Trailforks 30-Day Ride Challenge Prize Winners & Recap

 Haha, exactly. I need something I can use an excuse that's better than "because I need to ride today". First it was "Gotta ride today honey, Big Mountain Enduro training." then "Gotta ride today honey, trying to win a bike." PB swag (tshirt, hat, socks, etc.) would give me an excuse, "Gotta ride today honey, trying to get new socks."

 In the same boat. Loved this challenge. It motivated me to get off my butt and hit the pedals. The amount of stamina and skill gained in one month was crazy and I’m incredibly thankful I was able to make it the full 30 days. Some of the contestants are true beasts.
Hope this becomes an annual thing

 My wife was on board so it would make me less fat...pretty much her only motivation.

 Congrats on finishing! Hopefully we can make it an annual thing.

 @anthill: how can I get some stickers?

 @anthill: you committed right there! Great! :-)

 Agreed! I’m 42 and my wife and I welcomed a newborn into the family a month before the challenge started but we worked out our schedules so that I could get out for a lap each day. I often took our dog so it was a two-fer.

 @bizutch: !!!!!!

 @whattheheel: She's a f-ing Registered Dietitian with a 6 pack of abs. Life for me is so difficult. Never seen more than 2.5 of my abs.

 see my other comment. He even had a lovely float plane shuttle.

 @bizutch: I call bullshit his day 29 ride log the flyby shows he went up a forest service road and only rode down a small section of a different trail. I could have swore somewhere in the rules it said it had to be at least green or higher and have ridden a full trail but he didnt that day? www.trailforks.com/ridelog/view/7674731 He even earned a KOM on a road climb while driving

 Great question

 @Flarix: you may be onto something here mate, but I believe it's done and dusted ????

 @Flarix: The rules only require one trail "on trailforks" per day - which he hit. I think its funny that he was already riding a Trek and in the highest showcase place in the world, but meh - I had fun doing the challenge (~35,000 ft of climbing in only 150 miles!) and no longer have people waiting on me on the climbs.

 @Thustlewhumber: ya only one trail a day is required but you have to ride the trail not drive it and it clearly shows he was driving in a vehicle at over 40KM/H it shows on the Strava activity so how does that count as riding your bike?

 I was thinking the same thing. I mean, props for riding for 30 days but I was HOPING that the winner would be in a less fortunate place, on an older bike. Someone who could really benefit from the giveaway bike. Like even during the video in the statistics there were people riding in so many other countries on trails that we don't hear about every day. Seems too easy that he was in Whistler.

 @C3rvantes: To say that 99.9% of the other riders in the contest are left with a less than fuzzy feeling for the winner is an understatement. Probably because for most everyone in the contest, it was real, legit work & a lifestyle change.

How much does a float plane cost anyway?

 @bizutch: Cant even ask him now anyway his account is no longer active lol www.pinkbike.com/u/Timfalvey45

 @Flarix: Wow. I get why he would...but at the same time, sure makes the conspiracy theorists squirm.

 The new pinkbike account is on for Tim ( www.pinkbike.com/u/tim269 ), and also the trailforks have disabled the map of his 29th day - www.trailforks.com/ridelog/view/7678410

 @MartinsDuboviks: So I guess @anthill & @trek @pinkbikeaudience are just gonna pretend like the other 2000+ riders don't care about the rules of the game?

Kinda feel like we are all eating a shlt sandwich right about now

 @bizutch: for sure feels that way

 ???? g'damn!

 Just out of curiosity how did you manage to break your cassette? Also it sounds like you might need a tire with a heavier casing.

 Where you don't sleep more than 3 straight hours a night for 30 days and have to keep up on a group ride?

 @husstler: and have to listen to your buddies make fun of you for not keeping up on said group ride

 I’ll bet there’s a few dads with toddlers and newborns and full time jobs who rode all 30 days. The best part of this contest was making the most of those 30 minutes chunks of time you usually waste during a day.

