TR: White Rim in a day

[dcpnz]

Way to go Pickels. Nice write up and congrats on smashing that ride.

For my part I don't think I'd want to even drive it in a single day - last time I took two days and next time I'd want to hang out and camp and chillax even longer..

[alpinevibes]

Great work Pickels and thank you for the writeup!

The "but: gravel bike?" trope always gets trotted out for White Rim, but as many will attest, it would be a painful painful experience.

Roadie/Gravel crusher Pete Stetina put it best, attempting his White Rim FKT: "I rode this thing on a gravel bike in June, and i could walk afterwards, so ..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeFkg9nwDE8&t=210s

[bennymac]

Stetina also got the FKT on Koko recently on that same bike - I think he just hadn’t announced his time yet.

So to summarize (I think):

-Kabush has Whiterim FKT using gravel bike

-Kabush has Kokopelli FKT using gravel bike but that will fall once Stetina comes out with his mountain bike + aerobars time

Edit - Kabush did not set white rim FKT on gravel bike - see below

[kathleenturneroverdrive]

i think Keegan Swenson has the White Rim FKT on a Mtn Bike

[Benneke10]

Swenson on SC Blur: 5:28
Kabush on gravel bike: 5:43

[bennymac]

You’re right - I read too much into his post about being on a FKT pace.

Still an impressive effort by Kabush who came close to FKT on both trails using a gravel bike - also considering he’s never ridden these trails before.

[XtrPickels]

nicely done XtraPickels! congrats and thanks for sharing. How steep are the climbs?

Depending on the direction you go you either have to climb Shafer or Mineral Bottom Switchbacks. These are dirt roads but good enough shape that most passenger vehicles can travel them in good conditions.

Strava puts the Mineral Bottom climb that I did at 10% but I would have guessed 8.

After that there are really only 2 substantial climbs but they're both shorter and steeper.

Murphy's Hogback lists as a mile at 8%, but the last 1/3 is in the 15-20% range.

Hardscrabble also lists in the 1mile @ 7% range, but it's really 2 steep pitches in the 15-20% range spaced out by a flatter section.

I rode as far as I could without going too deep and then power hiked. I think I could have ridden them, but at that point in the game it would have been deeper than I wanted to go.

[XtrPickels]

Strava link for those who want to see the route

https://strava.app.link/DvmWNszU9fb

[bennymac]

wow that’s a low of calories burned/pizza slices earned. Huge effort you should be proud/stoked.

[XtrPickels]

wow that’s a low of calories burned/pizza slices earned. Huge effort you should be proud/stoked.

Thanks.

I always think I'm going to lose a bunch of weight with these efforts but, ironically, I'm always heavy (not the day of, as I'm dehydrated) for a few days after. It's most likely because I stuff myself full of salt and glycerol.

God, I love salt.

[climberevan]

That happens to me too. Then I get really light a week later....

[EWG]

Pickles nice damn work. That’s a strong effort man. Impressive as hell.

Bike choice:
I’ve ridden White Rim (multiple days, not a single day) on a hardtail, a 3” fully, a 5” fully and part of it on a 28mm wide tire cross bike.

I would not choose a thin tire cross bike again. My ass hurt. Quite a bit. That was a stupid move.

Same comment about a hardtail kinda but you don’t have to stand up half the damn time.

I also gain weight after a big effort. So weird. Water maybe?

[bennymac]

I've done some long events where a couple days later your ankles disappear into elephant like swelling - you're left wearing flip flops until you can squeeze your feet back into regular shoes. Inflammation leading to fluid shift coupled with gravity. Maybe after a long crazy hard ride like this especially in the desert does the same (fluid shift into tissues) - I’m no exercise physiologist though....

[XtrPickels]

Pickles nice damn work. That’s a strong effort man. Impressive as hell.

Bike choice:
I’ve ridden White Rim (multiple days, not a single day) on a hardtail, a 3” fully, a 5” fully and part of it on a 28mm wide tire cross bike.

I would not choose a thin tire cross bike again. My ass hurt. Quite a bit. That was a stupid move.

Same comment about a hardtail kinda but you don’t have to stand up half the damn time.

I also gain weight after a big effort. So weird. Water maybe?

I can't believe you went 28mm CX tires. That's baller.

There's an unrelated article that mention's Kabush runs Cushcore Gravel, Plus his WRIAD / KOKO bike had a suspension fork (albeit with tiny travel).
While I still don't think it's the "best" choice, you'd have to think the inserts and fork would make gravel bikes more manageable.

[mntlion]

gravel bikes more manageable.

less shitty

[EWG]

I can't believe you went 28mm CX tires. That's baller.

There's an unrelated article that mention's Kabush runs Cushcore Gravel, Plus his WRIAD / KOKO bike had a suspension fork (albeit with tiny travel).
While I still don't think it's the "best" choice, you'd have to think the inserts and fork would make gravel bikes more manageable.

It was dumb. I rode my cross bike for a year instead of my fully. That was right in the beginning. Sand was awful. Changed over to 35mm right after the trip. Better but still young and dumb. Remember when the fashion was very thin, very inflated cross tires?

I mean not as dumb as riding it in a day like you did, but still.

With that time this early in the season you’re gonna crush kokapelli.

[Patarero]

Wife road it in a day on her Heller hardtail....she does not recommend it. If she does it again, it will be on a xc full squish.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[Tailwind]

Cycling tips article shows the fork he’s using is a Fox prototype.
https://cyclingtips.com/2021/05/geof...spension-fork/

At some point the lines between bikes start to blur. Inserts and crazy low pressure would make a big difference but the fork would dramatically reduce fatigue. I would imagine this setup would be pretty quick whenever there were smooth sections. Miserable and slow for others parts. It would be interesting to compare side my side someone’s pace on a hardtail vs a bike setup like this.

I can't believe you went 28mm CX tires. That's baller.

There's an unrelated article that mention's Kabush runs Cushcore Gravel, Plus his WRIAD / KOKO bike had a suspension fork (albeit with tiny travel).
While I still don't think it's the "best" choice, you'd have to think the inserts and fork would make gravel bikes more manageable.

[XtrPickels]

Cycling tips article shows the fork he’s using is a Fox prototype.
https://cyclingtips.com/2021/05/geof...spension-fork/

At some point the lines between bikes start to blur. Inserts and crazy low pressure would make a big difference but the fork would dramatically reduce fatigue. I would imagine this setup would be pretty quick whenever there were smooth sections. Miserable and slow for others parts. It would be interesting to compare side my side someone’s pace on a hardtail vs a bike setup like this.

I was wondering if the speed on smooth made up for the slowness on rough, but of course, it doesn't look like Kabush posts on Strava...