BC Bike Race: The Winning Rig

Defending BC Bike Race solo men’s champion Chris Sheppard came into the 2011 event with a simple strategy: go for broke on day one, then try to hold on the rest of the way.

That’s just how things worked out. The Rocky Mountain rider took nearly two and half minutes out of his nearest competitor during his win of the stage 1 Cumberland circuit on Vancouver Island, then did damage control the rest of the way to Whistler, eventually winning the seven-day cross-country race in British Columbia by more than 10 minutes over second place finisher Jason Sager (Jamis).

Carrying Sheppard to his second-straight open solo BCBR title was a stock, full-carbon Rocky Mountain Element RSL Team. Here’s a closer look at the fastest bike in B.C.