Fastest Bikes at the Vail Outlier Offroad Festival
Not a bad place to do a little bike riding. Photo by Eddie Clark
For the second year in a row, the Vail Outlier Offroad Festival teamed up with USA Cycling to host the Rocky Mountain Regional cross-country and enduro championships. The cross-country course covered 25 miles with 6000 feet of climbing as it circumnavigated Vail Mountain Resort. Meanwhile, enduro racers were treated to three lift-served stages of downhill oriented terrain, including the new Radio Flyer flow trail, the bike park style jump heavy PMT trail, and the technical singletrack trails of Fred’s Lunch and Onza Alley. For complete XC results go here, and for final enduro standings go here. Photographer Eddie Clark was on the ground in Colorado and caught these shots of some of the fastest riders and their bikes.
Current US national champion Erin Huck took a repeat win aboard her 2016 Scott Spark (it’s been updated for 2017). Huck runs a 1×11 Shimano XTR Di2 drivetrain with XTR brakes. The bars and seatpost are carbon Syncros, and the stem is an alloy Syncros. Photo by Eddie Clark
Huck has been racing prototype Maxxis tires (same models, not the exact same tires) all summer and prefers this combination of the Aspen in the front and Ikon in the rear for the drier terrain. Both tires feature a 170tpi thread count for a more supply ride, and also EXO sidewalls for increased flat protection. Photo by Eddie Clark
Huck can adjust the lockout firmness of both her front and rear Fox shocks with the electronic bar mounted switch. Photo by Eddie Clark
The electronic servo for the rear shock is mounted just underneath the shock. During the one hike-a-bike section of the race Huck accidentally hoisted the bike from the shock and pulled a wire loose. But she quickly plugged it back in to get it functioning again after realizing the lockout was no longer working. In all, that was her only mechanical mishap during the entire race. Photo by Eddie Clark
On the way to victory. Photo by Eddie Clark
The XC course sent riders high into the alpine. Photo by Eddie Clark
Exterra World Champion Josiah Middaugh won the men’s XC race aboard his mostly stock Felt Edict FRD that was sporting ENVE M50 wheels with Specialized Fast Track tires. Unfortunately, Middaugh’s parental duties took precedence over a more thorough bike review. Photo by Eddie Clark
This bike festival is part racing, part consumer demo where riders get a chance to sample the industry’s newest bikes and gear. Photo by Eddie Clark
Things got a little tricky at times. Photo by Eddie Clark
When in doubt, walk it out. Photo by Eddie Clark
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