Casey,

Thanks for the info.  That's very helpful.  I'll aim for that timeframe.

Nice!  This is why I need to move out west.

I'm looking for a comfortable saddle for long rides, too (isn't everybody)--I've had the opposite problem of most people.  I own a couple B-17's and they just don't work for me--serious issues with numbness and pain.

Everybody at CrazyGuyOnABike raves on and on about how great Brooks saddles are, and the above comments are positive.  I'm jealous of everybody's positive experiences.  Just goes to show how individual of an issue this is.

Nowadays I'm looking at getting something like a Kontact or Adamo or even a noseless saddle, as a sort of preventative treatment to avoid any future numbness. 

Casey, thanks for updating us with info on the route!  It sounds fantastic, and I'm hoping to give it a whirl with some friends when summer comes around again.

Can you, or anyone else who is familiar with the area, give some insight as to what seasons or months this route might be best enjoyed?  Such info would be helpful in planning my trip.  I live way over in the South and don't have a good grasp of when snow is typically still on the ground there, etc.  Based purely on our work schedules, I'm thinking early July might work well, but if the weather is usually poor at that time then I'd rethink things.

Thanks!

That trail does look great!

I notice that there are plenty of sections that are not completed yet, just "proposed."  Are these proposed sections on existing roads or trails so that it is obvious to you how you would connect the completed sections?  If not, how are you piecing them together?

Being that you mention not having much experience and that you plan on being out in relatively wild areas for long stretches, perhaps it would help you to supplement your research on bike touring with the knowledge of the long-distance ultralight hiking community, if you haven't already.  People who hike a trail like the PCT in the USA are routinely far from services for long stretches at a time, whereas the majority of bike tourists encounter civilization much more frequently and thus don't need the same level of wilderness expertise.  There's plenty of internet info available, or I can recommend a book that has taught me quite a lot:
http://www.rayjardine.com/ray-way/Trail-Life/index.htm

Good luck!

Wow, WM bags are popular!  And with good reason, I'm sure.

When I was looking for an ultralight bag recently, I was interested in WM or FF, but I was put off by the high prices that never really seem to drop down to more affordable levels.

I ended up with a Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32.  It also retails for $400+, but is a common enough bag that you can usually find them far cheaper if you poke around a bit (I paid $210 for mine, including tax and shipping).  It's essentially the same as a WM bag--weighs well under two pounds, packs down to about the size of a Nalgene bottle, and is warm to low 30's temps.  I would buy one again without reservation if my bag disappeared.

The Montbell U.L. spiral bags are another good option for a fancypants bag that is widely available and frequently goes on sale. 

If you're concerned about your paint, another good option is regular old blue painters tape.  I used it under the straps of a loaded frame bag on hundreds of miles of off-road rides and it held up fine. 


I use a Niner EMD (aluminum) and it's been great.  My previous bike was steel and I've never once missed some magical ride quality of steel.  My Niner does have front suspension, big tires, and ergo grips, which certainly doesn't hurt!

If money is a concern, ride what you've got.  Steel, aluminum, carbon; rigid or front suspension--they all can (and have) finished the Divide.  If you do decide to buy, I second this:

I only buy used bikes. It's like buying a car -- why buy a brand new one when a slightly used one will likely be 3/4 to 1/2 the price?

For comparison, I bought my lightly-used Niner on eBay for 1/3 retail.  Before that, I paid $350 for a lightly-used steel SS 29'er that I resold after two years of hard riding for $300.   If buying a used bike worries you, bribe a pal or bike shop employee with a six-pack to carefully look over a bike for you and make sure it doesn't have any frame cracks or other big problems.  The vast majority of used bikes have nothing seriously wrong with them.

I'm not sure if you've already checked out this particular seat bag, but Revelate does make a smaller seat bag specifically for situations where there isn't a lot of clearance between the saddle and the rear wheel.  It has the same width and length as the bigger version, but is "shorter."  It still has a pretty large capacity and so might be the ticket for you.

If that won't even fit, then we're talking six inches of clearance or less.  The racks suggested by Toby are good.  You'd have to carefully choose a rack and a bag to sit atop the rack that would fit, but it's certainly doable. 

Regarding seatpost racks, I have had one break on me.  I agree that some better options are out there now compared to what I had, but then again in order to make the racks stronger, I think they end up being heavier and may outweigh the freeload or old man mountain options.

