I couldn’t find a thread for Austin Rattler 2024 so I figured I’d start one here!
It’ll be my first time at this race so I have a few questions to start and I’m sure I’ll have more as the discussion continues.
I’m planning to arrive midday on Friday so I don’t think I want to do an entire recon lap as it would probably be 2+ hours at recon pace. Is there any particular part of there course that is worth previewing? And if so is there a shortcut to get there so I can avoid doing the whole course? I’ve read that most of the technicality of Reveille is flat slightly sandy turns in which case I’d just want to ride a few of those to get a feel for the local dirt and I don’t need to see all of them. Beyond that, if there’s any section where line choice makes a big difference (e.g., a rough rock garden) that might be nice to preview, but not at the expense of spending a lot of time on the afternoon sun the day before the race.
Tire choice. Planning to run a Rekon Race rear and debating between a Rekon or Rekon Race in the front (all 2.4”). I’d been running the RR front and rear but recently tried a Rekon in front and I’ve really liked it, especially in loose turns. If it’s true that flat loose turns are prevalent at Reveille then I’m leaning towards the Rekon in front. It’s a bit of a rolling resistance penalty but I think it would be nice to have late in the race when I’m getting a little lazy with weight distribution in the turns.
Not really. You can pre-ride the first few miles and get a feel for the a lot of the course. The only thing that’s a bit unique that you wouldn’t see early are the granite sections. But pre-riding those isn’t that beneficial. As far as shortcuts, you do have an opportunity to cut a lap short pretty easily. About half way through the lap, you’ll end up on a road/open section (where they host festivals). From that point, there is a pretty easy/short path back to the start.
The primary value of pre-riding that course isn’t technical features so much as where you can carry momentum and/or avoid overcooking turns. I live nearby and pre-ride it a bunch every year and it’s really hard to remember all those spots unless you do multiple laps. So, knowing the course probably buys me a 1-2 minutes a lap, but that just helps offset my mediocre MTB skills that cost me more than that.
I’ve run a forekaster front out there the last 2 years (w/ Ikon rear). It’s too much front tire, but I tend to wash out the front on that course and it just gives me confidence. It’s also not an A race for me, more for fun than results. Last year, the course was in perfect shape on race day and running firmer than prior years (except maybe the rain year). If it’s like that again, I’ll run Ikons front and back. I think the rekon is a good choice though. When it’s wet, the course is faster and firmer, but is a mess and tough on equipment (it’s all decomposed granite, so very few muddy spots). The granite slabs are like sandpaper, again probably more grip when wet and you can run a really fast rolling tire with no concerns.
I was actually out there last weekend riding for the first time since the race last year. The course gets really crappy over the winter because nobody rides much of it. Lots of wash out and many very loose sections. They had just mowed/shredded much of it to make it rideable, but it’s still pretty rough in many spots. And sticker burrs like I’ve never seen (have never ridden it this time of year). There were spots where just a couple revolutions of the wheel resulted in hundreds of burrs in the tire. I would estimate I picked up hundreds of thousands of sticker burrs (not joking). It will firm up and the stickers will mostly be gone by race day (but there are always sticker burrs out there, you can’t run tubes).
Good luck at the race. Train for constant short punchy climbs.
On a whim I found cheap airfare and signed up for this. I know nothing about this race. What’s the likelihood of getting a coin? Where do people stay? I’ve never ridden down there. What should I’m know going in?
I rode the 20 miler for the first time in '22. The burrs weren’t too bad on-line as I remember, but if you get off the main rut/singletrack they can get bad I think. First part of the course has lots of risk of washing out in sandy, downhill high speed corners (and plenty of steep climbs). Second part is more granite slabs and was tough on the upper body and core. If I make it out this year, I’ll be on 2.25 Vittoria Mezcals. I was on tubed tires last time and 30psi really beat me up. Definitely would benefit from lower pressure imo.
If you are in the podium mix, almost guaranteed (unless in a very small category).
But for most of us, our chance for Leadville entry is a mini lottery at the end with many riders (maybe 200?) hoping their number is called for one of the ~25 entries (coins). That ratio has changed quite a bit over the years (particularly bleak when they had some registration mistakes along with the covid year), but I’d bet there will be around 25 coins again this year. Used to be much more favorable, I think those days are gone.
Austin is about an hour drive. There are a few smaller towns closer with Burnet being very close (within ~15 minute drive). Really depends on whether you are there just for the race/riding or doing other stuff. You won’t find much to do in Burnet, but the Reveille Peak has a lot of good riding you’ll never see on race day (they keep us on the tame parts). And there is also Spider Mountain just a few minutes away from RPR, I believe it’s the only MTB spot in Texas served by a chair lift. And Reveille peak also has a handful of cabins that I think you can rent. I think they are part of a motorcycle tour company thing they do out there, but I would guess they would be available for rent for the Rattler event. They also do camping out there, we always have a group van camping Friday before the race.
