The biggest weekend in gravel racing’s two main events have continued to grow in attendance and in stature. While Kansas’ Dirty Kanza celebrated its 14th year with 3,000 racers, California’s Lost and Found returned for its 6th edition with over 1,500 racers.

The two events both boast plenty of weekend warriors and big-name professionals, yet serve up dramatically different scenery and atmosphere, and as a result, attract different types of riders. As we noted in our Lost and Found preview, it’s not uncommon for racers to sample each, and settle on one.

While Dirty Kanza has drawn out World Tour road pros and plenty of media coverage (see our own continuing coverage here), the Lost and Found gravel race has grown as much as an outdoor festival as a race.

The 2019 Lost and Found gravel race is as much an outdoor festival as a bike race. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

Singlespeed Cyclocross National Champ and Belgian Waffle Ride winner Sarah Sturm made the trip from Colorado and explained the appeal. “I like being in the mountains, I like camping, and I like the whole feel of this event,” she said after completing her first race. “ It’s still a lot of travel for me to get out here but it’s so worth it. I like all the people that do it.”

Four-time Olympian and Cyclocross World Cup winner Katerina Nash, who lives just an hour away in Truckee, made her third trip over for another Lost and Found ride in the mountains. With nothing left to prove in career, Nash downplayed the competitive aspect of the event. “Every time I finish without a flat tire or mechanical, I’m just happy,” Nash said. Dirty Kanza doesn’t appeal to her. “No crazy double. A hundred [miles] is plenty.”

Alone in a Crowd

Even though the pro women started with all the hundreds of 100-mile racers, including many men, for the top women, finding a similar speed group to jump in and work with wasn’t easy. With less than 20 men ahead of them, and a big motivation to keep stops at aid stations short, the leading women were often left alone in the wind, to fight for the win.

Katerina Nash was ready to be the race leader well before the race. 2019 Lost and Found gravel race. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

2017 Lost and Found winner Katerina Nash, looking for a flat-free ride after disappointment in 2018, turned off the pavement after the neutral roll-out, and found herself riding away from the other women. “I kind of got away on the first longer climb and I tried to get into a good group,” Nash explained about her half-successful plan. “I got away, but didn’t get into a good group.”

Katerina Nash wasted no time in getting to the front. She stayed at the front of the neutral roll-out and then hit the climb with vigor, dropping all other women. 2019 Lost and Found gravel race. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

Behind her, contenders Sturm and Serena Bishop Gordon watched Nash pull away on the lung-searing first 10-mile climb, but weren’t feeling ready to chase. Sturm worried that could be the race, but couldn’t match the pace. “I rode with the lead group for a minute and was like, nope!” she said. “I knew if I was going to be competitive, I had to go with her, but I had to check in with how I was feeling, and the beginning part of the race I wasn’t feeling very well, and I wasn’t sure how the race was going. I wanted to finish, and I had some stomach issues.”

Bishop Gordon was hurting as well. “I wasn’t in a good spot in the beginning,” she revealed. She’d watch Nash then Sturm gap her. “So I was heads down, just thinking don’t ever give up.”

The first climb stretched nearly 10 miles long and was Katerina Nash’s launching pad. 2019 Lost and Found gravel race. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

The 2019 course front-loaded much of the climbing, and anyone who has watched a Grand Tour stage with early climbs knows regrouping is common once the terrain flattens out. Chase groups form, racers trade pulls and a solo leader comes back. Could the chasing women (and men) achieve a similar feat with the women’s leader in Nash?

“There were a lot of lonely moments out there,” Nash said about her 100-mile race. “It was a fun course, but a long day out there.”

The problem for the chasers was that they too were largely on their own. “I just was in a weird no man’s land,” Sturm recalled. “I floated [between] a couple of packs. There was a big chunk of time, an hour and half, two hours, when I was alone. I couldn’t see anyone ahead of me or behind me.”

Being self-supported is not the spirit of Lost and Found. Nearly every 10 miles there are well-stocked aid stations. 2019 Lost and Found gravel race. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

Although the wet winter and recent rains almost completely eliminated the usual dust clouds, Sturm couldn’t see Nash just a few minutes ahead, nor a determined Bishop Gordon coming up from behind.

“I didn’t know how far ahead [Sturm] was,” admitted Bishop Gordon. Still, she had her head down in a determined solo chase to at least secure, if not improve upon, her third-place ride in 2018. “I was drilling it, drilling it.”

Vicious Cows and Company

While the three top women pushed through lonely rides for much of the first 80 miles, they were about to encounter many more riders, thanks to their route reconnecting with the 65-mile course. Yet for Sturm and Bishop Gordon, it wasn’t necessarily the company they were looking for.

For some, there were many miles of lonely riding. 2019 Lost and Found gravel race. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

“Every time I would get excited by how I was doing, I was like, nope, it could change in a second,” Sturm revealed. And after a four-hour chase, Bishop Gordon was about to change the race for second.

“I finally caught [Sturm] around mile 80, right after that aid station. I was like, sweet!” recalled Bishop Gordon. The two pulled off the pavement, turning left by the iconic Vicious Cows sign, and hit the last major gravel section together, riding together.

The final gravel segment is where the 102-mile and 65-mile courses merged, and the race for second played out. 2019 Lost and Found gravel race. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

“I was excited to see it was Serena,” said Sturm. “I think we were both thinking the same thing, let’s work together.”

Bishop Gordon at the moment was content to ride with her competitor, and the two were just a few minutes behind Nash but didn’t know it.

While the two rode together, tactics were already being played out to protect second place. “I wanted to sit on her tail to see how she was riding the technical stuff,” Sturm admitted. Yet it wouldn’t be technical terrain but caught riders that would prove to be instrumental in the race for the Lost and Found podium.

“We were riding together, and running into traffic,” Bishop Gordon recalled. “We were going down this descent. We were [calling out] ‘on your right, on your right!’ but they got confused and they moved right.”

Sturm and Bishop Gordon encountered traffic within the last 20 miles. Perhaps the 65-mile racers were understandably distracted by the roadside beauty in this section. 2019 Lost and Found gravel race. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

Sturm took advantage. “She got held up behind these women, I slotted in on the right and got away from her on a technical descent part,” said Sturm. “I thought to look back, saw I had a gap, and I was just like, ‘oh, here we go!’ I put the throttle on and tried to get out of sight.”

Sturm may have gotten out of sight, but certainly not out of mind as it gave Bishop Gordon some regret for not making the first move. “I caught her and should have kept going,” she explained. “She was riding slower when I caught her.”

A Time Trial to the Finish

Sturm’s acceleration restored the lonely journeys for the three top women just in time for a headwind-plagued slog to the finish.

The 2019 course featured nearly 12 paved miles to the finish line in downtown Portola, half of which was downhill, but that didn’t mean it was an easy coast to the finish. Up front, even the leading Nash wasn’t clear on her status.

“I looked back a few times, but it kind of gets to the point where I get blurry vision, so I can’t identify anyone behind me anyway,” she said. “You just ride your race.” Even on the long pavement climb and then straight highway home stretch, she didn’t know Sturm was just two minutes in arrears.

While many were seeing blurry, there was plenty of scenery to appreciate. 2019 Lost and Found gravel race serves up miles of scenery and suffering. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

After winning the mostly-paved BWR race, could Sturm use the long pavement stretch to her advantage to put distance into Bishop Gordon, and hopefully still catch Nash?

Nash was riding her own race. She rolled onto the riverside bike path, past the campsites, and made the final chicane onto the bridge over the Feather River. Descending the bridge to the finish line, she was still alone.

Rolling across the finish line in first, she finally had some welcomed company.

Nash joined Robin Farina in the history books as the second two-time women’s winner.

Sarah Sturm, Katerina Nash and Serena Bishop Gordon. 2019 Lost and Found gravel race Pro Women podium. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

Sufferfresh

Sturm came in for second place, in her first attempt. “I like doing new things,” she explained about her successful debut, and string of gravel success. “If I’m excited to do stuff, I do better at it.”

2019 Lost and Found gravel race serves up miles of scenery and suffering. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

Think the new gravel star will add the DK200 next to her list? Think again. “I don’t want to do DK,” she exclaimed. She’s more attracted the mountain scenery and its own challenge. “It’s so beautiful the whole time here. I was trying to distract myself. It’s honestly one of the hardest races I’ve done. I think it’s harder [than BWR] on your body because it’s a lot more gravel. I live at altitude but I was feeling it today.” Sturm said she rode 40 more miles more but just one hour longer at BWR.

The gravel roads might have been the smoothest in the six years of racing, but still took their toll on racers. 2019 Lost and Found gravel race. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

Bishop Gordon finished in third for the second year in a row, and enjoyed the challenge of the new course. “I think changing the course is really cool, because it gives everyone a clean slate,” she said.

All top three women pledge to return next year for a clean slate of gravel.

Tech Notes:

1. Both Sturm and Bishop Gordon rode the exact same tire pressure, 34 psi up front, and 35 psi out back.
2. Sturm squeezed 42mm Specialized Pathfinder tires in her Specialized Diverge.
3. Bishop Gordon rolled on 40mm Maxxis Rambler tires on her Liv Brava SLR cyclocross bike.
4. Nash rode the same Orbea Terra as last year, with 40mm Maxxis Rambler tires again but different wheels, cranks and cockpit. Like last year, she pumped them to the “upper 30s,” and but had better luck this year avoiding flats.

Pro Women results below. Stay tuned for a full men’s race report and bike profiles from the race.

Enter to win a Redshift Sports Dream Gravel Bike here.

2019 Lost and Found Gravel Race Results: Pro Women

The post 2019 Lost and Found Gravel Race Pro Women: Nash, Sturm and Bishop Gordon Find Lonely Journeys Through the Lost Sierra appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

*My brain*

Don’t say it
Don’t say it
Don’t say it
Don’t say it
Don’t say it

Slow and steady wins the race.

Amity Rockwell (Easton Overland Gravel Team) was certainly not slow at Saturday’s Dirty Kanza 200, but she was definitely steady. The Californian survived the start, and then after sitting outside the top 10 early on, she methodically started making her way forward through the Women’s field.

Halfway into the 202-mile race, she had moved up to 4th place. Then, in the last 40 miles, her patience and a near flawless ride really paid off.

Flats played a huge role in the Open Women’s race, with Olivia Dillon’s (Velocio) lead erased after a flat with about 40 miles to go. After passing Dillon, Rockwell caught then-race-leader Alison Tetrick (Specialized) to take a lead she would not relinquish.

“I tried not to look behind me. My cross country coach in high school never let me look back, and I think about that all the time,” Rockwell said about being in front. “I tried to just put my head down, and then every so often I was asking myself, ‘Can I go harder right now? Can I move my legs a little faster?’ I felt like the answer was always ‘Yes.'”

After a difficult 18th-place finish in 2018, Rockwell bounced back in 2019 to become the newest Queen of Kanza.

Amity Rockwell won the 2019 Open Women Dirty Kanza 200. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

We chatted with Rockwell right after her win when she was still in a state of excitement, disbelief and delirium. You can watch the interview below.

For more from Emporia, see all of our coverage of the 2019 Dirty Kanza 200.

Enter for your chance to win a dream bike from Redshift Sports.

Amity Rockwell: 2019 DK200 Winner Interview

The post Amity Rockwell: 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Winner Interview appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

Dirty Kanza race directors Jim Cummins and Lelan Dains have always aimed to keep the Dirty Kanza fresh as it has grown. This year, we saw a new course and the addition of WorldTour riders to the field.

Introduced last year, part of the evolution of the Dirty Kanza has been the ultra-endurance 350-mile DKXL that started at 3 p.m. on Friday afternoon. Perhaps in a sign ultra-gravel events are a logical evolution of the 200-mile race, past DK200 winners Corey Godfrey and Dan Hughes were among those who took on the DKXL this year.

The race started Friday afternoon to the cheers of folks attending the All Things Gravel Expo. A total of 15 women and 64 men made the start, and by the time the finish line closed on Sunday morning at 3 a.m., 45 riders had finished the 350-mile ride.

The Women’s winner was Lael Wilcox, who also finished sixth overall. Jamie Van Beek took second and Kristen Legan third.

Jay Petervary took the Men’s win. Last year’s winner Matt Acker finished second and Ben Doom third.

Finishers and results for the 2019 DKXL are below.

Enter for your chance to win a dream bike from Redshift Sports.

Women's Results: 2019 DKXL

Men's Results: 2019 DKXL

The post Gravel Results: 2019 DKXL 350-Mile Ultra-Endurance Race appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

When he goes out to train near his Austin home, Colin Strickland (Meteor x Giordana) often hammers halfway out and then hammers the rest of the way home and calls it a day.

The training has paid off for him in the past, for example at Gravel Worlds last year, he had to close a nearly 10-minute gap to the leaders after flatting in the first hour of the race. He went on to win that race in impressive fashion.

“That is pretty much what I do. Ride out into a headwind, level myself and then flip it around and dump everything I have left on the way home. That’s kind of how I train,” Strickland said.

When he decided to attack from 100 miles out on Saturday at the Dirty Kanza 200, it was just like another training ride for Strickland. Albeit one with WorldTour pros, pros and former pros hot on his heels. No way he could hold it, right?

Well, as we found out, Strickland did hold his lead to grab the title of King of Kanza in impressive fashion.

Colin Strickland poses with Jim Cummins after his win. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

We spoke with him after the race. A video and transcript are below (Moar Cowbell was the order of the afternoon in the raucous DK finishing stretch).

You can also watch our interview with Women’s winner Amity Rockwell.

For more from Emporia, see all of our coverage of the 2019 Dirty Kanza 200.

Enter for your chance to win a dream bike from Redshift Sports.

Colin Strickland: 2019 DK200 Winner

Interview Transcript

Cyclocross Magazine: You went from almost 100 out, you plan on doing that?

Colin Strickland: Absolutely not. It was not the plan. Most of my life I kind of roll spontaneously. You kind of have to risk losing to win sometimes. That was definitely risky.

CXM: Was there a point where you decided you were going to try and make that move stick?

CS: When no one went with me, I kind of decided I was going. Everyone kind of sat up for a while and let the gap extend really quickly. I was like, ‘Well, let’s give it a go.’ I knew the wind patterns would be advantageous to being alone. I just kind of banked on that and it paid off.

CXM: It kind of reminded me of Gravel Worlds. You flatted around Mile 25 and then rode solo for a long time. Is that something you train, putting down huge watts over long periods of time?

CS: That is pretty much what I do. Ride out into a headwind, level myself and then flip it around and dump everything I have left on the way home. That’s kind of how I train. This was just a training ride, just twice as long.

CXM: You were upset you didn’t get in the field last year? How much did that provide motivation knowing you were targeting the race this year?

CS: I was just happy to be here. I love racing. I really don’t like training, but I love racing, so I give every race my all. I’ll empty the tank every time for a race. It usually doesn’t work, but sometimes it works.

CXM: Finally, you’ve got your own program Meteor x Giordana. What does this win mean for your program and you? Someone called you the Swiss Army knife of bike racing.

CS: I’m just a bike racer. I mean I’m not very good at mountain biking … or cyclocross … but I try to race as much as I can. If you’re going to be a professional bike racer, you better diversify.

CXM: Cool. Congratulations and looking forward to seeing you sport that belt buckle.

CS: Really?

CXM: I’m pretty sure that’s what you get for winning?

CS: Sweet.

The post Colin Strickland: 2019 Men’s Dirty Kanza 200 Winner Interview appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

While the Pro Women’s race at the 2019 Lost and Found featured a tight battle between three solo racers who barely saw each other, the Pro Men’s race was the exact opposite. It featured a powerhouse leading group and more than once, came down to the wire, both figuratively and literally.

Fresh off a second collarbone break in five months but determined to defend his 2018 win, two-time winner Tobin Ortenblad took the start after getting the green light from his doctor. Standing in his way was the other two-time winner, Carl Decker. Between the two racers was an age difference of almost twenty years, and every Lost and Found Pro Men’s victory since the first year’s edition won by Jared Kessler.

Ready to add fresh blood to the top step of the podium were Lost and Found vet Barry Wicks, cyclocross stars Jamey Driscoll and Cody Kaiser, Collegiate Cyclocross champ Grant Ellwood and the Canadian tag team pair of Craig Richey and Michael van den Ham.

Richey, Van den Ham, Driscoll and Wicks all raced Dirty Kanza in the past but migrated west for their dose of early June gravel. And in any year, someone unknown to a cyclocross or gravel journalist can pull off a surprise and beat most of the pros, just as Matt Fox did in 2015.

The Canadian Climber

On this year’s 102-mile and 65-mile courses, the climbing was front-loaded and started just after the paved neutral roll-out.

