Those who want a relatively fast-rolling rear tire that maintains good cornering abilities might consider the Specialized Eliminator T7. Down jacket:Arcteryx Cerium LT. Superb, extremely comprehensive, very useful. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. Water filters for Bikepacking and Touring, How to Keep Electronics Charged While Bikepacking, Bikepacking Bikes and Bags for Small and Short People. That said, selection is limited until you reach a larger town with a full grocery or drug store. If youre on the fence about bringing something, leave it with a friend and ask them to mail it to you on the road if requested. Baton Rouge man says he's better equipped at 68 to tackle challenging He brought our joint tent out with him to Jackson, and I mailed my solo tent home. Ian is able to ride year-round from his home in Santa Cruz, California with a wide range of trail options to keep him busy. Additionally, it is safe to assume that they might sometimes take a cost-effective approach to stock specifications. Good cornering and braking traction compared to similar tires, Not ideal for super aggressive riders or terrain. This wasnt my first rodeo, and I was pretty satisfied with my gear choices overall. This tire relies on its aggressive tread pattern to do most of the work, with well-supported shoulder lugs and a supportive yet supple Gravity Shield casing. Continental has several new models in their lineup, with the Kryptotal intended as the all-arounder for aggressive riding in mixed terrain and conditions. Pillow: Sea to Summit 8 Liter Dry Sack stuffed with odds and ends and wrapped with a Buff. My Great Divide Bikepacking Gear List: What Worked & What Didn't That said, I do use the eTrex for racing and more rugged routes; see my eTrex review for more detail. We found it provides excellent cornering traction across the spectrum of lean angles in all but the loosest of conditions. Then they went to work, laying out a fantastic touring route for mountain bikers. Its moderate height center tread is fast-rolling, yet it has a substantial row of side knobs that provide excellent grip in the corners. Find details on the three most recent issues below, join the Bikepacking Collective to get it in the mail (anywhere in the world), or click here to find a collection of selected stories in digital format. Never had to use it for anything else. This may not always be the ideal tire for your riding style, your trails, or the conditions you encounter most frequently. I discuss my repair kit in more detail here: Tools and Spares List for Bikepacking. I had come for this, in part, after a year of isolation that left me craving the community of a well-traveled route. The center tread has a well-designed pattern of medium-height knobs with sharp, unramped front edges that provide ample bite and traction with surprisingly low rolling resistance. Tires are currently trending wider, and a wider front tire can help maintain traction as they have a larger contact patch on the rolling surface, and you can run lower tire pressures to enhance this even further. The JetBoil is so efficient that I / we only needed three canisters total for the whole GDMBR. The WTB Vigilante also earns an honorable mention in the cornering metric. Finally, this route goes in wild terrain, and a bear encounter is possible. It has a wide temperature range without feeling clammy, and critically the half zip fits over a bike helmet for quicker layer changes on the go. Our test tire weighed in at a lighter-than-advertised 950 grams, and if you want even more peace of mind, it's available in Maxxis's heavier casing options as well. The WTB Trail Boss provides excellent cornering traction in the rear of the bike. Standard AA and AAA batteries are easy to find at convenience stores, so you only need to carry one spare set at a time. Wider tires have more air volume and provide more damping and traction. Let us know in the conversation below if you have a tire that youd recommend for a long mixed terrain route like the GDMBR. The tall center tread lugs with open spacing provide excellent braking traction, while the substantial row of shoulder knobs grip very well through corners. With rear tires, you'll find huge variances in traction, depending on the type of terrain and the surface conditions. Figuring out which tires will perform well and hold up for the duration can be tricky, especially given all the options on the market. There are several outdoor sports stores for camping supplies and clothing, and Glacier . Benson's mountain bike roots trace back to New England in the early 1990s, and he has seen and experienced the evolution of mountain bike tires. Mood: Leisurely but efficient. A relatively square profile, squared-off edges, side knobs, and