Wow! I appreciate how you “showed, & the why of your gear!” You no doubt saved myself & others tons of money & experimenting. Short & sweet, & your voice is crystal clear. Thank you!😊
Congratulations on the ride and thanks for the videos. I was looking forward to each episode. One day I'll try the Great Divide myself. Until then, I'll keep drooling over amazing videos such as yours. Chapeau!
Nice bike review. Lots of value here for people just getting onto bike touring. Your experience shows through. And for an old "experienced" guy like me...well, we should never think we know everything. Nice job!
Thanks for the gear rundown, cool to see how people approach these epic rides! Also pretty neat to see the Pactimo kit in there, I’m the designer and people tackling bucket-list/epic rides in our gear is quite gratifying to see!
Hi Ryan! Fun to hear from you! I’m a Pactimo ambassador, so I was excited to wear my Pactimo kit. I replaced my worn merino jersey when I got home for future adventures.
so very glad I found your series. you have a style that is inviting for all to listen and learn. thank you so much for your time and effort! happy trails....
Thank you, and great question! I started on July 25 in Jasper. I felt the timing was perfect, as there was no snow on the passes and NO BUGS! I did get rained on in NM, so if you’re hoping to stay true to the route, that can be an issue.
Temperatures: I tried to get early starts most days to take advantage of the cooler temps; daytime temps were often 80F to 90F. Icefields Parkway got down to 40F at high elevations. Most nights were cooler, maybe 50s. Had a couple of colder nights in Colorado in 30F range.
With all that gear, it looks like the bike was an afterthought...🤣 I get a kick seeing how much gear people are able to get into their backpack or on their bikes/ motorcycles/scooters. Thanks for posting your adventure. 🙏✌️
I loved watching your incredible journey! I am 58 and hope to have an adventure similar to this! I am still impressed with the quality of your videos over such a long ride. You showed us so many beautiful places! I would need to learn not to stop every mile or two for pictures. 😂
You are very brave to adventure into a very often wild country. Using pepper spray on wild animals like bears. You need to have the wind in your back to shoot. I tried once just to practice and didn’t think about the wind= not pleasant result. Beside, your equipment is amazing and the preparation is remarkable. You have to be super fit to push a heavy set up uphill day after day. I got few tips out the video. 4 pistons brakes? 52 cogs, I have 42 and use 2x. I don’t do yet multiple days: I do maximum mileage in 24 hrs. I will be visiting again your video.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
It is impressive what you can carry on a bike. My husband and I have done part of the GDMBR and every so often we have to unpack and repack everything because something got misplaced.
Ugh, that’s the worst…especially when the item is in my seat bag! I found I became very regimented about where I put everything at camp to make packing easier
I love seeing what you brought on your trip as I plan mine! I will likely use a lot of old backpacking items for now, but love having some ideas in case those don't work! Thanks for sharing!!!
A very well done review of gear and bike(sweet). The reasons behind your choices were well presented. As an old senior with not nearly the amount of money sunk into gear as you, I was slightly envious, lol. As wifey and I have discovered bikepacking is not cheap to get set up properly. You have upgraded many items that we plan to do as they present itself. If I could drop 10 pounds on the bike alone(titanium) that would be helpful. As you mentioned you also had a 2nd perhaps 3 ways to purify questionable water which we also do. I must say your voice was crystal clear and understandable for a Canuck, lol. Thank you!
Thanks for watching and the feedback! For the most part I think the gear worked, though some-like the dynamo hub-were probably overkill. I am fortunate to have been able to get the titanium bike. I think I’m getting the “price per miles” into the affordable range with all the time I’ve spent on it now! Some people have fancy cars or vacations…I have gear 😂
Just found your channel and subscribed as you did a great job going over all the gear you used and what you found you needed to change on your Moots. I will go back through your videos and discover a lot I am sure. How did you like the Route 45 and did you look at the ESC to solve the tire clearance issue? Suggest you use a Tailfin AeroPack out back. Roll top, waterproof, stable and super easy to pack and get to your stuff. Great stuff! Congrats on doing the ride.
