leelikesbikes.com - Santa Cruz Hell Ride with Mark Weir

Posted April 10, 2004
Santa Cruz Hell Ride with Mark Weir

Talk about the bike promotion from hell.

One screwed rider gets to join WTB's Mark Weir for one of his typical silence-the-demons rides: six to eight hours, 60-80 miles and 10,000 feet of climbing. Santa Cruz Bicycles will supply a fully built, 40-pound VP-Free bike, with a single ring and a short seatpost. This means you will be standing pretty much the entire way. If you manage to complete the ride, the bike is yours.

I've ridden with Weir, so I know why most people ride with him only once. He loves long, hard climbs. He loves brutal descents. And he loves to combine as many of these as possible, with no food or water, at a punishing pace. I believe that, deep down, he thinks he's a fatso, and these sufferfests are his attempt to stop hating himself so much.

If you think you can hang with the pain, apply on mtbr.

I just chatted with the bald bomber as he drove down to pre-ride the Sea Otter cross country courses.

This is a great idea. How'd it come up?
Rob [Roskopp, Santa Cruz Bicycles co-founder] came up with it. He's always looking to up the ante. We want to get serious people to sign up, and get Santa Cruz some good and bad press.

What do you mean, bad press?
Some people are bitter. I get these calls, "Why are you so into the devil? First you sold your soul to the devil, not you're doing this hell ride." They need to relax. This is about having fun -- and killing yourself.

You're picking a super-easy route, right?
I mapped out a course by my house, and it's devastating. The steepest, gnarliest climbs, all on a 40-pound freeride bike, with a chain guide and a low seat. You have to stand everywhere. It's gonna be torture."

People are gonna think if they win the contest they automatically get the bike. Rob is gonna be there, and you don't get the bike unless you finish the ride. If you don't finish all you get is a red powder-coated walker.

How do you select the "lucky" winner?
We're looking at how much you ride, your longest ride, your overall health, your allergies, how serious you are. They want the guy to be able to finish. We'll whittle it down to like 200 riders, then we'll do a raffle. I don't expect many entrants. Most people will think, "If I get picked I'll fail."

I've been getting emails from Canadians saying they'll do it on a 50-pound bike. I told them come on out, any time you want.

So, will you take it easy on the poor chump?
I'm not gonna try to drop the guy. I want him to finish. But if he wants to show me his manhood, that's up to him. The volume is in front of my wheel. If he wants to turn it up, then I'll make it louder.

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