Hayes Stroker Trail Disc Brakes

You can put over 250 miles on your bike completing in a single adventure race. You need to count on your bike setup to last through the tough conditions and abuse of long races, and you also need your bike to get you through your trainings by holding up week after week with minimal maintenance.

This is why I switched to disc brakes three years ago even though they are a bit heavier than rim-style v-brakes. I wore through a set of brand new v-brake pads partway through the Ecomotion 2005. That race was incredibly muddy and tough on bikes, and v-brakes just didn't cut it in those conditions.

I have found that disc brakes have more stopping power, particularly when you get to the bottom of a large hill. I was very glad to have disc brakes in the 2008 Baja Travesia, where I lost two spokes, and my wheel came way out of true. Again, I would have been dead in the water with v-brakes, but I was able to finish the race with no issues. My experience has led me to beleive that disc brakes are the only way to go for adventure racers.

I am happy to report that disc brakes have continued to evolve since I started using them. This year Hayes supplied DART-nuun with their brand new Stroker Trails. Here are the features of the Strokers that I believe have improve my riding:

1. Power - the large brake pad surface area provides ample stopping to prevents crashes. They allow me to use one finger on each brakes lever and four fingers on each grip during technical downhills.
2. Modulation - the brakes have an intuitive feel. The modulation allows me to descend better, but it also helps me to climb loose steep terrain and to get over obstacles. It does this by allowing me to apply the slightest amount of back brake, which keeps the front wheel on the ground.
3. Consistent performance - there is no fade at the bottom of long hills. The brakes work well in wet muddy conditions found around the Pacific Northwest.

Hayes Stroker Trial disc brakes are the most powerful and responsive brakes I have owned. They are a strong offering for adventure racers. Two additional features are worth mentioning.
First the brake lever distance can be adjusted on the fly with no tools. Second the brake pads are extremly simple to install with no tools.

Hayes Stroker Trail disc brakes: $175.

Replacing Luck

Successfully completing a multiday adventure race isn't about luck. It is skill, conditioning and having the proper tools. Navigating through the night can be a daunting task. Especially when cold, tired, and hungry. On Team DART-nuun, we rely on Suunto to improve our conditioning and get us through the toughest navigational challenges that any race director can throw at us.

Every teammate is equipped with a Suunto t6. This is a fantastic tool that helps us improve our performance. Since we are constantly training in many different disciplines, our training needs to be focused with no "junk miles". Suunto helps us achieve quality workouts because of the features including heart rate monitor, altimeter, speed/distance information, watch, timer and lap functions. And for you women out there, Suunto has a new t-Series for women with softer wrist straps and other feminine features.

While GPS technology is not allowed in adventure racing, we will often use the X9i while training or exploring. The X9i is the worlds smallest and lightest wrist mounted GPS unit and provides incredible real-time location and post workout review of any route in the backcountry.

Where Suunto really shines, is in the dead of night when we are working toward that control in the deapest wilderness. The t6 together with my MC-2 compass provides me with all the real-time information I need to lead my team to the control. Elevation, distance traveled, direction, and elapsed time, help me to precisely keep my team focused on the fastest route. The MC-2 is the best field compass on the market. With large mirror, adjustable declination, and large baseplate, this compass goes with me whenever I head into the mountains.

Given the performance of the t6, I can not wait for an upgrade to the new t6c. This wrist computer is part of the new Suunto Training Series. This new computer has customizable screen layout, Comprehensive physiological analysis on PC, and many other new features.

Vasque Blurs come through in Primal Quest

Primal Quest is a long and tough race, so I experienced a significant amount of trepidation leading up to PQ Montana. One of my main concerns was how my feet would hold up. Particularly, since the foot sections were rumored to be over 200 miles. By the end of PQ Utah, my feet were a sore and blistered, and I came shuffling into the finish line with a gimpy gait. This time around I was determined that my feet would last the whole race.

I had been using Vasque trail running shoes for only about 10 weeks prior to the race. I took a pair of Blurs out of the box, threw in a pair of Sole Custom Footbeds, put them on, and ran the capitol peak 50k. I was extremely pleased with the Blurs that day, but I was uncertain how they would hold up off trail. The next test I put them through was the Kayak Lake Mead 26 hour race. Except for a few kayaking and swimming segments, the entire race was on foot and off trail. The Blurs treated my feet well in the dry dessert terrain surrounding lake mead, so I decided to use them for Primal Quest.

