In some areas you might rarely fill it all, carrying only 1-2 liters at a time. A tire's performance is the corners is one of its most important attributes. Something with plenty of tire clearance and go with a plus sized tire on the front or something. My only complaint: the bottoms arent very durable. The JetBoil is so efficient that I / we only needed three canisters total for the whole GDMBR. The Great Continental Divide Adventure Route is a motorized route that follows closely along the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. I layer this on for sleeping or riding in cold weather. Your needs will vary based on where and how you ride. 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. MTB Project. When not worn it was usually bungeed to my seat bag for extra visibility. The WTB Vigilante also earns an honorable mention in the cornering metric. http://twentynineinches.com/2008/06/04/wtb-'08-29er-tiresprowler-sl-29er-update-ii/. We pedal up the hill to ride back down it. For highly skilled riders that can push the pace while maintaining some semblance of control, these tires are a fast option. When conditions get really loose, it is easy to break this tire into a skid, drift through corners , spin out while climbing. I carried my meals inside an Ursack inside a 5L dry sack on my front fork. If youve packed something youre not using, mail it home. Some of the more burly casings are more difficult to work with. And 68-year . 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 best of both worlds! Pavement and panniers or singletrack and seat bag, I love it all. Baggy bike shorts: I wear these over my padded shorts, just personal preference. Bigger than the Salsa pouch and similar in size to a Revelate pouch. Road Test: Surly Bridge Club | Adventure Cycling Association BIKEPACKING.com is dedicated to exploration by bicycle. Tires with decent-sized knobbies are recommended. While riding, tires make the only intentional contact with the trail and play a major role in your bike's ride quality, handling, and overall performance. 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. used because summer days were so long and pace was leisurely, so never needed to ride in the dark. to support us + get The Bikepacking Journal. The sections are arranged in the direction I rode, which is northbound (also referred to as NOBO). But if you want more cushion in the tire area, the bike can accommodate up to . When you consider all the towns, campgrounds, pit toilets, etc. Benson is a competitive gravel and mountain bike racer, highly experienced tester/reviewer, and published author. No rack, but bikepacking bags stuffed to the gills. Vittoria's 4C Graphene rubber provides a tacky feel, and longitudinal siping on all the tread knobs further enhance their grip and traction in all conditions we encountered while testing. 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. Despite its somewhat aggressive appearance, the Specialized Ground Control is a very fast-rolling tire. Rarely used, but again, I had the luxury of mostly hunkering down in bad weather. Rigs of the 2021 Tour Divide - BIKEPACKING.com Tire Recommendations for GDMBR | Mountain Bike Reviews Forum Great Continental Divide Motorcycle Route - gpsKevin Adventure Rides . Held snacks, sunscreen, bear spray when carried. This aggressive tire has a row of well-supported side knobs and a predictable locked-in feel when on edge. Taller knobs with wide spacing can penetrate deeper into loose surfaces, and braking edges that face perpendicular to the direction of travel will most help slow your roll when it's super loose. Thus its important to carry a fairly comprehensive repair kit. Thanks! We tested the Butcher Grid Trail T9 in both 2.3" and 2.6" widths, and while the tread pattern hasn't really changed, this feels like an entirely new tire. I prefer a tent over a tarp or bivy on long trips, because I like to close myself off from the world if Im camped in a public place like a campground or town park. Plus, pit toilets are often out of toilet paper so youll need that no matter what. Run panniers if you want, or run a lightweight racing kit, but whatever you choose, do it intentionally. Glacier Cyclery in Whitefish (406-862-6446) can handle any bike needs or outfit you with rental gear. I rarely have problems with tire rub if I pack properly. That's why we put each tire through rigorous testing of heavy use before examining the wear on the tread and casing to assess durability. Ive gone through a few and find the Cerium to be a good balance of packability and warmth. We selected tires in the 2.3 to 2.6-inch width range. The Michelin Wild AM2 and Force AM2 feature Gum-X rubber compounds and the Gravity Shield casing. These are mostly country roads that traverse Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management land. We put the best mountain bike tires from Maxxis, Specialized, Vittoria, Michelin, WTB, and others to the test. Youll probably have service in towns, but dont count on it out in the national forests. March 22 T editors of M com U, 2021. Despite its square profile, it rolls easily into corners and hooks up and grips in all conditions thanks to the tall row of burly side knobs. But you might be a few hundred miles from one when something goes wrong! As tires continue to trend wider, so too are the tires in our test. 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. This isn't much of a surprise given its cross-country pedigree. The only time I stretched its capacity was a 4 day section in New Mexico, otherwise there was plenty of opportunity to recharge on the GDMBR. That said, selection is limited until you reach a larger town with a full grocery or drug store. The Assegai is the best cornering tire we've ever tested. GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. Some rolling resistance data has been posted in the "Wheels" forum lately. Based on that experience, we feel that the performance of a tire between different wheel sizes will be roughly the same. Even though the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route runs from Banff Canada all the way down to Mexico, the Colorado section is one that every bikepacker should have on their to do list. One of these days Ill have to try that kind of setup. The emergence of enduro racing has helped drive innovation in all aspects of bike manufacturing. 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. Heres my GDMBR gear list related to water: Water filter: Sawyer Squeeze. If I ever get nervous, having it nearby helps me sleep. Gravel Bikes, All-Road, & Touring Bikes - Tagged "road plus (2) Schwalbe Johnny Watts 27.5 Tire. