GREAT DIVIDE MOUNTAIN BIKE ROUTE #1: ROOSVILLE, MONTANA - eBay This tire relies on its aggressive tread pattern to do most of the work, with well-supported shoulder lugs and a supportive yet supple Gravity Shield casing. One of the fastest-rolling tires in the test was the Specialized Ground Control. The tread consists of lots of moderate-height lugs in the center and intermediate zone, with a fairly substantial row of shoulder knobs. 10. panchocampbell (Jul 15, 2019 at 8:29) after a zombie apocalypse these people would be the actual survivers !!! Top 10 best bike for great divide trail in 2022 Great Continental Divide Motorcycle Route - gpsKevin Adventure Rides This is an awesome resource! Finally, this route goes in wild terrain, and a bear encounter is possible. You may prefer another option if you often find yourself riding in loose or wet conditions. T-shirt:Icebreaker Merino Tech-Lite Tee. The 2,700-mile Western Wildlands Route (WWR, formerly known as the Wild West Route) offers bikepackers a non-technical riding experience through the vast expanses of wild and public lands in the Intermountain West. Specialized's Grid Trail casing feels supportive enough while remaining supple and surprisingly resistant to punctures or tears. That said, the Maxxis Aggressor, Maxxis Dissector, WTB Trail Boss, and Specialized Eliminator T7 offer decent braking bite given their rolling speed. There are many different approaches to choosing gear for the GDMBR, and no one can give you the one perfect list. I recommend around 3 liters of capacity for most of the route. The JetBoil is so efficient that I / we only needed three canisters total for the whole GDMBR. There is less to bite into the soil, and on loose, dusty, or wet trails, these tires tend to slide under braking forces. The bikepacking route is mostly singletrack, except where it detours around wilderness areas. Glacier Cyclery in Whitefish (406-862-6446) can handle any bike needs or outfit you with rental gear. The rigid fork would theoretically have some braze ons which would give you more places to bolt stuff, either more water or fork bags or something along those lines. When conditions get really loose, it is easy to break this tire into a skid, drift through corners , spin out while climbing. I especially liked the flexibility of the big 5L dry bags on the front fork, which could expand or contract a lot to hold varying amounts of food or even, in one long dry stretch, water. Even though the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route runs from Banff Canada all the way down to Mexico, the Colorado section is one that every bikepacker should have on their to do list. Toiletries are pretty easy to find throughout the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. For more options, see Water filters for Bikepacking and Touring. Rigs of the 2021 Tour Divide - BIKEPACKING.com On the GDMBR and for long bikepacking trips in general, I always recommend a freestanding tent. In hot and sunny New Mexico I loved it, but as I rode north I often found that the sunniest places were also the windiest. Reroute through Chama, NM skipping closed Carson and Santa Fe forests 4. Mosquitos are also a consideration on the Divide; youll want fully zippable bug netting. Pedals: Funn Mamba Single-Sided SPD. Braking traction is another highlight, and the large knobs with open spacing grab well on most surfaces when it comes time to slow things down. TCS Light SG2 casing is much lighter than the Tough casing. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. More often than not, the more aggressive a tread design is, the more rolling resistance it has, and vice-versa. In general, the size, shape, and orientation of the center tread play the biggest role in how well a tire slows and stops your forward momentum. Try a plastic bag between two pairs of socks as a lightweight alternative. We selected tires in the 2.3 to 2.6-inch width range. I dont bother with meds like Advil, Tylenol, etc, as theyre probably not going to make a difference in a serious situation, and theyre easy to buy along the way. My hands get cold easily and when I need to ride in cold temps these are essential. Ive traveled over 17,000 miles by bike and still cant stop planning my next ride (and helping you plan yours). This is the burliest of my rain jacket options and I chose it for the GDMBR a long trip in big mountains because its impenetrable and relatively breathable. That said, it's no worse than most similar tires, and a trade-off for its otherwise excellent traction and super smooth feel. All trademarks property of their respective owners A multitude of mountain bike tires can easily be mounted onto a rim with just your bare hands. I wouldnt have minded magically reducing my bike weight by about 5 pounds. The height, shape, and orientation of the knobs all play a role in how they bite into the trail surface as you apply the brakes. Then they went to work, laying out a fantastic touring route for mountain bikers. Pedals and Shoes for Bikepacking: Is clipless worth it? Stretching 2,745 miles from Banff, Alberta to Antelope