Episode Summary

On today's episode, Jared, Liam and Tydeman chat about their recent races - Jared learns a few hard lessons from his first XC race at the Sea Otter Fuego XL, Tydeman recaps his time at a wet and wild TDS Enduro, and Liam tells the story of a grueling race that includes a harrowing experience descending a technical, exposed trail on his gravel bike during the LA tourist race. We also discuss highlights from our time at Sea Otter, and get into a few listener questions. Tune in!

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Intro & "The Death Hike" Jared, Liam, and Tydeman open with "Zach’s Words of Wisdom" (Zwow): "Your mindset is everything." This stems from a grueling 25-mile bushwhacking hike Jeff and Zach completed, which involved seven miles of hiking directly through a creek. They emphasize that once your mindset fails, the physical effort is over.

TDS Enduro Recap: The Bog Tydeman just returned from the TDS Enduro, a legendary private-land race in Northern California.

  • The Conditions: As is tradition for TDS, it rained. Sunday was a total "bog."

  • Mechanical Carnage: Tydeman’s cassette became so packed with mud that the chain skipped, nearly sending him over the bars. He noted that while bikes handle rocks and drops fine, mud is the enemy of the drivetrain.

  • The Experience: Despite the slog, Saturday offered "hero dirt" and the unique experience of watching motos race the same rock gardens on Friday, completely changing the lines for the mountain bikers.

LA Tourist Recap: The Lollipop Loop Liam tackled the latest LA Tourist Book Race, an 88-mile self-navigated loop with 11,000 feet of climbing.

  • The Bike: He rode his Revel Rover gravel bike with a suspension fork.

  • Exposure: He describes a harrowing 90-degree turn on Condor Peak with a 500-foot sheer cliff drop on one side and a solid rock wall on the other. He admitted to "tripoding" (one foot down) through the corner while his riding buddies yelled for him to get off and walk.

Jared’s Sea Otter Fuego XL Debut Jared wore his first-ever XC number plate for a 66-mile race with 9,000 feet of climbing.

  • The "dark place": Jared hit a massive wall after the first of two laps. He went out too hot (12 mph average for the first two hours) and didn't have nearly enough fuel, leading to stomach issues and nausea.

  • The Lesson: "At least Downieville isn't six hours long." He learned that XC racing requires a specific pacing strategy that is the opposite of downhill racing.

🔑 Key Points & Discussion Topics

  • Greenland Sharks: Daniel’s Fun Fact of the day features sharks that live up to 500 years, reaching sexual maturity at 150. They were swimming when Shakespeare was alive.

  • The 32-inch Wheel Debate: The crew discusses the prevalence of 32-inch wheels at Sea Otter. While many brands are pushing it, the hosts feel like "children" on the oversized bikes and aren't ready to revamp their fleets just yet.

  • "T1RD" Polish: A reminder of the Trail One Racing Division (T.1.R.D.), which focuses on the fun side of racing rather than elite results.

🛠️ Listener Questions & Advice

The Ride Wallet

Question: What do the guys carry in their on-bike tool pouches?

  • Liam's Kit: Topo Designs pouch with Dynaplug, CO2, Chapstick, spare AXS battery, and a Daysaver tool.

  • Tydeman's Kit: Specialized mini-tool, WTB plugs, and leukotape (pre-cut duct tape) for emergency repairs.

Tire Tech: Peacekeeper vs. Macro

Question: Will a Peacekeeper on the front slow down a fast XC bike like a Salsa Spearfish?

  • The Verdict: Moving to a WTB Peacekeeper (120 TPI) on the front provides significantly more cornering confidence without a significant loss in rolling speed compared to the Macro.

    Episode 178 is a "survival" episode. Tydeman battled a mud-packed drivetrain at TDS, Liam survived near-death exposure on a gravel bike at the LA Tourist race, and Jared found a "dark place" during his 66-mile XC debut. The technical consensus: Mindset wins races, but a good clutch (SRAM Transmission) and a fresh rear tire (WTB Macro) definitely help.