sidewalls all contribute to the overall quality and performance of this tire. Great Divide Mountain Bike Route - Riding Canada to Mexico Theres more where this came from! Some options for elevating your bachelor party bar hopping experience: Look up beer bikes in your city, which are enormous multi-person bikes pedaled by everyone in the party and led by a tour guide who'll direct you guys to some of the best bars in the city while enjoying some brews along the way. The Schwalbe Marathon XR's look good in terms of durability, protection and rolling resistance, but at only 2.00" wide them seem a little narrow. Lots of lengthwise siping on all of the knobs allow them to really conform to the trail surface, and it holds well on firm surfaces, off-camber terrain, and rock slabs. Thanks! It is North America's premier long-distance mountain bike route. We are in the pre planning phase of our Great Divide trip, your writing is very motivating. Essential Bike Repair Skills You Can Learn at Home. In much of Canada, Montana, and Colorado its easy to find surface water multiple times per day. Haha yes, in many ways time (and motivation) are the most important things on the list! Bikepacking The Great Divide: A Guide on What to Pack Satellite Messenger: Garmin InReach Mini, for communication and emergencies in areas without phone service. Just 5% of the route is on more difficult terrain such as unpaved four-wheel drive tracks and single tracks. Got feedback? However, this isn't the most aggressive tire on the market. It inspires high levels of confidence and is most at home when leaned into a turn aggressively with a substantial row of large side knobs that grip through corners. Completed in 1997, the GDMBR was developed by Adventure Cycling Association, who continue to maintain highly detailed route maps and a guidebook. If you have a bright headlamp and a way to mount it, you could consider using that as an emergency-only night riding option. Spoon: Toaks Long titanium: Simple, lightweight, long enough to eat out of any container. Free shipping for many products! If you want a light and fast rolling tire that still hooks up, the Ground Control is our recommendation. Thanks in advance for spreading the word! Wall charger: Anker PowerPort, fast charging with two USB ports, and 3 USB cables of various lengths and types. The Longest Singletrack Tour Ever - Continental Divide Trail When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission. Sawyer Fast Fill adapter kit, allows you to gravity filter directly from the Sawyer into a hydration bladder. I recommend around 3 liters of capacity for most of the route. Road Test: Surly Bridge Club | Adventure Cycling Association Semi-slick tires have a pared-down center tread to reduce their rolling resistance, framed in by larger side knobs to maintain strong cornering performance. This versatile model performs well in all but the loosest of conditions. While testing, we always felt confident that they would hook and grab hold when it came time to slow things down. I used one set for the entire 2700 miles and they still had life left to spare at the end. MSRP $66.00. Resources and inspiration to support your wildest dreams. As tires continue to trend wider, so too are the tires in our test. The Route | Tour Divide What are the best tires for the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, the Tour Divide race, and other long, mixed-terrain bikepacking routes? Similarly, the WTB Trail Boss rolls relatively quickly, but its stout row of shoulder knobs hook up and rails through the bends. Due to the Mazza's tread design, it has a bit more rolling resistance than tires with a less aggressive tread. We feel this rim size to be very representative of current wheel selection without falling into the narrow or overly wide end of the spectrum. Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not. Backflush syringe for Sawyer filter. Other than what might be chalked up to a singular incident of difficult installation, we have little to complain about with this burly front tread. More here. By Jeremy Benson, Pat Donahue, Ian Stowe. We independently buy, test, and rate all the products we review. Lael Wilcox: What Makes a Great Bikepacking Tire? For this reason, the tires with the lowest profile center treads and the semi-slicks garnered top honors in rolling resistance or lack thereof. My hands get cold easily and when I need to ride in cold temps these are essential. TCS Light SG2 casing reduces weight and still feels tough, Tighter fit in the rim during installation. The best of both worlds! Load: Fairly typical long-distance bikepacking setup. The Avid BB7 brakes took a lot of fiddling to keep adjusted. It features 25% more pages with extra stories, bonus art and