CALEB S. PATTON Managing Editor caleb@arktimes.com
MIKE SPAIN Art Director
LESA THOMAS LUIS GARCIAROSSI MECHELLE WINSLOW Senior Account Executives
MADELINE CHOSICH Digital and Marketing Director
WELDON WILSON Controller
ROLAND R. GLADDEN Advertising Traffic Manager
KATIE HASSELL Graphic Design
ROBERT CURFMAN IT Director
CHARLOTTE KEY Accounting
ANITRA LOVELACE Circulation Director ALAN LEVERITT President alan@arktimes.com
BRYCE WARD is a competitive road cyclist based in Fayetteville and the Northwest Arkansas General Manager of local paper shredding company Rock Solid Shredding.
KAI CADDY is a photographer, graphic designer and occasional mid-pack Cat 4 crit racer based in Conway.
SPAIN is a graphic designer and an art director with Arkansas Times . He’s also been an avid cyclist since 2004. “I don’t get dropped, I attack off the back.”
Bikepacking Roots and Experience Fayetteville launched the Fayetteville Bikepacking Route Network in October. This unique, progressive suite of loops offers multiday riding adventures for bikepackers of all experience levels.
The route network showcases the region’s extensive array of quiet gravel roads, rural communities and diverse landscapes, including the Springfield Plateau, the Ozark’s Boston Mountains and the Buffalo River Valley. Five unique routes range 60-190 miles, and these loops can be linked together into several longer tours of up to 260-plus miles.
“With more than a million acres of National Forest and hundreds of miles of gravel roads at our door, Fayetteville is a natural basecamp for outdoor adventure,” Molly Rawn, Experience Fayetteville CEO, said.
“We’re excited to lead the way in launching the first curated set of bikepacking routes in our region from overnight to multiday adventures.”
Riders new to bikepacking can progress through these loops to gain experience and confidence, and more seasoned bikepackers can use the longer routes as preparation for the even more ambitious Arkansas High Country Route.
The network boasts a range of riding experiences that vary both in length and technicality. Beginner-friendly overnight loops meander through gentle hills on the Razorback Greenway and out to Lake Wedington. The rugged Boston Mountains and Devil’s Den State Park
are visited on a pair of two- and three-day loops. And the incredibly scenic Buffalo River country lies to the east, the destination of loops taking three to four-plus days. All these routes begin in Fayetteville.
Kurt Refsnider, Bikepacking Roots’ co-founder and routes director, led the development of the new network, in collaboration with local experts like Andrew Onermaa of Ozark Gravel Cyclists.
“The terrain and gravel-riding opportunities in the Fayetteville region are incredibly diverse,” Refsnider said. “This is the perfect place to host a suite of routes that cater to the full spectrum of bikepackers. The route network takes riders to some absolute gems along the way.”
Extensive route information is available at bikepackingroots.org/project/fayetteville. Also available is a foldable guidebook with logistical information to support trip planning and detailed overviews of each route option. Guidebooks can be picked up at the Experience Fayetteville visitor center or by emailing bike@expfay.com.
“At Bikepacking Roots, we are committed to developing and stewarding high-quality bikepacking routes across the country that expand opportunities for cyclists of all levels,” Noelle Battle of Bikepacking Roots said. “I couldn’t be more excited to launch this innovative, beginner-focused bikepacking network in a place like Fayetteville and the greater Northwest Arkansas region.”
VILLAFANE WINS BIG AT BIG SUGAR CLASSIC WEEK
Sofia Gomez Villafane repeated as the Life Time Grand Prix women’s champion, earned her first Big Sugar Gravel win and dominated the Little Sugar MTB race in Bentonville back in October.
Alexey Vermeulen had finished fourth and third the previous two years at Big Sugar before breaking through for the win this year.
"My big goal this season was to win the first race of the season and the last race of the season,” Villafane said. “In the last few years, I’ve tended to fade and crumble at the end and Big Sugar has always kind of kicked my butt."
Villafane was victorious in three of the six Grand Prix events this season.
At Big Sugar, she broke away with Melisa Rollins and Cecily Decker with just 12 miles to go. The trio was whittled down to two as Decker was dropped when they hit the final punchy hills on the run-in back into Bentonville.
Rollins finished second, 15 seconds behind Villafane. Decker was able to hang on for third, 39 seconds after Villafane.
