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Tour Divide challenges a fixed course annually called the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route . Not only is the Great Divide Route a true classic, its 'primary track' is pursued with consistency by TD athletes so that year to year, finish times may always be compared directly to the record books .

The Great Divide Route is the world's longest off-pavement cycling route. It was tirelessly mapped over a 4 year span, and published in 1998 by Adventure Cycling Association, North America's premiere bicycle travel organization. The route is highlighted by long dirt roads and jeep trails that wend their way through forgotten passes of the Continental Divide . It travels through Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, and the United States of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico ( map ). By route's end a thru-rider will climb nearly 200,000 feet of vertical (equivalent to summiting Mount Everest from sea-level 7 times). 

It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.   –Ernest Hemingway

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Halfway Anywhere

The Tour Divide: What, Where, Why, and How?

By Mac Leave a Comment

The Tour Divide is an annual 2,700-mile (4,300 km) self-supported bikepacking race following the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR). Most of the route follows dirt and gravel roads with a few sections of pavement or singletrack sprinkled in for good measure (along with the occasional hike-a-bike section).

Cursory internet sleuthing tells me that the current iteration of the Tour Divide began in 2008. However, the first individual time trial of the route was in 2005, and people have been riding the GDMBR since as early as 1997 when the Adventure Cycling Association first mapped it.

Speaking of websites, the current Tour Divide website hasn’t been updated since 2014 and leaves much to be desired. Or perhaps the state of the website is instead part of the Tour Divide’s charm? Mystique? Neato-ness?

You may already have more questions than answers if you’ve encountered this with zero knowledge of the Tour Divide or the GDMBR. Fear not; they will be addressed. Also, know that I will likely have many of the same questions. I intend to answer said questions by participating in (and hopefully completing) this year’s Tour Divide.

That said, I’ve been doing my research (and investing heavily in bikepacking gear).

What Is the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route?

The northern terminus of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) is in Jasper (it was in Banff – the start of the Tour Divide – until 2018), a resort town in Alberta, Canada. It then heads south for over 3,000 mi / 4,800 km to its southern terminus at the US-Mexico Border at Antelope Wells, New Mexico. It can be ridden in either direction, but it’s traditionally ridden southbound.

Along with the Arizona Trail and the Colorado Trail, it comprises the most significant leg of bikepacking’s Triple Crown; similar to the thru-hiking Triple Crown comprised of the Pacific Crest Trail , Continental Divide Trail , and Appalachian Trail .

The route is almost entirely along dirt and gravel roads and is, for the most part, not a technical ride (i.e., you don’t need to be an expert-level mountain biker to navigate the GDMBR). Yes, there are a few short sections of singletrack, but overall, this route is suited for gravel or mountain bikes (but certainly not road bikes).

The GDMBR is approximately 3,000 mi / 4,800 km long and has over 133,000 ft / 40,500 m of climbing and an equal amount of descent. It passes through seven states/provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. Despite beginning in Canada (as in riders must pass immigration at a border crossing), the route does not enter Mexico; it ends (or begins) at the US-Mexico Border.

The Difference Between the Tour Divide and the GDMBR

You may be asking yourself, as I have, what’s the difference between the Tour Divide and the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route? The answer? Nothing. Kind of.

The Tour Divide is the name of the annual self-supported race of the GDMBR . Put another way, the Tour Divide follows the GDMBR. However, it begins in Banff instead of Jasper; Banff was the northern terminus of the GDMBR until 2018, when it was moved to Jasper. At least, that’s all you need to know if you’re not racing and/or riding the Tour Divide. What’s self-supported? It means that racers are only afforded resources available to everyone else participating.

For example, staying at a hotel? Perfectly fine. Staying at a friend’s house? Not okay.

When you drill down to the details, there are a few sections where the Tour Divide diverges from the GDMBR. But for all intents and purposes, they’re the same; again, unless you’re concerned about racing the Tour Dviide, then there are a few spots you need to take note of.

Every year, people bikepack all or part of the GDMBR on their own (in both directions). These people can take as much or as little time as they like – many presumably even enjoy their experience. Meanwhile, others decide to race the Tour Divide beginning on the second Friday of June at the northern terminus in Banff, Alberta (in Canada). The latter group’s enjoyment often falls more heavily into the Type II (or even Type III) fun category.

The GDMBR Versus the Continental Divide Trail

When I first hiked the Continental Divide Trail (CDT), I met one person in Island Park, Idaho, who was riding the Divide; I had no idea what they were doing, what the Tour Divide was, or what the GDMBR was. The cyclist was stoked to see me and my CDT hiking buddy, but we thought ourselves cooler than him because what could be cooler than hiking the CDT?

How things have changed. I apologize for not greeting you with the enthusiasm you deserved, anonymous 2017 Tour Divide racer.

Despite the CDT following a lot of dirt and gravel roads – that would be suitable for bikepacking – there’s actually very little overlap between the two routes. Yes, there will be opportunities for northbound CDT thru-hikers to see Tour Divide riders, but many will pass like ships in the night.

The Tour Divide starts too early for southbound CDT hikers to catch any riders, but they could still encounter northbound GDMBR riders during their thru-hikes. Remember, play nice if/when you see each other out there. We’re all out there doing awesome things in nature. There’s no need to perpetuate a bikepacker-backpacker divide (on the Divide).

How to Participate in the Tour Divide

The community that has made the Tour Divide what it is today doesn’t exist as an official organization or entity. Instead, it’s willed into being by the yearly riding crop’s cohesion, carrying on traditions from and iterating upon actions of previous years’ cyclists.

There’s no sign-up form, no entry fee, no website (at least not a website updated in the last decade), and no organized event at the starting line in Banff (or at the finish line at Antelope Wells, New Mexico).

Most of the organization appears to come from Facebook groups (typically some of the most toxic online cesspools, but in rare cases, useful information corners). Every year, participants who provide tracking information (using a device such as a Garmin inReach Mini 2 ) to trackleaders can be watched online as they move down the course.

You show up in Banff, start riding south on the second Friday in June, tell anyone who asks that you’re riding the Tour Divide, and BOOM! you’re officially racing the Tour Divide. I’ve heard that in recent years that the community attempts to organize waves of riders (based on estimated finishing time) to ease impacts and congestion on/along the start of the race. Don’t want the local government to come in and try to shut down the unofficial race, after all.

Maybe one day, the magic of this unofficial, unorganized, organized, official bikepacking race will wane as permits, regulations, and rules are imposed with increasing popularity and awareness of the event. Maybe someone will write a best-selling book about the Tour Divide and blow it up like a certain unnamed book did to a certain unnamed trail in the Western United States.

Apparently, you’re supposed to send in a letter of intent to a random email address that I suspect is maintained by the crew at Bikepacking.com , but the letters of intent used to be posted to the Tour Divide website (which seems like it was a fun tradition that’s now sadly gone as of 2010).

For now, you only need to get on your bike and ride.

The Tour Divide is the unofficial orrifical self-supported race of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, with a few changes to the route. Simple enough, right?

It’s an incredible test of physical and mental endurance, with many riders forgoing sleep to put in more hours on the bike (how many hours I sleep every night is something I’m interested in seeing).

According to DotWatcher , since the Tour Divide’s conception in 2008, only 716 riders have completed the race (this number is likely not 100% accurate, but it’s about as good as we can do). Hopefully, after this year’s race, I will be able to count myself among the fewer than 1,000 total finishers.

For now, it’s time to go and ride my bike .

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TOUR DIVIDE GUIDE - BIKEPACKING

YOUR ULTIMATE BIKEPACKING GUIDE TO THE TOUR DIVIDE.

For more information on the Tour Divide visit our TD Resource page . »

Deciding to do the Tour Divide comes with a lot of questions and concerns.  I can tell you they’re not as scary as they seem. If you start with a plan and break down the process your worries will change into confidence. Your biggest issue is finding the proper information.

This page is meant to be a simple overview of the Tour Divide.  During my own Tour Divide I realized there was a need for a guide covering the route just for bikepackers. This page is broken down into simple sections so you can easily get a feel for the route.  It’s also part of a larger all inclusive guide, so you can focus on riding your bike instead of searching the internet for hours on end.

Where do you start?  This Tour Divide Guide is a great starting point but if you want to know more, checkout the “TD Resources” button below.  You’ll find information on resupply, transportation, gear and more.

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Tour Divide Rider Survey

The Project conducts an ongoing rider survey to help new riders try to figure out what gear to use on the Tour Divide. Undertaking a ride/adventure like can be very intimidating and the planning can be overwhelming. It’s our hope this survey will help new riders with their planning and execution of their Tour Divide ride, as well as help ensure riders are more properly prepared for their adventure.

If you haven’t taken the Tour Divide Rider Survey yet and would like to you can at the links below.

***Please pay attention to the examples for the questions where you have to type in your answer. If answers are not entered EXACTLY like the example I have to go in and correct them and it also throws off the results. Thanks in advance!

Covers: bikes, suspension, tires & wheels, drivetrain, and Components.

Covers: navigation planning, camping, logistic/travel, clothes, and more.

2745 Miles (4418km)

DIFFICULTY (1-10)

Elevation gain.

200,000 Feet (60,960m)

HIGHEST POINT

11,913 Feet (3631m)

TIME REQUIRED

% singletrack, time of year.

June to October

2nd Friday of June

Closest Towns to Start/Finish

Banff, AB and Lordsburg, NM

Race Record

Male Mike Hall (2016) 13:22:51 Female Lael Wilcox (2015) 15:10:59

The Tour Divide is an 2745 mile route that stretches from Banff, AB to Antelope Wells, NM.  The route is roughly 70% off road, consisting of gravel roads, jeep track, and a very small percentage of single track.  Traveling through the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, and the states of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico, the trails covers a wide range of landscapes.

The route is based off the GDMBR* (Great Divide Mountain Bike Route) from the Adventure Cycling Association , and took four years to map and was released by  in 1998.  The first ITT of the route was in 2005, while the first Grand Depart was in 2008 (usually held on the second Friday in June).  Only a handful of riders attended the first Grand Depart but today close to 200 brave men and women toe the line to test themselves against each other, the route, Mother Nature and most importantly, themselves.

Starting in Banff, AB the Tour Divide winds its way through the Canadian Rockies along glacial rivers and grizzly country.  As it travels south the route samples many different types of landscape.  In Montana and Colorado you’ll experience mountain wilderness, Idaho and Wyoming offer up grasslands and endless rolling hills, while New Mexico and southern Colorado have high desert.  Near the border you are treated one last time with time spent in the Chihuahuan Desert.

Don’t let the fact that the route is mostly dirt roads and lacks technical single track fool you. The attrition rate is 60%.  Exhaustion, hypothermia, boredom, and mechanicals are common place on this, the longest bikepacking route in the world.

*The Project doesn’t have a separate resource for the GDMBR but we do off planning aids. You can find them here .

Elevation profiles provided by John Schilling.  Support John’s effort by purchasing prints, sticks and mugs of these profiles.

2024 TOUR DIVIDE COUNT DOWN

June 14, 2024

TOUR DIVIDE RACING

TOUR DIVIDE 

The Tour Divide is not an sanctioned or organized race in any way. Consequently it’s regarded as large group ride that follows a fixed route, a set time, a set of simple rules and that’s all. Those who partake should understand this and obey the gentleman’s agreement to “race” fairly and follow the rules. There are no checkpoints, race organizers, aid stations or aid of any kind. You’re solely responsible for your own welfare.

The TD starts in the Banff on the 2nd Friday of June. The start is now broken down in waves to help not over crowd the local trail system in Banff. There is usually a neutral roll out and the racing starts when you hit the dirt road just south of the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.

Suggested Start Date:

2nd Friday of June  (staggered start)

Registration:

Send a letter of intent after winter solstice to [email protected].

Bikepack racing is generally not organized, no entry fees are collected or prizes given out, but there are a general set of guidelines all bikepacking races follow. As a result the rules are designed to create a level playing field for all who decide to participate.

*Note these rules are the general rules for bikepack racing and each event may have their own specific rules and they also change from time to time. With that said it’s important you read and understand the official rules which can be found at the link below.

1. Racers must completely cover the route under their own power.

2. No outside support is allowed.

3. Food/supply caching on the trail is not allowed ahead of time (but one can ship items to a Post Office).

4. Motorized transportation or hitch-hiking, EXCEPT for travel to hospital/medical care, is NOT allowed at anytime.

The following are allowed, but not encouraged. Please use sparingly.

