@XCBen we didn't get in for 2024, which in all honesty, I am pretty okay with. We (my crew of buddies) are hoping for a return in 2025. This year, I took one off from racing. I had a few hard years, and between racing Leadville and the Marji, I was burned out. I also felt like I was missing a lot of things I enjoyed in my general life. Congratulations on getting out there! At altitude, it's definitely a tough race! 10:09 is a solid time for sure! Congratulations on a solid finish!
Agree, xc rc are slow but with ok grip and also aspen are slower like barzo with no grip...barzo have 3x more grip like aspen and at lest 2x like scorpion.. till maxxis start to sell that new compound, which should be 30% faster like that old one, maxxis is rubbish. this new compound should hit the market arround summer. Also crossking black chilli have the same resistance like aspen, and have 4x better grip.
That's fair, though the goal isn't perfection. The goal is to keep progressing. If you stop pushing forward, eventually, there won't be much left either.
Last year, I raced the Marji Gesick on the XC M and really liked the tire. I will be riding them again this spring and have no immediate plans to switch. I am not familiar with the sport version though. In general I've found cheaper tires to be less compliant, and the Pirelli's are already a stiffer tire.
For Leadville or packed dry races, the Aspen ST look to be a good choice. I found the original tread Aspens do surprisingly well as a rear in wet condition. My concern would bethe ST may get greasy in any mud. Reguardless, tire choice is highly dependent on the rider and conditions.
Would Scorpion 🦂 🇮🇹 up front & Aspen ❄️ 🇹🇼 on the rear work ? I have Rekon Race stock tube tyres on my Scott Scale but want to go tubeless when they wear out & will choose either Aspen, Scorpion xc rc lite or Continental Race Kings 🏁 👑 🇩🇪
You could mix a Scorpion and Aspen. However, they do have different ride quality and profile. The Aspen is more compliant than the Scorpion. So I'm not sure which application mixing Pirelli and Maxxis would be optimal. The Maxxis Rekon Race & Aspen seems to be a good combination for a lot of people. Otherwise, the Scorpion XC RC front and back was really solid while racing the Leadville 100, and a Scorpion M / XC RC was a really solid combo for the Marji Gesick 100.
@haylanengdahl3667 at this time, I plan on taking next year off from racing. This past season pretty much wrecked me, so it's going to take some time to get the passion for riding back. This next season I'm hoping to do some more adventure riding and trail videos. We'll see though...
Great way to compare the two. This reconfirms my assumptions about how very much different these are. Marji sounds like the "better" time in a F'd up way all around. I have to ask, which one are you likely to do again?
Both of these events have their own charm. Honestly, it just comes down to numbers. I have raced Leadville once and the Marji Gesick twice. I know I could cut those 9 minutes off if I raced Leadville again, so I may actually take another swing at that one. Racing the Marji twice was plenty. It's a great race, but there are a lot of great events to experience. I also have to give a shout out to The ThunderDown in the Underdown. It's a sleeper of a race in Merrill, Wisconsin that I really enjoyed riding. wemseries.com/hundred-down-in-the-underdown/
I have quite a few friends that have done both Leadville and Marji, and quite a few of them have never finished Marji if that tells you how tough it is comparatively. I've done the MG100 3 times and gotten the buckle twice. I can tell you that if you have great technical skills and good strength, most of the course is rideable and it greatly reduces the amount you have to push your bike. What's tough for many is finding comparable trails to train on that mimic what's on that course to improve your skills. And you're right, most people that think they have a chance at the buckle, don't actually. It's insanely tough to do that course at the pace needed to buckle, plus most everything has to go right as every second can count. The Underdown trails have some of that Marji feel with the rocks, roots, and elevation gain, so I'm glad you mentioned that one. Eventually I'll have to get out to CO and do Leadville, but it's not a high priority as it's not as challenging in comparison to other events I've done. My next big event is the Marji Gesick 200 Out and Back for 2024. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the logistics of this and how I'm going to stay awake and mentally focused for 30 hours on the bike. Oh, and one other comment I wanted to add about Marji Gesick. For an unsupported race, there's more support out on that course than most any other supported race I've done. The way the community comes together for this event is like nothing I've seen anywhere else. It's certainly something that needs to be experienced!