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. George Rose / Contributor // Getty Images. It also provides heaps of braking traction, providing some of the best control you could ask for. Some miscellaneous items that dont fit in other categories: First aid kit, lightweight and customized. Gloves: Pearl Izumi lobster gloves. The GDMBR is an epic journey, and I think youll be really glad you decided to take it on. MSRP $66.00. The Copper Spur is functional, roomy, pretty lightweight, and mostly freestanding (except the vestibules). Gaia GPS is a popular alternative to RideWithGPS. If riding southbound and crossing the international border at the beginning, I would probably mail it home after crossing. The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route is a continuous long distance bicycle touring route from Banff, Alberta, Canada to Antelope Wells, New Mexico, USA (at the Mexico border). The Longest Singletrack Tour Ever - Continental Divide Trail The Avid BB7 brakes took a lot of fiddling to keep adjusted. What are the best tires for the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, the Tour Divide race, and other long, mixed-terrain bikepacking routes? Great Divide Mountain Bike Race - Brian's Routes The 9 Best Mountain Bike Tires | Tested by GearLab The height, shape, and orientation of the knobs all play a role in how they bite into the trail surface as you apply the brakes. Each manufacturer has its own technology and name for how they choose to protect a tire with its casing. Ive pushed myself hard on enough prior trips and wanted time for more relaxation and type 1 fun this time around. I replaced it halfway through with the womens version which is slightly warmer and shorter perfect for me. I especially liked the flexibility of the big 5L dry bags on the front fork, which could expand or contract a lot to hold varying amounts of food or even, in one long dry stretch, water. Likewise, while the Grid casing feels fairly tough for an XC-ish tire, it's a little under-gunned for super rough and chunky trails. I wouldnt use this setup for prolonged technical riding, but it worked fine for gravel. The Local Overnighters Project is a unified effort to document and map one-night bikepacking routes all over the worldby locals, in their own backyards. Carrying about two days of food is pretty common. Dont forget to check for a helmet-compatible hood. I highly recommend these for the Great Divide and bikepacking in general. Haha yes, in many ways time (and motivation) are the most important things on the list! The Route | Tour Divide I just find these more trouble than theyre worth. Sports sandals: Not strictly essential since my bike shoes work for walking, but I like to bring these for camp shoes, town days, public showers, and a backup in case something happens to my bike shoes. I mostly used it on rest days for taking notes and answering messages, and found it totally worth the weight. The Maxxis Aggressor provided us with excellent pedaling traction on a huge range of surfaces and conditions. The Western Wildlands Route - Bikepacking Roots I've found the Geax Saguaro can't be beat. The 26" size used to be the industry standard, over the last two decades, 27.5 . If we were forced to pick one rear tire to ride for an entire year, knowing we'd be experiencing a huge range of conditions, trail types, and weather, we'd choose the Maxxis Aggressor. . We put in lots of time and miles while testing mountain bike tires. The Maxxis Minion DHF is arguably the most popular tire ever thanks mostly to its cornering prowess. Mostly worn for sleeping. The Trail Boss works great as a rear tire with great cornering performance and fairly low rolling resistance. Theyre unisex but somehow fit my small face (and my husbands large face) just fine. You need to be logged in to use these features. Garmin eTrex22x: My backup navigation device while riding solo. Best Bike Trails in America by State - Health Canada's Great Divide Trail - A Full Guide and Itinerary Great Divide Mountain Bike Route - Riding Canada to Mexico Great Divide Route Trip Summary & Epilogue Riding the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route was an amazing experience, and we hope that sharing our journey here will inspire, inform and prepare others to embark on a similar adventure! Backflush syringe for Sawyer filter. Some first aid items I do find useful for urgent situations: Tums, Imodium, New Skin Liquid Bandage (great for keeping small cuts and scrapes from getting infected when youre out in the dirt all day), a few gauze pads, Celox clotting powder (never needed, but seems useful in case of crash). Outside of larger towns its often convenience store and diner food, in other words, not the healthiest. Review of my Salsa Fargo After 4500 Bikepacking Miles. If you ride aggressive terrain and loose conditions, the WTB Vigilante is another great option to consider. Frame bag: Salsa EXP. Good cornering and braking traction compared to similar tires, Not ideal for super aggressive riders or terrain. The Ardent has a low-profile tread design that prioritizes rolling speed. Great Divide Mountain Bike Route - Riding Canada to Mexico The feel of this tire may take a little getting used to for some, but once you experience the sensation of it locking into a turn, you'll have a hard time going back to anything else. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. Specialized's Grid Trail casing feels supportive enough while remaining supple and surprisingly resistant to punctures or tears. The bike has a Sram Eagle X01 ASX drivetrain, Sram Force brake lever shifters with Sram guide dual piston brakes. You must be so excited for your trip. Running shorts: small and lightweight, for sleeping on warm nights or wearing on rest days. The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route is one of America's best big adventures, traversing thousands of miles of remote dirt roads and high-altitude trails through the Rocky Mountains. In hot and sunny New Mexico I loved it, but as I rode north I often found that the sunniest places were also the windiest. 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 fastest men can complete the route in under 14 days, while most people who tour it take six to ten weeks. There is a LOT of climbing on the GDMBR and youll feel every extra pound. The Kryptotal Fr impressed our testers and proved that Continental is back at the top of the game with their new generation of tires. That said, I do use the eTrex for racing and more rugged routes; see my eTrex review for more detail. Mountain bike tires are expensive. Despite costing less than most of the competition, the Specialized Butcher Grid Trail T9 and the Specialized Eliminator Grid Trail T7 are highly rated and are our picks for an affordable front and rear trail riding combo.

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