5. Unintended assistance from fellow racers is ACCEPTABLE.

6. Trail magic is OK – but please, no begging or fishing (hinting).

7. Mailing resupplies to Post Offices is ACCEPTABLE.

For full rules visit TourDivide.org .

No entry fee, no prizes, absolutely no support 

IMPORTANT RACE INFORMATION

Registration: Send letters of intent after the winter solstice to [email protected].

The GPX file can be found TopoFusion.com , and usually is updated about a week before the start.

In-Race Updates called “Rained Out” are used to update racers of any route changes/detours. Links will be emailed to you (via text message or email for non-US phones).

A Bear Spray discount (15%) is usually arranged in the months leading up to the start. Keep a watch on the Facebook pages for details.

Salsa stem caps are usually available at the start in Banff.  You can get yourself a free piece of pie when you get to Pie Town, NM.

SPOT TRACKING 

Racers and those touring the Tour Divide are encouraged to carry a Spot tracker, though they are not mandatory.  Due to the remoteness and sheer difficulty of the trail I personal believe you’d be crazy not to.  Racers can sign up at Trackleaders.com one month before the race if they choose to.

You can rent a Spot from Trackleaders.com around one month before the start of the race (You’ll receive information to your email you used when signing up).  Check Trackleaders or Bikepacking.net forums for information at that time.

SUPPORT THE ACA 

The Adventure Cycling Association (ACA) has no ties to the race but they did build the route, have created amazing maps and their a great resource .  It’s because of them we have this amazing route to race/ride.  Please consider joining the ACA.  Membership is only $45 and as a member you get all kinds of discounts and other perks, most noteworthy a discount on maps.

Tour Divide Planning Aids

Being that I’m also a Triple Crown thru-hiker I’m used to quality planning tools. After finishing the Bikepacking Triple Crown I realized bikepacking didn’t have quality planning tools available. The Project’s Planning Aids and Resources are our answer to this.

After 100’s of hours of research, 1000’s of keystrokes, more emails and phone calls than I can recall the One of Seven Project’s Tour Divide Planning Aids are done. They’re the ultimate planning resources for the Tour Divide. They contain everything you need to plan and execute your ride/ride of the Tour Divide and most of the GDMBR. If you can’t find what you’re looking for in these then it’s probably in our Tour Divide Resources .

Craig, I wanted to let you know that your bikepacking guides are incredibly well done and useful.

Small Bundles:

Big bundles:.

One package including our two most popular planning aids:

One package with all our planning aids:

• Mileage Chart
• Elevation Gain Chart

Available in both SOBO and NOBO versions and US Standard and Metric units.

Small Bundle – $40.00 + tax (CO only) *You save $10 when you bundle!

Big Bundle – $60.00 + tax (CO only) *You save $20 when you bundle!

Data Sheets and Town Lists

Data sheets:, town lists:.

The NOBO Data Sheets are ONLY available as part of the Small or Big Bundles.

All versions of the Town Lists are ONLY available as part of the Small or Big Bundles.

• Elevation / Pop of POI.
• Mileage numbers.
• Distance to next.
• Elevation +/-.
• Max & Min. elevation between POI.
• Pavement sections.
• Key water sources.
• Shows bike shops.
• Resupply options.
• Important notes.
• Elevation profile.
• Finish Target Times.
• Distance on/off trail.
• Important notes about POI.
• Cumulative distances to up coming POI.
• Elevation Gain to reach up coming POI.
• Finish Target Times added.

The SOBO Data Sheets are available in BOTH US Standard and Metric units.

Data Sheet – $25 + Tax (CO only)

Example of Data Sheet

Example of Town List

DATA SHEET and TOWN LIST DIFFERENCES

The Data Sheet has the most info. It gives the distance, elevation +/-, average grade, maximum and minimum elevations, pavement sections, references ACA maps, bike shops, resupply options, and has key notes between two POI. Example: A and B, then B to C, and so on.

The Town List gives cumulative distances between POI. Example: A to B, A to C, A to D. The next section would be B to C, B to D, B to E, and so on. The Town List has distance, elevation +/-, resupply options, bike shops and key notes.

The Town List helps with not having to do the math to figure out how far away things are if they’re not the next POI.

Mileage Charts and Elevation Gain Charts

Mileage charts:, elevation gain charts:.

Quickly find the total mileage between any two POI along the route.

• Works for both directions.

Quickly find the total elevation gain between any two POI along the route.

• Easy to read format.

The Mileage and Elevation Gain Charts are ONLY available as part of the Big Bundle.

GDMBR / ACA ROUTE

GDMBR Data Sheets have all the same data categories as the Tour Divide planning aids, as seen in the examples above but are for the GDMBR from the ACA.

GDMBR Bundles have all the same data categories as the Tour Divide planning aids, as seen in the examples above but are for the GDMBR from the ACA.

Available in both SOBO and NOBO versions and in US Standard and Metric units.

Data Sheet – $25 + tax (CO only)

• The diversity of the route has to be one of the biggest highlights of them all.  From the Canadian Rockies, to the Great Basin, to the Rocky Mountains, and finally the deserts of New Mexico you see it all.
• The support from the communities you go through is pretty amazing.  Don’t pass up on their hospitality and remember to be polite.
• Some of the top highlights have to be the Flathead Valley in Alberta, Grand Teton National Park and the Great Divide Basin in Wyoming, Boreas and Indiana Pass (the routes highest point at 11,913′) in Colorado, Polvadera Mesa, and the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico.
• The long days and hours in the saddle can get boring.  As a result they will test you both mentally and physically.  Be ready to be inside your head a lot.
• Limiting your time in town gets harder as you move further along the route.  Fighting that voice that say’s “Just one more soda!” or “Just a few more minutes rest.”, can be hard to silence.
• The weather is unpredictable due to the route’s nature.  Be ready for all types of weather from rain, snow, hail, wind, lightening and heat.
• There are some segments between towns that are longer than most but none are unmanageable if you have the right bag set up.
• The only two places where water was an issue was the Great Basin and Beaverhead area in NM.
• Camping along the Tour Divide is not hard to find.  There are plenty of primitive and developed options for camping, hotels, or lodges on the route.
• There are no areas that require special permits but do be careful to respect no trespassing signs along the route.
• Those touring want to checkout Warmshowers.com .

DANGERS & PITFALLS 

• Extreme weather.
• Bears (Grizzly and Black)
• Remoteness of route.
• Lack of water.
• Strenuous terrain.
• Costs can add up.
• Hypothermia
• Riding on roads at night.
• Mental & physical fatigue.
• International border crossing.

PHOTOS OF THE TOUR DIVIDE

EXTERNAL RESOURCES

• BIKEPACKING.NET
• BIKEPACKING.COM
• TOURDIVIDE.ORG
• TRACKLEADERS.COM
• BIKEPACKING.NET FORUM
• FACEBOOK GROUP – Gear, Advice, Tips, Pics, Chat, Training
• FACEBOOK GROUP – 2024 Tour Divide Training & Preparation
• FACEBOOK GROUP – Crazy Larry’s Questions and Answers Session
• FACEBOOK GROUP – Great Divide Mountain Bike Route – Trail Info & Rider Stories
• MTBCAST.COM

MAPS / BOOKS / APPS 

• ACA Maps (These maps differ slightly from the official race route, follow your GPS)
• Temporary Closures
• Book – Just Ride
• Book – Cycling the Great Divide
• Book – A Dream Worth Living
• Video – Ride the Divide
• Book – Eat, Sleep, Ride
• Book – Dividing the Great

More Helpful TD Resources

Everything you need to plan a bikepacking trip on the Tour Divide.

Slide Title

Tour divide guide bikepacking.

Your ultimate bikepacking guide to the Tour Divide.

MY PROVEN GEAR LISTS FROM THE TRIPLE CROWN

Tour divide.

A detailed look at what I used on the Tour Divide, what worked and what didn’t.

“ IF I RODE… ” SERIES

In depth look at what I would bring for gear and why, if I rode the Tour Divide again.

Gear Review - If I Rode The Tour Divide Again

Tour Divide Planning Guide

Tour Divide Transportation Guide

Tour Divide Resupply Guide

Tour Divide Rider Survey Results

Checkout our bikepacking resource page for more planning help., checkout all our guides.

Support the Project

Simply clicking on the links below with our affiliates supports the Project.

Or checkout our Deals page to save big!

Our Thoughts on Getting Outside

Leave no trace principles, recreate responsibly.

‘Tour Divide’ Champ’s Secrets To Conquer A Mountain Range

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[leadin] Unassuming cyclist Josh Kato crushed last year’s Great Tour Divide, a self-supported race that crosses the United States north to south over the Rocky Mountains.[/leadin]

Imagine your longest day in the saddle. Let’s go with 100 miles….that’s a typical long distance endurance ride. Now double it. Then, repeat…for 14 days, 11 hours, and 37 minutes straight. And for good measure, do it over the most rugged mountain range in America and entirely off-pavement.

That’s precisely what the 40-year-old Washington nurse and endurance cyclist did at last year’s Great Tour Divide (GTD). His time not only won the 2,745-mile event, but it set the course record.

We caught up with Kato to discuss the highs and lows of endurance cycling, and his secret training weapons, including patience, a fat bike, and donuts!

GearJunkie: Two years ago, your GTD didn’t go as planned. Can you tell us more about that?

Josh Kato:  2014 was supposed to be the year I was going to accomplish a dream of competing in the Tour Divide. I was riding much stronger than I had anticipated and on day three of the race, in Montana (around mile 300), I ended up crashing in the mud and snow. It was a bit of a worst-case scenario type of wreck. I landed wrong, fractured my fibula, tore my hamstring, and gashed the back of my leg which subsequently got infected. I rode until around mile 1,100 before I called it quits.

That hurt. Dropping out of something I had poured so much time, money, and energy into. It was as if I had let myself down. I was rather depressed. I figured I wouldn’t ever be able to get time off of work again to give it another go.

So that’s 800 miles with a broken leg! How did you push through that sort of pain? Did you underestimate the injury?

Ha! I said I was a nurse. Never said I was a good one.

Yeah, after my wreck, I realized fairly quickly that something was very wrong with my leg, but denial is a powerful tool. I truly never thought I’d be able to get the time off from work to do the race again so I was committed to pushing on as long as I could turn the pedals. When it got to the point that it was no longer physically possible, I called it on the race.

I’m 40 and my body has been around the block a few times. It’s pretty commonplace to have aches and pains that don’t go away very quickly. In my head, I was pretty sure what I’d done, but also realized I probably wouldn’t incur any permanent disability from it. Of course, had I completely torn my hamstring rather than just a partial tear that would have taken a huge amount of recovery time. It got to the point that I had to lift my leg to the pedal by pulling with my hand a length of strap wrapped around my foot, like a lasso.

On the GTD, everyone hurts. Some things can be overcome and some things can’t. Perhaps being in healthcare, it’s easy to minimize suffering. Acute pain isn’t a permanent ailment. It’s just something that needs to be worked through.

So last year–you decided to give it another go! You must have felt you had unfinished business.

When I found out I was going to get the vacation time from work, I trained like a madman. I wanted to finish what I had started and made every effort to make sure I could.

I never trained with the goal of winning. I trained to finish. I’m not a very competitive guy. Except with myself. I guess I was able to achieve a level of conditioning that allowed me to compete with the amazing field of competitors we had last year.

“I think one of the most important things I did was train with a heavier bike than I used in the Divide.”

What kind of mileage are you churning through to train for the GTD? 

In my lead up to the Divide in 2015, I rode about 3,000 miles with an unusual amount of climbing — round 450,000 feet. We have a lot of hills in Washington. Almost all of my riding was on very poor gravel roads, trails, and abandoned logging roads. Very Divide-like terrain.

I think one of the most important things I did was train with a heavier bike than I used in the divide. I purposely go out and try to find the most challenging rides I can do. For a race like the Divide, a rider has to get used to going slow uphill with a heavy bike. It’s a mental thing.

Of course, we had a very mild winter last year in Washington so I was able to churn out some good rides early in the season. This year is making me get a bit more creative with training. Fat bikes are a great invention for training. This amount of training and having a job means I have to sacrifice a fair bit of other items in life. When I’m not at work, I’m riding, running, or prepping in some way for the Divide. It’s a huge time commitment.