 We do a 30 day April Challenge and the best I could muster was 20 days (at least 30mins a day, outside, on your bike, in Northern VT). I've got a 21m/o boy and 20 days was a lot. But was so happy to do that!

 @dhdropout: if they did, I can't imagine they're not total selfish dicks. The first months of my daughter's lives, there's no way I could have logged 30 days of rides unless I worked at the bike park. Not without sticking my wife with all the kid duties

 @bizutch: Now I cant get out without the little ones being totally bummed that I'm leaving, can be mentally tough to disappoint them for 30 days straight.

 Agreed. It’s easier for me to skip work Sept-June than skip family July and Aug!

 I work 45 hrs per week, have a wife and two kids ages 4 and 2 and still rode all 30 days. 31 actually for good measure... 220 miles 25,498 feet climbing. #noexcuses

 @pauldiggity: his post said newborns...you got a 4 yr old. That's an extra babysitter

 I have 18m old son and I'm pretty sure I did not neglect him during my 30 rides. We did few rides together (but only one for badge though) during that time and the other rides were usually before wife and kid woke up (5-7am) so the challenge was doable even with family, at least for me.

 This dad did it!

 I work 50 to 60hrs a week I rode all 30 days, probably 15 with my son(4) who rides green and blues. some with the wife(works two jobs) who was amazingly supportive. Some rides in the rain, some with a chainsaw, some family rides, some very late in bear country alone... all worth it. A bike would have been nice though, lol.

 @my-dudesty: your 18 month year old sleeps? I'm sick of this bs

 @bizutch: Managed all 30 with a one year old, the key is to ride while everyone else is sleeping

 @dd202: you have one kid?

Tippie said "ones an accessory, two is a lifestyle change"

 @husstler: hah hah

 @dirtyoldclown: The first 6 months were hell on earth, we forgot how it feels like to have a good sleep longer than 2 hours. But after a year it got better and better and now he finally sleeps whole night (we're enjoying this only for a month or so..)

 Heal up quickly! Ive done the challenge- without a car and every trail 1hour away it was kinda lame Sadly didnt won anything ofc lol

 @NotNamed: Thanks man I'm working on it. The irony is instead of riding 30 days I ended up riding 0 days

 @Jvhowube: I feel you, on day 2 I cut the flexor tendon in my thumb. No riding for 3 months.

 Broken hand a broken toe here. I'm just recently healed up and getting back to it.

 @millerstone: We need to make a support group or something.

 Yep, I ended up riding less in July due to injury. Just getting back on the bike this weekend after letting ribs heal for 3 weeks, mellow rides only, but it's better than no rides.

 Damn! Sorry to hear about the people that got hurt while out on the trails. Hope you all get back out there again soon!

 @anthill: Time. What will you fill it with? The movie was rad. Cool seeing Hunter and Rheeder in person and the theater was filled with cool peeps who ride. I was immersed in the film, it totally inspired me so I made the commitment that day when this challenge was announced there. I expected to get a little hurt. Plenty of crashes, mechanicals and bonks. I'm addicted. I injected this endorphin drug for 30 days straight and now I feel like I still need it everyday. You know what they say.."if you don't crash then you weren't going fast enough", haha. I could almost write a book about all the time + "things" we all had to juggle; the stuff that happened while out on the trail, the soreness, pains and heartaches felt. Every minute was worth it. So stoked for the winners of the the new possessions. You've already proven that it will be put to proper use! The coolest thing about this is the energy that everyone shared in the common goal. Thank you to all who put in the hard work to make this challenge a success. I noticed a lot of support during this. Ride on!

 www.trailforks.com/profile/Timfalvey45/ridelog

Still trying to decide if I hate him for winning...or for being where I should be.

 such is a random draw

 @canadaka: I knew it would be a bruh deal. Global and a dude from whistler gets the rig. Lol!!! Does everyone at Pinkbike get the laugh on the global community.

But I enjoyed the challenge.

 Seriously lol. My bike took a beating. Currently overhauling my fork after all the riding.

