What are you going to get the mountain bikers in your family this holiday season?

Although the hills and mountains are dusted with snow, the once mountain biker paradise is still ever present in the mind of those who live to push peddles during the warmer seasons. The mountain biker in your family hasn’t forgotten about their passion for the sport, so get them something to tease their senses throughout the winter months!

For the Bike…

GORE Ride On Shifting Cables

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to have completely, and I mean, COMPLETELY, smooth shifting? Dream no farther. The GORE Ride On system makes shifting silky smooth, make each shift precise and exact. I installed this system on my bike and instantly felt the difference, no more wrenching of my left thumb to try and get the front rings to change. The key to the system? According to GORE their “cables are completely protected from mud, dirt and the elements by continuous liners and GRUB™ Seals”. This system includes a cable coating that is durable and virtually eliminates cable friction, AKA: No friction=better, more precise shifting, which= a smile on your face!

MSRP: varies, order on Competitive Cyclist

 For Your Head…

S3 MT Specialized Helmet

What do you want in a helmet? Effective, safe, lightweight and some venting, right? The Specialized S3 MT does all of that, and does it without looking like a salad bowl on your head! The venting on this helmet will make you wonder how you got by without it, and it will feel virtually weightless once on your head. The visor is removable which gives you an option on whether you want it on or not. The buckle is low profile and easy to adjust and the adjustment dial will make the helmet fit perfectly. Give the gift of safety to the mountain bikers in your family, or if you love cruising the trails, put it on YOUR wish list!

MSRP: $150

 For Your Eyes…

Optic Nerve Performance Line Sunglasses

The Performance Line of Optic Nerve Sunglasses are designed for athletes. They consist of feather light materials, anti fog lenses, venting and grips. All of these features make them ideal for hitting the trails without worrying about them fogging up, falling off or not doing a good job blocking the sunlight. The nose pieces are totally adjustable which lets you decide where you want them to sit. But they also can be adjusted around the ears, so you have complete control to customize them as you see fit. The best part? The price point. All of the performance line glasses are between $39.99-$49.99 so you can get a great pair of glasses without breaking the bank!

 For Your Feet…

Darn Tough Vermont Coolmax 1/4 Sock Mesh

Well, it goes without saying Darn Tough Vermont makes some darn tough socks that they back up with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, for life! According to their site, “if our all weather performance socks are not the most comfortable and durable socks you have ever worn, return them for another pair or your money back. No strings. No conditions. For life.” Wow, not a bad deal… These Coolmax socks are made for cycling, they are made with mesh on the top and are reenforced in the toe and in the heal. They are also completely seamless, which means there is nothing to rub, which might virtually eleminate blisters, PERFECT for those long trail rides!

MSRP: $15.95

 For Your Skin…

All Terrain Recovery Rub

“All Terrain Recovery Rub is a first aid, pain relieving cream to relieve aches and pains from arthritis, backache, sore muscles, sprains, strains and bruises. It is also great for loosening up before exercise or activity to help prevent injury. Using menthol and arnica, Recovery Rub is highly effective, with cinnamon, sweet almond oil and sweet clover to balance the menthol. “Soothe sore muscles with this cooling salve. It’s made with arnica, a natural anti-inflammatory, shea butter and olive oil. Bonus: It’s not greasy and doesn’t have a strong smell like Ben-Gay”

MSRP: $9.99

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 For Your Body…

Pearl Izumi Women’s Launch LS Jersey

This form fitting, light weight jersey should be your ‘go to’ when summer is fading into fall and winter is warming into spring. According to Pearl Izumi, “chilly spring mornings on the trail get a lot more comfortable with the Women’s Launch Long Sleeve Jersey which also features UPF 50+ protection and a 6″ zipper for ventilation”. The jersey features great graphics and screen printed designs with a zippered pocket on the back for an extra, small layer or some loose odds and ends.

MSRP: $80.00

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 For Hydration…

Deuter Hydro Lite 2.0

Everything you need, nothing you don’t. That is what you need to know about this pack. It has been designed for comfort and functionality and it really hits the mark. It features Deuter’s “Air Strip” technology which helps with back ventilation. It also has light, mesh shoulder straps so, giving you the ultimate in cool, lightweight comfort. This particular model holds 3 liters of water, although the Hydro Lite 3.0 holds 4 liters. There are a few little pockets for your valuables, but this pack is designed to be as light as possible so their are only the necessities. You might be grateful of this packs lightness as you find yourself a couple of hours into a ride, not wanting to carry any extra pound.

MSRP: $69.00

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 For Your Tummy…

Clif Mojo Bars

For some reason, when you’re hitting’ the trails; gu’s, shot’s, gels, etc… just don’t cut it! You just need something a little more beefy, with a little more ‘umph’. I’m pretty sure this is the reason Clif invented the Mojo. With whole pretzel chunks, pieces of nuts and chips of chocolate this bar can be sweet and salty, chewy and firm all in one bite! With all that goodness, it is also packing the exact type of energy you need to power up that last hill or zip down those switch backs!

MSRP: (12 bars) $14.95

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 And as for the bike…

Trek Lush SL

YEEEHAAA! Hold on to your helmets ladies because Trek has a whole new ride that will knock your socks of! With a stiff frame that gives you precise handling and plush, smooth suspension that makes you feel like a million bucks when you ride it, the Trek Lush SL is made for the adventurer in all of us!

