Fat Tire Bike / December Recap / Minnesota River Trail / Great Lakes Fat Bike Racing

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Awesome Minnesota River Trail Ride!

Timing is everything in the outdoors. There was a large snow storm moving into the area. We arrived at the trailhead in the late afternoon with snowflakes just starting to float down. The temps were about 15 degrees with a bit of wind, good stuff... 

As we dropped down into the Minnesota River Valley we were sheltered from the wind and after about a mile we pulled over near the river which was chocked with ice flows. It was a chance to adjust clothing and watch the river flow past.   

 The snow was increasing and the trail was accented with the new snow. This is about as good as it gets... Good clothing and our LAMERE Fat Bikes are set for the winter riding conditions.

 The view from the bike bridge over the Minnesota River. Always good to end the ride with a stop and admire the river.

 With snow falling the light lingered into the evening. So overnight we would receive another 5 inches of fresh snow, looks like Winter moving in...

Good to top the ride off with a cold beer and hot pizza.

 The First Race in "The Great Lakes Fat Bike Race Series"

 A solid field of over 200 riders toed the line in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. With full on Winter conditions it was going to be a good test of tires and riders.

Matt Acker and Jeff Hall early on into the race...

 The course had been groomed and prepared the previous week. With the new, 5 inches of powder snow the course would change as the 200 riders packed it in. Temperature was about 5 degrees so there wasn't much pack to the surface snow.

With the early trail conditions, the loose snow, the pack became strung out. The course was primarily singletrack so there wasn't room to pass and it took full concentration to stay on the narrow track.

The course was 2 loops, about 46 minutes per loop for the leaders. As the leaders came through after the first loop Jeff Hall riding his LAMERE was in 7th position. That is where the grooming from the previous week came into play. the top snow was being pushed off to the sides and the hard pack came into play. Jeff was running a 45NTH Dillinger 5 Studded on the front and a 4" Van Helga on the rear. The front studded tire was hooking up and Jeff started picking off lead riders. He was able to work his way up to 2nd place at the finish. Nice come back... 2nd place in the first race of "The Great Lakes Fat Tire Race Series".

Jeff putting the hammer down about 2 miles from the finish.

Frosty after race chat, check out Race results:

Jeff Hall 2nd @ LAMERE, Jeffrey Young 3rd @ Larson Cycles Racing, Matt Acker 4th @ 45NTH

Assistant Race Manager, my Grandson, staying warm with the 5 degree temps.

Plan for staying warm. A pair of choppers, LAMERE winter clothing and pedal your LAMERE Fat Bike on snowy singletrack through the woods for a couple hours... JP LaMere riding and testing his namesake bike. The Boss feeling the ride!

Podium: Cole House @ 1st, Jeff Hall @ 2nd, Jeff Young @ 3rd  

Ride On!!

Great Lakes Fat Bike Race Series / Solstice Chase

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Winter season has arrived with Team LAMERE Cycles fresh and excited to be rolling again. The morning dawned with 8 degrees and frozen trails with nary a trace of snow. Didn't matter, tires were selected with a set of 45NRTH 4" Dillinger tires mounted up. A studded on the front for cornering on the frozen ground and non-studded on the rear. We also had the Hitching Post Motorsports trailer on hand for our heated garage.

 I believe that the Solstice Chase Race had 290 entrants, a much larger field then last year.

The race took off at 10:00am with temps around 11 degrees, it was winter weather for sure, sans snow on the ground.

 The lead group whittled down to 3 riders within a few miles, this was a 42K distance, about 31 mile race.

 At the end of 1 lap, about 55 minutes the lead group was down to 2 riders, with Jeff Hall setting the pace. It stayed that way until Jeff dropped Adam Bergman on a climb on the 2nd of 2 laps.

From then on Jeff kept the pace high and finished in 1:45, about 5 minutes quicker then 2014 when he won. The gap to 2nd place was about 6 minutes. 

 Yours Truly, the LAMERE Team Manager got some miles in today, good woodsy course was I was able to see Jeff Hall at several locations. The race course crew was out roaring around the trail making sure the ribbons were up and the corners were marked, good stuff.

 Jeff crossing one of the several bridges and ridding his own race.

 Taking it home down the last hill and whooping it up!!

#1 Top Log for the first race of the Great Lakes Fat Bike Series.

Good to see all the Winter racers that we met last year and the Great crew from Cyclova XC "Thanks out to Frank Lundeen"

Race Fat Bike On!!

US National Fat Bike Championship Race / Fat Bike Birkie 2015 / Great Lakes Fat Bike Series

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Team LAMERE Cycles is rolling down the road in style with the new van just in time for the Fat Bike Birkie. Jeff Hall is rolling down the trail on his LAMERE Fat Bike and HED Wheels.  

 The starting line is loaded Ned Overend, Brendan Moore, Jesse LaLonde, Jeff Hall, Will Ross, Jenna Reinhartand, April Morgan and Diana McFaddon.

