2016 Tour Divide Preparation

[Cosmo K]

Time until start...in case you're counting

4,233,600 seconds
70,560 minutes
1176 hours
49 days
7 weekends
7 weeks

[daveinbanff]

Yeah, I'm sure JayP gets a load of his stuff like tyres for free, so probably not the best example to blindly follow! I've had good experiences with Specialized fast tracks and with Nanos too but tyre choice is a person to person thing, ride a few until you find something that works.

exactly,   and I'm not sure its the tires that allowed him to do so well.

[GrizzlyAdam]

I've been flip flopping between the race kings and maxxis icons...

The Ikon is greatest MTB tire ever made.

[GregMay]

Time until start...in case you're counting

4,233,600 seconds
70,560 minutes
1176 hours
49 days
7 weekends
7 weeks

*starts panic training*

Right after this beer.. ..

[bakerjw]

I read the latest May to August temperature forecast from the weather service. If it holds true, the mountain passes might be snow free. Not sure what impact it will have on rainfall though.

https://weather.com/forecast/national/news/may-summer-temperature-forecast

[JohnP]

I'm running 29" Conti Raceking 2.2 Racesport. Been training on these and found they do pretty good all around. Except sticky mud, I cant seem to find any around here to test in

It's getting real now - Booked a bed at the YWCA, booked the shuttle from Calgary and my flight. Arriving the Wednesday before grand depart.

[JohnP]

Curious - Where do I find this addendum? Both that GPS track and my version of the ACA Map shows it goes through Rawlins. But you have to be right since I find trip reports with Wamsutter in it. Where do I get this route change info?

Thanks in advance!!!

The route no longer goes through Rawlins it goes to Wamsutter. So you'll have to rework that section.

[JohnP]

Answered my own question.... Incase it helps someone else I found the official 2015 Tour Divide Official GPS vs the 'old GPS' track and opened them in Garmin Basecamp to compare the detours.
http://topofusion.com/divide/gps.php

Threw me off when the I was studying ACA maps and found references to places like Wamsutter which threw me for a loop haha!

[daveinbanff]

this might help people prepare there bikes for the event too.  I wrote it for 7 day stage races (more singletrack, less total days) but most of the bike prep is about the same for the TD as well.

http://forums.mtbr.com/endurance-xc-racing/what-expect-multi-day-races-your-bike-621685.html

[sfuller]

I've been flip flopping between the race kings and maxxis icons...both with protection.   The both feel like the roll equally well.   The only downside with the race kings is that they are a bitch to get on tubeless.   Once on, they're good but...if you need to break a seal trailside, no way,  even with co2 to get it back on. 

Used the Conti Race Kings w protection last year with good results. Had to break one bead in Wyoming due to a spoke induced flat. Put a tube in the tire, replaced the broken spoke with a fiber fix spoke and rolled that set up into Steamboat with no issues. Replaced the rear tire there since I didn't think it would last and had the shop set it up tubeless. Still running the same tires.

[Ailuropoda]

What do you think of those fiberfix spokes?  I had to use one, it installed easily, and just for an experiment I rode two hundred miles on it over the course of several training days.  The wheel was still true when the bike shop got it.

Is that the spoke or is there enough redundancy in a 32-spoke wheel?

[NelsonC]

On a similar note, what is the general consensus on carrying extra tubeless sealant (Stans, etc.)?  I will have two tubes as back up and a hand pump (no CO2 cartridge).  I am fairly new to tubeless in that I have never had a flat/failure on the trail.  I am skeptical that I could reinflate with a hand pump if I break the seal, but could add more through the valve stem if I lost some in a puncture.  Thoughts?  Trying to shave the oz's where I can.

Hope everyone's training is going well.

[kiwidave]

Nelson - I'm in the same situation. From what I hear, the chance of successfully re-seating a tubeless setup on the trail is very low, so most go with some tubes (some put Stans inside their tubes) and then deal with it at the next bike shop / garage. (Take a converter for your presta valve perhaps).

I was going to run with CO2 also (as Josh did), but I've read that it can also freeze the Stans rendering the Stans useless. Plus it takes up space and weight.

So, I'm going with 2 tubes, a pump and some patches.

[bakerjw]

I would suggest looking at the sidewall repair thread on these forums. If you take a severe enough sidewall gash, a tube can bulge out and you might end up dealing with it again very soon. The gash can be stitched up enough to nurse you to a place where you can get proper service.

I have livestock and go through a lot of feedbags which are made out of the same material as blue tarps. I carry several pieces with me as boot material and they weigh almost nothing. In fact last night I had a road tire issue and ended up using some as a boot. It got me 15 miles home. So boot material is also invaluable insurance.

[daveinbanff]

if you flat, add a tube, and keep riding with a bit higher pressure until you find a shop with stans and a compressor?     Maybe just one tube and a few patches?    (the peal and stick ones dont seem to last, get ones with real glue)

[Cosmo K]

I am a bit of a weight weenie but I wouldn't ride with just one tube.  It's the one area where I'm willing to carry a few more oz's to insure that my ride continues. 

[GregMay]

Ditto

[tanadog]

I am a bit of a weight weenie but I wouldn't ride with just one tube.  It's the one area where I'm willing to carry a few more oz's to insure that my ride continues. 

So you run 2 tubes , and no extra sealant or co2? sounds fair.

[sfuller]

What do you think of those fiberfix spokes?  I had to use one, it installed easily, and just for an experiment I rode two hundred miles on it over the course of several training days.  The wheel was still true when the bike shop got it.

Is that the spoke or is there enough redundancy in a 32-spoke wheel?

It definitely was some peace of mind. My wheels were 28 spoke. Even with a 32 spoke wheel, I'd rather replace the broken spoke with a fiber fix. The weight of gear combined with the extra punishment some of those sections hand out can be brutal.

[sfuller]

I was going to run with CO2 also (as Josh did), but I've read that it can also freeze the Stans rendering the Stans useless. Plus it takes up space and weight.

It can cause the stans to ball up. The carts are noisy, and you'd probably need to take 4 in order to get two tubes to reasonable pressure.

Like you, I went with two tubes, a pump, patch kit, and two small bottles of stans. I also took a couple of tire boots, and curved needle w thread to help sew up any sidewall cuts.