maps, and much more Issue 09 takes readers on trips through timeone to the early days of bicyclesand offers several reminders to be grateful for supportive friends and family, and strangers we meet along the way For Issue 08, we invited several contributors to return and pick up where earlier trips and ideas left off and also feature a handful of first-timers whose perspectives weve long been eager to share With the Tour Divide kicking off tomorrow, folks might be wondering how riders choose the best tires for the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, a long and intense ride that tests all bike components, especially the ones grinding along day after day. This post covers my experience bikepacking the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route in Montana.. Sign up here for occasional emails full of inspiration and information about bikepacking and bicycle touring. This isn't much of a surprise given its cross-country pedigree. I dont bother with meds like Advil, Tylenol, etc, as theyre probably not going to make a difference in a serious situation, and theyre easy to buy along the way. In many places I failed to find any trees that would work for a proper bear hang. Carry at least a small amount of soap and shampoo so you can properly enjoy these showers. If riding southbound and crossing the international border at the beginning, I would probably mail it home after crossing. The alternative would be to use a sturdy rear rack and small panniers or dry sacks, which I saw pretty often on the Divide. TD 2022 updates include: 1. Still think lightweight racks ie Tailfin beat Saddle Packs by themselves by a street mile. How can we improve GearLab? We pedal up the hill to ride back down it. Average star voting: 4 ( 74471 reviews) Summary: At nearly 4,300 km long, The Great Divide Mountain Bike race route is the world's longest, most challenging off-road mountain biking trail. If you leave some necessity for your trip at home, don't worry, you will be able to replace it easily here. A few areas, in particular parts of New Mexico and Wyomings Great Basin, are much drier. In Canada, or anywhere in the mountains really, nights can dip below freezing even in the summer. Passport: My husband brought mine with him when we met in Jackson, and we both carried ours (carefully) for the rest of the trip. -Sandy tracks require 3.0" tires for flotation, while wide tires also provide natural suspension and necessary traction on . The flip-up cover was essential for protecting the spout from mud, and it was one of few 1 liter bottles I found thats skinny enough to fit in a standard water bottle cage (with extra strap for support). The Butcher T9 offers impressive performance at a reasonable price. The Maxxis Minion DHF is arguably the most popular tire ever thanks mostly to its cornering prowess. The handlebars are Salsa Cowchipper 50cm drop bars for best grip and handling. But its also a long time to be out there without whatever makes you feel comfortable and happy. These are mostly country roads that traverse Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management land. Rain jacket: ArcteryxBeta AR. Every few days at most basically as often as youll find food youll find a convenience store with the basics like toothpaste or soap. Resources and inspiration to support your wildest dreams: Affiliate Disclosure: This site participates in affiliate programs, including Amazon Associates. Note about reception: Dont expect to have connectivity on all (or even most) of the GDMBR. Congratulations! If youre not yet aware, the famous Tour Divide bikepacking race covers almost the same route as the GDMBR, but most racers aim to finish in under a month (or for the fastest folks, half that time!). Nearly 70% of the route is on public lands - 18 National Forests, 6 National Parks and Monuments, and 4 areas with Bureau of Land . So useful for so many things: sun coverage, hair band, neck gaiter, towel, face covering, pillow case, etc. Depending on your setup, some people will need multiple sets of new brake pads and maybe new tires. George Rose / Contributor // Getty Images. The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. 