For the first time, the race had several miles of paved neutral roll-out before the race timing and climbing began. 2019 Lost and Found gravel race. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

A long, 10-mile slog that climbed nearly 3,000 vertical feet offered the betting man an opportunity to show his climbing cards. Michael van den Ham, aboard his brand-new Allied Able he assembled two days prior, upped the ante and showed that the Toronto Raptors weren’t the only Canadians looking to put the hurt on California’s defending champs.

Van den Ham forced the pace early and thinned out the field. 2019 Lost and Found gravel race. © B. Sinkford / Cyclocross Magazine

Ortenblad took note. “Michael was riding really hard from the get-go,” Ortenblad recalled of the Lost and Found rookie’s pace. “Having done this race every year, I was a little skeptical of the efforts he was doing. Okay, you’re doing this on the first three climbs, but if there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s about preserving your tires, preserving your legs and seeing what happens, but he was really lighting it up.”

Van den Ham, racing his first Lost and Found, was in it to win it. “I felt really good today, I’ve been feeling really good all month, I’ve been climbing well all month, and I felt like I was forcing the pace, forcing that group off the front,” he explained.

Patience was never part of the plan. “In a lot of ways I’m a terrible road racer because I’m impatient, but I made stuff happen right away.”

Van den Ham’s effort took an early lead group of nine that formed after 30 minutes of climbing to just four by mile 40. “I don’t know if he was the strongest, but he was pulling harder than everyone else, that’s for sure,” said Decker of Van den Ham. “He was just going off by himself.”

Deadeye Descender

While Van den Ham gapped the rest on the major climbs, which all came early in the race, it was Lost and Found vet Barry Wicks who took up the charge on the way down. “Wicks would bridge on the descent, because he’s crazy and has bigger tires,” Decker said of his fellow Bend, Oregon friend.

Wicks, who has a history of flatting at inopportune times at this race, rode a relatively normal (but tall) Kona Libre gravel bike instead of a drop bar full suspension mountain bike or gravel bike with a suspension fork. Although Decker has teased Wicks in the past for not paying enough attention to “tire preservation,” Wicks hasn’t changed his approach to descending and rode this year’s event flat free, and cites improvement in the rubber over the years.

“I think the tires have gotten way better since the first time I did it,” Wicks said. He also thought the new course and smoother roads helped. “This year the race was 30 percent easier,” he admitted.

Racers enjoyed wildflowers and wet, dust-free conditions. 2019 Lost and Found gravel race. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

Wicks rolled on 45mm WTB Riddler tires. While tires have improved and grown in volume, and rims have gotten much wider, Wicks bucked the trend and mounted his big tires on a narrow (17mm) Dura-Ace carbon tubeless wheels. He also ran Shimano PD-9000 Dura-Ace road pedals and road shoes.

Perhaps it was less about the bike than the rider and his navigation. “I also got Lasik surgery,” Wicks revealed. “Turns out if you can see the rocks, you can go around them.”

We can all see how that might help.

Down to the Wire, Part 1

Van den Ham and Wicks’ efforts took their toll on the group, and as they continued their pattern of aggressive riding, Decker sensed it was go time. With Van den Ham accelerating over the top and Wicks ready to open it up on the downhill, Decker saw they had gapped a number of strong guys including Ellwood and Richey.

“I bridged, I waited for Tobin, and I was like, ‘Okay guys, we have a gap, and we’re going to make it stick,’” Decker said.

The 2019 Lost and Found gravel race enjoyed the smoothest roads in its six editions, and the leading four used them to pull away. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

The four traded pulls to keep the chasers away and solidify their status as the final four. Van den Ham and Wicks rode aggressively, while the patient two two-time winners in Decker and Ortenblad overcame what Decker described as “dangling” on the early climbs to put in a bid for a third and record-setting victory.

Although early forecasts threatened thunderstorms and Friday delivered hail, racers enjoyed perfect weather for the 2019 Lost and Found gravel race. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

As the four took turns taking pulls, Wicks noticed Van den Ham mashing a big gear on the climbs.

Van den Ham, riding a new Allied Able bike with Shimano a Di2 drivetrain that he built less than 48 hours ago, suddenly had no shifting. There wasn’t any swearing, cursing or banging. Van den Ham made the only shift he could—a mental shift into singlespeed mode.

Wicks moved to the front, took his pull and as he slid back, leaned over to his breakaway companions and muttered over the noise of the gravel grind, “Hey Tobin, Mike has no shifting.” A few seconds later, “Hey Carl, Mike has no shifting.”

Van den Ham’s knew it wasn’t a dead battery or a loose wire, but the reason for the sudden power-down was a mystery. His impending fate was not.

All four leaders had a similar take on what happened next.

“On the next descent, Barry smoked it,” Ortenblad recalled.

“I just whacked it,” said Wicks.

“[Wicks] dropped it down the hill, and then I came around because we were teammates at that point,” Decker said.

“Carl went to the front and slammed it, and that was it,” said Van den Ham.

Wicks explained the cutthroat attack in detail. “[Van den Ham] was clearly the strongest of the group at that point,” he said. “So as soon as we hit the next descent, I just whacked it because I knew he wouldn’t be able to keep up. Because you never know, maybe something else was wrong or he fixes it or something. We rode down the descent really fast to just get rid of him, and it was sweet, because we were all motivated to work together and ride hard.”

As Van den Ham set a PR for cadence, he saw his hopes of victory go up in smoke. “I wanted to win,” Van den Ham said at the finish. “I’m not going to lie. I came here hoping to win. You never expect to win but I thought it was a definite possibility.”

Working drivetrain or not, racers enjoyed wildflowers and wet, dust-free conditions. 2019 Lost and Found gravel race. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

Stuck in a 42×15 due to what he guesses was a likely an outdated or mismatched firmware issue, Van den Ham didn’t give up and kept his 40 miles of singlespeed riding in perspective. “Really, of all the gears I could have been in, that was one of the better ones,” he said. “I was definitely grinding up the hills and descending down the finish, there was a tailwind descent, and I was spinning out like crazy. I only had to get off once on a climb, and I managed to hold off the group behind.”

Van den Ham would lose 15 minutes after his electronic malfunction and roll in for fourth.

The Race for Three

While Van den Ham’s wired drivetrain issues whittled the race down to three, the other early aggressor in Wicks would soon pay for his early efforts, or semi-retired casual approach.

“I don’t really train anymore,” said Wicks after the race. “I like to ride my bike for fun, and go skiing a lot, and if you do enough races, you eventually get into shape.”

Wicks took the final gravel section after the Vicious Cows sign with the two former winners, and after Decker put in a moderate effort, Wicks popped. “I didn’t have it…I was suffering,” said Wicks. “Decker opened up a gap and Tobin went with him. I just rode by myself for the last 20 miles. It was kinda boring. I was looking back. I was going as hard as I could, it was a little stressful.”

The iconic sign marked the start of the vicious unraveling by Barry Wicks. 2019 Lost and Found gravel race. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

It was now down to two former winners, both hoping to be the first to victory number three.

Down to the Wire Part II

With just the two former winners left, there was time for attacks but also banter.

Ortenblad recalls such a moment out on the course. “Decker said to me, ‘Hey, you have two wins, I have two wins, I guess this is the tiebreaker.’ We chuckled. He’s such a classy racer.”

As the pair hit the final pavement climb, there would be no more chuckling. Ortenblad, an accomplished sprinter, didn’t want to have it come down to the wire and looked to shed his final companion before a sprint finish, just as he did to Anthony Clark in 2018.

“I was confident [in a sprint] but ideally you always wanna have a sure thing,” he said. Ortenblad tested the waters, “Going up the last paved climb, I put in a little bit of a dig. It wasn’t super violent. We were so fatigued, whoever attacked really hard was going to cramp. I did a really hard tempo, and he was sitting behind me. He commented, ‘Oh, you just testing the legs? I get it. It hurts, but I get it.’”

Decker offered his take of the mini-attack. “He started trying to dangle me, trying to drop me, and I stayed on his wheel. I was like, ‘Man, one of us had to do that, but it ain’t gonna work.’”

Decker offered up a truce to his companion, telling Ortenblad, “I like that you did that, but at the same time, can we just chill out?” It worked. “And then we went 60 percent to the finish,” Decker recalled.

Tobin Ortenblad rode a paitent race. 2019 Lost and Found gravel race. © B. Sinkford / Cyclocross Magazine

The two rolled down the final descent, through a few crosswind-plagued rollers, down the highway into town. Only a narrow bike path and bridge to the finishing straight remained.

Decker knew his long odds. “[I was thinking] my goose is cooked unless something weird happens at the finish,” he said.

As Decker led Ortenblad through the final chicane pulling onto the bridge, something weird did almost happen. “We made a hard left turn onto the bridge, and a 60-mile racer dove us in the corner and we had to hit the brakes,” Ortenblad said.

“It’s hectic, when you wind up a sprint, off that hill, you come through that G-out, there’s slow traffic, nobody expects you to come at that closing speed,” Decker explained. “I didn’t want to be at the front, and didn’t know how the finish would sort itself out, but he wanted me at the front so he can come around. I was like, ‘Whatever, he’s gonna beat me anyway.’ But then I was like, ‘Oh, there’s a bunch of people up here, I’m just gonna give it and see if I can weasel up there.’”

Ortenblad was indecisive in response, out of necessity. “He led it out a little early. I tried to go right, saw a racer there, tried to go left, there was another racer, so I went back right.”

Was there enough room to get by?

“I thought it was a foregone conclusion with 50 miles to go,” Decker admitted. With 20 meters to go, Ortenblad pulled even, turning Decker’s mid-race fear into reality.

With one final kick, Ortenblad crossed the line, ahead of Decker by a wheel, and one Lost and Found victory.

Carl Decker, Tobin Ortenblad and Carl Decker all make their returns to the Lost and Found podium. Ortenblad is the first to three wins. 2019 Lost and Found gravel race. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

Tech Notes:

• Ortenblad recently signed with Challenge Tires and raced 42mm Challenge Gravel Grinder TLR tubeless tires at 27 and 29 psi front and rear. He raced the new Stigmata with SRAM Force 1 with a 44t X-Sync ring and 10-42t XD cassette. Stay tuned for a bike profile.
• For the second year in a row, Decker raced a Giant Revolt gravel bike, with a 2x setup, with 46/36t cyclocross chain rings and an 11-30t cassette out back. He rolled on Maxxis Ramblers at 34 psi up front and 39 psi out back.
• Wicks rolled his 2020 silver Kona Libre on 45mm WTB Riddler tires at 31 psi front and 33 psi out back.
• Van den Ham used Vittoria Terreno Dry 40mm tires at 35 psi front, 37.5 psi out back on his Allied Able, the same bike that both 2019 DK200 winners used. Stay tuned for profiles of those as well.

Nutrition Notes:

Ortenblad had the aid stations numbers and distances taped to his top tube but only stopped at two the whole race. He carried three bottles on his bike but kept the third (short) bottle underneath the down tube empty until aid station #7, where he’d fill it and then skip the rest.

Tobin Ortenblad listed each aid station on his top tube, but only stopped at two. 2019 Lost and Found gravel race. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

Ortenblad estimated he consumed 4 Gu Roctane gels, 4 Gu Stroopwafels, and 12 Gu hydration tablets over the 5.5-hour-long race.

Enter for your chance to win a dream bike from Redshift Sports.

2019 Lost and Found Gravel Race Results: Pro Men

The post 2019 Lost and Found Gravel Race Pro Men: Down to the Wire! appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

Since joining the Easton Overland Gravel Team at the beginning of the year, Rockwell has been riding the Allied Allroad, which, as its name suggests, has some extra tire clearance compared to the Alfa road bike while keeping a race-inspired geometry.

Easton Overland team riders recently received the new Allied Able gravel bike, the latest evolution in mixed-terrain riding from the Arkansas company that builds its carbon frames here in America.

[caption id="attachment_135617" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Allied builds its bikes in Arkansas with American carbon layups. Amity Rockwell’s DK200 Allied Able Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Saturday’s Dirty Kanza 200 represented one of Rockwell’s first rides on the new gravel bike. A New Bike Day to end all New Bike Days, if you will.

“I’m going to be honest with you and say I have not been on it for very long,” Rockwell said the day before the DK200. “The real test is Saturday, and I’m sure I’ll be able to form an opinion somewhere in those 200 miles.”

After her impressive comeback win, Rockwell’s opinion of the new Able is likely Queen-of-Kanza-Certified, Willing-and-Able and One-Fast-Ally.

We kick off our Dirty Kanza bike profiles with a look at Rockwell’s winning Made-in-America gravel bike from Allied.

[caption id="attachment_135659" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Amity Rockwell’s DK200 Allied Able Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Amity Rockwell’s DK200 Allied Able Gravel Bike

Allied is a relatively young company founded with the goal of producing top-of-the-line carbon bikes in its Little Rock factory. The company sources its prepreg carbon from Mitsubishi in California and uses a monocoque carbon design in its frames.

When we rode the Allied Allroad at the Almanzo 100 last year, the company offered three framesets, with the Allroad serving as the company’s mixed-terrain bike. Beginning around that time, Allied began working on a true gravel bike frame.

The Able frame features a tapered top tube that is thickest at the head tube providing what it calls a “tough aesthetic.” The rear is bridgeless for a race-oriented appeal, and the top tube features two bosses for a top tube bag. The carbon fork is mountless, against suggesting the bike is geared more for winning the DK200 than, say, the DKXL.

[caption id="attachment_135641" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The Able features a tapered top tube thickest near the head tube. Amity Rockwell’s DK200 Allied Able Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

A quick comparison with the Allroad shows the gravel lineage of the new Able. Rockwell’s XS Able has a head tube angle of 70 degrees (versus 72 for the Allroad) and has clearance for up to 700c x 43mm tires in the front (versus 700c x 35mm). The bottom bracket gets a smidge higher, with a drop of 7cm (versus 7.16cm). Both bikes have short 42cm chainstays.

Probably most noticeable about the new Able is the unique raised chainstay on the drive side. We have seen dropped drive-side stays and dropped non-drive stays, but nothing has really raised our attention like the Able since the first wave of elevated chainstay bikes.

“Everyone has been asking me about that,” Rockwell said with a laugh.

[caption id="attachment_135642" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The unique raised chainstay on the drive side of the Able is tough to miss. Amity Rockwell’s DK200 Allied Able Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

The unique chainstay design and its short length help make room for plenty of high-volume rubber. Allied claims clearance for up to 700c x 43mm and 650b x 47mm tires in the rear. The fork provides room for a whopping 700c x 47mm and 650b x 55mm.

[caption id="attachment_135635" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The fork on the Able has massive tire clearance. Rockwell ran 700c x 38mm Schwalbe G-One tires. Amity Rockwell’s DK200 Allied Able Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

“I am incredibly stoked Allied has jumped on board the fat-tire train,” Rockwell said. “That was probably my only hesitation with the Allroad. The Allroad has been a perfect bike for me thus far, but occasionally I do want to open it up and try some crazier things with wider tires. I’m really excited I can do that with the Able.”

When we saw Rockwell’s old bike at Gravel Worlds last year, she ran 35mm tires. This year, she was able to pump it up by running 700c x 38mm Schwalbe G-Ones. The Dirty Kanza is a race where all tires go to flat, but save a slow-motion crash on an uphill, Rockwell remained mishap-free during her steady comeback win.

“[The tires] are super fast-rolling but also grippy on the loose gravel corners,” Rockwell told us on Friday. “Forties and my small stature mean I can run them at pretty low pressure. I’m making those final number decisions this afternoon.”

[caption id="attachment_135615" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The rear has clearance for up to 700c x 43mm tires. Amity Rockwell’s DK200 Allied Able Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

As an Easton-sponsored rider, you can bet Rockwell was running the company’s rims with the carbon frame. She had EC70 AX carbon prototypes that should be similar to the recently released EA90 AX wheels but with a carbon rim, and without the Vault hubs. More info about the new wheels is expected later this summer, but they have a 24mm-wide rim profile to work well with the wide tires Rockwell ran at the DK200.

[caption id="attachment_135638" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] At the DK200, Rockwell ran a prototype of Easton’s EC70 AX adventure wheels with a wide 24mm internal width. Amity Rockwell’s DK200 Allied Able Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

When it comes to aero bars for gravel, Rockwell comes down in the #aerowhat camp.

“I think aero bars are just as dangerous on gravel as they are on the road. They’re banned on the road,” Rockwell said at the 2018 Gravel Worlds. “At Dirty Kanza, Geoff Kabush and Joshua Berry, the second and third guys [in 2018], definitely took a stand against them, and I think that’s kind of necessary.”

What is interesting is with the flared EA70 AX handlebar available, Rockwell kept it compact and narrow with an Easton EC90 SLX handlebar.

“I have yet to adopt flared bars. I kind of like keeping a small front end. My bars are 38cm wide,” she said. “I understand it gives you a little bit more stability descending, but this race is not going to come down to the descents. I’d rather keep that tight front end I’m used to. I guess I view races like [the DK200] as more similar to road than mountain, and that steers a lot of my decisions in terms of lightness and speed over durability and stability.”

