spontaneous applause at the site of my quivering calves. I'm sure many wondered if it was a 'slow race' or 'whether they are allowed to ride up the hills or not?'.
But as they supposedly say...what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
And as Joe, who placed 4th on the day said, 'I suffered too. It was just a different kind of suffering.' Joe finished in 5:26:27.
Rob finished in 45th place about one hour later, easily surpassing his goal of finishing in the top third.
Pete arrived just 7 minutes later, 6:37:06...now he's talking about trading in his fullface helmet and flat pedals and going 'all gravel, all the time'.
Burton beat the 7 hour mark. 6:53:54 with only the food and drink he had with him when he left the start line.
Tanner unfortunately had to drop as his bad back flared up. He'll be back though. Because remember, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
If it looks like gravel and it smells like gravel and it...
This fine video production comes from North Central Cyclery, the Salsa dealer in DeKalb, Illinios. They've got a gravel grinder event coming up and put this together to spread the word. If you enjoy the video I'm sure you will enjoy the ride.
The Almanzo 100 takes place this coming Saturday in southeastern Minnesota. It is one of many gravel races that have come to fruition in these parts and may have been the most influential in generating a 'Minnesota gravel scene'. A bunch of us are doing it this year. We've all chosen our weapons and have them dialed, semi-dialed, or in Joe's case...not dialed at all at this point!
The other day I was reading Charlie Farrow's blog and he had this bit about whether or not this was the Golden Age of Endurance Racing. It might sound funny at first, but in many ways I think it is.
Many years ago, and in what seems like another life, I promoted the Chi Chi's Salsa Series. It was Minnesota's off-road point series, and if I do say so myself...it was done pretty well. I've been out of that game for a long time now. Others put on the current Minnesota off-road series, individual races, road races, track events, alleycats, and what I'd call the newest development: gravel races.
Interestingly enough there was a gravel road race about 8 or 9 years ago just north of the Twin Cities. It was all gravel which was cool, but it used a multi-lap format. Laps of 12 or 15 miles or whatever it happened to be were certainly convenient, but it lacked a certain sense of adventure that today's gravel events entail.
These days, events like the Almanzo 100, Ragnarok 105, Barry-Roubaix, CIRREM/AGRS, Dirty Kanza, and Heck Of The North present racers (and riders) with a start line, some cue sheets, and a finish line. In between those points the riders pile on the gravel miles, sometimes with support, but often without it. You can find a great list of these events from all across the country at Gravel Grinder News.
For some folks these are true races. They fight to be in the lead group and battle for the win. They have the motivation, desire, and yes...FITNESS...to try to win.
For others, like myself, these are true rides. We get to spend a long day on the bike (which can be a rather rare occurance unfortunately) in a new area, just enjoying the ride, and working to finish.
I mentioned earlier that I thought the Almanzo has perhaps been the most influential of these rides in our area. It takes place early in the season by Minnesota standards...but not too early. It is free, despite being extremely well organized by a passionate promoter, Chris Skogen.
Two years ago, the Almanzo had 100 riders or so. This year it has some 450 registered. Still free. Still well organized. Still set up as a 'hey, you are on your own out there' type of ride. That's pretty impressive if you think about it.
Thanks Chris for really adding something to our cycling scene!
More than a few of us will be toeing the line on Salsa's this Saturday. Here is a bit from each of us about our weapon of choice, and what we're hoping to accomplish.
Kid - I've already said it above, but my goal is simply to enjoy a nice long ride. I might suffer a bit this year as I'm not sure how prepared I am for 100 miles of gravel. Two years ago I did this ride on a Casseroll singlespeed but this year I'm calling upon my flatbar Fargo with gears. I moved my lighter wheel set over to it for the event and have some brand spankin' new WTB Vulpine tires loaded.
Pete - Vaya with a 2x10 SRAM setup, 'chippers, Cane Creek Thudbuster ST. For me, this is a shakedown ride in preparation for the Dirty Kanza 200.
Tanner - Fargo singlespeed 32 x 16, purple ano accents, Woodchipper 46cm bar, WTB Pathway 700x38 tires. My goal? Take down Joe Meiser! ...or just finish.
