I feel like a broken record, but the 2026 Tour Divide is once again shaping up to be one of the largest, most anticipated grand departs of the year. Nearly 300 riders signed up for the “unofficial starter list,” and we met last year’s record-setting number of rig submissions for a single event. Yesterday, we showcased over 90 flat-bar bikes that will be out attempting this year’s Tour Divide, and today, we’re pleased to showcase over 60 drop-bar rigs that will be riding alongside them.

Like yesterday, we’re here to celebrate everyone who has decided to travel to Banff for this year’s grand depart. Scrolling through the unofficial starters list, there are riders from Germany, Ecuador, New Zealand, Italy, and beyond. Canada and the United States make up the majority of participants, but every year, it’s amazing to see how many other countries are represented. There are a select few who will be chasing records, hoping to finish under 14 days, and many others taking it all in at a more leisurely pace. Some riders are kitted out with racks and panniers, preparing for multiple days between resupplies, and others will carry only the essentials, leapfrogging between gas stations and corner stores, sleeping only when their bodies refuse to push on.

There’s no one way to enjoy the Tour Divide, and we’re eager to hear stories from the route along the way and after all is said and done. The 2026 Tour Divide grand depart takes off from Banff, Alberta, Canada, tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. local time. Dig into the rigs below, and then head over to our Tracker page to follow the event live.

Roy America

Age 49 / Pleasanton, California (USA)

BIKE: My Tour Divide bike is a Mason Exposure built around reliability, comfort, and simplicity. The drivetrain is a Shimano GRX RX827 Di2 setup with a 34T chainring paired to a 10–51T cassette, which hopefully gives me enough range for the long climbs. I’ll be rolling on a set of custom-built 32-spoke DT Swiss wheels with Continental Cross Kings up front and Race Kings in the rear. Power and lighting come from a Sinewave Beacon fed by a Shimano dynamo hub. For comfort over the long haul, I’m running both a Redshift suspension seatpost and ShockStop stem.
BAGS: Storage-wise, I’ve got a Tailfin Aeropack, Restrap aero bar bag, custom Stringbean frame bag, and a top tube bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My shelter is a Mountain Hardwear UL 1-person tent paired with an REI Magma sleeping bag. Camp clothing consists of an Enlightened Equipment synthetic jacket and pants, while weather protection comes from Outdoor Research rain gear. I’ll be wearing a Salomon running vest for additional water capacity and to keep essentials close at hand. As for clothing, I’ll be rotating between Pearl Izumi Expedition bibs and LSRF cargo bibs (and if all goes according to plan, I might even get LTD to sign them for me).
GPS DEVICE: For navigation, I will be primarily using a Garmin Edge 840, backed up by a Garmin Fenix 6 and an iPhone 17 running Ride With GPS.

Dave van Balkum

Age 32 / Castricum (Netherlands)

BIKE: I’ll be riding (not racing) the Tour Divide on a Nordest Kutxo, which I built myself with the TD in mind. The bike features a new pair of Vittoria Mezcal 2.4” tires, a 1×12 GRX/XT drivetrain with a 30T chainring, and DT-Swiss M1900 wheels. A Racktime Viewit front rack supports the dry bag, and a modified Ortlieb Quick Rack attaches the fork packs. I also have Zipp Vuka aero bars with a 25mm riser. Front light 2x Lezyne Macro Drive 1400+.
BAGS: The centerpiece of my bag setup is a custom Merit frame bag where I carry all my electronics, spares, and things to take care of myself. On the rear, I have two Ortlieb fork bags—one for food and the other for on-bike clothes. On top of the rack is a Sea to Summit Evac Compression Dry HD 8L bag containing my tent and camp clothes. In front is another Sea to Summit compression bag with my sleeping bag and mattress. Three 1L bottles will be mounted to the fork and downtube.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: A proper sleep kit consisting of a Nordisk Lofoten 2ULW—a 2-layer tent with an incredible weight of just 500g. This is paired with a Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT Regular Wide mattress and a Therm-a-Rest Parsec 32°F/0°C sleeping bag. Finally, my great shoes: Specialized Rime 2.0.
GPS DEVICE: I’ll be carrying a Coros Dura for navigation, with a backup Samsung S20 running Organic Maps and Ride with GPS for POIs.

