Despite its high elevation, the trail often dips below the alpine timberline to provide refuge from the exposed, storm-prone regions above.
Given the constraints of the design of the bags, I couldn’t truly represent the beauty of Savannah’s original work, however, I hope I was able to honor her creativity and intent.
Learn More, We have ~100 routes on our worldwide bikepacking routes map.
Everything else is OvejaNegra.
XT brakes and crank. View The Classics, The Bikepacking Journal is our printed collection of inspiring writing and beautiful photography.Find details here alongside a growing collection of web exclusive features... Have one to share? Salsa top tube. Originally published in The Bikepacking Journal 03, Ditibised is Alexandera Houchin’s extraordinary story of training for the Tour Divide, framed in four seasons…. A full set of JPaks including: Dropper SeatPak, FramePak, FarvaPak, RukSaks and a custom H-BarPak and downtube BattPak. BAGS: The centerpiece of my bag setup is a custom Rockgeist frame bag. It’s extra sweet thanks to the flared nose and the black sparkle zipper. THE BIKE: I’ll be pedaling a 2019 Salsa Horsethief down the Colorado Trail. THE BIKE: Vassago Radimus Ti 27.5+, Maxxis Icon 2.8 tires, Nox Carbon Wheels, Fox 34 fork, SRAM XO components Etrex 30x GPS.
Rear wheel: DT Swiss. ), Segment 24 (21.1 Miles/4,600 Feet Elevation Gain/Rio Grande Reservoir Rd.
Approximately 300+ miles of singletrack at elevations ranging from 5500′ to a gasping-for-breath 13,200′. Two Nightrider 750’s light my way at night from the bars and a Nightrider 950 sits on my helmet. This will be my third time riding the Coloardo Trail on a Hei Hei, I think it’s the perfect michine for the task, remember 70k of climbing means 70k of decending! Visit this section to learn how to choose a route, and some insight into navigation. 2 Oveja Negra Chuckbuckets to hold water bottles and food. Bedrock Bags Dakota tank top tube bag. I’ll be using my trusty Etrex30 for navigation, Fenix lights, and Goretex rain gear for the inevitable cold Colorado rain.
THE BIKE: 2019 Santa Cruz BlurC, GX Eagle build and a 28 oval chainring.
THE BIKE: Modified titanium Salsa Mukluk single speed fat bike Click the link below to learn about each. Hope hubs for that bear scaring click and hope X2 brakes. I had custom DCF fabric printed from her original painting and used it to create these packs.I am so excited to have and represent her beautiful and meaningful work as I embark upon my journey across the Colorado trail in a few weeks.
Rockshox 140mm Pike up front. View The Map, There are some routes that are made classic by their sheer perfection, and others by races.
Read more here. The 2018 CTR starts in Denver and uses the Tarryall Detour as described in the offical Colorado Trail guidebook.
I may switch this out for a more weather proof Oveja Negra XL Snack Pack.
Hope those wheels hold out: they are super-light 1,428g beauties, if they survive.
Under the down tube are 2 storage 2 bags.
(Might run a RockGeist Gondola if I need more dropper post room) Whisky bars, post, rims.
Cick the link to see them plotted or select from the links to the right to filter.
BAGS: Revelate Designs Terrapin saddlebag, Revelate Designs Ranger frame bag, Bedrock Bags handlebar bag It is a self-timed ITT (Individual Time Trial): all that is provided is a route description, a suggested start time, and a list of results.
The drivetrain consists of a 1×12 Sram Eagle XO1, a Crane Creek’s eeWings crankset with a Wolftooth ss Camo 28t chain ring.
Maxxis Ikon + Ardent Race tires. Simply put, bikepacking is the synthesis of mountain biking and minimalist camping; it evokes the freedom of multi-day backcountry hiking, with the range and thrill of riding a mountain bike. See you in Denver!
THE BIKE: Riding for INCYCLE, Tasco, PhysioPhyx Sports Nutrition!
I’m running an oval absolute black 26 chainring and slx 11-46.
Time: 4:00 am. I wanted to do something very special with these bags. Titled “Hummingbird in Flowers”, it represents a hummingbird in flowers in the desert at night with the stars above and the earth below it. JPaks frame bag and top tube bag.
Photos and Video Stories about The Colorado Trail .
But, be warned — the CTR’s mood can change on a whim, and you may just as likely find yourself getting besieged by massive hailstones and lightning bolts.
Ergon grips and a wtb seat that I stole off my Otso fatbike! Love my Goretex ShakeDry jacket and Vibram soled Shimano MT54s.
Industry Nine 240c + Hydra hub wheelset.
Completed in 1987, the trail begins at the mouth of the Waterton Canyon (Northern Terminus) and finishes near Durango (Southern Terminus). A small Primus stove and Salsa ti mug will accompany me this trip for those cold, rainy afternoons and mornings. In short, don’t come to this race unprepared — no one will be there to rescue you. Custom frame bag with map pocket. An Alp Kit micro sized stove for hot treats. In my mind, the hummingbird will be coming with me and maybe, just maybe, I can fly light and fast through the nights like a hummingbird and be at one with this journey.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: SQ Lab Innerbarends – don’t know how I managed without them. View The Classics, The Bikepacking Journal is our printed collection of inspiring writing and beautiful photography.Find details here alongside a growing collection of web exclusive features... Have one to share?
