Jarrod Bunk was in attendance at a recent FKT attempt by two Angry Catfish team members, Nick Elliott and Josh Bauer on the Mega Mid South route in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Read on for a packed gallery with all the vibes, along with a fundraiser to get more riders out to the Mid South Gravel…
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On the Up
“It’s such a solo endeavor, but you have to have other people to be successful. You cannot do this alone.” – Ellen Campbell A meditation on sacrifice, ambition and unity, On the Up follows pro cyclists Sarah Sturm, Alexis Skarda and Ellen Campbell as they prepare for the 2024 Leadville Trail 100 MTB race in Colorado, one of the most formidable off-road events in the world.
Leadville – known as the Race Across the Sky – was established in 1983 and is ridden at extreme altitude. 2024 is the first year Leadville has had a separate women’s start, a historical moment captured by the film.
A candid insight into the unique worlds of Sturm, Skarda and Campbell, this short documentary explores the myriad emotional and physical oscillations of pro bike racing and the collective growth they’ve experienced.
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2024 North South Colorado Recap – A Long, Solo Win
The North South Colorado Bikepacking Race, a 610-mile adventure from Fort Collins to Trinidad, Colorado, is known for its challenging and scenic route over some of Colorado’s iconic (and lesser-known) passes. This year’s event saw around 60 riders toe the line, ready to tackle the diabolical journey. The course, notorious for its demanding 50,000 feet of elevation gain, offers a diverse mix of terrain, including smooth and blown-out gravel roads, trails, and even an abandoned train trestle precariously perched on the side of a mountain.
After a scratch on Day 2 of last year’s race Zack Allison returned this year with renewed confidence and a well-thought-out strategy. Zack, who spends most of his time racing gravel bikes and co-promoting the FoCo Fondo with his wife Whitney, provides a thorough recap of his North South Colorado win. His account delves into the highs and [mostly] the solitary lows of his journey to take the win at one of the toughest bikepacking races in the USA.
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Mega Mid South Route Episode 02
Here’s the second episode in the behind-the-scenes look at District Bicycles‘ MEGA Mid South ultra route. Starting and ending at the shop in Stillwater, Oklahoma, the 300-mile loop is comprised of the outer perimeter of every MID-SOUTH course over the past 13 years.
The route traverses the tribal land of the Quapaw, Kiowa, Osage, Kickapoo, Pawnee, Iowa and Wichita Nations. The first ever grand depart of the Mega Mid South will happen Wednesday, September 18th at 8am.
The event is free and 100% self-supported. Anyone who completes the Mega Mid South on this first grand depart will earn guaranteed entry into The Mid South 2025.
The Mid South 2025 happens March 13th-16th in Stillwater OK more details at www.midsouthgravel.com
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Introducing the Mega Mid South 2024: A 300-Mile Ultra Race
The Mid South and District Bicycles are excited to announce the “Mega Mid South,” a new 300-mile ultra race in Central Oklahoma…
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King of Chaos | The Story of Justinas Leveika
Tailfin R&D Division Rider Justinas Leveika recently set a new record on the grueling 2700-mile Tour Divide. If you’re curious about the journey that led to this landmark win? Check out this trailer for Tailfin‘s documentary launching this fall…
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Relive the 2023 unPAved of the Susquehanna River Valley
unPAved gravel celebrates the beautiful, hilly, sometimes wet but always glorious, forest and farm roads of the Bald Eagle State Forest and Susquehanna River Valley — and the fabulous riders that come to experience them during peak foliage in October.
Over 1,000 people took to the hills in 2023 riding the Burly-30, Proper-50, Plenty-90 or the Full-120 mile route which Adam Roberge & Laura Van Gilder won the Race for the Whoopie Pies (actually, everyone wins a whoopie pie). Some even went out for a slumberPArty on Saturday, riding to a campsite and then finishing the route on Sunday.
Join the celebration of Pennsylvania gravel this October 10-13! Registration is now open at BikeReg!
