# Rigs of the 2021 Tour Divide



## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

Yup, they are posted now on bikepacking.com 
Rigs of the 2021 Tour Divide


----------



## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

I look forward to seeing these each year. Thanks for the link.


----------



## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

You're welcome! One of our local guys is riding and he submitted his rig. Was excited to see it and read about how he put it all together.


----------



## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

Nice! A local friend of mine did the same 3 or 4 years ago and I also enjoyed his write-up.


----------



## lentamentalisk (Jul 21, 2015)

I know we're supposed to be all "bikepacking purist" but I'm kinda sick of seeing people cover their bikes in billions of little bikepacking bags in order to fit everything when a set of small panniers would have solved their problem way easier, like the comparison between these two. If you need the volume, a rack and a set of panniers is actually lighter than the equivalent volume of small bikepacking bags.


----------



## VegasSingleSpeed (May 5, 2005)

lentamentalisk said:


> I know we're supposed to be all "bikepacking purist" but I'm kinda sick of seeing people cover their bikes in billions of little bikepacking bags in order to fit everything when a set of small panniers would have solved their problem way easier...


It must be nice to have outfitted your bike properly, the first time.

I'd counter that many of these riders have incrementally amassed their kit, initially outfitting for shorter rides; adding a bag here or there when the next ride pushes the limit of their current kit.
Dropping $400+ on a pannier and rack set-up -and shelving several hundred dollars in existing bags- may not be everybody's first priority when it's easy enough (and cheaper) to strap a dry-bag to an existing seat bag or handlebar bag/harness.


----------



## lentamentalisk (Jul 21, 2015)

VegasSingleSpeed said:


> It must be nice to have outfitted your bike properly, the first time.


Quite the opposite. Sure, the pros have beautifully minimal kits with just the right tiny bikepacking bags stuffed with only the smallest/lightest backpacking gear. But what I'm saying is that dollar per dollar, gram per gram, and also just for simplicity, I think a lot of people would be better off just getting some panniers for the bulk of their gear and piecing together a few bikepacking bags to fill in the gaps.

Having been through this myself, I've spend hundreds of dollars trying to fit just a few more things, and then just a few more things, and then just a few more things. I would have been a lot better off getting some small/medium panniers and calling it a day.


----------



## VegasSingleSpeed (May 5, 2005)

lentamentalisk said:


> Having been through this myself, I've spend hundreds of dollars trying to fit just a few more things, and then just a few more things, and then just a few more things.


Good. I thought, perhaps, I was crazy when I crafted that counterpoint.



lentamentalisk said:


> I would have been a lot better off getting some small/medium panniers and calling it a day.


Having just recently purchased an OMM rack for my last ride, this is not where I would have wanted to start when I initially began ultra/bikepacking, nor is it ideal for most of my regional bikepacking routes. For the few riders I know on the TD this year, they probably wouldn't ride a rack/pannier setup at any other time of the year. So, like me, it's an additional cost on top of a collection of gear that was obtained over time as we progressed through the sport.

Most of us are on the wrong bike, using the wrong gear, and just doing all sorts of stuff wrong along the way. _shrug_


----------



## lentamentalisk (Jul 21, 2015)

VegasSingleSpeed said:


> Most of us are on the wrong bike, using the wrong gear, and just doing all sorts of stuff wrong along the way. _shrug_


Ha yep! Cheers to that.


----------



## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

lentamentalisk said:


> I know we're supposed to be all "bikepacking purist" but I'm kinda sick of seeing people cover their bikes in billions of little bikepacking bags in order to fit everything when a set of small panniers would have solved their problem way easier, like the comparison between these two. If you need the volume, a rack and a set of panniers is actually lighter than the equivalent volume of small bikepacking bags.


I don't really disagree with the sentiment.

But I think the problem is largely that those people are just carrying 2-3x more **** than they actually need. Packing their insecurities, as it were.

One argument in favor of lots of little bags is organization. You're looking _at_ the thing you want, instead of looking _for_ it deep within a pannier.