[caption id="attachment_135620" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Rockwell jokes with fellow #aerowhat disciple Geoff Kabush. Amity Rockwell’s DK200 Allied Able Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

With her new Able gravel bike, Rockwell switched to a 1x drivetrain. Up front she paired a 42t Easton ring to an EC90 SL crank. In the back, she had a Shimano Deore XT M8050 Di2 mountain derailleur with an 11-42t cassette—no Shimano GRX yet. Even with more hills on the new course, the California resident felt the 1:1 ratio for climbing would be plenty on the Great Plains. Speaking of California, Canadian teammate Michael van den Ham was out riding a very similar setup, but suffered from a shift into singlespeed mode while racing for the win.

[caption id="attachment_135627" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Rockwell ran an Easton EC90 SL crank with a 42t Easton ring. Amity Rockwell’s DK200 Allied Able Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Controlling the derailleurs were Shimano Ultegra R8070 dual-control levers. Her brakes were Ultegra R8070 flat mount calipers and her rotors were Dura Ace RT900.

Rockwell’s cockpit included an Easton EC90 ICM stem and the aforementioned 38cm SLX bar. She was running an EC90 SL prototype seatpost that held a Specialized Power saddle.

[caption id="attachment_135633" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] An Easton EA90 ICM and EC90 SLX handlebar help make up the cockpit. Amity Rockwell’s DK200 Allied Able Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

On Friday, Rockwell had an Outer Shell Mini Saddlebag mounted under the saddle.

“I’m really stoked about those guys. They’re some friends I ride with in San Francisco, adventure buddies of mine,” Rockwell said about Outer Shell. “The bag is made of Cordura and X-Pac, so it’s pretty waterproof and super durable. It’s literally never fallen off. That’s been an issue for me at these gravel races and the Grasshopper [Adventure Series] and all that insanity. I’ve lost a lot of saddlebags, so I’m stoked to find one that stays on there.”

[caption id="attachment_135619" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Rockwell got her Mini Saddlebag from Outer Shell and considers it fully Send-It-Certified. Amity Rockwell’s DK200 Allied Able Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

On race day, she used the two top tube bosses to mount a Silca Speed Capsule TT bag, and she had two Arundel water bottle cages mounted on the frame. The rest of her hydration was handled by three Camelbak Chase vests she swapped in and out at the checkpoints.

[caption id="attachment_135644" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Rockwell used a Silca Speed Capsule TT top tube bag on race day. Amity Rockwell’s DK200 Allied Able Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

She handled navigation and recording her numbers from the long day using a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt computer.

[caption id="attachment_135621" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Rockwell measured her ride with a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt. Amity Rockwell’s DK200 Allied Able Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

On to Next Year?

That Rockwell won the 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 is likely because she had such a bad experience at the 2018 race. She finished 18th, on perhaps the toughest day of her life.

“Every time I have a bad race I try to chalk it up as fuel for the fire. I suffered last year for a long time,” Rockwell said about 2018. “I think it was like 13 1/2 hours. It was a lot of time to kind of plot my next year’s revenge.”

Why did the bad finish get her to Kanza? When your team advertises you as a “general badass” and climbing and ripping gnarly terrain are your fortes, there is another race with a siren song is tough to resist.

“There is another really big gravel race happening in my part of the country right now, Lost and Found, which arguably plays to my strengths a lot more than this one. There are a lot more mountains out there and sketchy descents and all that stuff,” Rockwell said.

“I could have made plenty of arguments to stay there and do what I’m good at, but I had to come back. I have to see what I can do at this race with the right setup and the right people and the right support that I kind of lacked last year. I’m really excited. There’s something really special about this. It’s not the Sierras and it’s not home, but there’s something here and I want to see what that is.”

[caption id="attachment_135436" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Rockwell had a day to remember at the 2019 DK200. 2019 Open Women Dirty Kanza 200. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

What Rockwell saw was one of the most memorable days of her life. With the title Queen of Kanza now next to her name, she was honest about her title defense.

“I’ll have to get talked out of racing Lost and Found first,” she said on Saturday.

For a closer look at Rockwell’s Allied Able, see the photo gallery and specs below. Stay tuned for a lot more bike profiles from both the Dirty Kanza and Lost and Found.

For more from Emporia, see all of our coverage of the 2019 Dirty Kanza 200.

Enter for your chance to win a dream bike from Redshift Sports.

Photo Gallery: Amity Rockwell’s Allied Able Gravel Bike

Amity Rockwell’s DK200 Allied Able Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

The post Gravel Bike: Amity Rockwell’s New Bike Day, DK200-Winning Allied Able appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

Last year, we raised more than $40k for the SBTS. Their work is instrumental in expanding recreational opportunities in Northern California, bringing economic growth to their region through trail construction and maintenance, event promotion, and working with their communities to promote the region as an outdoor destination.

With Builders for Builders, ECHOS brings together five top U.S. bicycle builders to raffle off a custom handmade “dream bike.”

Raffle tickets are on sale now at sierratrails.org.

[caption id="attachment_135169" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Five builders have built bikes for the Builders for Builders raffle benefitting Sierra Trails. © ECHOS Communications[/caption]

The winner will choose their builder, with all the builders joining to support each other in delivering a truly unique bike. The raffle will take place on June 7, following the SBTS’s “Lost and Found” gravel race in Portola, CA, where all five builders will be racing the bikes they built for the event, each of which is painted in the colors of the Sierra Buttes.

Tickets are on sale now at sierratrails.org.

At $10 a ticket it’s an easy way to support a nonprofit making a difference for Northern California while earning entrants the cheapest chance they’ll ever have to win their dream bike fabricated in the U.S. from carbon fiber, steel or titanium, equipped with components from White Industries and ENVE Composites.

[caption id="attachment_135166" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] The B4B bikes come with ENVE and White Industries parts. 2019 Builders for Builders Sierra Trails Raffle. © ECHOS Communications[/caption]

About the Builders

[caption id="attachment_135745" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Four of the five builders pose with their bikes. © John Watson[/caption]

Argonaut, McGovern, Mosaic, Sklar and Stinner are all known for their exquisite bicycles, which often top out over $10k and feature ride quality and artistic touches unavailable in mass-produced bikes.

• Argonaut is from Bend Oregon. Founder Ben Farver began fabricating steel bikes 10 years ago, shifting to carbon when he realized that he could use new techniques to offer the ride of steel with less weight and better durability.

[caption id="attachment_135164" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Argonaut, 2019 Builders for Builders Sierra Trails Raffle. © ECHOS Communications[/caption]

• McGovern hails from Nevada City in the Sierra, where he began building in carbon and is now also incorporating steel into unique bi-material frames such as his Builders for Builders bike.

[caption id="attachment_135153" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] McGovern Cycles, 2019 Builders for Builders Sierra Trails Raffle. © ECHOS Communications[/caption]

• Mosaic Cycles celebrates 10 years of excellence in titanium in 2019. With multiple wins at the North American Handbuilt Bicycle Show, they are known for making bikes that look as good as they perform.

[caption id="attachment_135159" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Mosaic Cycles, 2019 Builders for Builders Sierra Trails Raffle. © ECHOS Communications[/caption]

• Adam Sklar’s signature swoopy curves are the product of an engineering background, as he looks for new ways to shape frames to deliver smoothness and confident handling. Building in steel and titanium, his newest metal integration is using 3D-printed parts in critical areas.

[caption id="attachment_135162" align="aligncenter" width="1267"] Sklar, 2019 Builders for Builders Sierra Trails Raffle. © ECHOS Communications[/caption]

• Stinner Cycles of Santa Barbara builds businesslike frames where the richness of detail and purposefulness becomes more apparent on closer examination. Also building in both steel and ti, Stinner’s paint schemes are known as some the best in the bike world.

[caption id="attachment_135163" align="aligncenter" width="1161"] Stinner Cycles, 2019 Builders for Builders Sierra Trails Raffle. © ECHOS Communications[/caption]

Photo Gallery: B4B Bikes

Argonaut, 2019 Builders for Builders Sierra Trails Raffle. © ECHOS Communications

The post B4B 2019: Enter to Win a Custom Bike and Support NorCal Trails – Closes Friday Noon PDT appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

Ortenblad has attended the California gravel race every year since it began in 2014, and this year, he was looking to defend his 2018 title after getting cleared to race despite his injury.

Last year, Ortenblad got his win on his trusty Santa Cruz Stigmata, and since then, the company has released a redesigned Stigmata and Ortenblad has changed some of his equipment.

We caught up with him after his sprint finish—and record-setting third victory—over Carl Decker to see his new bike and ask him what’s new for his upcoming cyclocross season. Take a closer look in this gravel bike profile.

[caption id="attachment_135676" align="aligncenter" width="1256"] Tobin Ortenblad’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning Santa Cruz Stigmata. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Tobin Ortenblad’s Lost and Found Santa Cruz Stigmata

For 2019, Ortenblad will continue to race with his own program supported by Santa Cruz and Donkey Label. Earlier this year a new, more gravelly Stigmata made its debut, and Ortenblad will be using the new platform for the coming cyclocross season.

The frame has undergone a drastic redesign since we looked at the previous design at Lost and Found, becoming slacker, lower and gaining clearance for oversize tires such as the 42mm Gravel Grinders Ortenblad was sporting.

[caption id="attachment_135693" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Lots of mud and tire clearance on the new Stigmata. Tobin Ortenblad’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning Santa Cruz Stigmata. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

“It seems like they managed to make it fit massive tires without manipulating the geometry too much,” Ortenblad told Cyclocross Magazine, “I’m really excited about that.”

[caption id="attachment_135696" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The new Stigmata is designed with clearance for larger tires such as Ortenblad’s 42mm Gravel Grinders. Tobin Ortenblad’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning Santa Cruz Stigmata. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Along with a new Stigmata frame, Ortenblad unveiled his new tire sponsor. “Two weeks ago I switched to Challenge, and I’m really stoked,” he said. For gravel, Ortenblad is using the new Gravel Grinder TLR 42mm tubeless tires on Zipp 303 wheels, which appeared to measure wider than the claimed 42mm.

Despite initial concerns about mud with what amounts to an oversize file tread, he was ultimately pleased with the tire’s performance. “It was actually surprising how well they gripped.”

[caption id="attachment_135694" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Ortenblad used Challenge’s new 42mm Gravel Grinder TLR tubeless tire on Zipp 303 wheels. They appeared substantially larger than advertised. Tobin Ortenblad’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning Santa Cruz Stigmata. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Also relatively new for Ortenblad are Time ATAC pedals, a switch from his old Crankbrothers Candy pedals he made before last cyclocross season. “They feel a bit more positive, like once you’re clipped in you really feel like you’re, you know, in,” Ortenblad said after riding them for 100 miles of Lost and Found gravel.

[caption id="attachment_135675" align="aligncenter" width="1185"] Time pedals are new to Ortenblad as of last cyclocross season. He previously used Crankbrothers Candy pedals. Tobin Ortenblad’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning Santa Cruz Stigmata. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Continuing from years past is SRAM as a component sponsor, which supplied Zipp cockpit components, tubeless Zipp 303 carbon wheels and a Quarq power meter along with SRAM drivetrain components.

[caption id="attachment_135681" align="aligncenter" width="1274"] Zipp SL Speed helped steer Ortenblad to his third win. Tobin Ortenblad’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning Santa Cruz Stigmata. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

While Ortenblad will be using Force AXS components this fall, he chose to run a 1x Force mechanical group for Lost and Found. “I wanted to run 1x; it was just what was around,” he told Cyclocross Magazine. “For ’cross we’ll be on AXS.”

[caption id="attachment_135684" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Ortenblad has been testing a 2x AXS eTap group but opted for a 1x mechanical on race day. Tobin Ortenblad’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning Santa Cruz Stigmata. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Ortenblad chose gearing after a pre-ride of the course. He initially intended to run a 46t chain ring with a 10-42t XD cassette, but after pre-riding, he dropped to a 44t ring as it allowed him to reduce cross-chaining in the extreme end of the cassette. “I felt like I was in the 42 [cog] a lot,” he said.

The final factor was the long, paved descent into the finish. “I kind of concluded that even if I had a 46×10, it was still faster to sit on your top tube and tuck than it was to try and spin it out.”

[caption id="attachment_135686" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Ortenblad obsessed over his chain ring size, but after a pre-ride, figured a 44t was better than a 46t to reduce cross-chaining. He also found tucking faster than pedaling on the descent. Tobin Ortenblad’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning Santa Cruz Stigmata. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

One thing we have seen Ortenblad do in the past is prepare for his ride by making note of the climbs and feed zones. He did the same again this year, putting a list on his top tube.

[caption id="attachment_135687" align="aligncenter" width="675"] Feeds are important on long races, a cue sheet let Ortenblad know when the next one was coming. He stopped at just two, but carried three bottles, leaving one empty until Feed #7. Tobin Ortenblad’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning Santa Cruz Stigmata. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

His bike also brought home a healthy dose of mud from the high Sierras ride.

[caption id="attachment_135689" align="aligncenter" width="675"] Ortenblad carried a spare tube, which was caked in mud by the end of the race. Tobin Ortenblad’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning Santa Cruz Stigmata. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

For a closer look at Ortenblad’s new Stigmata, see the photo gallery and specs below.

For more from the Sierras, see all of our coverage of the 2019 Lost and Found Gravel Grinder.

Photo Gallery: Tobin Ortenblad’s Lost and Found Santa Cruz Stigmata

Tobin Ortenblad’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning Santa Cruz Stigmata. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine

The post Gravel Bike: Tobin Ortenblad’s New Santa Cruz Stigmata from Lost and Found appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

Support crews and locals also line the streets, the former getting ready to head to Checkpoint 1 to wait for the riders they are supporting. From there, the event goes all day, with lucky finishers crossing the line before sunset, and others not coming through until past midnight Sunday morning.

[caption id="attachment_135823" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Lemme take a selfie. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Between Emporia, Alma and then back to Emporia, riders get to experience 200 miles of Flint Hills gravel while probably learning a thing or two about themselves. Fortunately, there is the knowledge that one of the best parties in cycling awaits at the finish if they are able to complete their prescribed distances.

[caption id="attachment_135811" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Finish line high fives aren’t just for podium finishers at the Dirty Kanza. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

The finish line stays open until 3 a.m. Sunday morning, and the finish line block party rages until midnight, with hundreds of folks hanging out to cheer on finishing riders.

[caption id="attachment_135822" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Bike lights and spotlights replaced daylights at the finish line after nightfall. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Covering the Dirty Kanza is also an all-day affair. With the course a bit more spread out than most, it takes a little pre-race planning and hoping that the spot that looks cool on a map also looks cool in person.

[caption id="attachment_135839" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Matt Charity went full send in front of the main pack at Mile 20. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

You also quickly learn how the minimum maintenance roads are marked and find ways to avoid driving over them, lest you flat like so many riders do during the race.

[caption id="attachment_135803" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] This year’s course was very gnarly in spots thanks to liberal use of minimum maintenance roads. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

My task for this, my second DK200, was to follow the fronts of the Women and Men’s races while also hoping to catch the rest of the field, the heart and soul of the Dirty Kanza, in the early parts of the race and again at the finish block party.

I put together a gallery of images that follow the day in chronological order from Emporia at 5:50 a.m. to the Flint Hills and back to Emporia well past 10 p.m.

You can take a look below.

For more from Emporia, see all of our coverage of the 2019 Dirty Kanza 200.

Photo Gallery: 2019 Dirty Kanza 200

Lemme take a selfie. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

The post Photo Gallery: Sunrise to Sunset at the 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

The week before the 2019 Dirty Kanza 200, Colorado’s Mark Symns checked in with a pre-race Gravel Report about his attempt at the famed event. After finishing Saturday’s ride—and beating one of the race’s big names—he checks in about the experience.

by Mark Symns

Pulling out of my driveway at 4:45 a.m. on Friday morning to make the 9-hour drive to Emporia, I began questioning if the Dirty Kanza was worth it.

Worth two days of driving. Worth neglecting my wife and two kids for three days. Worth the hundreds of dollars spent on registering, a hotel, transportation, gear, etc. Worth the all the hours of training and gear prep, then more hours of logistics, analyzing and “what-if,” second-guessing race prep choices.

After completing my 2nd DK200, I can say without question it is most definitely worth it.

Mark Symns, partway through the DK200. Mark Symns Rider Diary, 2019 Dirty Kanza 200. photo: M. Symns

There are so many things that made this year’s Dirty Kanza awesome, it’s hard to know where to start.

Since my family living in Colorado wasn’t able to make it, my in-laws came down from Iowa to help me at the checkpoints and cheer me on at the finish line. My mother-in-law has done RAGBRAI several times, so she was curious about cramming 200 miles of racing on gravel roads into a single day.

