Hardest?

[MikeC]

Outside Online recently published a few articles, authored by Aaron Gulley, about this years winners of the divide race.

The title of each article referred to the divide as the "World's Hardest Mountain Bike Race".  And that phrase stuck in my craw, because while it is undoubtedly a brutally difficult event, it simply isn't mountain biking.

I thought about it for a bit, then sent an email to Aaron--the author of both articles--and said as much.  I insisted that a mountain bike race doesn't happen on dirt roads, and isn't won on drop bars.  He agreed, stating that the divide race is emphatically difficult, but mountain biking it is not.

I mean no disrespect to those of you that choose to chase that particular dragon. 

But now that the subject has been broached, I'm curious what *is* the "World's Hardest Mountain Bike Race"?  From what I've heard it's probably the Freedom Challenge, although I haven't done it so I can't opine.  I think the 1000-mile ITI would have to be a top contender.

Discuss?

[bmike-vt]

I insisted that a mountain bike race doesn't happen on dirt roads, and isn't won on drop bars

I don't think whether a rider uses drop bars or flat or alt bars should make a difference if they win.




If you are going to quantify the race by equipment choice thats a whole can of worms. Carbon? What is the minimum tire size? Do you have to carry a bivy? Must you use hydros or can I use rim brakes? Etc. Etc.

[MikeC]

The course, not a committee or person, should always dictate what equipment can or should be used.  As such it makes sense that drop bars are used on the divide--it is largely road, it is 98+% non-technical, and aerodynamics are important.

This is all understood by anyone that has ridden the event or done even the slightest bit of research into it.

But that wasn't the question I asked.  Got an opinion on the topic at hand?

[Jilleo]

This could make for a very interesting discussion. I wouldn't dare venture into the subjective morass about what makes any particular endeavor "hardest," but it is interesting to consider the characterization of particular events.

I wouldn't characterize the Freedom Challenge as a mountain bike race, personally. It's an adventure race that's won, first and foremost, by sharp navigation skills or local knowledge/experience, along with strategic route choices. Secondary is strength for bike carrying/hoisting for the near-daily portages and frequent scaling of 10-foot game fences. Out of 1,400 miles, at least 50 are solid hiking (off trail shwhacking, with bike on back), with many more sections of largely unrideable terrain. Technical skill does make a difference between pushing and riding in many places, but arguably only a marginal difference in overall speed. It's a route I'd actually enjoy watching strong trail runners and mountain bikers take on head-to-head. The only reason the trail runners wouldn't stand a chance is the fact the FC still has long segments of Divide-like terrain (including up to 60 miles without water/service) — although very little pavement, and much rockier as a rule.

Freedom Challenge would also get dinged for being a supported race, but in my opinion it is less supported than the Tour Divide. There is an abundance of services on the GDMBR, making the self-support challenge less of an issue than it is in rural South Africa, where you have only a handful of commercial stores, no bike shops or help with bike maintenance, and large rural tracts where you are up to 300 kilometers away from the nearest towns with hospitals/hotels, etc.

[bmike-vt]

I just think you should leave the equipment choice out of it... that is all I was trying to say.
Makes no sense to me to make handlebar choice a deciding factor on what is MTB or not.
(And Mr. Tomac would likely disagree that MTB races aren't won on drop bars...)


So, ITI. Its hard because its remote, and on snow. And you've finished it twice.
Is it really a MTB race? 
What is a MTB race? 24 hours, 50 miles, 100? laps? Point to Point? Leadville? Local series at the trail center?
Single track only? (Does ITI count? In that regard?)
On mountains only? In forests only? Does slick rock count?

[Majcolo]

subjective morass

Indeed. Also, great summary.

IMHO any bike race that requires a mountain bike to complete is a mountain bike race. Beyond that it's a bit arbitrary and probably varies year to year based on weather.

That said, my vote would be for the ITI. The potential obstacles that can be created by extreme cold and snow seem pretty daunting to me.

[MikeC]

I just think you should leave the equipment choice out of it... that is all I was trying to say.
Makes no sense to me to make handlebar choice a deciding factor on what is MTB or not.
(And Mr. Tomac would likely disagree that MTB races aren't won on drop bars...)


So, ITI. Its hard because its remote, and on snow. And you've finished it twice.
Is it really a MTB race? 
What is a MTB race? 24 hours, 50 miles, 100? laps? Point to Point? Leadville? Local series at the trail center?
Single track only? (Does ITI count? In that regard?)
On mountains only? In forests only? Does slick rock count?

Good questions.  The point is not to argue, the point is to opine and discuss.  What is 'hardest', from your perspective?  Get it?

[JosiahM]

I placed well in the arizona trail race using aero bars.  Any trail that long is bound to have many sections that are smooth enough to ride in aero bars for comfort.  I would probably use aero bars on the ctr if I did it again too.
so does that mean that neither of those are mtb races?