Burton - La Cruz. Jandd frame bag to hold 80 oz of water, a proto of the Salsa bottle cage on the back of the downtube, and a well-worn Brooks saddle. Goal for the event: Do it completely self-supported, no drop bag, no stops for water. Eat real food. Finish under 7:30. Not wreck my lower back. And thoroughly enjoy myself...I don't get out for 7+ hours on the bike very often these days!
Rob - Chili Con Crosso with 35 SB8. Although I'm going to bring some different tires along and make a decision the morning of the race depending on how soft the roads are. I'd like to finish in the upper 1/3.
Joe - La Cruz Ti proto. It's been my go-to for every one of these races over the last couple of years. nice set of carbon clinchers laced to DT240 hubs. SRAM Rival. My favorite Salsa handlebar of all time, the Bell Lap. Ti seatpost with WTB SST saddle. My goal is always to finish. I'm planning on being in the lead group unless I have a mechanical or a flat that puts me further back. I'm thinking the lead group will be quite large with a 450 rider field this year. We may have to make an early move to get away and stay away.
To any readers who are riding a Salsa in the Almanzo, try to find me in the parking area before the event. I'd like to snap a photo of you with your bike for our website. -Kid
Take a moment and think of the transportation route system that the United States has developed primarily around automobiles. Now imagine a similar route system for bikes.
No, we don't have such a system yet. But there is an effort underway to develop the U.S. Bicycle Route System.
Salsa has signed on as a sponsor of the new U.S.B.R.S. fundraising campaign: Build it. Bike it. Be a Part of It. We encourage you to consider donating if you are able.
A couple years ago we did our first Sol Sessions event. That time it was an invite only affair to launch the El Kaboing and Big Mama bikes. A select group of journalists and dealers were invited to take part. This year, Sol Sessions isn't about launching a new model, it is just about getting some good off-road riding in with like-minded folks.
Consider yourself invited to Sol Sessions 2010.
We'll be riding on the fantastic CAMBA trails of Northern Wisconsin over the weekend of June 18th - 20th.
We've set up a web page to explain the event in detail, but the bottom line is this: We're going to have some fun riding mountain bikes on some killer trails, camp and socialize. You are welcome to join us.
Saturday April 17th, 2010
| 2 Comments | Kid Riemer
Sea Otter is in full swing. Racing going on all over the place. All sorts of bikers, young and old. Beautiful weather this year at this point. Fingers crossed for more. We thought we'd share a few more photos from the trip.
Thursday at Sea Otter is typically the slowest day of the event. It is a work day, the racing is just getting going, and some vendors are still setting up. That said, it is still a fun day.
We get to meet a lot of Salsa fans and just bike fans in general. We also get a chance to catch up with friends from other companies that we only see when at events.
Attached are some pics from the last two days. Yes...we met some fun people...but we also got some riding in!
Darren, up from Arizona, mohawk ready for his XC pre-ride.
Cubby and Gu. Cubby is the human. Check out www.thegreatchiweenie.com
Thursday April 8th, 2010
| 5 Comments | Kid Riemer
One week from today, at the Sea Otter Classic, we will be unveiling the updated Ala Carte and El Mariachi frames. Let's continue with our second Sneak Peek.
Every so often, we receive photos from Salsa riders. They come in from all over the globe. They aren't always good, but sometimes are great. But regardless of the arguable quality of the photos themselves, they show our bikes being put to good use. You can't ask for more than that.
City Creek Canyon overnighter in Salt Lake City, Utah
Out of work...go for a tour? December tour of Washington & Oregon coast.
Tour de Africa. Four Fargo riders in Sudan. And yes, that is a deceased and rapidy dessicating camel. Don't forget to drink.
Today's guest post comes from Dain Zaffke, Marketing Honcho at Wilderness Trail Bikes. For those of you that don't know him, Dain is wicked fast...but more importantly is just an all-around nice guy. He's riding our Pro Moto Ti stem and Carbon Flat bar this season. He sent this photo and text after one of his recent rides. -Kid
I'm lucky enough to live and work in Marin County, California, and I ride my bike to work just about every day.
If I get up early enough in the morning I can commute on my mountain bike over the legendary Mt. Tamalpais. It's a real nice, hour-long fireroad climb and on weekday
mornings there's not a soul on the mountain. Unless it rains.
