Jon,

There's talk from the ACA about route changes and new maps coming out this year, but I don't know if they'll be ready by race time, if that's what you're planning.  Also, I know they're expensive, but the ACA is an awesome organization, and buying maps from them is a great way to support them so they can keep making new routes like the GDMBR.

Is this still available?

[Planning for a 2014 Tour Divide Ride]

This may  have been posted but if not--

Planning for a 2014 Tour Divide Ride
http://www.adventurecycling.org/resources/blog/planning-for-a-2014-tour-divide-ride/

In the next update, most of the changes to the maps will be service related. The one exception to this is a reroute developed north of Butte, Montana. It moves cyclists off the lone stretch of interstate highway previously on the GDMBR. This change is already documented in the latest revision of the Cycling the Great Divide book (2nd edition, published in 2013). We do not know if the 2014 Tour Divide will follow this reroute, check the rules page on their site.


Anyone know yet if the mentioned new for 2014 reroute N of Butte will be included in the TDR?

If it's the change I mentioned to them, you guys will love me for it, haha.  Basically instead of turning off the (never-ending) frontage road onto I-15, you continue on the frontage road until it ends.  There's a single-track trail that will take you right into Butte's single track bike park, which dumps you onto the paved bike path right at the end of the exit from I-15 by the baseball fields and a block from The Outdoorsman and accompanying hotel.  Just because you can ride a bike on the interstate in Montana, doesn't mean it's a good idea by any means. 

I'm sure some will think I'm being dickish, but it appears that about a third of the comments so far have been about dynamo systems and lights.  There is a thread for dynamos under the "Question and Answer" portion of the forum.  Since the "what tire is best" Q will be beaten like a dead horse and take up another third of this thread and the thread will eventually approach 100+ pages, please take all dynamo and lighting questions to the Q&A portion of the forum. 

Let's try to keep this thread to Q's specific about the Divide Route and more Divide stoke/links to experiences/etc.

Nope, not dickish at all.  Last year's thread had a lot of good information in it, but a lot was hidden by what you mentioned. 

What is the best light to use?  The same kind you used during all your training rides.
What's the best tire to use?  The same kind you used during all your training rides.
What's the best hub to use?  The same kind you used during all your training rides.
What kind of tubeless is best to use?  The same kind you used during all your training rides.

Don't worry about your gear selection so much.  I spent WAY WAY to much time on this last year, and honestly it's probably a big reason why I DIDN'T finish.  Worry about getting miles in.  Worry about getting miles in day after day.  Worry about climbing.  There's seriously 30+ mile climbs.  Worry about learning the route - resupply locations, mileage between towns, services, etc.  This is make or break stuff.  You can get almost anything you need in Banff (HUGE outdoors town), and also early on in the race in Whitefish, Helena, and Butte.  Prepare yourself mentally.  I heard from a lot of people, myself included, the phrase "bit off more than I could chew."  It's a monster of a route, mentally and physically.  It's definitely a trip of a lifetime.

Is anyone planning to fat bike the TD this year?

Passed a guy in southern MT who was nobo on a VERY fully loaded Pugsley, but he was riding the route, not racing it.  Still a monumental challenge.  I'll post a pic when I get home.  The only time I ever wished I was on a fat-bike was on the Idaho rail-trail.  The rest of the time it would have been an ass-kicker!

Are you riding the Continental Divide Trail  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Divide_Trail  or the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route  http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/adventure-cycling-route-network/great-divide-mountain-bike-route/  ?

Here's the link to my dropbox folder.  I made these up for last year's race.  The GPX file is in there also, but I would double-check that the route is the same this year as last.  I've heard some rumors they may be changing a few things, but I don't know if they will take effect in time for this year's race.  (No I-15??!!!! Woot!  haha)  

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/3nm71wwhvsa6gi8/2sB_R9CNsT

*Note - I didn't print these out, but I did store them in my phone as PDF files.  It was really handy to have to do a quick mileage check.  I also stored the route cues in the same way, and would use them as a backup to GPS and the maps if needed. 

I didn't finish, but I made it 12 days, and camped about half of the time.  Here's my quick pro's and cons list:

Sleeping in Hotels - Pro:
*Most hotels I stayed in were frequented by motorcycle tourists, and had old rags in the room meant for cleaning bikes.  These were awesome for a quick deep-cleaning of a bicycle drivetrain. 
*Hair Dryers - The in-room hair dryers are awesome for drying shoes.
*Continental breakfast - Very convenient to be able to leave your room, eat quick, and then hit the road with a full stomach.  Bonus - a lot of these start fairly early, compared to most diners.  For some reason, it seemed like every breakfast diner in Montana didn't open until 8.  Eureka, Lima, Ovando, and Elkhorn Hot Springs are all places that stick out in my head that all had a diner but didn't open til 8 am, and there's probably more.  Eating a quick breakfast in a hotel seemed to actually save me time.

