2015 TD

[tanman1337]

I brought along a ruggedized external battery, I think it was roughly 12,000 mAh, which was more than enough to charge my phone over 7 times. I also used it to charge my iPod shuffle and my 600 lumen cygo light on the bars. I mainly use lithium AA's for everything, but it is nice to be able to charge up the phone or iPod in the middle of nowhere or have some emergency power for the light. I also run two Fenix LD-22's on my helmet so I always have redundant systems while I'm out there. You can check out some of the ruggedized externals on amazon. They aren't very much money and they are a great option to have some extra power besides the lithium AA's and AAA's. It's also nice to just plug one thing into the wall when you get a chance to sit down for a hot meal.

http://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Limefuel-L104XR-Thunderbolt-Incredible/dp/B00IIVK6PC/ref=sr_1_2?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1426258565&sr=1-2&keywords=limefuel+rugged

[Guild44]

I brought along a ruggedized external battery, I think it was roughly 12,000 mAh, which was more than enough to charge my phone over 7 times. I also used it to charge my iPod shuffle and my 600 lumen cygo light on the bars. I mainly use lithium AA's for everything, but it is nice to be able to charge up the phone or iPod in the middle of nowhere or have some emergency power for the light. I also run two Fenix LD-22's on my helmet so I always have redundant systems while I'm out there. You can check out some of the ruggedized externals on amazon. They aren't very much money and they are a great option to have some extra power besides the lithium AA's and AAA's. It's also nice to just plug one thing into the wall when you get a chance to sit down for a hot meal.

http://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Limefuel-L104XR-Thunderbolt-Incredible/dp/B00IIVK6PC/ref=sr_1_2?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1426258565&sr=1-2&keywords=limefuel+rugged

Thanks! That looks awesome. My solar battery solar panels weren't working well anyway, so I was only getting power out of it by recharging it in towns. And it was way heavier than this!

[pbarsom]

It's good to have a mix of power sources, especially for lights, in case either a) you run out of batteries or b) your charging system goes bad (or you forget to plug something in which is what tired people will tend to do).  Both are distinct possibilities.  Dynamos are great but don't charge much or at all when you're climbing, plus you need to have a wheel built around that hub.  Batteries are heavy (or expensive = lithium), take up space and need to be disposed of properly.  The bigger capacity rechargeables seem good as long as their waterproof and rugged.  Both have their (dis-)advantages.  If you're running a dynamo, consider carefully how the charger is positioned.  Water dripping into a connection can short it, and muck constantly spraying up from the front tire (what I discovered happening on day 3 last year) can do the same thing.  That said, I love my Schmidt Son dynamo as it's bomb proof and very pretty.  A solar charger wouldn't have been a good choice last year as we didn't see any sun at all until day 6 and those are slow under the best conditions.  I've used them on cross country trips and experienced various reliability issues as well.  Now I just use mine in a window in my house to recharge batteries for things.  

[Guild44]

It's good to have a mix of power sources, especially for lights, in case either a) you run out of batteries or b) your charging system goes bad (or you forget to plug something in which is what tired people will tend to do).  Both are distinct possibilities.  Dynamos are great but don't charge much or at all when you're climbing, plus you need to have a wheel built around that hub.  Batteries are heavy (or expensive = lithium), take up space and need to be disposed of properly.  The bigger capacity rechargeables seem good as long as their waterproof and rugged.  Both have their (dis-)advantages.  If you're running a dynamo, consider carefully how the charger is positioned.  Water dripping into a connection can short it, and muck constantly spraying up from the front tire (what I discovered happening on day 3 last year) can do the same thing.  That said, I love my Schmidt Son dynamo as it's bomb proof and very pretty.  A solar charger wouldn't have been a good choice last year as we didn't see any sun at all until day 6 and those are slow under the best conditions.  I've used them on cross country trips and experienced various reliability issues as well.  Now I just use mine in a window in my house to recharge batteries for things.  

Thanks! I was thinking I'd go with two systems too, but my stuff doesn't take batteries. Is there a lithium battery USB charging system you'd recommend - something that would allow me to recharge my USB rechargeable devices with lithium batteries? That plus the rugged external battery seems pretty safe.