If it's raining there are actually lots of critters out and about. Lately my side of the mountain has been crawling with little black and orange newts. I saw six of them the day I took this photo.
They don't move quite as fast as lizards, so riders have to be careful and avoid running them over.
This little newt didn't seem to be in the mood for photos, so I was lucky to get these shots of him posing with my Salsa bar and stem. Next time I'll try to get a mountain lion posing with my bike (there have been a lot of sightings lately). -Dain
Salsa is proud to be supporting the Race To Paris Solo, a challenge event put on by GreenlightRide.com. We're giving away a complete Vaya bicycle as part of their $15,000 worth of prizes.
The premise is this: the pros in the Tour de France will ride 2230 miles in about 3 weeks, reaching Paris on July 25th. If you started now, will you put in that many miles before they finish?
Now some of you will say, 'Yes, undoubtably'. Others may say, 'Possibly'. Still others will say, 'I probably can't do it.'
We want to help encourage you to give it a shot. We've formed a team called the Salsa Amigos for this challenge. We welcome you to join us. It is free to participate and who knows, you may win some cool prizes enroute.
How do you sign up? Go to http://greenlightride.com/ and register. It is simple, pain free, and free. Once registered, you can click on this URL to join the Salsa Amigos team. http://greenlightride.com/team/view_team/409/
Why is Salsa supporting this challenge?
We want to help get the word out about GreenlightRide.com. This competition is their big endeavor to try to draw more people to using the site.
GreenlightRide.com began as a commuter based site for tracking commuter miles. That is still a primary goal for them. They want to get more people riding bikes for transportation. But, the site also allows you to track all your mileage...whether commuting or not. It allows you to form teams and form challenges. And it is free.
So, please consider signing up on GreenlightRide and joining the Salsa Amigos in the Race To Paris Solo. Encourage your cycling friends to join up as well. Let's give GreenlightRide a shot in the arm and boost the number of folks using their service. Thanks for your help.
Friday February 12th, 2010
| 3 Comments | Kid Riemer
My suspicion is that some of you read that title and groaned. The Olympics! Here, on the Salsa Amigos blog! Can't I escape from it anywhere! Groan, moan, groan some more!!! Others read it and look forward to watching the Winter Games. Perhaps some of you even feel a twinge of excitement.
The Olympics have in many ways become another of the love it or hate it things in this world. Much like the Superbowl perhaps, except that the Olympics goes on much longer. I think perhaps it is partly due to the increased cynicism in our society today. And partly due to the fact that many people are just not willing to accept something and enjoy it.
Now for me...well I guess I love it.
In 1988, the Summer Games were held in Korea. I happen to have grown up there (my parents were Lutheran missionaries there) and I graduated from college that same summer. I wound up working the games for NBC. Actually, I worked for them for 3 months leading up to the games, and then one month after the games as well.
The crew I worked with put in all the audio and video cables for the television coverage at each venue. We had passes that allowed us to get in to the venues during the Games.
That opening ceremony in '88 was a highlight for me. I stood and watched and had to fight back the tears actually because I was so proud of Korea. So proud of that opening ceremony. It celebrated their culture, their history, and their people. It was an incredibly emotional experience for me.
So when the opening ceremony for the Vancouver Winter Olympics takes place tonight, I'll be watching. I'm hoping to see Canadians take pride in their country and display it for the world to see.
Then, during the next couple weeks, I'll watch great athletes compete on a worldwide stage. Some of those athletes are living large all year long. Others are truly just regular folks who are the best at their somewhat freaky, oddball sport. That is the beauty of it in a nutshell for me.
I'll take the good and the bad of this Winter Games and take it for what it's worth: a chance to see some of the world's best athletes put on one hell of a show. Money, sponsorship, corruption, and green-ness be damned. Let me see the best compete in the sport that they love.
Yesterday, Jay Petervary sent over a few photos from he and Tracey's record-setting tandem ride during the Tour Divide.
This photo (courtesy of Tracey Petervary) was taken of Jay and Joe Meiser as they pushed their way up the connector trail on the new section in the Flathead area.
Certainly looks glamorous, doesn't it?
