Earlier this month I had the opportunity to visit our partners Scarab Cycles in Colombia to celebrate their 6th anniversary and take part in the Escarabajos Tour, a 4-day bike ride filled with amazing experiences.
I’ve had my Scarab Apuna, the brand’s all-road model for a few months now and have been primarily using it for my weekly commutes and some resistance training when pulling my daughter to daycare drop-off. It’s the smoothest riding road bike I’ve ever had and it made me really excited to learn more about the production process and the cycling culture in Colombia.
When talking to Scarab’s Founder, Santiago “Santi” Toro a few weeks before the trip I don’t recall him mentioning that this tour would be celebrating the brand’s 6th anniversary, the humble guy that he is just said: “We’re hosting a tour. What do you think?” as he sent me the comprehensive tour agenda with an all inclusive cycling cultural experience. I’m in.
Day 1 - Scarab Cycles Factory Tour
Arriving at the factory you see a large building that’s beaming with personality. Walking through the different rooms you realize in pictures and video, the factory looks much bigger than it is (and has to be) in person. We received a proper tour describing each step of the custom bike building process and met the whole team responsible for these beautiful bikes. It’s evident that everyone (at Scarab) is a passionate cyclist and proud of the bikes that leave this little town headed for the rest of the world.
We learned about the manufacturing process that begins very much the same way our process does at AC, with an initial consultation. Riding routine, preferences, tire size and use case drive the model which best matches the client. Scarab moves an average of 6 frames between the various stages and also provides an opportunity for each team member to upskill and learn more with a direct hands-on approach and training. The brand is known for their vibrant paint jobs and it’s here in the paint department where we observe the artisans paint frames by hand while trying not to ask too many questions and be a distraction.
After the tour we get kitted up to go out for our first ride in Colombia. Immediately upon leaving the factory you’re surrounded by vibrant colors of the foliage and colorful homes ranging from bamboo scaffolding to modern mansions overlooking the hills. We’re cautioned about the driving habits and proximity that cars, trucks and motorcycles will pass you by while doing so respectfully. I’ve never ridden in between so much organized chaos while being cheered on by the locals.
We hit the first climb and the elevation hits my chest like a pack of cigarettes. I’m struggling to breathe and my heart rate shoots up to 155 bpm immediately. Luckily my power meter battery died during transit so I couldn’t observe the pathetic power I was struggling to put down. I remember we have a lot of riding left this week so instead of burning my book of matches, I sit up and take my time. At the top of the 5 mile climb we regroup in front of a local fruit stand that has snacks including a Colombian candy Bocadillo made with guava pulp and panela wrapped in banana leaf so once you’re done crushing it, you can throw the “wrapper” on the ground. Brilliant and delicious.
After a few more climbs we run into the equivalent of Marin’s seven sisters, a set of rolling hills with steep short pitches and nice descents to help you keep the momentum going. After 33 miles and 3,300+ feet of climbing we arrive back at the factory for a traditional lunch popular with the field workers in the area. A tamale-like dish with a mix of rice, sausage, chicharrones, plantains, eggs and potato all wrapped up in a banana leaf. It’s exactly what’s needed to refuel after that ride. Next door to Scarab is a cookie shop and a brewery also run by cycling enthusiasts; we grab a pint before heading back to our hotel and regroup for dinner.
Day 2 - Medellin and Safetti Factory Tour
For today we have a small ride planned with a couple of climbs followed up by the Safetti factory tour in Medellin. Safetti is one of Scarab’s partners that produces their custom kits and provides support vans as well as accommodations during this trip. It is also Colombia’s largest cycling clothing brand that has a very unique story and founder Federico “Fico” Velez. Fico’s incredible bicycle collection spans more bikes than AC’s co-founder Chad , that are on display both at the factory and his home.
Safetti, like many cycling brands, sponsor professional cycling teams but also have a second chance program that utilizes gently used kits to upcycle and provide communities with clothing that are not as fortunate. Their factory is state of the art and is also in the process of obtaining the highest international certifications for quality standards, think ISO9001. When asked about the brand’s differentiator, I learned that Safetti is first and foremost about passion, happy employees and happy customers.
There’s no plan to replace the workforce with automated technology because simply put: “robots will not have the passion”. Much like Scarab, it’s easy to see the passion and joy the team has in producing these world class products. I received a sample of the brand’s top of the line kit that included a few jerseys and their newest bibs which I’ve come to love after two short rides because there are virtually no seams in the areas that matter. I’m looking forward to putting more miles and a deeper personal review.
Day 3 - a “Core Memory” Ride
Today is the first big ride day. We planned to ride from Scarab to almost sea level for a total of 83 miles that are mostly downhill albeit with two small 5 mile climbs.