[mikepro]

  I too am a newbie to bikepacking races. I have been  climbing, and mountaineering for many years, and hope that some of that experience will carry over to bikepacking. for what it's worth, I plan  to keep things simple. If I can't replace it with AA or AAA batteries, it's not going. I Plan on using Maps, cues, and two bike computers only. still using the old flip phone, which will last 4 to 6 days without a charge. will not be listing to any music,(not sure about that one)? If any of the vets out there want to chime in on that approach, that would be great!

Nothing wrong with this approach!  Do it!  Ride and take care of your body.  I am do it this way for years.  The climbing/mountaineering self-reliance experience should help, but I wouldn't be surprised if you end up carrying too much stuff as a newbie coming from mountaineering.

Although, dyno hubs are so efficient nowadays, that I'm just this year going to use the work I output into energy for a light.  Seems like such a waste not to take advantage, as we're all putting out the work anyway.

[Marshal]

pyerger, Guild44 and any other/lurking TDR rookies --

per your request for some veteran perspective--rather than try to cram it all in here-- I blogged up some off-the-cuff thoughts on TDR gear choices, with Nav and Lighting as examples, and also some quick thoughts on where you might want to be training/prep wise

http://bikedrifting.blogspot.com/2015/03/for-tdr-rookies-ya-i-know-worth-what.html


Good Training!  

and see you both in Banff

 

[Guild44]

pyerger, Guild44 and any other/lurking TDR rookies --

per your request for some veteran perspective--rather than try to cram it all in here-- I blogged up some off-the-cuff thoughts on TDR gear choices, with Nav and Lighting as examples, and also some quick thoughts on where you might want to be training/prep wise

http://bikedrifting.blogspot.com/2015/03/for-tdr-rookies-ya-i-know-worth-what.html


Good Training! 

and see you both in Banff

 

This is great! Thanks! The training looks like what I'm already doing, so that's good. Soo you all in Banff! (Speaking of which, when do people normally arrive, and is there a hotel you would recommend? I'm planning to book airfare soon.)

[BobM]

pyerger, Guild44 and any other/lurking TDR rookies --

per your request for some veteran perspective--rather than try to cram it all in here-- I blogged up some off-the-cuff thoughts on TDR gear choices, with Nav and Lighting as examples, and also some quick thoughts on where you might want to be training/prep wise

http://bikedrifting.blogspot.com/2015/03/for-tdr-rookies-ya-i-know-worth-what.html


Good Training! 

and see you both in Banff

 

Good stuff - thanks, Marshal!

I would add a "style" criterion to your "A" choice, though.  After all, if the intent is to get from Banff to AW as quickly as possible, a plane from Calgary to El Paso and a rental car would be the quickest. If we confine ourselves to TD rules and all want to place as high as possible in the standings, then you are spot on; but each person needs to decide EXACTLY what kind of race they want for themselves.  Personally, I miss the navigational challenge that the original GDR had and I enjoy going by cues and cyclometer - it keeps me in touch with my surroundings.  I will carry a GPS (probably) for the tricky parts, but the last thing I want to do is ride 2800 miles with my head down, following a line on a screen.  Ditto with batteries vs fancy electrical gear- it's another challenge.

Bottom line - race your race and not someone else's race.

[pbarsom]

