Thanks! Very helpful!

This thread has been so helpful! Thanks everyone for the input. Anybody staying at SameSun Backpackers Lodge? I arrive June 9.  

Three questions (TD rookie here!):

(1) Are aerobars a TD must? (I tried to run them on the Colorado Trail but never used them [not comfortable]; but CT had a lot more single-track. I am just not used to aerobars, and so if I know I'm probably not going to use them, it seems I should ditch them. ??)

(2) I am using a Garmin eTrex30, a Garmin 800 GPS (backup), an Exposure Diablo helmet light, and a Planet Bike AAA battery charged bar mount light (backup). My plan is to have a ton of AAA lithium batteries and cue sheets on my iPhone (keeping my iPhone OFF, except in emergencies). I will also have a couple AAA battery powered USB chargers (to power the backup Garmin and the Exposure light). I'm not sure about bringing the maps (leaning toward "no"), as they are bulky/heavy, and I will have two GPS units (with routes uploaded), plus cue sheets on the iPone. I think I want to opts for no paper maps and no paper cue sheets and no batteries other than AAA batteries. My question is this: do I have enough backups in this electronics/navigation system? (I've thought through a number of ideas, and this is what I settled on; I just wanted to double-check it with the vets out there!)

(3) Is the official start time (on June 12) 10 am? Is it okay to start earlier?

Thanks!

Sarah

I've been playing around with trackleaders.com, and I'm not having the easiest time finding a racer who (a) raced for 4 weeks (my goal) and (b) stayed mostly in towns with hotels/hostels (also my goal - so much so that I'd be willing to ride more each day to accomplish b!).

Would anybody know off the top of their head whom I should maybe take a look at?

Thanks!

[pyerger, Guild44 and any other/lurking TDR rookies --]

pyerger, Guild44 and any other/lurking TDR rookies --

per your request for some veteran perspective--rather than try to cram it all in here-- I blogged up some off-the-cuff thoughts on TDR gear choices, with Nav and Lighting as examples, and also some quick thoughts on where you might want to be training/prep wise

http://bikedrifting.blogspot.com/2015/03/for-tdr-rookies-ya-i-know-worth-what.html


Good Training! 

and see you both in Banff

 

This is great! Thanks! The training looks like what I'm already doing, so that's good. Soo you all in Banff! (Speaking of which, when do people normally arrive, and is there a hotel you would recommend? I'm planning to book airfare soon.)

It's good to have a mix of power sources, especially for lights, in case either a) you run out of batteries or b) your charging system goes bad (or you forget to plug something in which is what tired people will tend to do).  Both are distinct possibilities.  Dynamos are great but don't charge much or at all when you're climbing, plus you need to have a wheel built around that hub.  Batteries are heavy (or expensive = lithium), take up space and need to be disposed of properly.  The bigger capacity rechargeables seem good as long as their waterproof and rugged.  Both have their (dis-)advantages.  If you're running a dynamo, consider carefully how the charger is positioned.  Water dripping into a connection can short it, and muck constantly spraying up from the front tire (what I discovered happening on day 3 last year) can do the same thing.  That said, I love my Schmidt Son dynamo as it's bomb proof and very pretty.  A solar charger wouldn't have been a good choice last year as we didn't see any sun at all until day 6 and those are slow under the best conditions.  I've used them on cross country trips and experienced various reliability issues as well.  Now I just use mine in a window in my house to recharge batteries for things.  

Thanks! I was thinking I'd go with two systems too, but my stuff doesn't take batteries. Is there a lithium battery USB charging system you'd recommend - something that would allow me to recharge my USB rechargeable devices with lithium batteries? That plus the rugged external battery seems pretty safe.

I brought along a ruggedized external battery, I think it was roughly 12,000 mAh, which was more than enough to charge my phone over 7 times. I also used it to charge my iPod shuffle and my 600 lumen cygo light on the bars. I mainly use lithium AA's for everything, but it is nice to be able to charge up the phone or iPod in the middle of nowhere or have some emergency power for the light. I also run two Fenix LD-22's on my helmet so I always have redundant systems while I'm out there. You can check out some of the ruggedized externals on amazon. They aren't very much money and they are a great option to have some extra power besides the lithium AA's and AAA's. It's also nice to just plug one thing into the wall when you get a chance to sit down for a hot meal.

http://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Limefuel-L104XR-Thunderbolt-Incredible/dp/B00IIVK6PC/ref=sr_1_2?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1426258565&sr=1-2&keywords=limefuel+rugged

Thanks! That looks awesome. My solar battery solar panels weren't working well anyway, so I was only getting power out of it by recharging it in towns. And it was way heavier than this!

What did they use, then? I'm not too happy with my current solar batter; I'm thinking I might upgrade to a nicer one. People who don't use dyno hubs: what setup do you use?

People who do use dyno hubs: did you just relace a current wheel with the hub or buy a wheel complete with the hub? I'm just trying to figure out what would be the quickest/most efficient way to transition to that sort of setup.

I am a real newbie to multi-day racing; I did the Colorado Trail (Denver to Silverton) last year, which inspired my interest in doing this race - plus, I'm on sabbatical next year and am not sure I'll get the time to do something like this again anytime soon. So, please forgive me ahead of time for my ignorance! I have a demanding job, so I have a hard enough time making time for TRAINING, much less the entire preparation process. This thread has been hugely helpful!

Basically, all this talk of dyno hubs is Greek to me. I ran a solar battery on the Colorado Trail (http://www.rei.com/product/835332/powertraveller-powermonkey-extreme-12v-solar-battery-charger). Is that a bad option? Is it really important to go with a dyno hub? I really like my wheels as they are and (as a result) am resistant to swapping out the hub or even lacing a new wheel. But if that's the best way, I'll go that way; I just wanted to see whether anybody uses a rechargeable solar battery.

If I do the dyno hub, what all would I need to buy? I need to power my Garmin, my Diablo light, my iPhone, etc. The usual!

Thanks so much!

Sarah

Thanks Marshal!

Question: I already have a Spot Tracker device; are we able to register our existing device?

Thanks! See you in all in Banff!

Sarah

Thanks! This is super helpful. I will definitely look into the Exposure stuff (especially the Diablo), since that seems to be the consensus.

Also, I have the Power Monkey Extreme solar battery, and it has been great for me for charging high powered bike lights.

Thanks again!

Thanks Glen! I did manage to find this right after I posted.

Hi all! Does anybody know how we get on the start list? There is no official registration, correct? Sorry, I'm a first timer!

Hello there! I have a question about lighting systems. I was using a Lezyne light, but it and the clamp were not durable enough for my purposes. (Last summer I rode the Colorado Trail, and this summer I'm doing Tour Divide.) Basically, I'm looking for something tough - something that can withstand bad weather and even falls. I would be recharging it with a solar battery, so USB rechargeable would be good.

Any recommendations? In looking at reviews, this kind of durability isn't normally the thing focused on, so I thought I'd ask for your experience with various systems.

Thanks!

Sarah