Suzuki 24 Hours of Big Bear, 7-8 Jun, 2008


2008 Suzuki 24 Hours of Big Bear webcast
The Vibe
Big Bear Event Home Page Webcast Home Page Link to Story Board™ results Link to RealTime™ results
7th June 3:45 p.m. : Big Bear, Big Deal by Matt Butterman Big Bear is the real deal. Tons of exhibitors, a massive Suzuki mobile stage display, hundreds of riders, campers and tents everywhere and little sons and daughters of the racers on the shoulders of their grandparents, watching the start. Coming from a background almost exclusively in road and cyclocross racing, I didn't know what to expect from mountain biking when we took on the Granny Gear Productions account.
Some riders - friends of mine - describe the lack of prize money in XC racing these days and the need to ply the pavement to make a sustainable living as a pro cyclist. Well, quick and easy money is not overflowing anywhere in the sport of cycling, but passion and spirit keep it rolling. And if the sport thrives on passion and spirit, it's why the Suzuki 24 Hours of Big Bear is a healthy and growing event. Entries are up almost 20% from last year, and it's easy to see the appeal of 24 Hour racing: it's competitive, but it's fun. It's extreme, but it's approachable. And it's a display of lone, individual determination, but also of collective effort and teamwork.		Even Elvis-es dig 24 Hour racing - thankyavurrymush
Folks speak of 24 Hour racing being the future of mountain biking, and I won't dispute that at all. This is my second 24 Hour event, and I'm already a convert. And speaking of converting others, now I'm really going to need to convince my wife that I need a new Ellsworth Evolve 29er...
8th June ... And Speaking of the Evolve If you are in the market for a new mountain bike, don't make your purchase without first riding the Ellsworth Evolve. As a former product test manager for a cycling magazine I have got to ride a lot of mountain bikes over the years, and this one is simply outstanding. Tony Ellsworth deserves an award for the suspension and bike handling geometry for this bike, which incidentally is made in America. Key features are the 29er wheels, which roll beautifully yet remain nimble in tight corners; and the suspension which does not bob at all when pedaling. The way it handled the tight technical singletrack and rocky drop-offs of the Big Bear course made it clear that this bike will do pretty much anything that a cross country rider would want in the handling department. When it came to the climbs, the Evolve was in a league of its own. I passed a lot of riders on the climbs, not because I'm a better rider (I'm not), but because the rear wheel was tenaciously holding the ground, and the pedaling felt super-efficient. But don't take my word for it. These bikes are available for test rides at all Suzuki 24 Hour Series events, so try one for yourself and let the Evolve speak for itself.		Paul Verdile of Ellsworth with the outstanding Evolve Who would have thought that a slightly lowered bottom bracket and locating pivot points in just the right place would make such a difference? Take this bike for a test ride at a Suzuki 24 Hour Series race.
Sponsor Spotlight - NiteRider Lights the Way Sometimes pure happenstance creates a market for a product, and other times that market is more deliberately created. And while the symbiotic relationship between Granny Gear Productions and NiteRider is not the offspring of some dimly-lit backroom deal, it's also fair to say that the one would not be where they are today without the other.
"It's been a seventeen-year relationship. We were there when Laird Knight invented 24 hour racing, and it's safe to say we wouldn't be where we are now without him and Granny Gear," says Tommy Bryant, NiteRider's North American Event Coordinator. He's the head of a small team that travels some 31,000 mi. and visits 37 events each season. 34 of those events are 24 hour MTB events. "It's the second-biggest event we visit, just behind Moab [another Granny Gear event].", says Bryant.	The NiteRider support trailer
The weather and course conditions of the 24 Hours of Big Bear were pretty tame, all considered, but heavy rains earlier in the week left a healthy amount of mud stuck to the course. "While we of course prefer to have our loaned equipment come back pretty clean, it's also a great advertisement for our product's durability when harsh conditions like heavy mud and rain are encountered," Bryant stated. He went on to relate the story of a rider who crashed during the night at Big Bear, landing on his helmet-mounted NiteRider light. When he returned it to the trailer, it was still working and little worse for the wear.
NiteRider will be present at remaining Suzuki series events at Landahl and Moab. Their support includes rental and loans of equipment and warranty replacements. Look for them to light the path for your ride at the next Suzuki series race.
	About your reporters Paul Skilbeck is a journalist and press guy on the international mountain bike racing scene since 1989, I am your humble reporter for the 2008 Suzuki 24 Hour Series opener. This is how I look in my reporting clothes, but if you roll over the image you'll see that I'm not merely a pencil squeezer. Before we get started, please don't forget the support by Suzuki of 24-hour endurance racing when considering your next 4-wheeled purchase. Your support of sponsors is what keeps them supporting the sport!