10. panchocampbell (Jul 15, 2019 at 8:29) after a zombie apocalypse these people would be the actual survivers !!! MTB Project. Vittoria may not have the same level of brand recognition as some other manufacturers, but we feel that it is liable to change if they keep making amazing tires like this. Front tires are responsible for more of the steering and cornering duties, and they do a fair amount of the braking work as well. Ive lost count of how many times Ive needed to pitch my tent on a hard surface: in the parking lot, on someones patio, inside an abandoned building, the list goes on Stakes are fine for short predictable trips in the backcountry, but sooner or later youll be stuck with unstake-able ground. The sections are arranged in the direction I rode, which is northbound (also referred to as NOBO). Help sustain this resource by joining the Bikepacking Collective: https://bikepacking.com/join/?utm_source=youtube-------------Hosted by Neil BeltchenkoSpecial thanks to Mike Dion / RTD10.com for the photo of Matthew LeeMusic by Ben Weaver (https://benweaver.net)More at https://bikepacking.com The Maxxis Aggressor provided us with excellent pedaling traction on a huge range of surfaces and conditions. The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) is a journey from Banff, Canada, to Antelope Wells, New Mexico. What kind of bike maintenance is needed on the GDMBR? But if you want more cushion in the tire area, the bike can accommodate up to . Baggy bike shorts: I wear these over my padded shorts, just personal preference. You must be so excited for your trip. The Maxxis Minion DHF is our top recommendation for a burly and aggressive front tire. Hydration bladder with hose: Platypus 3 Liter Hoser, carried in my frame bag as my primary water container. Despite the reduced weight, we found the tire to provide adequate sidewall support, and the Slash Guard (SG2) insert stood up to all the abuse we could dish out. There's no way around it; mountain bike tires are pricey. Sleeping pad: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir X-Lite. Through the years, they've mapped routes down the West Coast and several routes across the U.S. for road bicyclists. One of the best pieces of advice Ive heard from couples who take long adventures together: use a 3 person tent! Practical Advice for the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route Never used, sent it home when my husband arrived (his phone would serve as our backup). Headband and neck gaiter: Buff and/or bandana. In general, a rear tire has more of a focus on pedaling and braking traction, and tread designs often reflect that. There is less to bite into the soil, and on loose, dusty, or wet trails, these tires tend to slide under braking forces. That said, it's no worse than most similar tires, and a trade-off for its otherwise excellent traction and super smooth feel. The Maxxis Minion DHR II has an aggressive tread pattern with wide paddle-shaped lugs that offer great braking traction on most surfaces, including soft and blown-out corners. Bachelor Party Ideas: The Ultimate Guide To Throwing An Epic I usually kill a pair (scratched or lost) on every long trip and these are cheap enough that it doesnt matter. This beefy model is one of the most popular tires of all time and is considered a benchmark against which all other tires are compared. Download this free bikepacking resupply checklist to your phone, or even print it out like in the old days: Sign up to receive the free downloadable bikepacking town day checklist to help with your resupply stops: Youll also receive occasional emails with other bikepacking and touring resources. I hope that will be especially helpful to my fellow northbound riders, since there are fewer resources out there written from our perspective. There is a LOT of climbing on the GDMBR and youll feel every extra pound. Totally worth the weight. Sleeping bag: Enlightened Equipment 10 degree Convert: I am acold sleeper, and this quilt (combined with a Hoodlum hood) kept me plenty warm most nights on the Divide. The route is approximately 2,700 miles long and follows the Continental Divide as closely as . The truth of the matter is, trail riding is the most common style of riding that most people participate in. Bandanafor wiping out dishes and other miscellaneous needs. A 27.5+ hardtail with tubeless wheels and durable tires is recommended for the Baja Divide. A select few of the tires, mostly the Schwalbes and the Continentals, required the use of a powerful compressor to finally seat the bead on the rim's flanges. I love riding solo but a month is enough, and Ive been wanting to share a long ride with him for years. This includes tires, and a resurgence in semi-slick tire designs has occurred in recent years. We did our best to use consistent testing trails that offered a variety of features and soil types. Bike/La Bici - Requirements for Baja Divide Tour - Baja Divide The Bikepacking Journal is our biannual printed publication. Seat tube length: 508mm (center to top) Seat tube angle: 73 Top tube: 615mm (effective) Chainstays: 435mm Bottom bracket drop: 60mm Fork Offset: 43mm Wheelbase: 1093mm Standover height: 812mm Specifications Frame: 4130 chromoly steel, three bottle mounts, rack and fender mounts Fork: 4130 chromoly steel, rack and fender mounts, triple mounts Material on