Tour Divide: What Worked. What Didn't.

The gear you carry on Tour Divide can make or break the ride. Over the days, weeks, months, and years of bikepacking ahead of the start, you pare your packing list down, carrying the minimum necessary to keep you moving forward. Each item needs to function properly, take up minimal space, and be constructed durably enough to handle the distance and difficulty of Tour Divide. Ideally, that item is also fairly lightweight, though gram counting can be a maddening, sometimes futile game. Here's a look at some key gear that I carried. Some of it was amazing. Others were a let down. On the whole, I'm very happy with what I carried. 

Big Agnes AXL Air Insulated sleeping pad: WORKED

I went with the rectangular pad as I often sleep on my stomach and I wanted more between me and the ground. The AXL Air inflates and deflates quickly, packs small, and kept me plenty warm even on chilly, wet nights. I found it super comfortable no matter the position I found myself snoozing. That's it's pretty darn light is also a nice benefit. I would take this same pad on nearly any bikepacking adventure. 

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Bontrager Circuit helmet: WORKED

At $150, the Circuit is an affordable, feature-laden lid. It fits me well, offering comfortable protection, and is large enough for me to wear a cycling cap or warm hat underneath. The standout feature for me though is the magnetic light/camera mount. It uses a GoPro mount interface and works nicely with Bontrager's own lights. I purchased a K-Edge Niterider mount and bolted and zip-tied it to my Black Diamond Spot headlamp. I was able to easily take the light on and off the helmet while I rode, meaning that I gave my neck a break during the day without making the transition to night riding a long one. 

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Julbo Aerospeed sunglasses: WORKED

From the frameless design to the photochromic lens, I have nothing but love for Julbo's Aerospeed glasses. I wore them during the darkest of nights and the brightest of days and the lens automatically adjusted to the varying light. On my narrow head they didn't fit very tightly but that also meant that over the course of 2,700 miles that they didn't dig into my temples. I added a neoprene Croakie so that I could hang them around my neck when I went into stores and not risk losing them. 

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Ortlieb Seat Pack L: WORKED, for a while

Ortlieb's line of bikepacking bags are not the lightest in the world, but they are built to last and offer waterproof construction. I've used my large Seat Pack for several seasons and during Tour Divide it began to show its age. Somewhere in Colorado, as the heat began to build, it began to sag. The side stiffeners began to bow inward making packing a bit tricky. It also meant that the part of the bag behind the stiffeners could sag and sometimes hit my rear wheel over bumpy terrain. In Salida I bought a new seat bag. In fairness, Ortlieb is taking care of a replacement and I still hold the firm in high regard. 

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RedShift Sports ShockStop stem: WORKED

While I’ve experienced finger numbness and sore hands in the past, this time round I suffered neither. I have to give credit, partially if not entirely, to Redshift’s ShockStop stem. I’ve ridden it a lot now and typically set it up pretty firm but it delivers an affordable, lightweight measure of comfort on mixed surfaces. The company also has a suspension seatpost in the works that I’m eager to try it.  

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Shimano XTR Di2 drivetrain: WORKED

I had thousands of miles aboard Di2 drivetrain before I headed to Banff and I’ve never had issues with the electronics. I know that some are hesitant to make the leap to electronic shifting. Sure, it is expensive. But I've had far fewer issues with it than I have with cable actuated shifting. In the case of Di2, there are no cables that need replacing. It shifts consistently in all conditions and does so while also saving my wrists and fingers from the possibility of overuse injuries from the thousands of shifts one performs during Tour Divide. 

I ran a 2x11 setup using an older 10-speed era XTR Race crank with 42/30 chainrings. On the back I used an XTR 11-40 cassette. I set the system up using Shimano's SynchroShift. I only told the system whether I wanted a harder or an easier gear and it would then shift the front and rear derailleurs according to a pattern that I customized using E-Tube software. So I could shift in both directions, across the drivetrain's entire range, using either hand. This is especially convenient while eating, drinking, or putting on clothes. I also added a set of shifter to my aerobars so that I could stay in them and shift without moving. The shifting is so good that I'm ruined. It's hard to go back to mechanical shifting of even the highest quality.

