Fastest bikes at the Keystone Big Mountain Enduro
The second stop of the Big Mountain Enduro series returned to Keystone, Colorado, for six stages of mostly lift served racing over the course of a weekend. Known for being one of the most technical and rough venues of the top flight enduro series, many wheels and tires were destroyed before the racing was done. As was the case with the first race of the series in New Mexico, Richie Rude and Anne Galyean took the top step after some very heated racing. For full results go here. To see the fastest bikes, check out this photo gallery from photographer Eddie Clark.
Richie Rude was back on a 27.5 wheeled Yeti SB6c in preparation for the upcoming Enduro World Series event in Italy. Bike setup in regards to cockpit, drivetrain and brakes were identical to his SB5.5c. The most notable difference was his Fox DHX2 rear shock with a 500-pound spring. Although, on Sunday he had switched to a Fox Float X2 rear shock. Rude started the weekend with tried and true DT Swiss EX471 wheels with a Maxxis Minion DHF 2.5” up front and a Maxxis Tomahawk 2.3” (both with Double Down casing). But by the second stage he had switched to a newer DT Swiss EX1501 front wheel that featured a wider 30mm inner width. Photo by Eddie Clark
Women’s winner Anne Galyean rode her Marin Attack Trail Pro with the same configuration as from the BME Santa Fe race. The big difference this time was more from the rider, as she took the win with a clear 47 seconds over second place for 59 minutes and 21 seconds of timed racing. Photo by Eddie Clark
Second placed Jubal Davis was also on a Yeti SB6c, but with a full Shimano XT build. The main difference from the Factory Yeti team was his Crank Brothers dropper post. Suspension was handled by a Fox 36 fork up front and Fox DHX2 shock in the rear. Jubal rode the new DT Swiss EX 1501 wheels but with 25mm inner widths front and rear, and Maxxis DHF 2.5” and Aggressor 2.3” tires (both DD casings). Photo by Eddie Clark
Cooper Dendel took second in the women’s race aboard the exact same Trek Remedy 9.8 that she raced to the podium in New Mexico. The main exception for this stop was that she had some fresh new Bontrager SE5 tires mounted up. Photo by Eddie Clark
Shawn Neer gave his Yeti SB6c a good and proper thrashing to take third place for the weekend. Photo by Eddie Clark
Porscha Murdock took third place in the pro women aboard here mostly stock Santa Cruz Bronson. Notably, she was running a Fox Float X2 rear shock with a Rock Shox Pike up front and Renthal FatBars. Photo by Eddie Clark
Krista Rust was on one of the more dialed women’s bikes at the race, which served her well to take fourth at the demanding venue. Rust’s Turner RFX was sporting a Diaz Suspension Designs custom tuned Rock Shox Monarch Plus Debonair, and a Rock Shox Pike that featured custom hardware to provide it with different high and low speed air spring chambers for a supremely dialed performance. Also hidden on her bike was a Specialized SWAT stem clamp with trail tools neatly tucked inside. The drivetrain was a SRAM 1×11 combination that was mated to a Rotor Rex1 crankset that includes a built-in power meter and uses a Rotor Q-ring 34-tooth, 4-position chainring. Wheels were Stans carbon Bravos mated to WTB tires: Trail Boss 2.3” front, Vigilante 2.25” rear, both with TCS HighGrip Tough casings. Photo by Eddie Clark
Cody Kelly redeemed himself at Keystone this year with a solid fourth place aboard his Yeti SB6c. Like Rude’s bike, Kelly had a full complement of XTR drivetrain bits and XTR brake levers mated to Saint calipers. He ran a Fox Float X rear shock. Wheels were DT Swiss EX1501 30mm up front and 25mm in the rear with Maxxis tires DHF 2.5” and Aggressor 2.3”. Photo by Eddie Clark
Fifth placed Liz Cunningham put in the hot laps on her Yeti SB6c built up with SRAM drivetrain and brakes, Chromag bars and stem, and some sweet Industry Nine carbon Torch Enduro wheels. Photo by Eddie Clark
Summit County local Austin Hackett-Klaube took 5th place aboard his Specialized Enduro with Rock Shox Pike up front and an Ohlins STX 22 Air rear shock, both of which were custom tuned by Dirt Labs in Boulder, Colorado. Photo by Eddie Clark
Thankfully, the timing was dialed at this stop, and awards were held in a timely fashion so that Anne Galyean’s Marin could get a proper champagne shower. Photo by Eddie Clark
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