The Data Sheet has the most info. I’ll get into the specialized bikepacking gear in a second, but it’s worth discussing the basic gear that I brought. With that said it’s important you read and understand the official rules which can be found at the link below. I strapped the bag to the handlebars via two buckles on the bag and secured it with a 6’ cam strap looped around the handlebar stem. More weight on the bike means a heavier push. New for 2021- Data created in Garmin Basecamp for more accurate information. After my Colorado Trail Race I realized there was a need for a Colorado Trail Guide for bikepackers. No use of motorized transportation or hitch-hiking, EXCEPT for travel to hospital/medical care. There's limited space for gear while bikepacking, so bring just the essentials and use it well! Support John’s effort by purchasing prints, sticks and mugs of these profiles. If you can’t find what you’re looking for in these then it’s probably in our Colorado Trail Resources. This page is a great starting point, but if you want more information, checkout the “Colorado Trail Race Resources” button below. There are a few hybrid sneaker/cycling shoes out there, but the Pearl Izumi X-Alp comes to mind first. Riding the Colorado Trail: Day 2; Riding the Colorado Trail: Day 3; Riding the Colorado Trail: Day 4; Riding the Colorado Trail: Day 5; Riding the Colorado Trail: Day 6 and 7; Riding the Colorado Trail: Day 8; Riding the Colorado Trail: Day 9; Riding the Colorado Trail: Day 10; Riding the Colorado Trail: Day 11; Riding the Colorado Trail: Day 12 and 13 Colorado Trail Hiker & Bikepacker Trip Length Survey. Instead, race director Jefe Branham encouraged riders keen to tackle all 545 miles of the largely singletrack Colorado Trail at race pace to do so independently throughout the … Additionally, it’s best to keep the heaviest items closest to the seat post to minimize the forces exerted on the bag while riding rough trail. Bring your rain jacket, you will get caught in afternoon thunder storms. It holds immense beauty around almost every turn. Please send additions or corrections via the "Contact me!" No entry fee, no prizes, absolutely no support. 6. The lesson was learned though, and I didn’t have any issues for the rest of the trip. We have a strategy. Both the zippers and fabric are heavy-duty, and the design is well thought out - there’s even a hydration tube port in the design! Buy the DeLorme inReach for $224 at Amazon or $299 at Backcountry.com. Quickly find the total elevation gain between any two POI along the route. I’ll go into more detail with it later, but to illustrate storage, the side zip fit: a wrench, multi-tool, patch kit, pump, zip-ties, and spare brake pads. Bikepacking the Colorado Trail: Presentations at REI… for The Colorado Trail Foundation. 3. The Colorado Trail Race is not organized or sanctioned in any fashion. Being able to repair a broken chain is important to stay on pace since the Colorado Trail often brings you quite a ways from nearby towns. Male: Neil Beltchenko (2016) 3:19:50 Resupply on the Colorado Trail Race is fairly easy except for one section. The Colorado Trail is one of the longest, more arduous, yet most rewarding bikepacking routes in the US. POSTED BY: Sam Skidmore on Monday November 9th, 2020 LAST MODIFIED: Thursday October 29th, 2020. Maintenance is easy too, just apply a bit of Proofride occasionally, and the leather does the rest of the work for you as it molds to your body shape. Buy the Brooks B17 Saddle for $145 at Backcountry.com. You could simply load up a 60 L backpack with gear and take off on a bike, but it’ll be significantly less comfortable and efficient. When I started researching the Colorado Trail I had a lot of questions and I hope this guide can both help to point you in the right direction and get you stoked as you start planning! the zero degree sleeping bag, extra fleece) may be overkill. There are some ideas for the future that I’ll discuss further on in this post, but you really can’t go wrong with a Drom. It’s also just interesting to know where you are throughout the day and what you might expect coming up based on mileage. The Trail – The Colorado Trail a continuous, narrow path from Denver to Durango for hiking, horseback, and bicycling. I started using the Brooks B17 saddle on my road bike and quickly threw it onto my mountain bike once trail season began. I’ve used the Suunto Core on a number of expeditions, and it proved valuable on the Colorado Trail as well. Thanks for your support! Like this post? I’m interested in trying to figure out the average amount of time that users take on the trail, and the amount of time they wish they had since that can be used as a reference tool by people planning their own trips in the future. Silverton to Durango. 5. Molas Pass + Segments 25 – 28. It’s possible that I got a lemon, but the lack of durability alarmed me. The Colorado Trail is a monster of a trail, but this shouldn’t sway you from bikepacking it. If you haven’t already you should read the introductory article which gives a brief overview of the trail as well as my experience bikepacking the trail in the fall of 2016. I outline those pieces of gear here along with a comprehensive bikepacking trip gear list. After three years and nine months on the road since we left Deadhorse, Alaska in June 2016 we have continually fine tuned our equipment, ditching items that at first we thought we could not do without for a long tour, while other items have become relied-upon favourites. The quality of singletrack you get to ride is by far one of the biggest highlights of the CTR. This gave added traction and comfort, but adds up to quite a bit of time and effort. No spam, I promise! Every trip I do produces a gear list that is slightly different than the trip before. 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 Colorado Trail Race Planning Aids are done. The journey that you are about to embark upon follows a portion, or perhaps the entire 485 miles of recreational trail that crosses Colorado from Denver to Durango. Notorious in bikepacking circles, the Arizona Trail, and its accompanying race, are unlike any other major route in the US. Before any trip I always double check my packing against the REI Backpacking Checklist - it’s a good way to make sure you don’t leave anything important behind! This was especially important on the wilderness detours where there aren’t any official Colorado Trail markers, so I relied on the mileage information from my bike computer and Colorado Trail Databook to figure out where to make turns. Overview. The closure is also airtight so I stored food in the Chattooga at night to keep scents away from critters and bears. The 550 miles of the Colorado Trail can really exert some hurt on your body if you don’t have the right saddle, so make sure you absolutely love and can stand being on your saddle for 15+ days. 1. Like the Revelate Designs Ranger, the Viscacha seat bag is also built tough and an essential bag for the Colorado Trail. The Schedule: July 23rd & 24th. The Ranger Frame Bag is designed to use the full triangle on your bike, and they make it in four sizes so you can get as close to a custom fit as possible. There are many primitive and developed camping options or you can usually sleep along the trail. I was also able to use the inReach to show altitude information, GPS coordinates, and even location specific weather forecasts which is huge. Packing for an extended bikepacking trip isn’t drastically different from that of a hiking trip, but there are a few critical pieces of gear that can make a world of difference. This gear list is akin to baselayer, and the specialized bikepacking gear is the fancy Gore-Tex jacket on top. Repost from www.backofthepackracing.com. $20.00 + tax  Purchase North / East Bound here. Since the Chattooga is watertight I never had to worry about my down sleeping bag getting wet in snow or rain, and the durable construction held up great while on the trail. A detailed look at what I used on the CTR, what worked and what didn’t. Any questions or opinions? In this episode, we head out to experience it for ourselves. The Colorado Trail Race starts in either Waterton Canyon or Durango depending on the year. 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