Thanks for the subscribe! I was gravel-curious when I bought my bike-bikepacking being just one thing I wanted to use it for-so I skewed towards the Routt 45. I agree, though…the ESC would be an incredible bikepacking machine! Luckily, I didn’t run into mud issues, so the 48 tire in back worked great. I would 100% ride those tires again! I will definitely look into the seat bag you suggested. I’ve got a couple of racks from Old Man Mountain I’ll be testing on my mountain bike setup too. I think a roll-style bag and a couple of micro panniers could be a good combo in the future.
Really well organized video. It's hard to believe all that fit, but clearly you made it work. Thank you for the tips. Did you also keep track of possible bike shops along your route? I can sort of imagine shops were along the route given it's an established bike trail.
Hi Nancy! The spreadsheet I showed in the video included all the bike shops. The Bicycle Route Navigator app from Adventure Cycling also includes the bike shops. Going southbound, the last bike shop I believe was in Del Norte, CO…there are fewer bike shops overall than you’d think!
Bikepacking, while more aerodynamic, must be a pain to pack everyday. That guy who accompanied you on another video had what, to me, seems like the perfect packing system, 2 panniers at the back and 2 tubebags at the front. Everything is tucked away neatly and within easy access for the dozens of times daily you need to reach for jackets and food. There is also less chafing on the material. Having ridden with him did he actually pack up faster in the morning? Even faster if you don't have everything super compressed like I do. My bags look bulky but I actually have less stuff then what you showed. What I gain in practicatily I loose in pedalling against a strong wind.
Panniers definitely make things easier and work well in all but the roughest of terrain. For the Divide, I think they’re a nice solution, as long as you don’t over pack!
You forgot the crocks! How much did this all weigh? Without water or food. And you only brought 2 liters of water??? Thank you so much for this list. I have never done this before. It looks so fun. I may try it!
You’re right! Crocs were critical off-bike gear. I weighed my bags in a laundry basket before I left…they came in around 40lbs, not including food and water. I had 2 24-oz water bottles too, and later added a 1.5L hip hydration pack. I also swapped out my bottles for 1L water bottles later. Trek makes a 1L bottle that fits in my stem bags called the Voda water bottle. I hope you do try it! It’s such an empowering feeling knowing you have everything you need on your bike!
I really enjoyed your videos. Great job!! Could you please say more about the One Of Seven Projects information? Which package did you use? Just the data sheets or the whole big bundle?
Do you believe you could have kept your devices charged w/o the front hub thingy? Did you ever feel the need for extra water capacity above the 2 Liters? Were you using the free version of ‘Relive’ or the paid? Any suggestions regarding using the app? Monthly or annual? Was the warm showers app easy to use and a good value? Thanks for the insight and fine videos. You’re helpful.
That’s a lot of questions! Ok, here goes: 1. Dynamo hub: I don’t believe it was needed on the Divide because I was typically not away from a power source for more than 2 days. 2. I actually carried close to 4L at the start. I did add more capacity for NM so I had 5L. 6 would have been even better. 3. Relive. I pay the yearly subscription and only use it to make the videos. I record my rides with Strava. 4. Warmshowers: I used the old version of the app…they’ve done a major upgrade since, so I can’t speak to the new one. Even though it was low-tech, it worked well. I highly recommended using Warmshowers because the people and hospitality added incredible depth to the overall experience. And I did save a lot of money, too. Sounds like you are heading on your own adventure. Have fun!
Hi Katrina, an excellent setup, and a wise decision on 4 piston brakes. I’m a fan of knicks as well (ex roadie), so I’ll have to keep shorts handy for shopping excursions. Thanks for that tip😅 Did you find the hub generator worthwhile, and your tyre choice,please?
The dynamo hub gave me piece of mind, but I found I really didn’t need it with two battery banks. I think it would prove its worth if I frequently wild camped for multiple days in a row. I would run the same tires again, they were perfect. If anything I should have experimented with lower pressure to smooth out the ride more.
