In 2025 the Texas Triple Star was born.

Complete all three events in the Texas Showdown Series, in the same category, within a calendar year, and you'll earn a handmade belt buckle crafted by Texas builder Kyle Gilbert.

Last year the series became official with the addition of West Texas Showdown, and seven riders stepped up to attempt the full trilogy.

By the end of the year only one rider was left standing.

Tyler "Freakin" Reynolds.

Racing in the Slowdown Singlespeed category, Tyler completed the entire series and etched his name into Showdown history.

• ETS – 1d 9h 37m — 2nd place
• CTS – 1d 4h 37m — 1st overall
• WTS – 1d 15h 45m — 1st place

Total Time: 4d 5h 59m
The time to beat for the Slowdown SS category.

For a full writeup and photo gallery of this episode visit BikesorDeath.com

SHOW NOTES

East Texas Showdown
March 27th – 29th
Use code getoffthecouch at checkout for 15% off

Sea Otter Bikepacking Campout & After Party presented by Old Man Mountain
April 16th – 19th

RYDB Fest
May 22nd – 24th
Use code bikesordeath for 20% off the Community Overnighter registration

My guest today is someone who is no stranger to the front of the field. A perennial podium finisher as a professional mountain biker, and over the past decade-plus one of the most accomplished ultra-endurance cyclists on the planet, he has first-place finishes at the Tour Divide, AZT, CTR, and many many more. The truth is, I'd need to create an entirely new podcast series to fully unpack the range, depth, and longevity of his career as a lifelong cyclist. For that reason, he's a man who truly needs no introduction: Kurt Refsnider.

Most recently, Kurt became the first person to ride the 5,000-plus-mile Orogenesis Route -- a project more than a decade in the making, shaped by many contributors over the years. Like the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, the Orogenesis Route traverses North America from the Canadian border to the Mexican border, but it instead features as much singletrack as they can pack in - 50% of the route is singletrack. And when it reaches the border, the route doesn't stop. It intercepts and continues down the Baja Divide, one of the most iconic bikepacking routes in the world.

This was no small undertaking. Not only was this Kurt's biggest bikepacking trip to date, but he was also the first person to put bike tires on large portions of the route—sections that had only been scouted digitally and pieced together through community knowledge. Inevitably, that meant running into real roadblocks. This wasn't just a bikepacking trip; it was a true bike adventure. I can think of no one more qualified to take on a project of this scale, both physically and mentally, than Kurt.

It was an absolute pleasure to have him back on the podcast. He's a true OG and a legend in the sport for very good reason. And beyond all the accolades, he's simply a genuinely kind and thoughtful human being.

The Bikes or Death Podcast is Presented by Old Man Mountain

To support this work: www.Patreon.com/bikesordeath

Kurt's website: https://www.ultramtb.net/

Orogenesis Collective: https://orogenesiscollective.org/

We're kicking off the year with a special guest—Eric House! We met up in the Sam Houston National Forest for a bit of a role reversal; this time, Eric took the mic to interview me. I gave him free rein to ask anything, resulting in a wide-ranging conversation that covered everything from the silly to the serious.

The heart of our chat focused on the last six years of work that culminated in 2025 with the launch of the WTS Showdown and the completion of the Texas Showdown Series. We also looked ahead to 2026, discussing my goals for Doom High Watch and my current training mindset.

Eric is a fantastic interviewer who asks truly meaningful questions, including a "gamut" of listener inquiries that kept me on my toes. Of course, it wouldn't be a proper meetup without some trail time—prior to recording, we squeezed in a mountain bike ride that turned into a total adventure involving getting lost, a minor collision, and hiking our bikes out on our shoulders. It was perfect.

Bikes or Death is presented by https://oldmanmountain.com/

www.patreon.com/bikesordeath to support the show ☠️