It was great to see their familiar, curious faces along the ride and hear them cheer louder and longer than anyone else in the always enthusiastic finish line crowd in Emporia.

Symns’ mother-in-law came to Kansas to help him out. Mark Symns Rider Diary, 2019 Dirty Kanza 200. photo M. Symns

My Dean, with the addition of the Ritchey WCS Speedmax tubeless tires, performed flawlessly. There are some rides when you recognize your bike is perfectly suited for the task at hand, that you wouldn’t change a thing about your setup, and you can simply relax and let your machine do what it was designed to do and enjoy the experience. This was one of those rides.

I felt so comfortable on the Dean, it was very difficult at times to follow the sage gravel event advice—”ride to not flat.”  The bike truly begged to be constantly pushed up gnarly climbs, along flat, fast sections and on the downside of loose, steep rollers.

Mark Symns Rider Diary, 2019TThere were some gnarly climbs on this year’s course. Dirty Kanza 200. © M. Symns / Cyclocross Magazine

Having lived in Kansas for 10 years, I have come to count on significant winds during any ride there, usually out of the southwest at about 15-20 mph. During my first DK200, they came in the variety of constant 20-25 mph headwinds from Miles 100 through 165, accompanied by temperatures in the mid-90s.

This year, the winds were truly amazing—either almost non-existent or maybe a slight tailwind. To say the winds this year were favorable is an understatement to anyone who has spent much time in that state. They were a freaking godsend.

You can’t talk about the Midwest and the Dirty Kanza without mentioning the people. People really are nicer there, whether it’s interactions at the All Things Gravel Expo, hanging out with friends from college who still live in the state or chatting with fellow racers.

In Colorado, you’ll occasionally get the “good job” or “keep it up” from a fellow racer, but at the Dirty Kanza, you get to have long, leisurely conversations. This year the topics of those conversations ranged from the unintended consequences of pot legalization in Colorado with a “local” from Wichita, to whether Space X or Blue Origin is best poised to capitalize on the space tourism industry with an aerospace Ph.D. student from Michigan.

Even in the grueling, competitive atmosphere of the race, most DK participants recognize it’s more of an adventure to be shared with others than a serious contest.

Beautiful roads awaited at this year’s DK200. Mark Symns Rider Diary, 2019 Dirty Kanza 200. © M. Symns / Cyclocross Magazine

As many have heard, the “contest” portion of the race was ratcheted up a few notches this year due to the appearance of some very high-profile pro road racers. While the pros (pun intended) and cons of this can be debated, I personally think it’s yet another feature that makes this race uniquely fantastic. It’s uncommon for the commoners, such as myself, to be able to race “head-to-head” with elite racers such as these; it and certainly adds an element of excitement and legitimacy to the race.

For me personally, it meant riding the last 10 miles of the race with a small group of riders that included Taylor Phinney and recognizing this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to cross the finish line before him. When rolling into Emporia, I made sure to stay at the front of the group and even sprinted for the finish a little, putting a very small distance between the WorldTour pro and myself.

Even though it had nothing to do with fitness and everything to with flat tires and other surprises the Flint Hills can dish out, I can now say I’ve beaten an Olympic-level cyclist in a bike race.

I could go on, but you know the rest … the solitude, the endless views, the seemingly endless suffering both alone and with other racers, the enthusiasm from the roll out in front of the Granada Theater to the finish line party that goes well beyond midnight.

The Granada Theater is a focal point in Emporia. Mark Symns Rider Diary, 2019 Dirty Kanza 200. © M. Symns / Cyclocross Magazine

The Dirty Kanza is calling you. Calling you to an adventure and a story of your own, promising that with a lot of training, a good bit of planning and a little bit of luck, your trip to Emporia will most definitely be worth it.

For more from Emporia, see all of our coverage of the 2019 Dirty Kanza 200.

The post Gravel Report: DK200 Number 2, Was it Worth it? Mark Symns Says Yes appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

Such is the case for Colin Strickland and his Meteor x Giordana program that takes him to a unique mix of events that suit his skills and fancy. Foremost among those have been gravel races and fixed-gear crits.

What do they have in common? “In a word, fun,” Strickland told us before winning the 2018 Gravel Worlds.

Running your own program also gives you some flexibility in finding the equipment you want to run.

Last year, Strickland counted Amity Rockwell as a teammate while riding all-road-style Pinarello bikes. Rockwell joined the Easton Overland Gravel Team this year, but at the start of the Dirty Kanza 200, the two were both on the new Allied Able carbon gravel bike designed and built in Arkansas.

Oh, the two former teammates and friends? They also both won their respective Dirty Kanza races.”Colin won?!” Rockwell exclaimed shortly after completing her impressive comeback win.

[caption id="attachment_135523" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Colin did win. 2019 Men’s Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Earlier this week, we profiled Rockwell’s winning Able, and today we look at Strickland’s aero-bar-clad Allied Able that helped him solo away from a chase of WorldTour riders to capture a win at the biggest gravel race of them all.

[caption id="attachment_135769" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Colin Strickland’s 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Allied Able. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Colin Strickland’s DK200-Winning Allied Able Gravel Bike

In our profile of Rockwell’s winning bike, we wrote a bit about the new gravel frame from Allied, an Arkansas-based company that sources its prepreg carbon from the U.S. and builds its bikes here in America.

Prior to the release of the Able, the company’s mixed-terrain bike was the Allroad, which, as the name suggests, is an all-road-style gravel bike. The recently released Able got a slacker front and more tire clearance to make it more of a traditional gravel bike.

Then there are those chainstays. Allied raised the chainstays on the drive side and kept them at a short 42cm to allow clearance for up to 700c x 43mm or 650b x 47mm tires in the rear.

[caption id="attachment_135754" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The 42cm long raised chainstay allows plenty of tire clearance. Colin Strickland’s 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Allied Able. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Made in America

The Able is no doubt fast and light, but Strickland’s switch to Allied bikes is about more than just performance for him.

“I have always been extremely keen on domestic-made products, and Allied is just that, 100% made in America. That means a lot to me personally as someone who obsesses over recycling and leaving a minimal footprint on this beautiful planet we have. Outsourced products are a huge part of our lives in America, but I would like to do what I can to change that,” Strickland said.

“If we want to continue to prosper as a nation, we need to get back to our manufacturing roots. Much of the rural areas of our country are struggling, and sustainable manufacturing is the piece that is missing.”

Like the Easton Overland team, Strickland received his new, blue Able right before the Dirty Kanza. Saturday’s ride was not quite a new bike day for him, as it kind of was for Rockwell.

“I built up the new Able one week before DK and got in one solo 125-mile gravel ride at over 20 miles per hour average,” he said. “I was in love immediately.” (100-plus miles … 20 miles per hour … sounds familiar)

[caption id="attachment_135770" align="aligncenter" width="1216"] The Able is the new gravel bike from Allied. Colin Strickland’s 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Allied Able. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

As we have seen with other athletes such as Katie Compton and Tobin Ortenblad, running your own program takes incredible attention to detail when it comes to scheduling and selecting and maintaining equipment.

The same is true for Strickland. He had the benefits of his new Able quantified, and he knew how it would help him.

“The Allied Able weighed in at only 18.2 pounds with cages and 42mm tires, which is insanely light,” he said. “On the 2019 DK200 course, we were often zig-zagging up rocky 16% climbs at 8 miles per hour and you could really feel the weight advantage.”

[caption id="attachment_135763" align="aligncenter" width="1231"] The rear seatstays on the Able are bridgeless, helping provide more tire clearance. Colin Strickland’s 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Allied Able. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

An Aero Advantage?

One way Strickland’s Able differed from Rockwell’s was the presence of aero bars. Strickland ran them at Gravel Worlds last year and continued to stick with them for this year’s Dirty Kanza, Geoff Kabush’s politicking aside.

Strickland attached ENVE SES Aero Handlebar Clip-ons to his SES Aero Road Handlebar.

[caption id="attachment_135757" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Strickland went aero with ENVE SES Aero Handlebar Clip-on bars. Colin Strickland’s 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Allied Able. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Last year at Gravel Worlds in Nebraska, he needed the much-discussed extensions after flatting around Mile 15 and having to chase back solo to close a 10-plus minute time gap. He needed them again in Saturday’s race after flatting around Mile 85 and dropping out of the star-studded lead group.

After attacking and going solo around Mile 100, we spotted Strickland cranking away across the Kansas Plains several times. He commented on how the aero bars played a role in the mid part of the race.

“The aero bars definitely helped me in my 20-minute chase back onto the lead group at Mile 85 after my first flat, and they were no doubt beneficial in my long solo assault,” he said. “Would it have been different without them? No. It would not have been different without them, except that I would not have put as much time into the chasers.”

[caption id="attachment_135773" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] We caught Strickland at one spot where he was not on the aero bars. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Strickland hails from Austin, and according to him, long hours riding in the Texas heat was likely infinitely more important in holding off Peter Stetina than aero bars.

“The most important fact of the day is that my body never started to break down. I had some dehydration cramps with 20 miles to go, but those subsided with a big dose of Skratch mix and it was back on the gas. The heat did not faze me much, and I stayed on top of my fueling.”

“The accounts of all other top five finishers—Stetina, Howes, Morton, McElveen—were that their bodies hit a wall with 20 to 30 miles to go that forced them off the power, but I never experienced that red-lining. On this course, with these conditions, I had the best motor. Stetina would have blown my doors off on the sustained climbs of the Belgian Waffle Ride because that’s his terrain, but DK is mine.”

[caption id="attachment_135774" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Colin Strickland snags some food during his 100-mile solo ride. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Wrapping up the topic of gravel aero bars, Strickland offered some concluding thoughts and looked toward the future.

“I say let’s worry about getting hit by cars, not aero bars. If you want to make the rules, throw your own race. It is up to the promoter to make the rules and for us racers to follow them. This year I made a point not to touch the bars once until Mile 85 when I flatted and had to chase. Aero bars are an advantage, and I felt outgunned, so I ran them. Now that I am confident that I can win this race, I will never use them again.”

“Aero bars are an advantage, and I felt outgunned, so I ran them. Now that I am confident that I can win this race, I will never use them again.”

Lessons Learned

One of the drawbacks of all-road-style bikes is that they usually do not have clearance for the wide tires recommended for events such as the Dirty Kanza. All reports were that the new course was perhaps the gnarliest yet, with the route making liberal use of minimum maintenance roads.

[caption id="attachment_135803" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] This year’s course was very gnarly in spots thanks to liberal use of minimum maintenance roads. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Strickland ran tires as narrow as 33mm claimed width last year, and before the arrival of the new Able, he learned the lesson of narrow tires the hard way earlier this year.

“After my teammate Kevin Girkins and I both flatted out early in this year’s Land Run 100, we decided never again to mess with undersized tires,” Strickland said.

[caption id="attachment_135764" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] After flatting at Land Run, Strickland ran 700c x 42mm Specialized Pathfinder Pros at DK. Colin Strickland’s 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Allied Able. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Strickland mounted 700c x 42mm Specialized Pathfinder Pro tubeless tires to ENVE Composites SES 3.4 AR Disc wheels. The deepish rims are plenty wide at 25mm, and Strickland’s tires measured out to 43mm. He started with the front at 40psi and the rear at 45psi.

“I never considered anything less than 42c tire for Kanza, nor would I ever,” he said.

[caption id="attachment_135756" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Strickland ran ENVE SES 3.4 AR carbon tubeless rims with 42mm Specialized Pathfinder tires. Colin Strickland’s 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Allied Able. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

We saw Strickland on a double last year, but like both Rockwell at DK and Ortenblad at Lost and Found, he opted for a 1x setup for Dirty Kanza. He ran an Ultegra R8000 crankset with a Stages crank arm power meter and a 46t Wolf Tooth chain ring.

[caption id="attachment_135768" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Strickland went 1x for DK with a 46t Wolf Tooth ring mounted to an Ultegra R8000 crankset with a Stages power meter. Colin Strickland’s 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Allied Able. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

In the rear, he ran a Shimano XTR M9000 mountain derailleur with a cassette that had an 11-40t spread. He paired the derailleur and Ultegra flat mount calipers with Ultegra R8070 dual-control levers.

“I tested this setup on steep, loose punchy climbs and it felt right,” Strickland explained. “In hindsight, it was spot-on for the Kanza course. I never felt myself needing another top gear and dropping into the 40t rear cog was always just enough. I guessed right this time.”

[caption id="attachment_135766" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Strickland opted for a Shimano XTR M9000 mountain derailleur with his 1x setup. Colin Strickland’s 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Allied Able. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Strickland takes his charge of being a fun guy seriously, and as such, likes to give his bikes some extra flair. Gone is the hot-rod-art-inspired “weird eyeball guy” and in its place was a muted name sticker that mimics this year’s kits.

[caption id="attachment_135760" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Strickland’s name label matches the team’s colorful kits. Colin Strickland’s 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Allied Able. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

“This year we collaborated with local Austin graphic designer Will Bryant on the kit design, which Giordana Cycling produced custom in their factories in Italy,” Strickland said. “We could not be more thrilled with how unique and fly we look, and our team jerseys will be available for sale on Giordana’s website next week.”

[caption id="attachment_135876" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Though tired, Strickland was still looking pretty fly after winning the DK200. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

For a closer look at Strickland’s winning Allied Able, see the photo gallery and specs below.

For more from Emporia, see all of our coverage of the 2019 Dirty Kanza 200.

Photo Gallery: Colin Strickland’s Allied Able Gravel Bike

Colin Strickland’s 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Allied Able. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

The post Colin Strickland’s Allied Able: Made-in-America, Aero Bars and Lessons Learned appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

HiFi Wheels is a small company in Portland, Oregon started by three passionate riders and racers of dirt and road seeking to provide more affordable high-quality wheels to others.

Bre Rue has deep roots in the cycling community and industry as a racer, mechanic and bike builder. Josh Liberles was once editor of Cyclocross Magazine and is the face of HiFi Wheels while he continues to race the road and cyclocross at a high level. Patrick Palmer, also a road and cyclocross racer, is the chief financial officer. Everyone at HiFi has a big investment in the company and products.

At Cyclocross Magazine we ride and review a lot of wheels, and we were interested to see what HiFi has to offer in the updated Session wheelset Liberles says is perfect for gravel and adventure with its 24mm internal width and stout but light build.

Read on for our impressions of the HiFi 29er Session24 wheels after a long-term mixed-terrain review.

The $1,790 HiFi 29er Session24 Carbon Tubeless Clincher Wheelset. © C. Lee / Cyclocross Magazine

HiFi 29er Session24 Carbon Wheelset Build

HiFi sources its hubs and rims from partner factories in Taiwan built to Rue’s specifications. Wheels are then handbuilt by HiFi in Portland.

The HiFi Session Carbon MTB wheels are available in a variety of configurations for off-road riding and mountain biking with 29” and 27.5” diameters and 24, 30 and 35mm internal widths. The company tries to keep a stock on hand, but made-to-order wheels can be had for no additional cost.

Our review set was the 29er Session24 carbon wheelset which is, you guessed it, 700c with a 24mm internal width. At 24mm internal, the wheelset is right in the wheelhouse of high-volume gravel and cyclocross riding and just 1mm narrower than the new Easton EA90 AX wheels we recently looked at.

The Session24 rims have a hookless profile. The bead shelf is smooth with a flat profile and no tire bead retaining lip. The outer width is 30mm and the rim depth is 22mm. Rim drilling is symetrical—that is right down the center of the rim. Liberles told me the rim weight is 390 grams each.

The 24mm-wide tubeless rim has a hookless design. HiFi 29er Session24 Carbon Tubeless Clincher Wheelset. © C. Lee / Cyclocross Magazine

The Centerlock disc HiFi’s Fidelity M Disc hubs are configurable to any present axle standard. Twenty-eight Sapim CX-Ray spokes with Sapim Secure Lock alloy nipples comes standard, although brass nipples are also available by request. Wheel builds with 32 spokes are also available if needed.

The ratchet mechanism has 6 pawls with 2 engagement points each and a 102-tooth drive ring. That yields 2 degrees of engagement, an aid for fast starts and technical sections.

The HiFi Fidelity M Disc hubs come in a variety of axle types and have 2-degree engagement. HiFi 29er Session24 Carbon Tubeless Clincher Wheelset. © C. Lee / Cyclocross Magazine

The hubs have a high-low flange design with the large flange on the drive side of the rear to accommodate the freehub body and balance out the spoke bracing angle. The large flange is on the rotor side of the front hub to even out the spoke bracing angle.

I asked Liberles about using asymmetric rim drilling to further balance spoke bracing and tension. For HiFi’s rim brake options, the company has used asymmetric rim drillings and a 2-1 lacing pattern but did not think it necessary for the Session wheels after rider feedback and comparing the Session 24s to other products with the asymmetric design.