PQ proved to be long and tough. Record late snowfall meant great glisading, full rivers and, of course, lots of time spent trekking in the snow. The race put us through three mountain ranges: the Spanish Peaks, the Bridgers, and the Crazy Mountains. There was beautiful apline terrain, but every spectacular trek seemed to finish with a long trail or road section. The prerace briefing listed the mileage on foot at 330 km. Through all this, my feet suprised me. I was able to wear the same shoe for the entire race without my feet swelling up or getting blistered. My feet finally started to hurt from the week of pounding six and a half days into the race. Fortunately, we only had a few hours of trekking left at this point.

Overall my feet held up wonderfully and allowed me to see a tiny sliver of the great state of Montana. In addition to finding a pair of rugged lightweight shoes that fit my feet, here is a list of things that contributed to my feet doing suprisingly well:

Clipping my nails carefully prior to the race.
Drying my feet out during sleeps.
Applying Sportslick lube between my toes at TAs.
Staying hydrated with nuun.
Using Sole footbeds in both my running and biking shoes--for additional cushion and support.
Using Outdoor Research Flex-Tex gaiters to keep rocks and debris from getting into my shoes--get the S/M size for trail running shoes.
Bringing and using Leki Carbonlite trekking poles on each leg--amazingly light and tough.

Vasque Blurs: $85.
Sportslick Pocket Slick: $4.
nuun: $6.
Sole Custom Footbeds: $45.
Outdoor Research Flex-Tex gaiters: $30.
Leki Carbonlite trekking poles: $200.

Ibex Knee Warmers

Ever had that need to bring your total body temperature up but it wasn't cold enough to warrant full leg warmers or another layer up top? I've found that knee warmers help moderate total temperature and of course fill that void of keeping the knee caps warm on mild shoulder season days.


In the off chance that you find your self in need of gaitors for some off trail travel the knee warmers can be pulled down to keep goat heads and thorn out of your biking shoes while bushwhacking to your next great trail experience. While racing in Australia at the XPD, a 5-10 day race throughout Australia West coast, I was in dire need of some ankle protection coming off of a bike section. After heading into the bush, 13 hours later, I removed a couple of thorns and pulled them back up to warm the body on the bike. Who would have thought?

Ibex pulls it off again, great quality product that just keeps on giving.

Vasque, Aether Tech

The Vasque Aether tech running shoe is right out of a dream and were just what the doctor ordered to get me through my first Ultra marathon. After running 55 kilometers and climbing 4500 feet in over six hours my feet were injury and blister free and I was able to daydream about my next run.

The Aether tech have a good sized toe box that kept my toes and toe nails from getting destroyed on the descents and a firm fore front to the shoe that provides protection against kicking roots and rocks.

The exterior of the shoe is made of Nylon air mesh and drains great while the added reinforced fiber and synthetic leather add some structural integrity. The duration of the run was in a variety of conditions including mud, water, snow and dry trails and the shoe held up very well in all of them.

The Boa lacing system was very easy and I did not have to touch it after the race started. It seems that the even distribution of the lace has been well thought out and tested as it treated my feet like royalty.

I'm now looking forward to the next run in my Aether Tech's and might use them as an excuse to get into the next mud puddle I see.

Ibex 3/4 bike knickers, Winter riding can always happen

This statement is 100% true when you factor Ibex wool riding clothing into the equation! For people who love those chilly winter rides, the Ibex ¾ Bike Knickers provide amazing warmth and comfort. Made out of climawool lite, these bike shorts are both wind and water resistant. I have tested them in -10 C winter conditions (Pacific Northwest weather) and they get the job done. Even when wet, the fabric warms to the skin which is extremely important for long rides.

The fabric is durable and can withstand a great deal of washing. Even though they are wool, no shrinkage has happened. These are probably one of the most comfortable bike shorts that I have ever used. They provide a great fit and are flattering on the female body. Wool knickers will continue to be apart of my winter active clothing!

Written by: Jen Segger