Stark at Romainiacs

LungButter
Posts
8684
Joined
1/9/2016
Location
Yellow Pine, ID, USA

Eddie Karlsson is putting in a good ride in Silver Class at Romainiacs this week. 

Most days are 5+ hours in the saddle. 
 

Does anybody know if they are swapping batteries or what? 
 

6
8
|
7/25/2025 6:41pm

I've been following just missed the stark though .Heard Bolt say day 2 was 7 hours on the bike, not sure how long silver rode but they would have to be changing batteries 

2
LungButter
Posts
8684
Joined
1/9/2016
Location
Yellow Pine, ID, USA
7/25/2025 9:23pm
I've been following just missed the stark though .Heard Bolt say day 2 was 7 hours on the bike, not sure how long silver rode but...

I've been following just missed the stark though .Heard Bolt say day 2 was 7 hours on the bike, not sure how long silver rode but they would have to be changing batteries 

I know that Silver Class is no joke. 

According to Google AI 

“Across all classes, including Silver,

Romaniacs has one mandatory service point each off-road day. All classes have a 20 minute service point time, and tyre changes are not allowed. Service vehicles and crewsare not permitted at the Offroad Start area for Silver class and other categories; they go directly to the service point.”


So I’d think he’s doing it on just one swap to be as competitive as he is. He’s 2nd in Silver last I knew. 

1
3
LungButter
Posts
8684
Joined
1/9/2016
Location
Yellow Pine, ID, USA
7/25/2025 10:20pm

Just saw a random YouTube video of him getting a road side swap that wasn’t at the service. 

The car they were in looked like it had at least 2 spare batteries in the back. 

2
3
Elliot
Posts
2438
Joined
5/8/2021
Location
GB
7/25/2025 10:42pm

They were saying on the commentary that the battery swaps were taking 3 minutes each time but didn't say how many. He's doing better than I thought given the weight as even the silver class is gnarly as f***. 

Maybe not a surprise but he hauled in the prologue.

2

The Shop

Rejser
Posts
87
Joined
2/8/2014
Location
SE
7/26/2025 12:27am

They changed 5 times on the long marathon stages. 

4
1
Beagle
Posts
1846
Joined
8/3/2023
Location
Toulouse, FR
7/26/2025 12:43am

Eddie won the prologue but that's not what Romaniacs is about.

They're testing the bike in the hardest conditions, after offroad day 3 he's 2nd in silver class with some section times well in gold class range.

Off-road day 2 was 202 km for silver class, I'll guess at least 4 battery swaps.

Here's an answer in comments below the prologue video:

17535154645957190228117276621979
7
3
Elliot
Posts
2438
Joined
5/8/2021
Location
GB
7/26/2025 1:12am Edited Date/Time 7/26/2025 1:16am

There's a battery change from Day 3 at 5:45.

He confirmed it was 5 changes in the day and 1 to 3 minutes per change. I think a minute is a stretch.

 

 

5
Bearuno
Posts
5497
Joined
6/28/2014
Location
AU
7/26/2025 1:20am

I may have missed it, but I'm Really surprised he didn't use a Horn in the prologue, at the least.

Cripes these blokes are fantastic riders : a bloke zigs around a Lego Block (fair enough), leaving only the option of going Over it - well, no problemo!

1
RACING
Posts
1937
Joined
6/9/2023
Location
Waddafeuque, FR
7/26/2025 1:38am
Beagle wrote:
Eddie won the prologue but that's not what Romaniacs is about.They're testing the bike in the hardest conditions, after offroad day 3 he's 2nd in silver...

Eddie won the prologue but that's not what Romaniacs is about.

They're testing the bike in the hardest conditions, after offroad day 3 he's 2nd in silver class with some section times well in gold class range.

Off-road day 2 was 202 km for silver class, I'll guess at least 4 battery swaps.

Here's an answer in comments below the prologue video:

17535154645957190228117276621979

Total cherrypicking.

 

12
Beagle
Posts
1846
Joined
8/3/2023
Location
Toulouse, FR
7/26/2025 2:12am

He has 1 service point per day, just like any other rider, so his battery swaps (possibly bar one) must count towards his total race time.

3
1
Elliot
Posts
2438
Joined
5/8/2021
Location
GB
7/26/2025 2:21am
Beagle wrote:

He has 1 service point per day, just like any other rider, so his battery swaps (possibly bar one) must count towards his total race time.

Exactly so he would have lost 10+ minutes a day. So much for cherry picking then...

4
1
Beagle
Posts
1846
Joined
8/3/2023
Location
Toulouse, FR
7/26/2025 3:15am

Eddie Karlsson just won Silver class overall.

So he won prolog, day 2 and day 4 for the overall win by 50 seconds after 20 hours racing.

Great test of man and machine for what was his first time racing Romaniacs, and obviously Stark first time as well.

Now that they've got this benchmark, I would love to see him race Gold class next year.

5
2
arebnac
Posts
379
Joined
4/25/2021
Location
UY
7/26/2025 10:42am

funny watching the live finals today.  Mani won, gave a quick interview and then got a beer to drink haha 
weird seeing walker on those adventure bike class but eh, as a hired rider, gotta do what the brand wants. P2 overall in that class. Good
Cool to see the e-bike winning the overall silver. Stark will have loads of good data to improve, thats really fun to see imo.
Theo broke his wrist on a log, apprently. 
And I saw more ebikes in some videos, not sure who they are tho. I swear I saw at least other 3 electric bikes. I didnt saw the entry list yet to confirm

 

Beagle
Posts
1846
Joined
8/3/2023
Location
Toulouse, FR
7/26/2025 11:21am Edited Date/Time 7/26/2025 11:25am
arebnac wrote:
funny watching the live finals today.  Mani won, gave a quick interview and then got a beer to drink haha weird seeing walker on those adventure bike...

funny watching the live finals today.  Mani won, gave a quick interview and then got a beer to drink haha 
weird seeing walker on those adventure bike class but eh, as a hired rider, gotta do what the brand wants. P2 overall in that class. Good
Cool to see the e-bike winning the overall silver. Stark will have loads of good data to improve, thats really fun to see imo.
Theo broke his wrist on a log, apprently. 
And I saw more ebikes in some videos, not sure who they are tho. I swear I saw at least other 3 electric bikes. I didnt saw the entry list yet to confirm

 

Yes there were 2 electric classes, with a specific, much easier program, emoto expert (6 riders) and emoto hobby (4 riders).

1.5-3 h riding per day, about 35 km to service point, chill out a couple hours to recharge the bike, ride again about 20 km.

That was cool to open it to casual riders with standard bikes and no specific support. 

Not saying it was a walk in the park but that was no Silver class, 200 km, 7 h riding (only for factory-supported electric riders with multiple batteries).

Elliot
Posts
2438
Joined
5/8/2021
Location
GB
7/27/2025 12:31am

Fun Fact: Mani was running five rim locks on his rear wheel.

1
Beagle
Posts
1846
Joined
8/3/2023
Location
Toulouse, FR
7/27/2025 1:35am

Look at that last bit, when you think you're done, after 4 grueling days

1

Post a reply to: Stark at Romainiacs

The Latest