@@katrinahase Hi Katrina, on your recommendation I’m swapping out my Maxxis Ramblers for some René Herse Fleecer Ridge.😅 I’ll let you know how they get on after my trip to New Zealand next month.
Yes, mix them together in your hand. Total amount about the size of a large acorn. 2/3 Aquaphor, 1/3 equal amounts of benzoyl peroxide cream and antibiotic cream. Make sure you clean the area well before applying.
I was really impressed with it. I purchased it for the trip; I didn’t trust my previous bike computer, a Garmin 530. It did a good job of not losing the route when I was out of satellite range. The battery lasted really long, too. I didn’t have to charge it very long at the end of each day. Only fault with it is that large nav files (like one of the ACA segments) will be too big to allow “distance to turn” information.
Thank you again for such an entertaining and interesting video series. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Without getting into the myriad technical details, what are your thoughts about the dynamo? Bottom line: did it provide enough power to be a useful addition, knowing that some supplemental power would be needed anyway? Were you happy you had it? Thank you in advance for your thoughts
I think the Dynamo gave me piece of mind…I always had one power bank that was full at all times. It worked well, the route has enough stretches where you gain speed that it reaches the threshold for producing power. That said, I didn’t end up camping more than 2 nights in a row before a Warmshowers or motel, so I don’t feel like I got the value of having it. I would consider one if you are planning 3 or more days out of civilization.
I did have a bear bag: the Opsak clear bag (seals out odor) and I used it with the waterproof stuff sack. Every night I took ALL of my food and put it in these two sacks. Because there were almost always bear-safe lockers, I would take the bags of food and lock them in there overnight. What I didn’t have to do was hang my bag from a tree, since my bag was safely locked away.
Hi Katrina, thanks a lot for this valuable overview! I will start the GDMBR end of July from Banff. I have a question: I also use the Swift Zeitgeist bag and I see that you couldn't access your bag during the day because of the aero bars? I am still considering to use the aero bars or not. Did you use them? and if so did you like the Profile Design bars?
I got around not accessing the bag by keeping my sleeping kit in it, so that wasn’t a big issue. Like I said, I really didn’t use the aero bars for how they were intended, so in that way I couldn’t justify the expense. The pads take up a lot of space in the handlebars, giving me fewer places to put my hands. BUT, I’m not sure where I would have mounted my bike computer and phone. The aero bars were quite handy for that. And of course, for hanging laundry, trash, or groceries from town! If you want to get aero, drops are always an option. I used those more than the bars. Either way…I strongly suggest the Swood Twisted T-bar to protect your cables: swoodcycles.bigcartel.com/product/twisted-t-bar
Ok, for a clearer answer: no, I don’t think I’d run aero bars again. I would look for something like this for mounting my computer and phone: jefe.bike/collections/cockpit-accessories/products/lightweight-handlebar-extender-accessory-bar
I have mounted also a Tumbeleweed mini pannier front rack, so I could lift the bag a bit up with putting a small drybag with some raingear or so, below it.@@katrinahase
I found one in an outdoor store in Banff, at Flagg Ranch in Wyoming, an outdoor store in Pinedale, and an outdoor store in Salida. There’s also a record store/outdoor store (weird combo, right?) in Del Norte that had them. Most gas stations only had the large, liter size, if at all. I had enough in Montana because there were so many Warmshowers hosts and community centers available. Some places where the trail crosses the CDT, you can find boxes of donated items…i found in there in a motel in Wyoming.
The flint tool is great, as long as you keep it dry. It only has one function though…to light my gas stove. I have matches if I need to light a fire. Maybe a lighter would be better because you don’t need to carry two things.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Katrina, I am watching re-runs of your ride and thought you could use some dollarydoos as a deposit on a new Fleecer Ridge tyre😂 Happy Trails
Re-runs! Well thank you very much, Tim! I will definitely use this to fund bike goodies 😊
What I especially like is that this has been so carefully put together by a real person, not just provided by sponsors. A lot of food for thought 😊
Thanks, Charlie!
