I only plan on bringing one pair. I've heard of people bringing multiple pairs though.

Nice video.

Less than a month out. I'm strangely excited and overwhelmed at the same time. Can't wait to start rolling.

I know there have been multiple discussions elsewhere on the subject of bike security, but I just don't know what I would have done without my car to keep my bike locked while I shopped. The City Market was absolutely nuts with people all over the place and I just would not have been comfortable leaving my bike outside for even a couple minutes. How do you guys handle that situation?

I did a CTR dry run this weekend using the Salida Big Friggin' Loop starting in BV. Learned some valuable stuff and immediately started looking for ways to drop weight. I got more confidence in my gear setup, but it was sobering to learn how mentally challenging bikepacking can be. After not talking to a human except for myself for about 6 hours, it was extremely overwhelming riding into the Salida carnival. From the dark, quiet night to loud, bright crowds of yelling people was a jarring transition.

I'm in, although I will most likely be starting an ITT from Durango the day before the group start.

Is anyone out there that raced in 2013 that wants to weigh in on a few Day 1 strategies?

• Going light on food, going hard and aiming for Silverton by closing time on Day 1
• Going light on food, taking it easy and just committing to being at the store the morning of Day 2
• Packing enough food to just skip Silverton completely if you hit it during the night

I've read the discussions on the 2013 CTR Discussion thread, but I didn't see anyone's post-race thoughts on the strategy they used.

I've used this bag on lots of all-day rides and a few overnighters. The weight on my back varies, but it is usually at least a camelbak with a full bladder. The less stuff I have on my back, the better, but it's hard to eliminate the backpack completely on a full-suspension bike.

I don't have experience with them, but I know other people used the SOL Escape Bivy with success. Have you used bivy sacks before? I can never push myself to make that leap.

Welcome. I'm a CTR rookie this year as well. My advice would be to start reading the planning threads for each year (2011 CTR Planning, 2012 CTR Planning...). There is a wealth of information and experience in those threads. Also check out people's trip reports. There are lot floating around out there, not necessarily on this site.

wunnspeed,

I make my bags with a VX21 outer layer and a yellow silnylon inner layer for visibility. Would having that second waterproof layer make it worthwhile to seam seal or would I still be wasting my time?

I plan to be there. First time for me

If anyone plans to do some early-season riding on the CT, the first 7.5 miles of Seg 3 are closed until April 30th.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3827621.pdf

I'll buy it. Sending PM...

It's probably hard to tell in that picture, but the green layer is essentially a honeycomb. I haven't noticed more heat in this helmet, but I have only had it a few months. I haven't tried attaching anything to it yet aside from the light mount. I'm sure there's a way

The tricky part for me is that I have a Smith Forefront helmet, so I don't have the normal vent holes. I do have an integrated light mount, but it's intended for horizontal bar-mounted lights

http://www.smithoptics.com/Root/Men%27s/Accessories/Helmet/Forefront-Mount-Kit/p/HB14-BHCLMK/sizeVariants

Depending on your needs, check out Black Diamond's Storm.  It has 160 lumens, which is sufficient for CTR speeds where you aren't likely blasting down the trails at night.  It only weighs 3.9 oz with batteries (regular AAA batteries found at any gas station/convenience store along the route) with decent battery life.  Plus, it has a red strobe light when you need it to attach to your backpack if going down a road at night.  You may try getting two - one to attach to your helmet and one to your handlebars.

I actually have a Storm that I've used for a few seasons. I guess I wasn't thinking outside the box enough when it came to lighting systems. I have the Storm and a Surefire E2L Outdoorsman that I take everywhere. Getting them to mount on my bars/helmet might be a little janky, but it could be done.

Everyone's advice is really opening my eyes to what I should be shooting for in a lighting setup. Thanks again!

Thanks for the info. I'll check this stuff out.

Are there any bike lighting systems that don't use the USB-rechargeable scheme that is so prevalent nowadays? Integrating a dynamo hub would be a real pain on my bike. I was hoping to find lights that used replaceable batteries of some sort.

I'm hoping to make a run at the CTR this year. I don't anticipate that my pace will require big hours of night riding, but I would need a couple hours of light per day.

PM sent

I guess it's up to you and what your goal is for the bag. Personally, I never ride without a Camelbak, so the loss of bottle space doesn't affect me. The bag that I made for this bike erred on the small side. It could have been bigger in every dimension, and my next one will be. That said, there is a good amount of room. I normally have my pump, Gatorade, and tons of food in there. It's worth it to me to get that weight off my back.

The size of your bike is also something to consider (mine is an M). On a XS/S frame it may not be worth it, but on anything bigger, I think it is worth it.

Are you thinking about making one for your bike? If so, I have some tips on what not to do regarding this specific design if you're interested.