First, good luck on the MG200! An out and back on the course is just wild. Atleast you'll probably get to go down Zeugs that way. Really Leadville and the Marji Gesick are in two different categories but neither are easy races. Leadville is less technical however due to the faster top speeds there are areas where it can be way more dangerous. It would also be a failure to not mention Leadville is a race where you need to qualify, or get in by lottery. If you look at a qualifying race you really need to have a top age group spot. It's almost harder to qualify for the event than to race the event itself. The process reminds me alot of racing in Kona for Ironman. We were ultra lucky we got in our second year entering. I've read people have been in the lottery for a decade. Like I mentioned in the video if I did Leadville again I'd definitely look at a qualifying race to move up at the start. Really the point I want to make clear is finishing with a buckle at Leadville is a big accomplishment for many people and it should be. Also, it's great you brough the Underdown into the conversion. In my opinion The HundredDown at the Underdown is a significantly underrated event. I've talked to a few people who finished the Marji Gesick who couldn't finish the HundredDown. Mostly I think it's a time issue as the MG gives you 25 hours and has alot of connecting trail; where the HundredDown is like 98% single-track (9,700 feet) that gives you only 15ish hours. The Marji is definitely more technical, but the Underdown has an unrelenting quality of its own. Anyway, I'd personally recommend any of these races. They all have their own flavor.
Congrats! That's awesome! The MG50 really needs to be rebranded to the "Blame Todd 100k." It's over distance, and that course just gets harder as you go. Massive achievement 👏
Yes, it's nothing crazy, but it was fun to learn. It took me a bit to get the balance on the pivots. Personally, I like a good wheel squeal. However, the clean pivot just felt smooth.
I agree, is not a crazy trick but is a trick. Just yesterday I learn it and my only issue was with the body varial. Because I skate Goofy so when I do the body varial I struggle with the balance. Keep the good stuff.
The new 370 hubs come with a star ratchet rather than the pawl system. Any of the DT star ratchets will now work. There is also a star ratchet upgrade kit for older 370 hubs so you can switch the ratchet system.
@@adamtree i am truly sorry for the out of date information. for my 2019 Blur i decided i may want to check out the higher engagement upgrade options. So 2 years ago i contacted worldwide cycle and they emailed me back and told me they did not have a upgrade for the 370 hub. at the time the new higher engagement came out and i was interested just to get a little more engagement. Thanks for the update and your time.
On the fence between the aspen and a similar tyre such as the rekon race, what do you think of the aspen so far? I plan on using a pair for xc racing and training on mixed surfaces.
In my opinion, the Aspen is a better overall tire. It also sheds mud pretty well due to the open tread pattern. The Rekon Race will pack up and get greasy. Disclaimer, I only used a Rekon Race for about 3 hours on one ride so my experience is limited. Granted, I only got 3 hours because it got destroyed by a rock so I never bought another. The Aspens however, have been dragged through 100 mile races in rocks and mud with good results.
@williamdunn5642 if you are doing mixed riding, you can always mix tires. For really technical areas, I would ride a Rekon (regular) up front. I've also read of people using a Forekaster. If you're looking for just a truly fast XC setup, the Aspen is pretty good across the board.
Currently, I'm running the Scorpions. I agree with your assessment. They do feel a little slower with better grip when rolling on flat. However, I'm way more confident in technical areas. I'm not sure how that will shake out in Leadville, but the Scorpions will be rollin' there.
@@adamtree the other thing to think about is tyre/rim interface which goes unnoticed. My stock 25mm rim blows up a RR and aspen to 2.4 as advertised but my scorpion comes to around 2.3, which is disappointing. This has led me to question what is faster overall (including grip) - a wider but less nobbled RR/Aspen or my narrower and more grippy scorpion
@ClownPatroI that's a good point. I've also noticed the Scorpions grip better at higher pressures. The Aspens I would usually run around 20 psi. Any higher, and I felt like they lost a lot of grip. The Scorpions I can run around 25 psi with good grip. The higher pressures should give better rolling resistance on less technical areas while maintaining grip on technical sections. The tradeoffs are what make MTB Tire selection so difficult.
There is a bit off connector trail before the entrance of Howling Wolf. However, this video starts at the official entrance. Then it follows down to about the road crossing where it connects in with "Be Happy."
awesome job! this technique is PERFECT for smaller quarters, like this one. but when dropping into larger ones, you want to come in at an angle, so you don’t flip otb lol. great videos though!
Here's a drop-in slowed down to see technique. Pumping out a quarter is essentially the same technique as many obstacles encountered on the trail. If done correctly, a large amount of speed can be generated in these transitions.
Lol bikes are for kids and adults who still want to be them I mean I'm one of them but it's not amazing mate it's a bike with no motor powered by me and yes it's a nice bike nicer than most for it's designed functions but yet still not amazing
This appears to be a custom dual suspension bike snow bike. I've never come across anything like this stock. Looking closely at the parts it's kind of like the bike version of a Rat Rod. Which is why I think it's pretty neat. Your reply is pretty jaded, short-sighted, and ridiculous. You may consider yourself someone who wants to be a kid, but that is not everyone who rides a bike. Millions of people use bikes as primary transportation. 🙄