You work as a nurse – does shift work lend itself to training and pulling in long days in the saddle?

I work the night shift. So yes, I guess it helps to know what keeps your mind going at 3am .

I think one thing that nursing lends itself to more than anything is seeing the struggles of other people. The body can overcome some pretty astonishing things. Some people have an amazing amount of will to keep going when the odds are stacked against them. It’s a good reminder to hear people tell me that they just wished they could be well enough to be outside roaming through the hills. People remind me every day to not take health for granted.

Obviously, you love to ride – do you cross-train to keep it fresh? 

The best rides are the ones that are not about the ride at all. I only wish that fly-fishing was a better workout. That’s my main passion. Nothing like standing in a river with a bit of graphite. Sadly, it doesn’t work the cardio system too well.

You rode in the Smoke’n Fire 400 last year. Do you use these ‘middle distance’ bikepacking rides as training rides? How many do you take on each year?

The Smoke’n Fire is a super fun event! Excellent scenery and awesome trail sections. My first bikepacking race was the 2014 Tour Divide. My second was the 2015 Divide. My third was the Smoke’n Fire 400. I finished the Divide in June. The SNF 400 was in September. I barely rode after the Divide. I had to go fishing! I used the SNF 400 as a test for myself to see how I’d do “off the couch”. I was very happy with my result.

It was also interesting doing the full sleep deprivation thing. In the Tour Divide, I slept every night. It’s a long race. These shorter races seem to be much more about sleep deprivation. On some of the last climbs in the SNF 400 I was hallucinating pretty well. I remember seeing Jay Petervary (who wasn’t in the race) sitting alongside the road petting a capybara. Also, when I rode into Boise at the end of that race I heard someone shout my name. I thought that might be a hallucination as well.

You weren’t hallucinating. I was following the leader board and cheering finishers at the end of the race–I gave a shout out to you.

Funny! Good to know now I wasn’t that bad off. I guess I’m not cut out for the full sleep deprivation thing. I’d enjoy doing more races but the work schedule interferes quite a bit.

“You gotta find a way to keep going. Donuts help a lot.”

Pulling in mile after mile … I’m sure it can be incredibly emotional, but on both sides. You must hit both extreme highs and lows. How do you monitor your emotional state?

The Tour Divide is so long that yes, you go through every single emotion possible, as well as some that you didn’t realize were in you. Riding mostly alone, pushing yourself to unfamiliar physical limits, that’s the easy part. The emotional aspect is the hard part. You gotta find a way to keep going. Donuts help a lot. In reality, I always try to remind myself that no matter how bad I feel, how down in the dumps my mind is, that things will get better at some point. All bleeding stops, eventually. Ultra-racing is very much like that.

So you’re 40. That’s venturing into middle age. But you’re at the top of the game. Jay P. is even older. Does endurance riding get better with age?

JK: Yup, 40. I’ll hit 41 before this years Divide. Guys like Jay P. and Jefe Branham are very inspirational to me. They keep going and going. I’d like to say I’ve solved the mystery of the 40ish racer and ultra-endurance but I haven’t got “the” answer. One of the only things that I can determine is that we keep realizing our gig might be up at any time. So we gotta get done with a few things as fast as we can. I know that I can ride much longer than I could when I was younger. Perhaps it’s an impatience thing with youth. Perhaps we’ve just learned through life experience to endure more. Or maybe we are just more determined to show up the youngsters. I do know I focus on the journey far more than the speed. Oh, I wanna go fast, but the journey means a lot more to me now than it did when I was younger.

You’re quite a photographer. (All photos in this post are taken by Josh Kato). How do you balance pushing so hard, so long, yet taking time to smell the proverbial roses?

The main difference between my touring speed and racing speed are the number of photos I take during a ride. Landscape photography is a hobby of mine and I do love getting a shot of a fleeting moment in a beautiful place. My wife can attest that my camera is rarely out of hand during a tour. Nonetheless, even when racing the best of the best ultra-guys I’m not going to pass up a landscape that creates an emotional response in me.

What kind of camera do you take with you on the bike?

During races, I carry a small point and shoot that takes decent images. During the Divide, I carried a Canon S110. It does great while shooting on the go. While touring I use either a Sony RX100 or Fuji XE-1.

Any advice on how to keep the camera readily available while riding?

I almost always ride with a hydration pack. The packs with a small pocket on the shoulder strap are very nice to be able to tuck a small camera into. I then use a carabiner to clip the lanyard to my sternum strap so I can drop the camera should I need to brake quickly. Of course this only works well if it’s dry outside. I have yet to try a waterproof camera that has the image quality I want. When it rains, Ziploc bags are my friend.

So what’s your ride schedule look like this year?

I don’t have a huge agenda other than having another go at the Tour Divide. The race just kind of sticks in your head. Amazingly, I got the time off of work to go again, so I’m not going to pass it up. Not sure I’ll be able to train as much as last year but I’m certain I’m still going to have a blast. Other than the Divide, we’ll just have to see. I do know I need to get some more fly fishing trips in this year.

Thanks Josh and good luck this year!

This year’s GTD will roll out of Banff, Alberta on June 10th. The website hosts some good background information, but for the latest check out the  Tour Divide on Facebook . To follow Josh and all the cyclists in real time, head on over to the Tour Divide’s leaderboard at  Trackleaders.com .

Steve Graepel is a Contributing Editor and Gear Tester at GearJunkie. He has been writing about trail running, camping, skiing, and general dirtbagging for 10+ years. When not testing gear with GearJunkie, he is a Senior Medical Illustrator on the Neurosurgery Team at Mayo Clinic. Based in Boise, Idaho, Graepel is an avid trail runner, camper, angler, cyclist, skier, and loves to introduce his children to the Idaho outdoors.

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Touring the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route vs. Racing the Tour Divide

Riding the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) or racing the Tour Divide is a rite of passage for many bikepackers; it’s seen as the “Big One” in North America. 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. The fastest men can complete the route in under 14 days, while most people who tour it take six to ten weeks. 

In 2018, I had the opportunity to tour the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) with my husband Andrew Strempke. While we initially were attracted to racing, the rules of the event require solo, self-supported travel, and we wanted to ride together. And so we did, completing the route in 25 days. Four years later, in 2022, we both lined up to race the Tour Divide with the intention of completing the route within the constraints provided by the event. While we weren’t going to go out of our way to avoid seeing each other out on the route, the reality was that unless something went very wrong for Andrew, the chances of us riding near each other was fairly minimal. 

Touring versus racing the route yielded two vastly different experiences. Racing tends to be more glorified by other people, but touring was just as satisfying, and in 2018, I believe it was the better choice for me at the time. There are benefits and drawbacks to each style of trip, and I feel lucky to have been able to experience both.

Rules, What Rules?

While the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route is open for anyone to ride under any style, signing up for Tour Divide means that you’re agreeing to pedal your bike from Banff to Antelope Wells in a self-supported solo fashion following the route mile for mile. On the other hand, touring provides the freedom to accept assistance from anyone, to share gear with as many people as you want, ride as fast or slow as you desire, and to detour around impassable roads or sections of the route that you’d rather not ride. 

Touring: There are no rules! Choose your own adventure! The biggest determining factor that caused Andrew and I to choose touring over racing in 2018 was the Tour Divide’s rules about riding solo and self supported. Completing the route together was more important to use than officially completing Tour Divide. Andrew and I rode side by side the whole time, supported each other during low points, and kept each other entertained. We split gear to lighten our loads and deviated from the route a couple of times when following the route would have meant pushing through hours of mud, something we preferred to avoid whenever possible. We did want to complete our tour under our own power, so we didn’t ever get into a vehicle with the exception of a short road section that was under construction. The workers required us to take the pilot car until the end of the one-lane section of road. There was no one to question whether taking that ride in the pilot car invalidated our ride. 

Racing: When I signed up for the Tour Divide, I agreed to abide by the rules of the race. There aren’t many, but the gist is that you agree to follow the entirety of the route in a solo self-supported fashion. With so much rain this year, making a turn onto a road I knew would be a sloppy mess when there was a perfectly good paved road that parallels the route was a bummer at times. That being said, knowing I was following the same route as all the racers, facing and overcoming similar challenges, and finding ways to make it through challenging conditions was rewarding in the end.

Riding self-supported also means carrying your own gear. When my dynamo light broke and I knew I’d have to spend more time charging electronics in towns, another racer offered me his extra battery pack and a light. While racer-to-racer support is typically tolerated, this definitely felt like a gray area and seemed a lot like sharing gear, so I chose to decline the offer, even though it would have saved me time.

Following the rules challenged me to solve my own problems and be mentally flexible when unexpected issues arose, which helped me to grow in my confidence as a bikepacker and solo woman traveler.

Counting Grams, Optimizing for Safety

The main difference in my gear between racing and touring was due to the fact that I couldn’t split the load with anyone during the race. Since I was going solo, it was important to maintain all of my own gear. I also had to be confident in using everything I carried. I wouldn’t have Andrew’s light or utensil or jacket if something happened to mine.   

Touring: As we prepared for our tour, we decided we wanted to go light. We went with a minimal setup with no stove, no extra camp clothes, and one set of riding clothes. We split tools, a first-aid kit, and a two-person tent. Since we were on a 30-day timeline for our trip, including travel to and from the start, we had to cover ground quickly, and minimizing the weight on our bikes made a significant difference in the speed we could travel. The fact that we were able to share gear meant my load was actually lighter on the tour than it was racing. 

Racing: When choosing gear for a race effort, it’s always a balance of being as light as possible while still being as safe as possible. I made some gear changes based on what I learned from the tour and my additional bikepacking experience. On the 2018 tour, I brought a 30-degree quilt and a foam pad and found myself too cold a few nights. For the race, I upgraded to a 25-degree sleeping bag and an insulated air pad. This setup actually ended up being too warm for most of the race and I woke up several nights in a puddle of sweat and drool, but it gave me confidence that I would be warm despite the wet and cold weather. I also brought more substantial rain gear after getting rained on during our tour in 2018 and finding that ultralight rain gear just doesn’t keep me warm or dry enough. I also chose to use a synthetic puffy rather than a down puffy. Synthetic insulation stays warm when it’s wet and down does not, but it also doesn’t compress nearly as effectively. I anticipated being soggy from rain or sweat for at least part of the ride, so the trade-off was worth it. I made sure all my tools worked and that I knew how to use them to fix common mechanicals. 

Optimized for Speed…or Enjoyment

When people hear “touring,” they tend to automatically think you’re going slow and bringing the kitchen sink. That wasn’t the style of tour we were interested in, though plenty of people do that too. During our tour, we rode fast, but took it slow in towns to eat lots of food and get plenty of rest. In the end, my race pace was several days faster, not necessarily because I actually rode faster, but mostly because I just rode longer and stopped for as little time as possible, rushing through resupplies and meals. 

Touring: Andrew and I completed our tour in 25 days, which is a pretty quick pace for a non-race effort. It felt good to challenge my body to go hard and cover ground quickly. I loved riding my bike all day and anyhow, we were on a timeline. Despite having a deadline to be back, not having the pressure of racing allowed us to slow down without guilt. One of our favorite stops during the trip was the Llama Ranch in Montana. We arrived in the afternoon and spent the rest of the day visiting with the owners Barbara and John rather than pushing on until dark. Later in the route, we stopped at Brush Mountain Lodge for several hours in the middle of the day where we ate pizza and drank beer, sitting and chatting for a few hours before continuing along the route. Being able to stop and spend time with Kirsten, who runs Brush Mountain Lodge was special, and she has become one of our best friends since then. Even though our tour took longer than the race for me, it was certainly not easy. No matter the pace, the Divide route will kick your ass some days. 

Racing: My finish time during the race was 19 days and 16 hours. I probably didn’t actually ride much faster, but I rode longer each day and minimized stop time to complete the route in less time. Optimizing stop time and systems is one of my favorite parts of racing. It feels like free speed when you can get in and out of town or set up and tear down camp efficiently. I’ve tried to figure out exactly why I like bikepack racing and I honestly don’t have a great answer. I love challenging my body and the camaraderie of the other racers. I like making decisions under pressure and being forced to rely on myself to solve problems. Crossing a finish line knowing that I used my body and brain to the best of my ability to traverse an established route as fast as I could is a rewarding feeling. 