GearLab is copyrighted. The Minion DHR II was originally designed for use as a rear tire, and paired with a Minion DHF up front, we think it's the ultimate combo in loose conditions for aggressive trail riders. From a casing standpoint, we were impressed by the TCS Light SG2 casings on the WTB Vigilante and Trail Boss. I said this at the beginning but it bears repeating: theres no single right way to pack for the Great Divide. Unfortunately, this has an adverse effect on braking traction on anything but firm conditions. Yup, I carried a Kindle! The rear tire is responsible for the brunt of pedaling and braking traction. Benson is a competitive gravel and mountain bike racer, highly experienced tester/reviewer, and published author. May be too aggressive for some riders/locations. Tent strapped to front of dry bag using Voile straps, Presta-Schrader valve adapter not used, but potentially essential in case of a broken pump, Chain lube and rag used often and replenished along the way, Spare tube (1 per rider) and patch kit not used, Tubeless plug kit, tiny tube of superglue not used, Extra sealant, between 2-4 oz per rider used and replenished along the way, Small section of chain and several quick links not used, but I did buy and install an entire new chain in Jackson, Blue threadlocker for loose bolts not used, Spare cleat and bolts (at least one set per rider) I used one of the bolts to replace a lost one, and replaced my cleats when I replaced my shoes halfway through, Spare brake and shift cable (one of each for two riders) not used. We selected tires in the 2.3 to 2.6-inch width range. Alternate routes are indicated in orange on the GDT map, and include: Mount Rowe to Sage Pass - moderately difficult cross-country ridge walk, literally on the Great Divide without any water sources (other than residual snow). Rain pants: Mine (White Sierra Trabagon) have been discontinued, but theyre a relatively lightweight 2-layer pant. The Great Continental Divide Adventure Route is a motorized route that follows closely along the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. Outside of larger towns its often convenience store and diner food, in other words, not the healthiest. The T9 rubber is the grippiest that Specialized uses, and while it isn't exactly super soft, it's been designed to rebound slowly to reduce deflection and enhance grip. We preferred it in the front, paired with something a little faster rolling in the back. We felt this tire was the best balance of rolling resistance, grip, and traction offered in the entire test, a true all-around performer. It's moderately heavy at 1,123-grams in the 29" x 2.6" we tested, and the aggressive tread, open spacing, and grippy rubber put up a bit of rolling resistance. Paula and Scott's 2004 GDMBR Trip - GPS Data, Journal, Photos - TopoFusion there's been a few Kahns on Ebay recently. Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances. Thanks for taking the time. The Maxxis Assegai is a gravity-oriented tire from Maxxis that was designed in collaboration with World Cup DH racing legend Greg Minaar. Theyre unisex but somehow fit my small face (and my husbands large face) just fine. Some of the more burly casings are more difficult to work with. More often than not, the more aggressive a tread design is, the more rolling resistance it has, and vice-versa. Wyoming & Idaho: Bikepacking The Great Divide #3 - Exploring Wild Pedals: Funn Mamba Single-Sided SPD. This tire uses Specialized's T7 rubber compound that prioritizes rolling speed and longevity over all-out grip, and the medium height center tread with moderate spacing helps further reduce rolling resistance. Heaven and Hell on Wheels. Whether it be EXO (Maxxis), Tough (WTB), or ProTection (Continental), a robust casing helps to add abrasion and puncture resistance, as well as support to the sidewalls of a tire. On the GDMBR and for long bikepacking trips in general, I always recommend a freestanding tent. Has a good low-light mode and red night-vision setting for camp. You'll need full camping gear, bike tools, and a water filter. The rigid fork would theoretically have some braze ons which would give you more places to bolt stuff, either more water or fork bags or something along those lines. I love these shirts for their lightweight comfort and natural stink-resistance (so important for this kind of adventure). This is why 29er wheels roll better than 26 wheels. The 8 Best Tires For Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (2022 reviews) A relatively squared-off profile and a stout row of shoulder knobs give it excellent cornering manners, while the moderately spaced center and intermediate tread do a fine job of providing traction when braking and climbing in most conditions. My smartphone