Wells, New Mexico, it loosely follows the Continental Divide through the Rocky Mountains on a series of dirt and paved roads. Tires with decent-sized knobbies are recommended. Despite their Light designation, these tires proved to be tough with a Slash Guard (SG2) insert that stood up to our abuse. That said, this tire is meant to be pointed down the hill, and it rewards the rider with outrageous levels of grip. It is a 1X12 / 10-52 and the front chagrin is a 32T. Ive been using this pad for 7 years and love its combination of light weight and relative comfort for side sleeping. Therefore, it is quite common to see riders opt for more aggressive tread designs for the front where their cornering grip and braking traction is a benefit, with less detriment to rolling resistance. Taller knobs with wide spacing can penetrate deeper into loose surfaces, and braking edges that face perpendicular to the direction of travel will most help slow your roll when it's super loose. Aside from testing the top-ranked mountain bikes on the market, our testers have also reviewed components from dropper seatposts to pedals (both clipless mountain bike pedals and flat pedal styles) and accessories like mountain bike helmets and the best men's mountain bike shoes and best women's mountain bike shoes. Flint hills trail state park. I eventually grew annoyed by the feeling of wind pulling on my helmet and mailed the brim home from Jackson. Related: Essential Bike Repair Skills You Can Learn at Home. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. Backflush syringe for Sawyer filter. Sign up here for occasional emails full of inspiration and information about bikepacking and bicycle touring. Traillinks. . Tires like the Schwalbe Magic Mary, Michelin Wild Enduro Rear, WTB Vigilante, and Maxxis Assegai slay corners, but they also roll much slower than most of the competition. 2.8" Mountain Bike Tires: 26 & 29 Inch MTB Tires for Sale Online Something with plenty of tire clearance and go with a plus sized tire on the front or something. My husband carried the body and I carried the fly. Despite its do-it-all intentions, it has a relatively aggressive tread design with tall, stout side knobs and similarly tall and aggressive tread in the center and intermediate zones that inspire confidence in corners and on the brakes. Related: How to Keep Electronics Charged While Bikepacking. George Rose / Contributor // Getty Images. Partial inclusion of GDMBR dirt route from Cuba to Grants 5. Rawlins to Pinedale (Great Basin) The Great Basin (the area starting north of Rawlins and ending south of Atlantic City) is often spoken about with reverence as the most remote and dry section of the entire Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. Even the legendary Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, which often crests above 10,000ft in its 2,700 miles, fits this category.Our selection of routes spans the whole spectrum, from short two-dayers in the desert, to properly long technical mountain routes, and woodsy adventures in . Read more: Specialized Butcher Grid Trail T9 review. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for GREAT DIVIDE MOUNTAIN BIKE ROUTE #1: ROOSVILLE, MONTANA - By Adventure Cycling at the best online prices at eBay! The feel of this tire may take a little getting used to for some, but once you experience the sensation of it locking into a turn, you'll have a hard time going back to anything else. The majority of our testing took place in dryer California conditions. While traveling across North America you bike 2,774 miles on a route that is 88% dirt and 12% paved roads. It's also one of the least expensive tires we tested, and we feel it is an excellent value. Im glad youre finding it helpful! Youll also want the ability to add another 3 4 liters occasionally, probably only a handful of times. How fast a tire wears out can be subjective and a function of how much, how hard, where, and what conditions you ride in. The handlebars are Salsa Cowchipper 50cm drop bars for best grip and handling. These are mostly country roads that traverse Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management land. Manufacturers use different rubber compounds and casing constructions, so some tires are more durable than others. It features 25% more pages with extra stories, bonus art and maps, and much more Issue 09 takes readers on trips through timeone to the early days of bicyclesand offers several reminders to be grateful for supportive friends and family, and strangers we meet along the way For Issue 08, we invited several contributors to return and pick up where earlier trips and ideas left off and also feature a handful of first-timers whose perspectives weve long been eager to share With the Tour Divide kicking off tomorrow, folks might be wondering how riders choose the best tires for the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, a long and intense ride that tests all bike components, especially the ones grinding along day after day. Other than what might be chalked up to a singular incident of difficult installation, we have