The Tour Divide: anyone here done it? Bike recommendations?

[ultrazenith]

I've been looking for a good ultra event to try, and one that seems popular and runs through a peaceful region is The Tour Divide. http://tourdivide.org/

A 2745 miles / 4418 km route which sees entrants ride self-supported from Banff, Alberta to the Mexican border at Antelope Wells, New Mexico. The route looks incredible. Has anyone done this event?

Can anyone suggest an optimal bike? I'm thinking rigid steel 29er would be good considering the route is (I understand) mostly gravel / unpaved road.

I have no idea if I'll even be able to do the event yet. How will I mention going off to the USA and riding a bike for almost a month non-stop to the wife :facepalm:

 

[ti_pin_man]

Re: The Tur Divide: anyone here done it? Bike recommendations?

I rode most of the divide within the USA - I did it on a 26 ti hardtail with front suspension. it was 2001 after all. I figure you could do it on a CX bike if you were inclined so maybe a 29er would be perfect to add some comfort. Most of the route is 4x4 tracks with some tarmac links. There is singletrack but not that much. You are out in the middle of nowhere despite being in a developed nation. I'd have front suspension myself but maybe something with lockout for the miles and miles and miles of climbing.

 

[ultrazenith]

Re: The Tur Divide: anyone here done it? Bike recommendations?

I rode most of the divide within the USA - I did it on a 26 ti hardtail with front suspension. it was 2001 after all. I figure you could do it on a CX bike if you were inclined so maybe a 29er would be perfect to add some comfort. Most of the route is 4x4 tracks with some tarmac links. There is singletrack but not that much. You are out in the middle of nowhere despite being in a developed nation. I'd have front suspension myself but maybe something with lockout for the miles and miles and miles of climbing.

Nice! Was it a good experience? I watched a video diary of someone who rode it last year, and it was interesting to see him change from up for any challenge at the start, to an emaciated and very tired person who just wanted to get to the finish by the end.

 

[jimo746]

Re:

It's something I'd like to try one day (as in attempt it, even if I didn't complete the entire distance).
You should read "Dividing The Great" by John Metcalfe, an interesting and amusing account of two "normal cyclist" mates who decide to ride the Divide.

I'd think you could ride it on just about any bike, I'd probably go for a 29'er hardtail or a cx/gravel bike.
Fatigue, mechanical breakdowns, and bear attacks would be the biggest problems I would think.

 

[Andy B]

The shop I work in built a salsa Fargo with a rohloff and fox forks for guy martin's tour divide this year. It did the job for him and josh kato in previous years

The salsa cutthroat would build into a lighter TD bike than a Fargo

Gravel bikes are built for this kinda thing

Good luck!

 

[ti_pin_man]

I didn't race it, I just rode it. I don't even know if they were racing it back then.

I did it over three months and took my time, whenever I got to somewhere near something I wanted to see I went to see it and then came back to the trail roughly where I left it, sometimes I rode but sometimes I hired a car. It was my travel time. No race. In fact its something I found... I would happily plug in 80+ miles in the first few weeks per day but then I chilled and took my time. the joy of the trip is realising theres no rush, you can stop and chill, talk to and meet interesting , and scary, folks in villages / towns on route. One of the joys is your a long way from big cities so the people are a lot more 'chilled'.

 

[Sketchyxup]

Re:

Looks like a full rigid carbon race bike covered in bags is the way to do it:

https://gearjunkie.com/tour-divide-reco ... -mike-hall

Not the bare ends set inboard of the brakes, I remember him saying that a change of hand position is essential to avoid numbness after tens of hours in the saddle at a time.

http://bikepacker.com/mike-hall-tour-divide-champion/