Ellen Brune
Hometown:
Bentonville
Occupation:
Senior manager in the supply chain innovation and automation division of Walmart, head coach of the Bentonville High School mountain bike team and mentor for Little Bellas, a mountain bike mentoring program for girls.
I’ve been riding:
“Religiously, probably four or five years, but I’ve ridden a bike since I was a little kid. Last fall, I was the women’s CAT 4 state champion in cyclocross.”
The bike:
Thesis Bike OB1. It’s a new direct-to-consumer bike company based in San Francisco. Brune is a brand ambassador. It’s a gravel bike, but Brune has a set of road tires for it, too.
Why I ride:
“My favorite gravel routes are around XNA [Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport in Highfill]. There are all kinds of beautiful views. For mountain biking, I like the downhill runs at Leatherwood [in Eureka Springs].”
‘We’re trying to get more women participating in races.’
Kit:
It’s for the new amateur women’s race team she founded, Velocita. Bike Rack Brewing is the primary sponsor. “We’re trying to get more women participating in races.”
Arm Warmers:
Primal Wear Arm Tattoo Warmers.
Shoes:
Lake MX241 Endurance. “They’re super comfortable. They were custom made for a female off-road racer. There is a ton of air-venting in them, which allows them to breathe in longer rides, and if you’re having to dismount the bike and ford a creek, the water will drain out of them and dry.”
Sunglasses:
Tiposi. “They have interchangeable lenses, which is my favorite things about them. I wear the red lenses when it’s overcast because it gives you more contrast, but if it’s crazy sunny, I can replace them for a blue, mirrored lens. Or if I’m riding in the dark, I can swap a clear lens in.”
Gloves:
Fox. “They’re really thin, so you can feel really well, and they’re lightweight. You get the full-fingered protection, but you don’t get too hot.”
Frame Guard:
All Mountain Style Honeycomb Frame Guard XL. The honeycomb adhesive PVC “protects the bottom of the bike when you throw rocks.”