little to complain about with this burly front tread. Afternoon thunderstorms are common throughout the Rockies and temperatures can drop quite low, so a good rain setup and warm layers are critical. Monday November 14, 2022. The tall center tread lugs with open spacing provide excellent braking traction, while the substantial row of shoulder knobs grip very well through corners. I likethese from REIandthese from Woolly Clothing. Heres the stuff that carried all the other stuff. But it delivers excellent pedaling traction. But its also a long time to be out there without whatever makes you feel comfortable and happy. As tires continue to trend wider, so too are the tires in our test. A mountain bike designed for off-road riding with adjustable components and a 1x drivetrain, and tires with good grip, puncture resistance, and durability will provide . The even tread pattern of those tires also feels more predictable on firm ground as the transition across the tread is smooth the whole way through. I wouldnt use this setup for prolonged technical riding, but it worked fine for gravel. I rarely have problems with tire rub if I pack properly. Read more: Review of my Salsa Fargo After 4500 Bikepacking Miles and Cutthroat vs. Fargo. We struggled to get the trail casing of the Kryptotal Fr and its counterpart (the Kryptotal Re) to seat, as a result, we might not recommend it to those who have more of a convenience-reigns, Laissez-faire approach to bike maintenance. Spare brake pads used and replaced several times! The only time I stretched its capacity was a 4 day section in New Mexico, otherwise there was plenty of opportunity to recharge on the GDMBR. No ads. More aggressive treads and softer rubber compounds have a tendency to roll more slowly. The Mazza mixes it up with the best of 'em. Headband and neck gaiter: Buff and/or bandana. Some tires are easier to install than others. Our selection of test tires is split between the two wheel sizes, and in many cases, our testers have experience riding them in both sizes. For the majority of these tires, we were able to install and seat the bead on our rims without the use of a high-powered compressor. The Longest Singletrack Tour Ever - Continental Divide Trail -Sandy tracks require 3.0" tires for flotation, while wide tires also provide natural suspension and necessary traction on . Paracord and carabinerfor hanging or otherwise securing the Ursack. What are the best tires for the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, the Tour Divide race, and other long, mixed-terrain bikepacking routes? Extra bottles: I carried two 1L Platypus SoftBottles for extra capacity. The stiff carcass on the Michelin Wild Enduro Front and Wild Enduro Rear were both tough to pull onto the rim. But when two of us together needed food for more than a day or two, it was too small. The DHR II has great braking traction, and it works very well for climbing in loose conditions. I suggest packing the same toilet kit you would for a wilderness backpacking trip. And Im glad Im not the only one who brings whatever I want to bring regardless of what others think! Figuring out which tires will perform well and hold up for the duration can be tricky, especially given all the options on the market. I expect this one to last at least another 7 years. Racers usually prioritize speed and a lightweight kit at the expense of some comfort, so keep this in mind if youre looking at other gear lists. The Maxxis Minion DHF, Vittoria Mazza, and Continental Kryptotal Fr use deep, open tread designs with tall knobs that dig well into just about any soil type. Plus, pit toilets are often out of toilet paper so youll need that no matter what. Those concerns aside, we feel this is a great, well-rounded rear tire for aggressive trail riding. Our joint tent: Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL3. The race was conceived in 2004 by cyclist Mike Curiak. Passport: My husband brought mine with him when we met in Jackson, and we both carried ours (carefully) for the rest of the trip. The Surly Krampus, released in 2012, established the plus bike genre with its massive 29 x 3.0in. Other rear tire options will roll noticeably faster than the DHR II, but that's a trade-off you'll need to consider for a tire with the cornering grip and braking traction it provides. And 68-year . In New Mexico in summer, nights can be hot. Some options for elevating your bachelor party bar hopping experience: Look up beer bikes in your city, which are enormous multi-person bikes pedaled by everyone in the party and led by a tour guide who'll direct you guys to some of the best bars in the city while enjoying some brews along the way. Likewise, the Michelin Wild Enduro Front is a top performer in the corners. The capacity of a regular Ursack was fine for my southern solo section and the more populated areas of the north. Check out the reviews on Dirt Rage and Twenty Nine Inches. 