The Lush features a women’s specific geometry, which shortens up the top tube slightly and changes it’s angle, in a way that makes it feel like it was fit right to you. The geometry also lowers your center of gravity while you are riding, this is why it is praised for having such great handling. This bike is perfect for all types of women riders; those looking to join the sport, through those looking to challenge themselves and what a bike that can keep up! You name it and the Lush will deliver.

MSRP: $2,729.99

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 GIVEAWAY!

POW's "Rad" Gloves for mountain biking would make a great Holiday gift (Sorry! Fingernail polish not included!)

Cycle & Style is giving away  is giving away a pair of Women’s Pow Gloves  (variety: Slick)!! These ultra light, wicking gloves are the perfect edition to any mountain bikers wardrobe! Protect your hands without loosing dexterity, and keep hold of those handlebars with the sticky grip! These gloves are fun and functional!

MSRP: $35.00

To enter the giveaway for a pair of Women’s Pow Gloves please comment by Dec. 16th Decemeber 19th with your name and a valid email address! We can ship anywhere in the USA. Good Luck and Happy Holidays!

 

C&S is excited to introduce to you a new find in the world of accessories for you & your home.  Made in the USA – each piece of metal art is made by hand in a workshop in Moab, Utah – our new friends at Tribute Sport have items to share with our readers within our last few “Buying Guides” for this year.  Keep your eyes open for all of these fun and unique items that they have to offer.  Great gifts for a cycling friend or your favorite cyclist … YOU!!  But don’t wait on us … take a trip to their online store (www.tributesport.com) … and get that shopping started!!

For now … wouldn’t the winner of the POW riding gloves look awesome while also sporting a Mountain Biking Charm Necklace with a touch of bling from Tribute Sport??  Keep those comments coming in!! We are going to extend our Giveaway time till December 19th!!  Ho Ho Ho and Happy Riding!!

Congratulations to Julie of Carefree, AZ!!!  You are now going to be wearing these cute POW pink and black mtn biking gloves along with this great mtn biking charm necklace from Tribute Sport.  Congrats & THANKS for entering!!

Everything about Lori Harward exudes enthusiasm, passion and commitment, especially her involvement in the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA). After only meeting her once briefly at a press conference about NICA I knew I wanted to talk with her more in depth because her gusto was infectious… A few short emails later and she had eagerly agreed to meet me for lunch and discuss her current role within NICA as, Utah League Director.

The National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) “is the National Governing Body for grades 9-12 interscholastic mountain biking. NICA provides leadership, governance and program support to promote the development of Interscholastic Mountain Biking Leagues throughout the United States.” Under NICA‘s governing body, high schools within a state can have mountain biking teams that compete with each other on a collegiate level.

It was this mission statement along with other visions of NICA that truly inspired Lori. She had been a road and mountain biking coach for over 5 years, and a biking enthusiast and racer for most of her life when she heard about NICA. At the USAC coaches summit in October of 2010 she met a coach from the Southern California NICA League and learned enough about the organization to realize she could take it to her home state: Utah. Once she was back in Utah she quickly got her coaching license and started a team at Bingham High. It didn’t take long for parents and supporters within the Bingham community as well as the greater Salt Lake community to start asking Lori how they too could become involved in such a great organization. With support and encouragement growing steadily she realized this idea could really grow so she looked into what it would take to start an official league in Utah. There were many components that needed to be completed before anything could move forward, but Lori was committed and saw the project through. In June of 2011 Lori submitted the final piece; the bid for the Utah League, which was a comprehensive collection of information including everything from racer demographics to race maps and even parking for events! The bid was approved and the Utah League became official within a month or two and will begin in the high schools in September of 2012.

According to Lori, all of her work was made possible by the clear, and accessible steps from NICA. Everything a potential coach, director or volunteer needs to know is right on the website with easy-to-follow instructions. This concept is outlined in one of NICA’s mission statements which states that “NICA is more than just a governing body, it provides direct League, event, coach, team and rider support including defined programs, education, licensing and insurance” (nationality.org). Everything from risk management to the race timing system is under the NICA umbrella, making it so that potential coaches do not have to start from the beginning when they want to get started. This was a huge plus for Lori as she pursued the League, there was never a time that she felt like she was being left to recreate the wheel.

Lori and her husband Dave enjoying the mountain trails on their bikes.

Not only does Lori have continuous logistical support from NICA, she also finds herself continually in agreement with the organizations visions, goals and overall mission. She told me about NICA’s scoring system, which is one-of-a-kind on the high school level, incorporating both the boys and girls scoring together to create one overall total. This type of equality means every person on the team has the potential to contribute points. Lori also loves how NICA works to instill important morals in participating student athletes. For example, the Utah League vision states that NICA wishes to “enable every Utah team to strengthen body, mind and character through cycling.” And Lori could not agree with this idea more! Coming from a fitness background herself, she supports the notion that teaching kids at a young age to appreciate outdoor, physical activities, will inspire them to be more physically fit throughout their life.