Hector Basso

Age 50 / Boise, Idaho (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be racing a 2022 Moots Routt Esc with rigid Ti fork. The 1×12 drivetrain is a White Industries 34T chainring in front and a 10-51T Shimano XTR cassette. Wheels are Industry Nine with Hydra hubs fitted with Vittoria Mezcal 2.25” tires. Paul Klamper brakes with TRP Levers round out the components group. A Brooks C-17 saddle, Daja Far Bar, and Redshift Aero Bars complete the cockpit for comfort.
BAGS: All of the bags for this rig were designed and sewn in-house in a combination of X-Pac, Robic nylon, and Challenge sail fabrics.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My sleep system consists of a Zpacks Plex Solo tent, a 30-degree Enlightened Equipment Quilt, and a 3/4 length Sea to Summit Pad. A Patagonia Nano Puff, an Arc’teryx rain jacket, and Gore-Tex pants provide warmth and waterproofness.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 840 and Garmin inReach Mini.

Scott Baste

Age 65 / Franklin, North Carolina (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding the Tour Divide NOBO on a 2019 Salsa Fargo Titanium. The bike features a new pair of Vittoria Mezcal 2.6” tires, a 1×12 drivetrain with a 30T chainring, and Industry 9 hubs and HED rims. Clipless pedals and Old Man Mountain Elkhorn rear rack. Salsa Cowchipper carbon bars with Red Shift Cruise Control grips.
BAGS: Frame bag and feed bags by local Asheville company Rockgeist, Rogue Panda top tube bag, Blackburn handlebar bag on tailing rack, Old Man Mountain front and rear panniers 5/7L and trunk bag, 4 Hydrapack water bottles with one having a built-in filter plus an extra 2L bag for longer stretches.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Six moons lunar solo tent along with an Exped 30°quilt and Big Agnes Air Mat. Also bringing a stove so I can have a little coffee in the morning, otherwise I’m liable to be too grouchy. I plan to camp as much as possible.
GPS DEVICE: I’ll be carrying a Garmin 1040 for navigation. Backed up by a Garmin Fenix 7 and an iPhone.

Mike Beiergrohslein

Age 50 / Eagle River, Alaska (USA)

BIKE: CORVUS Crow Pass Ti Adventure Bike built by the cool folks at Speedway Cycles!! We Are One Sector wheels with Sapim CX spokes, e-13 9X52, Hope 180 n RX2 brakes, Onyx hubs with CK BB/headset, eeSilk susp stem with 2.4″ Dubnitals to soak the bumps. Ti Litespeed seatpost, Ti 32t 5 DEV front, Ti ee-wings, Tumble weed Ti rack, and Ti bolts in every available orifice, Enve Gravel bar with Shimano GRX Beer sub brake levers for those downhills when you need a drink.
BAGS: Revelate Rockin’ all over: Burrote, Portage Pitchfork and custom Mega Frame bag for a full pizza and a gallon of ice cream at select towns.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: The bike and bags are highlights for me.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin 1040.

Jared Van Bemmel

Age 39 / Pensacola, Florida (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding the 2020 Salsa Cutthroat. Roval carbon wheels with Dubnital tires. Gearing is a 2x with 46/30T in the front and 11-42T in the back. For comfort, I have aero bars, a suspension stem, and a suspension seatpost.
BAGS: Revelate Designs top tube bag for snacks. Salsa frame bag for tools and food. Everything else will go in the Tailfin panniers using the Ortlieb Quick Rack. I’ll also have a backpack for extra capacity.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: A Big Agnes Copper Spur UL1 tent will serve as my shelter along with a Vesper quilt and Nemo air mattress.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura for navigation.

Tony Berberich

Age 56 / Palmer, Alaska (USA)

BIKE: Trek Checkout 7.
BAGS: Tailfin x Trek frame bag, Apidura.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I really like the bike, rode it all winter in Tucson, and had a ball.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura, Garmin 1040 backup.