Impressed with the restricted volume and the packing, nice job!
Thank you!
Wow! I appreciate how you “showed, & the why of your gear!” You no doubt saved myself & others tons of money & experimenting. Short & sweet, & your voice is crystal clear. Thank you!😊
Thank you! I’m really glad you found it useful!
Thanks, Katrina, for such a thorough gear overview! I sincerely appreciate your experienced perspective.
Glad it was helpful!
Awesome! This is so interesting. Thank you for putting this together.
You’re welcome, glad you enjoyed it!
Congratulations on the ride and thanks for the videos. I was looking forward to each episode. One day I'll try the Great Divide myself. Until then, I'll keep drooling over amazing videos such as yours. Chapeau!
So nice of you to say! I hope you will enjoy riding it someday as well 😊
Nice bike review. Lots of value here for people just getting onto bike touring. Your experience shows through. And for an old "experienced" guy like me...well, we should never think we know everything. Nice job!
Thanks! I continue to refine my setup, but this worked well for a long tour.
I picked up a couple of cool tidbit for my gf and and I to try out on our next tour. Cool!@
Thank you for putting this fantastic video together! As I watched your first episode today I was wondering about your bike and gear😊. So awesome!
You’re so welcome! Feel free to message me on Instagram if you have questions: @birdsnbikesnballet
Thank you for sharing, and congratulations on your adventure.
You’re very welcome, hope it was useful
THANK YOU for putting together this great gear vid and for being a female trailblazer, boldly paving the path for others to follow behind. : )
That means a lot to me, thank you! Hope you have some awesome adventures!
Outstanding video and review! Thanks for sharing this with us and congratulations on the divide route!…😎
Thanks so much!
Katarina, your trip was amazing. It's the adventure of a lifetime. Congratulations again.👏👏
Thank you! Hopefully it’s the first of many 🤞
Thanks for the gear rundown, cool to see how people approach these epic rides! Also pretty neat to see the Pactimo kit in there, I’m the designer and people tackling bucket-list/epic rides in our gear is quite gratifying to see!
Hi Ryan! Fun to hear from you! I’m a Pactimo ambassador, so I was excited to wear my Pactimo kit. I replaced my worn merino jersey when I got home for future adventures.
+1 on the Pactimo Cargo bibs. Great fit & function
This is awesome and very helpful! TY!
Glad to hear it!
so very glad I found your series. you have a style that is inviting for all to listen and learn. thank you so much for your time and effort! happy trails....
I’m so glad you enjoyed the series. I appreciate you taking the time to comment! Happy travels 😊
Your videos are the best information ones I have seen on the Divide, thanks for sharing 😊
That’s kind of you to say, I’m glad they’re helpful!
Well done. This is one of the best gear reviews. Can you remind me which month and range of temps please?
Thank you, and great question! I started on July 25 in Jasper. I felt the timing was perfect, as there was no snow on the passes and NO BUGS! I did get rained on in NM, so if you’re hoping to stay true to the route, that can be an issue.
Temperatures: I tried to get early starts most days to take advantage of the cooler temps; daytime temps were often 80F to 90F. Icefields Parkway got down to 40F at high elevations. Most nights were cooler, maybe 50s. Had a couple of colder nights in Colorado in 30F range.
With all that gear, it looks like the bike was an afterthought...🤣 I get a kick seeing how much gear people are able to get into their backpack or on their bikes/ motorcycles/scooters. Thanks for posting your adventure. 🙏✌️
Haha what bike?
I loved watching your incredible journey! I am 58 and hope to have an adventure similar to this!
I am still impressed with the quality of your videos over such a long ride. You showed us so many beautiful places! I would need to learn not to stop every mile or two for pictures. 😂
It’s always a struggle between slowing down to enjoy the ride and making sure you get to your destination each night! Glad you enjoyed the series!
