Mike Curiak
Mountain Bike Hall of Fame nominee Mike Curiak began successfully racing mountain bikes in ’89. With some initial success in the XC and DH disciplines, he transitioned into long distance racing that offered more challenge and which matched his adventurous edge.
Moving first to 100 mile then to 24 hour events only spurred his interest to go further. Events of unbelievable magnitude were just over the horizon. Once there, he secured his spot as a pioneer within the sport of mountain biking.
He has set course records at the most difficult and challenging races known including the Iditasport Impossible (1,100 miles), Iditarod Trail Invitational (350 and 1,100 miles), Grand Loop Race (340 miles) Great Divide Race (2500 miles), and Kokopelli Trail Race (142 miles). These events push the boundaries to the cusp of what is humanly possible on a bike with up to 17 days of self-supported backcountry racing.
Mike continues his passion for mountain biking operating LaceMine29, a successful 29” custom wheel building service from his Grand Junction workshop, sewing and manufacturing custom clothing and equipment for his unique needs, and through his camera lens and writing about his “backyard adventures” with his buddies. Note that these little adventures are often multi-day excursions in the Colorado/Utah/Arizona backcountry!
Unless you haven’t got the point, Mike puts it bluntly, “I eat, sleep, and breathe mountain biking…” Enough said.
Interviews: Gear Junkie , Velo News
Mike’s must-see blog with photos, videos, and writing of his daily epics: Mike Curiak’s Blog
Upcoming Events
“Participating frequently in unscheduled recreational pleasure riding.” – MC
- February – March = Unsupported Iditarod Trail by fat-tired snowbike.
- April – May = Unscheduled (but plentiful!) riding roadtrips to desert locations throughout Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada.
- June – September = Enjoying the alpine regions of the Western US while biking, camping, hiking, and fishing.
- October – December. I could tell ya, but I’d probably have to kill ya.
2009 Highlights
- Multiple bikepacking trips in Colorado, Utah, and Alaska. Riding roadtrips to Montana, Oregon, Utah, Nevada, Washington, and British Columbia.
- Learning the art of fly fishing and the craft of photography, often in tandem with mountain bike rides.
Notable Accomplishments
“I once ate 4 pints of Ben & Jerry’s in 45 minutes. Then I didn’t feel like
eating for awhile.”
