– Tour Divide'rs – How's the training going?

Luxys are somewhat hard to find these days.

Are the Love Mud Bomber bars similar?

Mike – I think they have a different shape to the Luxy – closer to the PX ones – Midge bars??

Short ride with only the TD kit – fully wet bike – and semi loaded with food. Also a DSLR as I wanted to take some photos.

May be able to shave a bit more off if the snow pack stays low like it is.

Tour Divide Bike by Greg.May[/url], on Flickr

Looking good Greg.Very uncluttered.
Is the downtube bottle for fuel, as its hobvisly going to get covered in cack?

fasthaggis – Member
Looking good Greg.Very uncluttered.
Is the downtube bottle for fuel, as its obviously going to get covered in cack?

If by fuel you mean water – then yes. Not taking a stove. Never do.

Water bottle down there is mostly for the dry parts of the route later on. Take lid off, pour into another bottle to drink from. After a few years doing it on the Fargo I’ve not had issues with any grit getting into the bottles down there.

Should also note – the frame bag is empty bar a water bladder for the really dry sections at the end in New Mexico.

Couldn’t you just cover the bottle in a bag until you needed it? I’ve seen someone cover theirs in a large sandwich zip bag with tape wrapped near the nozzle, then when they needed it just rip the bag open and swap the empty one for the full one..

Just a thought.

Very interested in your endeavors, the TD is way too far for me to contemplate, but admire anyone who is wiling to take it on.

ive never understood the whole it must get covered in cack thing….. a tiny squirt cleans the bit your mouth goes on anyway.

GregMay – New Ortlieb bikepacking kit?

bikebouy – Member
Couldn’t you just cover the bottle in a bag until you needed it? I’ve seen someone cover theirs in a large sandwich zip bag with tape wrapped near the nozzle, then when they needed it just rip the bag open and swap the empty one for the full one..

Extra level of faff and rubbish to lose on the trail. It’s really not a worry.

bikebouy – Member Very interested in your endeavors, the TD is way too far for me to contemplate, but admire anyone who is wiling to take it on.

I’ll post more details as things go on – will write up full pack list etc – also I’m sure SPOT details, and Trackleaders info, will get posted so you can stalk away 🙂

It’s been a few years in the planning, hopefully it’ll go somewhat to plan!

atlaz – Member
GregMay – New Ortlieb bikepacking kit?

Indeed it is. I’ve been riding with it for a while now. Had it hidden away until they launched it at Sea Otter 🙂

It is most excellent.

Images here if you’re interested: Ortlieb Waterproof Kit

Waterproof – not resistant. by Greg.May[/url], on Flickr

What’s the minimum length of the seatpack in cm more or less? Looks very interesting

atlaz – Member
What’s the minimum length of the seatpack in cm more or less? Looks very interesting

Well timed – I needed to go out and grab my lunch 🙂

From front of the seatpost – in the middle of the two bands – back through the compression straps – its about 42-43cm total. Fully extended…it’s massive. No issue with stockpiling Subway footlongs 😉

I like the look of it. I have a couple of Ortlieb waterproof things and they’re basically the best packs I’ve got so this could really do the business for long rides

Hi Greg, why no stove, my thinking would be some re-hydrated stuff would come as a relief? Can you give us an idea of your eating habits whilst on the ride?

Clobber – Member
Hi Greg, why no stove, my thinking would be some re-hydrated stuff would come as a relief? Can you give us an idea of your eating habits whilst on the ride?

Simply put – it’s not that hard to get some warm food once a day if you’re riding the Divide. Even on the likes of the Highland Trail, Cairngorms Loop, Sarn Helen – you’ll pass somewhere to get food.

A stove implies – stove, pot, lighter, implement, fuel, food – all of which take time, space and weight. Having actual real food…I personally don’t really mind. YRMD, but I can pretty much live off whatever I can scavenge from shops for multiple days. Or in Cuba – honey, bread, and cola 🙂

Happy to give an insight post Tour Divide – but for most riders it’s gas station fare – chocolate, sweets, Pop Tarts, Gatorade…you get the idea. Think like an obese 10 year old and you’ll get the idea. But…if you’re aiming to tour rather than go fast, you’d probably end up eating better.

I’ll give an example of the last vaugely long ride I did. Left the house with: 1.5l of water, some granola bars, a bag of peanuts. Picked up en route: 2 bags Haribo, 2 Cokes, a veg burritto, and a litre of chocolate soy milk. Drank another 500ml from a stream somewhere.

That fuelled an 8 hour ride, MTB, with about 4,500m of climbing over 150km or so. I tend to comfortably ride for 2-3 hours only on water, then start to snack.

Thanks for that, are you going to a full post ride write up?

I’ll give an example of the last vaugely long ride I did. Left the house with: 1.5l of water, some granola bars, a bag of peanuts. Picked up en route: 2 bags Haribo, 2 Cokes, a veg burritto, and a litre of chocolate soy milk. Drank another 500ml from a stream somewhere.

That fuelled an 8 hour ride, MTB, with about 4,500m of climbing over 150km or so. I tend to comfortably ride for 2-3 hours only on water, then start to snack.

Sounds similar to me: I did 5 hours yesterday; left the house with 750ml of water, then bought a couple of reduced scotch eggs, some Eccles cakes and a 500ml bottle of water from a Co-op en-route.

