Is it a "no brainer" to go with a 2.1+ tire even if it might not have the durability of the 2.0?

What is your target time and what forks? Tubeless?

Craig Stappler posted this a few years back: "I ran the lightest tires that I thought would be reliable. Specialized 1.95 s-works renegade for the front, 460 grams. Specialized 2.0 s-works fast track for the rear, 500 grams. .... I was around 22 psi." I think from memory he had front suspension.

I did 25 days on a 650b with 2.35 Ikons. Loved them - smooth, no hand issues, no punctures, same tires still on the bike. 22psi front, 26 psi rear. I went 2.35 as a number of riders who had them loved them, and a number of riders with 2.2's said they'd upsize to the 2.35's - for the hand issues/comfort.

AHA!!!. Here is one of the links. This is modified from the originals.
http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/ultra-racing/2016-tour-divide-preparation/msg83301/#msg83301

Shane Wighton's profiles are stellar.

Original Data is here: http://imgur.com/a/FI1bj

Note: Holland Lake is not marked accurately - it is 15 miles further than where Shane marked it.

Chris's time was 15:08:01.

Question about shoes:

I posted recently on the Facebook page about shoes:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/228009294199842/search/?query=gear%20review

Mike - don't pack your helmet in the bike box. Also check with your airline on Li batteries (cache batteries) as Li is usually prohibited apart from in carry-on luggage.

Norm - on this year's Banff to Whitefish ride was your setup tubeless? With tubeless you can run a much lower tyre pressure which makes for better shock/vibration absorption.

I rode 27.5 with 2.35 Ikons tubeless at 22/26 psi front/rear, Stans ArchEx rims, straight bar (Thomson Ti), Ergon grips, Profile T1 aerobars and MRP Rock Solid forks. No major hand issues at all and it was a smooth ride. The tip of my little finger on my left hand was numb for 4 weeks post ride, but that is also because I had a Rohloff so was only changing gears with my right hand.

I have seen several references to the 5000 mile course next year.  What is this in reference to?  Thanks in advance.

Billy Rice's new race. Invictus Cycling and Bikepackers Magazine Presents! Jun 1, 2017!! 5000 mile off-pavement race from North Carolina to Oregon:

https://www.facebook.com/transamtrailrace/?fref=ts

... in TD '16 I met one Grizzly with 2 cubs in Canada, 1 black bear running in Montana, one Grizzly at night in Wyoming, two bears (unknown type) at night in Wyoming, 2 black bears at night in southern Colorado .... I carried bear spray to AW.

If you want to be informed for current best practice in bear safety then this is a great video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PExlT-5VU-Y

I obviously wasn't racing then... 20days 16hrs  FYI - average saddle time <12 hrs per day. With a rather large mechanical that killed about 36hrs or active fast moving time.

Sometimes it pays to just ride faster for less time.

Greg - something seems odd with your maths - Trackleaders says your moving time was 13 days 7 hours, so 319 hours, 319 / 20.66 days = 15.4 hours moving per day. Given you left Wise River at 5:20 and camped after 23:30, that's a pretty solid 18 hour day ... although the service was so slow in Lima that perhaps you were stuck there for 6 hours?

But yes, there are different ways to race and you've gotta go with what is best for you, of course. To date no-one has found "ride hard, rest long" to get a faster time than "ride long, rest short". Jared was getting about 10 hours sleep a night and still did 22.5 days.

If you're only riding 10 hours a day then you're not racing the TD!!! Seriously, you'll be looking at 14+ most days in the saddle. I was on the bike at 6 and off after 23 most days with some resupplies, naps, etc using up some of that moving time for 1-2 hours a day. Asleep 0.5 to 1 hour after stopping and alarm 5 hours (or less) later, and on bike in 45 mins to 1 hour.

Sort our you logistics and race craft (how to use your chosen gear efficiently on the route) as that is over 50% the race.

My biggest surprise was how tough the downhills were. I was used to riding in Europe where the trails can be tough going up, but generally have a good descent - the TD's descents were often sandy / washerboarded / loose / rocky etc or a roller coaster of ups and downs and there was minimal "catch-up" time on the average speed on them for me.

Good luck!

The 1.5x the time of the winner for a competitive time was for back in the day when there were lots of ITT's compared to Grand Departs so people could get an idea of a "fast paced" ride. Now the GD is dominating the annual completes it is pretty clear if you are competitive or not by looking at your finish place - if that is what is important to you. The new rule is that if you go under 31 day pace they will change your Spot dot on Trackleaders to white to denote "touring mode".