THE BIKE: My bike of choise for the Colorado Trail is a Kona Hei Hei DL 29er with a Maxxis Ardent Race 2.35 in front and a Aspen 2.25 in rear.
Some high value & bargain buys, birthday treat is a Revelate Mag tank XL, then there is an ageing Specialized front harness to a UK designed frame bag by Altura.
THE BIKE: I call my bike Nintendo 65 (I pretend I’m in a video game when I bikepack) Its a 2017 Specialized Stumpjumper running 27.5 x 3” Ikon tires. Its highest point is 13,271 feet (4,045 m) above sea level, and most of the trail is above 10,000 feet (3,000 m). Three Nightrider 850 lights will be turning night into daylight.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Gear highlights include some water proof socks, second hand vegan Jersey and head band to keep my hair and sweat at Bay.
Cick the link to see them plotted or select from the links to the right to filter. The 2019 Colorado Trail Race runs from Durango to Denver, following the entire CTR route, only 25% of starters finished in 2017… When.
Bedrock Bags Black Dragon Dropper Seat Bag attached to a Wolf Tooth Valais dropper seat post bag adaptor.
THE BIKE: Santa Cruz Tallboy.
I’ll be carrying lots of warm and waterproof clothing and a bivy/sleeping bag/pad.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Black Diamond bipod bivy for shelter with Seat to Summit Micro MCII down sleeping bag and pillow. THE BIKE: Giant Anthem Advanced 29, Curve Cycling 30×30 wheels, K-Lite Ultra light, SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain, Shimano XT brakes.
The whole charging system is very efficient and uses a custom designed cache battery that switches between the bike in daylight and the helmet light at night. Denver or bust!! The highlight being the custom bolt-in FramePak that utilizes the stock H2O mounts and some adhesive velcro to hold in in place and has storage for daaaays! to support us & get The Bikepacking Journal. GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Prototype kLite front light, personally designed prototype charging electronics packed into a gutted Garmin external battery pod. BAGS: All handmade in Colorado by me, JPaks!
On the back it’s a 2.2 Maxxis Ikon with all the same protection as the front.
1×11 drivetrain with a 28T oval chainring, and a sweet gold chain.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My travel size deodorant. GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: SQlab inner bar ends and 15deg sweep riser bars.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’m really enjoying my Ti Fabrications seatpost and Sea to Summit Spark Ultralight sleeping bag.
For lighting, as I’m scared of the dark, I decided to banish it by taking an Exposure Six Pack: 24 hours of 1,000 lumens, plus a Petzl ReactiK headtorch.
Enlightened Equipment quilt and the new Ultimate Direction FK Tarp + bike addon (fairly real shelter in case it’s like CTR 2017 all over). THE BIKE: Just the same old bike that’s been on here a coupla other times: Salsa Woodsmoke with Salsa Firestarter.
70oz hydration bladder in the FramePak and 1 bottle on the stem. Originally published in The Bikepacking Journal 03, Ditibised is Alexandera Houchin’s extraordinary story of training for the Tour Divide, framed in four seasons…. THE BIKE: I’ll be riding the Colorado Trail on my Niner Air 9 RDO with a Fox Float 29 100mm fork. THE BIKE: I’ll be riding the CTR on a board of my trusted Carver Gnarvester 29+ TI hardtail with a Fox 34 float SC fork and a Nextie/DT Swiss wheelset with 29×3 WTB Ranger tires. Fox transfer dropper post and Ergon SR Pro saddle. GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: A super snuggly Rab Nutrino Pro 400 sleeping bag, a high priority of mine is not to get chilly when trying to get the power naps in.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: The centrepiece of my sleep kit is a 180g half sleeping bag made in Melbourne by Evan at Terra Rosa Gear. Only about 25% of starters finished. The Colorado Trail features 500 miles and 70,000′ of elevation gain winding through the Colorado Rocky Mountains between Denver and Durango.
BAGS: Bags are a full Revelate setup, harness and salty roll for sleeping bag and clothes, mag tank 2000 and Jerry can for snacks, frame bag for tools and food and baby terapin for tent and first aid.
Also, the BarYak ultra setup is really nice for extra cockpit and mounting space up front. Saddlebag: Bedrock Coconino. Stretching 485 miles from Littleton to Durango, this trail moves through some remarkable terrain with 75,000 feet of elevation change. Colorado Trail 2019 Alive and Kicking, a film by bike-packer, Dave Baumann.
Velorution Cycles. Suspension handlebars from Fasst Company MTB.
THE BIKE: I’ll be riding on a Yeti SB100 with a 28T oval chain ring, nox farlow rims, I9 hubs, maxxis ardent race up front, Ikon in the back, fox transfer dropper For hydration I will be using the new Bismarck Bottle Bucket by Rogue Panda with a 1L bottle. THE BIKE: Santa Cruz Bronson V2 C BAGS: The center of attention is a custom Fiber Flight 2.92 Cuben Fiber Hybrid frame bag from Rockgeist.
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