General Equipment Choice for the Epic - Tires and Pedals

[Newboy]

I ride a 2013 Santa Cruz. Racing Ralph Snakeskin front and back. XTR pedals.

 

To late to change now but it is not a bad idea to ride the same pedals as your partner. Should something happen and one bike needs to be pushed or carried you can always take turns.

[Donovan Le Cok]

2013 GT Zaskar Expert HT

Vredestein Black Panther Extreme 2.2

Look S-Track pedals

XX1 drive train

[GoLefty!!]

Both of these that I have started and completed I ran tubeless tyres and Time ATAC or Shimano XTR pedals.

All those components have proved bullet proof

[VeloRacer]

Im riding a Scott Spark 29er with Sram XX Groupset, Eggbeater pedals, ZTR Wheels with Fastrack Controls 2.0.

[Maniax]

Hi Epic riders, I thought it would be interesting to start a tread on equipment choices for the 2014 Epic, in particular those of tires and pedals, given that bikes are very personal and/or sponsored.

 

I am riding the Epic for the first time, but did 2 similar style ultra-marathons in 2011/2012 - the Brasil Ride 7-day stage race in Bahia - Brazil. They were completely modeled around the Epic and are now one of the 3 UCI-sanctioned ultra marathons together with the Epic and TransAlps. Outstanding race for those who love the Epic, and a huge selection of incredible single track in the middle of it all.

 

Now for the choices, and already asking for advice from those who have ridden the Epic before:

 

I am riding a 14' Epic S-Works 29, and have switched the Fast Track tires to a pair of 2.25 SnakeSkin Schwalbes - Rocket Ron front and Racing Ralph rear. What are you riding and do you believe this is a good pair for the Epic?

 

As for the pedals, I have been riding with a Candy 11, but given the ease of reentry I will switch to EggBeater 11, what are you all riding?

 

Looking forward to next week, and we will show as team ABR - Amigos da Brasil Ride (Friends of Brasil Ride).

 

Rgds

 

Rodrigo

 

You asking or bragging?

[Sitting slip]

Scalpel 1 ztr rims. Snake skin tyres and time pedals. Sworks saddel..and a good pair of legs and sense of humour.

[rmabreu]

You asking or bragging?

 

Maniax, considering that everyone else but you responded, I guess you have your answer.

[GoLefty!!]

As far as shoes goes, The best MTB shoes I have owned are the top of teh range Shimano MTB shoes. They last! and they're stiff. They take scufing very well. I don't have expereince of the newer shoes though as my SH-M221 and SH-M225 just don't seem to wear out.

[Oracle]

Scott Spark 910 (stock) with Schwalbes - Rocket Ron front and Racing Ralph rear, XT pedals and Spez..sworks MTB shoes.

See you all next week, we will show as team Liqui-Fruit iCan...

[Pieterg]

2014 Silverback Strada 1

 

Crossmax ust tyres

 

shimano 520 pedals

 

 

 

energade will be the offical drink no extras what I can pick at the water table that must do no budget for extras

 

 

 

 

bike will be stock standard going for 400-500 place my first Epic If you need help look for team 411/1 & 411/2 we will be the helping hand no win just fun

Edited March 15, 2014 by Pieterg

[sharkysa]

Just swopped my Shimano XTR for XT. I go through XTR pedals every 9 months or so. Comes clean off the axel and cannot repair it in the field.

 

I would just stick to XT but I have a warranty and they hand me new XTR's. I just nod and accept...

[waveduke]

CUBE AMS 100 SUPER HPC RACE 29

Look S-Track pedals

Geax Saguaro back and front

[Adrenalin Fox]

Wow you've gone all out. Nice choices. I am running captain control 's and also eggbeater 11's. My 3rd one. Meet you there. Got a 2011 Bulls hardtail.

 

I would think really carefully about the Captain Controls. Used them for one stage on the 2009 Epic and rolled noticeably more difficult than those we ended up amongst daily in the start shute. DEFINITELY sucked significantly more out of my legs just to complete the stage...

 

This year using Fast Tracks - as they:

• roll really well, but are still
  
• very reliable
  
• handles good & bad surfaces and even wet/muddy conditions as good as anything else I've ridden
  
• do not change their behaviour suddenly as you veer into corners and
  
• can by fitted onto or removed from tubeless rims almost without the use of tyre levers.
  

Pedals = Look S-Track

 

Enjoy !

[sometime]

We rode 2013 Epic on Racing Ralph 29x2.25 snakeskin as well as numerous other SA stage races the past couple of years on those tyres. In all those races we never once had punctures that required any repairs. I ride a Giant Anthem and my partner a Spez S-Works. Both running full XT groupsets including pedals.

 

We had 3 small self-sealing punctures the whole of Epic and absolutely no mechanical problems at all. Looking around the bike park Schwalbe's seemed to be the most popular choice of tyre there. But I would recommend starting the race on new tyres as our new rear tyres were finished by the end of the race and neither of us are the type to lock our drag our rear brakes.

 

Everyone I've ever known who raced with Egg-beaters no longer uses them but no doubt many others still do.

[sometime]

As far as shoes goes, The best MTB shoes I have owned are the top of teh range Shimano MTB shoes. They last! and they're stiff. They take scufing very well. I don't have expereince of the newer shoes though as my SH-M221 and SH-M225 just don't seem to wear out.

 

Stiff shoes are great until you have to do loads of walking in them. Then the blisters start as the sole doesn't flex. Hopefully there will be none of the enforced walking we had last year which gave many of us huge heal blisters.

[rmabreu]

Stiff shoes are great until you have to do loads of walking in them. Then the blisters start as the sole doesn't flex. Hopefully there will be none of the enforced walking we had last year which gave many of us huge heal blisters.

 

Had the same input before, and indeed considering a shoe change - I just tried the Spez Evo MTB Shoe, and although it is really stiff for pedaling, it has a much larger contact patch on the sole and is fully rubberized. I found them much better to walk than the Sidis.

 

Question for those who already did the Epic last year: Are there some stages where you do most of the walking and some where you don't need to walk that much?

 

Tks