Category: Race Reports
Secret pre season training
The perfect XTERRA bike. Specialized Epic S-works.
Photo by RichCruse.com.
My Specialized Epic S-works worked like a dream, and this course on Maui is infamously tough on equipment. A lot of work has gone into the preparation of the bike for this race in particular.
Here are a few highlights:
Specialized tires
Specialized has been amazingly helpful in helping me find a tire that is truly Caveman proof. Over the past year we have had 2 extensive tire testing camps. We tried numerous prototypes and found a casing that works exceptionally well. It weighs roughly 630g, rolls well at low pressures, the casing is cleverly assembled to make it supple, but most importantly it is very, very strong. In 8 months of testing I have had 2 flats: One at XTERRA Idaho where a 5 inch nail went through both sides and once when I rode over a broken bottle bottom. The tire will be called the GRID and will come in Fast Track LK, The Captain and some of the free ride tire tread patterns. Importantly, the GRID will also be available in 29″…
Because these sidewalls are so strong, you have to run really low pressure to provide a good, comfey ride. I rolled 23.5psi in the front and 27.5psi in the rear. (on “normal” courses I would go 23 and 26.5psi)
What does Ned Overend REALLY do at Specialized?
Sounds like a fun job to me. But then you have to be a legend first. (And kick butt at 54!)
XTERRA USA Champs race report, Ogden Utah. Rather late than never
All pictures by Nils Nilsen
My dad is right- one can count a humans’ age like a tree- by the number of rings it has. My dad says he is at the age where you can count the rings around his knees. One can count the number of USA XTERRA Titles I have won by the number of rings I have when smiling and squinting into the sun… (its 7, if you cant bother to count)
Seriously, check out why my dad will kick your dads ass HERE.
A pre-able to tuesdays’ race report for XTERRA USA Champs, Ogden.
Melanie McQuaid, myself, Shonny Vanlandingham and Josiah Middaugh “teaching” The Art of XTERRA at the Paul Mitchell XTERRA University. Pics by Nils Nilsen
I dont have 3hrs to write a good race report right now, but I know monday everyone spends half the day on their Facebook and reading about the weekends race results before real work starts, so here is a quick little something something about the weekend.
I’m driving to Reno today (9hrs) so I can get back to training for Maui in 4 weeks.
I finished 2nd behind Nico Lebrun on this mountain goat course, but nailed my 7th XTERRA USA Series title. More about this tomorrow.
This is a quick peek at this whirlwind weekend.
