By Stephen RegenoldMinnesota is not often noted for its hills. But a newbike race in the state, the Ragnar?k 105, makes the most of Minnesotassouthern bluff country, climbing and rolling for an estimated 8,000 feet ofelevation gain over its Replica IWC watches namesake 105-mile length. Last month, in a nine-hour effort, I completed the race,which is fully self-supported and primarily on gravel roads. Racers tote allneeded water, food, and gear for the entire length.(My full story on the race is here::gearjunkieragnaroek-105-bike-race.)Heres a quick report onthe gear that worked and a few items that could have performed better on theRagnar?
ks long, rolling course. Bike Cyclocross models were the iron steed of choicefor several Ragnar?k riders. I rolled an old favorite out of my garage for thecourse, clipping into my 2006 Kona Jake the Snake for its combination of speedand grip swiss replica watches on the gravel roads. With knobby tires, a solid frame, and a speedydrop-bar build, the Jake the Snake was almost perfect for the course. Oneissue: For the Ragnar?ks steepest hills, the Jake did not have a gear lowenough, forcing me to stand up and crank slow toward the top of the biggestclimbs. (2009 model: $1,399, )Tubes While changing a flat near the start of therace, I had the ill luck to pump up a faulty tube.
As racers streamed past, Iworked to quickly inflate a Presta-valve-equipped tube only to watch it fizzleas I put the tire back on the bike. The small pin at the head of the valve hadpulled out, rendering the tube useless and me consider switching to themore beefy and foolproof Schrader valve tubes next time around. Race Food On Replica Ulysse Nardin watches endurance races like the Ragnar?k, I try andget down 300 calories an hour to stay energized. My old standby favorite energyshake, Boost Drink, saved me from bonking yet again on this race. The shakes,which are made by Nestle and cost about $1.50 per bottle at the grocery store,go down easy and provide a quick shot of sustenance with about 240 calories, 4grams of fat, 41 grams of carbs and 10 grams of protein per each 8-ouncebottle.