Vermeulen finished second overall in the first two years of the Grand Prix – a six-race series that culminates at Big Sugar – but a year of bad luck had him motivated to finish the season strong at Big Sugar.
After several attacks, Colby Simmons and Simen Nordahl Svendsen finally splintered what remained of the lead group with 38 miles to go. Vermeulen was chasing the pair, trying to close a 30-second gap. With 30 miles to go, Vermeulen made the catch and Svendsen was dropped on the descent back into Arkansas from the portion of the course that rolls through Southwest Missouri. Vermeulen and Simmons remained together over the final two climbs before Vermeulen stuck an attack in downtown Bentonville to secure the victory. Vermeulen finished eight seconds ahead of Simmons.
"I made a mixture of questionable choices today but it somehow worked out," Vermeulen said. "It’s been a turbulent year with a lot going on and I just wanted to go out there and race. I didn’t want to look back all day and that’s kinda what I did.”
Keegan Swenson finished fourth at Big Sugar but claimed his third consecutive overall win in the Grand Prix. He won four of the six races this season. Matthew Beers finished second in the Grand Prix followed by Payson McElveen. In the women’s overall Grand Prix standings, Rollins finished second behind Villafane and Bentonville resident Paige Onweller was third.
Former world short track mountain bike champion and Paris Olympian Christopher Blevins won the men’s race at Little Sugar in a three-man sprint. Beers finished second and Swenson was third.
Riley Amos, another Olympian, finished 21st after battling a major headache and the heat.
Villafane was able to power away from the field to win the women’s race by nearly two minutes. Kelsey Urban finished second and Sofia Waite was third.
Olympians Haley Batten and Savilia Blunk sat out Little Sugar, but along with Blevins and Amos were honored during the week by Visit Bentonville and USA Cycling.
The celebration included a parade down Main Street.
Batten, who won the silver medal at this summer’s Olympics, is excited about what Bentonville has built.
“What's cool about coming to Bentonville is there aren't many places that have such a strong cycling community, and people who are so passionate about this sport,” she said. “It's amazing to see a place that really has built the infrastructure to celebrate the sport, and give back to their people and their communities by providing these opportunities to ride and get outdoors.”
KAI CADDY
KAI CADDY
LITTLE SUGAR: Christopher Blevins leads the pack down The Back 40 during the Little Sugar MTB race in Bella Vista on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. Blevins won the race.
THE WINNER: Sofia Gomez Villafane races down Tunnel Vision in Bella Vista during the Little Sugar MTB race Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. Villafane won the women's race.
HACKINEN WINS HIGH COUNTRY, SETS FKT
Canadian Meagan Hackinen is the new queen of the Arkansas High Country Race.
Hackinen became the second woman to win the ultra-endurance race overall, and in the process set the women’s fastest known time of 5 days, 8 hours and 44 minutes on the 1,012-mile course. This year’s race started and finished in Russellville.
Scotti Moody of Bentonville had held the best time of 5 days, 10 hours, 49 minutes since she won the 2021 edition of the race.
Hackinen is no stranger to Arkansas, winning the women’s division of Doom this spring and finishing third overall. This year she’s also notched women’s wins at the Tour Divide (seventh overall) and The Buckshot in British Columbia (eighth overall).
“The first two days were unseasonably hot, and right out of the gate I realized that competing was not only going to require physical effort, but mental preparedness and smart decision-making,” Hackinen said. “The route itself was a treat: from epic back roads in the Ozarks and Ouchitas to memorable diners and gas station resupply, plus getting a glimpse of Arkansas’s quirkier side in rural lawn decors, plus places like Eureka Springs and Fifty-Six.”
She said she targeted Moody’s FKT as her goal for the race, which wasn’t without challenges.
“The long autumnal nights were hard on me,” she said. “Moreover, I forgot to pack my dynamo
wheel and struggled with charging. On course, I was plagued by tech issues and wound up navigating most of the route on the ride with the GPS app on my phone after my primary device crashed, and the mount for my backup kicked the bucket. I was glad to have the existing target of Scotti’s FKT time to orient myself toward. Taking the overall win was an unexpected bonus.”
Jesse Davis of North Carolina won the men’s division of the High Country Race in a time of 6 days, 10 hours and 49 minutes. Tanner Frady was the first place singlespeed rider at 7 days, 16 hours, 51 minutes.
