JDurk
Well-Known Member
Ah yes. There's also a pretty hotel with food and a pool on site as well.
2026 XC MTB Season Discussion Thread (Schedule in 1st Post)
- Thread starter Cassinonorth
- Start date
Matt_
I Get Jokes
July 13-19 USAC Endurance and XC Nationals, Roanoke VA
mtbnats.usacycling.org
Endurance Mountain Bike National Championships | USA… | USA Cycling
Everything you need to know about the USA Cycling Endurance Mountain Bike National Championships.
mtbnats.usacycling.org
Over the Bars
Well-Known Member
Xterra got moved to stokes
Was considering going to that to do the MTB race there instead of Rattling Creek this year...easy pass at that venue for me.
Over the Bars
Well-Known Member
Not super happy about the change myself but the only good part is I can bring our camper and wayway that wasn't an option.
Hair Face
Well-Known Member
Never been to Stokes but was considering going back to Xterra for another crack. Is Stokes that bad?
It'll be slower for sure. It's old school trail...very very rocky and techy.
xc62701
Well-Known Member
Now you're speaking my language...
Joe J
Well-Known Member
Specifically the OLD part 🙂
xc62701
Well-Known Member
You're not wrong but that stung a little... 😆
Strongly considering jumping into the MASS series this year...is it worthwhile to sign up for the series if I'm going to do between 5-7 races?
JDurk
Well-Known Member
It's worth it if you want to compete for individual series standings. For me, been racing in the MASS series since 2008 season. Registering for the series keeps me committed for both individual and team standings in both XC and Endurance. One less thing to worry about is you'll have the same number plate every race, unless you forget it. Pretty sure that plate can be used for XC, Endurance and Enduro.
As for series standings, your best 7 finishes will count. Per the series guidelines, there will be approximately 10 or 11 XC races
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Sweet, exactly what I was wondering. I think I need the extra kick to actually drive out to the races. It's not ideal being they're all 1:45-3 hours from here but it's cool to have such a well run series at all...I think it'll be fun to race the same guys all season. Seems like a solid group in the Cat 2 30-39 category.
JDurk
Well-Known Member
Another thing that keeps me coming back is the varied terrain each location offers. The Cat2 30-39 group is usually very large and very competitive.
@Santapez any thoughts on the Pisgah 111 course? Comparing it to Northern NJ (Ringwood/Stephens terrain). Considering making this my "A" race for the year since the Sugars is off the table for 2026 for me.
www.pisgahproductions.com
Pisgah Productions | Pisgah 111 MTB Race Pisgah National Forest
Pisgah Productions was formed in 2003 with a simple idea: to push people to go further than they knew they could go before and to have a great party afterwards. The Pisgah Mountain Bike Adventure Race (PMBAR) was born.
www.pisgahproductions.com
OMG that looks fucking horrible. Great trails, but holy shit that's a lot. Maybe I should sign up for this.@Santapez any thoughts on the Pisgah 111 course? Comparing it to Northern NJ (Ringwood/Stephens terrain). Considering making this my "A" race for the year since the Sugars is off the table for 2026 for me.
Pisgah Productions | Pisgah 111 MTB Race Pisgah National Forest
Pisgah Productions was formed in 2003 with a simple idea: to push people to go further than they knew they could go before and to have a great party afterwards. The Pisgah Mountain Bike Adventure Race (PMBAR) was born.
It's really impossible to compare the Pisgah trails to much of anything in NJ. Most of that course will be fire road climbs and then fast/steep but not too dangerous downhills. I don't think you'll find a single flat spot or anything you'd consider "rolling". Mountain Creek without the lift for 65 miles?
In reality it's probably a great fitness course as the race will be fully won based on the climbs on the gravel fire roads. I'd 100% be choosing my Chisel for it over my Ripmo. Around mile 60 at the top of Upper Black you'll have hike-a-bike for a short bit before you start descending.
You'll be coming down some really great trails. Once you're past that hike-a-bike you're hitting all of Black Mountain. That section of Upper Black is one of the best trails around here in my opinion, although your opinion may be different after 60 miles. Spencer/Fletcher/Trace in the middle are a lot of fun to come down. Only part I'd really have big concerns with technical riding is Pilot. I haven't ridden it since it's hard to get to but supposedly technical but I have friends that aren't great riders that shuttle it so it can't be too bad.
In reality it's probably a good replacement for Sugar. My only concerns is if you're looking for a HUGE ride as I doubt it'll have the registration #s that Sugar would. So you're not going to get any "Huge race in town this weekend" feeling like you may in Bentonville, and the course is so big you may end up in no-man's land but I'm assuming with your fitness you'll likely find a group or groups. It's also almost impossible to get lost or make a wrong turn like in a smaller XC race.
Easy with logistics. You can make a weekend out of it, get an inexpensive AirBnB down the street from the start, or if you're into it stay at the Campground across from the start. Visit Asheville if you want on your way out of town, etc. If you did Friday to Monday you could ride in Dupont on Sunday morning easy to help the legs and then drive halfway to Harrisonburg or so. If you traveled with a wife there's plenty of stuff for her to do for the entire day while you're out suffering.
JDurk
Well-Known Member
That's exactly what I was thinking, even the small font text. I have my eye on both W101 or SM100 this year. That 111k looks like a real kick in the groin.
Yeah, NGL it's kind of appealing in the fact that it's really hard, but also really do-able with enough time. With it being fire-road climbs you can settle into a pace vs rolling technical rides where your energy is sapped just by trying to move.
Race starts out with a 1800 foot climb and then mile 41 you get a 2000 foot climb, but a lot of that is gravel.