I will be coming down to try it.

Most of my training for the last 3 months has been on skis... so I'm cramming in some time on the turbo.

What rig/wheels/tires are you going to race on?

---

36 kona qualifiers 2006-'23 - 3 Kona Podiums - 4 OA IM AG wins - 5 IM AG wins - 18 70.3 AG wins
I ka nana no a 'ike -- by observing, one learns | Kulia i ka nu'u -- strive for excellence
Garmin Glycogen Use App | Garmin Fat Use App

I was all set to pull the trigger on 3/1 (before the price increased by $20)...but then I saw that pre-increase, it was $180 to enter! Woah.

Dang...I'm glad I was fortunate to partake in some of the early versions (starting 2013, then '16 and '17), before it "blew up". I was already hesitant to commit to that distance since it was only 4 months ago that I fractured my tibial plateau (and surgery).

I'm going to pass on BWR this year again. I think I'll spend the dollars on some other events...

---

http://bikeblather.blogspot.com/

I would prefer my Focus Mares CX but the 1x gearing isn't going to provide enough range.

So, road bike it is.

I switched to 25C (measuring 27.8mm) IRC Roadlite tubeless. I've raced a similar but shorter type of race on this bike before. 52/36, 11x28 gearing. I'm a FOP triathlon cyclist and strong cat 4, but I can't sprint for shit. I'm also a lightweight climber type so I think I'll do fine.

what was the pricing in the past?

Yeah, it's steep, but on the relative scale it was better than a number of Sierra races i was looking at. That and the fact that it is that length and held in a rather populated area and i'm sympathetic to the LEO needs and costs. Lastly group of pales deciding to race together.

Missed the news about your crash(?). Hope you're coming out of that okay!

---

36 kona qualifiers 2006-'23 - 3 Kona Podiums - 4 OA IM AG wins - 5 IM AG wins - 18 70.3 AG wins
I ka nana no a 'ike -- by observing, one learns | Kulia i ka nu'u -- strive for excellence
Garmin Glycogen Use App | Garmin Fat Use App

similar conundrum. the gravel rig (sequoia) is comfy but likely more than i need for most of the event. As such I'm bailing for the road rig.

S1 w/ GP5000 TL 25s on FLO60s - 50/34 11-32.

---

36 kona qualifiers 2006-'23 - 3 Kona Podiums - 4 OA IM AG wins - 5 IM AG wins - 18 70.3 AG wins
I ka nana no a 'ike -- by observing, one learns | Kulia i ka nu'u -- strive for excellence
Garmin Glycogen Use App | Garmin Fat Use App

the formatting of something in your posts makes this thread unreadable.

I rode on my stigmata last year and it’s a 1x.

You will have enough gearing.

Just don’t hammer highland valley and the rest will be fine. It’s a long climb and it’s early enough that you think you can smash it.

I used Challenge Strada Bianca Tires 36 with latex. Recommended by Tom A. Absolute the right choice for me. If the tires were much narrower I would have washed out on the dirt sections. I flew through the rocky sections around Lake Hodges. BTW I rode narrower tires through that section in training and had to spend way too much mental energy on choosing line and worrying about flatting. Later in the day I bombed down Del Dios in a tuck no pedaling. A guy I passed pedaled hard to stay off the back of me. He said he was pushing 320 just to hang on. We rode together for the rest of the ride.

BWR is a great day.

Not riding this year, but will have it on the calendar for 2020.

Actually...you made me look it up. Apparently my memory is somewhat faulty. Here's what I paid for the 3 times I rode BWR:

2017 - $180
2016 - $170
2013 - $100

So...the latter ones were already getting what I consider "expensive"...I guess I just forgot ;-)



It happened back at the end of October. Just a freak, solo, low-speed off, MTB injury. I was on a quick after-work ride and dropping into a rocky stream crossing on a nearby trail when I started to come off to the left and put my left foot out to catch my fall. If I had been able to bend my knee it would have been no problem. No different than a 1000 other similar falls/roll I've done MTBing...instead, I managed to find (with my foot) the only rock in a patch of dirt. Said rock was rounded and torqued my ankle back, effectively locking out my knee, so the impact went straight through my knee joint. I distinctly recall feeling my femur impact my tibia in the knee joint. Not a good feeling.

Result: fractured lateral tibial plateau, with just enough displacement to require an open reduction/internal fixation with an "L" bracket and ~8 screws. Surgery was Nov. 1. I was lucky that I didn't blow out any tendons/ligaments in the knee. The surgery was arthroscopically-guided, so we were able to confirm no soft tissue damage. Didn't even tear the meniscus.

The recovery sucked anyway. I had to endure 0 weight load bearing on the leg for 8 weeks, followed by a 4 week progression of 25/50/75/100 percent of body weight allowed. Crutches suck. Got the clearance on Jan 23rd to do whatever I wanted, as long as it wasn't painful. Only just now am I feeling like both legs can contribute everything they have while cycling without worry or pain. Left leg tires easy still. Can walk pretty much normally, but if I hike on any trails with elevation gain/loss, I'll feel it.

---

http://bikeblather.blogspot.com/

My 42x11-36 isn't going to have enough at either end.

Probably could gut out the steeper climbs, but I'd be running out of top end in the faster road sections.