Toward the end of lunch I asked Lori about some of her “best moments” since being involved with NICA. She smiled and had two words for me, “so many”. She reiterated how personally invested she was in NICA and its visions, but then she also talked about how amazing people within local communities have been. She explained how since she began toying with the idea of starting a League in Utah, community members and parents have been coming up to her, asking how they can help and what they can do to be involved. In most cases people have come to her, she hasn’t even had to ask for any help. She told me a story about how the Parks and Recreation branch of the government of a Salt Lake City suburb enthusiastically agreed to pay for students within the community to participate in the League if they could afford a bike. There definitely seems to be natural community growing around Lori Howard and the NICA Utah League.

It's truly a team sport with the requirement that both the girls and boys scores are combined for a school win.

Come September 2012 we will see high school mountain biking throughout the state of Utah and we can thank Lori Harward, her enthusiasm and the NICA organization for making it happen. If you would like to learn more about NICA, which states already have a league or how you can help with the local League please visit the NICA website or contact Lori directly at: lori@utahmtb.org .

Article by Stephanie Tomlin

Other NICA Chapter Leagues & Project Leagues:

Editor’s Note: This year students who participate in NICA were given a survey and in the survey 98% said they see themselves continuing to ride for life. Their parents who were also surveyed also felt their child would ride for life. As the NorCal League itself is the first league and they are only 10 years old, they yet don’t have statistics with past participants. NICA is striving to keep track of past particpants and while they do know that some kids have gone on to pro racing in either mountain biking or road cycling, they would also like to know if the other alumini are in fact, continuing to ride.

By Peta Owens-Liston

Maggie Matthes laughs as she recalls riding behind one of the riders on the 100-mile White Rim Trail that undulates along the rim, on the edge of Island in the Sky in Canyonlands National Park. After 24 miles the previous day of pushing pedal and maneuvering, the woman had rigged a pillow so it attached to her bike seat. “You can do crazy things like that with just women around—plus, there’s that thing we all have in common, we’ve got the same kind of bodies.”

(Maggie is shown in the foreground)

“There are a lot more giggles and laughs and support that happens on women’s trips,” agrees Christine Martin, who has done a dozen White Rim treks. “That whole girl bonding thing happens.”

“If you have never done it before, it takes you the first day to figure things out, like you really do have to stand up while rolling through the slick rock,” says Matthes, who, although athletic, the first time on the White Rim was the first time on a mountain bike for her. “At the same time there is no shame in getting in the support vehicle.”

The trail is not all that technical, but the elevation gains can require some grunt work—particularly on the first and last day, where there is about a 1000-ft descent or ascent; this depends on which side you begin the journey, Shafer Switchbacks or the Mineral Bottom Road. The rise and fall of the rim throughout, collectively add up to more than 4,000 vertical feet of elevation change. About 20-25 miles of riding are fit into each day.

“Three to four climbs are grueling and the rest of it is do-able, and since the trail is wide you can ride alongside others and chat, unlike a lot of single track rides,” recalls Matthes. “At the same time, if you want to be with your own thoughts, you just slow down and let some distance happen.” Martin adds, “There are a couple of technical spots but nothing overwhelming and every single section of it has views that are breathtaking.”

Immersion in an unparalleled and remote landscape as well as the disconnect from all the things that tether you to the demands of life (email, phone, etc.), make this four-day stretch feel much more vacation-intense.

Shifting Gears on A Personal Level

Peddling hard, removal, and immersion in nature are the perfect storm for introspection as well as a chance to shed stress and responsibility. “I go into these trips looking for a change, a release from what I do on a daily basis,” says Jennifer Gilmore, who teaches yoga on these trips and is an avid mountain biker. “I return more grateful and accepting of my life and willing to relinquish control, letting more things roll off of me and trusting the powers of what will be, will be.”

Matthes recalls her single best camping memory that happened the last night on a White Rim trip at the Gooseberry campsite. Three times she awoke to a gentle breeze, the silhouette of slick rock, a million stars and a constellation that with each awakening had shifted above. “It was only for a few seconds each time and then I’d drift back to sleep, but each time it filled me up with the most wonderful sense of serenity.”

“All the elements of the riding are all woven together—your mindset goes from this trip to this day to this 50 yards to this peddle stroke to this breath,” says Gilmore. “It all pulls you to the present moment.”

By Felice Beitzel

2011 Tour of Qatar Route

Hi Stylish Cycling fans! My name is Felice, I am the soigneur (“swan-yer”) for the Giant Bicycles Mountain Bike Team. As a “swanny”, my job is to take care of the athletes – massages, nutrition, first aid, and anything else that they may require throughout training and racing. Last week I had the unique opportunity to work with the USA women’s road cycling team for the Ladies Tour of Qatar! If you aren’t sure where Qatar is, check the map – it is south of Iraq off the east side of Saudi Arabia… a long way from my hometown, Bend, in Oregon – 29 hours in transit! It was my first visit to the Middle East, and I was nervous – but it turned out to be a fun adventure.

