YOUR AD HERE »

Mountain Bodies: Rob Peterson

Luke Graham





A little more than 12 years ago, Rob Peterson got hooked on 24-hour bike races, and recently, he finished his fourth solo ride. “I love the mental part of it,” he said. “I’m not an adrenaline junkie. But my adrenaline fires over the top sometimes.”

Matt Stensland

A little more than 12 years ago, Rob Peterson was hooked.

It was just past 3 a.m. during his first 24-hour mountain bike race. His mind was playing a mental game of tic-tac-toe, and his body couldn’t go on any longer.

“Then, all of a sudden, I snapped out of it and was wide awake and ready to ride,” he said. “I used to say I’d never ride singlespeed or never do a 24-hour race. Now, that’s all I want to do.”



By the time people read this, Peterson will be competing in his fourth solo 24-hour race. Beginning at noon Saturday and finishing at noon Sunday, Peterson competed in his third straight 24 Hours in the Sage in Gunnison.

He did his first 24-hour race 12 years ago and has done more than 35 since, sometimes as part of a team and sometimes by himself.



“I love the mental part of it,” he said. “I’m not an adrenaline junkie. But my adrenaline fires over the top sometimes.”

Peterson came to town some 20 years ago. He had a cousin in Steamboat, and the wild outdoors were too tempting.

So Peterson came and stayed. He picked up mountain biking when he got to town and has done it ever since.

Last year, he did 185 miles in Gunnison. This year, it’s 200 or bust.

“The solo stuff,” he said. “I really dig it.”


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Steamboat and Routt County make the Steamboat Pilot & Today’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.