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VIDEO: Sour Bicycles – Quinda Bike Check | Traka 560 2024
Sour Bicycles‘ athlete Quinda is embarking on an ITT of the Traka Adventure race even after the 560km course was canceled this year due to severe weather. Race organizers do this for a number of reasons but the bottom line is, that didn’t stop Quinda…
Reportage
Examining Purpose During 126 Hours Racing the 2023 Across Andes
After thirty-five days spent bikepacking from Bolivia to Peru across three sub mountain ranges of the Cordillera de los Andes, Leo Brasil finds himself with the unique opportunity to explore a completely different part of South America with a much lighter bike. Read on for his race reflections from the 2023 Across Andes
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VIDEO: The Rock Cobbler 2024
Check out this recap video from the 11th edition of The Rock Cobbler gravel event. Despite looming mud threats, riders experienced near-perfect conditions for one of the toughest editions yet. Check out what it’s like, along the Pebbler route, spanning 60 miles with over 5,000 feet of climbs through Bakersfield’s rolling hills…
Reportage
Road to Desolation: Gravel Racing Across the Karoo
The Karoo is not flat, both in personality and profile. The Road to Desolation gravel race seeks to capture the essence of the Karoo—the idiosyncratic small towns, the solitude of its expanse, and the way the bicycle represents the ideal vehicle for navigating the internal and external challenges of the terrain. Simon Pocock photographed the inaugural edition of the event in 2023 and writes about the Karoo’s imposing appeal.
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The 2024 Downieville Classic Registration is Open!
You don’t have to race to enjoy the weekend at the Downieville Classic, but you will be missing out on one of the most stunning MTB races in the Lower 48. Registration is now open at Bike Reg, so get on it! Want to see what the Downieville Classic is all about? Check out our Reportage below!
Leave it All on the Trail and Go Baroque: the 2019 Downieville Classic
Gold Amidst the Dust: A Hardtail Gallery from the 2019 Downieville Classic
Reportage
Rutted and Gutted: ‘Cross Returns to Louisville for the 2023 Cyclocross National Championships
Brett Rothmeyer transports us from our desks, our computers, or phones this morning and whisks us away to the 2023 Cyclocross National Championships in Louisville, Kentucky, for an action-packed medium format and 35 mm film gallery full of moments so vivid you can hear them…
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Durango Derby 2024 Registration is Open!
Last year, we featured Reportage of the inaugural Durango Derby, a MTB race weekend in the (mtb) historic town of Durango. Today, the Derby announced 2024 registration is open. Read more here.
Reportage
A Bitch Of A Race: Frigid Bitch Ten
Don’t be alarmed by the name! Frigid Bitch is an event in Pittsburgh meant to bring together a community in the coldest, darkest time of year. Last year, Jarrod Bunk was on site, camera in hand to document the fun! We’ve got a wonderful story, penned by event promoter, Anna-Lena Kempen. Let’s check it out…
Reportage
Athens Divide: A Micro Adventure Race
The Athens Divide is proof that you don’t have to lose a night of sleep to experience the full range of adventure racing. Billed as a “micro adventure,” this point-to-point race hosted by Donhou Bicycles takes riders over Athens’ urban ridgelines where, no matter the bike, everyone’s hiking somewhere. Read on for Tom Donhou’s recap of the first Athens Divide, with photos from Maliakos Nikos.
Reportage
The Rowdy and Irreverent Underworld of RodeoCross
A little weird, a lot welcoming RodeoCross is cyclocross…but only kind of. At the end of this year’s Sacramento season, Kate Rose pays tributes to this rowdy and irreverent subculture of cycling category. Read on for her entertaining recap and sound bytes from racers who try to explain this “disguise for a party on bikes,” along with photos from Sydney Lewis.
Reportage
Devil’s Cardigan: The 2023 Australian Gravel National Championships
Picture an island 42 degrees south of the equator deep in the middle of winter. Surrounded by great oceans, it is battered by cold rain, snow, and wind. The Roaring Forties haunt the island like the growls of a Devil. Born out of these challenging conditions, The Devils Cardigan seemed the only name fit to describe the Australian Gravel National Championships.
Read on for Scott Mattern’s recap of Tasmania’s annual off-road rite of passage and how he made it devilishly difficult by combing both the 50km and 100km distances…