Boogaloo eMTB race series rolls on
The Boogaloo eMTB Race Series presented by Troy Lee Designs and Bosch eBike Systems is off and running in 2018. Building on the successful sold-out races of 2017 at Mammoth Mountain and Vail Lake, 2018 has more venues, more bikes, and more race classes in these class 1 pedal-assist electric mountain bike events.
The Boogaloo eMTB Race Series kicked off on May 12-13 at Vail Lake, a unique high-desert racing oasis and camping resort tucked away in the foothills of the Palomar mountains near Temecula, CA. The Vail Lake Boogaloo was run in conjunction with the SoCal Endurance Series, which attracted some of the strongest cross-country mountain-bikers in the state.
Next the Boogaloo eMTB Race Series moves northward up to Big Bear Mountain, where Snow Summit Ski Resort will host its first ever Boogaloo in conjunction with the popular Crafts & Cranks festival July 28-29th. The course at Snow Summit will be integrated into their famous downhill bike park, and promises steeper climbs and bigger drops.
After a brief summer hiatus, the Boogaloo eMTB Race Series resumes at NorCal’s Downhill bike mecca, Northstar California near North Lake Tahoe. This race will be paired with a brand new event powered by Interbike, the Northstar Free-Ride Festival on Sept 15-16th. As the prelude to the highly anticipated Interbike International Expo in nearby Reno, the Festival promises to attract not only the most innovative brands in the bike industry, but a mix of California’s finest riders and those new to the sport looking to demo the latest and greatest new products.
One week later, just after the close of Interbike, the fourth and final Boogaloo eMTB Race heads south again to the birthplace of Downhill, Mammoth Mountain, in conjunction with the classic Kamikaze Bike Games Sept 21-22nd. This will be Mammoth’s 3rd Boogaloo under its belt, so they’ve decided to crank up the eMTB intensity and add a brand new “eDuro” – electric Enduro mountain bike race – on Sunday the 23rd after the Boogaloo race on the 22nd.
Key Features of the Boogaloo eMTB Race Series
- Each race features three classes: Pro class, “Race of Champions”-style Open Class, and a brand new “Youth” class for riders under 14. All races will be held on the Saturday afternoon of each Boogaloo weekend.
- Racers and the general public will be able to demo a variety of Class 1 eMTBs from world-class brands for free all weekend long starting Saturday morning and ending Sunday afternoon, except during races.
- 2018 participating eMTB brands include Bulls, Fantic, Focus, Giant, Haibike, Pivot, Raleigh Electric, Specialized, and Trek, each featuring certified class 1 (pedal-assist, 20 mph cut-off speed, <1 hp) electric drives from Bosch, Brose, Shimano, and Yamaha.
- Prizes for Pros: for one hundred percent pro cash purse payout ($2-3k) and Bosch power tools. Prizes for Open Class: Bosch power tools
- All racers will be decked out in custom Troy Lee Designs bibs & race plates; Pros & Open Class will receive a custom Boogaloo A1 helmet. Youth will receive TLD gloves for participating.
- Additional sponsors include Jaguar, PPG, Nature’s Bakery, Transworld Motocross, Electric Bike Action, Magura, and FlyRides.
“What can I say? I am a racer at heart, no matter the machine! The Boogaloo eMTB series we came up with Bosch is the most fun I’ve had on a bike, in years,” said Troy Lee, Founder and President of Troy Lee Designs. “Combining my love of bicycles and a unique one-of-a-kind race event all in one venue, and putting them on at some cool new resorts in the mountains is amazing to educate people about these bikes. I am also really excited for the eDuro Boogaloo at the season finale! Stoked to bring the love of these pedal-assist class 1 eMTBs to the trails”
“Both Boogaloo eMTB races last year were a blast for riders, spectators, and the many tourists that recreate at these beautiful resorts, so we wanted to grow it this year to include more venues, more racers, and more opportunities to demo an eBike,” said Claudia Wasko, General Manager of Bosch eBike Systems Americas.
In advance of the Snow Summit and Mammoth Mountain Boogaloos, both resorts hosted a special “Lunch, Learn, & Ride” event with local eMTB dealers and land managers to learn about eMTBs and their responsible use on natural surface trails. Both resorts are located on land managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
To register for the Boogaloo eMTB Race Series, visit www.tldboschboogaloo.com.
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