The High Country route consists of three loops, and each year one of the loops is offered as a shorter race distance. This year was the first year that the central loop was the shorter option.
The 430-mile race was won by Matt Porter of Bella Vista in 1 day, 22 hours and 6 minutes. Natalie Peet was the women’s winner at 2 days, 10 hours, 51 minutes. Dave Easley was the first singlespeeder to complete the central loop at 2 days, 13 hours, 37 minutes.
A third route option, the Ozark Odyssey, was 256 miles of some of the most rugged terrain the Ozarks has to offer. Thomas Miller won that race in 1 day, 3 hours, 43 minutes. Joe Fox was the singlespeed winner at 2 days, 7 hours, 12 minutes.
KAI CADDY
RACE NEWS
Meagan Hackinen
HIGH COUNTRY WINNING BIKES
This year’s Arkansas High Country race featured the full 1,012-mile loop, the 430-mile Central Loop and the 250-mile Ozark Odyssey. Thanks to our friends at bikepacking.com, we’re sharing some of this year’s winning rigs below. To see more High Country bikes from this year’s race visit bikepacking.com/bikes/2024-arkansas-high-country-race-rigs
MEAGHAN HACKINEN
Kelowna, British Columbia Overall Winner, Full loop
BIKE: My trusty 2018 Salsa Cutthroat Force. The bike features Maxxis Ikon 2.2-inch tires, a 1x11 drivetrain with a 32-tooth chainring, and Light Bicycle wheels. I’ve added a Redshift ShockStop Stem to help cushion the bumps and washboard.
BAGS: My Apidura Backcountry bag setup consists of a saddle pack, long top tube pack, downtube pack, food pouch and full frame pack with hydration bladder. I’m also carrying Apidura’s tiny packable backpack that expands to 13 liters for those longer stretches between resupply.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Gremlin bell dangling from my seatpost bag to bring me good luck.
TANNER FRADY
Oklahoma CitySinglespeed Winner, Full Loop
BIKE: I rode clockwise on a new-to-me stainless steel Otso Fenrir. The cockpit features 50cm Ritchey Beacon drop bars and Profile Design’s T2 aero bars. My gearing is 36x19. Hubs are an Industry Nine 1x1 in the rear and a SON dynamo hub up front powering a Sinewave Beacon for light and charging electronics. (There are) 29x2.25-inch Vittoria Mezcal tires on RaceFace ARC30 rims.
BAGS: Custom frame bag, full top tube bag, handlebar bag and “Lebarski” stem bags all made by my friend Zach of South City Stitchworks. Oveja Negra Gearjammer housing my sleep kit. I also used a Camelbak hydration pack with extra pockets.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My sleep kit consists of a Mountain Laurel bivy, Klymit Inertia X pad and a 40-degree Sea to Summit down sleeping bag. Mini bluetooth speaker. Nitecore 10,000mah cache battery. Gremlin bell from Doom to ward off evil spirits.
JESSE DAVIS
Manteo, North Carolina
Men’s Winner, Full Loop
BIKE: Kona Raijin set up with drop bars and a Fox 34 Stepcast fork. The drivetrain is Rival/ GX AXS with some blips under the aerobars. The wheels are generic carbon rims laced to an Industry Nine hub in the back and a Son Dynamo up front.
BAGS: Ortlieb small roll on the bars and a small Revelate Designs Spinelock on the seat.
Tailfin medium stem bag and an Apidura cargo bag for fixin’s.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’m running the kLite array to keep electronics topped off. The sleep kit will be puffy pants and a jacket with a SOL bivy. A Black Diamond hydration vest for cargo purposes.
THOMAS MILLER
Austin, Texas Winner, Ozark Odyssey
BIKE: My Giant Revolt Advanced, with a Shimano GRX Limited mechanical drivetrain. The wheels are a White Industries/Sapim Laser/Light Bicycle AR25 build, wrapped with 700x45mm Silk Shield Maxxis Ramblers. Shimano XTR pedals, Wolf Tooth Ti bottle cages, a Pro Stealth Curved Saddle and $30 Amazon aero bars round things out.
BAGS: I’ve been using the Leadout Racelite frame and top tube bag, paired with a PNW seat post bag. For extra hydration, I have a 2-liter USWE backpack with an additional pocket for snacks.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’ll be using a Garmin 530, as well as a Bryton S800 GPS unit. My Garmin has a habit of forgetting to alert me to turns, so my Bryton will stay on breadcrumbs to ensure that I remain on course.
