SS Ultrasport

[Pivvay]

Hey all you Ultrasport vets, who has the lowdown on SS history? Course record is Pat right? What sort of gearing do you all run up there? 1.25:1 range or harder? I would think with max speeds around 10-12 mph you'd gear down quite a bit compared to dirt MTBing.

Any ready to go SS fatbike options beyond the Pugs?

[carlhutch]

Hey Chris
You should just ask Eric from Epic.The problem is the amount of gear you take which makes the bike so heavy.You know all that anyhow.32 x 22 but each to their own.Personally always opted for gears because after so much walking usually when you can ride and its marginal im not gonna stop that happening because i chose a singlespeed.
As for records Pat`s still stands at 3 days 19hrs but even if you are capable of breaking a record which you clearly are Alaska decides that.Its all in the will of the gods and that bitch mother nature.....and the odd snowmobile

[Pivvay]

Thanks, Eric did fill me in on some stuff that was handy.

I know I'm the weather's toy up there, Jill and I were chatting about that on the way to Banff, but I might as well have a goal to shoot for. Pat's record is mighty impressive. Was that with the mandatory sleepover too or no?

I've been riding around in the snow for two years but not SS so that side is new to me. I've been playing around with a 32x27 right now but I'm far from decided. First of all there is no snow and the bike isn't loaded yet. As to the gear, everyone more or less is carrying a lot of gear so I'm not sure how that hurts the SS more than normal. I do realize that I can't stand and hammer the hills in a lot of snow conditions but that doesn't seem to be a big Ultrasport problem. With low top speeds and a pretty good handle on fast spinning, I've been thinking I should be more concerned with that marginal riding snow, 3-4 mph area. Good thing my knees can take sitting and grinding it out after the past few years of primarily SS only abuse.

Correct me if I'm misinformed on anything, I'm a real world ultrasport noob!

[timroz]

I use gears.  It's more of a control of the bike issue for me.  I can steer the bike better if I'm spinning.  If I have to use any upper body to pedal I can't control the bike on snow.  My hands need to be "neutral".

If I was forced to use a 1 speed it would be in the 22 x 28 range.  Seriously.  I spent the last 150 miles going between 1st and 4th gear.  I don't think it ever gets much more rideable than in 2008.

I don't see you on the list.  Are you signed up?

Tim

[Pivvay]

Not signed up but on the waiting list hopefully. Waiting to hear from Bill on that.

[Eric]

Chris got this already, but for those interested..
Pat used 32-20 on a 26" surly 1x1 with 44mm snowcats
I used 30-23 on a Karate monkey with 44mm snowcats
Pierre Ostor ss on a pugs, not sure the gearing
Last year John Ross used a pugs with 30-24 (95% sure on that), and Aidian Harding singled it as well, not sure the gearing.
For the Pugs beach trips we've been running granny gears at almost 1:1 so 24-22 nice and low. once you go low you'll never put a higher gear on again! I think 1:1 is pretty ideal for loaded fat tire touring, just don't get on any pavement!

Carl - you are going to get your ass handed to you big time if you talk to Mother Nature like that, oh wait.. that's already happened a few times!

[Shaggy]

Missed this and managed to post on the other thread...

I rode a Pugsley with 30:25 and a 22 and a 20 sprocket. I used the 25 for all of the race apart from the 'burn where it was really fast going. I used the 20 there and would have been fine on a bigger gear. That was about right. Endless do really big cogs.

Aidan ran a bit lower than me. I can't remember what exactly but he used a granny ring and smaller sprockets.

Eric, I here you ran in to Cass?

John

[Mathewsen]

Any ready to go SS fatbike options beyond the Pugs?

i thought you got that out of your system last month?

[Pivvay]

i thought you got that out of your system last month?

I've got a few Ultras to go SS style

[Eric]

yeah Cass is up here, we've been trying to connect for a second time before he heads north.
glad I said 95% sure!

[Pivvay]

I gets in! 30x20 and 30x22 are here for testing. Will acquire bigger if those prove to be inadequate. Now just waiting for the Fatback to arrive.

[DaveC]

We'll all be interested to see how it goes. 

I just pulled the 30:20 off my K Monkey, too low and too little momentum for dirt.  I reckon snow largely takes momentum out of the equation, thought riding a SS at 1:1 sounds like misery.

[Pivvay]

Snow riding is sloooooow although going lower than 30x25 is a little hard to imagine right now. We'll see when the new bike is all built up and the rubber hits the snow with a load.

[timroz]

I still think you have them backwards.

Alaska Airlines has fairly cheap flights right now.

 

[MikeC]

FWIW I used 2:1 w/26" snowcats in my '97 run at the 100 miler.  When the trail was firm it was good/FAST.  When the trail was soft I walked with everyone else.

But then, I didn't have to ride again the next day...

YMMV.

MC

[sean salach]

I used 32 x 22 on 26 x 3" tires last year. I'm not sure I would want to go any higher than that for the race/ride overall. I'll be running the same this year on either 26 x 3 or 29 x 2.5.

If I remember correctly, Aiden's combo ended up being pretty close to equivalent to mine, even though he was using a granny. I think it was something like 28 x 17 or 18.

If you put the SSers last year in order of finishing, It's also in order of lowest(Shaggy) gearing near the front of the race to highest(me)gearing near the back. That might be pure coincidence and the order is probably entirely to do with rider ability, but it's interesting none the less.