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Castelli Tempesta 3/4 Rain Pant: WORKED, for a while

Castelli's Tempesta 3/4 Rain Pants are pretty sweet. They offer a great cut for cycling, good ventilation, and pair perfectly with Castelli's Tempesta Leg Warmers for complete wet weather protection. They also have large amounts of reflective materials, increasing visibility day and night. Where they let me down a bit was when, after repeated days of wearing them frequently, the seat of them sprung a leak. It was on a particularly chilly morning, 36-degrees Fahrenheit and raining, that I noticed that my chamois was wet. It was not a comfortable feeling as icy water made its way inside the pants. The next day, after they had dryed out, I found the culprit. I had worn a pair of holes where my derriere made contact with the saddle through the inner layer of the pants. I applied a couple patches using Tenacious Tape and that has worked since. 

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MSR Trailshot Pocket-Sized water filter: DIDN'T WORK

I bought the Trailshot in Whitefish early in the race after seeing a friend using one. Unfortunately, mine (as well as another friend's) packed up and would only deliver water at a trickle despite several flushes. Perhaps there was some user error, but I've researched how to use the MSR since my return with similar results. [On a couple trips since the Divide I've become enamored with Katadyn's BeFree 1L soft bottle. With its integrated filter/nozzle it works exceptionally well, takes up less space, costs less, and can be used to carry an additional liter of water (WIN, WIN, WIN, WIN!)]

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Shimano Goes Graveling - Almanzo 100

Disclaimer: No fun was had during the making of this article. 

An email invite arrived in my inbox. Something to the effect of "Would you like to race the Almanzo 100 and try Shimano's new clutch road derailleur in the process?" Would I?! Well, the Almanzo has been on my gravel bucket list for some time. Checking out a new derailleur was icing on the cake. So I flew to Minnesota where I met up with what seemed like a battalion of Shimano and PRO engineers, product managers, PR peeps, and Shimano's large crew of gravel ambassadors. Also along for the fun were several other journalists, all keen to ride an event that none of us had experienced.

So what was the fuss all about? Well, Shimano has been researching the gravel scene for some time, it turns out. They visited many of the areas known for gravel events and based on that information, they developed a rear derailleur for rough roads and gravel. The Ultegra RX800 and RX805 (the prescription for vitamin G?) rear derailleurs build off of its road line, adding a clutch to aid in chain retention and quiet the drivetrain noise common on dirt and gravel roads. 

Shimano's new Ultegra RX805 Di2 rear derailleur has a clutch that can be turned on or off depending on terrain or ride surface. Photo courtesy Shimano

Now, Shimano was quick to make a distinction between the new RX derailleur and its mountain bike offerings. The clutch in the RX isn't quite as strong for one. The look of the derailleur is more road than mountain too. Hiroshi Matsumoto, one of the engineers who helped develop the RX derailleur, added that one of the reasons a clutch is a benefit to gravel riders is because it helps lower stress while riding. How? Well, it's easy to get a bit paranoid when you're in the middle of a long ride. Every little creak, tick, or knock can have a rider questioning whether a tire has gone soft, a derailleur hanger has been bent. The list goes on and on. 

After riding the new derailleur for a couple weeks, I can say that the lack of noise is nice. I've ridden rough sections of road with the clutch turned on and off and the difference is noticeable. So, while the new derailleur isn't exactly a Valium, it does allow a rider to focus on the road ahead, staying on the wheel ahead, or the clouds in the sky instead of worrying about drivetrain meltdowns. 

Mechanical RX800 on the left, electronic RX805 on the right. Photo courtesy of Shimano

Something I also like is the ability to turn the clutch off. If you also use your gravel bike as a road bike (as I do), you can simply turn off the clutch for slightly less resistance in the drivetrain and longer battery life (on the Di2 version) or a lighter shift feel on a mechanical bike. 

This peace of mind and versatility does come at a cost though. The electronic Di2 RD-RX805 will run you $285 while the mechanic RD-RX800 retails for $110. They are compatible with Shimano Di2 and mechanical 11-speed groups. I would consider this derailleur an upgrade on even a full Dura-Ace bike if its intended for gravel. 