NATALIE PEET
Bentonville
Women’s Winner, Central Loop
BIKE: Chumba Yaupon Ti, this is the bike that Alexandera Houchin set the Tour Divide single speed record on. She loaned it to me for this race season.
BAGS: A full-length top tube and feed bag from my friend Sam at Buckhorn Bags here in Fayetteville. Accompanied by a cheetah print and black frame bag from Dispersed.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: An emergency bivy for shelter and a Doom gremlin bell to ward off evil spirits.
MATT PORTER
Bella Vista Overall Winner, Central Loop
BIKE: An Otso Waheela C frame with Enve wheels wrapped in Pirelli Cinturato 50mm rubber. I am running a SRAM X0 derailleur, Red crank and brakes, and wireless blips on the TT bars. Navigation from the Coros Dura bike computer. Lighting from Exposure, Toro headlight and a small head torch.
The bags are absolute perfection. Never thought I would say that a battery is my kit highlight, but my Nitecore 10,000mAh battery bank is amazing.
CONFRONTING THE COLD
A Winter Riding Survey.
By Bryce Ward
“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”
— John Steinbeck
Soon after the leaves have fallen, the many individuals who enjoy riding a bicycle enough to devote sizable portions of their time toward it are confronted with a dark age of sorts. The sun becomes impatient, slumping back down into the horizon with utter disregard for the 9-to-5 work schedule most of us adhere to, leaving behind little time, light and warmth for activities unassociated with a paycheck — let alone for bike rides.
The amount of time a person devotes toward riding a bike varies widely and is largely dependent on the amount of time left over once more practical responsibilities have been attended to. A person’s underlying motivations for cycling also greatly influence the frequency and duration of their rides. This stumbling dance between time and motivation is present year-round, but it becomes especially complicated when winter enters the scene.
Suddenly, your pre-ride apparel decisions are of grave importance to the quality of your riding experience — and to the nerve endings in your fingers and toes. Oftentimes in the winter, an outdoor ride is impractical, especially during the weekdays, and we must instead grapple with an abundant number of ways to spend the time left available to us.
BUNDLE UP: Many prefer to dress in layers and brave the cold rather than riding indoors.
Many cyclists choose to fill this time by replicating the experience of a bike ride indoors, most often by means of a trainer — a clever device that fixes a bike in its place while allowing the back wheel to roll freely underneath — or by means of rollers, a set of cylinders that act as an awkward treadmill.
Trainers are great for workouts and long bouts of indoor pedaling, but the experience they provide is only faintly reminiscent of a bike ride. Rollers are more effective at mimicking an outdoor ride because they require steadfast attention toward balance and pedaling form, but this demand on the rider’s focus can quickly become exhausting, and the lack of resistance makes workouts more challenging.
It is common for cyclists to combine indoor riding with different means of entertainment to make the strange experience of pedaling in place more enjoyable, or at the very least, more bearable. Music, movies, shows, podcasts and various other forms of visual and audi-
tory entertainment are familiar companions to the indoor rider. And, in recent years, a phenomenon known as Zwift — a gamified cycling simulation — has become an especially common aid for biding time on the trainer.
Some cyclists, whether out of preference or necessity, do not ride indoors at all. When the weather becomes too formidable, they shift their attention away from the bike and toward other matters. Even the cyclists who ride indoors often begin supplementing other activities such as strength training, running, hiking and yoga into their routines.
in recent years, a phenomenon known as Zwift — a gamified cycling simulation
— has become an especially common aid for biding time on the trainer.
Cyclists have many ways to approach the colder months, and each of these approaches come with benefits and concessions. Intrigued by this variance (and confronted with a rather short deadline), I decided to piece together a quick survey for cyclists regarding many of the pertinent topics related to the winter season.
These topics range from apparel and nutrition preferences to cyclists’ underlying motivations for riding in spite of nature’s temperament. It is by no means a flawlessly thought-out survey, but I hope it provides at least a partial glimpse into the variety of ways cyclists respond to the unifying dilemma of winter.
In total, 40 cyclists participated in the survey. It consisted mostly of multiple-choice questions, some short-answer responses, and a few image submission prompts. Due to the inherent limitation on space, we had to take some editorial liberty with the responses, but we hope you enjoy the result.
Do you have any tricks for staying warm while riding in the cold?
