All my gear was in a full set of Apidura Bags loaded onto my new BINARY BICYCLES HAVOK Titanium frame. I had received this beautiful frame well before christmas but only managed to get it together a few weeks before the TTW. Some delays with parts meant I ended up running a 1 x set up instead of the planned 2x.  I had a 40T front Chain Ring and 11S 46T Cassette, and I could have done with some more gear range at times. I had no mechanicals during the races.

GEAR LIST :

APIDURA EXPEDITION SERIES  Saddlepack, Handlebar Pack , Top Tub Pack , Downtube Pack, 2 x Food Pouches, 7L Packable Musette

OUTDOOR RESEARCH Helium Bivy

THERMAREST Neo Lite Sleeping Mat

ENLIGHTENED EQUIPMENT Apex Jacket and Pants

SEA TO SUMMIT  Lightweight pillow

RAB Equipment Beanie

SPECIALIZED Masaka Cycling Club Jersey

GROUND EFFECT Limousine Shorts

DHB Base Layer Top

CHAMPION SYSTEM Vibrant Living Socks

 

GRIP GRAB Gloves

BUFF

SPORTFUL Knee Warmers

SPORTFUL Fiandre Jacket

ENDURA  Gillet

GORE TEX  ShakeDry Jacket

GORE TEX   Waterproof pants

VIGILANTE Base layer Top (for camping)

 

LAZER  Z1 Helmet

SHIMANO RX800 Shoes

JULBO Photo chromic Fury Sunglasses

EXPOSURE Joystick light

MOON NEBULA Rear rechargeable Light

K LITE Bikepacker Pro Dynamo Front Light

SPOT Tracker Gen 4

OCEAN SIGNAL PLB

WAHOO Elemnt  GPS Bike Computer

SON Dynamo Hub

 

VITTORIA MEZCAL 2.25  29ER Front and Back

PRO LOGO Scratch M5 PAS Saddle

 

 

 

EARTHS KITCHEN   Certified Natural Sunscreen  SPF50

DOTERRA  Ice Blue Rub

DETTOL  Hand Sanitiser

TOOTBRUSH/TOOTHPASTE

DR ORGANGIC Hemp Oil Lipbalm

KATDYN 0.6 Litre Water Filter

BIOMAXA  Biodegradable Lube

Z PACKS Waterproof pouches

LEZYNE  Multi Tool / Tyre Levers /Dynaplug / CO2

SPECIALIZED Mini  Pump

2  x Ultralight 29er Tubes

SPORK

Emergency Blanket

SUNSAVER  10,000  Cache Battery  / Various Charging cables including Di2

I had no Mechanical issues at all in either race, not even a puncture. My new Binary Havok was such a nice ride, smooth and supple and  ready for the next challenge I did adjust air pressure at times , pumping up for the sealed road sections and releasing air for the rougher stuff.

My biggest Gear failure was my Shimano Shoes, which started to fall apart quickly on the HAB of the Tour Te Waipounamu. These were way too stiff for all the walking over some rugged terrain, mountain ranges , rooty trails and rocky riverbeds.  After the TTW , they went in the bin. I had another pair of the same shoes at home and had them sent down to Invercargill for the Tuatara 1000. They were perfect for this race as there was very little HAB in comparison .

I used my Outdoor Research Helium Bivvy  for the first time in a race after a few months of testing in summer conditions beforehand. I love the convenience and speed of set up with the Bivy but have to admit I did not get  much super restful sleep. A few cold nights did not help. I was using Enlightened Equipment Synthetic Down Pants and jacket as my Sleep system  along with a Vigilante Baselayer.  The Jacket is Fantastic but I feel the pants did not give me enough insulation from the cold mountain air.

I was using the Vittoria Mezcals for the first time and I thought they were great. Super grippy and speedy on the sealed roads

All my Apidura Packs continue to perform brilliantly, waterproof, hard wearing and reliable. https://www.apidura.com/

I have being trying out new sunglasses from French brand JULBO for 6 months now. I have the  RUSH and FURY models both with Photochromic lens . For these races I went with the Fury. These Photochromic lens are perfect for Ultra Endurance cycling events that I love to do. As Im generally riding before the sun comes up and well after the sun goes down , these lens adjust to the light super quick and protect my eyes from a lot more than just the sun.        https://julbo.nz/

I ve also being using  Biomaxa products, Bike Lubricant, Bike Cleaner and Degreaser . All these products and fully bio degradable and have zero petro chemicals or any other nasties . I had a small bottle of the lube with me for the TTW and Tuatara 1000 and it was fantastic. Made here in New Zealand   https://www.biomaxa.com/

For years I was riding fully rigid on my previous bike , A Salsa Fargo. For my new Binary Havok I put a ROCK SHOX SID SL Ultimate front suspension knowing that the TTW course covered some rugged terrain. This was a great decision and the SID done a fantastic  job of handling the rough stuff

 

My Klite Bikepacker Pro continues to be outstanding after years of lighting  my way through different countries  https://www.klite.com.au/