David Bitterman

Age 62 / San Antonio, Texas (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding (not racing) the Tour Divide on my custom build XS Lynskey GR200. I’m riding Vittoria Mezcal Tires (2.25″ front, 2.1″ rear) on Hunt Adventure wheels with a Son dynamo up front. Drivetrain is SRAM AXS with Force Brifters and Eagle XO components. I’m running a Ritchey Venturemax bar with a Fred bar, Baryak bridge, and aero bars. I have a Redshift Suspension stem and seatpost suspension, with a rubber Selle Anatomica saddle.
BAGS: I’m running a mix of Ortlieb bags (Handlebar, frame, and rear rollers), and Old Man Mountain bags (fork and rack). I also have two small bags on the rear rack for other essentials, and a Restrap top tube bag for snacks.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’m sleeping in a Durston 1+ X-Dome with a Sierra Designs bag and lots (too much) of other stuff.
GPS DEVICE: I’m using a Coros Dura for navigation.

Jonathan Black

Age 56 / Idaho Falls, Idaho (USA)

BIKE: I’ll ride my Kona Sutra ULTD, with Shimano GRX 1×11, sporting Garabuk bling on the rear derailleur. The bike is equipped with Hope Hubs, Hope cranks, Hope bottom bracket, and Hope chainring (I need all the Hope I can get!). I’ll be perched upon a Fox Factory dropper with a Brooks C15 saddle. As for rubber, I’m running a Schwalbe Rocket Ron up front, with Schwalbe Racing Ralph in the rear, both 2.25” wide. I’ll be hanging on for dear life to my Surly Truck Stop handlebars decked out in Camp and Go Slow diamondback bartape, and Redshift aerobars to rest.
BAGS: Revelate Sweetroll on top of a Mica Rat Tail rear rack, Revelate top tube bag, and Revelate feedbags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’ll sleep in comfort in a Big Agnes Copper Spur UL1 tent and a Western Mountaineering down bag.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin eTrex 30 and Ride With GPS on iPhone.

Seb Breuer

Age 36 / Seeheim-Jugenheim (Germany)

BIKE: My idea to conquer the Tour Divide is to use my Rose PDQ Mountainbike. This all-around bike is equipped with Newman carbon wheels featuring a 30mm inner rim width, paired with 60mm tires. For sure tubeless. The SON28 dynamo hub powers the Ladelux lamp. A particular highlight is my Deda Cockpit and the Tailfin bags.
BAGS: I’ve been a Tailfin fan for years and am a true believer. Once again, the team from Bristol has done a fantastic job and outfitted my PDQ with a custom-made frame bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: No one would expect this: my favorite part is the little Minion sticker on the frame. It’s going to bring me luck. So it’s definitely my favorite part. From a technical point of view, my cockpit is the real showstopper. Right?
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 1040. With this device I won Badlands without any recharging. Backup is my Garmin Eduro 3 and my Garmin inReach Mini 2.

Angelly Otalvaro Castro

Age 23 / Atlanta, Georgia (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding NOBO (not racing) the Divide on a 2025 Big Bro from Brother Cycles, custom spec. I’m running a Teravail mullet with a 2.4” Honcho in the front and a 2.3” Ehline in the back. For the drivetrain, I have the GRX 1×12 drivetrain with a 32T Raceface chainring, and a Shimano XT wheelset.
BAGS: I am a rack lover. Out front, I have an OMM Pizza rack holding the Salsa EXP cradle dry bag; on the sides are two Salsa EXP Anything Cage bags. On my FSA Pro-Wing bars, I have my own custom-made “kitchen sink” bag. The center of the frame is decked out with the Oveja Negra Bodega frame bag and a Revelate Mag Tank. The rear features the OMM Elkhorn rack where I’ve rested an OR Dirty/Clean 20L bag along with OMM Ponderosa Panniers. 1.5L water capacity rests on the front fork; 2.5L in the frame bag, and additional 2L are stored in a pannier, just in case.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My kitchen sink bag has acted like a chuck bucket for everything and anything!
GPS DEVICE: Wahoo Bolt.

Benjamin Clark

Age 61 / Enumclaw, Washington (USA)

BIKE: Salsa Cutthroat with GRX 810 drivetrain, 34 x 10-51T, Astral Serpentine hoops with a Chris King rear and SON dyno front on 2.4″ Conti Dubs, SID fork. Tumbleweed Ti rack. Love this bike.
BAGS: Mix of bags from Revelate Designs, Salsa, Dispersed, and Sea to Summit.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: kLite front light with kLite USB charger connected to a Voltaic V-25 cache battery. 6L water capacity: 3L Hydropak, 2L Hydropak used for filtering; 1L Zefal. Durston X-Mid1 tent. Spark Down Sleeping Bag 30F. Therm-a-Rest mat and pillow.
GPS DEVICE: Corus Dura.