[wookieone]

This is kinda interesting. I would argue that the TD is a mountain bike race. Sure it can be done on a cross bike or what have you, but most trails can be ridden by someone on a drop bar skinny tired bike, so does that alone make it "Non-Mountain Biking" I would never take any bike other than a MTB on that route, drop bars, aero bars or what ever, still a MTB under all that stuff.
I think the yet to be established CTD race would be the hardest. 3000 miles, lots of singletrack, tons of route finding, etc. But the route isn't there yet and most of us do not have the time to take to race it.
Honestly the title of "hardest" is a tough one to really validate, as few of us have done them all and some stuff is harder for some than for others. The "Hardest Race" is just for headlines anyways......
Jefe

[Jilleo]

I wrote a blog post about my view on the "Toughest Race" designation a few months back: http://halfpastdone.com/2014/10/13/worlds-toughest/

For the TL/DR version, I tend to agree that tough is in the eyes of the beholder, and "hardest" boils down to how doable it is for the average person. The hardest race in the world would be a marathon with a two-hour time limit.

[dskunk]

I enjoy 24 hour solos. Bear with me, it’s relevant. I was trying to figure out why I enjoy them and it occurred to me that part of the reason is that in order to race them well I have to keep my pace at a level that is really quite comfortable both in terms of effort and staying in control of the bike.  They’re not really very hard, they can hurt but they’re not really hard. I don’t do many short races but when I do I have to push so hard, all the time, that it’s non-stop hurt. And my lack of skill really shows. I’m riding on the ragged edge. But they’re short and then you get to chat and drink beer.
So here’s my take on what constitutes the hardest mountain bike race: it has to be short enough that the pace required to be competitive requires each rider to be riding at the very edge of their ability to control the bike. It has to have terrain that requires that level of control for most of the race. It has to be short enough that the pace required to be competitive makes you hurt the entire race. And, the flip side, it has to be long enough that the hurt takes you to a whole different level (does that make sense?) My personal opinion is that 100 milers fill those requirements, and are probably the hardest form of mountain bike race. They require a high level of skill and a pace that really hurts. I don’t have any particular one in mind but it would be a point to point, technically difficult, with a lot of elevation gain and loss.
Not the sort of race that one would necessarily consider an ultra, eh?

( by the way, I kinda feel like a five year old sticking my hand up in a university class and trying to answer the question, you guys are all gonna laugh at me, but there ya go )

[aarond]

This is the world's toughest race:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/weird-news/man-rolls-brussels-sprout-to-the-top-of-mount-snowdonwith-his-nose-9644827.html

[dgjessee]

HTR 550 gets my vote... Wet, rocky, probably 50-100 miles of questionable rideability, 100s of sheep fences to cross, resupply not super easy, high attrition rates, and the threat of midges....

[james-o]

"it simply isn't mountain biking."

First, do we need to define mountain biking for this discussion?

I'd agree that the TDR isn't a typical MTB race. It's a dirt touring, roughing-it race/challenge. I still call that mountain biking though, it covers a lot of stuff to me. I think I'd say a WC DH is the hardest MTB race..

[GrizzlyAdam]

The hardest race in the world is whichever one I'm currently 85% done riding.

I guess "hardest" depends on which questions you ask (obviously).

For example, which race/route is the hardest to break an existing record? Which is hardest to simply finish? Which challenges the mind the most? And so forth.

Put them all together, and I suppose you'd get your answer.

Obvious candidates are the CTR, AZT, ITI, TD.

As far as single day races, I think the KTR, VT125, the old E100 in Park City, and now the Point2Point are all worthy races. If we keep drilling, you could count some tough XC races in the mix, simply based on how "hard" one has to ride to do well.

To say nothing of all the international events I know next to nothing about.

[joeydurango]

The hardest race in the world is whichever one I'm currently 85% done riding.

Ha!  That gets my vote as well, Adam.

Seems that also, of course, we're depending on how a given race/route is perceived by a given rider.  I'd hate to do the ITI, because I have about 0% body fat and have trouble staying warm once I'm not moving - so winter camping isn't for me.  But the CTR isn't all that bad for me compared to, say, some guy from sea level, because I like primitive trail at altitude.

So I dunno, Curiak - it would probably be tough to pin anything like this down.  As Jefe said, seems like it's just an arbitrary title to pin on something, anyway.  I'm sure after Durango's big "Todd n' Ned Dirt Fondo" this fall, there will be a lot of older weekend warriors thinking that was the hardest race ever...

My opinion so far, if pushed, would be that I'd have to go do them all in order to have an opinion.  Anyone care to fund my scientific query?

[mountainjah]

I'm sure after Durango's big "Todd n' Ned Dirt Fondo" this fall, there will be a lot of older weekend warriors thinking that was the hardest race ever...

Dreading that weekend and that event....

[vikb]

A mountain bike race is mostly singletrack IMO. It's not defined by the equipment that gets used, but by the terrain that's travelled.

I've done lots of dirt touring on a mountain bike, but I don't consider that mountain biking.

[bmike-vt]

A mountain bike race is mostly singletrack IMO. It's not defined by the equipment that gets used, but by the terrain that's travelled.

I've done lots of dirt touring on a mountain bike, but I don't consider that mountain biking.

So that eliminates the ITI right? Most of that is not on single track. At least in the sense of the kind I ride in the northeast.

[vikb]

So that eliminates the ITI right? Most of that is not on single track. At least in the sense of the kind I ride in the northeast.

I'd expect things to be different in AK than what we ride down south. I'm not familiar enough with AK to even begin to analyse the ITI.

I'm talking about what I know.