To each their own, though. It's just bikes.


----------



## Pedalto_themetal (May 29, 2021)

A rack and panniers adds quite a few pounds to the overall bike and allows one to carry enormous amounts of whatever one stuffs into them. I have several options ready to bolt or strap on my bike depending on my trip.








On this trip I chose my Tubus rack and Axiom Panniers because I was going to be off grid for at least a week. My front roll was tent, bag, clothing, etc, while my panniers contained about 40,000 calories, getting lighter every day, plus have capacity for 22+ liters of water, and have pedaled with that.








This kit allows me to go faster, lighter. While the panniers are great for swallowing massive amounts of gear they also add about 5 pounds to a bike. My tent,bag, mat weigh less than 3 pounds. Why would I want to carry that little in something that weighs twice? I am always upgrading gear to add comfort, capacity, or lose weight.








This setup that I've used since fall 2020 has about 7000 desert southwest miles on it, with numerous trips exceeding 4 days between resupply. I've been impressed with the overall durability of the Topeak Explorer rack, and the Carsick Designs 1three7 bag.

After 5+ years of spending 8-10 months/yron my bike fulltime the porter style, front loading of the bike really works for me. I've found that loading the bike on the back makes for harder ascents if steeper backcountry dirtroads, dbl track, and even single track. I prefer the climbing stability that comes with the front loading. My ass in the saddle is all the more weight addedtothe back of the bike. The seatbagis usually 7-8 pounds loaded.
.
Some prefer to carry all sorts of **** while bike travelling. 5 pound tent, air mattresses, cast iron skillets, big bulky items, multiple pairs of shoes, etc. No being in a hurry and not being able to pedal farther because of all the crap packed into a bike are often indiscernible. If you want to ride further consider losing some of that base weight..... or not ride very far with way too much. I just recently finished up a 2000+ mile bikepacking trip from Tucson to Santa Fe. My overall avg was about 77 mpd, withover 120k ft of climbing. 2 sections of the trip I had 5-6 days food and 12-14 L water on bike, but very little 'base weight'.
There is no absolute best answer besides what works for you.

As for the TD, lighter is faster, and the ability to deprive yourself of some amenities had when just touring. Jay Petervary has been doing these long distance rides for quite sometime. A OMM rack and panniers probably aren't even a consideration when planning an Ultra trip. Food, Water, Shelter, Bike. Everything else trims weight to be more efficient. I think anyone that might choose to 'race's with whether it be steel bike, racks and bags, is in for a quick surprise: they will not cover the same ground as fast or efficiently as someone with a very light kit.
.
Bikepacker.com showing off all the TD rigs is inspirational for me as lightening my baseweight load is always priority.


----------



## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

A lot of people will start out with all possible gear, and jettison as the TD goes on and they determine what isn't necessary.


----------



## 834905 (Mar 8, 2018)

Wow, there seems to be a bigger shift towards gravel bikes this year. Interesting.

To my fellow Phoenix guy on the list rolling a Surly Pack Rat... Godspeed, sir. I'm rooting for you.


----------



## Robrowie (Jun 21, 2021)

Looking forward to it. Thanks for the link.


----------



## PHeller (Dec 28, 2012)

SingleSpeedSteven said:


> Wow, there seems to be a bigger shift towards gravel bikes this year. Interesting.


More capable tires. More people spending more time on gravel roads and doubletrack with gravel bikes getting adjusted to that type of riding.

Mind you, TD only has 60 miles of singletrack. It'd be interesting to see the top fastest times for various section of trail.

I'm always a bit surprised no "pros" have gotten into the Tour Divide yet. That changed the Kanza/Unbound dramatically when it started being a major stop for a lot of pros. Maybe the TD is long enough, and its payout limited enough that it just doesn't "pay" for pros to attempt it. Absa Cape Epic is the only thing close to a "pro stop" for many WCXC racers and its only 400 miles across 8 days. 50 miles a day, weak! Granted their average speeds are significantly higher.