Preston Conroy

Age 39 / Brooklyn, New York (USA)

BIKE: For my rookie attempt of the Tour Divide, I will be riding a 2024 Salsa Cutthroat. There are many Cutthroats, but this one is mine, and she is named Miami. Miami features a new pair of Vittoria Mezcal 2.4” tires, a GX AXS 1×12 drivetrain with a 34T chainring, and Astral Serpentine rims (32 hole + 32mm internal width) laced to the SON dynamo up front and a DT Swiss 350 DEG in the rear. Since acquiring Miami, I have added a 100mm SID Ultimate front fork and a k-Lite headlight with charging system.
BAGS: My aim with my bag setup was to keep things light and watertight. I have a mix of Arkel Dry-Lites, Tailfin bags, and a Rockgeist 52Hz framebag. Up top, a Revelate Designs Pitchfork aerobar bag and feedbags keep snacks readily available in the cockpit.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: A Six Moons Scout tent will serve as my shelter. To keep warm throughout the night, I have a Sea to Summit Ultralight XR Insulated Air pad, a Big Agnes sleeping bag, and Enlightened Equipment Torrid Booties.
GPS DEVICE: I’ll be carrying a Coros Dura for navigation and an inReach Mini 2 for GPS tracking/SOS.

XAVIER CHIRIBOGA CORDOVEZ

Age 44 / Quito (ECUADOR)

BIKE: Chinese unbranded hardtail. Manitou Tower Pro fork from the 90s. SRAM AXS GX 1×12 36T chainring, drop bars, aero bars. Continental Dubnital 2.4″ tires. Hunt wheels with dynamo.
BAGS: Tailfin top tube bag, Ecuadorian Urcubags saddlebag and front bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Continental Dubnital tires, Tailfin top tube bag, and my HUNT wheels.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura.

Will Daggett

Age 64 / Rutland, Massachusetts (USA)

BIKE: Riding, not racing, Salsa Fargo Apex 1, Vittoria Mezcal 2.35″, drivetrain is 1×11, front ring 30T and 11/46T cassette. Son28 dynamo hub with kLite front and rear. Profile Design aero bars.
BAGS: Sea to Summit 13L, 20L and 5L, Revelate Designs Portage Panniers. Rogue Panda frame bag, JPaks top tube bag. Revelate Egress Pocket.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Enlightened Equipment 10° quilt, Big Agnes Tigerwall 2, ultralight pad.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 840 solar, inReach 3 plus, phone as backup.

Paul Dibble

Age 23 / Bozeman, Montana (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding my 2023 Specialized Diverge for the Tour Divide. The bike has Zipp XPLR wheels with Continental Terra Adventure tires, 700 x 45mm. The drivetrain consists of SRAM Rival cranks, Apex AXS derailleur, and a GX cassette.
BAGS: The bags I’ll be running include the Tailfin CargoPack and 5L panniers, Restap custom frame bag, Tailfin Long Top Tube bag 2.2L, and a Sea to Summit dry bag under the aero bars.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’m most excited to be using a Tailfin rack, as all the other bikepacking trips I’ve used seat post-mounted bags.
GPS DEVICE: In the cockpit, I have my Garmin 840 for navigation mounted on some Profile Design aero bars on 50mm risers.

James Farmer

Age 35 / Brisbane, Queensland (Australia)

BIKE: Mason ISO2 (2025), size L, Grigiotecno. Shimano GRX controls with a 1×12 mullet drivetrain (11–51T cassette) and 32T Wolf Tooth chainring. Favero Assioma Pro MX-1 power meter. DT Swiss XM 481 29” rims with Pirelli Scorpion XC RH Race ProWALL 29 x 2.4” tires.
BAGS: Tailfin CargoPack system with panniers and top tube bag, paired with a Mason Condenser front rack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Cane Creek eeSilk suspension stem and seatpost, paired with Redshift aero bars. Seat SR Allroad Pro Men. Exposure Toro Mk16 lighting setup. Fork mounts carrying two Klean Kanteen 64oz bottles. Outdoor Research bivy for a sleep system.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura (Primary) Ride with GPS (iPhone backup).

