Ben racing in RaceDaySetup kit at altitude

Race smarter. Ride faster.

XC race-driven tire picks, setups, and gear reviews.

Built for XC & endurance racing Gear that performs and lasts Efficiency when it counts

Tire Picks by Race

Event-specific recommendations for XC & marathon courses.

Browse picks

Gear Index

Everything tested and recommended β€” filter, search, compare.

See all gear

Guides

Bike setup, pressures, inserts, waxing, and race-day strategy.

Read guides

Checklists

Pre-race, travel, tools, and spares β€” so nothing gets missed.

Open checklists

Featured Gear

Current standouts from recent testing and races.

Eflator Digital Tire Pump

Eflator Digital Tire Pump

Compact digital inflator that’s perfect for travel and daily pre-ride top-offs.

Read my review β†’
Garmin Edge 1040 Review – Incredible Battery Life

Garmin Edge 1040 Review – Incredible Battery Life

Why I trust the Edge 1040 for every race and training ride. Full review here.

Read my review β†’
Skratch Recovery Drink Mix

Skratch Recovery Drink Mix

Go-to recovery shake after hard workouts and races. Carb + protein in the right ratio, mixes fast, and actually tastes good when you're cooked.

Read my review β†’
Tacx Garmin Neo 2T Smart Trainer

Tacx Garmin Neo 2T Smart Trainer

A rock-solid direct-drive smart trainer that delivers natural feel, perfect power accuracy, and near-silent operation β€” without any fuss.

Read my review β†’
Smith Pursuit ChromaPop Sunglasses

Smith Pursuit ChromaPop Sunglasses

Photochromic lenses adapt to light conditions for ultimate XC performance.

Read my review β†’
Giro Aries Spherical Helmet

Giro Aries Spherical Helmet

Lightweight, highly ventilated helmet with top-tier MIPS protection.

Read my review β†’
SHOKZ OpenRun Pro 2

SHOKZ OpenRun Pro 2

Open-ear bone conduction headphones that keep your awareness sharp and your rhythm rolling.

Read my review β†’
Maxxis Aspen ST 2.4 MaxxSpeed

Maxxis Aspen ST 2.4 MaxxSpeed

Semi-slick version of the Aspen. Ideal for hardpack and short track.

Read my review β†’
Maxxis Rekon Race 2.4 MaxxSpeed

Maxxis Rekon Race 2.4 MaxxSpeed

Review – fast rolling XC tire for dry trails. The Maxxis Rekon Race is my go-to front tire for dry, rough XC courses. See how it performs and why it’s in my rotation.

Read my review β†’

About Me

Ben Steger

I'm Ben β€” a full-time XC and endurance mountain bike racer with a deep obsession for optimizing race-day setups. Every recommendation you find here comes straight from real-world experience racing across some of the toughest XC courses in North America.

Follow more of the racing at BSracing.us .

Whether you're chasing your first finish or a new PR, my goal is to help riders choose gear that maximizes confidence on race day.

β€” Ben