“The best pair of cold weather gloves I’ve ever found are some old leather work gloves with a pair of glove liners under them. That keeps the wind out better than tech gloves I’ve tried.”
“On sub-40-degree rides, I wrap my shoes in a plastic grocery bag before putting my overshoes on. Feet stay warm the whole time.”
“Riding hard”
“Mountain biking instead of road or gravel riding”
“Attaching toe warmers to my gloves on the inside of my wrist. Thanks to Femmes Gravel for this tip!”
“Don’t Wim Hof it”
What is your go-to ride food and/or drink for cold temperatures?
“Since it’s harder to dig in my pockets, I try to rely on calories in my bottles”
“Snickers”
“Chocolate hits better in the cold”
“Cinnamon rice cakes”
“Coffee/tea”
“Untapped syrup down my throat all day every day”
What motivates you to continue riding in the winter?
“Riding with friends helps a lot, but focusing on warmer days in the future gets me through.”
“I spent several years doing the typical yoyo of getting fit in the warm months and then losing all of it in the winter so I never really progressed year to year. That was frustrating and then I started racing and that really fueled me to train consistently throughout the winter.”
“I love riding outdoors!”
“Trying to stay reasonably fit”
“Zwift racing”
“Suffering”
“Death”
“Reminding myself that the effort put in now will pay off later. And coffee.”
“Overall physical and mental health and fitness. Also maintaining a base for the coming season.”
“Learning a second language (Spanish) whilst riding indoors.”
“The spring.”
Do you incorporate nonbike exercises or activities into your routine during the winter?
If so, provide a few examples.
Number of respondents indicated by (#)
Strength training (24)
Running (14)
Hiking and walking (7)
Yoga and mobility (5)
No (3)
No but want to (2)
Breath work (1)
Downhill skiing (1)
EMBRACE THE DARK
Stepping out of your comfort zone can be rewarding.
By Briana Moore
There is a Wednesday night group road ride that has been meeting for 10 years in Hot Springs. This loyal group of riders, brought together by Mike Hardage, starts on the Greenway and meanders through downtown and West Mountain Drive.
I’ve been asked to join this merry bunch for several years and I’ve always created excuses not to participate. Some of these excuses include: I won’t like riding on the road, it’s dark, it’s cold, drivers are mean, it’s not safe. Some of these reasons are based on fact. It is cold and dark in the middle of winter. Also, Arkansas ranks 48th out of 50 states for cyclist safety.
I’ll be the first to admit that I watch Northwest Arkansas’s infrastructure and bicycle opportunities with envy (more admiration than jealousy). At the OZ Women’s Sunset Summit, we rode part of the Razorback Greenway and I was amazed. The public art, Airship Coffee, the accessibility! Yet, I had never ridden the Greenway in my own town. The Hot Springs Greenway hugs Hot Springs Creek for 5.5 miles with more miles planned for the future with access to Lake Hamilton.
This pops into my head as I prepare to head out for my first group road ride, to try something new despite the statistics. I’ve got my headlight and taillight fully charged and dressed for the winter weather. Mike
had a few guidelines for the group ride, starting with that we ride as a group at all street crossings. As we started down the Greenway, all of my nervousness disappeared. It was a social pace and an interesting route to experience Hot Springs. Drivers were courteous and more respectful than I was expecting.
The PeopleForBikes City Rating for Hot Springs is dismal. It is in the fourth percentile for access, opportunity, core services, recreation, retail and access to major transit hubs. (The average rating for cities was 27 in 2022).
Hot Springs has the opportunity to embrace change and improve bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure for the future. If we can’t have protected bike lanes through downtown yet, a good start would be placing bike racks at the Hill Wheatley Plaza hot water fountain. It was the perfect place to mix up hot chocolate with the famous Hot Springs thermal water, a sweet reward for riding on a cold night with a fun group of cyclists. Mike’s second guideline was to be sure to clean your water bottle after hot chocolate!
The Wednesday night group ride leaves at 6 p.m. from the Seneca Street Greenway trailhead in Hot Springs. Expect about 15 miles in distance and two and half hours of riding. This is a no-drop ride and helmets, taillights and headlights are required.
KEEPING IT CHILL: Riders from the Hot Springs Wednesday night group ride.
