Ideal Sea Otter MTB course bike

Equipment
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I’ve ridden the Sea Otter MTB race a few times and I’m undecided on what the best bike setup is for this race. Is it modern FS (120 mm f/r), short travel FS (think Epic WC or Trek Supercaliber), flat-bar HT, drop bar HT, American gravel bike (50+ mm tire), Euro gravel bike (45 mm and less)???

I’ve got access to my Epic 8 Pro that I’ve whittled down to a 21.5 lbs race rig, TIME ADHX that can accommodate 40 mm gravel tires (but no mud), and a 2014 SJ HT that’s been on my trainer for the last 8 years that can be converted to drop bar HT relatively easily.

Now, I’m doing the 25 ish mile MTB race NOT the gravel race. Last year, I finished mid-pack on my Epic 8. The Epic 8 seemed like a bit too much bike for that race. There’s really not much technical riding. There’s quite a bit of open gravel roads and spots where drop bars may be advantageous in tight single track sections which wouldn’t accommodate 2 sets of flat bars.

I’m leaning towards running the HT this year but not sure on flat bars or drop bar. I could probably build up a 18-19 lbs HT with either version.

Thoughts?

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What’s your build kit on that Epic 8? 21.5lbs is insanely low.

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  • Medium Pro frame
  • SRAM XX1 SL group w PM (165 mm crank, 32t chainring)
  • Rockshox SID FA
  • Roval Control SL Team wheels + RK 2.2 tires
  • Trickstuff Piccola brakes
  • Look X-Track Carbon Ti pedals
  • Roval Control SL seatpost + SI SLR carbon saddle
  • S-Works cockpit
  • 2x King Cage bottle cages
  • ESI grips
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I’ve been racing Sea Otter since 2012, missed it a few times due to injury. Seems like your 21.5 Epic would be fine. I raced it a few years on a hardtail and remember getting the crap beat out of me. I bet 90% of the racers are on modern day full suspension XC bikes.

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5

Oh yeah the no dropper, that’s it. Literally crazy dream build. I’d ride that every race forever personally lol.

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Gotcha. Was wondering how rough it’d be on a HT. With FS + FA you just pedal and let FA figure it out which is ideal.

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Yup. Haven’t found a dropper that I liked. Took about 8 months to piece together. Waited 18 months for the Trickstuff brake haha.

I just wish I did the bike justice.

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As a semi-local, but not as local as @Jolyzara (90 minute drive from the course) and ridden both my Scalpel HT and Scalpel Full sus, (on/off lock out) I feel like the full sus is worth the extra weight. The only real climb that I feel like I’d rather have the HT is Trail 50S + Lookout, but the course tends to be bumpy and since I only really race the XL, full sus is in order. I can do one lap of the XL course on my HT and have a blast, but that second lap would be punishment.

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