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6 Months, 6 Races, 1 Bike: "Giddy UP" (2.0)

Argo

The OPEN UP 2.0 came to me about a week before my first race of the season, so we had very little time to "get to know each other" but I was instantly impressed by this bike. It's fast, it's nimble, it's reactive, it’s got a kick to it I wasn’t expecting, and the thing I felt instantly is that the bike disappears when you're riding it. And I mean that in the best way: once you get going and the terrain gets tough, the UP 2.0 knows how to handle it.

There's never a moment of fighting with the bike, or feeling "over" or "under" biked. We are just one — which, I can only compare to what it feels like to ride a horse. I name all my bikes after famous horses, and with the UP 2.0's sand color and swiftness could only mean one thing: to name her Argo, after Xena the Warrior Princess's horse.

We're now six months into our riding and racing relationship, and I thought it'd be a good time to reflect on the past six months and six races Argo and I have done together.

*Note to reader: Unfortunately not all of the photos show the exact moment I speak about but that's how it goes in racing.. the photographer is never there when you most need them ;-)

Santa Vall, Spain - Day 1: 120km +1,715m & Day 2: 85km +1,114m 

Terrain: Under normal conditions- Girona open faced climbs, rocky technical descents, river crossings and some fast and flat but this weekend ended up being the muddiest on record. With kilometers of deep mud, water crossings that went up to your waist, and narrow muddy shoots.

Favorite memory: I shouldn't say this too loud, but the mud. The mud was my favorite part. I loved barreling through it, letting the bike decide the best line. At one point I was on a skinny technical slip-n-slide mud descent and I was overtaking people and putting a strong gap between me and the next woman, and then the mud got the best of us and Argo literally went 35 degrees with the ground - I let out a yelp and then somehow the bike was right back underneath me right side is both still barreling forward. And not without a foot touching the ground I was able to keep focus on the ride ahead.

The Hills, Italy - 122km +2,584m

Terrain: Stunning Italian countryside with relentless climbing and some terrifying switchback descents.

Favorite memory: The single track. I wouldn’t classify myself as a climber and most of the day was climbing… Don’t let the name fool you, “The Hills” sounds too innocent for what this day actually was. Lucky for me there were a couple long single tracks where I could release the tension in my legs and let the bike flow. The UP 2.0 is a seriously versatile bike, light on the climbs (thank god) and nimble in the switchbacks and single tracks.


Spanish Tetralogy

Gravel Desert, Spain - 165km +1,501m
Terrain: Dusty, pothole riddled, barren desert tracks.
Favorite memory: The start of this race was like Mad Max Fury Road- red dust filling the sky - across a 5km stretch of barren pot-hole filled roads. I could barely see 5m in front of me, but thanks to the UP's responsiveness, dodging potholes and bounced bottles on the fly was no problem. Something about the dystopian landscape and every rider for themselves in the first 30minute sprint was a great adrenaline rush. This was also the longest ride I’d ever done… ever. And Argo was the perfect 6hr 20minute companion.

Traka 100, Spain - 100km +1,370m
Terrain: Girona’s finest- open faced descents, rocky technical sections, and some fast and flat.
Favorite memory: My friend who is a world tour rider joined me on course that day and for the longest time I've been terrified of descending on road. Gravel? No fear at all. But road descending? Terrifies me. During the race I was able to, for the first time, follow her wheel down a long curvy road descent. Part of it was that I trusted her skills but a lot of it was that I finally had a bike I equally trusted enough that I could really lean into the turns and enjoy the ride.

Ranxo, Spain  - 165km +1,899m
Terrain: Loose gravel climbs, steep road descent and lots and lots of hairpin corners in dusty loose gravel.
Favorite memory: The single track! The single track on this course seemingly came out of no where and it was techy- a mountain bike would have been more appropriate. Luckily, I’ve gotten lost in the mountain bike trails of Girona enough to know that Argo and I could handle it. I over took multiple guys in this section who were maybe a bit more timid about the uneven large rocks, drops, and washouts.

Terrain: Sharktooth rocks, sand, Spanish packed dirt roads, technical descents and fast and flat  
Favorite memory: After 3 flats in the first 8km I decided for the first time in my racing life (it’s only been a year) that I was going to “put the hammer down” determined to catch back up with the front group. And damn, did we ever. When you kick this bike shoots forward with energy.
I can’t say enough good things about the UP 2.0. I've been having a hell of a time getting to know this bike across every type of terrain.

My next race is the Rift 140km in Iceland and I will be riding on the new WIDE 2.0.
I have to admit it feels like cheating taking another bike to the race but with the volcanic terrain Ill be facing, I need more tire clearance and I cannot wait to max it out with 60mm tires.

Stay tuned for the next 6 months:


And who knows… ;-)

If you wanna follow along or have any questions about the UP 2.0 feel free to reach out @mercatmiller
UP 2.0
UP 2.0

Starting from US$4,200.00
US$4,500.00
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