Thursday, we are taping the last of our Joe's Great Adventure videos. We thought we'd open the floor to questions.
So if you've got something you'd like to ask Joe about his experience in this year's Tour Divide, respond with your questions here and we'll work the best of them into our interview.
Thursday June 11th, 2009
| 6 Comments | Kid Riemer
I just got off the phone with Joe who was gracious enough to call and let me 'grill' him the afternoon before the start of the Tour Divide. What follows is a rough notation of all that he had to say. Apologies to Joe if I get any of it terribly wrong.
Joe said travel to Banff was pleasantly uneventful. No problems with flights or the shuttle bus he took from Calgary to Banff. He did say the shuttle ride was through some truly beautiful countryside.
He says it is great fun to be with all these people that have come from all over the world. He met two guys from Ohio, one from Toledo and the other from Cleveland. Joe grew up in Michigan, not far from the one fellow.
There is a rider who shipped his bike to Banff...and it has not yet arrived. Terrible news for that person.
Joe was a bit surprised that some folks did not really have their gear dialed in yet, and are frantically trying to figure out where to mount cycle computers and other assorted gear.
Joe on the other hand said his stuff is ready to go, so he has been trying to relax. He said he spun around town for 20 minutes today and hit a grocery store. Said he can feel the altitude a bit and feels like his heart rate is up. He doesn't monitor his heart rate on a regular basis. There is a BBQ tonight that serves as the pre-race meeting and allows everyone to meet and mingle.
He said it is cool to see the different bikes and gear setups that folks are using. He's heard that record holder John Nobile isn't carrying a sleeping system and is intending to find shelter when needed. Joe agreed that he is probably carrying a minimalist emergency blanket at least however.
The weather today in Banff is gorgeous, but calls for some rain showers at times tomorrow.
He said there is a lot of talk among various riders of trying to break 20 days.
My understanding is that this year's course is taking a new, off-road route through the Flathead region. Joe said they still don't have the cue sheets for that section but are told they will receive them tonight. He's a bit nervous about that. He's been told that there are people out there flagging it today.
All in all, Joe said his nerves are good. He said he's had trouble sleeping today but has forced himself to lay down and just stay still for 20 minutes at a time.
He said he's excited and that it is a great group of people readying themselves for this adventure. He met two folks from the United Kingdom that have done the event before and have returned to do it again, bringing with them a few more of their countrymen. He said all the Brits are on 29'ers.
Tomorrow morning at 10 AM Mountain Standard Time the Tour Divide 2009 is on. Joe said he expects the race to break into several big pieces right from the start. There is a place to get some food 60 miles down the trail, and then it is something like another 70 or 80 miles to the next town. Some folks are aiming at 130 miles or so tomorrow, but he said some others are looking at more like 160.
What will Joe do? We will see tomorrow.
Joe, in case you are reading this tonight at an internet cafe or on a borrowed laptop, everyone here wishes you the best of luck. There has already been too much internal debate as to whether you will ever wash your shorts during this adventure...but I encourage you to do so if you get the chance!
Rubber side down! Ride safe! Enjoy the journey! -Kid
Thursday June 11th, 2009
| 0 Comments | Kid Riemer
During the last few years, there has been an unquestionable rise in interest in 'ultra' style cycling events. Not that long ago, these events often went unnoticed. There was little opportunity to 'follow the action'.
That really seems to have changed recently. The internet, blogs, podcasts, SPOT trackers, GPS units, sat phones, and other technological advances have made 'coverage' of long distance, remote races possible in ways that we never would have imagined not that long ago.
Like it or not, these advances have made it possible for us to watch what's going on. It turns a multi-day mystery into a multi-day event we can all enjoy.
You can see that on the right side of this page we've added a 'Where the heck is Joe?' link. It provides a link to Joe's SPOT Tracker as well as to the Tour Divide Leaderboard.
I'm sure Joe has a busy day ahead of him taking care of last minute preparations. While he's doing that he's probably busy 'trying to rest'. I'm sure many of you have experienced the weirdness off 'trying to rest' and understand the difficulty in that.
