TL;DR: personal preference; I like the Kiwi model.

You can operate both options in the same event by simply having two classes people select from. Open Class and Black Out Class where your Spot can't move between midnight and say 5am or whatever seems reasonable. Nobody really has to enforce anything other than look at the overnight Spot data for people in the lead and maintaining an extra set of course records. We seem to be doing the first anyways without being asked to do so.

Ultimately it's the racers who should decide if they want to see another "official" option.

I'm glad Seb got a fork and is moving again. A broken fork is every riders nightmare. I'm glad he wasn't hurt.

-- Vik

Amazing ride from the front running men! 

Great to see Lael go so strong given her health challenges. 

Anyone heard why Beth D is not making much progress at the moment?

-- Vik

BTW - I just donated to TrackLeaders to support the race coverage. 

Is that the app or the website? There is an issue with the Android app and an update should be available any day. App updates take  time to show up. I have a new server but haven't migrated to it. Kicking myself for not getting it done. The server I'm on is the original server so it may be a little cantankerous at times. You can also run the HTML5 version of the app in a browser if this helps: http://app.mtbcast.com.

I'm connecting via laptop. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I'm mostly trying to listen in the evening ~9pm Pacific.

The appropriate bike will depend on what you "regular" rides are like and what the trails are like where you intend to bikepack.

I would also think about the % of time you'll do both. If you are going to ride locally 95% of the time and bikepack 5% than you should be focusing on the ideal bike for your day-to-day riding. You can bikepack with almost any mountain bike.

You ride what you are comfortable and familiar with. For most people that's not a Rohloff. Given the cost it's not something people casually try.

I've been using a Rohloff since 2008 as well as a bunch of Alfine IGHs for bikepacking. On my day-to-day trail bike I run dérailleurs.

For bombproof reliability in all weather conditions the Rohloff is hard to beat.

The downsides are cost and weight. Although an IGH will have more drag than a clean perfectly tuned dérailleur add in dirt and some abuse and I don't think there is any difference.

I've considered some SS wheels for my bikepacking rig for a lighter weight setup that is equally bombproof. Wouldn't work for every route, but some are SS friendly.

If you want to use a Rohloff in an event in 2016 I'd get it now and start using it. You want time to learn how to shift and get used to it as well as break it in well.

Porcelain Rocket bags on my bikes. Scott is a great guy who loves bikepacking. He has the design and fabrication skills to make top notch gear.

I have seen people do the Great Divide Trail with Tubus racks and Ortlieb panniers (Backroller).

Lucas

For sure. The GDR is a dirt road ride for the most part. Minimal technical single track.  If that's the type of riding you plan to do you can use racks and panniers.

Having said that I came back from my first run down the CDN GDR route [using racks and panniers] and ordered soft bikepacking bags. I still own the racks and panniers, but I rarely use them. I like riding my bike like a mountain bike and not having the extra complexity and fragility of racks and panniers means I can do that.

It sounds like you are a rack and panniers guy. If so use them. Nothing wrong with that. If you find they meet all your needs - awesome.  If you find some shortcomings you have other options for carrying gear.

I own a InReach. I've used a number of SPOTs previously, but they have all been unreliable and the support from SPOT has been awful.

When I considered what unit to get I decided effectiveness in an emergency was my priority. From that perspective the InReach is superior.

Typically I leave it turn off in a pack and only use it when I want to communicate something. I've never used tracking on it.

One really nice feature of the InReach is the ability to text device to device. We used this on one trip to regroup after a navigation error forced the main group to split up.

I do a lot of fishing, motorcycling and MTBing solo out of cell range. My InReach lives in my pack for all these activities.

https://vikapproved.wordpress.com/2013/10/02/delorme-inreach-se-review/

Try pushing a MTB with full size rear panniers up a steep singletrack trail for any length of time and you will be highly motivated to never tour again with bags that want to occupy the same space as you.

Not to mention you'll be cursing all the crap you packed and when you do get to the top you'll be riding the brakes the whole way down trying to keep your panniers and rack from flying off and/or breaking.

Having said that if you own panniers and racks don't stay home because you don't have the "right" gear. If you are riding smoother resource roads they work well enough and you'll learn a lot more about what you really need/like out on your bike camping than reading forums.

-- Vik

I doubt it's a death knell for cottage manufacturers.  To my eye that stuff looks pretty shoddy.

+1 - indeed.

Nice report. Looks like some great country to travel.

I got up to Day 14. Can you post a note here when the rest of the report is up and I'll drop back in to finish it off?

I have cactus envy. Thanks for sharing the report.

Trip report: http://forums.mtbr.com/bikepacking-bike-expedition/chilcotin-mountains-bike-tour-923010.html   

Trip report posted here: http://forums.mtbr.com/bikepacking-bike-expedition/chilcotin-mountains-bike-tour-923010.html

Heading back to the Chilcotins for a base camp trip on my FS bike tomorrow. It will be fun to ride an unloaded bike.  

Nice work.   

Working my way through your report whenever I get a few minutes free at work. 

Cool. I was curious for a Canadian Cycling article concerning the issue vs doing a travel piece for them that is angled at "go ride now" It'd be slated for a winter publication, so it might be too late!

Thanks!

That's not bad advice no matter when it get's published. Just tell them to verify what the restrictions/regulations are on bikes at the time of their trip.

If the worst case scenario comes to pass and Tyax Air's commercial viability is threatened there may be a lawsuit or some other complaint process that could hold up implementation of a new plan.

I plan to keep planning and riding in the Chilcotins until somebody stops me.

Any word on when BC Parks is going to announce their decisions?

And Vik, We'll be driving out of Tyax on the 11th after spending a week shredding up there. Too bad we wont quite cross paths!

Bummer. We'll be driving in the afternoon of 12 July!

I don't know what the schedule is for the area mgmt plan. Based on how slow things are with Gov't processes and that the area sees most use in the summer I suspect the plan isn't going to be approved until the winter for implementation starting spring/summer 2015, but that's just a guess.

I can't see BC Parks making any changes this summer.

Thanks for the interest. We found 2 solid riders to join us. 

Vik,
 Make sure you do a good write up about this.  I've read some stuff in the past about the riding up there.  I'm officially putting it on my "in the next 5 years" bucket list. 
Thanks!

Will do.


Keep in mind biking in that area may be radically changed in the future by BC Parks:  http://www.pinkbike.com/news/chilcotin-parks-plan-public-comments-needed-by-april-30-2014.html

So if you have time read the link and comment to BC Parks by 30 April.

I wouldn't assume this kind of trip will be possible in the future - at least without considerable changes.