I rode it this year with a goal 25 days and finished in 25.5 days (nearly 2x) - and I got nothing but encouragement and support even from the top guys. David Stowe went past on day 2 with a big smile and words of encouragement, Josh Kato (2015 winner) was out taking pics in Wyoming and also was super supportive despite Mike Hall being in New Mexico already! No-one cares about your finish time and no-one will comment if it is 18/22/26/30 days - it is simply you have finished the TD, and everyone is wow, cool. Chris Plesko was the first on-line congrats, and he finished in 10 days before me!!

The winners aren't pros at all - just immensely talented and able to maintain a fast comfortable cruise with minimal rest (and also able to eat a lot): Olly Whally - full time engineer, Mike Hall - 13/16 - cyclist/entrepreneur; Jefe Banham - bike mechanic; Josh Kato - nurse. Chris Plesko - teacher.

I'm curious what you time goal is?

Matt Lee replied that Guy WAS relegated and was informed about it by Matt. They apparently don't usually change the colours of the ITT racers which is why his dot stayed yellow.

As Dave (flyboy) says, there's a lot more to the TD than riding your bike quickly all day - that is what makes it an epic adventure and also what allows a tortoise like me stay in touch with the hares.

BTW: For the most epic missed turn check out Alex Jacobson's track out of Del Norte - his Garmin did a colour change and made the road due west the colour of the trail ... so he missed the turn to Indiana Pass and rode instead a bonus 11,000ft pass up and over before realising. And I still didn't catch him!!!

Toby isn't coming back.  We just need less pussies on here to begin with.  If you're going to call somebody out, just call them out.  Toby's a good friend of mine, and it'd make him proud if you just spoke up for yourselves.  Do you really need a dedicated forum protagonist/antagonist?

Yagi - That's what I'm doing. Terry Smith/Guy Martin should be relegated. But given that I was racing the TD this year and finished in 25 days I'm a bit behind what went on. (BTW: Toby knows who I am and I've told him directly that his contributions were valuable and missed).

I am surprised that it didn't happen after TS (GM) missed Spray Lakes by Scott or Matt. Or after missing Brush Mountain or the flat route out of Steamboat. In past years it was pretty much the admins call on those types of things without anyone needing to call it out. Maybe they're busy with other things to notice .... but the CDT miss was pretty clear and it was right up the sharp end when a lot of eyes were on it.

It takes a lot of courage (which Toby had) to call some things out as there are potential repercussions. Everyone likes a celeb and everyone likes a winner ... so it is really hard to say "so and so wrote on their blog they asked for water" or "so and so asked for help out of hours at a business" or "so and so had a non commercial delivery mid race" sitting at home in our armchairs.

However, as I raced the TD this year I've no qualms on calling it out. I rode Spray Lakes in the mud and rain, I rode Brush Mountain in 35C+ heat, I rode CDT in the dark - so I think I'm qualified to comment.

Sounds like Guy Martin needs to go ride Tour Divide a 2nd time then? to keep you all happy.

No Pete - he needs to ride it a FIRST TIME before he can claim he has ridden it at all. Other years people were quickly relegated for missing sections - not sure what happened this time round with relegations as I was racing. I'll be in touch with Scott on it. Guy seems like a nice person and I helped him out with setting up his Spot, but it is not legit to claim a finish if you don't ride the correct route. Lael was relegated in 2015 for less deviations. I went back into Butte when I realised I was on the road for 5km and not on the dirt track which runs parallel.

Bring back Toby Gadd.

WTF - Guy Martin is claiming a TD finish after skipping Spray Lakes / Brush Mountain / CDT Alternative / not following the route around Fish Lake/Union Pass or Atlantic City, or out of Steamboat, plus others!?! Certainly it is not "proper" and I am surprised no-one else is calling him out on it. #followtheroute. He's clearly relegated and the dot should have changed colour on day 1 when he missed Spray Lakes.

Guy Martin is racing and looking to go fast.

Hey everyone - thanks for all the advice given and good questions asked on Bikepacking.net. I'm off to Banff tomorrow and will be lining up for the Grand Depart on Friday morning.

They are at the Episcopal church it seems ... maybe waiting for mud to dry up before heading over to Pie Town?

is there any contingency plan for notifying those of us without phones? 

Yes - you can have the messages sent to your email and then get access to your account somehow along the way. It doesn't support non-US telephones, so I'm relying on emails.