With 28 spokes using high-quality components and careful hand building with tight even tension, it seems like a non-issue. Liberles says that does not close the door on using asymmetric rim drillings in the future as they see the need.

HiFi builds the Session 24 wheels with its Fidelity M Disc hubs. HiFi 29er Session24 Carbon Tubeless Clincher Wheelset. © C. Lee / Cyclocross Magazine

The 29er Session24 wheelset HiFi sent us is a standard build with 12mm thru-axles front and rear and 28 spokes laced 2x. The wheels arrived pre-taped and weigh 653 grams for the front and 833 grams for the rear (no valve stems, estimated weight of rim tape subtracted).

A total of 1,486 grams is about 4% over the claimed 1,430g weight for the set, which is well within variations of spec and scale errors.

All configurations of the 29er Session24 wheelsets cost $1,790.

Putting the specs in perspective, this option from HiFi is far lighter than most stock wheels, many alloy options and is lighter and more affordable than some carbon options from competitors.

The 29er Session24 wheelset competes with the Revin G21 Pro and the Irwin GX 35 for both cost and weight. It has a wider rim than the Revin G21 Pro and is lighter with a faster-engaging hub than the Irwin GX35.

Choosing your perfect wheel involves more than looking at weight and price. Still, if you’re minding dollars and grams, you’re blessed with choices. The 25mm-wide carbon FSE G40/30X is about 150g lighter and $400 cheaper, while the 24mm-wide alloy rim PBO-Spoke Spinergy GX rolls in at the same weight for half the price, and the Easton EA90 AX is about 100g heavier and $1k less.

Sessions on the HiFi Session24

After receiving the review wheelset, I checked trueness, roundness and spoke tension out of the shipping box and everything was spot-on. Spoke tension was tight and even. CX-Ray spokes are aero section stainless steel, so it is easy to check spoke wind-up. There were no twisted spokes that might indicate poor attention to build.

I installed valve stems and chose a 35mm Ritchey Shield and a 38mm Specialized Tracer for my first rides. I later swapped the Shield for a 38mm Schwalbe G-One. All tires mounted without a hiccup or burp.

Without a retaining lip on the bead shelf, I was concerned about bead retention when the tire is deflated, especially with a loose fitting tire or if the tire is subjected to hard lateral loads such as a hard corner slide or when striking an object on a gnarly descent. In the case where the bead slides off the shelf in the field, remounting the tire would be extremely challenging with a portable hand pump. I did not experience this initially or when retesting again a few days later. One would expect confidence of bead retention to increase as the tire sealant “glues” the bead in place.

The 38mm Tracer measured 39mm on a 19mm internal width rim (when we reviewed it) and measured 41.7mm on the HiFi 29er Session24. The Shield is wide for a tire labeled 35mm. It measured almost 37mm on a 21mm internal rim during our review. On the 29er Session24, the Shield measured 39mm. The Schwalbe also gained a couple of millimeters, measuring 40mm.

Only the Tracer went on with rigorous pumping with a floor pump; the Shield and G One went on easily with a compressor, so would likely go on easily with a charger pump as well. All three tires sealed up easily with an injection of some sealant, a modicum of shaking and patience to allow things to set up.

A 35mm Ritchey Shield mounted with a compressor and should go on with a charging floor pump. HiFi 29er Session24 Carbon Tubeless Clincher Wheelset. © C. Lee / Cyclocross Magazine

There were no pings or creaks as I rolled out on the first ride, when I stood up to rock the bike, or when I sought rough pavement and trails. None of the tires burped under any circumstances—over roots, rocks, drop downs or hard, square-edged obstacles. Over a couple of hundred miles over mixed terrain, approximately 50% or more off pavement, the HiFi 29er Session24 wheels never lost roundness or went out of true under my 155 pounds.

The biggest test for durability of a gravel wheel is bouncing down a long rutted hard packed descent at high speed, especially if that road or trail has buried rocks or roots. My test tracks include lots of those, and the HiFi wheels passed the test.

With rim brakes, you could feel when wheels flexed in hard corners or sprints, but with disc brakes, it’s harder to tell. With 28 spokes at high tension, if the spoke bracing angle is wide enough, we would expect adequate lateral stiffness for most riders under normal conditions. If the wheel was not laterally stiff, we would feel vagueness when cornering with a high lean as in high-speed turn or at slow speed with technical maneuvers that one might encounter on trails. The lateral stiffness of the 29er Session24s is more than adequate.

The Fidelity M hubs have a high pitched buzz when freewheeling that I liked, since the noise indicated the fine-toothed drive ring and high number of pawls were yielding that instantaneous engagement. This was confidence inspiring when ratcheting the pedals in a tight technical section of trail or when sprinting out of a corner.

I didn’t encounter any creek crossings or do long rides in inclement weather during the test period, but with the sealed stainless steel Japanese bearings, I would not expect that to be a big problem. Our test period was not long enough to see dust penetration, and the wheels certainly spun as smoothly at the end of our review period as they did right out of the box. Power spray your bike a few times a week and all bets are off though.

The 29er Session 24 wheelset comes with 28 Sapim CX-Ray spokes. HiFi 29er Session24 Carbon Tubeless Clincher Wheelset. © C. Lee / Cyclocross Magazine

HiFi backs all of its Session 24 wheels with a 2-year warranty for material or manufacturing defects, and it offers a generous no-fault crash replacement discount for anything outside of warranty “to keep our customers rolling,” according to Liberles. Knowing the company backs up the purchase puts our mind at ease about durability.

The Verdict

The HiFi Session24 Carbon wheelset is an excellent choice for a wide gravel tire. At 1,500 grams, it is not super light to a gram counter. Yet not everyone buys carbon for weight savings. A carbon rim won’t dent and could be more durable than an alloy rim of similar weight.

Grams, engagement degrees and width are not the key criteria for everyone, especially when getting to the next aid station, campsite or finish line is the goal. Most importantly, the 29er Session 24 wheels have proven itself durable and reliable.

With cool graphics, home-grown flair and a good warranty, the HiFi Session24 wheels—whether 700c or 650b— deserve a look for your gravel bike wheel upgrade.

For more on the HiFi 29er Session24 wheelset, see the specs below.

HiFi 29er Session24 Wheelset Specs

Price: $1,790 USD
Weight: 653g front, 833g rear, 1,486g total (actual, no tape/valves)
Rim: 700c, carbon, tubeless-ready, disc only, 390g claimed weight
Rim Width: 24mm internal, 30mm external
Rim Depth: 22mm
Hubs: HiFi Fidelity M Disc, Centerlock, 6-pawl, 2-degree engagement, boost sizing available
Freehub: Shimano/SRAM, 11-speed, XD driver available
Spokes: 28 Sapim CX-Ray front and rear, laced 2x
Axles: QR/QR; 15mm TA F/12mm TA R; 12mm TA F/ 12mm TA R; 15mm TA F/QR R; 12mm TA F/QR R
More Info: ridehifi.com

The post Rolled and Reviewed: HiFi 29er Session24 Wide-Rim Carbon Gravel Wheels appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

During the last week, we have had a bit of coverage of the 2019 Dirty Kanza 200. Depending on your fancy, you can read our race reports, nerd out on bikes or look at pretty pictures.

If all of that is not enough, you can now listen to Episode 2 of Groadio, a new project from Bill Schieken of CXHairs and your humble editor. In Episode 2, we talk about the race from on the ground and what folks were saying about it “on the internet.” [You can check out Episode 1 here]

The Groadio podcast (Gravel + Road + Radio = Groadio) is a collaboration between the two, ironically (?), cyclocross media outlets where we take a periodic look at gravel racing and how the growing discipline is being talked about in the cycling world at large.

You can listen to the podcast via the embed below. Stay tuned for Episode 3 featuring the first-ever Groadio Power Rankings inspired by CXHairs’ MTB Heat Check Power Rankings.

The post Podcast: CXHairs, CXM Talk Dirty Kanza 200 on Episode 2 of Groadio appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

Stetina raced and won the Belgian Waffle Ride aboard his Trek Madone road bike with 28mm tubeless road tires back in May. With the famed gravel of the Flint Hills much gnarlier and prone cause flats in even the widest tires with the best sidewalls, a road bike was not going to cut it for Stetina at Dirty Kanza.

Following in the footsteps of Sven Nys in 2018, Stetina swapped his Madone for the Checkpoint gravel bike the company released in 2018. Like Nys, Stetina’s Checkpoint also got a special paint job to personalize the bike.

[caption id="attachment_135919" align="aligncenter" width="941"] Like Sven’s bike last year, Stetina’s Checkpoint got some custom art. Peter Stetina’s Trek Checkpoint gravel bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Stetina’s Checkpoint proved worthy at last Saturday’s race. He was the first man to chase after Colin Strickland (Meteor x Giordana) when the front group broke apart around Mile 140 and went on to finish second, all while enjoying the gravel experience.

[caption id="attachment_135503" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Stetina had time for some fun. 2019 Men’s Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Today, we take a look at Stetina’s Trek Checkpoint gravel bike from right after his 10-hour day in the Flint Hills.

[caption id="attachment_135924" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Peter Stetina’s Trek Checkpoint gravel bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Peter Stetina’s 2019 DK200 Trek Checkpoint

Trek entered the gravel bike market last spring when it released the Checkpoint. When we spoke with Trek last year, the company said the bike is based around the Boone cyclocross bike geometry, albeit with more clearance.

The head tube angle on the Checkpoint is a tad steeper than the Boone and the BB drops a bit further down. The stack on the Checkpoint is a smidge higher, while the two bikes have similar wheelbases.

The biggest departure from the Boone with the Checkpoint is tire clearance. The Boone maybe has room for 700c x 38mm tires, while the Checkpoint is designed to clear tires as wide as 45mm, according to Trek. The extra clearance is achieved in part with a dropped drive-side chainstay.

[caption id="attachment_135925" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Stetina ran 700c x 43mm Panaracer GravelKing SK tires. Peter Stetina’s Trek Checkpoint gravel bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Stetina was riding a bike built up around the Checkpoint SL frameset. The frameset uses Trek’s OCLV 500 carbon, the third-highest grade the company uses. Trek opted to use the IsoSpeed decoupler in the rear only after its testing showed that wider tires provided more compliance than a front IsoSpeed would.

[caption id="attachment_135916" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The Checkpoint uses an IsoSpeed decoupler in the rear. Peter Stetina’s Trek Checkpoint gravel bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Custom artwork adorns Stetina’s seat tube and fork, paying homage to his Colorado origins, current California home and hobbies and passions. You can read about each of them on Stetina’s Instagram page.

[caption id="attachment_135914" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Stetina’s fork featured custom artwork. Peter Stetina’s Trek Checkpoint gravel bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Stetina followed the trend of running a 1x for gravel with a SRAM 1x Red 1 eTap AXS drivetrain. He attached a massive 48t X-Sync chain ring to a SRAM Red 1 AXS Power Meter crankset with Quarq’s DZero power meter. While Strickland was cranking away on his 46-11 combo, Stetina had a few extra teeth to work with during his chase.

[caption id="attachment_135923" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Stetina attached his 48t X-Sync ring to a Red 1 AXS Power Meter crankset with Quarq’s DZero power meter. Peter Stetina’s Trek Checkpoint gravel bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

In the rear, he had a Red 1 eTap AXS derailleur and a 10-33t cassette. Another feature of the Checkpoint is it has the Stranglehold horizontal dropouts that allow for singlespeed converstion. Interestingly, the new Crockett, which was a singlespeed favorite, has dropped the Stranglehold to shed grams while the Checkpoint retains them.

[caption id="attachment_135921" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Stetina ran a SRAM Red 1 eTap AXS rear derailleur with a 1x front. Peter Stetina’s Trek Checkpoint gravel bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

For his first Dirty Kanza 200, Stetina opted to run aero bars and even celebrated the decision by getting involved in the #aerowhat discussion on the eve of the event.

[caption id="attachment_135929" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Peter Stetina got aero during his solo chase of Colin Strickland. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Stetina ran Bontrager Race Lite Aero Clip-On bars attached to his carbon Race Lite handlebar.

[caption id="attachment_135917" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Stetina was on team aero bar with Bontrager Race Lite Clip-Ons. Peter Stetina’s Trek Checkpoint gravel bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

When Stetina teased his Checkpoint on Instagram, it had Bontrager GR1 gravel tires mounted, but on race day Stetina rolled to his second-place finish on 700c x 43mm Panaracer GravelKing SK tires mounted to Bontrager Aeolus Pro 3V TLR Disc Road wheels. The new carbon wheels have a 25mm internal width, making them a good fit for the wide gravel tires Stetina ran.

One advantage Stetina had on the other WorldTour riders at the DK200 is with the Belgian Waffle Ride under his belt, the race was not his first groadeo. Stetina had the 130-mile BWR ride to test out his nutrition and dial his setup for DK.

He used a Bontrager Pro Speed Box on his top tube and an Elite Seat Pack in under his Montrose Pro saddle to carry his emergency gear.

[caption id="attachment_135928" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] A Pro Speed Box from Bontrager helped Stetina carry all his nutrition needs. Peter Stetina’s Trek Checkpoint gravel bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

He mounted the traditional two bottle cages to the frame, and although the bottles were well-marked, it appears Stetina wound up with one of teammate Kiel Reijnen’s bottles at Checkpoint 2.

[caption id="attachment_135915" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Stetina opted for two bottle cages and kept them well-organized. It appears he ended up with Kiel Reijnen’s bottle at CP 2, however. Peter Stetina’s Trek Checkpoint gravel bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Although road pedals are more his style, Stetina opted to follow Craig Richey’s advice and run mountain pedals for the DK200. He used the colorful Bontrager Comp MTB Pedal model that is SPD-compatible.

[caption id="attachment_135922" align="aligncenter" width="1233"] Stetina used SPD-compatible Bontrager Comp MTB Pedals. Peter Stetina’s Trek Checkpoint gravel bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

For more on Stetina’s DK200 Checkpoint, see the photo gallery and specs below.

For more from Emporia, see all of our coverage of the 2019 Dirty Kanza 200.

Photo Gallery: Peter Stetina’s DK200 Trek Checkpoint

Peter Stetina’s Trek Checkpoint gravel bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

The post Gravel Bike: Peter Stetina’s Custom-Art Dirty Kanza 200 Trek Checkpoint appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

When is the 350-mile DKXL just another training ride? One case might be if you are ultra-endurance cycling star Lael Wilcox.

Best known for racing events such as the 4,400-mile Trans-Am Bike Race and 2,750-mile Tour Divide, Wilcox decided to race the second edition of the DKXL after meeting Dirty Kanza’s Kristi Mohn at an event earlier this year.

“They first asked me to race the 200, and I was like, ‘You know, the only one I’m actually interested in is the XL because it’s my kind of race. It’s self-supported, it’s longer,'” Wilcox said.

Wilcox’s DKXL weekend was more of a DKXL week as she first rode to Emporia from Pearl Izumi’s headquarters in Louisville, Colorado and then served as the keynote speaker at Friday’s Women’s Forum held just a few hours before her race.

Even with all that going on, Wilcox won the Women’s DKXL by over 2 hours and finished 6th overall with a time of just under 24 hours out on the course.

“My plan was to just ride my best because I didn’t really know how I could do since I’ve never ridden that distance as a race,” she said about her approach. “It just went better than I could have imagined. I felt great out there. We were riding a really strong pace. For a lot of it we rode at like 18 miles an hour, which is really fast for rough gravel. I felt super strong and had a really good day on the bike.”

Lael Wilcox at the finish of the DKXL 2019. Wilcox was the first female finisher and placed sixth overall in the DKXL with a time of 23:51:37. © Rugile Kaladyte

All of Wilcox’s gravel riding was training for the 2019 Tour Divide race that starts this Friday in Banff, Alberta, Canada and follows the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route 2,745 miles south to New Mexico. Wilcox holds the all-time Women’s ITT record after finishing the route in 15 days, 10 hours and 59 minutes in 2015.

In 2019, Wilcox will be trying to win the Grand Depart overall and perhaps break her own record in the process.

Was the DKXL good training for that effort? All signs point to yes. “The DKXL was definitely tougher than most of the Tour Divide,” Wilcox said. “It was pretty rugged and very rutted. We actually rode through a river bed for a bit of it. It was pretty rough terrain.”

I was able to catch up with Wilcox late last week before she headed up to Banff for the Tour Divide Grand Depart. You can read a transcript of our conversation below.

For more from Emporia, see all of our coverage of the 2019 Dirty Kanza.

Interview: Women’s 2019 DKXL Winner Lael Wilcox

Cyclocross Magazine: You’re kind of known for events that are longer than the DKXL, but in the gravel world, it’s kind of a long distance. What was your motivation for doing it this year?

