The Bike

Here's for all the bike nerds like myself..

The best part of signing-up for a race like this -  a perfectly legitimate reason to buy a new bike!  I made this proclamation to Jannice just moments after I hit the "submit" button on the registration.  Her response was "oh great". 

I had two mountain bikes when I registered a year ago -  a 2011 Specialized Enduro and Chinese carbon hardtail 29er.  Both are great bikes, but neither was really fit for a race like the BCBR.  The Enduro was too heavy and not efficient enough, and I'd probably have a broken back riding the hardtail for seven days straight on the rough BC trails.

I started my search for bike that would be super efficient but also very capable of handling rougher terrain.  I researched many forums on the race and different bikes.  Knowing the rough terrain, the bike was definitely going to have 29 inch wagon wheels (clown bike for you 26er die hards!). I considered the Santa Cruz Tallboy, Salsa Spearfish, Specialized Camber, Specialized Epic and Rocky Mountain Element 970 BC Edition.  I was able to do a parking lot test ride on the Spearfish and Camber, but wasn't able to ride the others except the Epic.  I demoed an Epic on a trip to Noble Canyon a few months prior.  I remembered loving the speed and efficiency of the Epic.  It was a totally different kind of fast fun (not just descending).  After close comparisons of the different bikes, I decided on building up a custom Epic.  My intent was to build a bike that would be light and efficient enough to race in local XC races, but also to make it more "trail" worthy with my build.  After riding this bike for 9 months, I'm really loving it.  It truly is great for "epic" long rides!

Dorky Bike Build Details:

• 2012 S-Works Epic Frameset
• Rock Shox SID converted to 110mm Travel
• S-Works Crankset (2x10 - 38T, 24T)
• XTR Derailleurs - Shadow+ Rear
• XTR Shifters
• XTR Cassette 11-36T
• XTR Chain
• XTR Pedals
• Roval Control SL Wheels
• XTR Trail Brakeset with Magura Storm SL Rotors (shown above with Kettle Cycles SFL Carbon Rotors)
• S-Works Flat bars 720mm Width
• Ritchey Trail Stem 60mm
• Specialized Blacklite Command Post
• Specialized Henge Expert Saddle
• Schwalbe Racing Ralphs 2.25 (Snakeskin rear)
• Oury Lock-on Grips

Built as listed above it weighs 24.3lbs.  Built with the carbon rotors and lighter tires it was around 23.6lbs.  

Lastly, I tested numerous tires in the last year.  After all was said and done, I settled on the Racing Ralphs for BC as they offer a good balance of speed, weight, and grip...

Next up training...slightly less exciting.