Tour Divide Kit List- One for the obsessives

With just a day or two to go before I fly out to Canada here's a quick kit list of what I'm taking:

Bike:
Frame: Charge Cooker Ti 29er
Fork: Superstar Carbon Monocoque
Front Wheel: SP-PD8X dynamo hub and Velocity Blunt SS rim
Rear Wheel: DT-Swiss 350 hub and Velocity Blunt SS rim
Tyres: Continental X-King Protection 29 x 2.4" tyres set up tubeless
QRs: Salsa F&R
Chainset: Raceface Ride with Absolute Black 36T Oval N/W ring
Bottom Bracket: Uberbike Ceramic HTII
Pedals: Lifeline SPD
Chain: KMC X-11SL Goldie Lookin' Chain
Rear Derailleur: Shimano XT M8000 GS
Cassette: Shimano XT M8000 11-42 11spd
Headset: Lifeline Integrated
Stem: Thomson 90mm 4X
Handlebars: Jones Loop bars 710mm
Brakes: Shimano XT M785
Brake Pads: Superstar Sintered
Grips: Ergon GS-1
Bar tape: Deda Carbon in Black
Cables: Shimano XT with Transfil sealed cable kit
Seatpost: Thomson 27.2 410mm
Seat: Charge Knife Ti
Front light: Exposure Revo
Rear Light: Exposure Red-Eye

Handlebar Luggage:
Wildcat Gear Tomcat Jones bar pouch
Sinewave Revolution Dynamo-USB Charger
Duracell 1150mAH buffer battery
iHarbort 5000mAH buffer battery
Various micro/mini USB cables as necessary

Revelate Designs Sweetroll
Alpkit Numo Mattress
Alpkit Cloud Cover Down Quilt
Six Moons Designs Wild Oasis Tarp Tent
Tyvek Floor for above
SOL Emergency Bivi

Revelate Pocket
ACA Tour Divide Maps
Cue Cards
Pinarello Softshell hat
Specialized Wiretap Body Geometry Gel gloves
Gore Bikewear Windstopper Headband
Other stuff TBC probably food/warm gloves/etc.

Alpkit Stem Cells x 2
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Smartphone
Oakley Jawbone Sunglasses
Other stuff TBC, probably beef jerky

Revelate Designs Gastank
TBC, probably sweets

Revelate Designs Jerry Can
Garmin Dakota 20
Alpkit Viper Headtorch
Spare Batteries
Blinky rear light

Revelate Designs Viscacha
Sleep Kit:
Finisterre Merino Baselayer Top
Finisterre Merino Baselayer Bottoms
Finisterre Merino Boxers

Riding Kit:
DHB ASV Merino socks
Planet X Thicky Merino Socks
Sessions Goretex Mitts
Kalas Hangar111-C6 SS Racing Jersey x2
Kalas Hangar111-C6 Racing Gilet
DHB ASV Bib Shorts
Rapha Brevet Bib Shorts
Rapha UV Arm Screens
Castelli UV Leg Screens
Giro Terraduro HV Shoes (Not in Viscacha)
Giro Foray Helmet (Also not in Viscacha)

Wet Weather Kit:
Montane Trailblazer jacket
Gore Bikewear Powertrail shorts
DHB Aeron Rain defence leg warmers
Gore Bikewear Goretex Socks

Cold weather Kit
Polaris windproof fleece gloves
Karrimor Down Jacket
Uniqlo Down Gilet

Revelate Designs Moonlander (!) Frame bag
Side pocket:
Easton Carbon Pole
Alpkit Y Beam pegs

Top pocket:
Wash kit (Soap, Toothbrush & paste, hand gel, baby wipes)
Medical kit (Chamois cream, plasters, Sudocrem, Vitamin I, Antacids, Immodium, Water purification tablets)
Lezyne Micro Floor Drive HV Pump
Retractable Cable lock x 2

Bottom Pocket:
Innertubes x 2
Lifeline Dry Chain Lube & Rag
Tool Roll (Topeak Mini 20 Multi-tool, Lezyne patch kit, Tyre levers, zip-ties, gorilla tape)
Superstar Sintered Pads x 4 pairs

Water carrying kit
Free Parable Gorilla Clips x 3 (Under Downtube and one on each fork leg)
Free Parable Gorilla Cage under downtube
Elite Custom Cages x 2 (One on each fork leg)
Wingnut Hyper 2.5 w. 2 litre Camelback bladder
Mountain Warehouse collapsable 500ml bottle x 2
High 5 750ml bottle
Travel Tap 800ml bottle with integrated filter