Lael Wilcox: One of the organizers, Kristi Mohn, came down for endurance gravel camp in Arizona where I was a guide. The week before, Komoot, an app, was like, ‘Hey, we’re sponsoring the race, but part of the deal is you race.’ They first asked me to race the 200, and I was like, ‘You know, the only one I’m actually interested in is the XL because it’s my kind of race. It’s self-supported, it’s longer.’

Then the next week Kristi came down to camp and asked if I would race the DKXL and then also come as the keynote speaker for the Women’s Forum. We also came up with the idea that I’d ride to the start of the DKXL from Colorado. It sounded like fun, kind of the package deal of riding and the event, and my thought was it could all be training for the Tour Divide, which is coming up soon. I’ll get a bunch of miles in, get some fast miles in for the race and then go to my main race, the Tour Divide.

CXM: How was the ride over from Colorado?

LW: It was super fun. We started in Louisville at Pearl Izumi headquarters. There was actually another guy along with me named Dylan Morton, and he put together a primarily gravel route between the two. It was 650 miles and probably 90 percent gravel. And we took six days to ride, riding about 100 miles a day.

We had a total blast, but it was really bad weather. It was super windy with a headwind three of the days. It was still fun to be on my bike.

CXM: Leading up to DK, everyone was talking about the weather and how terrible it was going to be. With your experience, is bad weather something you look forward to?

LW: I always want good weather. It’s always more fun when you have good conditions. It’s faster too, and you enjoy it more. The weather in Kansas changes so much, I figured there was really no point in looking until a few days before to see what it was looking like. We experienced the bad weather on our ride there, then when it was time for the race, it was great weather. Super fast conditions. Two days before the race it was sunny and dry, so all the roads were dried out and it was awesome.

CXM: I was reading the PinkBike interview you recently did, and you rode your Tour Divide bike over to Kansas? How did that work logistically?

LW: I rode my Tour Divide bike, and then my girlfriend who was along documenting our ride was also transporting my gravel bike. But in the end, I ended up riding the Tour Divide bike for the gravel race too. I heard it was really rough, and so the day before, I decided I would ride my Tour Divide bike, which is basically a hardtail mountain bike with a drop handlebar. The tires are 2.1 inches, and then I actually put a 42c tire in the rear to have more clearance for mud if there was any. But in the end, there wasn’t any.

I think it was really the right choice. The DKXL definitely incorporates more B roads, making it tougher than the 200-mile route, so I was really happy to have that bigger tire.

CXM: Tour Divide is kind of fire road, doubletrack type stuff, right? How did the terrain compare, and do you think some of those B roads helped you prepare for Tour Divide?

LW: Yeah, actually, the DKXL route is a lot rougher than the Tour Divide.

CXM: Oh wow.

LW: The Tour Divide is just longer. You need a bigger tire because it’s so long your body just gets beat down. A couple of people have ridden it on gravel bikes, but they usually don’t get good results. It’s really good to have like a 2-inch tire because for the record, you’re trying to ride 200 miles a day for 14 days. It’s a lot of strain on the body, so a bigger tire definitely helps you sustain the distance.

But yeah, the DKXL was definitely tougher than most of the Tour Divide. It was pretty rugged and very rutted. We actually rode through a river bed for a bit of it. It was pretty rough terrain.

CXM: It was rough driving over some of it, so I can only imagine what it was like on a bike. Tour Divide is self-supported, I’m assuming you mostly ride during the day, but DKXL goes through the night. Do you have a lot of experience with those kinds of rides?

LW: Definitely. With the DKXL, I was like, Oh it’s only one night, that’s no big deal. I did a ride this spring that was a time trial on the Arizona Trail, which is all burly singletrack. I actually rode two consecutive nights with zero sleep on singletrack. I was like, Man, if I’m just riding a dirt road for one night, that requires like a quarter of the mental focus you need to ride mountain bike terrain.

We actually had a lovely night. Clear skies, stars. It was probably in the 60s, it was really great out there.

CXM: For a lot of us, riding through the night might be one of the many hangups we have about an ultra-endurance event. Do you have any advice you’ve learned over the years that can help demystify doing that kind of race?

LW: I guess the biggest thing is just to embrace it. Realize wow, you’re going to have an incredible experience being out there and being present for the entire night. That’s when you see more animals, and they’re attracted to you because they’re attracted to the lights on your bike. There’s the stillness of it. There’s less traffic. Just to be in that moment and enjoying that.

Also, you can look at the clock and see that the sun is going to come up in two or three hours and be ready for that. In Kansas, it’s nice because it’s warm. It’s in the 60s, it’s humid. It’s a warm night but not hot. You don’t have to worry about drinking too much water. I thought it was kind of a nice respite.

CXM: To what extent did you pack your food and to what extent were you planning on stopping at gas stations?

LW: I was definitely planning on stopping for water. Going in, I asked ‘How often can I get water?’ Then every time I’d see a gas station, I’d drink about two bottles of water right there on the spot to keep up with hydration.

In the very beginning I carried a couple of sandwiches and a few other things, and then along the way I bought chocolate milk and pizza. Anything just to keep me going. I’ll really eat just about anything. I was just more concerned I had enough water.

CXM: Do you consider eating lots of food a perk of being an ultra-endurance athlete?

LW: I’m actually so burned out from eating all that stuff because it’s nonstop. You have to keep eating the whole time. It’s not delicious food, it’s whatever you can find. I don’t have a huge problem with it, but I’m not actually enjoying it. I mostly enjoy the riding, and the eating is just part of the job.

CXM: It sounds like the riding was pretty dope. I saw the sunrise on Saturday morning, and I can only imagine what it was like knowing you’d be finishing that day.

LW: It was so fun. It was such a cool route with rolling hills all the time and then chunkier tough sections before it smoothed out.

CXM: You’ve seen a lot but it seems like you still have a sense of wonder in all these events you do. How do you keep finding the motivation to take on these challenges?

LW: I just love being out there because you kind of never know what’s going to happen. You can’t predict the people you’ll meet or the terrain you’ll roll over. Or how the weather will change or your body will react. I love that it’s so unpredictable, and I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of that.

CXM: Reading stories about you, it seems like you enjoy riding alone, but groups are part of an event like the DKXL. How did the race go for you?

LW: I rode at least half of it with a guy named Andrew who was on a singlespeed. He was so awesome. He’s a younger guy, I think he’s like 26. He was super strong pushing a pretty big gear. We rode all through the night together, which was really cool. And I had never him before. My ride to the start was also with a guy whom I had never met.

You know, it’s just about being with good people out there. It’s kind of cool if you’re actually matching your pace. That doesn’t always happen because the pace isn’t going to work out, and if it does, it’s pretty awesome.

Another cool thing with the DKXL is drafting was allowed, which is really unusual for ultra-distance races. Definitely for the first 100 miles I was riding with a pack of people, which was a lot of fun. It was fun to work together and keep such a strong pace. I’m happy they allowed that.

I like the rules they’ve set out. Drafting is allowed. You can help each other out. It’s a lot more about camaraderie, which a lot of other ultra-endurance races don’t allow. They say you can’t really interact with others. I like that they’re about building friendships and being with other people.

CXM: Was this your official gravel gravel race?

LW: I raced a 125-mile gravel race in Arizona in the spring, but I’m a gravel guide, so I spend a lot of time taking people out to show them around.

CXM: What did you think the whole Dirty Kanza experience? The DKXL, the finish, the whole scene?

LW: I think it’s fantastic. The organizers have done such a great job being inclusive and then drawing so many strong riders to come. You have everyone from folks challenging themselves to get out on their bikes to Tour de France riders. I love that everyone is kind of on the same playing field. Then you never really know how it’s going to unfold.

It was super encouraging. I’ve never been in a scene where people are more encouraging and cheering for other people and involving the local community. I think they’ve done an excellent job incorporating the city and then inviting others to come.

CXM: As a gravel guide, is that inclusiveness the kind of thing you try to encourage?

LW: For sure. I guide as a job, but I also hold a girl’s cycling program every spring, I’ve hosted a couple of women’s scholarships. I’m always trying to get more women on bikes in any way I can and encourage them. I want to show it’s not an elitest thing and only the best can do it. Anybody can ride their bike. I feel like anyone who tries has fun out there and finds something valuable in it.

CXM: It seems like gravel is a good way for women to get started in cycling, do you think that’s the case?

LW: I do. I also think gravel is a good place for almost anybody to feel welcome because you can be more of an individual riding by yourself, but you also don’t have to have really good mountain bike skills. Most people can figure out the technical aspects of riding gravel and also enjoy it because it’s away from traffic and it’s usually in beautiful places. I think it’s really encouraging more people to get into cycling in general, which is super cool.

I love to see that there are more women participating and getting interested. The other thing I’m really surprised by is how many more people are considering riding these ultra distances. There were, I think, 3,000 people out for Dirty Kanza this year, and at least half of them were riding the 200. That’s a big day on the bike. I’m surprised that many people want to ride a hard 200 miles, and I think it’s encouraging people are taking on that challenge and pushing themselves.

CXM: How did the Women’s Forum go? That was on Friday, correct?

LW: It was on Friday three hours before my race. I gave my presentation, we showed a new video I helped put together about my preparation for the Tour Divide and riding to the start of the DKXL, I did a Q and A and then they broke into smaller groups to talk about different issues. It was awesome and really inspiring. It was a good group of people and a fun event right before my race.

CXM: One more question about the race; what was your approach and plan for the race?

LW: My approach was to get out there, have fun and try my hardest and see what I could do. I really felt zero pressure heading into it. I was really looking forward to this race because Rebecca Rusch, who is a notable female endurance racer, was supposed to race, but she pulled out a day or two before. I really wanted to race her, but she sent me a text saying, ‘I just can’t do it. I have too much going on at home.’

I was like, Dang it, because that is what I was really looking forward to the most. My plan was to just ride my best because I didn’t really know how I could do since I’ve never ridden that distance as a race. It just went better than I could have imagined. I felt great out there. We were riding a really strong pace. For a lot of it, we were riding at like 18 miles an hour, which is really fast for rough gravel. I felt super strong and had a really good day on the bike.

CXM: Looking forward, Tour Divide is first obviously, but will you be coming back for the DKXL and doing more ultra-endurance gravel races in your future?

LW: I’d love to. What a fun event. For me, it’s like a relief since it’s only a day. I don’t have to deal with like two weeks of sleep deprivation. I can feel athletic and get my ride in and after that be done and sleep and do whatever else. Recovery definitely won’t be as long, which is awesome. I love the racing, but even more than that, I just love riding my bike. After super long events I have to spend two weeks recovering.

This distance, I’d definitely love to do more of it. They’re not all on my radar yet, so it’s more about getting to know the organizers and being a part of what they’re doing. The scene is so good and the people are so friendly. Yeah, you’re being competitive, but it’s in such a positive way.

CXM: Awesome. Thank you so much for your time. Congrats on the win and good luck at Tour Divide.

LW: Thanks so much.

The post The Training Ride: Lael Wilcox Prepares for 2019 Tour Divide with 350-Mile DKXL Victory appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

Sometimes it just takes a little nudge to get people to do extraordinary things. In the case of Jay Petervary of Idaho, all it took was an email.

A veteran of four Dirty Kanza 200s heading into 2018, Petervary got an invite to race the inaugural 350-mile DKXL last year. He said yes, as long as his wife Tracey would join him on a tandem. The two completed the ride, and at the finish, Petervary had clear thoughts about it.

“At the finish, I thought, ‘I’m never going to do that again,'” he said. “And I don’t say that often, even for multi-day, multi-week events. I’m usually pretty jazzed for what I do.”

Fast forward six months, and well, you know what happened for the seasoned endurance racer.

“I said I wasn’t going to do that again, but when the email came with a message from Jim Cummins saying, ‘You did it last year, you have first dibs if you want in,’ I was like, You know what, I want to do it solo to basically grab a different experience,” Petervary said.

Petervary was at the start of the DKXL on Friday afternoon in Emporia, and the choice proved to be a good one. Petervary controlled the pace of the 350-mile from the get-go and went solo around Mile 100 to take the title at the second-ever DKXL.

Jay Petervary won the 2019 DKXL. © Shimano

Although Petervary was cruising, the win was not without its moments of tension. There are no pit crews or checkpoints for the DKXL, and riders’ only chances to stock up on supplies are at six gas stations along the route. The biggest stretch without one occurs through Friday evening, with no stops between Mile 111 and Mile 204.

Petervary, it turns out, was going a bit too fast. “I got pinched at that 96-mile gas station,” he said. “It was supposed to open at 4 a.m., and I got there at 2:30 a.m. I kind of knew I might miss it because I was moving fast. I was like, If I beat that time, I am cruising right now, and I need to prepare to make it farther.”

“I stuffed a Red Bull and some M&Ms in my back pocket at the previous gas station, making a promise to myself not to eat it until I made that 96 miles. When I got there, I was basically out of water, so I just chugged the Red Bull and at the candy and rode the 35 miles to the next gas station.”

Petervary’s experience also paid off when he ripped a sidewall in the last 100 miles of the race. With 5 previous Dirty Kanzas under his belt, he knew what to do. First, boot it with a gel package, then, stay calm.

“The bottom line is that fixing a flat or changing a tire should be accepted as part of the game,” Petervary said. “People will get down from that stuff, and the reality is everyone is getting flats. Don’t eff around, don’t let it mess with your brain. I’ve seen it happen to people in front of me. They flat and all of a sudden they’re just completely out of it mentally. It’s like, ‘Dude, fix it, everyone is going to flat.’ If you’re quick about it, it’s a couple minutes. Be prepared.”

Similar to Women’s DKXL winner Lael Wilcox, Petervary is an accomplished multi-day endurance racer. Although he has never won the Tour Divide Grand Depart, he set a then-record with an Individual Time Trial of 15 days, 16 hours and 4 minutes in 2012. Next up for Petervary will be some much-earned time at home in beautiful Idaho before he heads to Krygyzstan to defend his Silk Road Mountain Bike Race title.

I caught up with Petervary in between the rain and him mowing his lawn last week. You can read a transcript of our conversation below.

For more from Emporia, see all of our coverage of the 2019 Dirty Kanza.

Interview: Men’s DKXL Winner Jay Petervary

Cyclocross Magazine: What’s your background in ultra-endurance gravel, I guess we’re calling it?

Jay Petervary: I come from more of a bikepacking background, but I’ve been playing around with gravel racing for a long time too. I’ve been bikepacking since like 2006 doing long-distance cycling off-road, Tour Divide kind of stuff. Those are really just big gravel rides.

Then it wasn’t too far after that I started doing gravel races. I’d say I’ve been around since the beginnings of it, and I’m not a stranger to it by any means. The distance of 350 miles is kind of perfect for the DKXL. It’s different in a way that it’s not for true gravel racers. Two-hundred miles is long for most people, so 350 miles is a different mentality in general.

Then people might think, ‘Oh, that will be good for a multi-day athlete, bikepacking-style or super-ultra stuff,’ but that’s not good either because it’s still based on a 10 miles per hour average as a cutoff and you can’t really sleep, so you have to keep moving. Three-hundred-fifty miles in one clip is a unique thing and tough to do physically.

This year was my sixth Dirty Kanza. I’ve done 4 200s and this was my 2nd DKXL. I’ve done both the XL and the 200 on a tandem with my lady. I guess you could say I’ve had some experience with it.

CXM: So you did the XL on a tandem last year?

JP: Yep.

CXM: How did that go?

JP: When I got the invite for the first XL, I was like, I’m not sure if I want to go ride 350 miles in the Flint Hills by myself. I know the exposure and what that’s all about. I was thinking about it and looked over at my wife and said, “You want to go rally this on a tandem? That could be a different experience.” She said yes, and that all happened, and when I finished, I honestly haven’t been that smoked in years. I’ve done some stuff, I would say, and for sure, I was really beat up physically. That was hard.

At the finish, I thought, ‘I’m never going to do that again.’ And I don’t say that often, even for multi-day, multi-week events. I’m usually pretty jazzed for what I do. So I said I wasn’t going to do that again, but when the email came with a message from Jim Cummins saying, “You did it last year, you have first dibs if you want in,” I was like, You know what, I want to do it solo to basically grab a different experience. I left last year thinking that it really beat me up.

To be honest, 350 miles is kind of an ideal distance for me. Everything I do I’m constantly testing myself. I thought it would be a good time to test myself at that distance in terms of my career and the races I’ve been doing. It made a lot of sense within my personal race schedule. I thought I could be pretty fit and ready for that, and I was.

CXM: It’s funny you say that because I ran into Neil Shirley right after the finish of the DK200 last year and he said, “I’m not doing the 200 next year. I’m going to do the 100 and enjoy the experience.” I saw him at the first checkpoint and was like, “Hey Neil, you said you wouldn’t be here!” He was like, “Yeah, yeah, I’m doing it.”