Thanks for the view into your rig! very helpful!
Glad to hear it!
Chapeau, thanks for posting always good to see other people's kit for ideas.
You’re welcome!
You are very brave to adventure into a very often wild country. Using pepper spray on wild animals like bears. You need to have the wind in your back to shoot. I tried once just to practice and didn’t think about the wind= not pleasant result. Beside, your equipment is amazing and the preparation is remarkable. You have to be super fit to push a heavy set up uphill day after day. I got few tips out the video. 4 pistons brakes? 52 cogs, I have 42 and use 2x. I don’t do yet multiple days: I do maximum mileage in 24 hrs. I will be visiting again your video.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Sounds like you are quite adventurous as well! Great advice on the pepper spray, I will remember that!
Great review and wonderful fun adventure to follow along with you.
Thank you, Darren!
It is impressive what you can carry on a bike. My husband and I have done part of the GDMBR and every so often we have to unpack and repack everything because something got misplaced.
Ugh, that’s the worst…especially when the item is in my seat bag! I found I became very regimented about where I put everything at camp to make packing easier
Well done. Thank you.
Happy it was useful, thanks for watching!
I love seeing what you brought on your trip as I plan mine! I will likely use a lot of old backpacking items for now, but love having some ideas in case those don't work! Thanks for sharing!!!
You’re so welcome! And researching gear never ends, just because you have what you need…that’s part of the fun, right?
A very well done review of gear and bike(sweet). The reasons behind your choices were well presented. As an old senior with not nearly the amount of money sunk into gear as you, I was slightly envious, lol. As wifey and I have discovered bikepacking is not cheap to get set up properly. You have upgraded many items that we plan to do as they present itself. If I could drop 10 pounds on the bike alone(titanium) that would be helpful. As you mentioned you also had a 2nd perhaps 3 ways to purify questionable water which we also do. I must say your voice was crystal clear and understandable for a Canuck, lol. Thank you!
Thanks for watching and the feedback! For the most part I think the gear worked, though some-like the dynamo hub-were probably overkill. I am fortunate to have been able to get the titanium bike. I think I’m getting the “price per miles” into the affordable range with all the time I’ve spent on it now! Some people have fancy cars or vacations…I have gear 😂
Thank you !
You’re very welcome!
Superb!😊
Thank you!
Awesome! That's a lot of gear on one bike! What do you do for a living?
I have my own graphic design business.
Just found your channel and subscribed as you did a great job going over all the gear you used and what you found you needed to change on your Moots. I will go back through your videos and discover a lot I am sure. How did you like the Route 45 and did you look at the ESC to solve the tire clearance issue? Suggest you use a Tailfin AeroPack out back. Roll top, waterproof, stable and super easy to pack and get to your stuff. Great stuff! Congrats on doing the ride.
Thanks for the subscribe! I was gravel-curious when I bought my bike-bikepacking being just one thing I wanted to use it for-so I skewed towards the Routt 45. I agree, though…the ESC would be an incredible bikepacking machine! Luckily, I didn’t run into mud issues, so the 48 tire in back worked great. I would 100% ride those tires again!
I will definitely look into the seat bag you suggested. I’ve got a couple of racks from Old Man Mountain I’ll be testing on my mountain bike setup too. I think a roll-style bag and a couple of micro panniers could be a good combo in the future.
Really well organized video. It's hard to believe all that fit, but clearly you made it work. Thank you for the tips. Did you also keep track of possible bike shops along your route? I can sort of imagine shops were along the route given it's an established bike trail.
Hi Nancy! The spreadsheet I showed in the video included all the bike shops. The Bicycle Route Navigator app from Adventure Cycling also includes the bike shops. Going southbound, the last bike shop I believe was in Del Norte, CO…there are fewer bike shops overall than you’d think!