Electronics
Aforementioned Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Smartphone 32gb w. 128gb SD Storage
Garmin Edge 810
Garmin ANT HRM
Garmin Dakota 20
Spot Gen 3 GPS Tracking device
Halfords 5 function cycle computer
Energizer Lithium Batteries where appropriate

Clothes on a one-way trip to Banff
Levi's Engineered Jeans (Yes, really)
Poloshirt
Least favourite socks and boxers
Tired old All-Star low tops

Bear Deterrents
Gruffalo Mascot

Getting down and dirty....DR200

Initially, I kicked myself for signing up to the Dirty Reiver as it would take me about seven hours to drive there and on the same weekend the local XC series was pitching up minutes from my house! Still, I was on the list and 200km around Kielder Forest was going to be better Tour Divide Prep than 90 mins around the grounds of a stately home!

I rode the bike I intend to use on this year’s Tour Divide, a Charge Cooker Ti 29er with rigid forks. It was interesting seeing how different bikes and riders coped with the varied course, not all fire roads are created equal and on a few sections the 29er was the right choice, anything smooth though and I was left for dead by the skinnies! I’d not ridden around Kielder before and was impressed at how “out there” a big organised ride could feel.

So despite the long drive, I’ll definitely look to take part again, the organisation, facilities and general atmosphere was fantastic. Getting nearly 400 riders started with no queuing or bottlenecks was impressive! 

I made it back in 74th place from 350+ riders, with the 3 hrs of sleep and the long drive to get there excuses handy I'm pleased with that. Next time though I reckon I'll be on 40c, not 2.4 tyres....

Back in black...

Ah, the BB200. Stu, the man behind BearBones Bikepacking and Forest Freeride is someone for whom a great many cyclists have a love/hate relationship with. They love the BearBones forum, the blog, the nifty little stoves. They love the events, so much so they sell out in hours......but.....and it's a big but, at some point, when you're on the BB200 I'm sure most riders will have cursed his existence.

Charge Cooker Ti 29er ready for action!

My first attempt at the BB200 was in 2013. I'd competed in the Bontrager 24/12 earlier than year and achieved a top 20 finish in the 24hr solo. I felt ready for the BB200, it was only 125 miles compared to the 175 I'd achieved in 24 hrs at Bonty, it'll be a doddle, right? Wrong. Doing 20 odd laps means you know what to expect, you pass your pit every hour and you're carrying little more than spare tube and a C02 cart. On the BB200 once it gets dark any town or village you pass through the shops will have long since shut, you have to carry everything you might need (including an obligatory sleeping bag & shelter) and any groomed/buff singletrack will be pure fluke. I'm pleased to say despite a couple of OTBs, a 3am bonk and a "minutes from home" navigation cock-up I rolled in after 22.5 hours to claim a black badge.

2014 was another story, I'd brought along a Carbon hardtail instead of the Fargo, stripped everything back and.....25hrs. The infamous 2014 route will go down in history, and forever mentioned whenever Sisyphus crops up in conversation. Stu appears to have been called every name under the sun (even contacted mid-ride) for creating a course comprising more bogs, tussocks and labyrinthine navigation than was previously thought possible.

And yet, when the 2015 event opened for entries it was a sell out in mere hours and a waiting list soon developed! So, as I rode off from the start, preparing to ride 200k on a bike, and more importantly a saddle, I'd not done more than 6 hours on. It gores without saying the previous year weighed heavily on my mind. The forecast was good but the sky overcast and to nobodies surprise less than an hour in and the bog trotting began.

Typical Welsh Bridleway

Luckily my fears were unfounded and this was a temporary blip. The route was a real gem, of course there was a section of tussocks, and the boggy track above but I defy anyone to link 125 miles of trails through Wales and avoid them entirely. I'm also pretty sure that it took me down the steepest trail I've ever ridden. This was a  challenge, but it wasn't just a slog.

I stuck to the nutrition (if sweets and pies constitute nutrition!) plan I used last year, forget having a large meal and instead eat a small snack every hour or so. I had a few gels, including some caffeine ones, but only for emergency use. I've given up on gels generally and carting sticky wrappers around for 125 miles didn't appeal. It's interesting to note how on a ride I can make a bag of Haribo last 18 hrs but on a sofa they vanish in minutes! 