JP: Yeah, it was a good day for me. I’ve been traveling a bunch since February, so it’s been challenging to get things done from a training standpoint. Fortunately, I’m coming off a 1,200-kilometer bikepacking race in Italy that helped give me some fitness. It was kind of a scramble for me because I’ve been traveling so much. I was only home for 48 hours before I had to leave for DK again.

I had a bike with all fresh parts on it. I was trying to get out for 10-mile rides with my wife and geeking out on every detail because that’s the kind of guy I am. I changed my handlebar two times in those two days, going back and forth, waffling about my choice.

I love to play with parts and different setups. I really like a bigger bar for long-distance gravel rides. For 100 miles you can kind of take on that road position a bit, but when you’re grinding along for 350 miles at a good clip, it takes a different setup. The fatigue isn’t quite as heavy, but you still feel different.

In the end, I was really happy with the new gear and my choices. I was really comfortable on the bike. The geometry was super stable and really comfortable. I was running the Shimano GRX Di2 groupset, and I really loved that gearing, the 48/31t. I found I wasn’t shifting as much in my front chain ring as you might do with your standard 50/34t. It was fun to test that groupset out and the feel of it all. It’s really solid, like it’s designed for gravel.

Petervary got to ride the new SHimano GRX gravel grupo for the DKXL. © Shimano

It was a good day. It was hot at the end, but for the 350 we had a nice start at 3 o’clock on Friday. It was warm but not overly hot. It was a good temperature for efficient pedaling. Through the night I never changed or put on an extra piece of clothing, so there wasn’t any futzing around. It was a pretty clean ride, I would say.

I’m happy with it all, but it took me a few days to digest it all. I would say I was hyper-focused during the ride. I enjoy riding by myself because I can get into that head space, or whatever; hyper-focused, laser-focused. I really like to take on like warrior status and chug through the Flint Hills. I was by myself for a lot of it, just going for it. I can do that better when I’m by myself. Maybe it took about 100 miles to shake out before I was by myself.

Then my body did its thing. I didn’t eat and drink as much as usual. I walk a pretty fine line in general, and I would say I was doing that the whole race. I only brought two water bottles.

CXM: Oh wow.

JP: You’d see some of the folks out there with four or five water bottles on their bikes and they’re carrying a hydration bladder. My approach is just different. There are gas stations out there, and I’m okay pushing my body. If I run out of water, it’s like, ‘Okay, I have to go without water for 35 miles or something. Whatever.’ I had to do that, for sure. I was walking a line where it’s like, ‘Okay Jay hopefully you don’t crash and everything catches up.’

With the heat, it took a bit of a toll on me, but I didn’t slow down a ton. My numbers were super consistent throughout the whole ride, which was really good for me to know. It was a good ride. Now I leave with a good taste in my mouth, and I don’t know if I’ll go back again.

CXM: That is true, you win it once and you’ve got that to your name. What kind of bike were you on?

JP: I was on a Salsa Warbird. Arguably the first gravel bike out there, and it’s still an amazing bike.

CXM: Before the race, I picked up one of your competitor’s bikes and the thing weighed like 40 or 50 pounds, but it sounds like you took more of a minimalist approach. What did you pack in addition to the two bottles?

JP: When I look at the race, there are gas stations every 50 miles, give or take, so it’s a series of 50-mile races. Then there was one segment that was like 96 miles or something like that. For that one, I grabbed an extra water bottle and threw it in my jersey pocket. It was through the night too, so that strategy ended up working.

I got pinched at that 96-mile gas station. It was supposed to open at 4 a.m., and I got there at 2:30 a.m.

CXM: Oh no man.

JP: Yeah, I kind of knew I might miss it because I was moving fast. I was like, ‘If I beat that time, I am cruising right now, and I need to prepare to make it farther.’ I stuffed a Red Bull and some M&Ms in my back pocket at the previous gas station, making a promise to myself not to eat it until I made that 96 miles. When I got there, I was basically out of water, so I just chugged the Red Bull and at the candy and rode the 35 miles to the next gas station.

You know, I’m comfortable doing that. It was fine, and I didn’t second-guess any of the decisions I made out there. It comes from a lot of experience. I’ll be 47 in 2 weeks, and I’ve been long-distance racing since I was like 22 years old. It’s been 25 years of doing this.

My strategy worked really well. I was reading the other riders and pushing it as I needed to. Things just clicked, and I felt good.

CXM: I was following the live tracker on Friday night a bit, and you were smoking it.

JP: We were cruising man.

CXM: I think you had Jake Wells with you early on, and it looked like you went solo after that. How do you start the race? Do you ride 15 or 16 miles per hour the whole way? Is it kind of a race at the beginning? How did it play out?

JP: I was asked that before the start. I said, “Well, I’m going to go hard from the start and push the pace and see what I’m capable of.” In general, with my style of riding, I got hold a pretty big tempo, just underneath threshold-level for a really long time. I’m okay with holding that for a couple hours or more. Five hours, six hours and waiting to see how it plays out. It’s the long game, and I’m just hoping the pace is just a tick above what others are used to. If I can stay super consistent with that, maybe I’m going to ding some armor.

Honestly, I think probably dictated the fast pace from the start, but that’s racing and that’s my style. I don’t wait and let other people dictate the race if I can. It’s just always been the way I’ve approached my riding. People who race and ride with me generally know that.

CXM: Yesterday I talked to Lael Wilcox, the Women’s winner. Like you, she knows a thing or two about ultra-endurance events. She said the course this year was gnarly. What did you think of the ride?

JP: Yeah, I loved it. Honestly, I’ve been there enough that I kind of know what it is. I’m the kind of guy who thinks rougher terrain is better. The harder, the better. All that stuff is an advantage for me. Being a little tougher helps. I can be a strong cyclist, for sure, but I think I also fall into that tougher category.

I like that style. It was a bit rough, especially after all those rains, but man, some of that stuff was so fast. When I see fast, dried-up, hard dirt, I’m going to drill it and maximize my efficiencies and power.

At the same time, there were long stretches of big, loose, sharp stones and rocks covering the road you’re trying to tip-toe over. But you don’t want to lose time in that stuff poking around. I like that because it becomes a more technical ride.

Lael was riding 2.1″s or something, so she could just plow through, but when you’re riding 38s, you have to watch your lines and be more careful. I love that kind of riding. I was already by myself, loving my ride, dictating my own power, not worried about someone else, but then you have to concentrate more on some of the rough stuff.

I ended up with three flats. There is no perfect tire for the Dirty Kanza. Every tire gets cut out there. I had a very sizable cut, and it haunted me. I had to boot it with a goo gel package and it got a little bit bigger. I ended up flatting 3 times in the last 100 miles.

I kept looking back thinking, they’re right here, they’re right here. That was part of my strategy too; I didn’t want to know anything. I didn’t have the app on my phone to see where riders were at. I obviously didn’t see anyone at the gas stations, and I had no idea what the splits were. I was running like a scared rabbit, that’s how I treated it. I think it was good for me not to know.

CXM: After attending for two years now, I think I would be wary of talking up one tire over another for Dirty Kanza because in the end, they all seem to end up with flats.

JP: Every tire gets ripped, man. It doesn’t matter. That’s why you really have to be conscious of the pressure you’re putting in your tires and let them give a little more. You don’t want to be super firm, you kind of need it to soak up the hits a bit. You need to pick your lines and know the more you ride there, the more you can read the material better. You start to understand that yeah, this is a sharp area, or this is okay.

But yeah, there’s no perfect tire for the DK. Honestly, I almost think the old-school Schwalbe Marathon-style, European touring tires that you cannot put a nail through might be the right call. We just want all that suppleness now.

The bottom line is fixing a flat or changing a tire should be accepted as part of the game. People will get down from that stuff, and the reality is everyone is getting flats. Don’t eff around, don’t let it mess with your brain. I’ve seen it happen to people in front of me. They flat and all of a sudden they’re just completely out of it mentally. It’s like, ‘Dude, fix it, everyone is going to flat.’

If you’re quick about it, it’s a couple minutes. Be prepared. Bring plugs and lightweight tubes. I brought three tubes, real tubes. Throw in a handful of plugs and some patches.

With the flats in the last 100 miles or so, I knew I needed to keep a level head. I knew Jake Wells was going pretty hard for it. Matt Acker, a previous winner, was there. All these guys were super respectable and super fast. And honestly, with 350 miles in one day, that isn’t in my wheelhouse. I’m better at the strategy over several days, while those guys are a bit sparkier than I am.

And I didn’t carry much. Like you asked me. I didn’t carry any food, I just had some Gu powder and gels and a few bars. Also a pair of sleeves and a rain jacket, so not much.

CXM: What pressure did you start at, and when you flat, how do you decide what pressure to pump them up to?

JP: I ride fat bikes on the snow a lot, so I’m super sensitive to tire pressures because it’s really a game of tire pressure in those conditions. I’m not a huge numbers guy though. People ask me, and I’m always like, “Feel feel feel feel.” I need to get on it and see how it feels. I know I did check them before I left. I was running new Teravail Rutlands that tracked awesome and cornered super well. I probably did 40, 41 psi in the rear and probably like 38, 39 psi in the front. I was pretty happy with that and was able to get loose when I needed to.

CXM: Yeah, that’s the fun part of riding, getting out there and letting the bike flat around under you.

JP: For sure. I had 3 CO2s with me and obviously blew through them and had to use the pump to top it off. When I had to put a tube in, I had to run higher pressures.

Petervary rode a Salsa Warbird with aero bars. © Shimano

CXM: I’ve got kind of philosophical question for you. You look at the field of the DKXL, and it has folks like you, Dan Hughes and Corey Godfrey in it, some of the OGs of gravel racing are doing the DKXL whereas the DK200 is a race that is effing fast now. Where do you see the future of gravel going in terms of length? More ultra events, shorter rides?

JP: In general, DK is just a very unique thing. It can never be replicated, so it allows for certain things. It allows for this ultra 350-mile thing, but I don’t think we’re going to see more of that. We’ve really already had it for a while at races like TransIowa, and those events already prove that there aren’t a lot of people showing up.

I think the long ones are a passion-driven thing. For example, there’s a 400-mile race here in my backyard in Victor, Idaho; there are these events, but people call them bikepacking events. There are races that are 300 to 500 miles long that fall into the realm of bikepacking.

Honestly, I was a little concerned when the 350-mile races started because I wondered how people would relate them to bikepacking. The rule bases are different. You can’t draft in bikepacking, but in this event you can. People who were on the line at the DKXL last year know I was pretty vocal about being clear what the rules were.

Even the word self-supported can get funny. Self-supported in bikepacking is different than it is in the DKXL. Bikepacking is something that is near and dear to me, and I think it’s important to know the history of events and how they change over time because that’s how we got to where we’re at and how we keep grassroots ethics.

In general, we’re obviously seeing gravel events popping up all over. It’s good. Ultimately, we just want to see more people in the sport and on bicycles. If gravel can help grow that in general, I think that’s great. Gravel is great because it’s accepting of everyone.

With all the events coming out, I’d say we’re starting to enter a realm of concern, but I think it will shake out. Gravel racing is coming from a grassroots level, so there are questions about if the WorldTour guys are changing it. Then there are events out there that are giving gravel racing a different personality versus what a lot of gravel racing has been known for. I think that will shake out among the race promoters and owners. What really comes out at events is the promoters’ personalities.

I think that’s good because we want to get new people in the sport, and gravel is very accepting and open for everyone. If newbies are really stoked about gravel, if they go to their first event and it has a more competitive feel and WorldTour-style focus, then I think that beginner rider is going to leave with a different taste in their mouth. I don’t think that is necessarily going to help us keep growing the sport.

CXM: You obviously tend toward one extreme, but one thing I think has been cool in covering a lot of races is seeing more and more of them offer short distances of like 25 miles, 30 miles. It seems like promoters are really doing a good job of inviting people to join the party.

JP: I think we’re in a good place right now. We’re really seeing it on the industry side too. The new [Shimano] GRX groupset is a huge thing. That’s a big development in the gravel segment. For a component company like Shimano to invest in it and do not just one grupo but go deep with a full line of stuff, I think it’s going to change bikes. I think it’s cool that there are still opportunities for the segment to grow and for people to try new stuff. I think people are still waffling between 650b and 700c, but that too will shake out over time. As a bike dork, it’s super fun.

CXM: One last question, what’s up next for you this summer?

JP: As I said, I came off a bunch of traveling since I went to Alaska in March. I’m going to stay home for a while here in Victor, Idaho. It’s in the Teton Valley. It’s a sweet area, it’s a good time of year to be here. It’s been a couple of summers since I’ve been here for a good stretch.

I’m going to do some focused training, and then my next focus is the Silk Road Mountain race in Kyrgyzstan in August. I did that last year, and it has a very close connection with me. It was the inaugural year last year, and there was a ton of press for it. I was actually the fastest person, I think I finished in about eight days. It brought back some of my original adventure racing and multi-day racing.

I’ll do some regional stuff or whatever; I can’t keep my nose too clean. But more or less, staying here in Idaho for the next eight weeks or so. Maybe work on some house stuff.

CXM: So maybe we won’t see you at DKXL next year? Maybe we will?

JP: Yeah, who knows. I’ve been doing it so long, it is kind of a reunion, so we’ll see.

CXM: Thanks for your time.

JP: You bet. Thanks man.

The post Back for More: With a Simple Ask, Jay Petervary Returns to Race, Win 2019 DKXL appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

Update: We’ve got a random, lucky winner! Mark Pitts of Pittsburg rolls away with the Spinergy GX wheelset with PBO spokes of his choice of color.

Mark says:

“I commute every day and love to ride a mix of road, gravel, and trail during long rides on the weekend. Planning a pretty unique gravel bike build with this wheelset, but it’s a secret for now They may cameo on my Salsa Vaya in the meantime. Thrilled to test out the plush ride at some gravel events later this year, particularly unPAved in October!

The unique gravel bike is a secret no more, and will be even more unique thanks to Spinergy’s PBO spokes. Congrats Mark!

We’re heading into the biggest week in gravel, not only because of the Dirty Kanza and Lost and Found gravel races, but because you’ve got a chance to win your very own set of Spinergy GX gravel wheels, complete with Spinergy’s vibration-absorbing PBO spokes in the color of your choice.

Spinergy is giving away a pair of its GX gravel tubeless disc wheels, complete with your pick of custom colors of PBO spokes.

Spinergy says the winner of these wide, tubeless disc wheels will:

Experience next-level gravel grinding with these lightweight GX wheels equipped with Spinergy’s bullet proof PBO fiber spokes for a difference you will immediately feel!

With an internal width of 24mm, these are ideal for any gravel or mixed surface tires. Weighing only 1495 grams for the set, these wheels can handle any terrain you will encounter. Take the fast line, not the easy one, with PBO power.

Think that’s all marketing hype? We put them to the test. Read our full review of the Spinergy GX gravel wheels here.

Entering just takes a few seconds, and we’ll have additional chances to win through new Spinergy trivia questions throughout the week. You’ll also get additional entries by spreading the word. Enter via the widget below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Want to see what you might be rolling on? Have a watch of Spinergy’s video of the wheels in action below:

The post Giveaway: Win Spinergy’s Lightweight GX Gravel Wheels with PBO Spokes – Winner Announced appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

We’ve done this before, but Illinois is not totally flat—or maybe it is. Tucked into the northwest corner of Illinois and southwest corner of Wisconsin is a hilly region called the Driftless Area that was untouched by the most recent glaciers. The resulting landscape with beautiful hills and valleys is a hidden gem of a place to ride.

While Wisconsin is mostly paved thanks to the dairy industry, the Illinois Driftless has gravel roads meant for exploring. The Ten Thousand gravel event (we covered it in 2018) took place over Memorial Day weekend. Craig Bryant reports from the experience.

by Craig Bryant

If you’re looking for 10,000 feet of climbing in a century ride you might look to the Colorado Rockies, the island of Mallorca or maybe Italy’s Dolomites. Then again, maybe you’ll head to flat-as-a-pancake Illinois to ride in a swath of land straddling Wisconsin and the Land of Lincoln the glaciers never razed.

The region is called the Driftless. There are no pancakes in sight, just hill upon hill of gravel and dirt.

The annual northwest Illinois gravel adventure called Ride Ten Thousand took place there Memorial Day weekend, offering up three sizes of adventure: 50, 75, and 130 miles, the last of which carries riders over a seemingly endless 10,000 feet of climbing.

The Ten Thousand features hill after hill after hill. 2019 Ten Thousand Gravel Ride, Illinois. © Justin McBride

The recently anointed (by yours truly) Capital of Midwestern Gravel Roads, Freeport, Illinois [Ed. note: Also home to one of the all-time great high school mascots, the Pretzels] is home to the ride and its host and primary organizer, the eponymous Freeport Bicycle Company (Chicago’s Comrade Cycles also ensures plenty of Chicago riders make the trip).

While there’s no fee to ride the event, FBC and Comrade peeps along with what seemed to be dozens of volunteers treated the riders like royalty from early morning right on through when the last of the riders rolled in.

