VEGAS TO RENO BIKE TESTING UPDATE

What’s up, everyone. I wanted to give you guys a quick update on the bike and how testing has been going as we get closer to Vegas to Reno.

A couple of weeks ago, I pulled the suspension off the bike and shipped it over to AHM Suspension. This is my second time using them on a race bike, and honestly, you never really know until you get out in the desert and put some serious miles on it.

Over the course of two days, I logged nearly 200 miles, and I can honestly say they absolutely nailed the setup.

The bike feels more balanced, more planted, and way more predictable through the rocks, whoops, and high-speed sections. Instead of feeling like I’m fighting the bike all day, it feels like the bike is working with me. That gives me so much more confidence knowing I’m preparing for hundreds of miles by myself. Huge thank you to everyone at AHM for putting together such an incredible suspension package.

What surprised me even more than the bike was how my body responded.

Two hundred miles over two days is still physically demanding, but I walked away feeling better than I expected. My hands held up, my shoulders felt strong, and my recovery has improved a ton compared to where I was even a year ago. The early mornings before work, the strength training, the riding, and really focusing on my nutrition are finally starting to come together. I’ve still got a little work to do with my lower back after long rides, but overall I couldn’t be happier with how my body handled the weekend.

Another thing I was excited to finally test was the lighting system.

As the sun started setting on the second day, I stayed on the trail using just the single Baja Designs XL80. It handled that transition from daylight into dusk exactly how I hoped it would, giving me plenty of visibility to keep riding comfortably.

Once it got completely dark, I switched on the dual headlight setup, and that’s where everything really came together. The amount of usable light in front of the bike was incredible. I could see farther down the trail, pick cleaner lines, and ride with a lot more confidence. Night riding is a huge part of desert racing, especially with the Baja 1000, so knowing this setup works exactly the way I envisioned is a huge step forward.

Right now, every ride and every test is focused on one thing—Vegas to Reno.

In just a few weeks I’ll be lining up in the Ironman class, racing 502 miles across the Nevada desert in the middle of summer. It’ll be one of the toughest races I’ve ever taken on, physically and mentally, but that’s exactly why I’m doing it. Every workout, every late night in the garage, every new part on this bike, and every mile I’ve put in has been building toward this moment.

Vegas to Reno isn’t the finish line. It’s another major step on the road to the Baja 1000.

Thank you guys for following this journey and supporting the documentary. I can’t wait to show you what comes next. We’ll see you out in the desert.