 20 mornings of picking spiders and ticks off me 10 afternoons sweating in the humidity. Won jack shit. Worth it.

 @fruitsd79: I'm not the only one who eats spider for breakfast? Always can tell if you're the first rider of the day

 @DylanH93 The maintenance is real. I just put on a new cassette, new chain, new brake pads, new cables, bled the brakes and serviced my dropper post. Now I can keep the streak alive.

 @bizutch: I know I was the first rider most days thanks to the multitude of spiders I ate. Way way way too many spiders. Definitely don't fear them now though.

 Another good point

 but you knew the terms when you started…

 To be fair people who ride XC tend to measure their rides in kilometers. I had to look up how many km's my regular ride is as in the mountains how much vertical you're doing in a ride is a more relevant number. Still a mega amount of riding though.

 Per a comment in another thread, at least one of the "leaders" seems to have left Strava on all day shuttling people around. They didn't call them out by name, but it shouldn't be hard to spot. Otherwise, good job indeed!

 Maybe lots of park days in there‽ only a guess on that amount of descending. Not diminishing the persons accomplishments at all.

 I will say i ride with the one and only matty light and he is an animal. Works a full time job in construction and crushes it on the bike.

 I also found that Trailforks was extremely inaccurate with measuring elevation in comparison to Strava. One ride, which is roughly ~100m climb, Trailforks had recorded as 2400m

 Interesting

 Clearly fixed.

 The kiwis were always a day ahead! North America is blanketed in snow in January, at least you can still ride your bikes during your "winter".

 Poor dude is now stuck with two Treks

 I had a similar issue, I ride a lot trails that are of yet not sanctioned but would go ride quick laps on little sanctioned loops to make my ride. Sucks because it looks like i just made the minimum.

 @dinosaurmonkey: I made sure to log a little feeder trail first on some days. Just to be sure.

 And the short rides with dead legs, I kept adding a little extra distance even though it wasn't the plan...cause I wasnt at home and being on the bike was more fun. Bet I'm not the only one Hah

 I disagree..at least with the more money part. It comes down to commitment. I'd say that the majority of those who completed the challenge probably had a decent bike to start with. If you were confident about completing you most likely had quick access to a trail system. This was a chalenge for people who ride a lot, so it may seem like an unfair contest but but I think was a fair contest. The winner just happend to finish in style and had fun on the way... good for him

 @kingfish666: he didnt commit to anything there is a problem with 2 of his ride logs like this one he didnt even ride a full trail www.trailforks.com/ridelog/view/7284410

 @Flarix: Wow, that's messed up. Did no one look at that @canadaka ?

 @noapathy @Flarix rules stated that at least 50% of your data points from the ride log were within 30 meters of A trail. Did not state that you had to ride the full trail, which I cross checked several rides & had to be double sure I went on at least a super short trail that counted plus my normal ride because most rides here criss cross multiple trails but don't follow the length of a single trail.

 @bizutch: Ok I see it there now single sentence by itself partial trails count missed it in the fine print. Good to know for next time that a small 11 minute lap can count for something

 @Flarix: I had a 200 yard connector Trail t in my inventory that I made sure to start most of my rides with so that I knew I had something that would count and believe me I was planning on walking that bad thing if I got hurt on one of the last few days

 Or a badge that says I COMPLETED, not I "Participated" in the challenge would be nice.
They sent out that email saying "Here's your final badge" and it was a participation trophy type badge that wasn't specific to the 2k folk who made it through all 30.

 @bizutch:Ya! small insignificant trophy so we ca all be winners.

 I am bitter and happy at the same time. We all lost to a guy who lives IN Whistler & took the lift and a FLOAT PLANE SHUTTLE??? roughly 20+ days of the challenge he dropped in? Almost feels like there should be a separate category for people who could log 15+ days with no chain?
www.pinkbike.com/u/Timfalvey45
But he played by the rules, so no harm, no foul.

Meanwhile I logged THIRTY TWO HOURS of DRIVING time to get to any trail on Trailforks since they are all 30 minutes away, including a day where the road to the trailhead was blocked and had to drive 30 minutes to another town at dusk.

