How I Got My BEST EVER Gravel Race FINISH! (Rock Cobbler 2024)

The Rock Cobbler event is a must do gravel event in the year. Bakersfield in February looks UNBELIEVABLE with the endless green hills. Kinda wild that for years I tried SOOO HARD to stay lean and light and be as fit as possible going into events where the result was my MAIN focus. Then I finally let go of chasing weight, performance, and results, only to then have one of my best overall performances ever. Some questions I know that will come up: Q: How long did it take to add 30lbs and How tall are you? A: I go in depth about it here ( www.instagram.com/p/C4JcFKngAsE/ ) but I shifted my goals just over 2 years ago to add more mass and total power to my frame. This transformation has taken 24 months from the picture to picture. But Im 6'2 : 182cm and I put on weight really easy. I was NEVER supposed to be 155lbs, that is NOT me. Read the Instagram post for more on the mental side of that change. Q: Are you still Plant Based? A: Absolutely, I changed my channel name because diet is not my identity, but it is something I believe works great for my life. I have blood work done every 6 months and over the past 10 years of plants, never ONCE I have been deficient in anything. I wasn't a skinny boi because I ate plants, I was skinny because all I saw in the mirror was fat boi no matter how I looked. Strange how the mind can alter reality. Q: Why Not A MTB? A: This course, out of all the years of the cobbler, could have handled a MTB very well. Hard to say if it would have been much slower, might have been more stable and less risky but it would be equal at best slightly slower at worse. I believe my suspension fork and dropper post gravel bike was the right tool.

This race is basically a Windows XP wallpaper

galloping with the cattle... chefs kiss. perfection in a youtube video will never be replicated.

I was outlining a case study of how the rock cobbler went from 250 riders to 1000, and honestly, a key part of it was your videos of the event. GREAT WORK! Anybody with a unique high-level gravel event NEEDS you there to tell their story.

Tyler, I just want to say that, I'm a 50 year old guy who's had a lot of health issues that have nudged me to give up on my passion of cycling. Your videos are so inspiring and reignite the passion I have. Sometimes it gets me a tad emotional (to be quite honest). Thanks for just being you and doing what you do. It has meaning.

12:42 'Do not fear the cow, be the cow'. Huge Heffer.

This dude got me back into road biking Been sober off drinking a month and a half and it’s nice to have a get away

Can’t believe you don’t have a 10 part series with one of the major streaming channels. The fact that we get to watch the stuff for free is insane. The quality and versatility you bring to the table is unmatched in any cycling venue I’ve ever come across. Congrats on your new efforts and for sure putting on the weight was a great idea. BTW, I’ve got an idea that I was speaking with Jeremiah about to pass to you but I’d rather tell you myself. Hit me up when you can.

"I galloped with the cattle." VC found the perfect epitaph for his headstone.

Tyler, thank you for posting your videos and your adventures, they helped save my life. I was overweight, it gradually crept up on me, then got results of pre-diabetes , liver numbers related to that that weren't good just all around concerning stuff. So I decided I didn't want to live like that anymore and got to work. I was inspired by your motto of "Ride Bikes" Put my road bike on a trainer in the living room (its freezing here in VT in the winter) and started laying down miles everyday, got my diet right and several days a week are vegan now. Dropped 30 pounds in 3 months, lab numbers are better, blood sugar is great, quality of life is so much improved. So thank you and if you're ever feeling down, remember what your doing is really helping people, it helped me.

I'm was relieved to watch a true Tyler production in which the good guy had a great time. VC you make wonderful, inspiring, and humorous films. Your self deprecating ways are truly entertaining. Please stay in this vein, it's so much healthier imo. Please continue to put out the fine art that you have developed. You're one of a kind!!

As one of the two people in the vid you shouted encouragements to while passing us, I thank you; it helped a lot.

Ive been watching this channel for years now. It is very satisfying to see your consistent progress. In your first Rock Cobbler, you were a young spaz, carrying way too much self-induced stress. Often you were your own worst enemy. Now you can reach that state of mind where you can chase cows, not just in your fatigue-addled delusions, but in real life. (I had no idea cow could run like that!). Congratulations. I’m proud of you.

It blows my mind that you can race this hard and film it.. and well too. Kudos Tyler. Well deserved 👍

Amazing footage and storytelling. Congrats VC thanks for bringing us along for the ride

The day is saved yet again by another VC Adventure!!

Bruh, You look sooo much healthier with the weight you have put on and you carry it really well!! Excellent footage as always!!

I watch your videos regularly and for some reason I do not know, the content, the edit, the way you narrate the stories or the way you present your self but, but, you are the motivation that I need to push myself further and further to become a better cyclist and a better person. Thank you so much. Cheers from Argentina. 🇦🇷

Awesome attitude! I'm happy to hear that you chose Dylan's advice instead of Backwards Hat Dylan's advice! LOL. I loved the animations. Man, your storytelling is awesome! Super stoked on your great result, Tyler. Congratulations!

I sometimes loose motivation to train the bike sometimes. As I do triathlon so I do a lot of workouts. But whenever I see a video like this I always feel so much more motivated to train and be my best self. Love this videos been watching you for years.