Lots of punchy short climbs and very few spots you can get in grove and just pedal hard. A good bit of loose/sandy stuff, a challenging course to maintain momentum. Nothing technical and it’s easy to pass on most of the course. Sticker burrs are an issue. Not too bad last year, but when I was out there in June this year I’ve never seen anything like it (wet spring contributed). Literally thousands and thousands of punctures in my tires, but they all seal instantly as long as you have good sealant. One revolution of the tire in some places would pick up hundreds. These are the nasty ones that easily pierce the tire. It will be much better by race day with folks riding before then, but they will be out there for pre riding for sure. Weather has been awesome on race day the last 2 years and it’s generally a great time of the year in central TX. But it could also be in the mid 80’s and sunny or 40’s and raining. Venue is great for bike racing, you roll through the start/finish line on every lap. And the run is going on same time and the courses are sometimes close to each other, so that’s kind of cool.
This year will be my first time doing this race, so thanks to @patrickmohl for starting this discussion. As far as my bike setup is going, I’m not a fan of making any race-specific changes to my rig, unless absolutely necessary. So, I’ll be riding my tried and trusted single-speed hardtail with Vittoria tires (Barzo/Mezcal, both 2.35 in trail casing). Gear ratio is yet to be determined, though. I’m planning to spend a few days in the area, and preride the loop to see what’s optimal for it.
I just finished building up a new bike. 120mm front and back with a lockout. But I also have a 100mm fork. Seems like maybe this is a course that the extra weight of the 120mm fork would be overkill. Is a dropper beneficial?
Nothing really technical and definitely no steep/dropoff kind of stuff. I always run a dropper out there because it’s what I’m used to, but it’s not a course that needs it if you are comfortable riding without. If I took my dropper off, I’d just lose time every time my thumb was searching for the button. There is enough elevation for weight to matter and no descents where you’d likely be rewarded much for the extra travel, fine course for a 100mm bike. That said, I’ll be riding my 120mm epic with my old spark RC 100mm bike sitting at home. But I also don’t care about a couple minutes the extra weight might cost, just a fun race for me.
Hey everyone! I rode the 60miler last year and am coming back this year as well.
Listen to grwoolf, all of his info is perfect!
I was on a hardtail with 100mm fork last year, I was really feeling the granite slabs on the last lap. This year I’ll be on a 120mm f/s. I feel that this will be a big advantage in terms of comfort and accumulated fatigue.
I’ll echo grwoolf, train for lots of punchy climbs. There are few places where you can conserve momentum as well as eat / drink, so be ready for that!
Also, bring your own food for post race. There was a pizza company there but they sold out of food fairly quickly. You get two beer tickets with your race entry but have to pay for food other than the powerbars that expired the next month.
There’s a HEB in Burnet (15min away) which is a good place to stock up the night before.
First timer for me this year… Having done Ouachita Challenge, Big Frog 65 and Skyway Epic, I’m excited to see how this one compares.
Do most people stage bottles/nutrition in a pit area between laps? I am probably going to be without any support, and thinking that would be a better approach than wearing a pack and stuffing pockets for the whole 6ish(??) hours.
Would you think average speed for a normally mid-pack cat2 rider somewhere in the 5.5 hour range?
I was there alone. I had a 2l hydration pack as well as two bottles on my bike. There is a bag drop area just past the start / finish line. I drank as much as possible from the bottles and switched them out on each lap. My hydration pack lasted me the whole event (just under 6 hours) but I know that a lot of people had two packs that they switched out.
I used a combo of gels, chews and high carb mix in my pack and bottles. I was aiming for 60g / hour. There is not a lot of good places to eat on the course so I would prioritize liquid carbs and use the occasional gel to supplement intake.
Honestly it depends on what your strengths are. The course is “death by a thousand cuts”, so if you excel on recovering from constant surges you’ll be just fine.
I would imagine that you’ll be able to hit 5.5 hours with your fitness. As grwoolf said, the course is not technical, just relentless.
LOL I registered after seeing that last year only one guy finished in the singlespeed class. So I thought well… if no one else shows up in that class I can just cruise easy to a Leadville token.
I did the 60-mile race the last two years on my Epic Evo with 150mm dropper and Barzo/Mezcal 2.35 TNT tires. I found that setup to be absolutely perfect, wouldn’t change a thing. There are definitely some sharp rocks but had no puncture issues either year.
Before the first time I raced it, I went and pre-rode a lap of the course with my dad several weeks prior. While there’s nothing too technical or crazy, I always prefer to see courses before I race them and am glad I did. As others have said, knowing the timing of some of the corners that sneak up on you is very beneficial.
I did the race primarily for the lottery to try and get into Leadville. I didn’t make it either year. I was planning on doing it again this year but a buddy asked if I wanted to join him for the Palo Duro Marathon the next weekend and I couldn’t pass it up. Best of luck! It’s a great race.
I raced out there last year, really great place to ride/race. Depending on the course they pick, it can have some pretty technical bits. And always some loose sand. I was out there last week, conditions were good. If you haven’t been before, I’d recommend a burger at the general store.
Good to hear! I went to college in Lubbock, rode Palo Duro pretty often in the 2010s, and raced the PDM in 2018, but haven’t been out there in several years. Planning a trip out to pre-ride in a few weeks.
Hi All, what are the spectator settings during the race? I have a wife and 3yo daughter that i wanted to bring with me so i’m looking for information if there’s anything for them to do while the race happens and if there would be some covered place for them to hang and restrooms available. TIA