Both Marshal's and Bob's points make a lot of sense.  Like Marshal says, the nuances of "what gets you there the fastest" are infinite.  We're all different and you can't assume how your body/mind will respond to 3+ weeks of this thing (until you've done it) so some self-reflection (as Bob suggests) is in order.  I tend toward the drooling, pink-line-slave, too-shelled-to-read-a-map-coherently-yet-deliriously-happy-about-everything end of things.  That's not everyone, of course, and it's important to take a good self-inventory for everything connected with this.  Weight, for example, can be good or bad.  Do you sleep well enough in a bivy or do you need a larger volume shelter to really sleep soundly enough?  Can you sleep flopped down in the dirt among the empty liquor bottles on the side of the road, or do you need a roof over your head regularly to feel any sense of recovery?  If you've got your gear so pared down that your lack of comfort is an additional source of stress, you're ultimately not going to go faster, and definitely won't enjoy the process as much.  But if you can sleep anywhere, anytime and zip-tying your derailleur together for the next 100-plus miles doesn't stress you much, you probably will fly (at least until it breaks again).  Component choices should reflect your intentions and risk tolerance.  I had a heavy internal hub that I never thought about once and never needed any adjustment and so gave me peace of mind, and was certainly not making me climb faster, but I never had to stop to deal with it, while some others had lightweight drivetrains that were creaking and failing, leading to many DNFs and/or a lot of stress.  But if they didn't break, they were definitely faster.  I just did what I felt I needed to do.  There's no "right" way, except the one that gives you confidence and is reasonably compact and reliable for the job.  

[gotchile]

After using a solar panel on the Race Across Texas last fall I decided to go with a dyno hub set up - Schmidt.  it's expensive but i found that messing with switching around the devices and dealing with low light it made the decision to go with the dyno an easy one for TD. 

[sfuller]

Pbarsom's comments really echo what I've been working through the last 15 months. I'm definitely taking some "extra" things, especially in the mechanical realm, but also trying to not let "packing for my fears" run roughshod over my gear choices. Some of my equipment is light, and some of it isn't. It's been a very interesting process to go through. Comfortable sleep is a big thing for me, so I'm taking a small inflatable pillow so I sleep well. It's worth the few extra ounces, time to blow up and extra space in my drybag.

[kiwidave]

Brakes: Mechanical vs Hydraulic and Rotor sizes Front and Rear

I'm getting a bike built (27.5) for 2016 TD and am not sure which brakes to install. I've read the couple of threads in the Q&A Forums which are helpful.

I'm 62kg, plus 24kg +/- bike & gear fully laden. So 86 kg / 190 pounds

Mech: pros: easy to fix in the field, easy to adjust cons: can tire hands more (seems to be some debate, and TD doesn't have many super steep descents other than off Fleecer Ridge does it?)

Hydro: pros: great brakes, great stopping power cons: harder to fix, harder to adjust, possibility of malfunction is low risk but high consequence (although - has anyone on TD had a hydraulic brake failure?),

Opinion: I am leaning towards hydraulics as I hear that after 22 days on the bike that the hands get weak and I would still like to break well. Also, with minimal single trail I can't see how I'm going to break the hydro cables in a walk-away crash.

Question: What do experienced TD people recommend?

Rotors: What sized rotors front / rear would people recommend. 160 F / 180 R?

Thanks.

KiwiDave

[mikepro]

Brakes: Mechanical vs Hydraulic and Rotor sizes Front and Rear
Question: What do experienced TD people recommend?
Thanks.
KiwiDave

I recommend that you do your research, as you've clearly done, and then go with the option(s) that give you your own personal piece of mind.  Which option(s) will you least likely second-guess when you're out there and rolling in 2016?  I think a hydro failure for both front and rear is just about as unlikely as mech cable snapping at mid-point on both front and rear (i.e. both types of catastrophic failure scenarios are equally as unlikely).  I'd also take a longer/wider/broader viewpoint than just building the bike based on TD.  What are going to use the bike for before and after the TD?  How does that influence the decision?

[Rorr]

Everybody has opinions here is mind,I don't think brakes or rotor sizes make much difference for the TDR as long as they are fresh and in good working order. But I really don't see why anyone would want to run 27.5 tires. Tires are the most likely thing your going to need and those are going to be the hardest to find. I mean you can get 26 or 29 inchers anywhere even Walmart , the tires I'm running I don't think they even make in 27.5. The TDR you want to roll dude it's not about nimble turning and quick acceleration. Like I said it's just my opinion.

[JoePavlik]

Everybody has opinions here is mind,I don't think brakes or rotor sizes make much difference for the TDR as long as they are fresh and in good working order. But I really don't see why anyone would want to run 27.5 tires. Tires are the most likely thing your going to need and those are going to be the hardest to find. I mean you can get 26 or 29 inchers anywhere even Walmart , the tires I'm running I don't think they even make in 27.5. The TDR you want to roll dude it's not about nimble turning and quick acceleration. Like I said it's just my opinion.

