Let's just say I left some on the table. To explain.....
The bikeAs you know, I messed up a landing jumping last week and broke the front wheel of my bike. The shop said they would have it fixed for me in time for the race, but they weren't even close. (not the shop I will be working for, a different one)
So my back up was to ride Super D's bike in a Super D race. Sounds like a perfect match right? Well.... the brakes aren't set up how I like, the tires are a little skinny, the suspension is 3 or 4" travel at best AND IT IS PINK.
I did a bit of riding around and a few adjustments and was just ready to run with it. At this stage the killer racer instinct in me just hadn't kicked in.
I was turning in my registration and staged on the Girl Bike having already braved much teasing for my choice of mount. (let it be said this is a great cross country mountain bike, but not a gravity racing bike) RH asked me, "is that what you're riding? Go to Rick, hey Rick, hook my buddy up with a demo!"
Off to the Ellsworth tent I go.... No credit card, no license just 'how much do you weigh and where are your pedals' from the tech at the tent. I put on my number plate and that was it, off on a Ellsworth Moment (frame MSRP $2,500. as built $4,200) to practice and race.
My bike should have been ready and it wasn't, I was prepared to ride a pink girls bike that I had at least a passing familiarity with but then ended up on a totally new bike. To race. In a series I could possibly win my division...
The raceFinally some people to race! The biggest Super D I have raced in so far had only 6 people in my class, so it was cool to be racing 4 people this weekend. And one of the guys there is someone who had beaten me in my very first race. I KNOW I am faster than him so he was my immediate target, if I did nothing I wanted to crush, I mean beat him.
Since I had pretty much made this course I knew totally where it went and lead the group down a sighting run. The bike I was using was working just fine. And I was able to pick out a few place I could improve. We did 3 practice runs and then it was ON!
I was in the third starting position as this race was a time trial rather than mass start. Racer one had nailed the very tricky first corner but I had discounted him on a snap judgement. Racer two was 'target boy' and he blew the first corner. I knew I had him then. Now I was also sure I was going to smoke racer one as well.
Sprinting into the first corner I totally miss my line and little berm I had dug with my heel and slow in the soft sand outside the turn. Dang it! I quickly realize I have to make up time now. Stand up and pedal Rowdy!! I'm going great until I brake too much for an off camber, tight, loose left turn. At this stage I'm calculating how much effort I think I need to give to win. I'm doing the math and think I can win with what I've done. I'm still riding in "race" mode, but calculated. Measured.
Crossing the finish line, pedaling hard I hear voices behind me. I can't hear or discern what they are saying over my panting and breathing.
"Dude, you came across exactly the same time as me." WHAT?!?!? The guy who I had discounted at the first ended up being the tortoise to my hare!! He had rode in control and smoothly versus my speedy but sloppy. And now we were tied for 1st place.
The mistakeRH, you are my man, but I gotta complain here a bit. The person doing the scoring and timing at the bottom of our runs did not record times out past the whole second. I can see why he didn't. It is an amateur event and only 4 people in this class. How could two riders finish on the same second? Well, we did. And we needed times out to the tenth of a second. (of course I also think it would have shown I won if this was done)
My second mistake was not just accepting a tie for 1st place. I wanted to win dang it! Not tie! As this had never happened before we were all at a loss of what to do. Various ideas where thrown out and eventually we choose a super short 45 second sprint down a service road to determine who was "first" between us.
The tie breaking raceWe lined up side by side, RH on a motorcycle in front of us to keep us from hitting any cars on the service road. He called out "go!" and we went! I edged racer one off the start but he had the inside line first corner. I go to mash gears and guess what? I don't have any more. No big ring. Racer one hits shifts and just pedals away. Now I know I can never catch him at this stage and just coast down to the finish, watching him almost crash on a jump he obviously didn't see correctly.
The medalSecond place was what I deserved that day. I didn't hit the first corner perfect, I slowed down in a calculated way thinking I had the race and I was to proud to accept a tie and then lost the tie breaker. If I really wanted first place I should have pressed for us to re ride the course and have that time be the decider for who was first. Never ever will I break this racing rule again. All out, all in, all for maximum effort to win or I should just spectate. Or accept being beaten. Second place. (I am really the only consistent racer in my class so I have a really good chance of being 1st overall for the series in my class.)
EDIT*The promoter will now be running the class with your finishing order based on a combined time from two timed race runs. This should eliminate any future first place "ties". (I like this cause you get a chance to redeem a bad run, chance for someone else to have a bad run and it favors those with a little better fitness)
Ellsworth MomentI have raced on Kenda Nevegal tires before so I am able to tune that out of my review of the bike. First, I have to say thanks to the Ellsworth guys for letting me just roll up and take a bike and race it. I appreciate it.
**Full disclosure, I am not a pro bike racer. I also am a friend of the race promoter and did not have to pay the entry fee for this race. I am also employed by a competing brand**So take this all with a grain of salt.
-negatives-
It was easy to run wide on this bike. I am not sure if it is the balance of the chassis, the head tube angle with the fork on it or a rearward weight bias. I just know I ran wide when I didn't expect a few times and had a hard time pitching the bike sideways to turn it underneath me, moto style.
The bike has a weight bias to the rear, making the front very light and easy to come up when you jump. I prefer a more neutral balance in the air.
Anything else I could say would be a reflection on the build up, rather than the frame itself. As I was racing I would have liked to adjust much of the setup/cockpit to suit me and my style. But it was a demo and they were not my personal race mechanics.
+positives+
Excellent pedaling response. When I mashed 'em, the bike leaped forward.
Steering with the rear brake. If you wanted to adjust your line by using the rear brake this bike can do it very precisely. It's not just a wild skid but a controllable change in arc through the corner.
I normally race a small Giant and I rode a medium Ellsworth. My XC bike is a medium Specialized. I felt very good on a medium Ellsworth and think it can suit a large size range of riders.
I liked this bike. It was fun to ride. Once I adapted my style a little bit to it I never was shocked by it. I do think you need to be very attentive to how you weight the bike with your body. If you are a rider's rider and in tune with what you do on the bike, rather than a brute, you could work magic with this bike. Especially once it is set up to "you".
I really was in 'race' mode and not 'test' mode, so I would like to ride this bike again and to spend some time wrenching to fine tune it to me and then see really what I think. For now, I give it a 7.5 outta 10, mostly due to not having enough time for a great review and not having anything really adjust for my size, weight, riding style and personal preference.
The photos