COURTESY
Keeping Bikes Rolling
Hex Carbon Workshop gives frames a new lease on life.
story and Photography
By Kai Caddy
As carbon fiber bicycles became the hot new thing in 2007, Frank Webber — then an employee at Chainwheel in Little Rock — immediately saw an issue with the hot new material.
As soon as a customer had a problem with their frame, crack, chipped paint, whatever, manufacturers were replacing the frames in a heartbeat. That didn’t sit well with Webber, who now owns and operates Hex Carbon Workshop, a thriving carbon bicycle repair business with new digs in Little Rock’s SOMA neighborhood.
“I’m kind of a hippie,” Webber said. “I just hated that we were tossing all these bike frames. That was never a problem we had when aluminum and steel were the big frames. It was rare that you’d have manufacturer defects. When carbon first hit, warranty rates went through the roof.”
You don’t become a carbon repair guru overnight, but it was one particularly desirable frame that got Webber to dabble in the idea of giving broken bikes new life.
“It was a Cannondale Super Six,” he said. “I was walking it down the hallway to go toss it in the dumpster. And it was a bike I had really, really, really wanted and couldn’t afford. So I went to the sales rep and I was like, ‘Hey, man, can I keep this frame?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, what are you gonna do with it?’ ‘I’m just gonna hang it on my wall and look at it. It’s super cool.’ He’s like, ‘OK, sure, whatever.’ And so I ordered an automotive ‘fix your carbon fiber hood’ kit from some online place and just kind of gave it a go. Obviously it was very different from the way we do things now, but I repaired it and rode it and never had an issue with it.
MR. FIX IT: Webber with a broken frame in Hex Carbon Workshop’s new facility.
Once he had success with the repair, it was game on. He started repairing bikes for friends, but said it took a couple of years before he was comfortable enough with the work that he trusted repairing bikes for all.
He was still at Chainwheel when he formed an LLC and began running The Carbon Repair Shop as a side hustle. Carbon repair was still a new industry and he was still mostly repairing bikes for locals, aside from the odd frame that would come from Texas or some other nearby state.
Later employed by bike manufacturer Orbea, Webber found himself at a crossroads. The bike brand frowned upon his side gig because some there felt that customers might think
he was repairing the bikes for Orbea. Webber let the business fall by the wayside, but never stopped tinkering with carbon repair.
Webber traveled extensively for his work at Orbea. In 2018, with a child on the way, he decided he wanted to put an end to the travel and launched Hex as his new full-time gig. The plan was to just work out of his garage.
“My wife worked, so I was going to do kind of the full-time dad thing and work on a few frames just to make a little bit of side money,” he said. “And, man, after about a year I was slammed and couldn’t keep up with how many frames I had to repair.”
That led to Webber looking for help and a shop. That eventually turned into opening a
bike shop: Shift Modern Cyclery.
“My thought process was, ‘OK, I’m gonna find a hole in the wall where I can run Hex out of and I can have a mechanic that’s helping me, and then I can also keep that mechanic busy with a shop,’” Webber said. “‘We’ll just offer basic bike services, and this mechanic can both help me with the mechanical side of Hex and I can make sure that he stays busy by having a little bike shop.’”
The little bike shop wasn’t so little. Shift opened in 2021 in a 120-year-old, 4,000-squarefoot building on West Markham Street near Doe’s Eat Place.
“I wanted to be downtown, because there were no bike shops downtown,” Webber said. “Apparently, that was well-needed, too, because now we’ve got two full-time guys and we stay busy year-round working on bikes, and I still have to push them to do anything for Hex because they’re so busy.”
In May, Shift moved to its current home at 1619 Scott St. As this issue of Bike Arkansas went to press in mid-October, Webber was putting the finishing touches on getting Hex moved into the space.
They have 1,500 square feet now, just what Webber was looking for initially to keep the focus on fixing things.
Hex is fixing things well. The two largest and most well-known carbon repair centers in the U.S. are on the West Coast: Calfee Design and Ruckus.
“I wanted to be downtown, because there were no bike shops downtown.Apparently, that was well-needed, too, because now we’ve got two full-time guys.”
“If we’re not third, we’re in the top five,” Webber said. “You’ve only got a few spots that really focus on carbon. Most of them are paint places that will dabble in carbon repair. And I’m kind of the opposite, we don’t do fancy paint jobs often. The best way I can equate it is there are a lot of custom paint shops across the country that are doing really fancy bike paint jobs. We’re more like a body shop — we just want to get in, fix the damage, touch up the paint, get out.”
