Outerbike 2013 has come and gone, and one of the biggest mountain bike demos in Utah had another awesome run despite some inclement weather. Temperatures were cold, the wind howled, yet people’s enthusiasm to ride bikes in beautiful Moab never wavered. I headed down there on day 3 of Outerbike with Adam Eakle and Tonya Kieffer to shoot an episode of KSL Outdoors, and came away super impressed by the organization and downright fun of the event.
So what is Outerbike? Well, it is a chance for people to test ride next season’s bikes and gear on some of the best mountain bike trails in the world. For two days there are guided rides and clinics, with the final three days focusing on testing new bikes. The Outerbike Expo site sets up in the parking lot of the Bar M trail system – 20 miles of singletrack loops that go from super easy double track to expert-only technical terrain.There’s even a paved bike path for the roadies. If you get bored with Bar M, the organizers also supply shuttles to Amasa Back, Magnificent 7, and Klondike Bluffs.
At the tent city, you can wander through the company booths and check out all the innovative gear, parts and bikes that we all can look forward to buying next year. But the best part is: you get to try it out right now.
The cost is $150, which may sound like a lot, but when you consider that to demo one bike at a shop for the day costs upwards of $60, getting to demo as many bikes as you want for 3 days straight is a pretty damn good deal, especially if you are in the market to purchase a new one. Plus, you get free lunches, shuttled rides, prizes, movies, and entrance to all the evening parties.
There were so many bike companies at Outerbike, that it took an act of Congress to decide which ones to ride. I spun in circles checking out Giant, Jamis, Rocky Mountain, Yeti, Santa Cruz, Scott, Ibis, Specialized, Ellsworth, Borealis, Hammerhead, Fatback, Cannondale, GT, Diamondback, Niner, Intense, Pivot, and Kona. I ended up the Pivot LES 27.5 hardtail, a carbon bike that was really sweet. Adam chose a Kona, and Tonya was drawn to the Fat Back, a bike company from Alasksa that builds bike with huge tires for riding in sand and snow.
We took our bikes out on Lazy EZ, and as the name implies, it’s pretty easy. The mostly flat singletrack winds around the hillside east of the Outerbike site and only has a few technical sections to contend with. The Pivot LES 27.5 handled the terrain very well as it practically danced over rocks and climbed like it was born to. The frame is super light and the ride was snappy and lively. While I missed having rear suspension when attempting to jump some rocks, and it took a while to get used to a less slack head tube angle, I had fun on the Pivot and think the LES 27.5 would be ideal for cross-country races and 24-hour endurance events.
After the ride, we grabbed swag bags before heading back to Salt Lake. Although it was a shame that we could only stay for one day, I had an awesome time and will definitely be making plans to go back and experience Outerbike from beginning to end. It’s a blast and a “must do” for anyone who’s shopping for a new bike.
For more information, head on over to Outerbike.com.