Howdy, watt wagon here. Find me riding and racing gravel all over the world. I am a crit racer turned ultra cyclist. I became a serial entrepreneur when I quit my job in the middle of the pandemic to start a videography business, a gravel race, and youtube channel.
I travel the world racing the biggest gravel and bikepacking ultra races. I'll bring you along with me. Follow me for all things bikes, food, travel, and cats.
find me on instagram! instagram.com/watt_wagon/
Subscribe if you like the videos, and let me know if there is anything you'd like to see!
I must check that app out - on my phone previously i have only used Google maps for route finding. The bigger issue is that for longer rides (say over 2 hours) the phone's battery life is insufficient. I have a hub dynamo with the gizmo which provides a usb socket i can connect phone to, but IRL that only keeps phone at a given charge level, seldom manages to do any "net" charging. You can preserve battery life by keeping screen off, turn off mobile data etc - but somewhat defeats the point of phone as nav device. So I see merit in a cycling Gps like my Garmin Edge 810 (yes, ancient) which has a longer battery life, and is easier to recharge on the go.
Nice video! do you mind sharing what kind of mount is that you have on in reach? I understand it's quarter-turn mount, but what kind of "back" does your inreach mini have? Thank you.
@@wattwagon and sorry, didn't mean to hijack the video comment thread! I can't say enough about things you've mentioned like knowing what doesn't bother you at 60 miles will really bug you at 120 miles and probably destroy you at 180 miles. It's important to know what kind of riding you like, for me it's long and scenic gravel. Also, not being obsessed with riding everyday or numbers and listening to your body (especially for endurance). I guess I should mention I turn 60 in 2 months and I have an artificial hip but honestly I don't feel like either of those matter to me. Anyway, thanks for sharing the good with the bad, because Gravel isn't always pretty! Look forward to more of your adventures!
i love a solo mission in a pretty landscape! I used Schwalbe g-one RS 45 front and 40 rear. If I could choose I would have gone a little bit bigger actually. The descents were chunky! I have a 38T chain ring with a 10-52 cassette
@@wattwagonThanks for the reply, about the rs tires, for normal races (not super chunky stuff) you will recomend 40/40 or 45/40mm and how did the rs model with punctures? My last race was ruined with one in the front so i will like something with good rolling resistance but not too easy to get flats, its a pain in the ass... Gracias!!
@@gabrielmarias972 I would say 45/40 would be better, honestly the bigger the better. I did puncture in El Piri but I SLAMMEd a nasty rock so i don't think anything would have survived it. I would maybe suggest the schwalbe all around tire if you want a little more protection but rolls fast!
I will never forget those stubborn Alt Pirineu horses, they were also just standing there when i passed along 😀... But oooh so beautiful route. Thanks for the "after-movie", so we can re-live the experience! 🙌 keep up the good work
those horses in the Parc Alt Pirineu really didn't want to move 🙂... stubborn horses, but oh so beautiful over there, exactly how i remember it too. Really cool after-movie , re-living the experience from last June! thanks for sharing & good luck with future events!
hmmm there is a decent amount of pavement BUT if you have a hardtail it would be A LOT more fun on the descents. and the better gear ratio would be nice for those long long ascents.
@@wattwagon I have both and my gravel bike has 2x11 with 45c and I can bear with some chunky trails with the gravel but I've been looking for a Transpyr track for gravel and everything I found is for MTB, and I wanted to know your opinion from your experience with this route you've done. Thanks and enjoy your new life in Spain!
You must have Spartan ancestors. Legend has it that if a Spartan horseman lost his horse in battle he would get back to safety by hanging on to the tail of the horse of one of his colleagues. Not sure if the horses appreciated that. Not even sure this is true, this was shown in my boys' comic when I was about ten. And that useless piece of info has been preferentially retained by my brain for more than five decades so that I can regurgitate it into social media. Great video incidentally. I have some (now sadly discontinued) Lezyne handlebar mounted lights which take the same single cell battery as your Fenix (a Lithium Ion cell, type 18650 (18mm diameter, 65mm long)). So the Fenix would be a great fit with my existing setup. Thanks.
they aren't bar ends! They are shaped like road shifter hoods, a more ergonomic design that puts less stress on your shoulders because the "hoods" are the width of my gravel bike handlebars.
Don't see myself doing Badlands anytime soon but many of your tips are spot on for any long distance bike trek. My 2 cents: never say never to chamois cream! I too have carried it on longer races (three Unbound 200s so far) and never used it or had need. But on my last 10 day ride I applied it as a preventative since I heard about a dude dropping out of the Tour Divide with saddle sores. It was feels-like over 100° for several days in a row and I did not want a sore to have any chance! It wasn't a big deal. I was always sweating so I didn't notice it being goey or anything like I expected. Those ChamoisButter individual packets would last me a couple days applying liberally in the morning each day. I could squeeze the unused bit down and the little tear would stay closed and not leak in my top tube bag's side pockets (ie. not under pressure!)
badlands is a great one, but there are also many others out there! I actually carry an even better to chamois cream- hydrocortisone cream. For my it's the "emergency" you're speaking about and it has more healing properties. I often use it before going to sleep during an ultra. helps heal will I'm not pedaling. BUT if I need it during the ride to alleviate a sore spot (rare but possible), it's there. cheers!
I hear ya! And can't argue with your results! I might add HC to my kit for the [hopefully] rare times I need it. I favor prevention vs cures when possible however so will stick to non-drug chamois cream as first line of defense. The adverse risks associated with hydrocortisone (dependency, tolerance, rebound, etc.) caution me to avoid using it on a regular basis without careful consideration.
I think you give out some of the best information around. I try and do 60-100 mile rides regularly but I find the first 20 miles or so is the hardest for me. Any tips?
you and me both! it's the warmup that makes the first 20 miles so tough. If you have an extra 5/10/20 minutes before you start you ride you could do a short pre ride warmup. I have started incorporating this kind of thing into my routine before riding (if I'm not running late... like I often am). ru-vid.com?search_query=pre+bike+ride+warm+up
I have spent countless hours on a bike and on my feet, and in those moments, I hear a voice pushing me upwards from the bottom and into the light from some really dark places. This voice speaks as clearly and candidly as you do in this video. I have watched a few of your videos and admire the strength not only in your body but also in your words. As you said at the end: we don’t really know what is inside us until we keep going and going. So, keep it going.
Wow! I’m staying at your mom’s air bnb and she told me about you and video. I’m so glad she did! You’re such an inspiration to me and all the other people out there- helping us push the imaginary limits we set for ourselves. Thank you for sharing!!!
@@wattwagon Your mom definitely is a huge supporter of yours! Such fun! And yes, I deeply enjoyed the area - I used to live down the road so I felt super lucky to find your parents air bnb oasis!
Fenix make great lights. The battery is not fenix specific, it's a 18650 (18mm diameter, 650mm tall) and you can find them in vape shops, if you ever need one on the go. It can also be charged by any 18650 charger. They also make battery packs that take 18650 battery, that's what I use for longer trips, then I can swap them and not have anything hanging
oh good point! I thought this might be the case but I never really researched it. also super super super smart tip on the vape shops!!! you find tabacs and such all over europe.
Good recovery from the XL! That was the incredible race, but (we) Germans can not sell them selfs (mostly)! So it is a nice portrait She would never do that by herself! 🙏 😂 👍
yes! I would definitely say so. I have ridden all 3 of the 3T gravel bikes (extrema, ultra, racemax) over long distances and I can say they are racey but comfortable!
