The Most Important Thing You’ll Read All Year* The Dirty Kanza 200 Riders’ Bible for 2010.
December 19th, 2009 | 
Author: At least as regards Dirty Kanza 200!
Here it is, the goods you’ve all been waiting for: the 2010 Dirty Kanza 200 Riders Bible (PDF)
*and for all you nitpickers and smartalecks, I mean both 2009 and 2010…this is important stuff, y’all!
Posted in new dirt
Looking at doing this event in 2010. From the “Bible” there are Cut-off Times from Cottonwood Falls to Alma (12:00-21:00) but Cut-off Time from Alma back to Emporia. If you make Alma w/in the Cut-off Time, can you stop over night and continue to Emporia the next morning or are you required to continue through the night to Emporia?
Thanks,
Terry
Terry, thanks for your interest in The Dirty Kanza 200, and thanks for your question. As you know from reading the riders bible, cutoff times are based on an average of 10 mph. 200 miles at 10 mph = 20 hours. That means we expect to be standing out at the finish line until at least 2:00 am on Sunday morning. After that, we are ready go go to bed… but will stay there if our course spotters tell us we still have riders on course and making good progress. If you are off course… sound asleep… we will most likely close up shop. One thing to keep in mind is the remoteness of the area. There isn’t a whole lot between Alma and Emporia. If you are asleep somewhere, you’ll likely be sleeping with a pack of coyotes. ;0)
Thanks again for your interest in DK. We look forward to seeing you in Emporia.
I was curious about weather delays/cancellation? I don’t remember seeing anything in the “Bible”. Is this a go no matter what the conditions, type of race?
Lookin’ forward to this amazing event.
Thanks.
Sean
thanks for the question sean,
this is a issue that we have thought over alot. the scenarios for postponing the event are tornados, flooding, or muddy conditions. the ground dries very fast in the flint hills which is an advantage for us.we can delay it to a few hours later in the day or to the next day.if conditions allow.but this is an adventure so with non threatening weather we will start the race. if we have to cancel we will try for the best way to reschedule.
once the event is started we cannot stop the event. it covers too much area & is too remote. we must rely on racers to use good judgment as to their safety! having a driver to call for help is a must.
we are looking forward to seeing you in emporia.
joel” grin” dyke
co-promoter dirty kanza 200
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I am extremely excited about the Kanza 200. I have never participated in your race before and was wondering if you think it can be done on a 26 in mountain bike. I think I would forfeit speed to the guys on crossbikes. I don’t have a crossbike, so plan on locking out my suspension and just pedaling. Any thoughts on the 26 in MTB would be appreciated.
The Load
Dear “Load”,
Before making the switch to a 29″er in 2003, I logged thousands of training miles each year over these gravel roads on my 26″ mtn bike. Yes, the DK can be done on a 26″er. We have numerous finishers each year on them… some even on fully-suspended rides. The most important thing you will want to do (other than training) is to choose fast-rolling tires. Leave the Nevegals at home. Think more along the lines of a Bontrager XR1, Kenda Small Block 8, Stans Crow, etc.
Thanks for your question. We’ll look forward to seeing you on June 4 & 5.
Jim C.
Co-Race Director
Another bike choice question for you… Exactly how rocky are those roads? Would I be better off, in your opinion, w/ my drop-bar 29er (w/ Small Block 8′s) or with a standard cyclocross bike?
Thanks,
Fonk
One more question – the race bible says that we must have a cycle computer, but that we can’t use a GPS for navigation. If I have a GPS that’s capable of naviation, but I don’t have it loaded with any data for the course, is it OK to use that as my cycle computer?
Dear Fonk,
Thank you for your questions. First, the easy one… Yes, you may use your cycle computer w/ GPS capabilities. No problem.
Now about bike choice… Ask ten different people this same question, and you’ll likely get ten different answers. If you are going for the “win”, you will probably want your cross bike. However, I would suggest you run the widest tires you can. And go tubeless if possible. (Both for the lower rolling resistance and the added cush.)
If you aren’t going for the overall, or if you are simply participating for the personal challenge, give the drop-bar 29′er serious consideration. As the day wears on, you may come to really appreciate the added comfort that the wider tires afford.
Much of the course will be smooth and fast, with gravel that is not much different from most anywhere else. But a lot of these roads are extremely primitive and receive little to no maintenance throughout the year. Final road conditions will depend heavily on what type of spring weather we have leading up to the event. A few years ago, we had a stretch of road that just two weeks before the event was COMPLETELY washed away by Spring rains. The county maintenance road crew came in and rebuilt the road… laying down gravel that was literally the size of your fist. (Or bigger.)
Speaking personally… If I were to build up a bike specially for this event, I would start with my Salsa Mamasita. I’d then outfit it with a pair of dirt drops and a rigid fork. Then mount up some SmallBlock 8′s, Bontrager XR1′s, or Stans Crows… tubeless, of course.
Don’t discount the rigid 29′er. The DK has been won every year by a cross bike. But rigid 29′ers have been in the top 5 on numerous occassions. One local rider (Tim Mohn, owner of Flint Hills Music in Emporia, KS) has captured 3rd overall TWICE on his Salsa Dos Niner w/ carbon fork and Stan’s Crows.
Hope that helps. Thanks again for your interest in The Dirty Kanza 200. We’ll look forward to seeing you soon.
Jim C.
Dear Fonk,
How rocky are these roads???
Check out these pic’s…
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=576429
Thanks for the replies, Jim. Yeah, it’s looking like probably the 29er for me. I’m not likely to be a contender for the overall anyway (not <i)this year…), and it looks like I’ll definitely be appreciating those wider tires and lower pressures on those rockier/muddier sections.
Really nice pdf! Hail to dirty Kanza – can’t wait!
I love the background picture on here.