Three Chumba Ultra Team Riders are taking on the brand-new Taurus Mountain Race, right now! The Race is a 1440 km route in Turkey, traversing through remote terrain and finishing on the Mediterranean coast. Hannah and Eric toured to the start on their Senderos, from their recently completed TransAlps race. Cat toured to the start as well!
Our racers are off to an impressive start! You can follow their dots using the tracker below! This morning we saw reports that Eric is leading the single speeders and Hannah is competing in a tight race between the top 6 female riders. The first few days appear to have been a mud fest!
Hannah and Eric have chosen our mud shedding, bombproof do all bike the Sendero, while Cat is on our classic Stella Ti, the original Chumba Ultra Race bike! Both are proven designs that have completed countless routes. These intrepid riders have taken them through a myriad of ultra’s both stateside and international! This ain’t their first rodeo! :)
Rider, Bike Portraits and Kit Descriptions below!
Hannah Simon and her Sendero Titanium Pre-race start at the Taurus Mountain Ultra Race @hannahmsimon_
“The Taurus Mountain Race is a fixed-route, unsupported, single-stage race that begins in Antalya, traverses and then loops around the dramatic heart of the range, before pushing riders onward to the finish on the Mediterranean, west of Mersin. The clock does not stop and there are no prizes. The route follows gravel, single and double track and old livestock tracks that are known only to those who live in these mountains. There is very little tarmac. There is some walking, and at times there is great distances between resupply points.” - The Mountain Races
Eric House and his Sendero Steel Single Speed Pre-race start at the Taurus Mountain Ultra Race @drlovehouse
Cat Jaffee and her Stella Titanium Pre-race start at the Taurus Mountain Ultra Race @naturevert
Eric’s Sendero steel features a bagkit by South City Stichworks, Old Man Mountain Elkhorn Rear Rack and bag, ultralight SID fork and comfy Cane Creek Ergo Bar Ends. Singlespeed leaves lots of room for mud clearance, and this is turning out to be one muddy race!
Hannah’s Sendero also features a bagkit by South City Stichworks, Old Man Mountain Elkhorn Rear Rack and bag, super durable and smooth Cane Creek Helm fork and comfy Cane Creek Ergo Bar Ends. Hannah also has some choice components from Industry Nine (custom wheels with a dynamo front hub) and Cane Creek eeWing, and Hellbender BB. The Sendero is known for its unique dual sided 6/4 Titanium space yoke. The 3D Space Yoke provides loads of mud clearance or room for big tires. So many Ultra events have moments that devolve into a mud run. Having room to clear the debris front the bikes rear triangle is a real advantage!
Cat Jaffee’s trusty Stella Titanium is set up with a fresh bagset from fellow team riders the Strempke’s at Dispersed Bikepacking. On the air ride over the airport, Cat’s wheelset was trashed, and fortunately she was able to work with a local shop in Turkey to source a new set just before the race. On the rear she is running the Tailfin rack and bag system. Baryak Aero bars and Cane Creek Ergo Bar ends for lots of hand positions.
special thanks to photos of Hannah and Eric from @ospreyimagery