The teams for the Ladies Tour of Qatar were invited guests of the King of Qatar. Upon arrival in Doha, we were immediately whisked across the city of remarkable lit-up skyscrapers and wild traffic to the swanky Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The hotel had a glossy interior with multiple oversized chandeliers, was surrounded by a garden with ridiculous shaped trimmed trees, and my favourite feature was an exceptional spa and fitness center! Thankfully, the hotel did all the cooking and cleaning and there was even a man whose job was to deliver cookies to each room in the evenings. Delicious!

View from the 18th floor - where the hotel gardens end, the desert begins.

Although Qatar may seem like an unusual location for a bike race, sporting events are very popular. In the past month, the country has hosted the Asian Games Soccer Tournament, the Qatar Masters Golf event and both the Ladies and Mens “Tour of Qatar” cycling races!

The 3 day ladies race featured very flat terrain – the highest point in the country is only 338ft – so although there were no hills to climb, the wind presented a huge challenge. The tactics of the teams were based primarily on changes in wind direction and sprints. One highlight for USA was in stage 2, when Alison Starnes in her first race since a serious injury in July 2010, launched a strong attack into the killer headwind to break away solo from the peleton to finish 7^th behind the lead bunch of 6 that had broken away earlier. It was a great effort, and it paid off – helping her on the way to a top individual general classification result of 19th! 

The other highlight was when the team met the famous Eddy Merckx - the legend of road cycling was in Qatar to support the Ladies race! L-R: Carmen, Jackie, Eddy, Kendall, Alison, Megan, Coryn.

Throughout my world-wide travels as a soigneur, I love exploring new countries and learning about new cultures. My first visit to the Middle East was fascinating. I learned that nearly three quarters of the residents in Qatar are expatriates from India, Pakistan, the Philippines and other Westerners who are employed in the wealthy country. As a result, the western influence on clothing and lifestyle is evident, with outfits ranging from perfect white robes and full burqas to sleek business suits and other western style attire. Although the freedom of clothing choice was apparent, the dress code remains conservative. Thus, it was unique for Qatar as an Islamic country, to host a cycling race featuring girls wearing nothing but lycra kits! It was interesting to observe that while the country was eager to host the event and support women’s sport, the athletes were encouraged to “cover up” immediately after the races and mid-ride “nature breaks” were definitely discouraged! Similarly, the western influence was obvious in shopping mall, which could have been a mall found anywhere in the world – the same shops selling the same things – even Starbucks! However, with a car and jacket blatantly labelled “Team USA”, and Aussie Liane’s blond hair we were obviously “not from here” and were met with inquisitive but harmless stares from both men and women.

Similar to the contrasts in culture, the contrasts in scenery in Qatar were astonishing! It was most notable in Stage 2, which commenced at the Islamic Museum and travelled along the “Doha Corniche”. This picturesque water-side drive was lined with luscious green grass, flowers and palm trees – and views of the amazing architecture of Doha across the bay.

Doha Corniche – the gardens, blue water and amazing architecture of Doha

The desert - nothing but wind.

Needless to say, my experience was amazing! Not only was it was fantastic to work with the dedicated, courageous athletes on Team USA, but witnessing the introduction of women’s cycling into a population with no established bike culture was fascinating. In Qatar, car travel is cheap and carbon dioxide emissions are the highest in the world, along with obesity rates! It is encouraging that the King of Qatar welcomed women cyclists to the Islamic conservative country, and hopefully our presence there inspires more women to participate in cycling for both the environmental and health benefits – not only in Qatar, but around the world.

My favorite signs - this picture captures the different world of Qatar, and shows that despite the cultural differences from the Western world, it is a modern country that shares the global passion for encouraging riding bicycles.

By Anna Glowinski

Cycle and style. It’s a rare and wonderful thing when those two words come together. When they do come together it usually conjures images of Dutch ladies cycling along in dresses with baskets and puppies, which is indeed a beautiful image. But there are more ways of bringing them together, cycling is capable of being an art form, an expression of creativity and personality. You see it with surfing and skiing, gymnastics and dance, why has cycling been over looked?

The MuleBar Girls are a firey bunch of racing cyclists, we’re women, we’re passionate, competitve and caring, and we’re proud of it! Our sponsors MuleBar, had the insight to sponsor an amateur team, because they too are creative, competitive and caring. A tasty, fair trade energy bar, that fuels adventure, us MuleBar Girls are honoured to represent them. Together we have been credited by one race commentator with “changing the face of women’s cycling.”

What have we done that’s so different? Firstly we had our kit designed by designer Ana Nichoola, the focus was on flattering lines and up to date colours, instead of just a billboard of shiney advertising space that team kit so often is. We had some fun with our kit, incorporating gold highlights and fur trims, and then using it to make a conventional fashion style-shoot that expresses our personalities. We worked with the photographer, helped each other with our make up, until we had shots that we loved and wanted to show off.

But we’re not simply about trying to look nice, women’s cycling is so much more than that; we cycle with a different style and attitude to men, we don’t want to “ride like a man,” stick it to the man! So we threw ourselves into racing road, track, downhill, mountain biking, BMX freestyle and cyclo-cross. Our first race as a team was a mountain bike enduro, and we stormed through to victory, eyeing up and eventually chatting to the opposition and having a fantastic day. That was the beginning of last summer. Since then we have had our wins and our off days, we spoke openly about health problems such as endemetriosis that is so common amongst women, and broken ribs, gained by falling off from going too fast. We admitted when we lost because we simply weren’t good enough, knowing the other girls had trained harder, raced better and put more effort in. Chapeau to them, now let’s get some tea.

