Anybody ever race the Cohutta 100?

Just looking to glean a little insight from the experiences of others.

Specifically I want to know about:
hydration
rest stops
how technical of a course is it?
Can I get away with using a 29" ht?

TIA!

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I don't have an answer for you on rest stops and hydration but I have ridden all of the trails that the race is on many, many times and had no problem doing them on a steel hardtail 29er.

Lots of gravel on this course. Nothing technical, HT 29er would be the ideal bike.

The climbs are tough since they switched the course last year. 14500 ft!!

Thanks for the info!

I watched some video from last year's race and saw quite a few front-runners on full suspension bikes and was second guessing my choice. I'm still tempted to go with a full suspension bike but will probably go with a HT (since I already have it built up).

Keep it coming if you have any more thoughts.

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Who were the front runners on FS bikes? I didn't see any on the podium that is for sure.

I think even the top women were on HT's and they typically ride FS bikes.

Dave,

This is the video I found:

http://bigbikesmedia.cyclingdirt.org/co ... E-Series-1

Seemed to plenty of FS in the mix. Thanks for all the input!

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Funny, I was actually in that video...hahaha. Not for long, but I was in it. Brings back good memories.

I would say the overwhelming percentage of guys in the top 50 are on HT's, many of them 29ers. I mean, I didn't take a poll but I saw what the guys I was riding with were on and it was 29er HT's. I think even Cheryl Sorenson was on a HT and she always rides a FS bike (I could be wrong though).

The aid stations are nicely separated and the volunteers were great! Tons of gravel and the climbs will really wear on you though. Look at the profile, the climb coming out of aid 4 I believe (around mile 60-68) is a killer!! All smooth sailing from there on out though.

yeah 14,000 feet of totally climbing will absolutely beat you down to the ground. After finally getting to the top of potato patch I was ready to call it a day. The thought of turning around and re ascending that beetch after the long ride down will itself mentally take you out The faces of anyone re ascending potato patch is nothing but anguish and misery-- the sun is in full overhead bake mode at about that time too. A lot of people drop out.

The single track at the beginning was a lot of fun, not technical at all- its all good. There is this small creek crossing that I wasn't aware of ..never been or even seen the course before...So I crashed good there in front of a lot of spectators. then cometh the long fireroad grind. and some of the fireroad sections weren't really packed, but large loose gravel.

Since the climbing is the main part of this race I would go as LIGHT as possible and I always wear a hydration pack but still get dehydrated. I did it on a 26 hardtail, but next year I will be using a lighter 29er. You also need to get a move on and not lolly gag at all if you want to make the cutoff.

http://www.trailheadoutdoors.org/description/
The map shows where aid stations are

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