ReThinkering

[MikeC]

Every spring I have a few ideas on where/when/how I plan to go bikepacking.  New routes, or variations on old ones, or old routes at a new time of year--you know the drill.  Because the situation is somehow different, the gear needs to change with it.  In this case, I've gone with more front travel, less rear travel, dropper post, 2.4" tubeless tires, a bigger, more capable Epic frame pack and gas tank, custom width/sweep fuel-cell bars with a pretty nifty means for dispensing, and a bar bag that's carrying a first for me when bikepacking: a bonafide SLR.






The setup pictured above has 3-4 days worth of food, comfy sleep setup good down to ~35*, 9 x 9' tarp, stove/fuel/pot, filter, raingear, fly rod/reel/flies/tippet/nippers/filet knife/foil/spices, SLR plus point and shoot camera plus spare batts for both, and all that's on my back is one of these:
http://www.hydrapak.com/products/packs/morro

First trip of the year just fell through, but the days leading up to it served as motivation to get the gear ~dialed.  As we all know, it's a process, and can never, ever be considered "complete".

Anyone else rethinkering?

Cheers,

MC

[donkey]

Those pics have me "re-thinkering".....particularily in regards to stoves/fuel storage.

Oh...and I have plenty of time to tinker since my left leg is swollen to "track sprinter" size.

B

[MattySF]

Looks like a great set up.
Who makes that handle bar bag? IT looks pretty big.

[sherpaxc]

My wife and I will be doing a 6 week trip up to Colorado and WY.  I'm tinkering with my fly rod set up and my spin cast set up on the bike.  What I need is a good place to ride/fish.  Any place up near CB or Salida (I'll be spending a week in each place)?

I'll try and post a pic of my set up.  Mike, I'm super envious of your upcoming trip.  Bikepacking combined with fishing is about as blissfull as it can get IMO.  Yes you want to get from point A to point B, but the time it takes you to get there is dependent upon if you're fishing or catching.

[ScottM]

Always pushing the envelope, in one way or another.  How does the bike ride with such a imbalance in travel between front/rear?  What is that, a 5" fork on front, and ~1 inch rear travel?  Is the extra travel to protect the big bad lens?

Looking forward to seeing this baby in action.

[DaveC]

"I am vast; I contain multitudes."

[MikeC]

"I am vast; I contain multitudes."

You are vague; please be one barleycorn less so.

[MikeC]

Looks like a great set up.
Who makes that handle bar bag? IT looks pretty big.

It's an Eagle Creek, though I can't remember what it was originally designed for.  Definitely not a handlebar bag, nor even bike specific.  I cut off a heap o' straps, punched some fresh holes for new/more appropriate ones, then resealed the whole shebang.  We'll see how/if it works.

Always pushing the envelope, in one way or another.  How does the bike ride with such a imbalance in travel between front/rear?  What is that, a 5" fork on front, and ~1 inch rear travel?  Is the extra travel to protect the big bad lens?

Looking forward to seeing this baby in action.

The fork is an Experiment.  5" front, 1 1/8" out back.  Extra travel was more just to put the HTA and BB where I prefer them for trail riding.  With the other/shorter fork it feels *awesome* on snow, but a bit twitchy on dirt.

Thus far, it feels like a bike.  One with not very much rear travel.   

My wife and I will be doing a 6 week trip up to Colorado and WY.  I'm tinkering with my fly rod set up and my spin cast set up on the bike.  What I need is a good place to ride/fish.  Any place up near CB or Salida (I'll be spending a week in each place)?

I'll try and post a pic of my set up.  Mike, I'm super envious of your upcoming trip.  Bikepacking combined with fishing is about as blissfull as it can get IMO.  Yes you want to get from point A to point B, but the time it takes you to get there is dependent upon if you're fishing or catching.

Fishing between CB and Slidey?  Only a lifetime worth.  Tomichi Creek spills off the W side of Marshall Pass and rolls right into Gunnytucky.  Plenty of trout therein, and easy access.  Stop into Gene Taylor's on the main drag in Gunny and they'll give you some good beta on where to fish, with what, and for what.

Or, head upvalley and check out the East River near/above Gothic.  Not the biggest or the most fish ever but mending line while wading under the watchful eyes of all those craggy peaks is one version of bliss.

Tis a bit early for full-on catching, but every day we get a little closer...

Cheers,

MC

[riverfever]

A few questions Mike.

1. What hbar is that? Interesting looking.

2. What weight rod are you using and is it a 4 piece?

 

[MikeC]

The bar is a custom made for me after-hours by a friend that works for Moots.  29.5" wide, 20* of sweep, 31.8 center and 22.2 ends.  Ported and valved to carry fuel on bikepack trips, which leaves space in the pack for my fly rod!

My rod is one of those cheapie cabela's packable dealios.  4 wt.  I *thought* it was an 8 piece but it might just be 6.  Fits easily into any ~100oz hydration pack.

[Eric]

details please on the updated pipe bomb dispensing system.

[sherpaxc]

Your bike looks fat now that you aren't racing anymore.   Pretty soon you're gonna be pulling a trailer with a tent.

[MikeC]

I pulled the baggage off as it might be a few weeks til I get to properly camp with it.  But I haven't stopped riding it--having heaps of fun on it, actually.  Once the lakes melt out/open up it'll be used for fishin' and bp'n, but right now it's just become my freeride softtail.


With the fuel-cell package on-line, it becomes a little better accoutered tourer.




And with the time trial package installed, the sky's the limit to where you can comfortably, capably, and quickly go.




Cheers,

MC

[protoceratops]

Zipp 404s...somehow even funnier to only have the rear.

Classic!

[Eric]

don't you need a lockout on that rear shock to be time trialing?

[Damnitman]

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