Above all, it's great to see Shimano looking seriously at mixed surface riding. SRAM has done an excellent job creating products for this market with its Force, Rival, and Apex clutch rear derailleurs and 1x drivetrains. For lovers of 2x drivetrains, Shimano's RX derailleurs are a welcome sight. Shimano's concerted entry into this segment of riding only raises the level of competition between the two firms, something that will ultimately benefit all gravel riders, whether fans of 1x or 2x. 

Shimano debuted its limited edition camo color on the XC5 lace-up shoe at Almanzo. Only 1,000 will be made available worldwide and they'll sell for the same $150 price as the stock models. The name sticker is optional!  Photo courtesy of Shimano

PRO had several of its Dutch product managers and a few of the gravel ambassadors on new product that should be available this summer. Two different flared drop bars are coming (the wider flare shown above). Also new are a gravel dropper post with 70mm of travel and a series of bikepacking bags. Photo courtesy of Shimano

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Shimano gravel ambassador Ben Popper popping! Photo courtesy of Shimano

Okay tech stuff done, how was the Almanzo 100?  I had a hoot! A big part of that is thanks to Shimano's gravel ambassadors, an assembly they're calling the Gravel Alliance. Shimano handpicked 15 riders from around North America (yep, there are two Canadians in the mix) to help the Japanese firm keep tabs on gravel trends, test new product, and spread the word on Shimano's efforts in the mixed surface cycling world. 

The crew is a motley one that runs the gamut from elite racers to bicycle-mounted hooligans. I met them late last year as I shadowed Shimano's ambassador program at its first meet-up in Irvine, California, Shimano American's HQ. Earlier this year, at the Rock Cobbler in Bakersfield, California, I saw them again, some head-down racing, others taking time to lounge by the pool in the backyard of a house the course visited. At Almanzo, it was no different. The Gravel Alliance's mix of men, women, racers, and partiers is representative of gravel at large, with seriousness and fun blending seamlessly. The emphasis on one or the other can change from mile to mile. It certainly did for me at Almanzo.

Junior Mendes was relaxed before the start. The Brazilian manages the San Dimas Incycle Bicycles location. He also shreds on road, gravel, and mountain bikes. 

Stevil Kinevil, of "All Hail The Blackmarket" infamy, keeps the mood light among the Shimano Gravel Alliance.

After a quick start in the top 15, I had to avoid a silly crash 11 miles into the race. I'm not in the business of calling people out, but there were some seriously sketchy dudes in the front of that race. They have every right to be there, but a little more courtesy among riders sure would have been nice. On several occasions I was chopped by eager racers riding across my front wheel with little regard for safety. At first this bad behavior had me laughing at the ridiculousness of it all, but that soon turned to anger as the shifty riding culminated in a crash as we began rounding a bend. Crashes happen. It's part of bike racing and I was happy to stay upright, though I did have to hop a downed bike and ride into a field to do so. But this one seemed unnecessary. I'll admit that I didn't handle the situation well afterwards, cussing at the mopes who had been riding so carelessly. 

With that drama behind me, I decided to enjoy the rest of the day as much as possible at a reduced pace. I ate some, drank some. And let a couple groups roll past. Eventually I met up with Phil Thomas and Jared Porter, two of Shimano's ambassadors. We fell into a great pace, rolling along with intent but without any sense of urgency. From here, the photos tell the story. 

Miles of smiles. Jared and Phil hail from Massachusetts and Virginia respectively. 

Shimano takes product testing seriously. Hiroshi Matsumoto, a Japan-based Shimano engineer who was instrumental in the development of the RX derailleur, has raced Almanzo multiple times. He also has a knack for incredible sweat Rorschach patterns. 

Late in the race we came upon a surprise aid station stocked with Jack Daniels, Fireball, beer, bacon, water, and candy. It was all graciously provided by the RidingGravel.com crew of Ben Welnak and Guitar Ted. Shots were down, bottles were filled, and after a selfie, off we went. Thanks!

Done and dusted. It was a pleasure to ride with Phil and Jared. Together we shared work, food, water, and stories. All the things that make gravel great!

During post-race celebrations we had the opportunity to test Shimano's new XTR SPD bottle opener. Don't look for it at your local retailer...