As we ride through the busy center we see the city going to work. We have a large group of 25-30 cyclists with motorcycle guides every 3 riders and multiple support vehicles. After 23 miles we meet up at a gas station for a bio break, some Bacadillo, and to regroup for the next 25+ mile descent. I asked Santi “should I put on my jacket for the descent?” To which he replies “No…it’s only going to get warmer as we go down”...Roger that. 3 minutes later we proceeded to get hammered by a thunderstorm that was complimented by a dense fog that cut visibility down to 6 feet. I can’t see anything through my sunglasses and removing them makes it even worse. My face is being pierced by sharp pellets of water and I pull over to put my rain jacket on. We were warned about this 25 mile long descent that is notorious for potholes and landslides. So that’s exactly what’s going through my mind as I’m reminding myself not to die when suddenly I see the group pulled over at a truck stop with amazing views including a waterfall in the distance. They’re serving warm bowls of sugarcane water (Aguapanela) that warm our body and soul. The decision has been made to cut it short and get into the van. Smart decision and even though it was a short ride, it’s one that I’ll never forget.
After an hour or so of driving we arrive in Rio Claro, a large wilderness park on a river for our lunch spot. Warm soup, Eggs, Toast and Coffee. The climate has now completely changed with the descent and the group is hot and sweaty. After lunch we decide to go for a 2-hour ride that’s promised to be “chill” with rolling hills. Following the ride my training peaks notified me that I have 6 heart rate PR’s As we go over the Magdalena River we pull over before the road turns into the highway and all jump in the vans to drive the rest of the way to Maraquita where we’ll be staying at a cycling hotel famous for the Letras climb and now El Sifon. We throw our bags down and walk around the block to a small restaurant that recently got a Michelin star, famous for its chicharon. After our snacks we went back to the hotel to prepare for tomorrow.
Day 4 - Alto El Sifon
The big day. I’ll admit I didn't know what El Sifon was until a few days after I bought my ticket, when I checked the Strava route file: 73.61 miles and 14,462 ft at which point I realized I was in trouble. The actual climb stretches for a staggering 54.6 miles, culminating at 13,546 feet just beneath the imposing Nevado del Ruiz—a snow capped active volcano. The recently paved pass is now the world’s longest road climb.
The day starts at 5am for the team breakfast, wheels up at 6AM. Five minutes into the ride it begins to rain and our recently dried shoes from yesterday’s shower are back to where we started. The plan for today is to pair up in groups of 3 with similar strength of riders with the goal of maintaining a steady pace as we’ll be passing through 5 different climate zones, it’s set to be a long day. These zones influence the climate, vegetation, and agriculture.
Each 3-4 person group has a dedicated moto rider who provides drinks, food, and carries each rider’s small bag. In my bag, I’ve got Q36.5’s long sleeve jersey and base layer, rain gloves and overshoes along with a rain jacket and recently acquired rain over pants (these saved my life).
Once we get to the base of the climb the sun comes out and starts drying out our wet kits. At 6’4” and 220 lbs I’m not what you would call a climber and coming from San Francisco’s elevation has not been kind to me. Nevertheless, our group is ready to get on with it.
As we climbed through small towns and villages we were greeted by locals who cheered us on. I’ve never ridden in a place like this before where the weather and scenery changed so much but the culture and joy of the people stayed the same. At one point I found myself hearing a strange noise behind me and turned to see what must have been a 9-year old boy riding in a sweater, jeans and rubber boots on a beat-up kids bike rolling by me like I was standing still, yet still he cheered me on.
As we exit the last of the small towns the scenery changes again. The temperatures start to dip further and the rain begins again. I’m approximately at 10K feet and know that I have a few more thousand feet to climb when the clouds open up and I see the glacier. I took a video to commemorate the beautiful views and realized making complete and coherent sentences has become difficult. I’m the coldest I’ve ever been in my life. I tell myself to just keep pedaling and watch my heart rate so as to not “crack”. I’m sitting at 149 bpm and moving at 6 mph. I raced Unbound earlier this year and this experience was significantly more difficult.
Before the top of the climb there are some rolling hills with the ever persistent elevation gain. The small and fast descents have begun to freeze my wet hands and feet, which I can no longer feel, as well as my rear derailleur. I can hear the electronic noise wanting to shift but the derailleur is not moving; it is frozen. I realize I have to unclip and manipulate the rear derailleur by hand to the right gear. Only a thousand more feet to climb.
At the top of the climb I’m greeted with another wonderful bowl of Aguapanela and learn that Julian won the race to the top. Santi told me that Julian, the brand’s Project Lead and Santi’s right hand is one of the fastest cyclists in Colombia who trained and raced really hard but wasn’t presented with the opportunity to become a pro. Equally impressive is Santi finishing just under 4 minutes behind Julian on his 15.46 pound Letras with the forever cool Super Record 11 speed mechanical rim brake component group. Santi told me that every time the lead moto rider gave an update on how far back he was, he’d lie to Santi that Julian was only a minute up ahead, he’d bang another gear and give it an effort to bridge the gap.
We get into the vans and thank our hosts for the experience. We conquered the world’s longest road climb and as Santi said “El Sifón became a symbol of our resilience, our connection to the land, and our love for the climb.”
When preparing for this trip I was tasked with the goal of defining the theme of this story. There were so many beautiful experiences that I had a hard time with just one and asked myself: is this a story on how amazing cycling is in Colombia? How has it become the recently discovered “El Dorado”, hidden gem of cycling? Or is this a story on how this team of passionate cyclists prove that beautiful and amazing riding bikes can come from anywhere but especially Colombia? I’ll let the readers decide, all I can say is: Con mucho gusto.
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