When Christian Bagg crossed the finish line at the Leadville 100 this year, he became the first rider to complete (and start) the notorious high alpine race with a handcycle. He did it with a bike he created through his company, Bowhead Corp, the leading purveyor of adaptive mountain bikes. Taking part in Leadville was part personal challenge and part broader statement — he wanted to make it clear that cyclists with mobility disabilities can race alongside able-bodied riders at the toughest events in the world, no matter the terrain.

After an injury left him paralyzed from the waist down in 1996 at the age of 20, the machinist from Calgary spent over a decade contemplating how to design a bike that could handle narrow singletrack, loose ascents, and rutted descents. Nearly two decades and countless iterations later, he and his team have done just that. Christian sat down with Payson to talk about the long road to designing the bike, racing the Sea Otter Fuego XL to get into Leadville, and how he managed to assuage the race organizers’ fears that he might not be able to complete the 100 miles and nearly 12,000 feet of climbing that Leadville covers. They also discuss the potential controversy of para-athletes using motor-assisted bikes in competitive events, why having one is necessary, and why he wants to be the first line of defense in the debate.

Donate to Howard Grotts' recovery here:
Howard Grotts' road to recovery
Howard Grotts recovery fund

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