Hotel Cons:
*They are a time suck - IE, I didn't want to leave.  It's warm inside, they have a hot tub and a cute girl working at the front desk, and outside is cold, rain, and no cute girls (they were all ahead of me  ).  So be mindful of that.  It's SO easy to want to roll over, shut the alarm clock off, and sleep til noon, especially a few days in.
*A lot of hotels on route aren't staffed 24-7, so if you don't call ahead, you'll be camping or riding on.
*Excess Cost, obviously.

Next time I do this thing, I'll definitely be camping more, and had planned on that this time around once I was out of grizzly country.

I used the Cane Creek single speed levers, they are awesome no problems at all. I know that you are using gears, however I would suggest maybe a combo of TT shifters and single speed brake leavers, a very simple setup with all the small shifting parts sealed from the elements in the bar. Well that is the setup that I would use if tackling the Divide again.

I used SRAM double-tap brake/shifter combo and had no issues, but I only made it just past Moran Jct, WY.  Haven't had any issues at all with them since though, and haven't changed anything.

From what I've heard, the Boulton Creek Trading Post doesn't exist anymore, because it got destroyed by floods.  Maybe see if you can find someone who rode the route in Aug, or if a local can chime in.

My vote is split between Billy Rice's yo-yo and Mike Hall's TD run.   I'll also throw in a nomination for all who got a triple-crown.  I know Eric Foster was one, not sure of the others.  That's a pretty good feat.

Todd,

I'd be very interested in doing that as well.  I live in east KS and it's only a few hour drive for me.  When you get it complete, would you mind throwing up a GPX track or mapmyride or some such?  Also, if there is a plan for a group ride, I could probably make it.  Thanks again, and I look forward to hearing more about this!

Maybe just renting a bike at local bike shops?  I've rented in a few places, and never paid more than $25/day - and that's including a titanium Fatback in Anchorage.

Vacation request has been put in.  Couple questions - 1) I'm looking to rent a FS bike in Glasgow.  Anyone have any good leads on where to do that?  2) getting from Glasgow to the start.  Take the train, or is there a better way to get there?  Also, I MAY leave a day or two early, to maximize vacation time (read- I'm really slow), any foreseeable problems there?  Thanks,

Matt

Also be aware that the PO you mail your package to will return to sender after 30 days.  I mailed out four of the flat rate small boxes (which are free, btw) the post office has, and I think shipping was around $25-$30 for all four.  You can find the shipping cost on the USPS website.  The way to address them is like this:

Your Name
General Delivery
Post Office Address
PO City, State

I'd definitely reinforce the boxes with Gorilla Tape or something, because they were VERY beat up when I got them back.  Nothing was damaged, but if you're sending anything breakable, I'd package it pretty well.

For Sale: Very used Surly Endomorph tires and Large Marge Rims. Still ride fine, but due to nicks in the sidewall, tires will not set up tubeless. Works great with a tube. Rims are in great shape, and both are drilled offset. If you're looking to get into fatbikes super cheap, here's a heck of a start. I'm asking $150 OBO for the rims (yeah, you get both), and just OBO for the tires.

Also have a brand-new, never used, still in the box Karate Monkey fork from a 16" 2012 model.  Make an offer, I'd like to get rid of it.  Thanks

Western Mountaineering here as well.  Check eBay and Craigslist, esp in "outdoorsy" towns.  I got my bag used off eBay 10 years ago for $80, and it still works great.  You get what you pay for when it comes to WM and FF.

Such a beautiful, purpose-built, innovative and history filled machine with a rich provenance. This would be akin to having the opportunity to buy Roald Amundsen's sledge, or the NASA Lunar Rover. Somebody please buy this before I go to my meager retirement account holder and show them this beauty.

I think you could buy a Lunar Rover no problem, but getting it home would be the real challenge.  The Apollo Rovers are still on the moon!   

You should post a warning next time.  Something to the effect of: "Caution - watching this video at work may result in a deep desire to tell your boss to shove it."

Amazing pictures, thank you for posting!

Only 2 women on the Trackleaders site? That is not very many for the field size.....

Remind me why I picked this sport again?