Following The Route…Or Not

The Tour Divide route and the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route have some minor differences. When we were touring, we followed whichever one made sense at the time and deviated a few times when it made sense. When I chose to race, following the Tour Divide route mile for mile was required. 

Touring: Making route choices was something extra we had to think about on our tour. We had the freedom to choose where we’d ride, but we also had to take responsibility for those choices if things didn’t work out. Our first detour from the Tour Divide route was around the hours-long hike-a-bike up Koko Claims in British Columbia, Canada. We had done zero hike-a-bike training and figured the risk of injury using untrained muscles wasn’t worth it. We talked to a local mechanic in Banff and he confirmed that going through Sparwood was a better choice for us and even gave us recommendations to take some new singletrack that paralleled the Great Divide Route. We had a blast on that section of trail and when we rejoined the route in Fernie, we saw racers with mud-covered bikes and bodies. Andrew and I looked at each other and agreed that we made the right call.

We didn’t escape every opportunity to hike through mud, though. Our longest mud stretch was on the legendary Bannack Road. We hiked for miles with our bikes on our shoulders or backs when rolling our bikes meant the tires collected mud and became bogged down in seconds. After encountering another rider at an intersection who told us the next section “was like something out of a nightmare” with more mud, it was an easy decision to take a paved short-cut into Lima. We agreed that detouring around long hike-a-bike sections with mud would help us maintain our sanity and have more fun on our trip. Detouring around spots that promised only suffering and misery didn’t make me feel any less like a route finisher at the end, but it definitely made for a more fun experience. I felt successful just getting from Banff to Antelope Wells under my own power. 

Racing: To be a Tour Divide finisher, I was required to follow the published race route exactly. The times I went off route for supplies, I had to re-enter the route at the same point I left it. A wrong turn meant I would need to go back from where I deviated from the route to correct the mistake. When it was raining going over Togwotee Pass, I had to make the turn onto the notoriously muddy Brooks Lake Road to hike and ride through slop and snow instead of detouring on the paved road that paralleled it. When I’d toured the route, I’d taken the detour, so I knew exactly how nice the pavement was while I was trudging along at a mile an hour. 

Participating in the race made route decisions easy. I just followed the line on my GPS and hiked when I needed to. If I wanted to finish, I had to stay on route. Since detouring around slow or potentially dangerous situations wasn’t an option, I also had to consider weather forecasts and my timing carefully. 

During the tour, we didn’t really care how long resupply stops took. We typically sat down for a meal in a restaurant at least once a day and drank local beers. While I was racing, efficient resupplies were important. Limiting stop time is free speed and since I was demanding so much of my body, I didn’t drink beer along the way. 

Touring: On our tour, we ate well and neither of us lost weight. Missing restaurant or grocery store hours didn’t mean we needed to keep moving to the next stop or eat a gas station burrito for dinner, we could just… wait. The pace of our resupplies was relaxed. We often took two-hour lunch breaks at restaurants and leisurely walked down the aisles of a grocery store or gas station until we had everything we needed. Salida became one of my favorite towns on the route after eating a huge barbecue Hawaiian pizza and salad at Moonlight Pizza and Brewpub. We slept in a hostel there and stayed up late talking with Continental Divide Trail hikers and other travelers. Our huge meals at cafes and conversations with both locals and other bike tourers added to our experience and gave us a flavor of the communities we were passing through. 

Racing: Logistics and efficiency can be an interesting puzzle to figure out during a bikepacking race. Riding later into the night meant that hitting towns during business hours was more challenging. Before the race, I studied the towns and added business hours to a spreadsheet. I was aware of the times I might need to stock up on more food if I was going to potentially miss the next resupply.

When I was a few miles from a town, I would pull up my spreadsheet where I had calculated the distance, estimated time, and estimated calories needed to get to the next stop. I would start making a list in my head of the foods I wanted to get. “Potato chips, candy bars, some kind of gummy candy, pastries, burritos.” You know, all kinds of healthy stuff. I would run over that list in my head, picturing where I might find those things in the gas station or grocery store I was headed to. When I arrived at the stop, I would immediately start looking for an outlet if I needed to charge my electronics, then I would go into the store with my phone calculator in hand. I would walk down the aisles putting food into my basket, adding up the calories until I had enough. Then I would focus on the meal I wanted to eat right then. Normally a vegetarian, I made some exceptions to my normal diet, eating chicken at times when I couldn’t find another good protein source in a gas station.

I ate while I packed up my bike instead of sitting down at a restaurant with one exception. I arrived in Sargents, Colorado, feeling nostalgic. It’s where the Western Express ACA Route crosses the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. Having been there with Andrew both on our cross-country tour in 2012 and our 2018 tour got me all sappy and I felt like I needed to sit down, reset, and get some real food in me. 

Companionship or Solitude

I feel lucky to have shared the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route with Andrew. We made countless memories that we still reflect on today. During the race, I found companionship, but my time with other racers was brief and I spent most of the ride by myself. This might sound lonely, but I also really value alone time and moments spent by myself in beautiful places can be equally as moving for me as moments in those places with another person. 

Touring: Andrew and I rode the entire route side by side. It was really special to have shared the experience with the most important person in my life. We were in tune with each other’s needs, moods, and when to provide a gentle reminder that maybe the other needs a snack. When conditions were tough, we kept each other’s minds busy by playing 20 questions. We made decisions as a team about where to stop for food and where to camp for the night. We had both of our brains to deal with mechanicals and make decisions about any reroutes.

In general, riding together tends to be slower. You’re going whatever pace the slowest person at the time is going and end up taking more breaks since you’re dealing with two people’s needs. We typically rode about the same pace and if one of us needed a break, the other was patient. We both wanted the other to feel good and enjoy the ride.

Andrew and I are fortunate that we get along really well, but we did have our moments. I know that Andrew was pretty upset with me when I lost my rain jacket on a rough descent one day just before sunset. (I have since learned that everything that I want to keep goes in a zipper pocket). He sprinted back up the road to go find it while I rode much more slowly behind him. Fortunately a kind racer picked it up so he didn’t have to ride too far up the climb. Then there was the time when Andrew insisted on taking photos of the Montana/Idaho border sign in a thunderstorm. As someone who hates thunderstorms, all I wanted to do was ride down the pass and became increasingly frustrated as Andrew insisted on taking several selfies. 

Racing:  

While the Tour Divide is set up to be ridden solo, many racers end up forming small groups to ride with. While I rode mostly alone, I did have some time riding alongside other racers, typically for a short time. I would see other racers in towns and when we took breaks. Spending time with people briefly once a day was enough social interaction to keep me sane. I’m a pretty introverted and independent person. Extensive alone time doesn’t bother me and is something I look forward to. Still, every time I would run into my good friend and fellow racer Zack, who was also on a singlespeed, we would chat and share a few miles. The emotional boost provided by those interactions was undeniable.

Andrew was also racing the Tour Divide this year. We anticipated not seeing each other unless something went wrong for him. We agreed not to communicate about the race at all while we were out there. We sent a few voice memos with funny stories. I told him about the time I ate jalapeño chips and they went down the wrong pipe and I gave myself a bloody nose coughing them back up. We promised to not say, “I miss you,” because it just makes us both sad. But I did miss him, and being alone definitely reminded me how much I love Andrew, my friends, and my family.  

One of the hardest moments during my race was leaving Brush Mountain Lodge. Kirsten wasn’t planning to be there during the race, but she was. I had already stopped in Savery just 15 miles down the hill for an hour, so I didn’t have more time to spare to spend time with her and my good friend, Jolly, who was helping at the lodge. I left in tears, wishing I could have stayed. I was comforted by the thought that I could come back to the lodge after I was finished. 

Traveling solo meant that I generally had to deal with my fears alone, but after a particularly scary lightning experience outside of Pie Town, I was glad to be able to decompress with other bikepackers and hikers at the Toaster House in Pie Town. Just a few miles out of town, I’d felt electricity running through both of my hands through my handlebars and jumped off my bike and got under a small clump of juniper trees. I set up my tarp to stay dry and sat in the lightning position until the storm passed. I was pretty hysterical. After that, I decided to stay at the Toaster House in Pie Town. I felt like I needed indoor accommodations and to talk to other humans to feel okay to go back out into the elements the next day. Jefferson, the host, made a hot meal for me, the other bike tourers, and the CDT hiker staying there. I spent a lot more time talking with them than I normally would have during a race. Talking about our experiences on the route and what life is like outside of bike touring and racing helped me to reset and calm down. 

Outside of the emotional support of companionship, I had to be confident in my ability to fix my bike, make good choices in a fatigued state, and be safe on my own. I haven’t always felt confident bikepacking solo, but as I’ve gained more experience I’ve become more comfortable. One of the only times I felt weird being alone is when I saw a man on the side of the trail who was loading a gun. He asked, “Are you alone?” I went ahead and told him that there are other riders right behind me, which is my typical answer for any man who asks me that question. 

Sharing the Experience

I wanted to document both our tour and my race. It’s so easy to forget little details if you don’t record or write them down. Documentation takes extra effort, but I’m happy that I did it during both trips.

Touring: On our tour, I laid in my sleeping bag and typed out a blog post with pictures from my phone every night so that our friends and family could follow along, and now I can look back and remember something from each day of the tour. Andrew also took an action camera and made a video about our trip. I found that we were less likely to record our low moments riding together since it’s a bit rude to put a camera in your partner’s face when they’re having a bad time. 

Racing: Documenting my race was important to me. I carried a GoPro and posted occasional Instagram stories. Race documentation by outside media crews during the Tour Divide has been met with controversy in recent years, so aside from wanting the footage for myself, I wanted to show that there is a self-supported way to tell my story. My Instagram stories and GoPro footage is certainly not as beautiful as a professionally documented film, but it’s raw and I like it that way. Most of my documentation was done while I was pedaling, and I put together the GoPro footage when I was recovering after the race. 

It’s interesting to think about the ethics of posting on social media in the context of self-supported racing. I inevitably got encouraging messages whenever I posted. Knowing that my friends were watching definitely made me want to continue to ride my best. Ultimately I decided that since people generally have access to a smart phone with social media, I wasn’t giving myself an unfair advantage by posting on Instagram. Some may disagree, but I feel good about what I chose to do during the race. I was intentional about my posts as to not solicit advice or support from other people and maintain the self-supported nature of the ride.

Romance, or Lack Thereof, of Camping

For a lot of bikepacking trips, finding a beautiful camping spot can be a highlight of the trip. When racing, I went to bed after dark and any spot was as good as the next. We put a little more intention into camp spots while touring, and I slept better during our tour knowing there was another set of ears next to me. 

Touring: Andrew and I slept most nights in our two-person tent. We’d start looking for a spot to camp as sunset approached. We didn’t care so much about whether we slept somewhere scenic, but we had higher standards than when I raced. We got a couple hotel rooms when the weather was wet. I admittedly stole Andrew’s puffy jacket on nights when I was cold! We typically woke up with the sun and quit pedaling at sunset, giving us plenty of rest. We rode past dark one night in New Mexico to beat the heat which turned out to be the only time we saw a bear during the entire trip. Aside from those few miles, we saw the whole route in the daylight. 

Racing: My standards for camping while racing were pretty low and I almost always rode past sunset. I didn’t mind riding in the dark since I had seen the route in the daylight before. Riding at night is a new way to experience the same place differently. I love looking up at the stars on a clear night and seeing animals who are normally sleeping during the daytime. Since I was riding more in the morning and evening, I had way more wildlife sightings during the race than during the tour. I saw several bears, one little fuzzball of a bear cub, a mountain lion, three moose during the day and three at night, countless deer and pronghorn, and a handful of other smaller animals.  

When it was time to choose a spot to sleep, I made sure the location I chose was dry and not too high in elevation. If there was snow, that was a hard no. In New Mexico, the monsoons were so intense that it was difficult to find a spot that didn’t look like water was running there at some point. The worst camp spot I chose was on the side of the highway under a tree next to a bunch of garbage. It was one of the only dry-ish spots I could find. 

I enjoyed indoor accommodations twice during the race, at the Llama Ranch in Montana and at the Toaster House in New Mexico. Those nights felt very luxurious. If you count pit toilets, I had a few additional nights inside in bear country. I camped with other riders for two of the nights. Aside from that, I slept under my tarp, in my bivy, by myself. 