Bikepacking, while more aerodynamic, must be a pain to pack everyday. That guy who accompanied you on another video had what, to me, seems like the perfect packing system, 2 panniers at the back and 2 tubebags at the front. Everything is tucked away neatly and within easy access for the dozens of times daily you need to reach for jackets and food. There is also less chafing on the material. Having ridden with him did he actually pack up faster in the morning? Even faster if you don't have everything super compressed like I do. My bags look bulky but I actually have less stuff then what you showed. What I gain in practicatily I loose in pedalling against a strong wind.
Panniers definitely make things easier and work well in all but the roughest of terrain. For the Divide, I think they’re a nice solution, as long as you don’t over pack!
You forgot the crocks! How much did this all weigh? Without water or food. And you only brought 2 liters of water??? Thank you so much for this list. I have never done this before. It looks so fun. I may try it!
You’re right! Crocs were critical off-bike gear. I weighed my bags in a laundry basket before I left…they came in around 40lbs, not including food and water. I had 2 24-oz water bottles too, and later added a 1.5L hip hydration pack. I also swapped out my bottles for 1L water bottles later. Trek makes a 1L bottle that fits in my stem bags called the Voda water bottle.
I hope you do try it! It’s such an empowering feeling knowing you have everything you need on your bike!
I really enjoyed your videos. Great job!! Could you please say more about the One Of Seven Projects information? Which package did you use? Just the data sheets or the whole big bundle?
Thanks! I had the town list and data sheet…I think that’s the small bundle. Both were pretty helpful.
No, I cannot believe "it fits all on one bike." You must have been very good at Tetris 😂
Turns out playing Tetris was training for bikepacking 🤣
Turns out playing Tetris was training for bikepacking 🤣
Do you believe you could have kept your devices charged w/o the front hub thingy?
Did you ever feel the need for extra water capacity above the 2 Liters?
Were you using the free version of ‘Relive’ or the paid? Any suggestions regarding using the app? Monthly or annual?
Was the warm showers app easy to use and a good value?
Thanks for the insight and fine videos. You’re helpful.
That’s a lot of questions! Ok, here goes:
1. Dynamo hub: I don’t believe it was needed on the Divide because I was typically not away from a power source for more than 2 days.
2. I actually carried close to 4L at the start. I did add more capacity for NM so I had 5L. 6 would have been even better.
3. Relive. I pay the yearly subscription and only use it to make the videos. I record my rides with Strava.
4. Warmshowers: I used the old version of the app…they’ve done a major upgrade since, so I can’t speak to the new one. Even though it was low-tech, it worked well. I highly recommended using Warmshowers because the people and hospitality added incredible depth to the overall experience. And I did save a lot of money, too.
Sounds like you are heading on your own adventure. Have fun!
Hi Katrina, an excellent setup, and a wise decision on 4 piston brakes. I’m a fan of knicks as well (ex roadie), so I’ll have to keep shorts handy for shopping excursions. Thanks for that tip😅 Did you find the hub generator worthwhile, and your tyre choice,please?
The dynamo hub gave me piece of mind, but I found I really didn’t need it with two battery banks. I think it would prove its worth if I frequently wild camped for multiple days in a row.
I would run the same tires again, they were perfect. If anything I should have experimented with lower pressure to smooth out the ride more.
@@katrinahase Hi Katrina, on your recommendation I’m swapping out my Maxxis Ramblers for some René Herse Fleecer Ridge.😅 I’ll let you know how they get on after my trip to New Zealand next month.
Have fun in New Zealand!!
Hi. Thanks for the video. Could you please elaborate on the tush cream? Do you combine the 3 ingredients into a single cream? How much of each?
Yes, mix them together in your hand. Total amount about the size of a large acorn. 2/3 Aquaphor, 1/3 equal amounts of benzoyl peroxide cream and antibiotic cream. Make sure you clean the area well before applying.
Katrina may I ask when your friend gave you her recipe was it just Equal Parts of each mixed together ..? thank you
Hi Glenn…I did 1/2 Aquaphor, 1/4 antibiotic cream, 1/4 benzoyl peroxide. You can experiment, but that worked for me!