Have you measured what those tires come too when inflated on the FLO's yet?!

Yeah, I was tucking and not pedaling on the downhill road sections.

Arguably I was able to descend faster on the dirt sections with the wider tires.

Assuming you have good handling skills skinnier tires and more gearing are the better choice for you.

Enjoy!

I'm Wafering this year. Niner BSB RDO. Probably 46/36 and 11x32. Debating on tires. Leaning towards Schwalbe G-One Speeds (700x30), so I can be faster on the pave. A big if will be trail conditions after all of our rain. I just took the Niner out last week on a few of the trails around here and gotten beaten to death due to all of the horse prints. And, that was with 700x38s at 40-45 PSI.

---

"Most of my heroes don't appear on no stamps"
Blog = http://extrememomentum.com|Photos = http://wheelgoodphotos.com

I'm in for the wafer again this year.

I'll have my Ibis Hakka MX probably with 700x36 Donnely X'PLOR MSO tires setup tubeless. The bike has clearance for wider tires, but I ran these last year on my old cross bike an they worked fine.

That sucks- I had exact same type of fall and exact same type of injury in 1997. Except my ACL did pop out of the insertion as the bone broke around that point.
Same repair too.

You are doing the right thing by riding as much as possible. I suggest running too when you can do that. Builds back some leg strength and motion.
I found that the crutches adaptively shortened my hip flexors on that side- I had to do a bunch of work to undo that.
Other than that lots of balance and strengthening exercises. I did an entire 12 week cycle of weights where I only lifted with the affected side.
Other things that helped- Single legged pedaling drills on the trainer. Also, high cadence work. I got fitness back pretty quick but my turnover was terrible. I would get dropped in crits because I just could pedal fast enough with force.

In my opinion it is worth getting the best PT possible- Even if you have to pay out of your own pocket. Someone who will push to to attain 100%. Not a clinic where you are walking on a treadmill and doing exercises of off a sheet of paper.

That is some serious low gearing. Maybe I'll borrow my wife's compact crank with 50/34, as I should be able to keep the same chain length.
I've put an 11-32 on my short cage RD before and it maxed out the B screw... hmm...

She's doing the wafer on a gravel bike with 40x10-42 (I think) and Panaracer Gravel King slicks 38C.

can you email me a screen shot?

looks fine on this end

---

36 kona qualifiers 2006-'23 - 3 Kona Podiums - 4 OA IM AG wins - 5 IM AG wins - 18 70.3 AG wins
I ka nana no a 'ike -- by observing, one learns | Kulia i ka nu'u -- strive for excellence
Garmin Glycogen Use App | Garmin Fat Use App

me reading that...

---

36 kona qualifiers 2006-'23 - 3 Kona Podiums - 4 OA IM AG wins - 5 IM AG wins - 18 70.3 AG wins
I ka nana no a 'ike -- by observing, one learns | Kulia i ka nu'u -- strive for excellence
Garmin Glycogen Use App | Garmin Fat Use App

dont have them yet, currently on Pro One 25s. those measure 28-29

---

36 kona qualifiers 2006-'23 - 3 Kona Podiums - 4 OA IM AG wins - 5 IM AG wins - 18 70.3 AG wins
I ka nana no a 'ike -- by observing, one learns | Kulia i ka nu'u -- strive for excellence
Garmin Glycogen Use App | Garmin Fat Use App

I don't go uphill very fast, plus it's a long ass day and I hate grinding up climbs. So just baking in some insurance. I'm rather flexible with cadence at high speed so not too worried about missing a magical gear while going fast. I ride single track and rough roads rather frequently so hoping that I've got handling skills when it comes to racing.

How fast do you think the extended speedy sections will be?

---

36 kona qualifiers 2006-'23 - 3 Kona Podiums - 4 OA IM AG wins - 5 IM AG wins - 18 70.3 AG wins
I ka nana no a 'ike -- by observing, one learns | Kulia i ka nu'u -- strive for excellence
Garmin Glycogen Use App | Garmin Fat Use App

No idea. I just want to be able to keep a comfortable cadence if there is a pack to hang on to. My 42x11 top gravel gear isn't enough for pavement.
I'd want no less than a 46x11. High cadence jacks my HR... don't want that!

I'm heading down for the third straight year!

The plan is to use the same set-up as the last two years; CX bike with 50/34 x 11-32 on tubeless Hutchinson Sector28's. This set-up has worked perfect for me and has brought me in at the 8hr mark both times.

Just know, regardless of what gearing you have, you'll want more on Double Peak. =)

Ok, reviving this thread after Communique 2:


OK, any local want to comment here? I was going to wear road shoes with speedplays with the walkable cleats. Am I going to have to put on my MTB pedals and shoes? Hmm....

Doesn't look too bad. For the most part smooth path.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXJx12ian6Q


2:35 and 3:58ish seem to be the rough spots.


Note, i ride my road bike on single track for shits and giggles a fair bit so am comfortable with the gnar gnar while atop skinnies.

---

36 kona qualifiers 2006-'23 - 3 Kona Podiums - 4 OA IM AG wins - 5 IM AG wins - 18 70.3 AG wins
I ka nana no a 'ike -- by observing, one learns | Kulia i ka nu'u -- strive for excellence
Garmin Glycogen Use App | Garmin Fat Use App