A couple interesting facts about this year's Tour Divide Race. Based on the published roster, I see entrants from 6 different countries. That list includes:
Austria Canada Germany Italy United Kingdom and the United States
Within the United States, 18 different states are represented:
Alaska Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Florida Iowa Kentucky Minnesota (Go Joe!) Ohio New Mexico North Carolina Pennsylvania Tennessee Texas Washington Wisconsin Wyoming
If you think about it, that's a pretty darn diverse list in a field of 41 racers. We wish them all a safe and fulfilling adventure.
Last week I put out the call to the usual suspects for an overnighter. Life was getting in the way for some folks, but we wound up with a solid crew of four committed to an early June overnighter. Joe, Sean, Tim and I each showed up at work Thursday morning with our bikes loaded up.
Tim was riding his mean, Rolhoff-equipped, El Mariachi, the rest of us were on Fargo's. Between the four bikes, we had a fresh combination of frame bags and rack and pannier systems.
The weather here has been awesome for riding, but not so good for growing crops. We're in a drought really. The month of May was the Twin Cities third driest in recorded weather history...or something like that.
For this overnighter we rolled east on the river trail, crossing the Minnesota river at Hwy 77, and heading through the 'burbs of Eagan out to the campground at Lebanon Hills Park.
Once we reached the campground and got a site, we dropped off some of our gear, built a firewood cooler to hold some ice, and left the beers to chill. The Lebanon Hills mountain bike trails are just up the road so we headed over there to get a lap in before darkness settled.
I rarely drive out of my way to ride MTB trails so I hadn't been at Leb for quite a while. It was also my first time putting the Fargo through a more rugged off-road experience.
Here is my mini-review of the Fargo's performance at Lebanon Hills. Much of this I already knew or suspected, but it may interest folks considering the bike. Also, keep in mind that I did not do the XX Loop this time around, mainly because I already had about 50 miles on my legs before getting to it.
-The steering is agile. The front end is quick to respond, and allows for aggressive maneuvering.
-Lifting the front end is not as easy with a drop bar, but can still be done. I preferred to have my hands on the tops if I was going to lift the front wheel or ride over a large log pile.
-Rock gardens were all conquered without issue, except the one where I always get suckered into the wrong line and wind up jammed in the corner. Personally I feel I ride many rock gardens better on a hard tail than on a full-sus. I think this is because I drop my momentum and on a full-sus that really takes the steam out of the engine.
-Braking is effective from the hoods, but when the going gets rough I want to be down in the drops. This means thinking ahead and getting there before it is too late.
-Bar end shifters also encourage you to plan ahead.
-Big wheels still smooth out a trail. I feel the 'longer' wheelbase of the Fargo helps in this regard as well. Interestingly, by staying seated and spinning I have yet to find a climb where the 'longer' Fargo wheelbase is a negative.
-It is fun to catch up and pass someone on a suspended mountain bike while you're riding a drop-bar, rigid bike. Not in a 'Look at me, I'm a jerk' way,' but in a 'Reality check, hmmm, look what two wheels and a frame can accomplish' sort of way.
One note on the trails at Leb.
It had been a long time since I'd bypassed the XX loop and boy was I glad I did. There has been so much trail added in that non-XX section that is so much fun. I loved it. I am really looking forward to hitting it again now that I've seen that stuff. Nice job to the folks that designed and built it. Super flow. Super fun.
After hitting the trails we rode back to camp, got a fire going, and started cooking the grub. This overnighter was not lacking in the good eats department.
-Bean burritos -Ramyon and pad thai noodles -Bratwurst -Steak for Joe -Chocolate chip cookies -Cashews -Beer
If you are going for an overnighter, I suggest working Tim into your plan! In a former life he guided road touring trips and he pulls out all the stops for an enjoyable campsite experience!
After dinner we listened to the coyotes howling nearby, an owl hooting, and enjoyed fire lit conversation. Much of the conversation was in anticipation of Joe's upcoming Tour Divide Race. A clear sky and forecast allowed us to sleep out under the stars.
Friday morning as Tim brewed up some coffee, we had two large snapping turtles move close to our camp. The turtle shells were a good 12" to 14" long. We suspected they might be looking to lay their eggs and that seems to have been confirmed by the third large turtle we came across doing just that while riding back to work an hour later.
1 Comments
1 Comments | Permalink
.JPG)
.jpg)