Clobber – Member
Thanks for that, are you going to a full post ride write up?

I will be yes. Not sure where or for what – probably Grit.cx I suspect.

Mike – Scotch eggs = calorific bombs 🙂 Perfect little bombs.

What do you do for bike security when you nip into gas stations, supermarkets, etc.?

Mike – Scotch eggs = calorific bombs Perfect little bombs.

I should have saved my second one for later in the ride. Felt a little sick.

What do you do for bike security when you nip into gas stations, supermarkets, etc.?

I have a retractable cable combination lock. I think it’s a Lifeventure one, but there are loads available for a couple of quid online. I’d not leave it anywhere out of sight for long, but it’s enough to stop an opportunist picking the bike up and running away.

Luck.

Most people are good people. When you wedge a fully loaded bike into the foyer of a store most people oddly stare, yet ignore it.

The trick is to be fast in and out, once you’re at the cash point you can normally see your bike.

In all the years doing this – and across several countries – I’ve never once felt like I’ve had to keep watch on my bike bar Fort William of all places.

I just got new bearings and all the components for the VPP on the Tallboy – thanks to Jungle for sorting those out and I’ve had a happy afternoon off the bike fitting them.
Probably happier than the 4 hr TT session that went before it.

Bags all finished and the box of clever pixies that power the gps and Revo light are about to get immersed in potting compound and sealed forever.

Packless at last having found enough room on the bike for up to 6 litres of water.

Great thread about the Tour Divide!

I’m planning on giving it a crack next year. But “touring” not racing, to give me the chance to explore extra interesting bits of trail and take photos of non-carnivorous wildlife…

Question for GregMay (or any other bike packers); are you taking a tent, bivvying or planning on cycling between accommodation? And if you’re taking a tent where are you stashing it on your bike?

marmaduked – Member
Question for GregMay (or any other bike packers); are you taking a tent, bivvying or planning on cycling between accommodation? And if you’re taking a tent where are you stashing it on your bike?

See the front bag…that contains:
* Outdoor Research helium bivi + pole + 3 Ti pegs + 2mm dyneema cord.
* Exped Synmat Hyperlite – preproduction model.
* Exped Schnozzle.
* RAB Nutrino 200 sleeping bag.
* Patagonia Nanopuff Pullover.
* Montane Fireball Gilet + Gloves.
* Low Alpine Gore Windstopper hat.

That is all my sleeping kit – comes to about 2.1kg with the bag, and front pouch. Plan to stop whenever, every 4th day or so at a motel to scrub myself. I have zero issues personally sleeping like a hobo – your experience (wants) may differ 🙂

Excellent, cheers! 😀

Yeah no issues with tramping it this end either…

Happy to help 🙂

Figured I’d report back with one month to go – yep, one month tomorrow and we’ll be starting.

April was mostly long rides – about 5 hours a day on average – with an unfortunate taper thrown in without plan (http://grit.cx/column/2016/04/gregs-knowledge-drop-v2-12) things didn’t go quite as well as I’d hoped. Either way, I’ve come out the other side stronger for a few reasons.

I’ve ticked over a 1,000km on the new Ortlieb kit and after a few tweaks to get it how I like it I really do think waterproof bags are going to become the standard. They just work, well these ones do anyway.

Other wise, have all kit sorted, last few decisions are being made at the moment, insurance to be paid before I leave, and final route checks to be done.

Working on a post with kit list and bike setup. Will post a link when it’s done.

I thought I’d share a couple if piccies of my rig from last weekend.
I’ll do a ‘bare bike’ picture at the weekend so you can see what’s underneath all the clobber.

Interesting bike/fork setup there Rob. Presumably for tdr type ridng the shock is set up hard with minimal damping, to match that fork.

Please wear your jersey outside your bib shorts 🙂

I’ve got both a Lauf and a Tallboy

thats a very capable frame, and a very limited fork

they don’t match,

It’s his bike, he can do whatever he wants.

I don’t think “limited” is in Robs vocabulary. 😉

It’s his kit, he can do whatever he wants.

🙂

Ha, ha – he’ll gain his advantage on Greg by the accumilated seconds of bib faffage during toileting!

allthepies – Member
GregMay said » Please wear your jersey outside your bib shorts
It’s his kit, he can do whatever he wants.

Touche.

Your wit is sharper than mine.

It’s your wit. It can be as blunt as you like.

No, hang on. That doesn’t work does it?

Dirty rider – you are right, the two don’t ‘match’, but the Lauff is there to take the sting out of the trail (and it weighs much less than a kilo) and there is nothing to go wrong with it. It works brilliantly smoothing out potholes and breaking bumps on the trails to Mexico.

Many of the top boys are riding fully rigid bikes for TD these days – I’m just not that hardcore so a bit of rear suspension does help.

When the race is done I’ll be refitting a SID.

Bags and bike packed – Banff here we come, with a little side trip to Fernie to get some hills done and some altitude under my belt and a little road ride in Eureka this weekend with free beer and pizza at the finish.

Please don’t be on strike again tomorrow Southern trains.

Cool! I’m gradually creating a large pile in the corner and I’ll properly pack this weekend. Got a D of E expedition to supervise the weekend after so I’d better sort it all this week!