Hex offers a lifetime warranty on every repair. Webber is proud of their process and says Hex is the only carbon repairer doing things the way they do.
Their process is essentially the reverse of what manufacturers do — inflating a bladder to shape the carbon against a mold. Hex uses a vacuum bag to shape their repair against the existing frame. The method enables repairs to look like they’ve just come from the factory
CUTTING IT: Webber prepares a fresh piece of carbon.
PREPPING IT: Webber chips paint from a broken frame before sanding the affected area.
and allows Hex to take on complicated repairs like bottom brackets and headsets.
“I can’t think of the last time we had to tell somebody we can’t do a repair,” Webber said. “We’ve done some really complicated repairs. We’ve had to fabricate bottom bracket shells, bearing seats that go inside the head tube — all sorts of tricky stuff.”
Hex is now the official carbon repair center for Bentonville-based Allied Cycleworks, the only mass manufacturer of carbon bicycle frames in the U.S.
Hex offers a lifetime warranty on every repair.
Webber is proud of their process and says Hex is the only carbon repairer doing things the way they do.
“They’re one of the few manufacturers that repair their frames, which I give massive kudos,” Webber said. “I think that it’s a much more responsible way of doing things. And you know, given my background of how I started, it was a really good match.”
In the end, Webber’s goal has always been to make the cycling industry more sustainable — a move he believes will help consumers and, of course, the environment.
“If we can get more manufacturers saying, ‘OK, let’s repair this frame instead of sending you a new one.’ One of the reasons carbon frames are $5,000 is because the warranty rate is so high on them,” Webber said. “If people want to see the price of frames come down, we need to push manufacturers to use repairs instead of replacements. It’s a much, much greener initiative and it’s a much more economical initiative.”
In addition to getting manufacturers on board, Webber is also looking to increase their dealer network. Hex works with shops all over the country to facilitate repairs. It allows customers to deal with the local bike shop they already trust and frees Hex up to just complete the repair and get the customer back riding as soon as possible.
“We love talking to customers, but we want to just focus on doing what we do and making it as efficient as possible and keeping costs down,” Webber said. “While it takes time to do what we do, and we’re not going to cut corners or do it a cheaper way, but if we can make it more efficient in terms of just being able to keep our heads down, work on things, turn them faster and not invest so much time into the one-on-one customer interaction, then we can get more bikes in and repaired, keep the cost down and keep more things out of the landfill.”
Little Rock Bike Doctor is a mobile bicycle repair & assembly company
EVENTS
CHINKAPIN HOLLOW GRAVEL GRINDER
OCT. 26
$35-$60
Fayetteville
A gravel grinder with four route options that leave from Fayetteville, rolling into Oklahoma and back. More information is available at chinkapinhollowgravelgrinder. com.
CAPITAL CITY ENDURO
OCT. 27
$40-$100
Little Rock
Shred multiple trail systems throughout Arkansas’s State Capital, including River Mountain Park and the Monument Trails at Pinnacle Mountain State Park. Up to eight stages and 20 miles of racing with dedicated pre-race practice times the day before the race. Visit arkansasenduroseries.com for more information.
NEWTON COUNTY MENTALITY
NOV. 1-3
$85-$200
Jasper
A gravel stage race, including a time trial, gravel race and scavenger hunt all starting and finishing at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch. Camping, live music and food are included with registration. Visit ruleofthree.bike for more info.
BENTONVILLE WOMEN’S GRAVEL CAMP
NOV. 8-11
$1,800-$2,200
Bentonville
A women’s gravel camp hosted by pro cyclists
Crystal Anthony and Paige Onweller. Activities include skills sessions, off-thebike education courses,
and nutrition training including recipe handouts and rides, all led by Anthony and Onweller. Visit crystaljanthony.com/ bentonvillecamps for more information.
BIRDEYE NIGHTOWL
NOV. 8
$75-$87.50
Cherry Valley
A self-supported overnight gravel ride with 100- and 200-mile route options and scattered aid stations throughout. Register at bikereg.com/birdeye-night-owl.