So, how'd I get on? Well, after a shaky start where my Garmin didn't do very much I was happy with my pace and the Charge rode like a dream. I avoided making (m)any stupid navigational errors and rolled into Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, after the chippy shut, but before the Spar closed. I didn't need any supplies, (and in fact I'm eating some as I type) but there's a positive boost from *knowing* you definitely have enough fuel in reserve.

With this year's event having an "open" start time of anywhere between 8 & 10 am there was a lot of leap-frogging between entrants with differing pace, it also meant that if some passed you you weren't sure if they were faster or has stopped for an hour and were still technically behind!

About 20 miles from the end I was starting to flag but I knew that once I'd got to Staylittle, it was essentially downhill all the way. On seeing the "Llanbrynmair 7" sign I knew I could go all out and if I bonked I'd still be able to coast to the finish! I felt a bit bad leaving the chap I'd been riding with for the last hour or so but I was keen to put in a good time. The Charge had a 34t Absolute Black Oval ring paired with an 11(-42 expanded cassette) so the Cadence I could muster was  good for about 35mph. I rolled in at 6.23 a.m. 20hrs and 53 minutes after I set off. It was hard to work out my finishing position as many riders listed as returned were DNF. Thanks to Zippy on the forum for waving his magic Excel wand and establishing that I'd come back in 6th place. 39 riders were listed as finishers with the final one making it back after 36hrs in the saddle. Around 25 riders, or their perhaps their equipment, were unable to finish the route.
One BB200 tradition that is popular with all riders that was again in evidence was the welcoming breakfast courtesy of Dee and the collection of your finisher's badge.

Back in Black!

If the idea of the BB200 appeals, and you want in before next October have a look at http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/index.php and see about the other events that carry the Bear Bones certificate of sufferi......err approval!

Go on then, I'll give you one more chance....

“There are no second chances in life, except to feel remorse.” 
― Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Shadow of the Wind

Scott Mountain Marathon Round 3: Church Stretton ride report

I can't remember how coy I was when summing up my thoughts about the last Scott MTB Marathon I entered, so I'll be clear this time....the route sucked. It consisted of far too many fire road climbs and then squandered that effort with too many arrow straight lumpy and uninspiring descents. It didn't make me want to try another.

So why did I end up at Round 3 then? I had the option of hitting the road (Nah, did a century last weekend), MSG XC at Ickworth (Nah, it'll be over in 90 mins and flat) so let's think about another marathon event. I looked over the OS map to confirm that Church Stretton wasn't suffocated by acres of FC plantations and was relieved to find that was the case. I also hadn't visited the area since doing my Silver D. of E. so the chance to ride the Long Mynd, Minton Batch, etc perhaps wasn't to be missed.

Once again GringoJimi and I dropped in on C6 Bikes on the way, we both needed some drink mix and I needed a new helmet. 

I went for another Skratch Labs bottle taster bundle and Jimi opted for a bucket of Torq. While there we learned some top secret news about team bikes for 2016....more details to follow.

For my new helmet I went for a Giro Foray. I've gone off MTB or trail helmets for riding in, the peak never seems to do much and they seem unnecessarily heavy. The Foray felt comfy straight away. It's only about 50g lighter than the Specialized Tactic II it's replacing (if the labels are to be believed) but once on it doesn't protrude into your peripheral vision so it almost disappears.  

After a quick look over the new Storck range we hit the road and thankfully the M6 was kind to us. The Marathon arena was much the same as round 2, that is, a decent range of food and drink and a sprinkling of trade stands, no bad thing.

The main event...

As with Round 2 the start was a bun fight. 700 riders fed into a single lane road couldn't be anything other than that. I guess it the interests of everyone having the same start time it has to be done that way. Having learned that a quick start was essential to clear the main bunch we planned to quick off the block, alas the sheer volume of riders made that impossible. As it's not a race, and a large percentage of riders aren't out to race trying to force your way through the pack would just make you look an arse and probably lead to a massive crash. Bide your time and the first big climb gives you the opportunity to get past a few.

The route itself was a vast improvement over Round 2. Far fewer fire roads, instead lots of nice trails crossing "proper countryside". I did feel a bit guilty at the volume of riders when it appeared to have been the number one weekend for D. of E. groups to hit the hills too.

Basking in the sunshine...