Women are wonderfully complex, both wanting to tear someone’e eyes out in a race, wanting to impress them and wanting them to like you. The MuleBar Girls have tried to welcome that attitude, let’s not hand over the win to someone else, but let’s all have a giggle over cake no matter who takes it.

 

The bike has been credited as being the single most important invention in emancipating women. Let’s celebrate that, let’s ride how we want to ride, look how we want to look and be proud to ride like a girl.

Outerbike was located just north of Moab at a trailhead for a half-dozen mountain biking loops and right off a newly paved bike path for demoing road bikes. It was primarily a mountain-biking event this year, but next year there will be many more road bikes to demo as well. Contrast that with demoing bikes in your home town: you could wait for the bike brand of your choice to come to your town for one day each year or you could pay money down to demo a bike at your local bike shop.  One man I overheard said that his local bike shop charged $150 a day for him to demo a bike. For that same amount of money, at Outerbike he could demo as many bikes as he had the energy to ride over the four days.  

Ashley Korenblat, the director of Outerbike and also of Western Spirit Cycling Adventures said that was the very reason for this event: “When you’re spending $2000-10,000 on a bike, it’s quite a serious commitment and this is an opportunity to really try out those bikes and make sure you are getting the bike you want. There seems to be a need for customers to demo all the bikes they are thinking about. It helps you to see all the latest innovations from the various bike companies and it is a chance for the bike companies to show those innovations off directly to customers, instead of just to the media or dealers. The customers get to try the bikes before buying and the companies get direct feedback from the customers. It’s a win-win!”  

How Outerbike Works

Attendees were urged to bring their bike shoes, pedals, helmet, a hydration pack and be dressed and ready to ride (For those who don’t yet have their own bike shoes, all exhibitors will have flat pedals, so you’ll still be good to go!) At registration we received wristbands and our Outerbike card that allows us to check out which ever bike catches our eye. We also received a great string backpack with an Outerbike T-shirt, water bottle, various energy bars from Clif, several bike magazines and other fun swag.  

The expo area is full of various bike retailers with some of their best bikes and latest technology to try. Want to try out SRAM’s XX component group with a double ring in the front? Or perhaps the Gravity Dropper Seat post which changes seat position as you ride with the push of a button? I loved trying out the lightest-weight carbon mountain bikes (sub-23 lbs.) and feeling how easy it was to take those up a hill! Osprey was also there with hydration packs for sale and for demo (you’d get to keep the bladder.) Each of the exhibitors had friendly reps who will help you choose a great bike to ride and will set it up for you with the right fit, suspension and put on your pedals.  

There was also this newly paved trail to enjoy the scenic vistas outside Moab on a road bike.

 There were several choices of rides, most of them were short trails, but one can lead to another… If you choose a road bike, the newly paved bike trail is close by. There was also a really fun choice: each morning and afternoon vans with bike racks arrived to shuttle riders to one of the rides of the day: a classic Moab trail such as Slick Rock or Porcupine Rim trail. Riders could leave on the shuttles by 9am and be back for lunch or leave after lunch for an extended afternoon ride. The shuttle also delivered Outerbike attendees to and from Moab.

Outerbike took care of us in other ways too: there were large containers of water and Hammer Heed for refilling hydration bladders or water bottles. Bowls of apples, bananas, oranges, Clif Shots and energy bars were there to keep riders going. Lunch generously ran from 11-3 so all those who went long on their rides didn’t miss out. The buffet-style lunch was delicious and generous enough for the hungriest guys. In the late afternoon there was a beer garden and bike-themed movies such as Race Across the Sky were shown in downtown Moab.

Rebecca Rusch (24 hours of Moab winner & Leadville champ) was there on Friday and Saturday to lead a women’s clinic and ride. It was an amazing chance to ride with Rebecca and get technical pointers from her to improve my mountain biking skills. As I struggled to attempt one technical uphill (remember I’m a road biker), she patiently encouraged us to try it again and told us what to correct. In our group there were women from scattered points across the US and Canada with a variety of skill levels. The more experienced mountain bikers were very nurturing and supportive to those of us who were in the advanced beginner levels.

Photo courtesy of Whit Richardson

Next Year!

Ashley said that next year’s Outerbike which will be October 7-9, 2011 will be even better with more exciting trails to try, some of the best of the 2012 bikes (including more road bikes,) and more athletes like Rebecca Rusch. There will also be some pre-event clinics on Wednesday and Thursday (Oct 5-6) and that will include some for women-only. Each clinic will have something for each skill level and will be led by some of the top athletes. Ashley has one parting piece of advice for those who’d like to go to next year’s Outerbike: “Make your hotel reservations early! Moab can fill up fast!”  

And I would add, be prepared to have an awesome, amazing experience!