@@katrinahase Thank you for answering ... Glenn
really nice gear description, how do you like the Wahoo Roam V2 ?
I was really impressed with it. I purchased it for the trip; I didn’t trust my previous bike computer, a Garmin 530. It did a good job of not losing the route when I was out of satellite range. The battery lasted really long, too. I didn’t have to charge it very long at the end of each day. Only fault with it is that large nav files (like one of the ACA segments) will be too big to allow “distance to turn” information.
Thank you again for such an entertaining and interesting video series. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Without getting into the myriad technical details, what are your thoughts about the dynamo? Bottom line: did it provide enough power to be a useful addition, knowing that some supplemental power would be needed anyway? Were you happy you had it? Thank you in advance for your thoughts
I think the Dynamo gave me piece of mind…I always had one power bank that was full at all times. It worked well, the route has enough stretches where you gain speed that it reaches the threshold for producing power. That said, I didn’t end up camping more than 2 nights in a row before a Warmshowers or motel, so I don’t feel like I got the value of having it. I would consider one if you are planning 3 or more days out of civilization.
Perfect. Thank you for your insight. happy trails!@@katrinahase
No bear bag, and food in your framebag. Did you take bear precautions, or things just worked out well (obviously)?
I did have a bear bag: the Opsak clear bag (seals out odor) and I used it with the waterproof stuff sack. Every night I took ALL of my food and put it in these two sacks. Because there were almost always bear-safe lockers, I would take the bags of food and lock them in there overnight. What I didn’t have to do was hang my bag from a tree, since my bag was safely locked away.
Hi Katrina, thanks a lot for this valuable overview! I will start the GDMBR end of July from Banff. I have a question: I also use the Swift Zeitgeist bag and I see that you couldn't access your bag during the day because of the aero bars? I am still considering to use the aero bars or not. Did you use them? and if so did you like the Profile Design bars?
I got around not accessing the bag by keeping my sleeping kit in it, so that wasn’t a big issue. Like I said, I really didn’t use the aero bars for how they were intended, so in that way I couldn’t justify the expense. The pads take up a lot of space in the handlebars, giving me fewer places to put my hands. BUT, I’m not sure where I would have mounted my bike computer and phone. The aero bars were quite handy for that. And of course, for hanging laundry, trash, or groceries from town! If you want to get aero, drops are always an option. I used those more than the bars. Either way…I strongly suggest the Swood Twisted T-bar to protect your cables: swoodcycles.bigcartel.com/product/twisted-t-bar
Ok, for a clearer answer: no, I don’t think I’d run aero bars again. I would look for something like this for mounting my computer and phone: jefe.bike/collections/cockpit-accessories/products/lightweight-handlebar-extender-accessory-bar
Ok, great thanks. I will have a look at it!@@katrinahase
I have mounted also a Tumbeleweed mini pannier front rack, so I could lift the bag a bit up with putting a small drybag with some raingear or so, below it.@@katrinahase
I have the same stove. How hard was it to find replacements for the fuel canister? I’ve only seen them in large sporting stores.
Also, lots of great gear suggestions. Thanks!
I found one in an outdoor store in Banff, at Flagg Ranch in Wyoming, an outdoor store in Pinedale, and an outdoor store in Salida. There’s also a record store/outdoor store (weird combo, right?) in Del Norte that had them. Most gas stations only had the large, liter size, if at all. I had enough in Montana because there were so many Warmshowers hosts and community centers available. Some places where the trail crosses the CDT, you can find boxes of donated items…i found in there in a motel in Wyoming.
So, how much did all this weigh?
About 45 lbs before water and food
That's impressive. I was thinking it would be heavier.
This was great. It's always interesting to learn what others take and leave home. How was the MSR flint tool? Better than a lighter?
The flint tool is great, as long as you keep it dry. It only has one function though…to light my gas stove. I have matches if I need to light a fire. Maybe a lighter would be better because you don’t need to carry two things.