is easier to use and I wasnt usually short on battery during this trip, which is the primary reason I sometimes use the eTrex. This tire rewards good technique with predictable and confidence-inspiring cornering traction. There are many different approaches to choosing gear for the GDMBR, and no one can give you the one perfect list. When things get a little damp, the somewhat open tread design sheds mud quite well to ensure a clean braking surface. The Vigilante's aggressive tread design comes with a slight penalty in the rolling resistance department. On a long ride like the GDMBR there will be times you cannot clip in due to mud, snow, shoe issues, and all kinds of other fun surprises. These tires put a fight to get seated, but once mounted we never had further issues. Mostly worn for sleeping. Reroute for fire closure in Gila Mountains (FS150) i can't attest to their load handling stregnth,as i just got my 1st 29er last week.i'm kinda a big fat n beefy tire kinda guy,so when i saw the nanorapters,i. In the market for the best new tires for your mountain bike? Braking traction is hugely important in a tire. Stove: Jetboil MicroMo. This tire has a large and stout row of side knobs, like those found on the Minion DHF, to dive into corners and hold a line on off-camber sections. Great Divide Mountain Bike Race - Brian's Routes Biking the Great Divide (A Woman's Point of View) If braking power is high on your list of priorities, running some of the tires we primarily tested as front tires on the rear wheel is a great option as well. See my review of the Copper Spur for more detail. We found the T7 rubber to be long-lasting with even wear, and the Grid Trail casing stood up to our abuse during testing. The larger the circumference and the wider the tire, the less up-and-down. In our latest video, Neil sheds some light on the essential considerations that will help you make an educated decision. For more options, see Water filters for Bikepacking and Touring. Date Submitted: 09/30/2019 08:43 PM. I think youll like them, but you can unsubscribe at any time. Something with plenty of tire clearance and go with a plus sized tire on the front or something. Bike Routes Near Me - Best Bike Routes to Ride 2021 - Bicycling Youll probably have service in towns, but dont count on it out in the national forests. This tire isn't the fastest-rolling, but that's a tradeoff that we expect most aggressive trail riders are willing to accept. The Maxxis Ardent, Michelin Force AM2, Specialized Ground Control, and Vittoria Martello perform better in these cases with smaller knobs that don't give the rider a feeling of riding high off the ground. Never needed, but good to have. When you consider all the towns, campgrounds, pit toilets, etc. BIKEPACKING.com is dedicated to exploration by bicycle. The Western Wildlands Route - Bikepacking Roots That seems crazy wide for the tire, ya? It is exciting but slightly frightening to look through it and realize I have just about everything needed to embark on an adventure like this, apart from time (for now)! Mountain Bike Tire Sizes Knobby 29 x 2.6 Teravail Kessel trail/enduro, Mountain bike Tire. Its burly enough to handle occasional rough stuff, efficient enough for pavement, and perfect for the large chunk of gravel and dirt road in between. Its sturdy EXO casing and mix of tread compounds provide ample sidewall support and exceptional grip, even at lower pressures. Location: Alberta, Canada to Antelope Wells, New Mexico. One look at the Wild Enduro Front, and you can see why. Bikepacking & TouringRides and RoutesTips and SkillsBikes and PartsGear and Reviews, Hiking & BackpackingTrails and TripsGear and ClothingTips and AdviceTrip Planning Workbook, Adventure TravelExplore by RegionCamping and OutdoorsMindful Travel. Horizontal knobs with edges that run perpendicular to the direction of travel are often employed to enhance braking traction. Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. They inflated and seated easily, but it required two tire levers just to pull the tire into position. No matter what type of rider you are, we can help you find what you need. Waterproof glove covers:MLD eVENT rain mittens, to cover gloves in case of both cold and wet weather. This rings true whether you are churning out miles on pavement, grinding gravel backroads, racing your local cyclocross course, or blasting dirt . Related: How to Keep Electronics Charged While Bikepacking. Heres what I suggest carrying in order to leave no trace: Spend your town time resting and eating instead of wondering what youre forgetting. Specialized's Grid Trail casing feels supportive enough while remaining supple and surprisingly resistant to punctures or tears.

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