one step forward & one step back

cat2racer · Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 2

Hurray for the new 29er rules... boo for the no 700c tires.
A 29er bike has to have 29" labeled tires which limits them to 2" or wider tires. However, a 26" bike can run SUPER skinny road tires (they are called 650c) How is this rule fair?
The problem is this: the organizers are trying to make it a "mountain bike" course only by limiting equipment. It IS NOT a mountain bike course, nothing like it at all! Half of it is paved. ANY bike should be allowed... it is truly a 'cross bike course. You could almost ride a road bike on it. The mountain bikes the fast guys are riding at Ski 2 Sea are so mutated, you can hardly call them mountain bikes anymore.

And don't tell me it wouldn't be fair 'because not everyone has a cross bike or 29er.' Not everyone has a disc wheel or a $4000 bike, but they are allowed in the road bike leg. The fast racers will ride the fastest equipment..
Please quit tying their hands!

jeffdewitt · Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Posts: 2 Location: bellingham

While you're right that the course is nowhere near a mountain bike course. I'm a mountain biker whose been doing this race since it's inception in '91, I like the rules that limit this to a mountain bike. There's already a leg that covers 36 miles, for the road bikes. When you're talking a $4000 dollar road bike or a $1000 dollar road bike, you're still talking a road bike. When you're comparing a cyclocross bike to a mountain bike, you're talking two different types of bikes. I'm sure you know how much of an advantage a cross bike would have on a course like this, and how few people have them. Can I assume you have one.