Likewise, I'm surprised that so few of the TD racers are NOT pros in other disciplines. I'd think if you were super good at throwing down the miles, a measly 20 miles XC race would be cake. Specialization, I suppose.

Either way, it's kinda cool that the TD retains its amateur cult-classic status.


----------



## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

PHeller said:


> Either way, it's kinda cool that the TD retains its amateur cult-classic status.


Indeed. Our hometown guy from Texas went through Abiquiu, NM a day or two ago and is still going strong with quite a few 100 mile days under his belt. 
I love seeing the regular folks shine.


----------



## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

Pedalto_themetal said:


> As for the TD, lighter is faster, and the ability to deprive yourself of some amenities...


We went to a talk given by Alexandera Houchin just before she started the TD in 2019 (?). She brought her TI single speed Chumba w/ the set up she'd use for racing. It was minimal to say the least. She had a 7$ tarp, sleeping bag (no pad), room for some food & water, I guess a jacket in there somewhere. Her consistent riding schedule for the TD was 20 hours in the saddle, then 4 hours of sleep. She pointed out that you can go to sleep anywhere when you've been riding for 20 hours; any place with shelter (under a tree, under a bridge) worked in lieu of a tent. I don't think there was anyone more minimal than that. 
It's a good jumping off point for inspiration on going light.


----------



## lentamentalisk (Jul 21, 2015)

PHeller said:


> I'm always a bit surprised no "pros" have gotten into the Tour Divide yet.


I mean... In the TDF you ride your bike for 5-6 hours, then spend the next 18-19 hours getting massages, being fed by world class chefs, and sleeping in 5 star hotels. The GDMBR is... not that.


----------



## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

PHeller said:


> More capable tires. More people spending more time on gravel roads and doubletrack with gravel bikes getting adjusted to that type of riding.
> 
> Mind you, TD only has 60 miles of singletrack. It'd be interesting to see the top fastest times for various section of trail.


I started this race in 2003 -- even if I was the only one to show up.

Did it again in '04 and 6 others joined me. It has only grown since.

I used Kenda Khan tires, because they're perfect for what this route is. If there was a tubeless ready version I'd still choose those.


----------



## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

I wish that the Rigs of the Tour Divide would offer a debriefing for these rigs, where riders discuss what worked, what didn't, what was jettisoned, what they wish they'd had along, at some point were they happy with their bike or wish they were riding something else.


----------



## swissarmychainsaw (Aug 4, 2010)

H0WL said:


> I wish that the Rigs of the Tour Divide would offer a debriefing for these rigs, where riders discuss what worked, what didn't, what was jettisoned, what they wish they'd had along, at some point were they happy with their bike or wish they were riding something else.


The good thing is that many of these folks are on social media. Reach out to them and ask. I did this for the fellow Jones riders out there!


----------



## Salubrious (Dec 21, 2015)

swissarmychainsaw said:


> The good thing is that many of these folks are on social media. Reach out to them and ask. I did this for the fellow Jones riders out there!


I didn't get to use my Jones on the Divide this year due to family issues. I did try as an alternate the Colorado Trail, which I was guessing would hand my ass to me on a platter due to the crazy amount of climbing and HAB. Which it did. For that I ditched the rack and made a seatbag work although it was a struggle due to the Thudbuster and clearance with the rear wheel. I'm really thinking I might have been better off on the CT with full squish.

Next year I plan to do the Divide with a rack again (hopefully a Tubus Ti but who knows if they'll be shipping by then...). I had Steven Moatt make a custom trunk bag with a dry bag closure for the Tubus that I have (which means it fits a variety of common racks). The biggest problem is that I have too much room. But this eliminates the handlebar roll which gives me a more spacious layout on the handlebars. My fork bags are custom for the Jones truss fork, and are only slightly larger than what is needed for the a single water bottle. I use them for food. The Jones geometry has you a bit more forward so the weight in the rear does not interfere with climbing.

The thing about using panniers is drag. A seatbag is simply lower drag and on the Divide that can be significant. I had been hoping to get a Porcelain Rocket seatbag but they got bought out.


----------

