[MarkJerling]

I shot a race over the weekend, the West Elk Bicycle Classic. It was gone for a year last year but back with new sponsors this year.
The main event is a 135 Mile Gran Fondo that goes along the North rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and finishes up and over the infamous Kebler Pass climb.
They also had a couple of shorter routes for the less ambitious.

My friend Dave Wiens won the long course handily. Dave is a beast! (and a really nice guy)


This is one of the top women finishers at the summit of Ohio Pass from the 52 Mile event.


This guy always does a wheelie for the camera. This is near the top of a huge climb, most of which is on dirt and at about 130 miles of riding. Very impressive!

Great shots! My hands hurt just looking at that rough road!

[mattb123]

Great shots! My hands hurt just looking at that rough road!

Thanks! Yeah, our road riding is limited here if you only ride paved roads so we use what we've got. Kebler is pretty good as they go but much rougher than most pavement!
Bike and tire choice is interesting here. Most ride road or cross bikes because there is 100 Miles of pavement and 35 of dirt. The Women's winner of the 52 Mile (Dave's wife and Olympian Susan DeMattei) rode a mountain bike but was the only one in the race.

I like a fat-ish (26mm) road tire on my Roubaix for the mix of road surfaces we ride here.

[MarkJerling]

Thanks! Yeah, our road riding is limited here if you only ride paved roads so we use what we've got. Kebler is pretty good as they go but much rougher than most pavement!
Bike and tire choice is interesting here. Most ride road or cross bikes because there is 100 Miles of pavement and 35 of dirt. The Women's winner of the 52 Mile (Dave's wife and Olympian Susan DeMattei) rode a mountain bike but was the only one in the race.

I like a fat-ish (26mm) road tire on my Roubaix for the mix of road surfaces we ride here.

Very interesting. I can't fit bigger than 25mm on my Focus. The newest models will go to 28, some even 32mm. Did my fastest descent in a long while last weekend - 82km/h. Not my fastest, but it was a bit damp.
But it was a good, smooth road.

[mattb123]

Very interesting. I can't fit bigger than 25mm on my Focus. The newest models will go to 28, some even 32mm. Did my fastest descent in a long while last weekend - 82km/h. Not my fastest, but it was a bit damp.
But it was a good, smooth road.

My wife runs 28s on her Ruby (women's Roubaix) and we have to deflate them to get past the brakes, even when all the way open.
Mine just clear the brakes when released but the Roubaix has a little extra clearance compared to a pure road bike.

That's fast! I think my top recorded speed ever has been only slightly faster at 52 mp/h (83.6 km/h) and that was also on smooth dry pavement and maybe with a tailwind too!

[MarkJerling]

My wife runs 28s on her Ruby (women's Roubaix) and we have to deflate them to get past the brakes, even when all the way open.
Mine just clear the brakes when released but the Roubaix has a little extra clearance compared to a pure road bike.

That's fast! I think my top recorded speed ever has been only slightly faster at 52 mp/h (83.6 km/h) and that was also on smooth dry pavement and maybe with a tailwind too!

My fastest was 86.8km/h. I could have hit 90 but I got scared and sat up.

[mattb123]

My fastest was 86.8km/h. I could have hit 90 but I got scared and sat up.

A healthy fear!

[MarkJerling]

A healthy fear!

Yeah. It comes with age. I don't feel bulletproof anymore.

[nocturnal]

I shot a race over the weekend, the West Elk Bicycle Classic. It was gone for a year last year but back with new sponsors this year.
The main event is a 135 Mile Gran Fondo that goes along the North rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and finishes up and over the infamous Kebler Pass climb.
They also had a couple of shorter routes for the less ambitious.

My friend Dave Wiens won the long course handily. Dave is a beast! (and a really nice guy)



This is one of the top women finishers at the summit of Ohio Pass from the 52 Mile event.


This guy always does a wheelie for the camera. This is near the top of a huge climb, most of which is on dirt and at about 130 miles of riding. Very impressive!

Beautiful landscapes as ever and a nice place to race.

---------- Post added 09-06-18 at 10:02 PM ----------

As for max speed I remember a fast rainy cold descent in a race up in the Glens of Antrim (North East Ireland) where I was in the breakaway, looked down at my computer and seen 62mph, there also were cows on the road.

Fastest ever was 75mph in Gran Canaria, did that when I was 19/20 years old, wouldn't do it now!

[mattb123]

Beautiful landscapes as ever and a nice place to race.

---------- Post added 09-06-18 at 10:02 PM ----------

As for max speed I remember a fast rainy cold descent in a race up in the Glens of Antrim (North East Ireland) where I was in the breakaway, looked down at my computer and seen 62mph, there also were cows on the road.

Fastest ever was 75mph in Gran Canaria, did that when I was 19/20 years old, wouldn't do it now!

Thanks and wow, I don't have a big enough gear or a steep enough hill for those speeds. When I spin out around 52 I don't feel like I really need to go any faster anyway.

[MarkJerling]

Fastest ever was 75mph in Gran Canaria, did that when I was 19/20 years old, wouldn't do it now!

[nocturnal]

A volcano, a good surface, little traffic and a straight section is what you need. I had no helmet and only a jersey next to my skin so crashing wasn't an option.

A while ago I undertook the police in the city at night with the help of a hurricane which crossed the Atlantic. I was 40+ mph in a 30mph zone but they didn't pull me for it. What a tailwind it was! 😀

[MarkJerling]

A volcano, a good surface, little traffic and a straight section is what you need. I had no helmet and only a jersey next to my skin so crashing wasn't an option.

A while ago I undertook the police in the city at night with the help of a hurricane which crossed the Atlantic. I was 40+ mph in a 30mph zone but they didn't pull me for it. What a tailwind it was! 😀

Out closest big downhill requires a big climb. It's a good road, but halfway down there's a bend to the right and right in the middle of the bend, the otherwise smooth road has developed a bit if an indentation.
I have thought of going up there on a good day and painting the fence posts to alert me where that dip is. That would help with a faster descent, because I'd known what part of the road to avoid.

On one race here, with open roads, I was overtaking cars quite easily. Tail wind, descent, curvy road. Perfect for cycling!

[nocturnal]

Out closest big downhill requires a big climb. It's a good road, but halfway down there's a bend to the right and right in the middle of the bend, the otherwise smooth road has developed a bit if an indentation.
I have thought of going up there on a good day and painting the fence posts to alert me where that dip is. That would help with a faster descent, because I'd known what part of the road to avoid.

On one race here, with open roads, I was overtaking cars quite easily. Tail wind, descent, curvy road. Perfect for cycling!

Sounds a bit dodgy, not worth the risk wiping yourself out as tends to happen on planned descents if you are going for a speed record.

[MarkJerling]

Sounds a bit dodgy, not worth the risk wiping yourself out as tends to happen on planned descents if you are going for a speed record.

No, you're right. I'd imagine coming off the bike at 80km/h+ is going to hurt. Perhaps terminally.

[noelcmn]