Photo courtesy of Whit Richardson

I had a chance to interview  Rebecca Rusch  again after her second victory in the Leadville 100 Race. In last year’s Leadville 100  she won the women’s division and shared the podium with the men’s winner, Lance Armstrong (read more about the 2009 race) and it was dramatically documented in the film Race Across the Sky.  This year, although racers were blessed with better weather conditions, Rebecca had some serious competition as she raced against Amanda Carey.  Finally, Rebecca  had a definite goal: she wanted to break the women’s course record this year. The filmmakers were back, and this year, Rebecca was on their radar.   She became one of the main focuses of  Race Across the Sky 2010 documentary (see below.)

Was the Leadville 100 Race your main focus this year?

Leadville was 100% the focus for this year, which was interesting to put all my eggs in that one basket. You could get sick or hurt and then you’re saying, “Oh! That didn’t work out!” But it went great, like clock-work. In the beginning of the season I was actually a little worried, I had some physical problems; I had low energy and, in the end, it involved putting it all into place on the right day. It was a big highlight!

Last year, I just went in without knowing anything, it hadn’t been the primary focus for the whole year, I didn’t know the course. I just kind of went in and winged it. This year I came back and I went there early; I rode a bunch of the course, and timed the climbs, I brought my boyfriend with me. He rode his motorcycle so he was doing all my personal feeds, we worked all that out with a musette bag so I didn’t have to stop or get off the bike.

I really kind of dialed in a lot of those tactics thinking of the minutes saved. I was for sure focusing on breaking the record, I focused on the minutes and it helped just knowing the course. Whereas last year, I’d be thinking, “Oh, I wonder how long this is? I wonder how long this is going to take me?”

Knowledge is power and this year I was much more able to race it. I made it my race because I had educated myself. I definitely went really, really hard. People said:”Oh Amanda was never even close, it looks like it was easy for you.” But I was way more tired than last year and ended up with a lot of cramping during the last ten miles of the course and I couldn’t even raise my hands as I finished. I had put it all on the course, even though she wasn’t right with me; I wanted to get that record.

How much did you break the record by? (Rebecca came in at 7:47 this year)

By 11 minutes. It’s a lot, but it’s not a lot.  So I was still racing, racing, racing toward the last straightaway.

How is the support handled at Leadville?

Musette bags as used by road cyclists

There are four supported stations that are for everyone –you can have friends and family there and they have a couple neutral aid stations with Gatorade and whatever else they have there. At the Twin Lakes station there are hundreds of people there for their families, cheering on the riders, handing out food to them and extra bike parts. That’s totally legal so I prepared for that. I was watching the movie from last year and I saw Lance and all those guys do musette bags; it was road tactics. I thought “Oh!” because nobody does that in mountain bike racing. This year I decided to practice it; I wanted to try it. I’d never done a musette bag and I feared it would get caught in the spokes or I thought I might not be able to get it over my head while I’m tired. I was worried I might not be able to do it. So we practiced that the day before until I knew I could do it.  I really trust Greg. So (at the aid stations) I didn’t stop. I just rode straight through and grabbed it perfectly. It was cool—a musette bag is great!

Aid stations are such a big boost during the race. There are so many people there and they are all cheering for you, yelling your name and it’s kind of the closest thing to Tour de France for a mountain bike race. It really gets you pumped!  Normally in a mountain bike race, you are out there by yourself; you are so in your own head. There’s no one around except maybe the racers, whereas here everyone is cheering all the racers. It’s really cool!

Last year, you were with a bunch of guys in a group, working together during the race. Did you race that way this year as well?

For the first 40 miles I tried to go out faster, trying to break Amanda away from me. We ended up in this little group of about 3 or 4 guys and then the two of us. I have to say, I was doing a lot of pulling and the group was kind of sitting on me a little bit. I was thinking, “I’ve got to get rid of these people.”  By Columbine, I’d broken away and was on my own for the last 60 miles.

Levi and Rebecca both broke previous course records at the Leadville 100 race in 2010

Do you have some advice for how you play the mental game in a cycling race? Or do you just zone out or ’space out’ during the ride?

Sometimes I just space out during a ride, and at other times , such as in 24-hour racing, really long stuff, I’m doing math. I’m converting kilometers to miles and just preoccupying myself, but in a race like Leadville, I’m pretty focused the whole time. Eight hours seems like a long time to stay 100% race focused but I find it best to break it down into little segments, so I knew the first climb was twenty minutes so I thought “I’m going to push really hard for 20 minutes trying to get away from Amanda. And then, okay, relax on this downhill; I can get away from her.”

 Then I know the next hill is 30 minutes. So I break it into these little segments so when I was on a breakaway on the Columbine climb, it was like a little time trial for me, an hour-something long climb. During the climb, I was looking at my odometer and trying to keep my miles-per-hour above a certain number. So if I’d drop down about .1, I’d be thinking I’ve got to keep it up, at 8-miles-per-hour or whatever the number was. By playing those little games, it would break it into segments.  If I’m just out there thinking “I’ve got 8 hours to hammer, then (laughs) it doesn’t work!”  It becomes: hard-easy-hard.  I also pick other targets: other guys or people who are racing me. They may not be in my category, but I try to stick with them.

What will you be doing the rest of the year?