Personally, if I had a rear rack, I'd go with one of the brands Toby recommended, and be glad that it doubles use as a fender to keep mud off my backside.

Thanks for the tips.  I checked those out and researched further, and it was a bit sad to see how few options there really are for high-end women's bags. 

I ended up finding a great deal on Geartrade for a Mountain Hardwear Phantasia 32.  Seems to simply be a women's-specific version of the Phantom 32, which I use myself and recommend to people.   Just putting this out there in case any women come along hoping for additional info.

Nice.  I have used Bronners before and was planning to use it further until I saw the original hobo shower idea and thought it might be superior. 

I've heard peppermint Bronners works fine as toothpaste, but have never tried it and don't currently have any to try.

The plastic jar as multipurpose item is good, since you're never going to "shower" at the same time you're eating, anyway.  If I were showering, I'd already be at camp so pulling the stove out of the container wouldn't be a big deal (and probably would have already happened).

@bicyclehobo,

Thanks for the pics, they give a better idea of the end result.  Beer is an important component of my tours, so good to know that it fits a big boy of beer, and also that you tested your beer setup (judging by the open can).

I'm thinking I'll do your instructions, with the exception that I will probably skip the stabilizing bungee in lieu of somehow sewing or adding a bottom strap on each bag, similar to the Revelate design.   I would only make that change due to the fact that my rides center around dirt roads and trails.  If I were on pavement I agree the bungee should be sufficient.

Cool site, by the way.  I dig the idea about the hobo shower in the beer bottle and plan to try that, as well.

Hello,

I'm trying to help my fiancee find an ultralight down sleeping bag for three-season bikepacking.  Something with a comfort temp rating around 30-35 degrees, let's say.  She's 5'3" and thin.  We've both searched around online but aren't finding a good source for comparing options for women's or "short" bags, or much in the way of recommendations from real-world use.  Ideally, we'd like to find options that are reasonably popular so as to increase the chances of buying one on sale/closeout or on eBay, etc.

I have a Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32 that I like.  I see MH makes one called the Phantasia 32--this seems like the type of bag we're looking for.

Can anybody help out?

Cool, thanks. 

This could be modified for the same purpose:
http://www.outdoorresearch.com/en/accessories/storage-systems/water-bottle-tote-1-liter.html

But those cost double what the Jandd chalk bags do.  Just another option for people, though.

@bicyclehobo,

That looks like a great idea about the Jandd chalk bags.  Can you provide an idea of the size of them?  I'd like to know how they fit a typical bike water bottle, etc.  --That's my only concern before ordering some from Jandd to try myself.  I looked on their site but no detailed specs are provided.

Thanks!

Dave

JMW4,

You absolutely could use a 26"-wheeled bike on the Divide route.  Plenty of people have done it on 26'ers, with no problems whatsoever.  There is nothing inherent to the route (or to any bikepacking route or trail, really) that would be a problem for 26" wheels.  Personally, I'd ride the current bike and keep the $1000.

Best,

Dave

Thanks for weighing in, guys. That is helpful info. I thought Black Mtn might be tough but hadnt realized even
Clawhammer would be so tricky. I assumed it was like the easy forest roads I've ridden in the past to connect trails at Bent Creek.

I think we may end up doing day rides from a central camping spot we can access with my truck, but plans are still a bit up in the air (not sure what my fiancée will want to do). Once I'm back home, I can post info on trail conditions for the places I end up riding and my impression of how the area would be for any upcoming bikepacking plans y'all may have.

Thanks very much, Logan.  There was a lot of good info there--plus it was a good read and nice pics, too.  I'm now stoked to try this out...just need to convince my fiancee to do this route (she's coming with me and is generally a trooper about such things).

Hi,
I'm hoping to visit the Pisgah and Nantahala forests in NC on August 5th (a week from today) and was hoping to ride, camp, tube down a river, etc. for about a week.  Hoping to ride at Bent Creek, Pisgah, and then at Tsali and near Ellijay on the way home.  I just finished completing a bikepacking setup and would love to try it out with a couple of overnights in the forest.

I know there was a ton of rain in that area earlier this month, but I am having a hard time discerning whether conditions will be dried out enough to be fun by next week.  I've spoken with rangers at both forests who say things are a bit muddy but OK.  Then again, people who don't actually ride or tent camp don't generally have a good appreciation for whether conditions are good. 

Can anybody help me out?  I would greatly appreciate it.

Best,

Dave