10 of the best USA bikepacking routes - Bike Perfect Road Test: Surly Bridge Club | Adventure Cycling Association It's possible your local shop might even curse getting these inflated. With that in mind, we set out to review the best tires for all-mountain and trail riding; you can even call it enduro if you like. I roll up the hand portion around my wrist when wearing bike gloves. Due to the Mazza's tread design, it has a bit more rolling resistance than tires with a less aggressive tread. Soloing the Great Divide Our Mother The Mountain Finally, Ill underscore again how many ways there are to pack for a route like the GDMBR. Mountain bike tires are expensive. Top tube bag: Moosetreks Gas Tank. Specialized recently updated their ever-popular Butcher tire with an all-new T9 rubber compound. The Maxxis Minion DHF is our top recommendation for a burly and aggressive front tire. Benson's mountain bike roots trace back to New England in the early 1990s, and he has seen and experienced the evolution of mountain bike tires. However, this isn't the most aggressive tire on the market. Power bank: 10,000 mAh Ainope, lightweight and quick-charging. Find the balance. MTB Project. How did this all work? While we were truly impressed by the performance of the Ground Control Grid T7, it is important to keep in mind that these tires do have limitations. Figuring out which tires will perform well and hold up for the duration can be tricky, especially given all the options on the market. It was originally only available in the DH casing which was super heavy, but now its versatility has been expanded to the rest of the market with the lighter options. When conditions are firm, some of our fastest rolling tires perform exceptionally well. In much of Canada, Montana, and Colorado its easy to find surface water multiple times per day. Given this tire's impressive rolling speed and moderate height/relatively tightly packed tread knobs, it can't compete with more aggressive tires in loose conditions. Every few days at most basically as often as youll find food youll find a convenience store with the basics like toothpaste or soap. The DHF is offered in all-wheel sizes and a huge variety of widths, casings, and rubber compounds to meet a broad range of user preferences. Pedals and Shoes for Bikepacking Is clipless worth it? You will want the cusion of a larger tyre. The WTB Trail Boss provides excellent cornering traction in the rear of the bike. We now have several models in the 2.5" and 2.6" widths that are becoming much more common in the current mountain bike tire market. there are a lot of toilets along the route, but that doesnt guarantee youll find one when you need it. Waterproof glove covers:MLD eVENT rain mittens, to cover gloves in case of both cold and wet weather. If youre not yet aware, the famous Tour Divide bikepacking race covers almost the same route as the GDMBR, but most racers aim to finish in under a month (or for the fastest folks, half that time!). Superb, extremely comprehensive, very useful. This post covers my experience bikepacking the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route in Montana.. A substantial row of side knobs handles well when tipped on edge through corners, with a supportive and durable EXO casing. The Avid BB7 brakes took a lot of fiddling to keep adjusted. But its always a good idea and offers an extra layer of safety if things ever go sideways. Bachelor Party Ideas: The Ultimate Guide To Throwing An Epic stunning mountain lakes and great views of the divide, High Rock Range, and Beehive Mountain. They give pretty good traction and so far have been very durable. Lets start with the most important part of a Great Divide bike route gear list: the bike, obviously! We also found it to be a touch heavy when compared to similarly aggressive tires of the same size. Land between the lakes canal loop mountain bike trail, Calvert City, Kentucky. (1) It can be argued that tires may be the most important (and most affordable) upgrades you can put on your bike. While the medium-height tread is efficient and capable for most situations, there are better options for braking traction when the terrain gets super loose. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. Help sustain this resource by joining the Bikepacking Collective: https://bikepacking.com/join/?utm_source=youtubeOutline: Intro - 0:00Support Bikepacking.com - 0:42Tire CharacteristicsWidth - 1:22Casing - 2:35Tread Pattern - 4:09Reliability - 5:53Tire OptionsWTB Nano - 6:30WTB Ranger - 7:40Maxxis Crossmark - 7:56Maxxis Ikon - 8:57Maxxis Ardent Race - 9:22Teravail Sparwood - 9:45Teravail Rutland - 10:26Vittoria Mezcal - 11:04Rene Herse Fleecer Ridge - 11:53Mentioned Links:29er Wheel Diameter History: (http://g-tedproductions.blogspot.com/p/beginnings-of-modern-29er-history.html)Tubeless Tire Repair and Install: (https://bikepacking.com/plan/tubeless-tire-repair-guide/)Rene Herse Fleecer Ridge Review: (https://bikepacking.com/gear/rene-herse-fleecer-ridge-review/)Eastern Divide: (https://bikepacking.com/plan/introducing-the-eastern-divide-trail/)Bikepacking Routes Page: (https://bikepacking.com/bikepacking-routes/)Do you enjoy our videos, routes, and articles? My solo tent: Big Sky Soul 1P. Still think lightweight racks ie Tailfin