If you believe organizer Nelson, this 7th edition of the legendary Silk Road Mountain Race is the most original and wildest edition since the first one. Almost 2,000 km and 30,000 meters of elevation are on the agenda, and participants will be led into even more remote and unknown regions of Kyrgyzstan. No less than 730 kilometers of the route are completely new. And as a special treat, after just a few hundred kilometers there will be a 30 km long hike-a-bike section, for which, according to Nelson, riders will need about 24 hours.
And it has almost become a tradition that every year I take a look at and analyze the bikes and equipment of the participants for my “Bikeanalytics” series.
The basis for this, as always, are the articles “Rigs of the Silk Road Mountain Race – Part 1 & 2” from Bikepacking.com.
This time there were 132 bikes – quite a lot of work. But it is always interesting to see how things change over time. In total, almost 240 riders are taking part in the Silk Road Mountain Race 2025 – so around 50% of the bikes are represented here.
Before we start: I wish all Silk Road participants a good and safe race and above all lots of fun and success!
And if you are interested in all the Bikeanalytics articles, you can find HERE the evaluations from previous years of SRMR, AMR, TD, HMR and TBR.
Bicycle Types & Frame Material
Looking at the bike type, it is very clear this year that it is an MTB race. There are still a few gravel bikes (I have also included the Salsa Cutthroat here), but the absolute majority are riding MTB or Drop Bar MTBs.
In terms of frame material, carbon remains unchallenged in first place. However, titanium has reclaimed second place from steel and leads by one percentage point.
Suspension & Components
The terrain in Kyrgyzstan is best mastered with suspension. 92% of participants are riding with a suspension fork, 2 percentage points more than last year. I myself rode the SRMR in 2021 still without a suspension fork. 21% take no risks at all here and ride a full suspension. Last year it was 18%.
Staying with forks: Rockshox is the most popular, followed by Fox. With a wide gap, then DT Swiss, and there were also a few Lefties in the field. Among the models, the Rockshox SID is used the most, while with Fox it is the 32 and 34 models. In terms of travel, most prefer 120mm (modern XC standard), followed by 100mm.
Bikepacking.com was already asking whether, given the mass of flat bar bikes, the era of drop bar bikes at such events is coming to an end. This observation is not entirely far-fetched, as it does feel like many are returning to the mountain bike when it comes to the hard stuff.
Last year 81% of participants were on flat bar and 19% on drop bar. This year it is 87% flat bar and 13% drop bar. That is already a significant difference. Personally, I still very much enjoy riding drop bar, also because it is gentler on the hands. But I can also convert my bike into a flat bar hardtail, which I will probably do when another event that requires an MTB comes up.
And more and more are using aerobars: this year 74%, a full 4 percentage points more than in 2024.
There was hardly any change regarding hub dynamos: still half of the participants rely on independent power supply – but 4 percentage points less than in 2024. And SON remains at the top when it comes to dynamo brands (+6 percentage points compared to 2024). From my perspective, this will remain the case, as the next generation, the SON 29, is already available. However, it is not yet being used, at least from what I could see.
Drivetrain & Gears
When it comes to drivetrains, SRAM and Shimano are still in a head-to-head race. But I also saw three Rohloff and four single speed setups in the field. More than before. And one bike runs with Pinion.
Interestingly, the proportion of electronic shifting remained unchanged at 26%. But this year there was one Di2 and a new Shimano wireless Di2. This will definitely change in the coming years, and Shimano will then contribute to the growth of electronic drivetrains in the field.
In terms of shifting models, Shimano XT remains in the lead ahead of SRAM GX, as last year. However, the share of SRAM Transmission drivetrains doubled from 7% in 2024 to 16% this year.
In drivetrains, 12-speed is clearly at the top. And thus also the cassettes with 10-52 (SRAM) and 10-51 (Shimano).
With 97%, almost the entire field is riding 1x drivetrains. Last year it was still 5 percentage points less.
There was also a small change in chainring sizes: this year the majority are riding 32t up front, followed by 30t and 34t. Last year 30t was in the lead. 34t is becoming increasingly popular and rose from 1 percentage point in 2024 to 11 this year.
Wheels & Tires
And when it comes to wheel sizes, there is no more debate: 29 inch has prevailed with 96% (+5 percentage points over 2024). And in terms of material, carbon remains the go-to choice when it counts.
Equally dominant – and this for years – is the tire brand Vittoria. 44% rely on the Italians (+8 percentage points), followed by the Americans Maxxis and the German brands Continental and Schwalbe. Rene Herse, which was still at 10% last year, is no longer among the top 4 brands.
Vittoria owes its dominance primarily to its top model for these requirements, the Mezcal. 40% of participants have this on their rims (+5 percentage points compared to 2024). But with 9%, the new Continental Dubnital tire also made a strong debut. I am sure we will see it more often in the coming years.
When it comes to tire width, last year there was still a tie between 2.35 inch and 2.25 inch. This year, 2.35 inch pulled ahead and took the lead with 25%. But 2.4 inch is also very strong this year and managed to reach 14% and third place.
Navigation & Device Choice
I think it is good that navigation devices are now also being surveyed. And there was a surprise in my view: with 20%, the Coros Dura celebrated a strong debut and is now indispensable alongside Garmin and Wahoo.
Interestingly, the share of Wahoo seems to be decreasing, while Garmin dominates. That used to be different in my perception. Equally surprising is that the Hammerhead Karoo did not make it into the ranking except for a single mention.
Brands & Equipment
It is not decisive, but if we look at the bike brands most frequently ridden in the field, Specialized leads ahead of Canyon and Trek. But what I always enjoy when reading the “Rigs of…” articles are the bikes from smaller brands and manufacturers, custom builds, and interesting solutions. They always inspire me.
Among the bag manufacturers, Tailfin has now finally taken the lead this year, ahead of Apidura. Both British brands were still neck and neck last year. Now Tailfin leads with more than 40%. As last year, Ortlieb defends third place and only loses one percentage point. But when it comes to absolute waterproofness, the German bags are still at the top.
In addition to Tailfin bags, the Tailfin Aeropack has also secured a permanent place in the field: 33% rely on the elegant carrier from the Brits. Last year it was 22%.
Participants & Age
And finally, a look at the average age: those who thought such events are only for the young are mistaken. This year the average age has risen from 37.5 years to 41. One reason is the high proportion of 50+ participants – no fewer than seven riders are 50 years old! I find that motivating!
What did you notice about this year’s bikes and equipment? How do you see some of the developments described here?
Here you can also find last year’s evaluation of the SRMR bikes:
It would be interesting to know what the participants are wearing, padded cycling shorts/bibs or running underwear withou padding
me too! 🙂
TBH: they all usually wear padded bibs.