Hi Adam

If your after any GPX tracks of any of the NZ cycle trails let me know.
Ive got a fairly solid collection of those along with many more throughout NZ.

Only 2 weeks ago I rode from Wellington to Auckland via the network of cycle trails. we covered about 1200kms over 7 days, self supported bike packing setup.

So if you've got any questions let me know

Nathan

This is slightly off topic but....  Has anyone mounted water bottle cages to a Niner carbon fork? I was thinking of doing it using the hose clamp cut up inner tube method.

In td2013 Nick had some bottle mounts bonded to his carbon fork by one of the carbon repair shops in the US, they seemed to work very well.
Another option is the Salsa Firestarter Carbon Rigid 29er Fork, it has cage mounts ready to go



 

I have 2  B-17 standards and I think they're great, never had any issues.

The first one has over 20,000 km of touring on it and still has a a lot of life left in it.
The 2nd has completed TourDivide in 2012 and then again in 2013.

Im planning on recording my TD experience, I was thinking of buying the new Go Pro camera or a regular hand held video camera. I think its clear that the Go Pro is the safest way to not destroy a camera, but i think with care and thought a regular hand held video camera will be able to stand up to the TD and deliver better video quality.

Hi Mauro
I recorded quite a bit of footage on this years TourDivide. I selected the "ReplayXD1080"  video camera mainly for its compact size and ruggedness, It performed flawlessly and all up I recorded about 4 hours of raw footage along the way.
I would have liked to of recorded more personal content with dialogue and personal responses but never felt motivated enough to do it, particularly on the more challenging days, when I stopped my priorities were food and rest.....
Vibration is also an issue with the gravel roads, but this can be minimized in post production.
I also had my waterproof Lumix camera for photos which was great for candid moments along the way.
Im glad I did take a video camera for this year, but for 2013 Im not planning on taking a video camera, for me its a distraction I dont think I need this time.

attached is a pic of the ReplayXD1080 camera mounted to my handle bars to show its size.

What about drop outs, you might want to consider an adjustable dropout so you can easily alternate between geared, single speed or IGH.

Ive been considering either Paragon Sliders or the Salsa Alternator options. - http://salsacycles.com/culture/reasons_to_love_the_alternator_dropout

If you want to ride from Calgary To Banff then Route 1A: along the Bow Valley Trail looks to be the better way with less traffic and more scenic views.
its around 120km
I considered it this year but with a late arrival I took the easy option with the Banff Airporter.
Next year im planning to ride Calgary to Banff.