Which Bike?

By far the biggest question I’ve been asked regarding the Crusher is “What bike do you think I should use? (wink, wink)

For those of you who are absolutely sure that I know there is one bike that will be better suited to the event than another, I’ve decided to do this: I will detail each sector of the course below and it’s probable conditions and give the nod (in my humble opinion) to either CX (Cyclo Cross) or MTB (Mt. Bike). In the end, you can take that information for what it’s worth and make the decision yourself.

That being said, I think last year’s race announcer Bruce ” The Hornet” Bilodeau summed it up best as he addressed the riders with the following;

“The Crusher in the Tushar: The only race in the world that let’s you choose your weapon with only one guarantee… At some point you’ll be very, very wrong!“

I’ve also had a few query’s as to whether I think you could ride a road bike on this course. The short answer is yes, (2 riders attempted it in 2011, one finished) but I’m not recommending it. With 11 miles of fire-road descent mid-race that could have questionable conditions depending on what the Spring runoff holds, I think the road bike should sit this one out. If you’re hell-bent on the idea of using a road bike, I’d suggest doing some course recon at some point when the snow has melted a bit to scout-out the dirt portions so you know what you’re getting yourself into and don’t blame me if/when things go pear-shaped quick!

Rider Nick Frey attempted the Crusher on a road bike, eventually succumbing to multiple flat tires.

Lastly, with the inaugural Crusher now under our belts, it may seem easy to quickly look at Pro Men’s Podium from 2011 and simply make the assumption that a Cyclo Cross bike is the way to go.  Well, I’ll offer this insight from last year’s event: At the finish line the most common remark I heard (regardless of the bike ridden) was something along the lines of “Next year I’m using a different bike!”

Happy pondering!

Sector 1: Event Start  to Little Reservoir Campground (11 miles)

This first portion of the race climbs the pavement more or less gently for 11 miles and around about 1500 feet of ascent. Great pavement.

This sector contains the first dedicated portion of dirt fire road riders will encounter. Conditions can be highly variable based on the Spring runoff, especially as the course nears the event’s high point at 10,500 feet. Sustained climbing with a few quick descents. Again, riders should expect patches of gravel and washboard but generally good, hard pack with potential for some mud and run-off rivulets.

Nearly 9  miles, this sector is all dirt and downhill and includes the white-knuckle, switch-back, washboard and gravel-filled descent into the Piute Valley.  The Mountain bike will offer a distinct advantage in terms of both comfort and control.

Here the scales tip squarely back in favor of the Cyclo Cross bike with 12 miles of pavement starting at the City Creek Campground turnoff including a brisk run-in to the 2nd Aid Station at the town of Junction and then a rolling jog on U.S. Highway 89 to Circleville.

It’s back to the dirt just outside of the town Circleville. Starting out innocuously enough, Doc Springs road quickly deteriorates from hard-pack gravel to a rutted and sometimes sandy slog of a climb. There’s some short respite at Aid Station 3 where the route turns back onto the pavement of SR 153 for a brief 1.5 miles, then it’s back to the dirt where the sustained-climbing gets very steep on ball-bearing gravel and washboards. Expect to die a thousand deaths here regardless of what bike you’re on. It’s debatable as to whether the larger gear range of a Mt. Bike outweighs the potential advantage of a lighter Cyclco Cross Bike for the ascent of the “Col d’l Crush”.

This section of fire road will be graveled and rolling with a combination of relatively shorter climbs and descents. A MTB will be able to rail through some of the quick, “turny” downhills while a CX bike will be faster on the climbs and straightaways.

This is the homestretch, and it’s all pavement. There’s immediately a steep kicker of a climb followed by a quick descent and then the final, disgusting grunt to the finish which sits at an elevation nearing 11,000 ft. The advantage here will tip in favor of the CX bike, but at this point in the event it won’t much matter what bike your riding…. it’s all gonna come down to how much gas you have left in the tank and just how badly you want it.

Pro Women's winner Clara Hughes crosses the finish line at Eagle Point. She chose a 29" hardtail mountain bike on which to Crush the Tushars.

So there you have it. The pros and cons in black and white. Now you do the math and leave me be!