  I have one more race in November: La Ruta.  It’s a super hard race, but it’s not high pressure. (La Ruta de Los Conquistadores  is a 4-day mountain bike stage race which traverses Costa Rica from the west coast to the east  on the Caribbean and takes cyclists from a hot humid tropical climate and into very cold high mountain temperatures.) Over the winter,I really like to stay home when I can. I just want to keep in shape, not get too fat. I’ll ski all winter (in 2008 she was the Masters Cross Country Skiing World Champion) and then go to Arizona and South America for a little bit for some bike training, but mostly I don’t ride very much in the winter because I can’t here (in Sun Valley, Idaho).

On Thursday, November 4^th, Race Across the Sky will premier simultaneously in more than 500 theaters around the nation. Click here to see a list of theaters that will be screening the premiere event. There will also be an encore showing on Tuesday, November 9th. Prior to the movie’s premier, you’ll get to watch a live athletes’ panel discussion where Rebecca will join Leadville Trail 100 2010 Men’s Champ Levi Leipheimer, and famous blind adventurer Eric Weihenmaer who rode this year’s Leadville on a tandem, Olympic cyclist Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, and the six-time Leadville Trail 100 champion Dave Wiens and other top racers. (Last year, the live panel only included the male riders.)

Photo credit: Steven Gleasner

If you have the opportunity to see Ride The Divide, you really should! This documentary brings the experience of Tour Divide, the world’s most challenging mountain bike race, to the movie screen.  Yes, it’s really tough: it has racers navigating their way along a 2700 mile rugged course along the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains. The film has its moments of both humor and drama. If you’ve ever been in an endurance event, you’ll really sympathize with the characters as they trudge through snow-covered mountain passes pushing their bike along, and deal with pain, injuries, mechanical break-downs and the will to go on. As a woman, I was really rooting for Mary Metcalf Collier, who in this movie, is attempting to be the first female to complete this race. Her story is particularly inspiring!

 In a great supporting role, this documentary has spectacular scenery, many glimpses of very close encounters with wildlife and best of all, an introduction to some great small towns and the characters they meet along the way such as the unforgettable Larry & his dog! If you’ve never heard of this race before, you’re not alone. The decade-old race is arduous:  the climbs total  200,000 feet, there are no designated rest stops, no support crews are allowed, riders spend long stretches alone in the wilderness, sometimes spending the night in a tiny tent in bear country. Finally, the clock never stops and riders must complete the race in a month or less. It is no wonder that so few people attempt it, much less complete it!

Ride the Divide may inspire you as you take on your next endurance challenge, and it will certainly give you a taste of an amazingly tough race while you can comfortably sit in a cushy chair munching on some popcorn! Here’s a link to a schedule of showings across the country, and a chance to meet the intrepid filmmakers. If you aren’t able to see it then, you can purchase a DVD at their site—a portion of the proceeds go to the Livestrong Foundation. For a taste of what to expect with this movie, check out the preview below.

Mary Metcalf Collier riding through southern New Mexico Photo credit: Stephen Gleasner

Ride The Divide Movie Trailer from Ride The Divide on Vimeo.

 

“The secret to mountain biking is pretty simple. The slower you go the more likely it is you’ll crash.” (Julie Furtado, Olympian, Hall of Fame Mountain Bike Cyclist)

Mountain biking is a sport that offers a sense of adventure the road can’t quite provide. Mountain biking offers many appeals:  for nature lovers, it is a chance to get away from it all; for those who want to get fit, it offers a full body workout, for those who like their sports extreme, they can get their fix of exhilarating moments. It’s also a fantastic vacation sport! If you are a beginner to backcountry biking, the technical aspects of mountain biking can seem a bit intimidating. All right,  yes, we have to admit, it takes some practice, but there will be many reasons you’ll soon be using that often-used phrase “awesome!” while mountain biking.

We went to Kari Murray of Team Sugar, a women’s mountain biking team in Park City, which puts on regular women’s-only mountain biking clinics during the summer, to get her best basic mountain biking tips. (If you a visiting or are fortunate to live near Park City, check out their free clinics held at White Pines Touring.)

Basic Biking Tips for the Backcountry Beginner

If you are an absolute beginner, you will want to practice riding your mountain bike on a level off-road area such as a rail trail. Get used to braking and shifting with the mountain bike on the level surface and then practice on some hills. Prepare yourself for the terrain ahead by adjusting the shifting and being ready to brake when needed. This becomes much more important when you leave the rail trail to ride the twisting and turning single tracks.

Another skill you can practice on the rail trail is keeping some steady speed. As the quote from Juli Furtado notes, you need to have confidence with some speed because when you have obstacles to go up and over, you need a little speed and momentum on your side to safely get over it. As you ride along work on improving your balance, especially off the saddle as you move up and down, forwards and backwards and side to side. You will soon learn that in mountain biking, your butt doesn’t stay on the saddle for long.

Seven Riding Skill Tips for the Advanced Beginner

Visualization: Look at the terrain ahead and prepare for it, by shifting or preparing to brake. Don’t be the frustrated girl who loses her momentum at the bottom of the hill because she is stuck in the wrong gearing!