Getting to Antelope Wells

During both trips, a big goal was finishing the route. I made different decisions during both trips to meet my goals. While I was racing I had to make these decisions under pressure. 

Touring: The top goal for our tour was finishing the route. While we were on a timeline, we took a couple of shorter days in the beginning while our bodies got used to pedaling long miles. It wasn’t a big deal to stop early because there was no pressure of racing. When Andrew’s Achilles tendons started to flare up a few days in and we saw a sign for a brewery in the middle of nowhere, we stopped and drank beer even though we had just taken a lunch break. This gave his ankles a much needed rest, allowed us to reflect on all the riding we’d done so far, and gave us a Montana cultural experience. Being able to make choices without the pressure of racing undoubtedly helped us make decisions that got us to Antelope Wells. 

Racing: Finishing the route was also a goal for the race, but more than that, I wanted to go faster than I did during our tour. If for some reason I wasn’t able to go that pace due to body or bike issues, I probably would have considered scratching. It just wouldn’t be worth putting my body through the stress if I couldn’t meet my goal. This was definitely a change in attitude for someone who used to value finishing at all costs. 

During the race, I let the speed of others dictate some of my decision making. The day I got into Colorado, I was the third woman. I was six hours behind Ana, the second woman, and 14 hours behind Zoe, the first woman. It was clear to me that I had no chance of winning without making a huge move. I thought to myself, “All I have to lose is my sleep and sanity.” That night I rode much later than I had on previous nights, slept for two hours, and got really close to Ana. But the decision to sleep so little meant I was worthless the next day. All the people riding the same pace as me before caught back up to me by the end of the day. The pressure of racing guided me toward sacrificing sleep when I should have taken better care of my body. When I found out Zoe quit that day I felt pretty dumb for letting her distance ahead of me dictate how much I slept. I re-learned the lesson that I need to take care of myself to ride strong and making decisions based on how another person is riding is usually a mistake. Had I kept riding and sleeping the way I should have, maybe I could have stayed closer to Ana in the end. 

Feeling Part of Something

Humans, even the introverted ones, are all social creatures, and our brains are wired to want to be part of a community. During both trips, I felt part of a group of bikepackers riding their bikes from Banff to Antelope Wells. When we were touring, we definitely felt different than the racing group. 

Touring: While we started our tour on the same day as the Grand Depart of the Tour Divide and were around racers much of the time, it felt like we were doing something different than they were. It wasn’t a positive or negative thing, just different. After finishing, I definitely felt part of a group of people who have completed the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, and when we meet people who have accomplished this feat, we have an instant connection. 

Andrew and I were fortunate to be able to help out at Brush Mountain Lodge in 2021. During that time, we talked with racers and hundreds of people touring the route. Often the tourers would say, “I’m just touring.” When I heard that, I tried to tell them that you don’t have to say “just.” I totally get it though. Andrew and I said the same thing when we were touring and people in towns asked us if we were racing. Sometimes they would treat us differently than racers. There were places with banners for only racers to sign or some people would become uninterested after they found out we were “just” touring. That wasn’t the case everywhere. Kathy from Ovando greets every bikepacker who comes through town with the same enthusiasm regardless of racing or touring status. 

Racing: When I sign up for a Grand Depart event, I feel a connection to the racers around me. It helps when I’m walking through snow, riding through rain, or staying up late into the night knowing there are other people out there doing the same. I have always experienced this as a positive thing until this year. There were 15 rescues in the Canadian Flathead in the first few days of the race. There were reports of racers using hotel towels to clean their drivetrains. Later in Montana I ran into a local man trying to get home but couldn’t because photographers following the race blocked the road. When I heard about the rescues, poor manners at the hotel, and saw the behavior of the photographers, I was embarrassed to be part of the race. It made me angry that people participating in the Tour Divide were having a negative impact on the communities the route traverses. I’m hopeful that future Tour Dividers can look at this year as a learning experience and that future racers give more respect to the route, the power of Mother Nature, and the people along the route. That being said, for the majority of racers who completed the route, the challenging weather conditions this year provided an unforgettable experience and swapping stories with other racers will be something we can do for years to come. 

As a woman racer, I also feel a strong connection to other women on the route. All of the racers I saw were men, though I saw several northbound touring women and always stopped to say hi and have a brief conversation, usually about the route ahead. While I didn’t see other women racers after the first day, when I got to Colorado, I did my best to chase down Ana. Ana managed to stay ahead and went on to win the women’s race, 15 hours ahead of me. Even though we never met, somehow I felt like I knew her since I traced her tracks on the trail. When I got to meet her later in the summer after she crushed the Colorado Trail Race with a second-place finish, I considered her a friend instantly.

Racing or Touring 

I’m so grateful Andrew and I had the opportunity to tour the route together in 2018. We did have limited time, so it was a fast tour, but we never felt rushed and didn’t have to follow the rules of the race. We shared gear and deviated from the route when it made sense. Our resupply stops were relaxed and we ate lots of huge meals at cafes along the route. We stayed well rested and well fueled. When I thought I only had one opportunity to experience the wonder of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, I chose to ride it as a tour and I would 100% make that same choice again. 

Racing offered a new experience of an incredible route. At the finish, I was totally depleted. I left it all out there mentally and physically. I was proud of my effort and the fact that I was able to race the route faster than I rode it before. Thinking about all of the tough times I had out there and how I was able to overcome the challenges of the weather, terrain, and my own fears made me feel confident and accomplished. 

Sometimes there is more external motivation to participate in an event or race. People tend to glorify racing over touring or other creative endeavors even though each of these experiences has value. I definitely got more attention for finishing the Tour Divide as a race rather than a tour. Bikepacking.com published an article about how I was the second woman to finish the race and how I raced on a singlespeed. But, my close friends and family were just as excited when I finished my tour as when I finished the race, and those are the people who matter most.

At times touring an established route or making your own route can be more intrinsically rewarding than participating in a race. Before I choose whether to race or tour a route, I’ll consider what my body can handle, my personal goals, and my motivation. I plan to continue pursuing both racing and touring, collecting as many lessons and taking in as much beauty as I can along the way.

Your support means the world to us. If you enjoy our work, please consider making a donation to help us with our mission.

Katie Strempke

12 responses to “Touring the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route vs. Racing the Tour Divide”

Based on my dreams and ambitions, this is some of the best bike-related content I have ever had the pleasure of consuming. I would never dream of racing, but it was very interesting and useful to read about the different perspectives. If I ever had the chance to meet you, I would ask questions about mechanicals, laundry and hygiene.

Thanks for putting this together!

This is a really cool perspective. Thanks for sharing, Katie!

Thanks for taking the time to detail your thoughts of racing versus touring. I just finished my first bike packing race and connect to your words. Normally “just” touring, I gained a new understanding of the lure of Bikepack racing and how you don’t get back those extra hours stopping early or sitting down for a prepared meal. I did value so much meeting the other racers on route. I was especially excited to briefly chat with you as you filtered water and later on a paved climb about your gearing choices before you went on to crush it!!

Katie…Outstanding content, insights and inspiration! I did WY and CO sections of the GDBMR last summer (time of my life!) and I am ready for more…notably Canada and MT hopefully this summer. I want to do this ride with 1 to a few other riders. I’m a 61 year old slow and steady rider that enjoyed the company of a few Adventure Cycling companions during last summers ride. This year, my personal schedule does not allow me to sign up for one of their trips but that will NOT stop me from tackling the next 2 sections. Do you have any recommendations for finding a source to cast the net to see if there’s any interested riders I might connect with to explore joining my small band of slow and steady riders? I am planning loosely for about 50 +/ – miles a days mostly camping with definite stops at motels, hostels etc. to recharge and shower! While I love the camping aspect of bikepacking, I am ready to spend money as needed to be somewhat comfortable and recharge when necessary. My windows for travel this summer is 29 July to 19 August. I will cycle as much and as far as I can in that time.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

thanks for the inspiration!!

All the best, Tony Sirianni

The “Great Divide Mountain Bike Route – Trail Conditions, Q&A, Gear & Stories” Facebook group could be a good place to start!

Hi, do you have your gps track published? I’d love to know your route around koko claims!

Hi Mike! Here’s a post including the Strava ride for the route we took around Koko Claims.

https://dispersed.bike/blog/great-divide-day-2/

It’s been a few years, so might be worth checking with someone local. The GDMBR does not go over Koko Claims, so that’s an option too. We took a combination of the GDMBR route and followed recommendations from Dave, the bike mechanic in Banff to get off of the highway a bit more than the GDMBR route.

Katie, thanks for sharing your experiences on this route. What did Andrew ride (bike, drivetrain, gearing, storage accessories)? Thank you.

Hi Patrick! Here’s a link to Andrew’s gear lists for each of the Triple Crown races last year, including the Tour Divide. https://dispersed.bike/blog/triple-crown-gear-list/

Thank you for such an amazing write up. I’m an old duffer (55) thinking about attempting the route (race or tour) and this helped immensely

hi Katie! what’s the difference between riding the TD in singlespeed or with gear?what do you prefer?love to see the bike “clean” in a singlespeed but have to consider much more time to push the bike….. thanks Matteo ps: congratulations on your bike adventure!!

I didn’t spin much time pushing my bike, but I did spend a lot of time spun out! I’d say only ride singlespeed on the Divide if you already do most of your rides singlespeed and are passionate about riding that way.

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Tour Divide 2023 : The race, the gear, the whys and everything in between

• May 13, 2023

It was just over 2 years ago the first time I ever heard of the Tour Divide. I didn’t even know what bikepacking was or that bikepacking racing was a thing.

By then, I had become a time trialist specialist on the road. I had become obsessed with mastering my mind, mastering the art of executing a perfect time trial. I love it so much. I know very well this feeling, my sight on the road ahead, my head tucked in, my lungs expanding to their max, my legs flowing over the pedals. That feeling when I get in the zone, when I’m able to fully surrender and let no amount of pain bother me. It’s pretty amazing. And quite freeing.

A few years ago when I was reading this passionating book “How Bad Do You Want It”, the author spoke of how references are limiters to the mind and the body. If you can remove the information that you know as your references, you could push your body much further. I decided to test the concept and did a 20-minutes blind test – no numbers, no references. Increasing my best 20-min power by 18% was a shocking, yet insightful experience. “You are stronger than you think.” Simply remove the thinking.

I was on the stationary bike trainer when a youtube video came up about the Tour Divide (the documentary was I Just Want to Ride featuring Lael Wilcox – record-holder of the fastest female time on the Tour Divide). A 4,300 km time trial. WOAH! Now everything I know as references are quite irrelevant. How the hell is this humanely possible? Then… What if I remove what I know as possible. What if this was just another example of the amazing things a body can do when you remove references. I was immediately filled with curiosity.

I couldn’t sleep that night. I had to find out: where is the limit of what I can do. Am I able to apply what I came to master in road cycling time trial to a 4,300km bikepacking time trial?

Covering a distance of 4,300km, the Tour Divide is one of the longest and arguably the hardest ultra-endurance bike race on the planet. From Banff (Alberta) in Canada, to Antelope Wells (NM) at the border of Mexico, the course takes the riders along breathtaking scenic landscapes of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (designed by the Adventure Cycling Association back in the 1990s), one of the most well-known off-road touring route that attracts bikepackers and bike tourists from all over the world.

The race has been going on for many years, starting on the 2nd Friday of June of each year, but only started to gain popularity lately with the rise of bikepacking and bikepacking events. The 2023 edition has currently over 250 participants registered to this day (one month before the start). 26 of them are female or non-binary, the highest non-male participation rate ever!

The Tour Divide is more than a cycling race, it is the definition of an endurance and resilience test. The race is self-supported, which means you are not allowed to receive any help. You can use public services such as hotels and restaurants, but you must carry everything you need (clothes, food, camp & sleep, tools). The route goes through many remote areas where a satellite device is the only way of communication. High-altitude mountain passes, changing weather, and wildlife encounters are all part of the race.

Getting ready – my journey to the start line

There is the physical journey, then it’s freacking scary! 2 years ago I had never camped before, never packed gear on a bike, never ridden in the dark or encountered a bear.

Before I could attempt this, I had a few classes to take on. So, 3 weeks after watching the youtube video about the Tour Divide, I departed for my first bikepacking trip. An improvised, but oh so life-changing, one-month bikepacking trip in Utah and Arizona hooked me up. From there, I would use bikepacking for training when I’m not racing.

