This episode is an answer to a question many racers have asked a number of times: is the Leadville 100 actually a great GRAVEL bike course? Well, we found a guy who — along with a few friends — has taken this question way beyond the “thought experiment” stage. Stephen Fitzgerald of Boulder Colorado — owner of Rodeo Adventure Labs, a small bike company with some VERY capable gravel racing bikes — set out to race the Leadville 100 on his Trail Donkey...not just to finish, but in search of a sub-EIGHT race time. Whether you're actually interested in trying this course on a gravel bike or just flummoxed by why anyone would try, we guarantee: you're going to LOVE Stephen's honest, insightful, and hilarious telling of his race.

S4E04: Shooting for a Sub-8 Finish...On a Gravel Bike

Leadville — The 100 Mile Mountain Bike Race Podcast, p/b Shimano is the show for people racing (or just interested in) The Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race. Fatty (a 25-time LT100 finisher), Hottie (4-time finisher 5-time crew chief), and a host of experts answer your questions, give you training tips, detail the course, and tell the stories about the highest and hardest one-day mountain bike race in America: The Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race.

Sports

Fitness

Health & Fitness

Many of us have been captivated by the first three seasons of the "From the Ground Up" video series, following new mountain bikers as they work to race The Leadville 100, with only a few months to prepare. Alexey Vermeulen and Ryan Petry are the creators of this project, and in the three seasons they've guided novice racers, they've learned a lot of lessons worth sharing. Also, be sure to listen in to Fatty's Finishing Tips, as he walks you through the finer points of managing the dozens of packets of food you're going to need to manage as you eat your way through the Leadville 100. 

S7E13: Lessons from "From the Ground Up"

It stands to reason that being a little lighter will help you get up Columbine and Powerline a little bit easier. Dr Kyle Pfaffenbach joins the show to give great guidance on how (and whether). You'll also want to be sure to listen in to our Fatty's Finishing Tips segment, where Fatty gives you 4 practical pointers for doing well on the hike-a-bike portions of this bike race.

S7E12: Making Weight for Leadville

It is new bike day on the show. We went to the Sea Otter Classic, roamed the expo, in hopes of finding a bike – or bikes – that are Leadville worthy. We found four. One that spares no expense, one high value full suspension, one hard tail with a recent Leadville win, and one that promises not to break the bank. For sure there are other brands and models that would make a great choice for Leadville but this was fun exercise and one we hope can help you narrow the field as you search for that Kevins, Sugar Loaf, Columbine, Powerline eating machine. 

S7E11: Bike Shopping

Every Leadville racer has the same question: "What will be my finish time?" And there was a time when that question was a real mystery. Now, however, if you are willing to fill in the variables, Best Bike Split can give you an astonishingly accurate prediction. In this episode, Best Bike Split ambassador Dave Schell joins us to explain how. And be sure to listen to Fatty's Finishing Tip in this episode: he's emphasizing a crucial part of your your training and preparation that you otherwise might be neglecting.

S7E10: Predicting Your Leadville Time

Ray Landry is quite simply the friendliest and most Leadville-knowledgeable guy you could ever ride with. He obsesses about this race every bit as much as Hottie and Fatty do, and has absolutely top-notch advice for Leadville racers. He's shared his wisdom at the Leadville Camp each year for several years, so we jumped at the opportunity to ask him what he hears as the most common questions and concerns. Enjoy the episode! 

S4E04: Shooting for a Sub-8 Finish...On a Gravel Bike

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