Issues 74. In Our Stupid Fast Era
Rapha Restarts, Nike + Skims delayed, IRONMAN Sells, CloudUltra Pro First Look, and more.
👋 Good morning and happy Friday. I’m Scott and feel free to reach me here.
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Tour Divide: The First Ever Sub 12-Day Finisher
Less than a month ago, Robin Gemperle finished 3rd at Unbound Gravel XL.
This week, he did something nobody has ever done: he finished the 2025 Tour Divide in under 12 days.
Soak that in.
The Tour Divide is the most legendary and brutal bikepacking race on Earth. It is a 2,745-mile ride that follows the spine of the Rocky Mountains from Banff, Alberta, to the Mexican border in Antelope Wells, New Mexico. Riders face over 200,000 feet of elevation, ride solo, look for bears, carry their own gear, fix their own bikes, and sleep, well, in ditches or priaries or wherever, really. That is if they sleep at all.
It’s self-supported, and unsanctioned. The terrain is remote, the weather is unpredictable, and the mental game as you’d expect.
And here is 26-yer-old, Robin Gemperle, winner of the 2024 Transcontinental Race as well as the 2023 Atlas Mountain Race crossing the finish line in 11 days, 19 hours, and 14 minutes—shattering the previous record (set in 2016 by Mike Hall) and opening a whole new chapter in endurance cycling history.
For context: Tour Divide is so grueling that finishing in under 20 days is considered elite. Sub-15 is legendary. Sub-12? We didn’t think it was possible.
We truly are in our stupid fast era, aren’t we? If records aren’t being broken at every endurance race around the globe, it’s like, meh. Nice try.
So How’d He Do It?
Let’s break it down. Gemperle rode an average of 227 miles per day, barely stopping to sleep, and powering through everything from knee-deep mud in Montana, wildfires in New Mexico (seriously), temperatures ranging from 100°F to below freezing with snow, and of course mechanical issues.
At one point, he reportedly rode 33 straight hours with only a short roadside nap, just to maintain pace. And if time just isn’t your thing, he beat second place by over 300 miles. That’s like Manhattan (NY) to Virginia.
So what are our limits and why is everyone getting faster?
That’s the million dollar question but if we continue to learn anything, it is that the human spirit, mind and body know no boundaries.
As always.
Stay moving. ✌️
Scott
The Biz - What You Need to Know
Nike’s attempt to recapture women.
On Ultracloud Pro is the ultra shoe you’ve been waiting for.
Rapha CEO admits missteps and talks returning to its roots.
IRONMAN. As popular as ever.
Delays in Nike + Skims collab prove manufacturing ain’t easy.
On’s Cloudultra Pro Drops
On continues to go all-in on trail with the release of the Cloudultra Pro — its first-ever ultra trail shoe, purpose-built for UTMB and serious alpine racing. We posted a full hands-on review last Thursday, breaking down how this model was designed through lab testing, oxygen efficiency data, and terrain-specific engineering.
First Look: A Trail Shoe Made for the 1% — On Delivers it's First Ever Trail Super Shoe
Busy week and great to have you. A few weeks ago, On hit me up and asked if I’d be interested in a new, totally awesome, secret super shoe they were developing, testing and going to market with.
Nike Targets Women with Sub‑4 Mile Campaign
I’d have never thought Nike would lose women, but they have and the company is fighting to get them back. Nike has staged a one-women push called “Breaking4” in Paris, using ultra‑light gear and tech to help Faith Kipyegon run a sub‑4 minute mile—part novel experiment, part brand repositioning after slipping market share among this demo. Read more…
Rapha’s Rebirth Mission
With new CEO Fran Millar at the helm, Rapha is embarking on a much-needed transformation. After posting a £22.7M loss, the premium cycling brand is re-centering around product quality, community, and credibility. Millar says the focus now is less about high-end elitism and more about reclaiming Rapha’s roots in authenticity and connection. Not a novel concept but one which may be the only way forward in a crowded, purpose-driven market. Read more…
IRONMAN Sell-Out Surge
If you ever wondered, “Is IRONMAN still popular?” look no further. The company continues to sell out events across North America — including Lake Placid, Arizona, and 70.3 Musselman. Actually, they’re selling out faster than ever, some months in advance. Despite gripes about pro support (see: Blumenfelt’s wheel incident), the brand’s Age Group base is going nowhere. This shows how powerful the personal challenge of doing something extremely hard continues to be — and how critical this demographic is to keeping IRONMAN a billion-dollar business. Read more…
Nike Skims Delay
Nike’s much-hyped Skims activewear collaboration — originally announced as a major play to tap into lifestyle performance wear — has been delayed until 2026. What’s the holdup? Supply chain complications and internal timeline resets are to blame. While still on the horizon, this delay signals the challenges legacy brands face when entering new, Gen Z-driven markets that value identity and aesthetic as much as function. You just can’t stock the shelves fast enough. Read more…