Last year (2022), I was still racing as a pro road cyclist when a series of events occurred, one of them being the cancellation of BC Superweek, my beloved crit series in July. I was going to fly to western Canada (near Banff) for Road Nationals, but then I had an opening in my calendar. “What a great opportunity to check out the course of the Tour Divide!” I thought.

I flew with all the gear I had and set to ride as much as I can of the route after racing Nationals. I had a wonderful ride in the time trial at Nationals, I rode the absolute best I could. Another 2nd place, but I felt satisfied. I love when I leave it all on the course. I was not going to be National Champion but that’s how it is. I don’t have less joy riding my bike fullgas. It was time to swap bikes.

So, a week later on July 4th, 2022, I departed from Banff and headed south on my pretty beat-up Cannondale FSi mountain bike hardtail, to see if I was capable of riding the terrain, to overcome my fear of bears (oh, I did come face-to-face with a grizzly! But that’s for another storytelling time), to overcome my fear of riding in the dark and confronting the weather of the high-altitude mountain passes.

The course was absolutely mind-blowing!!! Every day, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the landscapes surrounding me. The “non-technical” terrain was very much challenging for my roadie skillset. I was very unprepared for the hike-a-bike and the rain, but it was so empowering to come out of these challenges stronger.

I completed the route in 28 days (about twice as long as the race-winning time), averaging over 10 hours of riding to cover 150km each day -it was the hardest thing I had ever done !!

This course recon was the first step to getting prepared to race. It also made obvious that I needed to improve my MTB skills, to strengthen my upper body for the hike”push”-a-bike, to fasten my camp-to-bike transition, a warmer and more reliable sleep system, and better overall gear and bike.

My 2023 Tour Divide Gear List

By now I have gathered enough bikepacking experience to know better what I want and need for my ideal setup. So I have reached out to my favorite companies and I’m very fortunate that they embarked on my dream race project with me! Here is the best bikepacking setup I could build for racing the Tour Divide :

• Cannondale Scalpel HT, 100mm suspension fork
• Sram X01 mechanical 34T x 10-52 Eagle cassette
• SL4 Lucky Jack – Duke Racing Wheels (XC carbon wheels, 1200g a pair)
• Son 28 dynamo hub
• Ergo grips and aero bars
• Maxxis Ardent Race and Ikon 2,2 tires

Packs: Backcountry Series by Apidura

• Apidura 11L handlebar pack (clothes)
• Apidura 2x 1.2L feed pouches, 1L top-tube feed bag, 1L rear top-tube pack for accessories
• Apidura 4L frame pack with a hydration bladder (food & water)
• Apidura 1.8L down-tube pack (tools and pharmacy)
• Apidura 10L saddle pack (sleep system)
• possibly a hip pack or hydration vest… TBD
• 7mesh cargo bib (pad removed) paired with 7mesh Foundation Shorts
• 7mesh Hollyburn light thermal pants
• 7mesh Chico Anorak pull-over
• 7mesh merino buff
• 7mesh Skypilot Gore-tex rain jacket
• MEC 800-down jacket
• Mountain Hardwear 800-down pants
• MEC rain pants cover
• Showerpass waterproof gloves and socks (available at MEC)
• Defeet merino gloves

Sleep System :

• MEC Talon 0 degree C 800-down quilt
• MEC Vectair Ultralight insulated air mat
• Mountain Laurel Designs FKT bivy
• Warmlite Gear Vapor barrier long-sleeve jersey
• Warmlite Gear Vapor Barrier socks

Electronics :

• Garmin 540 Solar for navigation (MEC)
• Garmin inReach satellite tracking (MEC)
• GoPro Mini 11 for self-documenting the race
• iPhone and AirPods
• Sinewave Cycle Beacon2 headlight (dynamo powered)
• 1x 5,000 mpa power bank, 1x 10,000 mpa power bank, fast-charging wall charger, and cables
• Black Diamond headlight (MEC)
• Set of rear lights (MEC)

Tools, toiletry, and other items :

• Sunscreen (lots of sunscreens)
• Toothbrush, toothpaste
• Laundry handwash soap
• Eye mask, ear plugs
• ibuprofen, allergy med
• Caffeine, melatonin
• BeFree water filter and water purifying tablets
• Muc-Off Hydro chain lube with a rag
• Hand pump, tire plugs and sealant
• Multi-tools with chain breaker
• Spare derailer hanger, spare brake pads, chain links
• Patch repair kit
• Protein powder, BCAAs, Greens powder

Thank you to my sponsors for gearing me up with the best. Find this gear online: MEC outdoor gear , 7mesh cycling apparel , Apidura bikepacking bags , Duke Racing Wheels , Warmlite Gear vapor barrier gear .

Live-Tracking – From June 9th, 2023

We will depart from Banff (AB) on June 9th, 2023. You can follow the race live via satellite tracking here .

Even though I will try to film as much as possible, I will not be posting a lot on social media during the race (because it’s a race!) and there isn’t much service between towns. If you do follow my progress, I will love to read your messages of encouragement!

You can find me on instagram at @msoleilblais74 and you can subscribe to my Youtube Channel to be notified when my Tour Divide film is up!

But why in the hell would someone want to race this?

I have long asked myself this question. What is my motivation, why do I want to race the Tour Divide and put all of the efforts behind such a big commitment? Multiple answers come to my mind.

First, it’s the curiosity, the need to push the limits and see how far I can go. I see this as a continuation of my fascination for the power of the mind and playing with the concept of removing references. To see what I could do if I go into something where I have no references at all. Can I carry my time trial state of mind over 4,300km ? How resilient am I?

Second, it’s the transformation. Endurance has never been something I particularly excel at naturally. I had a strong anaerobic profile as a pro cyclist but that is quite useless over a long distance. I think you never become ready for the biggest race of your life, just like you don’t do a marathon before your first marathon. You “become” someone who is capable of doing it, by doing it. I want to become the person at the finish line who was able to race that distance and push her limits to a new level. No matter what happens, I will come out of this test stronger and more resilient.

Lastly, I want to live the experience. The experience of racing my bike all day, all night. Riding as far as I can, every day, with nothing else on my mind than going further. I quite enjoy the solitude of riding long distances in remote areas, and I look forward to re-discovering the magnificent, yet challenging course that is the Tour Divide.

Stay tuned, peace out

Full heart, fullgas

Marie-Soleil Blais

Bike Racer & Adventurer

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• Touring & Bikepacking Bikes

The Fastest Bikes of the Tour Divide Ultra Race (4,400KM Non-Stop)

Table of Contents

Frame material, drivetrains, gear ratios, the most popular tour divide bike, update: the top-10 tour divide bikes for 2022.

The Tour Divide is an annual off-road ride traversing the length of the Rocky Mountains, from Canada all the way to the Mexican border. The course is over 4,418km long (2745mi), and along the way, riders will gain over 60,000 metres in elevation (200,000ft).

The clock begins at the grand depart and doesn’t stop until riders cross the finish line. And by the way, the ride is strictly self-supported. The fastest riders will complete the course in around two weeks, covering approximately 280 kilometres per day (174mi).

It’s safe to say that the Tour Divide is an extreme test of both the body and mind.

It’s also very interesting from a gear optimisation perspective, as a few small differences in bike setup will allow riders to make their lives a bit easier. In this video, we will be analysing 121 different bike setups from this year’s Tour Divide to find out what makes the best possible setup.

The statistics I will be drawing upon have been wonderfully collected by BIKEPACKING.com in the form of two articles ( HERE and HERE ), where riders from all around the world discuss their bike, bag and gear highlights.

As these articles separate bikes based on whether they use a drop bar or flat bar, this seems like a great place for us to start.

A bit over half of the riders interviewed this year are using drop bar bikes (55%).

When people think ‘drop bars’, they think ‘speed’. But speed alone is not how most will pick a handlebar for the Tour Divide. This is a very long event, so comfort is the likely reason that riders choose one handlebar design over another. Contrary to popular belief, the widespread use of the different bar types demonstrates that many bar designs can be ergonomic and comfortable – it’s really just a case of personal preference.

But comfort aside, there is likely an aerodynamic advantage to using drop bars.

When it comes to the aerodynamics of cycling, you ideally want to make your body shape more aerodynamic (Cd), your frontal area smaller (A) – or both. By using drop bars, your hands and elbows do not sit as wide, allowing you to reduce your frontal area and optimise your body shape.

A bit of napkin maths suggests that drop bars could save two or three hours over the full Tour Divide course (75kg/165lb rider, 15kg/33lb bike, 140 watts power output).

You can learn more about the aerodynamics of touring and bikepacking HERE .

While we’re still on the topic of handlebars, one of the best possible ways to improve both your speed and comfort is to fit aero bars to your bike. Most Tour Divide riders seem to agree, as 77% of them are using aero bars this year.

This is partly because you can make your body shape more aerodynamic with an aero bar, allowing you to ride faster with the same effort. But arguably, it’s the additional comfort that’s the most appealing feature.

Consider this, Tour Divide riders at the pointy end of the race spend upwards of 20 hours per day riding their bikes. This results in a lot of localised body fatigue. Aero bars offer your body a break by providing a different riding position that reduces strain on your arms, wrists, hands and bum, and will allow you to stretch out your back and use different muscles.

If you want to go further down this rabbit hole, I have a detailed article about aero bars HERE .

The saddle you choose is going to be the difference between completing the Tour Divide and having to scratch.

It’s hard to make saddle recommendations to a broad audience – you really have to try them first. But there are some trends here.

Brooks is the most popular saddle brand for the Tour Divide with 20% of riders using one, so they must be doing something right. Ergon saddles have really taken off recently and now more than 17% of riders have one fitted. And WTB has consistently been a popular brand, featuring on 15% of the bikes.

You can learn more about saddle comfort for touring HERE .

Only 13% of riders are using a suspension seatpost (including the carbon leaf-sprung Ergon CF3).

After extensively testing suspension seatposts, I think that many riders could improve their TD experience with one of these. Short travel posts are 100 or maybe 200 grams heavier (3-6oz) than a rigid post. That’s it.

You can read my detailed suspension seatpost article HERE and carbon flex seatpost article HERE .

If you are racing the clock, your tyres are probably the most important component you can optimise over a 4,400km ride.

Some tyres that I’m seeing fitted to TD bikes have been tested on smooth surfaces to roll with 20-watts extra resistance over other tyre sets. A bit of napkin maths suggests that slow tyres could add more than 20 hours of pedalling to a TD run!

But that said, it’s hard to come up with an accurate time figure due to the mix of road surfaces, varying rider weights, tyre pressures and more.

The most popular tyre is the Vittoria Mezcal and you will find it on more than 1/3 of all bikes.

The Mezcal has become the go-to tyre for the TD as it does an incredible job of balancing rolling resistance, puncture resistance, durability and grip. When you move to faster-rolling options like the Schwalbe Thunder Burt, you end up with significantly less grip and a touch less puncture resistance too – which might not keep your mind at ease.

Essentially, there’s a trade-off on all tyres, and it seems that the Mezcal is where most people end up.

The second most popular tyre is the Maxxis Ikon. These are tested to be slower rolling but are known for their reliability – I know ultra racers who have been using them for years and have literally never had a puncture.

I’m not sure why the Continental Race King Protection tyres (7% of bikes) are less popular than in years past. These tyres are what the late Mike Hall used to set the current 13-day, 22-hour course record. They’ve been tested to be ultra-fast rolling, they’re protective of punctures, and some riders have even raced the TD twice on the same set (8,800km).

If you know why these tyres are less preferred nowadays – let me know.

In terms of wheel diameter, there are three common sizes on bikes tackling the TD: 26-inch, 27.5-inch and 29-inch.

As the largest diameter wheel offers the smallest ‘angle of attack’ over bumps and depressions in the road, it can maintain the highest speed. 88% of riders are now picking the big 29″ wheels, and it drops off to just 7% of riders using the smaller 27.5″ wheels.

The average tyre width that’s used is 2.2″/55mm. This is likely the sweet spot where riders have the lowest rolling resistance and the most ride comfort on the long dirt roads.

Almost half of all TD riders (49%) opted for a carbon fibre bike frame. This is the obvious choice for an event with over 60,000 vertical metres (200,000ft) climbing, as a kilogram can make a measurable difference here.

