Hey all you would-be Iceman Cometh champions! I’m pumped to be back for a guest blog, and this time, we’re talking about racing on a new bike.
This year, I finally moved up from the fat bike life to a proper 29’er. Not just one—I’ve got both a hardtail and a full suspension in the stable. For Iceman, though, I’m rolling with the hardtail. Actually, I’m building it to be an Iceman ripper!
Now, don’t get me wrong—I love my fat bike. Racing it over the past two years has been an absolute blast. I’ve pushed that thing to its limits, and honestly, past what I can handle. Lately, I’ve found myself crashing more and breaking parts left and right. So, I finally took the dive into the 29’er life. My fat bike isn’t going anywhere, but it’s retiring from XC and gravel duty. From here on out, it’s my snow and chill-riding machine.
Switching bikes is exciting… and a little terrifying. The hardtail isn’t even finished yet. Right now, it’s mostly serving as my trainer bike, but I’m hoping to get it dialed in enough to race some gravel events this spring. That’s the exciting part—new bike, new setup, something fresh to tinker with alongside my kids, and a new ride to shred my usual trails. But the scary part? Will it be worth it? Will I really get used to the new gearing in time?
I mean, switching gears (literally and figuratively) takes time. When I bumped my fat bike from a 32T to a 34T chainring, it took me almost a year and a half to really settle in. Now, my hardtail is rocking a 36T up front—a huge jump from my full suspension’s 32T. That’s a big difference in gearing, and I’ll need to adapt fast. It’s not just about spinning the legs; it’s about getting the feel for when to power through and when to hold back. That extra torque might help on the flats, but will it leave me gassed on the climbs?
So, why race the hardtail when I’ve been logging more miles on my full suspension? Simple—weight. Iceman has some gnarly singletrack, but I don’t think you need full squish to have fun out there. The hardtail lets me play through the singletrack while cranking up the diesel power on the two-track and gravel sections—those are the spots where you can really put the hammer down and gain time. Less weight means more efficiency, and over 30+ miles, every bit of saved energy counts.
That said, just because I can attack on the open sections doesn’t mean I get to slack in the singletrack. I need to focus on climbing and staying nimble. A higher top speed is great, but it also means I’ll have to shift more strategically to tackle the climbs and tighter trails. It’s a lot to think about, but that’s all part of the fun, right?
Training-wise, I’ve been putting in solid miles—long endurance rides, punchy hill repeats, and plenty of time working on technical handling. The more time I spend on the hardtail now, the better I’ll be when it matters. Iceman is as much about preparation as it is about raw power, and I want to make sure I’m dialed in before I hit that start line.
So, we’ll see how it all shakes out! If all goes well, this bike will be my ticket to a fast, fun, and maybe even PR-worthy race. If not, well, there’s always next year, right?
I’m excited for Iceman this year—the new kit colors look amazing! So much so that my wife even said she might have to grab a hoodie and some socks. As for me, I’ve got my eye on that zip jersey and long-sleeve hoodie jersey and bibs!. Can’t wait for November to be partying in the woods with 5,000 of my best friends!
See you all at the start line—let’s rip it up! ~ G
Thank you Gerald Gaecke @g_dub83_ for being our April guest blogger. You may recognize Gerald as he was one of our 2024 Iceman Ambassadors (Trailblazer)!