beat Saddle Packs by themselves by a street mile. Do you all think that would be too small? That said, selection is limited until you reach a larger town with a full grocery or drug store. Bowl: Sea to Summit collapsible mug. Lighter-weight tires often have less protective and resilient sidewalls, while those that weigh more can usually withstand a bit more abuse. The Specialized Ground Control Grid T7 is a tire that bridges the gap between cross-country and trail riding, call it down-country if you like. This is my full experience on the New Mexico portion of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.I rode the Priority 600x, a bike that I helped design. I used these less than expected on the GDMBR, but it was a relatively warm summer and my leisurely pace meant I rarely rode in the chilliest hours of the day. Its moderate height center tread is fast-rolling, yet it has a substantial row of side knobs that provide excellent grip in the corners. We put in lots of time and miles while testing mountain bike tires. Rarely used, but again, I had the luxury of mostly hunkering down in bad weather. The Vittoria Martello delivers excellent cornering abilities along with killer rolling speed. Does anyone have a recommendation on minimum tire width? Pat owns a bike shop in South Lake Tahoe and is passionate about rough and rocky trails. We felt this tire was the best balance of rolling resistance, grip, and traction offered in the entire test, a true all-around performer. Bigger than the Salsa pouch and similar in size to a Revelate pouch. The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route is a continuous long distance bicycle touring route from Banff, Alberta, Canada to Antelope Wells, New Mexico, USA (at the Mexico border). The Vigilante's aggressive tread design comes with a slight penalty in the rolling resistance department. Pillow: Sea to Summit 8 Liter Dry Sack stuffed with odds and ends and wrapped with a Buff. I heard the trails aren't that technical but I'm sure theres plenty of nasty stuff along the way. There are better choices than the Minion DHF if you ride firm ground almost exclusively due to the fact that the knobs are on the aggressive side with a fair amount of spacing between them. I absolutely recommend tubeless, especially in New Mexico. We inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. Wet, loose, loam, this tire rips into the soil. It's hardly a coincidence that many of the best front tires look similar. Flexible flask: Vapur 10oz, used to carry olive oil, or sometimes a bit of whiskey as a special treat. Tail light: Red blinky tail light for visibility on high-traffic roads. Youll probably have service in towns, but dont count on it out in the national forests. It sacrifices some rolling speed in exchange for boatloads of braking traction and cornering prowess. Despite the reduced weight, we found the tire to provide adequate sidewall support, and the Slash Guard (SG2) insert stood up to all the abuse we could dish out. RIDING THE GREAT DIVIDE - Dirt Bike Magazine The Maxxis Assegai is a gravity-oriented tire from Maxxis that was designed in collaboration with World Cup DH racing legend Greg Minaar. Cannondale Trail 5 for Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR)? - Reddit Lower profile tread designs like those of the Maxxis Ardent, Vittoria Agarro, and Michelin Force AM2 grip very well on hardpack and slabby rock, though they tend to falter when the surface conditions are super loose. We usually rode together and often filled up with potable water from campgrounds or stores, so we werent stopping to filter as often as we do on backpacking trips. to support us + get The Bikepacking Journal. The emergence of enduro racing has helped drive innovation in all aspects of bike manufacturing. Canada's Great Divide Trail - A Full Guide and Itinerary The Bikepacking Journal is our biannual printed publication. Bike/La Bici - Requirements for Baja Divide Tour - Baja Divide Read more: Specialized Ground Control Grid T7 review. March 22 T editors of M com U, 2021. Depending on your setup, some people will need multiple sets of new brake pads and maybe new tires. So useful for so many things: sun coverage, hair band, neck gaiter, towel, face covering, pillow case, etc. The 2.3 width was a good balance for me, but you could certainly go narrower or wider depending on your priorities. We also particularly like the 2-knob, alternating paddle tread running down the center of the WTB Vigilante. i can't attest to their load handling stregnth,as i just got my 1st 29er last week.i'm kinda a big fat n beefy tire kinda guy,so when i saw the nanorapters,i. Ive written about this little sanctuary many times before; it goes with me everywhere. This is a very popular filter and it works well. Ride, Eat, Sleep, Repeat 14 days on the Great Divide Copyright 2023 Exploring Wild, All Rights Reserved. To give context to the Great Divide gear list that follows, here are the basics of my experience on the GDMBR. Review of my Salsa Fargo After 4500 Bikepacking Miles. Choosing a Bike for the Great Divide | How To Department