Platforming: This is the position you want to be in for the technical sections of the trail or for the descent. Keep your feet in the “table-top” position (a.k.a. The ‘3’ & ‘9’ o’clock positions) Place your hands in a nearly  push-up position on the handlebars. This will allow your elbows and knees to absorb the trail’s bumps and rocks and give you the high clearance you need over obstacles. Platforming will give you a steady position, allowing you to move the bike under you. (Note: do not grip the handlebars so tightly that you can’t wiggle your fingers. Your arms and shoulders should stay relaxed. The shoulders should not be hunched, nor your elbows locked. )

Level-Ground Turns: On single track, you don’t have a lot of space to turn, so you use leaning techniques. Shift your bike underneath you from side to side to make those turns. Look around the turn and keep going.

Climbing: Drop your shoulders towards handlebars, putting weight on the front tire. Keep your head up to look ahead and keep your airways open. As you climb, keep your butt on the seat.  If the terrain steepens, scoot up towards the front to put more weight towards the front of the bike, but stay low as you slide forward. If you are clipped in, be sure to use the ‘up’ stroke as well as the ‘down’ stroke. Do NOT gear down to the easiest of the ‘granny gears.’ You will need enough gears to hold the traction. (Save that lowest ‘granny gear’ for when it’s really steep!)

Making the Descent: As you prepare to head down the hill, slide back a bit on the bike and get into the ‘platform’ position for the descent. Keep your arms nice and relaxed so the elbows are ‘taking it.’ Place a couple fingers on the brakes so you are “feathering” the brakes (gently pumping the brakes) all the way down. Kari notes, “Going downhill, I like to ride in the ‘table top’ position most of the time.” She adds, the exception to staying in that position is when you’re racing.

Descending Switchbacks: The most critical principle is to look ahead at least 10-15 feet downhill as you descend—all the way to the planned exit from your turn. “Once you’re looking ahead of you, you can see all this in your peripheral vision. As you’re approaching, you’ve already seen what’s below you,”  adds Kari. “As you’re going down the switchbacks, really look where you want to go, because if you look at the tree that is at the apex of the turn, you will hit it!”  Lastly, your technical skills will improve with practice—really! During their clinics, Team Sugar often will stop riders and have them practice riding a switchback, as they point out the line: “Okay, you’ve got to go wide here and put your front wheel in between these two rocks and pedal, pedal, pedal!”

‘Bunny Hopping’ (Jumping) a Low Obstacle: This is something that you can practice at home. While riding your bike, push the shock down, then very quickly ‘pull up’ to give the front tire some lift.  Practice this in your driveway, riding to and ‘popping’ over the low curve in the pavement at the edge of the driveway where it bends up into the curb. When you master that, you can next work on jumping the curb. You’ll use this skill to get over small logs in the trail.

If there is a great clinic or workshop for mountain biking in your area–let others know by adding it to the comment section here or our reader’s forum page.

A few years ago, Kirstin Luff was enjoying a day of mountain biking with her friends, when quite suddenly her right side went numb and her speech became slurred. It was just a temporary condition that disappeared as quickly as it came on, but she went to a neurologist who was not able to diagnose it. It happened again while she was road biking. It took a few years more before Kirstin was finally diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age 39. Kirstin said it isn’t uncommon for people to go for years undiagnosed and yet it is critical to start treatment as soon as possible in order to help them function after an attack, prevent new attacks, and prevent disability.

These days Kirstin is still an avid cyclist and continues to enjoy both mountain biking and long road rides. Her MS treatment consists of a once-a-month infusion of a disease modifying drug, and she is looking forward to the release of an oral pill that could be available in six months. In the meantime, she is still an avid cyclist and continues to enjoy both mountain biking and long road rides. That’s important because for people who suffer from MS, exercise not only helps with cardiac health, stamina and mood, but it helps manage many MS symptoms as well.

Kirstin braved wind and rain a couple weeks ago to ride in the Tour de Cure, a ride that raises funds to fight diabetes. But this weekend, Kirstin and her team are taking part in a ride with a cause very close to her heart:  the 24^th Annual Bike MS Ride: Harmon’s Best Dam Ride on June 26-27 in Logan, Utah. Bike MS is the largest organized cycling event in America with 100 rides in 48 states. Over 100,000 cyclists take part and have raised over $82 million to fight MS. It is making a difference. The last 15 years have seen huge advancements: the first six disease modifying drugs have been discovered to help people with multiple sclerosis.

This is part of Team Kirstin from last year's ride. The 24th Annual Bike MS (aka Harmons Best Dam Bike Ride) will have about 3000 riders. The 2010 fundraising goal is to raise $1.6 million for the fight against MS.

A Few Facts About MS

• Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system which interrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and the body. Symptoms can range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis.
• Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50.
• More than twice as many women are diagnosed with MS than men.
• MS affects more than 400,000 people in the US

• “If I can ride, anyone can! I’m coming up on my third year and I’m so excited. I love to soar down those hills and feel powerful and strong. I think when you have the horrible walking-with-bricks feeling of MS-related fatigue you learn to cherish those fabulous I-Can-Conquer-The-World moments.” (Marianne Hales Harding, St. George, UT.)
• “When my wife, Donna, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis it changed our lives. We finally understood why she occasionally had trouble walking or sleeping, why she sometimes lost her vision, and why she was always so tired. It also turned our entire family into activists. As my daughters have said, “We ride for those who can’t, in the hopes that someday they can.” (David Bernstein, Park City, UT. “Team Fredcast“)