I completely agree. Leave the min/maxing and most of your theory crafting to the people who wont sleep and want to race the TD. Pick 26 or 29, some bags and camping gear and go god damn ride.

[kiwidave]

But I really don't see why anyone would want to run 27.5 tires. Tires are the most likely thing your going to need and those are going to be the hardest to find.

I can't ride 29 as I'm 5'5'' with short legs and can't get over a 29er Frame. Or if I get one built there's no clearance for a seat bag and no room in the frame for a reasonable sized frame bag. I'm also riding carbon forks, so I want the 27.5 to give a bit better "wheel shocks" compared to the 26. I'll open a 26/27.5/29 on the question and answer forum as there are a lot of valid comments and opinions about the various merits of each but it could go on quite long here.

Any more comments on brakes / rotors are welcome as I live in the Czech Republic and have MTB, Roadie and Touring friends, but no Bikepacking friends so Bikepacking.net and the forums are really useful for me.   

[WatermelonSugar]

Any more comments on brakes / rotors are welcome as I live in the Czech Republic and have MTB, Roadie and Touring friends, but no Bikepacking friends so Bikepacking.net and the forums are really useful for me. 

My personal choice is mechanical, hydros would probably survive but in the long run bleeding is a pain and when the seals start to go and they let in air all the advantages are lost. And now TRP have a new mech caliper called Spyke, which has dual actuated pads, so you get more even pad wear which was one of my dislikes about the BB7

[Guild44]

I've been playing around with trackleaders.com, and I'm not having the easiest time finding a racer who (a) raced for 4 weeks (my goal) and (b) stayed mostly in towns with hotels/hostels (also my goal - so much so that I'd be willing to ride more each day to accomplish b!).

Would anybody know off the top of their head whom I should maybe take a look at?

Thanks!

[dp]

What are you using for your buffer battery?

I went with the Limefuel Blast L60X w/ the sinewave usb charger. Great combo (the Blast allows pass-through charging). I can charge the battery + iphone and run the light simultaneously, though the light output is notably dimmer when everything is plugged in.  http://www.limefuel.com/pages/product-blast

[blurltd]

Brakes: Mechanical vs Hydraulic and Rotor sizes Front and Rear

I'm getting a bike built (27.5) for 2016 TD and am not sure which brakes to install. I've read the couple of threads in the Q&A Forums which are helpful.

I'm 62kg, plus 24kg +/- bike & gear fully laden. So 86 kg / 190 pounds

Mech: pros: easy to fix in the field, easy to adjust cons: can tire hands more (seems to be some debate, and TD doesn't have many super steep descents other than off Fleecer Ridge does it?)

Hydro: pros: great brakes, great stopping power cons: harder to fix, harder to adjust, possibility of malfunction is low risk but high consequence (although - has anyone on TD had a hydraulic brake failure?),

Opinion: I am leaning towards hydraulics as I hear that after 22 days on the bike that the hands get weak and I would still like to break well. Also, with minimal single trail I can't see how I'm going to break the hydro cables in a walk-away crash.

Question: What do experienced TD people recommend?

Rotors: What sized rotors front / rear would people recommend. 160 F / 180 R?

Thanks.

I run hydro on all my other mountain bikes except for my bikepacker. I ran mechanical brakes last year on the Divide, Avid FR5 levers and BB7 Caliper with fresh pads before I left. When I got Salida, I was expecting to spend some cash! ZERO! Mechanic told me everyone that was running hydros replaced their pads, most running mechanicals did not. Something to think about. I ran a 180 front and 160 rear, would probably run 180 front and rear if I did it again incase one or the other get bent. Got ejected down Fleecer and in the New Mexico mud at night once and was fortunate to never had anything with the bike go down on me, don’t know how, don’t know why. I think it’s because I LOVE my bikes. Give it some good parts based on durability vs weight an you should be fine too.