OUACHITA TRIPLE CROWN
NOV. 8
$50
Hot Springs
An ultra-endurance mountain bike race connecting the Ouachita Trail, Womble and Lake Ouachita Vista Trail. More information is available at arkansashighcountry.com/ouachita-triple-crown
BIRDEYE GRAVEL FESTIVAL
NOV. 9
$87.50-$350
Cherry Valley
A gravel festival in the Delta featuring
ride options for all levels of riders, farmto-table cuisine and live music. Off-bike activities include yoga, bocces, guided hikes and more. Register at bikereg.com/ birdeye.
A series of cyclocross races in Conway and Little Rock hosted by Arkansas United Racing. The Little Rock races are Dec. 7 and Jan. 25; all other dates are in Conway. Register at bikereg.com/central-arkansas-cyclocross
HIGH IN THE OZARKS
NOV. 16
$20
Ozark
A challenging gravel ride starting and ending from Byrd’s Adventure Center on the Mulberry River. The event features two course options: a 74-mile course with 7,600 feet of climbing and a 48-mile option with 4,600 feet of climbing. The $20 registration fee is refunded at packet
GÜDRUN MTB FESTIVAL
NOV. 8-10
$20-$85
Hot Springs
A three-day mountain bike festival in Hot Springs featuring mini and full enduros, a slow roll, jump jam, time trial, the Atilla the Hun cross-country race and more. Visit northwoodstrails.org for more information.
pickup. Camping is available at Byrd’s for $10 per person. Visit highintheozarks.org for more information.
BENTONVILLE ENDURO
NOV. 23-24
$50-$120
Bentonville
Two days of enduro racing. In addition to classic venues like Coler Mountain Bike Preserve and Slaughter Pen, this year’s Bentonville Enduro heavily features the hand-built trails of Hand Cut Hollow. The event will feature up to 14 stages and 30-35 total miles with dedicated pre-race practice times the day before the race. Visit arkansasenduroseries.com for more information.
BLAZE OF G’NARLEY BIKE STAMPEDE
DEC. 7-8
$85
Jasper
A weekend of mountain bike racing at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch. Cross country
CXMAS IN LITTLE ROCK
DEC. 21
$15-$25
Little Rock
A Christmas themed cyclocross race at War Memorial Park. Register at bikereg.com/ cxmasinlittlerock
OUACHITA GRAVEL GRIND
JAN. 4
FREE
Jessieville
Annual gravel ride kicking off the new year in the Ouachitas. This year’s edition will be a free group ride with two route options. Visit bikereg.com/ouachitagravel-grind to register.
races will go Saturday, and there will be a four-stage enduro race Sunday. Register at bikereg.com/blaze-gnarley-bike-stampede.
PIE RIDE
DEC. 7
$25
Keo
A fun ride held in conjunction with the Keo Pecan Festival. There are route options of 26 and 36 miles. Both rides begin at the Keo Airstrip and will finish downtown at the festival. Riders receive a free piece of pie or cake. Visit bikereg.com/the-pieride-2024 to register.
BUFFALO HEADWATERS CHALLENGE
JAN. 24-26
$75-$140
Pettigrew
The 20th annual edition of this off-the-grid mountain bike festival. The challenge ride takes place Saturday; it’s a semi-supported 40-mile backcountry experience. Camping,
meals, libations and live music are included in registration. Visit bikereg.com/ buffaloheadwaterschallenge to register.
OUACHITA CHALLENGE
MARCH 29-30
$70-$205
Oden
One of Arkansas’s longest-running cycling races features a gravel race on Saturday and mountain bike race Sunday. Camping at the Oden School is an option for Friday and Saturday nights. More information is available at ouachitachallenge.com
DOOM
APRIL 5
$66.60-$100
Jasper
A rowdy self-supported bikepacking race starting and finishing at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch with limited resupplies. This year the race features three distance options: the original 408-mile Doom route, the 196-mile Despair route back for its second year and the new Dismay route of 109 miles. Visit ozarkgravelcyclists.com/doom for more information.
COWABUNGA! GRAVEL
APRIL 26
$50
Viola
A gravel ride featuring route options of 17, 30 and 50 miles through North-Central Arkansas farmland. Each route is entirely on gravel roads. Visit syllamoevents.com/ cowabunga for more information.
enjoy the ride
Bike Shops
LITTLE ROCK
ARKANSAS CYCLING & FITNESS
315 N. Bowman Road, Suites 6-9 501-221-BIKE (2453) arkansascycling.com
THE COMMUNITY BICYCLIST
7509 Cantrell Road, Suite 118 501-663-7300 thecommunitybicyclist.com