One thing is EATING AT ME THOUGH. The untold story of the FIVE RIDERS WHO MISSED DAY 30???
What happened to those FIVE people that they got burned?

I got lots of positives out of it:
1. My Instagram post above's location tag!!!
2. Lost 10 pounds of stagnant weight, a decent bit of belly fat that has hung around for several years.
3. Realized you can puke & ride with a skull splitting headache while shivering if you desperately gotta get a ride in
4. Bike shops have no desire to help you at quitting time (shall remain nameless)
5. My legs can take way more than I realized
6. NOT A SINGLE BIKE PARK LAP (all pedaling...and I'm a DHer by heart)
7. A guy reached out to me with a truly devastating occurence that stopped his streak & I am eternally blessed for him having shared his grief with me via the contest & think of him often now
8. OEM bike parts suck!!!
9. A bone stock 2018 Kona Process 153 SE can be limped through 30 days of beat downs in Pisgah mud, rocks, roots & torrents
10. Cleaning a chain religiously daily is therapeutic & makes them last way longer
11. Riding in rain is normal...lightning for the 5th time in 20 days, unnerving
12. New friends can be made hiding from hail in a toilet ( @clairetuttle you know it's true)
13. Never trust your kids sense of time
14. Buy a headlamp next challenge..safer than squinting in the dark
15. Don't go camping with FIVE females (even if it's a 5 minute flat pedal to the trailhead)...by the time you're done tending to their glamping whims, you're gonna wish you'd bought a light
16. Shimano AM45's smell like death warmed over a boiling sewer drain outside a curry kitchen when left wet
17. @Timfalvey45 owes us ALL a beer.
18. Again...those 5 poor souls that missed Day 30...what???

 @bizutch: One of my friends rode an in-development trail on day 30 (legit trail testing with builder's permission) but that one won't be added to Trailforks for a few more months... She was bummed out severely but rules is rules

 @kamsbry: that would be a kick in the balls..if she were a female world cup dh racer from south of the equator

 @bizutch: nice. my Kona process 153 rallied hard for 30 days.. more proud of it than myself..

 @billybobzia: mines pretty trashed rhough... hah

 No chair lifts in Stralya. 29260 vertical meters for July. TF doesn't include second ride of the day! Blasphemy!

 They'll be available on our site soon.

 @anthill: and the t-shirts??

 I was had already made plans to sell it and buy my wife and son new bikes. I have a good whip and they deserve it more than me.

 www.pinkbike.com/u/Timfalvey45

I dealt with bad back pain the whole time, but would come home nightly and lay on the floor doing all sorts of stuff, including some sort of L5 Eldoa (I think that's what it's called) against the wall, that really helped.

Biggest help was literally doing planks, side planks, prisoner squats & those yoga pelvic tilts. Stomach weakness & hip mobility off the bike with resistance are the big keys for helping mine...and I'm slack as crap at doing them.

Here's the video that explained it well for me if you haven't: www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3Uv8tcjRzQ
and...she's cute.

 So you’re complaining that you rode your bike for 30 days straight? I suggest you try a couch sport.

 @sunringlerider: good recommendation to follow in the tracks you’ve pioneered.

 @mitcht: Got to stretch and keep limber before each ride. Shit, I spend 15 - 20 minutes stretching everyday whether I ride or not.

 Dude its Canada... It happened at work... RIGHT!

 This is probably obvious, but be sure to stretch everything in your legs daily: quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, IT band at a minimum. Any tight leg muscles (any tight muscle period) can mess with your back. Source: Wife's a PT.

 @mitcht: while I would love to respond in negative fashion to your burn. I won’t. However as someone who has had back/hip/pelvis injuries I feel your pain. I know it may sound really stupid but not sure if you do more pedaling or not. If so getting a fit could help. Minor adjustments can make a big difference on back position. And another +1 on stretching. Not sure what happened to here but that Aby chick some good moves, for real, they helped.