This week is low on gravel and MTB race news in these parts (unless you want to read about CX, but there is a great newsletter for that already called the CXHAIRS Bulletin). However, the theme of movie releases around the holidays appears to have migrated to the cycling world. We included some great options for a cold day indoors.
We also decided now is a good time to settle the bike race porta potty debate. How many is enough? Find out below. 👇
🔍 Dig Deep
The topic of porta potties at events is important to racers. The inevitable pre-race nerves lead to long lines just before the start of races. In a short, lighthearted section to finish out the year, we asked a few race promoters on Twitter:
How do you figure out how many porta-potties are enough for a bike race?
“The accepted equation is 1 + math.ceil(x/100), where X is the number of racers you expect.” [“The Math.ceil() function in JavaScript always rounds up and returns the smaller integer greater than or equal to a given number.”]
“I go 75-100 for the ECCC.”
“I ask the pottie guy I rent them from, then add 1-2.”
“Whatever number you come up with, multiply that times two which equals the extra toilet paper you should buy”
“I think we do 1 per 100, and then maybe bump up one if we get over 400 people.”
“The number of porta-potties needed at any cycling event is always 20% more than the promoter ordered.”
Twitter user response: “Yeah but have you SEEN post-pandemic portojohn prices?!”
“We had one [race redacted] when our registrations doubled to 350 in the last 24 hours. We were short at least one portapottie. Maybe 2. People told me about it. I’ve over ordered extras ever since.”
“Yes, we've probably all gotten negative feedback. The worst I've seen/heard is college promoters doing their first race. More than once I've seen them have only a single porta pottie or toilet for the whole race”
“Cyclocross races that have one right at or in the start corral are 👍. Nothing worse than risking missing your start because all the porta-potties are on the other side of the parking lot.”
“It’s whatever the number is at the current Ice Weasels venue.” [Ice Weasels is a CX race in New England].
“I forget the formula off hand right now but many porta potties have a sticker inside them that says it is suitable for X workers on a normal 5 day work week, so I went from there to calculate how many I'd need for an event day Y hours long expecting Z racers.”
🤔 On a side note, we also learned there is no consensus on whether to use “porta-potty,” “port-a-potty,” “portojohn,” or “portaloo.”
🏁 Race News
The lottery results for UNBOUND Gravel XL have been announced, with notable names such as Ted King, and Taylor Lideen on the list. Some dark horses: Logan Kasper and Hayden Pucker. Note that former WorldTour pro Nicolas Roche was listed on the race roster, but we contacted him and he said he had mistakenly registered for this rather than the 200-mile event. “I got over-excited and registered too quickly.”
Gravel Worlds has announced a new winter race, the Winter Endurance gravel race, on Feb. 18 in Lincoln, Neb. There are only 150 total bikes spots and half of those have been taken at the time this email was sent.
📆 Registration Dates
UNBOUND Gravel 25, 50, 100, and 200, Emporia, Kan. – The lottery for these June 3 events will be open Jan. 5-20. 🔑 Hack: get your housing early.
Grasshopper Series, Calif. – Registration for the five-event series spanning from January through April is open. You can choose between a series pass or single-event registration.
US Pro Cup, Vail Lake, Temecula, Calif. – Registration for the Mar. 31 UCI short track, Apr. 1 amateur XC, and Apr. 2 UCI C1 XCO races is open.
US Pro Cup, Fayetteville, Ark. – Registration for the Apr. 12 UCI C1 XCO, Apr. 14 UCI C3 short track, Apr. 15 UCI HC XC, and Apr. 16 amateur XC races is open.
Pikes Peak APEX Stage Race, Colorado Springs, Colo. – Registration for this Sept. 8-10 MTB event just opened.
Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, Durango, Colo. – You can register for this 50-year-old event now. There are gravel, MTB, and yes, road options on May 27 and 28. Read about its unique history here.
Whiskey Off-Road, Prescott, Ariz. – You can register for the 15, 30, or 50-mile options this MTB race offers now. Event dates are April 28-30.
Rebecca’s Private Idaho, Ketchum, Idaho. – Registration is now open for this Aug. 3 to Sept. 3 event run by off-road cycling legend Rebecca Rusch.
Gravel Worlds, Lincoln, Neb. – Not the UCI Gravel Worlds: the other one. Registration is open, and you don’t need to qualify for this version, which takes place on Aug 25-26.
True Grit MTB + Gravel, St. George, Utah. – Mountain bike? Gravel? Both? You have all the options when you register for this event (open now). The MTB option is Mar. 11 and gravel is Mar. 18.