A Salsa Cutthroat carbon frame weighs a touch under 1.5 kilograms (3.3lb). In comparison, a similarly tough titanium frame is often about 2.2kg/4.9lb, and steel is closer to 3.0kg/6.6lb.

Again, the napkin comes out and I’ve calculated an extra kilogram for the average rider to be about 1.5 hours over 4,400km. That’s not huge, but it could be the difference between first and second place.

1X drivetrains now make up 82% of all bike setups using derailleurs. This should be unsurprising, as the Tour Divide is an off-road route that demands wide tyres and low gear ratios, and almost all bikes that accommodate these features now come with 1X drivetrains.

You’ll notice that there aren’t too many gearbox drivetrains at the Tour Divide this year (4%). But this event has previously been won on a Rohloff 14-speed bike (Ollie Whalley, 2012) – so these drivetrains can be a good idea.

That said, gearbox drivetrains are heavier and less efficient than derailleurs so I suspect that’s why they aren’t popular.

Again, my napkin is out, and I’d estimate the Rohloff would add 3-4 hours in good conditions as a result of its lower drive efficiency, plus you could add another hour or two due to the heavier weight. And the Pinion gearbox could add a total of 10 hours when we factor everything in.

If you want to get up the steep hills without going into the red, you’ll want appropriately low gear ratios on your bike. Tour Divide riders seem to know this well, as the average low climbing gear across all bikes is just 20 gear inches. This is about right for the course.

Achieving less than 20 gear inches is easy on flat bar bikes, but harder on drop bar bikes as there is limited compatibility between drop bar shifters and mountain bike derailleurs. I’m really impressed with the drivetrain workarounds on the drop bar bikes – about a quarter have been ‘hacked’ in some way to achieve 20 gear inches or less.

The most popular hack is the Wolftooth RoadLink . This extends the effective length of your derailleur, allowing you to accommodate a bigger cassette with lower gear ratios. Another nice hack is the fitment of the Ratio Technology upgrade kit that mates 11-speed SRAM road shifters to 12-speed mountain bike derailleurs.

If you have deep pockets, the SRAM AXS wireless road shifters pair with the wireless AXS mountain bike derailleurs to fit 10 to 52-tooth cassettes. It seems that few drop bars riders are on a small budget as one-in-three bikes are using this setup!

Almost all riders are using clip-in pedals (86%).

Most of the performance advantages of clip-in pedals are found under acceleration , so there likely isn’t a big disadvantage to those who choose flats. I’d guess that clip-in pedals are simply what most people are used to when they ride their road or mountain bikes, and as a result, it’s just their preference.

Hydraulic disc brakes are also preferred by the majority of riders (82%). They are very reliable these days and often require less grip strength to pull your bike to a stop. This is particularly important when your hands are fatigued after a couple of weeks of riding!

Only 30% of all TD bikes are using suspension forks.

Suspension will undoubtedly reduce rider fatigue on the rougher sections of the route. And given that you can lock out most suspension, the biggest disadvantage is simply that it adds weight to your bike – most suspension forks are approximately 1.5kg heavier than carbon forks.

My napkin says that’s a bit over two hours of ride time for the average rider. So, what do you think? Is it worth it?

Incredibly, Salsa made up a whopping 39% of all Tour Divide bikes this year. In fact, there were 8X more Salsas than the second-most popular bike brand (Niner).

Salsa Cycles are the biggest adventure bike brand in the world right now, and the Cutthroat model, in particular, was designed specifically to excel at the Tour Divide. This model represents 52% of all drop bar bikes here, and it’s not hard to see why – when I take a look at my Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide , the Cutthroat is the only carbon drop bar bike that can fit wide tyres.

And if you’ve ever wondered where the name Cutthroat comes from, the Cutthroat trout is the state fish for all US states that the Tour Divide passes through. You’re welcome.

Through this analysis, I think the seatpost and tyres are the only areas where Tour Divide riders could squeeze out a bit more performance and comfort. But overall, these rigs are really well dialled in. Just lining up for this event requires a lot of research, so I’m not surprised that almost all bikes are perfectly ready for the course.

To finish up, here’s what the average Tour Divide bike is:

It’s a rigid carbon bike fitted with 29″ wheels and running Vittoria Mezcal tyres in the 2.2″ width. The bike has drop bars, clip-in pedals, hydraulic brakes, aero bars and a 1X drivetrain. The saddle is most likely made by Brooks.

There is a high chance that a SRAM wireless drivetrain is fitted, which allows for the pairing of drop bar shifters and a mountain bike drivetrain to give an appropriately low 20 gear inch climbing gear.

There is now a 2022 Tour Divide winner – Sofiane Sehili! He rode a carbon Vitus Rapide to Antelope Wells in 14 days, 16 hours and 36 minutes.

Here are the bike statistics from the top-10 finishers this year: Handlebar Type – 70% flat bar, 30% drop bar Aero Bars – 100% aero bars fitted Saddles – 20% Brooks, 20% Ergon, rest is mixed Seatposts – 70% rigid, 30% suspension (including Ergon leaf-sprung posts) Tyre Model – 60% Vittoria Mezcal, 20% Rene Herse Fleecer Ridge, 10% Maxxis Rekon, 10% Schwalbe G-One Tyre Width  – 2.19″ wide average Wheel Size – 100% 29-inch wheels Frame Material – 50% carbon, 40% titanium, 10% steel Drivetrains – 80% 1X drivetrains, 10% 2X drivetrains, 10% singlespeed Low Climbing Gear – 19.9 gear inches average Pedals – 100% clip-in Brakes – 90% hydraulic, 10% mechanical Suspension – 80% rigid, 20% suspension Bike Brands – 20% Salsa, 20% Chiru, rest is mixed

• aerodynamics
• rolling resistance
• Tour Divide

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Tour divide 2024.

Banff, Canada

Running from Banff, Canada to Antelope Wells on the US-Mexican border, the Tour Divide is for many the halo event of Bikepack Ultraracing. There are both Southbound and Northbound riders racing self-supported along the ACA's Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, always with a few weather re-routes to spice it up.

24:00, 14 June, 2024

Distance — Elevation

4,400km — 60,000m

www.dividerace.com/home

Last Year's Female Winner

Lael Wilcox

Last Year's Male Winner

Ulrich Bartholmoes

Tracking Tips

As the race commences, the key events and happenings will be tagged here.

Leaderboard

Once riders are on the ground we'll be able to provide a live leaderboard here.

Events Feed

This race is yet to start. When the riders set off, we'll provide detailed updates from the ground. Our expert commentators will provide written and photo commentary to better understand what is happening on the map. In the meantime, take a look at the route in the tracking panel and learn more about racing from our features and results . If you'd like to commentate for this race, please email [email protected]

Great Divide Route

Essential Guide to Riding the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR)

• Search for:

the world’s longest wilderness ride

plan your tour

Great divide route map.

• Total Distance: 2,715 miles/ 4,363 kilometers
•   Total Ascent: 161,917 feet/ 4,363 meters

stay on track

Navigate the gdmbr.

Not essential, but the extra route details and background information will make your GDMBR tour more rewarding.

Essential. Use a dedicated GPS device or an offline map app such as MAPS.ME.  From the ridewithgps.com route profile, click on MORE and then EXPORT FILE.

Full GDMBR guide providing route description details, plus tips on finding food, water, bike supplies, and shelter over the entire adventure. Available in hard copy or Kindle.

Katie and Andrew Strempke ride the entire length of the Great Divide route from Banff to Antelope Wells in just 25 days. A candid video showing what life is really like on the Great Divide. 

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© Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Golf's Great Divide Continues, But LIV Golfers May Have a Point

Yes, the LIV players caused the schism by taking the money, but Bob Harig says the big-picture issues of pay for everyone was helped by their move.

• Author: Bob Harig

MORE WEEKLY READ: Time for Stars to Shine | Tiger at Augusta  | Hatton and the Ryder Cup

There was a good bit of reaction to the comments from several LIV Golf players last week who expressed their desire to see the game come back together .

Phil Mickelson talked about the game becoming “much more global” and Jon Rahm noted the potential for a “better product for the fans” and Bryson DeChambeau said “it needs to happen fast ... for the good of the sport.”

Of course, the blowback in many circles was intense. The general reaction to those comments was that the game would not be in this situation if those players had not taken the hordes of cash to join LIV Golf.

And yes, on the surface, that is exactly right. Had nobody taken the offers, the game would still see all of them competing together on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.

But that also misses a big picture. Yes, of course, had there been no disruption there would be no divide. But there would still be the age-old issue of guaranteed pay for the stars, the basis for all the upheaval.

And yet, many of the riches they’ve received have also resulted in greater monetary opportunities for those who remained—a fact that Mickelson pointed out.

Phil Mickelson said at LIV Golf Miami that not everyone sees far ahead in golf's current disruption.

Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

“If you look at all the changes that have taken place with equity for players, elevated events, increases purses … none of that was an option for the guys who left (for LIV),” Mickelson said last week in Miami. “Had LIV not happened and we not done what we did, none of that would have happened now.

“I knew the first two years were going to be difficult. But in the end, where it ends up I think the game is going to be a lot more global, appeal to a lot more people. Appeal to a lot younger crowd and is going to be in a much healthier place in the end.

“But in the disruption phase, which is what we’re in, sometimes not everybody sees that far ahead.”

When LIV golfers say they want the game to come back together, they are not suggesting going back to the PGA Tour. Many are perfectly content with LIV Golf. But they want an avenue to compete against the best more often than just the major championships.

And that’s where it would get interesting if there is ever a deal between the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. Rory McIlroy has suggeste a Champions League-type of competition that would see the best players from all the tours compete outside the current structures.

There have been calls for PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf events to see their top players funnel to one big circuit outside of the respective tours.

“How great would it be to have these signature events have a team aspect as part of it?” DeChambeau said during an interview at Doral. “It increases the value of those tournaments. You create a 50-50 partnership on the team stuff and call it day. We have certain events outside of the PGA Tour, we play on the PGA Tour and we came together at the end of the season like the NFC-AFC (in the NFL). It’s not a hard fix.”

It is difficult if you are not in favor of team golf, and there appears to be considerable pushback to that idea on the PGA Tour side. How that is resolved is one of the big issues going forward.

But LIV Golf appears content to ride it out. It continues to plan for a future without an agreement as it keeps adding smaller sponsorship deals for its teams while locking down future venues.

If the idea was that Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the PIF, was going to shutter LIV Golf as part of an agreement, that seems to be far off.

Hence his meeting three weeks ago with Tiger Woods in the Bahamas has taken on more intrigue. Since joining the PGA Tour Policy Board as a player director last year, Woods has stayed neutral on his feelings about the PIF and its possible investment in PGA Tour Enterprises. But previously, he was no fan of LIV Golf and spoke out against it.

Meeting Al-Rumayyan was viewed as important. What they discussed and how much it might have swayed Woods in any manner is unclear.

“Huge. Huge step,” DeChambeau said. “And I appreciate them for doing that. I think it was necessary. A big step for the game of golf. I just don’t know what his intentions (Woods) are. Nobody does. I wish for them to have the best intentions for the game of golf.”

“I have nothing but respect for Tiger. He’s been so amazing for the game. He inspired me to play the game. ... Let’s bring it back together. That’s all that matters now. I don’t care who is the resistance. Let’s come to terms and figure out, sit down in a business room, see what works for both sides.”

Again, it will be easy to take shots at DeChambeau here. None of this occurs if the players who left had not done so.

But as Mickelson said, there’s a good chance that the big purse increases seen through the signature events and the private equity that will make PGA Tour players part-owners of PGA Tour Enterprises would not have occurred, either.

And so complaining about who did what and when they did is not going to change golf’s current plight.

What happens next? To be determined.

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50+ stores in downtown Springfield participate in second annual women-owned business celebration

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - Several businesses in downtown Springfield participated in the second annual Women’s Day Downtown event on Saturday afternoon.

Shoppers were able to enjoy special deals, giveaways, and pop-ups at various businesses owned by women.

“I think it’s important to just highlight, not just how amazing the women are doing downtown, but even how many there are. Like 60+ women-owned businesses just downtown, not even in Springfield like just downtown is where they are kind of coming from. And so just celebrating that women are kind of just out here doing it. They are doing amazing,” said Sarah Crain, the owner of Elwood Studios.

After making a purchase at one of the businesses, shoppers got a Women’s Day Downtown sticker and a chance to spin a prize wheel at Elwood Studios.