 JP "Buzzy" LaMere was rolling with the Lauf Fork on his LAMERE Fat Bike, having a good ole time in the North woods of Wisconsin. Buzzy had a very good ride today.

 Hollywood would ride to a 14th place today.

 Close to 800 riders out in the woods of the Fat Bike Birkie, good winter conditions.

 This was the lead group of big guns, the top 8 with about 14k remaining. This pack consisted of Jeff Hall, Ned Overend, Will Ross, Brendan Moore, Jesse LaLonde, Justin Piontek, Cory Stelljes and Jason Lamoreaux.

Several attacks off the front from Ned, Jeff Hall, Brendan and Will Ross. With about 10K left, Ned attacked hard and broke the group. It was a race to finish with Ned, Will and Jeff getting a gap. Then Will and Ned got away from Jeff. It became a battle between Will and Ned out front with Brendan making contact with Jeff and those two duking it out for 3rd and 4th.  

 Will Ross with the win in a time of 1:55:30 over a distance of 47K.

 Ned Overend across in 2nd @ 1:55:50.

 Brendan Moore 3rd @ 1:56:04 and Jeff Hall 4th @ 1:56:07.

 Jeff and his family along with Weez at the finish.

 Jeff, Brendan and Ned Overend.

 The Big Man of Wisconsin Mountain Biking since 1983, Gary Crandall hanging at the finish line.

 The Hwood taking it home in 14th place.

 This was also the final race in the Great LakesFat Bike Series.

Jeff Hall took 2nd in the series with 4 wins and one 4th place finish. Jay "Hollywood" Henderson took 4th in the series. That put 2 LAMERE Cycles on the podium with their Podium Wear kits and looking good.

 Owen taking his Dads LAMERE for a ride after the race...

Fat Bike On!!

Fatbike Frozen Forty / Great Lakes Fat Bike Series / Fat Tire Mountain Bike Racing in Minnesota

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If the name fits, use it..."Fatbike Frozen Forty", frozen it was. The temperature at the start of the Frozen was -4 degrees with a breeze at 18 mph. Welcome to a Minnesota Winter challenge.

I prepared myself for the day as team manager for LAMERE Cycle Rider Jeff Hall, knowing that I would be out in the elements for about 8 hours. The goal is to keep the liquids, liquid. Insulated bottles along with a small soft insulated pack inside my normal backpack were the key to success.

The goal for Jeff Hall was to ride consistence laps, each lap was about 10 miles. he would need to be finished with 4 laps, 40 miles, in less than 4 hours. The cold was OK, Jeff commutes 5 days a week all year long, 50 miles round trip, with the coldest rides to work this year were about -16 or -17 degrees. It is just riding at race pace we had to factor in. With 3 races the past 3 weeks and Jeff winning 2 and finishing 2nd at the other race, we knew his speed would be good.

With the cold temps and distance, he started fast, but did not panic. He let the leaders shake it out. Brendan Moore and Justin Piontek dashed out to the lead. Jeff stalked them and turned up the power after an hour and went to work...picking off Justin and then it took Jeff about 2 hours to get Brendan in his sights. They rode together until Brendan had to stop for a bit, Jeff slowed down to let him get back on, but Brendan couldn't get back up. The last lap Jeff turned it up and won by a bit over 5 minutes. Brendan finished 2nd and the One and Only Hollywood Henderson powered into 3rd place to stand on the podium! Good day for LAMERE Cycles with 1st and 3rd places. Jp "Buzzy" LaMere finished a strong 13th place @ 4:08.That's damn good for the owner of his own bike company to get out and experience the real deal of Fat Tire Bike Racing in a Minnesota Winter. The Man can walk the walk and talk the talk...good to be part of an effort to build, race and adventure on an awesome bicycle.       

 The start was tight and fast with the exhaust hanging in the air. 40 miles of prime singletrack at -4 degrees, it will either kill ya or make ya stronger...

 Jeff pushing hard over two hours into the race. The bike was working perfect, tire selection was spot on and Jeff was feeling great.

 Brendan was pushing a fast pace and is always one of Jeff's top competition.

 Token photo of the team managers bike and pack on a twisty section out on the trail. I got in some good riding and was able to make contact with Jeff several times each lap. I enjoy being able to be a part of the race scene and get on my bike. It is all an adventure for me. 

 Jeff at the truck...40 miles, time 3:40. Time was a course record and another 1st place for the LAMERE Cycles. That is 4 wins and 1 second place during the Winter Fat Tire Race Season for Jeff Hall.

 The owner and the LAMERE Cycles top Man, Buzzy LaMere. Living the dream.

 Jeff welcoming his LAMERE teammate and top Hollywood Cycles rider / owner of Hollywood Cycles up to the podium. Hwood also walks the walk, pedals the bike.  

Brendan Moore 2nd, Jeff Hall 1st, Hollywood Henderson 3rd.

That's a frozen 40...Ride On!!