I finally got registered for this year. Plan on getting some redemption from the wrong turn last year. This year I’ll be riding an Epic 8 with Racing Ray/Ralph combo. Can’t wait to get racing and hopefully win a coin this year!
My 2nd biggest tip from last year: show up EARLY. The line to get in gets long quick.
I’ll be there doing the 60 miler. I’ve done the 20 mile a few times in the past. I’ve never done a MTB race that is remotely this long. Figuring out fueling will be interesting.
I plan to be there, not sure what distance yet. I’m doing the NCOM 208 (road) 4 weeks prior, so that’s the focus for now and then we’ll see how I feel after that. Did the 20 miler in '22 and it was fun, but man I was not prepared. Slapped together like 3 weeks of training for it lol. Big cramps, plus my stock wheels on my Marlin 6 were not up to the challenge and I bent my front rim bad like 8 miles in. This year I’ve got Hunt XC Wide wheels and Vittoria Mezcal 2.25 tan walls (really hope the tan walls hold up to the rocky sections) running tubeless, which should be a massive improvement.
I’ll be there trying to get a coin for Leadville.
Search previous posts for good race info.
Get there early. Parking fills up and start line forms early. Bring your own food as the options there are terrible and sell out quickly, nevermind the fact that you have to pay for food. You do get two beer tickets.
Run tough tires, goathead thorns, rough rocks that slice sidewalls, welcome to Texas!
If anyone has specific questions feel free to ask, several TR riders are local to the venue and have lots of excellent info!
I signed up yesterday trying to get my leadville coin as well!
Did leadville 10 years ago and now i’m trying to make a run at it again.
I’m planning to run an Epic 8 and probably fast trak front and rear… i’ve read about some issues people had with renegades and they never did me well in the Austin area in XC races back in the day, so i’ll probably go with a bit thicker casing fast trak… probably not grid casing if i can help it, but i have some in the barn so i’m not opposed if thats needed.
I havent ridden Reveille Peak in probably close to a decade, so any insight on how it currently is would be great.
Most of the rattler course does not get into the rock/tech sections you might have done previously riding Reveille Peak on their regular MTB trails. The Rattler course does hit a few of the open granite sections, but most of it is on loose dirt, sort of double track ATV type stuff. It’s a lot of short punchy climbing, but very little tech. I ride out there a good bit in the fall leading up to the event and I’ve never had a flat in many hundreds of miles of riding (probably jinxing myself). Just top off your sealant, the goat heads are brutal (not so bad by race day, but terrible until the course gets some pre-riding on it). It’s not a course that requires a durable tire in my opinion, but I do like to run something with a little tread (particularly in the front). The course can be super loose and slow when dry, much firmer/faster after some rain.
Good to know!
I remember the tech all too well haha glad to know its not 60 miles of THAT.
Even through the tech those dual fast traks always did me well, so i may still run that since i’ve been successful in that terrain on them before.
Maybe a ground control front if needed.
I live out in west texas, so plenty of goat heads and mesquite thorns here. Sounds like home!
Riding Renegades, in my opinion, is asking for trouble. Fast? Yes. But I don’t think I can name a more fragile tire.
Fast Traks should serve you well, I believe. If I were racing my XC that currently has FT front and rear, I wouldn’t bother switching to anything else.
I’ve only done this race (and other riding at RPR) on Rekons because that’s what I had. Currently have a set of Dubnital RR on the bike and I’ll try to get out and preride to see how those feel.
Besides the stickers which have always sealed with sealant for me, the race isn’t too hard on tires, but there are a few fast descents on large loose chunk that scare me on a less robust tire.
100% agree… the renegade i have came on the bike. Never cared for them much. I’ve always been one to gladly give up a little faster rolling tire for one i can trust.
Fast Trak Controls are my go to.
What about what happened to you last year?
Yeah, your memory is obviously better than mine. Maybe I had a flat before that flat also….. Sucks getting old.
Tell me about it brother!
Is the course marked yet?
A good chunk of the course has some semi-permanent markers up. I’d be surprised if they have the full course markings up this early with the ranch being open to the public.
The permanent markers are up and they’ve started some course marking and trail work I believe but as far as I know the course isn’t finalized, or at least announced as it will be different than years past. The majority will be the same I’m sure but they’ll have a different setup around the start/finish due to the bridge
Last year I ran Rekon Race 2.4 120 tpi tires. Thinking of doing so again, but currently have Schwable Ray / Ralph 2.25 combo. Anyone ever run the Schwalbles for the Rattler? I’m not sure if they’re as durable as the Rekon Race.
I rode a lap Saturday. The course is mostly marked but the beginning and end (before the gate) is going to be different as the walking bridge was destroyed during the floods.
There are some differences elsewhere from the previous years but it’s mostly the same. We missed three turns so hopefully the course markings will be improved in those areas.
Conditions were soft and loose, several places with deep sand which raised the sphincter factor !
You’d be better with the 2.4 RR’s. I don’t think the schwable sidewalls are as tough and you’d appreciate the extra volume compared to the 2.25 width.
I got in a couple laps yesterday, first time I’ve been out there this year. The course got several inches of rain the day/night prior and it was about as wet as I’ve ever seen it (much wetter than when the storm rolled through during the race several years back). Pretty sloppy/gritty for first lap in early morning, already starting to dry out by the second lap. The rain was great for firming up the sand sections, but it rained hard enough to blow out a lot of spots and mix up the loose rocks. Very tough to get traction on several of the rocky uphill spots, but I expect that will be much better by race day with people pre-riding. This course runs so much faster on race day after a line is worn in. The course is reasonably well marked in most places, but there were still people out there taking wrong turns. I’m currently running 2.35 ikon rear and 2.35 forekaster on front. The forekaster is a bit overkill, but I’ve run it before out there and I like the added confidence. There were hundreds of goat heads in my tires (and painfully stuck in legs/socks/kit), but that’s typical and it’s not a big issue as long as your sealant is topped off. And the stickers are much less of an issue on race day also after all the pre-riding. I’ll probably get out there one more time next weekend, really need to work on my skills for climbing efficiently/confidently in the loose stuff.