Gravel Locos, Hico, Texas. – Registration is open to race distances from 30 to 150 miles on May 23. No lottery entry is required.
Belgian Waffle Ride. – Registration for each of the six events in Ariz., Calif., British Columbia, N.C., Mich., and Kan. is now open and selling out fast.
🔑 Hack: Looking for a race in your area? Check out the Gravel Calendar.
🚵 Professional Racing
Rapha has released the latest edition of Gone Racing. It follows EF Education-TIBCO-SVB rider Emily Newsom and EF Education-EasyPost riders Lachlan Morton and Alex Howes as they navigate the 2022 Life Time Grand Prix.
Specialized has created “GROTTS | Life and Long Rides,” which chronicles Howard Grotts’s professional MTB career, subsequent burnout from the World Cup circuit, return to longer events, and love of riding.
The Life Time Grand Prix just released “This is Where I Belong,” a short documentary that chronicles 2022 champion Haley Smith’s struggles with mental health and her path to the top of the Grand Prix.
Professional ultra-endurance rider Rebecca Rusch has recorded an audiobook version of her book, Rusch To Glory, chronicling her legendary career.
The UCI Gravel World Series has announced a schedule that includes stops at the Blue Mountains Gravel Fondo in Thornbury, Ontario, Canada, and the Highlands Gravel Classic in Fayetteville, Ark.
💡 Today’s Tip
What spares to carry while training on the trails
Whether you are mountain biking or gravel riding, there are certain spare parts that are must-haves and others that are things you should consider. Here are a few of our favorite.
🔧 Tools/Spare Parts
Dynaplug Racer Pro tire plugs. This device is faster at plugging tires than any other option we have tried, and with four plugs loaded and ready in a compact container, this is the best option for both racers and everyday riders.
Pedro’s tire levers. There are a lot of tire levers out there, but these are simple, durable (they won’t bend), and brightly-colored so you won’t lose them when you drop them in the leaves while fixing a flat 😉.
Tube. While ultralight and compact options such as Tubolito can be great, they are more expensive, so sometimes, the best option is to go with a standard butyl tube from a local shop.
Genuine Innovations Airchuck CO2 inflator and 25 gram cartridges. Simple is better, in the case of inflators. Carrying the larger cartridges gives you more capacity for MTB or high-volume gravel tires.
Silca Pocket Impero Hand pump. This pump is durable and compact yet still puts out a reasonable air volume when needed.
Crank Brothers M19 multi-tool. This option is not the lightest, but it has everything you need to get rolling again if you face an issue on the trail in training
Chain master link. Sometimes, the smallest things make the biggest difference. Options vary based on your drivetrain. Tape it to your handlebars for storage.
💼 Gear
Revelate Tangle Frame Bag. This half frame bag is great for stashing layers and food on long gravel training rides or MTB rides on a hard tail.
Ride Maple Saddle Bag. This simple, yet effective bag is what you need to stash your tools and spares (and keep them free from mud).
Ride Maple Top Tube Bag. Top tube bags are an easily-accessible place to store extra food. This option uses velcro so it will fit on any bike, even ones without mounting bolts.
🔑 Hack: Add a few wraps of electrical tape on your handlebar. This can come in handy in a pinch.
Ready to ride ✅.
📍 Check Out This Route
Eagle Lake + Around the Mountain Gravel
Location: Acadia National Park, Mount Desert Islant, Maine.
Surface: Gravel carriage roads (closed to cars)
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 16.7 miles
Elevation gain: 1,220 feet
This is one of the classic Acadia National Park carriage road loops. This system of gravel roads is courtesy of John D. Rockefeller, the American oil tycoon. The Eagle Lake loop is relatively flat, save for one climb, and is often busy. It is a good warmup for the Around the Mountain loop, which circumnavigates Penobscot, Parkman, and Sargent Mountains. While this section features a decent amount of climbing, none of it is too steep and it rewards riders with amazing views of Somes Sound. Enjoy a descent down the back side and cruise past the west side of Eagle Lake home.
❤️ Race Recommendation
The Vermont 50 MTB race has been held since 1993 and provides racers with a great end-of-season challenge while raising money for Vermont Adaptive. The course changes a bit every year and is not released prior to the event, so you never know exactly what you will get. You can be sure, however, that you will ride through rolling fields and over classic Vermont trails and enjoy a gorgeous sunrise. Registration opens May 25 for the September 24 event