The weather for the most part didn't disappoint, two bottles of Skratch (One raspberry and one lemon/lime) were enough even though it started off roasting hot. I say for the most part as 20k from the end the heavens opened in a big way. Thankfully I was through the Jurassic trails of Eastridge when the downpour started. It's also interesting how motivating it can be to get the hell out of Dodge in adverse conditions. The return leg repeated one of the more sketchy, technical descents and Strava reveals I completed it faster in the wet than I did in the dry with fresh legs!

I just want to finish now...

I really enjoyed my ride in Shropshire and lamented that I have driven through without stopping en route to Wales many times. Like Arnie said....I'll be back!

Post script.....The conditions for the XC race at Ickworth were atrocious with mnay people abandoning the race after clogging with mud on their practice lap. Bullet dodged!

Scott MTB Marathon Round 2 Rhayader

The wise man does at once what the fool does finally.
Niccolo Machiavelli

Having let work get in the way of doing the Builth round of the Scott Marathon series I was twice as keen to do Round 2, particularly as I've ridden a lot in Mid-Wales but usually while on a laden bike-packing bike, not an XC bike carrying just a couple of gels.


I'd be chauffeured there by Gringo Jimi in his recently pimped-out van, this was another first, Mid-Wales, unladen bike and no Bivi either!

Prep for the event meant a new chain, PF30 BB and Jagwire gear cables for the Spearfish. My last marathon outing in Wales led to a significant walk of shame from Crychan Forest to Llanwrtyd Wells as my well used Nobby Nics were fatally and repeatedly punctured by slate chippings. The Onza Canis fitted to the Spearfish were only a couple of rides old so a quick once over and they were cleared for take-off. Any signs of wear and I'd have binned them, it's not worth the gamble.

Leaving my final  packing to the last minute *again* meant I couldn't lay my hands on a mini-pump or any drink mix. Luckily we were dropping by C6 Bikes to pick up a Park work stand so I was able to get my missing items.

Doing my best to avoid the tempting Santa Cruz display I chose myself a Birzman Mini-Apogee, it looks to be the smallest useful pump I've seen. Weighs nowt, feels sturdy considering the size and best of all fits in my tiny seat pack.....I felt 70km of Welsh off-roading was certain to lead to a lost pump from a jersey back pocket. I can't comment on it's performance just yet as I didn't suffer any punctures!

Birzman Mini-Apogee  14cm tall, 2.5cm diameter and 4cm across at the head. 80g and good for 120psi!

I took a gamble on the drink mix by opting for Skratch Labs . I'd not tried any before but had heard good things and C6 had a handy trial kit that comprised of a bottle and 6 different sachets. 

Skratch Labs Taster pack: Specialized 500ml bottle with 6 different flavour drink sachets

The Lemon sachet, when mixed with 500ml of water had just enough flavour without the artificial excessive sweetness that is often typical of powered mixes. Like the pump I'll reserve judgement until I've tried the rest but it was certainly nicer than the Torq lime mix given out by the Scott Marathon feed station.

It would have been so pointless to kill himself that, even if he had wanted to, the pointlessness would have made him unable.

Franz Kafka

"Reckon we could fit that in the van?"

So on to the event. You might have guessed I like going on long rides, I'll happily do closed course rides but if I can go out for a few hours and not cover the same trail twice that's even better. The marathon series then should be perfect, it's on public trails so it's not a race and it's a (25, 40 or in our case) 70km lap.

The event was based at Rhayader Rugby ground and for £35 the facilities, live band, pasta meal and decent event T-Shirt are good VFM.

Camp site the night before

With 600+ entrants leaving through a small market town it was never going to be a smooth departure but I think some sort of seeding would've been sensible as it was a bit of bun fight.
There was a pace car but everyone seemed perfectly able to keep pace so the bun fight continued for a good few miles.

The evening before I saw the route map and it looked suspiciously like it spent a lot of time in commercial forest plantations, unfortunately this proved to be true. I'd say the route was probably 60% fire roads, 10% fall line arrow straight single track, 10% muddy land rover tracks, and 20% Tarmac. There was some of the gotta catch 'em feeling from regular XC races but a lot of the time was spent thinking oh, another fire road climb. 

Still, look for the positives, it lashed down in Suffolk while Wales had glorious sunshine and racking up some height gain can't be all bad.

Getting back to the van the rider parked next to us was impressed we'd done the 70k ride and had thoroughly enjoyed his day so the organisers are obviously doing something right, for me (and Gringo Jimi) it was 70k of very samey trails.

Gringo Jimi's Santa Cruz Highball CC XTR *swoon* and Britney Spearfish