[101]

The recent record set by a XC Champion was beat by an 18 year old road cyclists on a borrowed bike, on his rest day (promised his coach he wouldn't miss any training days) while wearing white shoes with white socks and stating that he "isn't a very fast climber"

https://durangoherald.com/articles/...-simmons-beats-payson-mcelveens-white-rim-fkt

 

[Scott O]

He says he slow on the up hills and not good on the downhills. Must've crushed the flats!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Le Duke]

The recent record set by a XC Champion was beat by an 18 year old road cyclists on a borrowed bike, on his rest day (promised his coach he wouldn't miss any training days) while wearing white shoes with white socks and stating that he "isn't a very fast climber"

https://durangoherald.com/articles/...-simmons-beats-payson-mcelveens-white-rim-fkt

Calling a U18 US XCO and Short Track champion a "road cyclist" isn't quite accurate, is it?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[101]

Calling a U18 US XCO and Short Track champion a "road cyclist" isn't quite accurate, is it?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

"A week later, he would win the USA Cycling Amateur Road National Championships junior men's road race, and his focus has been on road racing with the LUX Cycling Development Team ever since."

Referring to the Amateur Road Ntl Champion as a "roadie" is indeed accurate.

 

[Le Duke]

"A week later, he would win the USA Cycling Amateur Road National Championships junior men's road race, and his focus has been on road racing with the LUX Cycling Development Team ever since."

Referring to the Amateur Road Ntl Champion as a "roadie" is indeed accurate.

I'd call him a well rounded cyclist.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[101]

I'd call him a well rounded cyclist.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Except for the fact that he doesn't even own a Mtn Bike.

 

[hogfly]

It doesn’t say he doesn’t own one. He just did it on a borrowed bike. He might have a mountain bike that isn’t suitable for this type of record attempt.

 

[Le Duke]

Except for the fact that he doesn't even own a Mtn Bike.

The article certainly doesn't say that, so how did you ascertain this information?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[101]

It doesn't say he doesn't own one. He just did it on a borrowed bike. He might have a mountain bike that isn't suitable for this type of record attempt.

Good point and fair enough. I think the thing is that I focused in upon hearing about this is the fact that a kid who seems to admit that he's not "very good" at the things that would seemingly make one likely to beat a highly competitive XC racer (who specifically trained To set this record), actually goes out and does just that. And on a borrowed bike on what appears to be somewhat of a whimsical notion (i.e. his coach "allowed" him to do it") In between training days for non XC related racing. Maybe that's a relative aspect, maybe it's not, but there's certainly more of an "adventure" aspect to doing this kind of time trial without support Or water caches. There's different ways to interpret it, though, but that's the way a lot of the locals were discussing it. Much More extreme example, but we would all be surprised, for example, if this kid swooped in and won the CO Trail or AZT race even though he's almost certainly faster and better conditioned than the competitive fields of said races. It's possible, but most people only perform really well in what they train to do well in. Just because you are a great sprinter doesn't mean you'll make a great running back even though many NFL running backs would qualify as Olympic sprinters.

 

[wayold]

Rather than all the "Is he a roadie or isn't he"? the part I thought was interesting was his choice to do the climb up the Shafer grade at the start of the ride when he was fresh rather than starting from the parking lot like most riders and hitting the hill at the end of a long hard ride.

 

[milehi]

Around here we'd call that a road, not a trail. I could drive a car on that road and wouldn't bother with my Jeep.

 

[101]

Around here we'd call that a road, not a trail. I could drive a car on that road and wouldn't bother with my Jeep.

I don't know if I'd drive a car that I own on it, but I'd give it a shot with *a* car, though a truck would be much, much better, especially if conditions are variable. Regardless, it is certainly a two track and people have ridden it with gravel bikes, though I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable on it with drop bars.

I don't think anyone would argue it being anything other than a 2 track 4x4 road, but it certainly qualifies as a XC Ride on a bike where some experience in ruts, rocky sections, and loose and sandy terrain, both up and down, would certainly be a variable when it comes to covering 100 miles in <6 hours, supported by the fact that the two fastest known times were done on F/S Bikes (where an even lighter XC hardtail would seem to be an advantage).

As far as standardizing the course, it is a circle and the same elevation gain/loss no matter where you start. I suppose an organized race of some type would be the only official means of record setting a standardized route. Until then, it's just bragging rights and accolades and obligations for energy drink sponsors.

 

[tim208]

kudos

 

[3blackbikes]

That kid is from Durango, which mean bikes are in his DNA. Road, mountain, the "in-between" Groad that is the White Rim, it doesn't matter.
That kid is plain and simple, fast, talented, and driven. Good on him for taking Payson's challenge to heart and going out and taking the FKT. I'd like to see more of that.

 

[hogfly]

Just listened to Payson this morning on the singletracks podcast. The humor in this to me now is realizing that Payson's attempt was a huge marketing effort from Red Bull and Trek and will have a film released on it. I'll enjoy watching the film and glad they did it, but it is sort of entertaining that this kid goes out and knocks it out in this manner.

Payson, though, was very articulate in the podcast about why they wanted to "standardize" the route as well as the starting/finish points. He also admitted that the Red Bull partnership and film may have been more of a distraction rather than a help. He said that he'll likely train specifically for it again some day and go out and try to take back the FKT without any fanfare or publicity prior.

He also said that he originally wanted to do the "new" FKT route with the start point at the bottom of the hill but was talked out of it by people who are into FKTs in other disciplines.