Below is a map of women-owned businesses in downtown Springfield.

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One person dead, one injured, after shooting in Greenfield, Mo.

Fleet of white electric vans near Republic, Mo. is supposed to be there

One person dies after car crash near Lake Springfield

Death investigation underway after woman’s body found at Bull Shoals Lake in Marion County, Ark.

FIRST ALERT WEATHER: Warm Sunday before our next storm system comes in

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Lourdes Gurriel hits a 3-run homer to help the Diamondbacks beat the Cardinals

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Moscow Metro 2019

Will it be easy to find my way in the Moscow Metro? It is a question many visitors ask themselves before hitting the streets of the Russian capital. As metro is the main means of transport in Moscow – fast, reliable and safe – having some skills in using it will help make your visit more successful and smooth. On top of this, it is the most beautiful metro in the world !

. There are over 220 stations and 15 lines in the Moscow Metro. It is open from 6 am to 1 am. Trains come very frequently: during the rush hour you won't wait for more than 90 seconds! Distances between stations are quite long – 1,5 to 2 or even 3 kilometers. Metro runs inside the city borders only. To get to the airport you will need to take an onground train - Aeroexpress.

RATES AND TICKETS

Paper ticket A fee is fixed and does not depend on how far you go. There are tickets for a number of trips: 1, 2 or 60 trips; or for a number of days: 1, 3 days or a month. Your trips are recorded on a paper ticket. Ifyou buy a ticket for several trips you can share it with your traveling partner passing it from one to the other at the turnstile.

On every station there is cashier and machines (you can switch it to English). Cards and cash are accepted. 1 trip - 55 RUB 2 trips - 110 RUB

Tickets for 60 trips and day passes are available only at the cashier's.

60 rides - 1900 RUB

1 day - 230 RUB 3 days - 438 RUB 30 days - 2170 RUB.

The cheapest way to travel is buying Troyka card . It is a plastic card you can top up for any amount at the machine or at the ticket office. With it every trip costs 38 RUB in the metro and 21 RUB in a bus. You can get the card in any ticket office. Be prepared to leave a deposit of 50 RUB. You can get it back returning the card to the cashier.

SamsungPay, ApplePay and PayPass cards.

One turnstile at every station accept PayPass and payments with phones. It has a sticker with the logos and located next to the security's cabin.

GETTING ORIENTED

At the platfrom you will see one of these signs.

It indicates the line you are at now (line 6), shows the direction train run and the final stations. Numbers below there are of those lines you can change from this line.

In trains, stations are announced in Russian and English. In newer trains there are also visual indication of there you are on the line.

To change lines look for these signs. This one shows the way to line 2.

There are also signs on the platfrom. They will help you to havigate yourself. (To the lines 3 and 5 in this case). 

Moscow Metro Tour

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Description

Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

Write your review

Tour Details

Moscow metro tour: architectural styles of the subway.

Duration: 2 hours

Categories: Culture & History, Sightseeing

This metro tour of Russia’s capital and most populous city, Moscow, is your chance to get a unique insight into the beautiful and impressive architecture of the city's underground stations. Admire their marble walls and high ceilings representing Stalin's desire for glory after World War 2, and see first-hand how the interiors change with the rise of new political eras. Your guide will lead you through the complex network, which is one of the most heavily used rapid transit systems worldwide, with over two billion travelers in 2011.

Opened in 1935, Moscow’s underground system, now 190 miles (305 km) long with 185 stations, is today one the largest and most heavily used rapid transit systems in the world. On this Moscow metro tour, discover the impressive architecture of Moscow’s underground stations and learn how they reflect the Soviet era.

Getting around by metro, your local guide will take you through parts of Moscow’s infamous history. Stop at stations built during the time of the USSR (Soviet Union) that are praised as one of the most extravagant architectural projects from Stalin’s time. After World War 2, he was keen on establishing Stalinist architecture to represent his rising regime and a recognized empire. Learn how when his successor started the de-Stalinization of the former Soviet Union in 1953, the extravagancy of the architecture was toned down.

Discover how the unique character of each station reflected several different eras. While stations like Kievskaya and Slavyansky Bulvar have pompous halls and high stucco ceilings brimming with extravagant decorations, those built later, like Volzhskaya, are lightly adorned with sparse furnishings. Architect Alexey Dushkin and painter Alexander Deyneka were just two of the many artists who made these magnificent landmarks possible.

Revel in Moscow's glory days, as well as the years of scarcity, on this fascinating Moscow metro experience. Conclude your tour at one of the central stations in Moscow. If you're lucky, you may even find the secret entrance to the unconfirmed Metro-2, a parallel underground system used by the government -- a mystery which has neither been denied nor confirmed today.

Nearby tours

Soviet-Era Walking Tour in Moscow: Lubyanka Square and the Gulag History Museum

If you love history, would like to know more about Russia’s past, or just want to take an interesting walk, book this guided Moscow walking tour of Soviet-era sites. With your expert guide, walk through Lubyanka Squ...

Walking Tour of Moscow's Kolomenskoye Estate

On this walking tour through the Kolomenskoye Estate in Moscow, immerse yourself in Russia’s interesting royal history. Walk around the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ascension Church, built in 1532, and enter the Hou...

Moscow Cultural Walking Tour: Red Square, Kitay-Gorod and St Basil's Cathedral

Take a guided walking tour of Moscow's cultural highlights, like the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage-listed Red Square, said to be the central square of Russia. Walk through the adjoining district Kitay-Gorod, one of ...

Kremlin Grounds, Cathedrals and Patriarch's Palace Tour from Moscow

A great three hour tour exploring the Kremlin Grounds, Cathedrals and Patriarch's Palaces in Moscow! The small city in the center of Moscow, once the residence of Czars and Patriarchs, contains Russia's main cathedra...

Moscow City Tour

The Moscow City Tour covers all the highlights and most beautiful places in the enchanting Russian capital. The tour begins with a stop at the Red Square and St. Basil's Cathedral, the architectural masterpiece and w...

Culture Shock Rating

We have a wide range of tours designed to give you an insight into the destination you're travelling in and there is something for everybody. The culture shock ratings considers the destination visited, transport used, activities undertaken and that "Wow, I'm really not at home now!" factor. While generalisations are always tricky, a summary of our gradings is as follows…

This is the least confronting of our tour range. Transport used on the trip is either private or a very comfortable public option, the activities included are usually iconic sites and locations that are not all too confronting.

The tour can include a mix of private and public transport providing a level of comfort that is slightly below what you would experience at home. Sites visited are usually iconic sites, tours can also include market visits, visits to communities etc that provide the traveller with a fantastic insight into destination.

Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether it's a packed public bus where you are forced to stand, a visit to a local market, a local community, you are sure to have an experience that is very different from what you're used to at home.

The comforts of your home town and the environment you are used to are more of a rarity. Expect some challenging transport options, visits to local sites and areas that don't resemble anything at home.

You're out there in the global community! You are likely to be exposed to the elements, travel in whatever means of transport is available and basically take it as it comes, whatever comes! It can be tough.

Physical Rating

Our physical rating gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour. While generalisations are always tricky, a summary of our gradings is as follows…

These tours have very limited physical activity. Usually climbing in and out of the transport provided, walking through sites, markets etc included in the itinerary.

These tours have a bit of physical activity but nothing that should challenge you too much. This could be climbing on and off public transport through to a walk through the destination you're travelling in, they can include walking only tours or a combination of walking and transport.

These tours involve a bit of physical activity from walking up and down hills in the destination you're travelling in or the surrounding areas. Climbing on and off local transport or riding a bike up to 30 kms along predominantly flat terrain or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.

These Tours will provide you with some solid physical activity. Whether its bike riding, walking, trekking, kayaking or riding on public transport you will need to have a good level of fitness to enjoy this tour.

Be prepared for some serious physical activity. These tours are our most challenging and involve some serious walking, hiking or bike riding. Can involve step climbs by foot or pedal and some challenging public transport options in the destination you are travelling.

Luxury Rating

Some trips are like a stroll on the beach, while others have you trekking alpine passes. Some of you thrive on camping out on the savannah, while others may prefer a hot shower and a comfortable bed in a lodge. Follow the grading systems below to find the right trip for you.

To help you choose the trip that's right for you, we've broken all of our trips down into four service levels. Measuring the comfort level of the accommodation and transport. So whether you're travelling on a budget and want to save money by using public transport, or prefer upgraded accommodation and are happy to pay a little more, then we have a level for you.

This is grassroots travel at its most interesting

Authentic experiences with some of the comforts of home

For those who like to travel in comfort

All the unique experiences wrapped up with a gold ribbon

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The Local Overnighters Project is a unified effort to document and map one-night bikepacking routes all over the world—by locals, in their own backyards.

The Bikepacking Journal is our biannual printed publication. Each issue features a collection of inspiring writing and beautiful photography. Find details on the three most recent issues below, join the Bikepacking Collective to get it in the mail (anywhere in the world), or click here to find a collection of selected stories in digital format.

The special edition 10th issue of The Bikepacking Journal is one you won’t want to miss! It features 25% more pages with extra stories, bonus art and maps, and much more...

Issue 09 takes readers on trips through time—one to the early days of bicycles—and 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 we’ve long been eager to share...

The 2021 Tour Divide and the Great Divide Classic

Previous Dispatch From Mon May 24, 2021

Nocs Provisions Introduces Zoom Tube Monocular

With regional COVID-19 restrictions changing every day and the border closure between the US and Canada extended, there’s been an official announcement on what this year’s Tour Divide will look like. Find that here, alongside details on the US border-to-border Great Divide Classic…

Photos by Eddie Clark ( @eddieclarkmedia ) from our 2019 Tour Divide Recap

With a lot of uncertainty surrounding cross-border events this year, Matthew Lee (Founder of Tour Divide), Pete Basinger (veteran), Jay Petervary (veteran), and Scott Morris (Trackleaders) have worked together to provide some updates to this year’s Tour Divide. Find their official press release below. As a friendly reminder, we encourage everyone participating to look up the current restrictions along the route and at borders. As of today, there is no non-essential travel from Canada to the US, so a Banff start won’t be feasible. Sorry, Canadians!

Press Release:

The border closure between the United States and Canada has just been extended again, through at least June 21, 2021. Because of that the annual Grand Depart of the Tour Divide on the 2nd Friday of June from Banff Canada will not be feasible.

As a result the Tour Divide will be observing a US border-to-border race called the Great Divide Classic.

The pandemic has forced us all to adapt and as Divide riders we thrive in that environment.

It’s not necessarily a year to celebrate but this change presents the opportunity to make something different while also paying homage to the route, the designers – Mike Mccoy, John Stamstad for being the first to time trial the route, and the Great Divide Race for influencing what has morphed into what we know today as the Tour Divide.

Over the years the Tour Divide has implemented some route changes from ACA’s GDMBR (Great Divide Mountain Bike Route). The Great Divide Classic will follow ACA’s main GDMBR as John rode and the Great Divide Race followed, more or less. With several alternatives along the route, in New Mexico in particular, riders are encouraged (but not required) to take the dirt alternative instead of the pavement. A quote from route designer Mike McCoy: “TD racers are missing out on one of the coolest, most otherworldly sections of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route by taking the paved Chaco Alternate from Cuba to Grants. Is the main route short on water supplies? Yes. Can the tracks get super-yucky after a downpour? Yes. Is it remote, beautiful, and unforgettable? Absolutely.”

The history and rules of the Tour Divide are important to know and to understand, for its unique existence and to help with the preservation of, but as time goes by, more people get into sport and content gets published, some of that gets lost, buried, and/or ignored. So, please visit TourDivde.org to learn more.

In this year of paying homage we hope that the community embraces the spirit and ethos of racing the GDMBR: “The Tour Divide challenge is based on one guiding principle: Cycle the GDMBR end-to-end, as fast as possible in a solo, self-supported fashion.” This is a true pioneer’s approach with being self sufficient and by yourself being a major challenge of it all.

Start of Great Divide Classic – June 11th, 2021, high noon, Eureka MT, Roosville Border Crossing.

Joe Polk is firing back up MTB Cast and call-ins are encouraged. Like the “old” days…but with no payphones!

This is a result of cumulated conversations between Matthew Lee (founder of Tour Divide), Pete Basinger (veteran), Jay Petervary (veteran), and Scott Morris (Trackleaders).

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