If you’re not up for riding the Ten Thousand, come for the cookies and baked goods—race organizer Stu Garwick’s mom sponsored the whole thing with a huge supply of fresh cookies and bars.

Cookies await at the finish. 2019 Ten Thousand Gravel Ride, Illinois. © Justin McBride

As for the terrain, it’s punchy hill after punchy hill of well-groomed farmland roads with the occasional hold-on-tight brand of washed out dirt road descent that might make yours truly consider wearing a diaper next year. The riding is not for the faint of heart.

I rode Specialized Pathfinder Pros (tubeless 38s at 45 psi), and they were a great tire for the job—wide enough to hold me in place for the 45+ mph descents and fast enough to roll through the 20 or so miles of pavement connecting us to all the gravel highlights.

While Ride Ten Thousand isn’t technically a race, there was an overall winner this year and his name is Justin Royster, a Chicago-based graveleur riding with the Union Cycling Team (he also took the best time in 2017). Justin powered a 17+ mph average for a moving time of 7 hours 29 minutes this year. The top female finisher, Kimberly Breuer of Waterloo, Iowa, turned in a 9-hour 26-minute ride with both a smile and an average speed of 13.8 mph.

As for me, my ride time of 8 hours and 5 minutes featured a leisurely 40 minutes of breaks at the makeshift water stops along the route (supplemented with plenty of gels, thanks to Justin McBride and his Gu Energy Labs sponsorship).

I met riders from all over the place. The Panaracer/Stan’s NoTubes p/b Bicycle X-Change elite racer Kae Takeshita was there loosening up the legs for last weekend’s Dirty Kanza 200. JP McCarthy, of SRAM road product renown, was a great partner to ride with for a couple of hours too. A couple of hundred other riders came and went during the day—some for leisure, others for training and building up for the next competitive event.

That gets me thinkin’ … maybe, just maybe, Hillinois has the makings for some formal gravel races to complement the Midwest classics season roster of Rough Road and Barry-Roubaix (remember Gravel Metric?). [Ed. note: Southwest Wisconsin’s Dairy Roubaix is another option]

It’s a beautiful cycling destination regardless, and the essence of Ride Ten Thousand is unequivocally non-competitive for good reason: you come for the gravel and stay for the hills, but you really do it all for Stu’s mom’s cookies.

They don’t call it Hillinois for nothing. 2019 Ten Thousand Gravel Ride, Illinois. © Craig Bryant

The post Gravel Report: Illinois? More Like Hillinois at the Ten Thousand Gravel Ride appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

Nash has had a strong summer thus far, taking the win at the Epic Rides Grand Junction Off-Road and following her second-place finish at the 2018 Lost and Found with a win at last Saturday’s annual gravel grinder in the Sierras.

Nash’s Clif Pro Team has been in a bit of flux in recent years, with the mountain bike program taking on a more domestic focus and Maghalie Rochette departing the cyclocross team to start her solo CX Fever program. The changes have also brought the team a new cyclocross bike.

Last year at Lost and Found, we spotted Nash on the gravel-focused Orbea Terra. Having had a calendar year to get used to the bike, which included a full season of cyclocross racing, we checked back in with Nash to see how she’s settled into the bike in our latest Lost and Found Bike profile.

[caption id="attachment_136049" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Katerina Nash’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning Orbea Terra.[/caption]

Katerina Nash’s Lost and Found Orbea Terra Gravel Bike

The Terra is Basque-based Orbea’s cyclocross and gravel frame. Orbea redesigned the platform in 2017 to include flat mount disc brakes, 12mm thru-axles, hidden fender mounts and clearance for tires up to 40mm wide. The frame also incorporates swappable cable stops to allow internal routing of both mechanical and electronic shifting cables.

[caption id="attachment_135977" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The redesigned Terra has clearance for tires up to 40mm wide, which Nash fit in there for Lost and Found. Katerina Nash’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning gravel bike. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

The cyclocross/gravel Terra frame has a 70.5-degree head tube angle, and Nash’s Small frame has a chainstay length of 43cm and wheelbase of 103cm. “It’s a great bike for gravel,” Nash said.

That’s consistent with Orbea’s positioning of the bike, with words like “explore,” “straying from the beaten path,” “all-road,” and of course, “gravel” dotting its marketing material.

Since last year, Nash has changed several of the parts, most notably subbing in an ENVE carbon fork before the start of last year’s ’cross season. Asked her reasoning at Cincinnati Cyclocross, Nash told Cyclocross Magazine that the change was intended to quicken the steering on what is a very slack front end.

[caption id="attachment_135967" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The ENVE Cross fork easily clears Nash’s 40mm Ramblers. Katerina Nash’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning gravel bike. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

The move also necessitated the installation of an R785 brake caliper for the ENVE’s post mount attachment, rather than the Dura-Ace flat mount caliper found in the rear. Interestingly, and perhaps frustratingly, this setup requires two different models of brake pads.

[caption id="attachment_135961" align="aligncenter" width="1249"] Nash swapped the fork on her Terra for cyclocross season, hoping to speed up steering. Her ENVE fork uses post mount brakes, and as such she has installed an R785 brake caliper as well. Katerina Nash’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning gravel bike. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

The drivetrain components on Nash’s multi-purpose bike are still from Shimano, but this year Nash has opted for a Dura-Ace R9100 crankset rather than the Rotor 3D+ she used in the past. She stuck with the compact 50/34t wide-range gearing despite the change.

[caption id="attachment_135971" align="aligncenter" width="1114"] Also new is Nash’s in-series Dura-Ace R9100 crankset, which replaces her Rotor equipment. Katerina Nash’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning gravel bike. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

She also installed a clutch-based RX805 Di2 rear derailleur in place of the Dura-Ace R9150 she used last year. She still has a R9150 Di2 front derailleur.

[caption id="attachment_135970" align="aligncenter" width="1122"] Nash installed Shimano’s RX805 rear derailleur, which features a clutch, to replace the Dura-Ace derailleur she previously used. Katerina Nash’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning gravel bike. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Wheels mark another change for Nash’s build. Gone are the DT Swiss RC-38 tubeless clinchers, replaced in favor of Stan’s Grail CB7 hoops.

[caption id="attachment_135975" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Nash ran Stan’s Grail CB7 tubeless-ready tires at this year’s Lost and Found. Katerina Nash’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning gravel bike. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

After last year’s flats, Nash pumped up the jams a bit, going with 700c x 40mm Maxxis Ramblers in place of last year’s 38s. After running them in the high 30s last year, Nash went with 32psi front and 33psi rear and had better luck in the flat department.

New wheels also mean new rotors, and Nash selected Dura-Ace level RT900 rotors to replace her old XTR RT99.

[caption id="attachment_135969" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Nash pumped up to 40mm Maxxis Ramblers this year. Katerina Nash’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning gravel bike. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Changes also included a move to Crankbrothers Eggbeater  rather than Candy pedals.

[caption id="attachment_135962" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] While she continues to use Crankbrothers pedals, Nash has chosen the lighter Eggbeater 3 over her previous Candy 11 pedals. Katerina Nash’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning gravel bike. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

The majority of her cockpit stayed consistent with last year’s build, with Easton EC90 components represented in the handlebar and seatpost, although she did switch to a Prologo saddle over last year’s Astute Skylite VT and swapped in an Easton EA90 SL stem for last year’s carbon model.

Like all gravel grinders, Lost and Found is largely self-supported, but at about 100 miles, it does not require packing the same amount of gear as the Dirty Kanza 200 or DKXL. To that end, Nash went with a saddle bag and a conspicuous frame pump—or at least we noticed because of her issues with flats last year.

[caption id="attachment_135974" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Last year’s Lost and Found was marked by flats for Nash. She came prepared with a frame mounted hand pump. Katerina Nash’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning gravel bike. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

For more on Nash’s Lost and Found gravel setup, see the photo gallery and specs below.

Photo Gallery: Katerina Nash’s Lost and Found Orbea Terra

Katerina Nash’s 2019 Lost and Found-winning Orbea Terra.

The post Gravel Bike: What’s New with Katerina Nash’s Lost and Found Orbea Terra appeared first on Cyclocross Magazine - Cyclocross and Gravel News, Races, Bikes, Media.

Stephens’ teammates include, among others, former Dirty Kanza 200 winner Mike Marchand and team director Bob Cummings, who has lived on gravel roads for years.

“Being on Panaracer, I had the OG guys on my team, so I didn’t have to go through the learning curve,” Stephens said. “I was able to glean information from them, and they would tell me how things would go down and what to expect when I was going into my first DK.”

While talking about Marchand, he related a story about how the 2009 DK200 winner helps give him a good perspective on “modern” gravel racing.

“I saw an old picture of his, and he had the skinny tires, top tube pump, short shorts, you look back and you’re like, ‘Okay, I have this badass equipment and tubeless tires and everything else and I’m going to go do this course, but these guys did it on rougher equipment, no problem.'”

Stephens’ “badass equipment” for the 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 included his new Factor Vista gravel bike the team is riding this season. I checked out Stephens’ bike on the Friday afternoon before the Dirty Kanza for this DK200 bike profile.

[caption id="attachment_136021" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Mat Stephens’ 2019 DK200 Factor Vista Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Mat Stephens’ DK200 Factor Vista Gravel Bike

The Panaracer gravel team founded by Cummings is the largest national gravel-focused team in the U.S., so having the team on your bikes can be good for the brand. That is, if you can meet Cummings’ high standards. Last year, the team was on the 3T Exploro Flatmount, and this year, it made the switch to the Factor Vista all-road-style bike.

Factor was founded in England in 2007 with a focus on auto racing and then produced its first bike in 2009. After riding Factor’s road bike, former Tour de France green jersey winner Baden Cooke decided to partner with Rob Gitelis and purchase the company. Factor’s U.S. headquarters are now located in Lincoln, Nebraska, while the company builds its bikes in a factory it owns in Taiwan.

[caption id="attachment_136035" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Factor is based in Britain and has its U.S. office in Nebraska. Mat Stephens’ 2019 DK200 Factor Vista Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

The Factor Vista is the all-road bike in the company’s stable of lightweight carbon road bikes. A 54cm frame has a head tube angle of 72.4 degrees, bottom bracket drop of 7.5cm, trail of 6cm and short 41.8cm chainstays. The seatstays are dropped for claimed additional compliance.

[caption id="attachment_136033" align="aligncenter" width="1185"] The Vista has dropped seat stays to provide some extra compliance. Mat Stephens’ 2019 DK200 Factor Vista Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

We usually cover the cockpit last in these profiles, but in the case of the Vista and Stephens’ team, what’s up front is a good story, up front.

The Vista uses an integrated stem and handlebar that pairs with an elongated head tube—the head tube design is unique, with a split and pivot that allows the front to rotate with the bar—and the team bikes originally came with the OTIS-AR barstem that features flat tops and slightly flared drops.

[caption id="attachment_136042" align="aligncenter" width="1204"] The head tube on the Vista has an elongated shape to fit the integrated barstem, and the split front rotates with the barstem. Mat Stephens’ 2019 DK200 Factor Vista Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Sounds fast, right? There was a problem though. The Panaracer / Factory p/b Bicycle X-Change riders are huge proponents of running aero bars for gravel racing, and the team’s clip-ons did not fit. The company went back to the proverbial drawing board.

“Factor made a new bar so we could attach clip-ons. Size, width, one-piece handlebar, it took a little time to get it right, but it really rides great,” Stephens said. “We remembered what it’s like to not have aero bars at a few races this year, and once you get back on them and go really fast, it’s a lot more fun.”

[caption id="attachment_136029" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The Vista uses an integrated barstem system. Mat Stephens’ 2019 DK200 Factor Vista Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Stephens attached 3T Clip On Pro aero bars to the newly designed handlebar.

[caption id="attachment_136030" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Stephens attached 3T Clip On Pro aero bars to the redesigned handlebar. Mat Stephens’ 2019 DK200 Factor Vista Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Factor builds the Vista with its carbon AR seatpost. The company designed the 20mm-setback post with a flat back to provide more compliance than a traditional round one. Stephens attached a Fabric Scoop Team Pro saddle to the post.

[caption id="attachment_136032" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Stephens used a Fabric Scoop Team Pro saddle. Mat Stephens’ 2019 DK200 Factor Vista Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

The Vista frame features the above-mentioned short chainstays and dropped seatstays, yielding a maximum claimed tire clearance of 700c x 35mm. The total space available is 44mm, so in theory, riders can squeeze a tire that measures 38mm with 3mm of clearance on either side.

[caption id="attachment_136034" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] The clean seat stays provide clearance for up to 35mm-wide tires. Mat Stephens’ 2019 DK200 Factor Vista Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Tire choice was a big topic of conversation at the team tent on Friday. With the heavy rains that hit the area the week before the Dirty Kanza, team riders were concerned about having enough clearance if the roads were muddy in spots.

Stephens and the other team riders opted for 700c x 35mm Panaracer GravelKing SKs in the blue colorway with some extra sidewall protection.

“These are the Pluses, so they have a heavier-duty casing.,” Stephens explained. “With the flint out here, really sharp rocks, the extra casing should come in handy. We’ve run other tires out here in the past, and you know, I got a flat out here last year. Same tire, bigger tire but a more supple casing. This year I decided to go with a tougher casing.”

[caption id="attachment_136043" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Stephens opted for 700c x 35mm Panaracer GravelKing SK tires with the new + casing for the DK200. Mat Stephens’ 2019 DK200 Factor Vista Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Stephens reported suffering three flats in Saturday’s race, the first near the rough stretch of E Kaw Reserve Road around Mile 25 that also claimed Taylor Phinney (EF Education First) and Kiel Reijnen (Trek – Segafredo), among many others. Stephens eventually bounced back to finish 15th.

[caption id="attachment_136074" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Stephens had to chase after an early flat set him back. 2019 Dirty Kanza 200 Gravel Race. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Factor has partnered with Black Inc. to provide wheels for the Vista, and Stephens had the Thirty carbon tubeless clinchers on his bike. The wheels have a 21mm internal width, a spec chosen based on the bike’s intended use with 30-35mm wide tires.

[caption id="attachment_136037" align="aligncenter" width="1209"] Factor partnered with Black Inc. to produce the Thirty carbon tubeless clinchers to pair with the Vista. Mat Stephens’ 2019 DK200 Factor Vista Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Stephens ran an 11-speed SRAM Red eTap drivetrain (we saw Peter Stetina run the new Red eTap AXS grupo). He ran a Red DZero crankset with Quarq power meter with 50/34 X-GlideR chain rings in the front and an 11-32t cassette in the rear with the Red eTap rear derailleur. Speaking of preparation, Stephens was charging the battery when I saw the bike on Friday.

[caption id="attachment_136023" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Stephens ran a SRAM Red eTap rear derailleur. The battery was at home charging on Friday afternoon. Mat Stephens’ 2019 DK200 Factor Vista Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

With CeramicSpeed as a team sponsor, Stephens had an oversized OSPW cage and pulley wheels installed.

[caption id="attachment_136024" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Stephens used the CeramicSpeed OSPW oversize cage and pulley system. Mat Stephens’ 2019 DK200 Factor Vista Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

He also had a fresh coated UFO chain he was saving just for the Dirty Kanza. Leading up to the race, Stephens had been topping up his chain with CeramicSpeed’s UFO Drip lubricant.

[caption id="attachment_136045" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Stephens saved a CeramicSpeed UFO coated chain just for DK. Mat Stephens’ 2019 DK200 Factor Vista Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

One last bit of customization Stephens was planning on using in Saturday’s race was a bovinely inspired Arundel-branded Ass Savers mudguard.

“Cow poop. Gotta keep the poop out of your pockets,” Stephens said. “I love Arundel’s products. They’re a local company to Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. I want to support them, and there’s no disadvantage in running the Ass Saver.”

[caption id="attachment_136031" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Bovinely inspired, Stephens attached an Arundel-branded Ass Savers to keep cow poop away. Mat Stephens’ 2019 DK200 Factor Vista Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

Stephens’ ran Shimano XTR M9000 SPD pedals. To complete his rig for the 202-mile race, Stephens carried gear with a Dark Speed Works Speedpack 480 top tube bag, attached two water bottle cages and taped a spare tube under his top tube.

[caption id="attachment_136028" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] Stephens stored his food in a Dark Speed Works Speedbox 480 top tube bag and taped an extra tube below the top tube. Mat Stephens’ 2019 DK200 Factor Vista Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine[/caption]

For a closer look at Stephens’ Factor Vista, see the photo gallery and specs below.

For more from Emporia, see all of our coverage of the 2019 Dirty Kanza 200.

Photo Gallery: Mat Stephens’ DK200 Factor Vista Gravel Bike

Mat Stephens’ 2019 DK200 Factor Vista Gravel Bike. © Z. Schuster / Cyclocross Magazine

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