Testament to the reputation of the BC Bike Race is the fact that this year's contestants included a seven-time grand tour finisher, Chann McRae, and arguably America’s most famous gravity racer, Brian Lopes.
The seven-day cross-country stage race traced a scenic path from Cumberland on Vancouver Island to Whistler, back on the British Columbian mainland. In between was a testing barrage of technical trails that kept even ‘Flyin Brian' on his toes.
To take on the challenge, Lopes piloted his Ibis Mojo SL-R cross-country bike. Yep, his 140mm-travel SL-R is built up as a full-on cross-country race rig, complete with triple chainset, spare tube and a water bottle cage.
Lopes ran with a spare tube taped to the frame above his Marzocchi Roco Air shock
The large sized frame is fitted with Marzocchi’s Roco Air shock and 44 Micro Ti Air fork, a slick set of carbon ENVE Twenty6 XC tubeless wheels, and a pair of prototype Kenda tires with a little extra grip for the slick roots and rocks so prevalent in BC.
“It’s a stock Kenda [Karma] tread pattern, but it has a stickier compound all the way around,” said Lopes, who'll turn 40 in September. “They wouldn’t last the average person very long and they're a tiny bit heavier, but I figured it would help in the slick stuff.”
Lopes has the advantage of procuring prototype tires. These Kenda Karmas have a sticky compound in order to offset the slick conditions in BC
Call it a success. Lopes (Oakley-Ibis-Marzocchi-Kenda-ENVE) finished 12th in the men’s open solo category, including a stunning second place stage finish on the final day in Whistler.
“I have a place up here, so I know some of the trails we were racing on,” he explained of a day that saw him beat such cross-country stalwarts as Rocky Mountain’s Chris Sheppard and Kona’s Barry Wicks and Kris Sneddon. “It’s definitely the best cross-country result I’ve ever gotten.”
Bike specifications:
- Frame: Ibis Mojo SL-R, size LG
- Rear shock: Marzocchi Roco Air
- Fork: Marzocchi 44 Micro Ti Air
- Headset: Chris King
- Stem: ENVE, 75mm +/- 6 degrees
- Handlebars: ENVE, 700mm wide
- Grips: ODI O
- Front brake: Magura MT6
- Rear brake: Magura MT6
- Brake levers: Magura MT6
- Front derailleur: Shimano XTR M986 direct mount
- Rear derailleur: Shimano XTR M980 Shadow
- Shifters: Shimano XTR M980
- Cassette: Shimano XTR CS-M980, 11-36t
- Chain: Shimano XTR CN-M980
- Crankset: Race Face Next SL, 44-32-22t
- Bottom bracket: Race Face
- Pedals: CrankBrothers Candy 11 (custom color)
- Wheelset: ENVE Twenty6 XC
- Rims: ENVE Twenty6 XC 28-hole
- Front hub: Chris King, 15QR
- Rear hub: Chris King, 142mm through-axle
- Front tire: Kenda Karma 2.0 stikE
- Rear tire: Kenda Karma 2.0 DTC
- Saddle: WTB Lopes signature Silverado
- Seatpost: KS i950r
- Bottle cage: King Cage
Critical measurements
- Rider height: 5ft 9in (1.75m)
- Rider weight: 160lb (73kg)
- Saddle height from BB: 76mm
- Seat tube length: 19”
- Seat tube angle: 73 degrees
- Saddle nose to center of bars: 53mm
- Head tube length: 130mm
- Top tube length: 600mm
- Total bike weight: 23.9lb