Gravel Cycling Trends, Tour Divide Records, and Mountain Bike Racing with Shawn McAfee | ShiftLess Ep. 67

Shawn jumps in after about 30 minutesIn Episode 67 of ShiftLess, Kevin Lee and DJ Caleb go remote to "Spinistryville," Georgia, and are joined by the architect of the DFW Summer Series and Rudolph’s Revenge, Shawn McAfee. With Brad "in a better place" (vacationing in Mexico), the crew dives deep into the state of unpaved bicycle culture, from the local short-track scene to transcontinental ultra endurance unpaved cycling.We kick things off with a debrief on Unbound Gravel, exploring why the 2024 course felt "tamped down" and how the industry-wide shift to 45mm+ tires is redefining gravel racing speed. Kevin provides an update on his scouting for The USA Trail, verifying thousands of miles of unpaved roads in the Oconee National Forest using Basepacking—the art of using a vehicle as a mobile hub for deep backcountry exploration.In this episode, we discuss:The DFW Racing Scene: Shawn McAfee reflects on 11 years of the DFW Summer Series and how to cultivate the next generation of riders through NICA and family-friendly short-track formats.Ultra Endurance Updates: A look at the blistering pace of the 2024 Tour Divide, where leaders like Justinas Leveika and Ulrich Bartholomoes are chasing record times, and Meaghan Hackinen is smashing the women's course record.The Zwift Revolution: A technical breakdown of the new Zwift Ride smart bike, the "n+1" philosophy of indoor training, and Shawn's hilarious "virtual apology press conference" after a team time trial dispute.Gear & Tech: A preview of the new Salsa Cutthroat colorways, the rise of Tailfin rack systems over traditional seat packs, and the "Artificial Dragonfly" hack for bug-free camping.Basepacking in Georgia: Kevin’s first look at "Spinistryville" and the 55,000 acres of dirt roads waiting for the next big bikepacking event.Whether you're a "Swift Boy" logging 15 hours a week on the trainer or a wilderness purist scouting The USA Trail, join us for a candid conversation about the gear, the grit, and the community that defines modern cycling.Gravel cycling, bikepacking, gravel racing, ultra endurance unpaved cycling, The USA Trail, Basepacking, Tour Divide 2024, Zwift Ride, Salsa Cutthroat, mountain bike racing, Shawn McAfee, ShiftLess Podcast.“Everything thinks they’re tough until they get punched in the face by a Georgia hill.” — Go ride your bike.Key Statistics: DFW Summer Series & EnduranceCategoryDetailsYears Running11 Years (Est. 2013)Race Format30 - 60 minute "Short Track" Crit-style MTBUltra MilestoneTour Divide Leaders passing 1,000 miles in ~4 days (2024)Zwift TrainingRecommended "n+1" smart trainer for 5+ additional saddle hours/weekExport to SheetsKeywords for Optimizationwww.dfwseries.comReach out and touch us: [email protected]