Wild Bear Post Race wrap up

🐻 Wild Bear MTB Stage Race — Post‑Race Wrap‑Up

Four days of racing in Serbia delivered everything we hoped for: challenge, adventure, new friendships, and a serious dose of international stage‑race reality. Here’s the full equipment, nutrition, terrain and logistics breakdown from the trip — the kind of detail I wish I’d had before lining up.

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🚴‍♂️ Equipment & Bike Setup

Brakes & Drivetrain

I went through the balance of a set of rear brake pads in the first 2 days, however I knew they were close to done so I had packed spares. On Day 2, I swapped to Absolute Black Graphene pads, which gave noticeably more bite and handled heat on long descents perfectly.

Drive train was running Absolute Black Graphen wax. Any friction reduction was welcomed.

My SRAM Flight Attendant system was a genuine asset — maximising climbing efficiency and giving my body relief on the rough, fast downs. Expensive tech, not essential, but in a race like this it felt like cheating in the best way.

Between the shock, seatpost, rear mech, bar controllers and power meter, each bike ran seven batteries.

We carried:

• AXS spare battery

• Chain links

• Multitools

• Lightweight tube each

Graham carried an electronic air pump; I carried a mini hand pump. Zero mechanicals across four days — aside from a bent rotor from transport, which G straightened on reassembly.

Tyres

I ran Maxxis Aspen XC race tyres. Fast, light, great on climbs — but the loose, chunky Serbian gravel exposed their limits:

• Wanted more front grip in deep gravel corners

• Rear braking traction was stretched at times

• Side knobs required more lean angle than usual to bite

Graham ran an Aspen ST on the front, and honestly, that was the better call for this terrain.

If I raced it again, I’d run:

• Front: something with bigger knobs. Maxxis Aspen AT.

• Rear: Maxxis Recon Race or Aspen.

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🥤 Nutrition & Hydration

I raced with a hydration pack — 2L of Infinit GoFar, custom‑blended to ~90g carbs per serving. In rough terrain, bottles just don’t give me enough fluid.

Aid stations every ~16 km offered:

• Water

• Bananas & oranges

• Gels (45g carb hits)

• Cups of Coke

I don’t normally stop in one‑day races, but in a multi‑day event it was essential. A few highlights:

• Accidentally grabbed a lemon slice at one station — instant regret, instant wake‑up.

• Tried Coke on Stage 2, felt the lift, so on Stage 3 I smashed three cups before the final climb.

• Graham loved the gels; I stuck mostly to my mix but grabbed one “just in case” on the final day.

• I used Clif Bloks (one pack/day) before and after big climbs to keep glycogen topped up.

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⛰️ Terrain & Course Breakdown

Serbia’s terrain was nothing like Australia. Rough percentages:

• 10% forest singletrack

• 20% steep grassy paddocks with hidden rock outcrops

• 2% asphalt (absolute bliss, even at 10% grade)

• 68% gravel fire road — but not Australian gravel

Their gravel is made of large, sharp crushed stone, creating:

• Bumpy climbs

• Loose, unpredictable corners

• Rock piles that gather exactly where you want to turn

This was my biggest adjustment challenge. I overshot a few corners early on until I learned to lean the bike harder to engage the side knobs.

Climbs demanded constant focus — drift off the best line and traction disappeared instantly.

Singletrack Advantage

We consistently put time into others on the forest descents. With 34 countries represented, skillsets varied wildly, but the teccy sections suited us and we made the most of them.

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🌡️ Weather & Conditions

We expected mild 22°C days. Instead, we got blue skies and 36°C on a couple of stages.

The Queen Stage (Stage 2) had a brutal 10 km climb, with the final kilometres fully exposed. By the time we reached the feed zone at the top, we were cooked — hence my introduction to warm Coke mid‑ride. Revolting, effective.

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✈️ Travel & Jet Lag

Door‑to‑door travel was 36 hours, landing nine time zones behind home. Jet lag hit all of us differently, but it was unavoidable. If you can arrive a few days early, do it. We couldn’t this year, so we just managed it and got on with the job.

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🤝 Race Organisation & Support

The organisers were exceptional — genuinely invested in making the event memorable. They helped with:

• Transfers

• Accommodation

• Restaurant transport

• Daily hydration, energy and protein drinks

• Post‑stage lunches

• Evening massage (small fee)

• Quality merchandise included in registration

Every competitor felt looked after. It was world‑class.

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🌍 Why We Went — And Why You Should Consider It

Our goals were simple:

• Experience international stage racing

• Have fun with friends

• Meet riders from around the world

• Challenge ourselves

• Then unwind in Split, Croatia

Mission accomplished.

If you’re considering something similar, I’d absolutely recommend this event. Just remember:

There is no growth inside your comfort zone.

Chow,

Coach Mark