Riley de Gans

Age 24 / Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)

BIKE: I’ll be touring the Tour Divide around 40 days on my Trek Checkpoint ALR5 with Will Ng. GRX 2×11, Van Rysel Aerobars, 519g MEC Deluxe rear rack, Continental Race King 29 x 2.0″, Nitecore lights. Custom machined steel double bottle adapter for the downtube.
BAGS: All gear handmade by me with Ultragrid and EPLX400 from Refasten.ca. Double compartment frame bag and full length top tube bag, both bolt-on. Small front roll with a deep stretch pocket for snacks. Rear rack bag with stretch mesh for long food carries and drying my tent, converts to a 30L fast pack with removable Nashville Cutaway style vest straps for backpacking side quests.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My homemade 390g fully enclosed Silpoly tent made from the MontMolar open source pattern is my pride and joy. Also made an Alpha direct 90 crew neck and 0c Climashield Apex UL quilt. Bombproof half-length CCF pad, BRS3000T stove, G6 Toy Camera for that retro digicam grain.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Pace 4 + Pixel 8.

Brendon (Badger) Grates

Age 30 / Schenectady, New York (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be cruising along the Divide on my Tumbleweed Stargazer. My ride will be sporting a fresh set of Vittoria Mezcal tires (2.35” front, 2.25” rear) mounted on Velocity Blunt 35 rims with a SON dynamo hub. I’ll be running a modified 1×12 drivetrain with a 32T chainring. Rounding out the build are a OneUp dropper post and Profile Design aero bars for added comfort.
BAGS: In the triangle sits a Rockgeist x Tumbleweed frame bag. Up front is the Pitchfork Aero Bar System by Revelate Designs. I’m also running a feed bag from Revelate and another from San Util, along with a Tailfin top tube bag to carry a plethora of snacks. In the rear, I’m keeping things simple with a Sea to Summit dry bag mounted to my Tumbleweed rack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’ll be running a double bottle cage mount by NZ Cylcewerks on the down tube. For my sleep system I’m opting for comfort by brining along the Durston X-Dome tent, a Sea to Summit Spark sleeping bag and Nemo Tensor Elite sleeping pad.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura.

Meaghan Hackinen

Age 41 / Kelowna, British Columbia (Canada)

BIKE: I’ll be racing the Tour Divide on my Cutthroat C Rival GX AXS Transmission SUS with a 10-52T cassette and a 34T chainring. A RockShox SID Select 3P suspension fork offers 100mm of travel. The bike features custom Light Bicycle WG44 carbon rims, laced with a Hope Pro 5 rear hub and a SON dynamo hub paired with the new kLite front light, Qube rear light, and Micro USB charger. I’m running 29 x 2.2” Rene Herese tires and using aerobars.
BAGS: My Apidura Backcountry bag system is centered around a prototype bolt-on frame pack (hydration bladder and easy-to-reach layers) and top tube pack (electronics and hygiene). I’m using a saddle pack to store my sleep kit, rain gear, and tool kit, and a stem pack for resupply. I’m also carrying Apidura’s tiny packable musette bag that expands to 7L for longer stretches between resupply.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My sleep system is made up of a Rab Mythic 180 sleeping bag rated to 0°C/32°F, paired with a classic SOL emergency bivy and tiny homemade sleeping pad. I’m using a Ghostrider Kermode bear spray holder.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura.

Kurt Hackler

Age 49 / Alstead, New Hampshire (USA)

BIKE: Frank The Welder Tour Diluxe 1.2 built with old Rohloff, Gebla rohbox, Gates carbondrive, SON 28, Edelux II, B&M K-werk, We Are One perforated circles for 29” tires, Klampers, MaxHit T47i, Redshift shockstop system and aerobar, 51cm truckstop bar.
BAGS: Aerodynamico 5/3 cubic foot touring luggage system consisting of: Ortlieb racktop with added side pockets, Sneeze & Summit big liver handlebar bags, L&R “lower deck“ rack bags (scraps of BOB bag bonded with HH-66), Fork2Face EZ reach snack bag, Jerrycan, front & rear fender bags, Tailfin 1L downtube
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Durston x-mid 1, Western Mountaineering sycamore, DaBrim, Clickstand, Nalgene silos.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura, Auxiliary Brain: iPhone.

Scott Heinen

Age 58 / Victor, Idaho (USA)

BIKE: 2020 Why Cycle El Jefe, featuring a SRAM AXS GX 1×12 drivetrain and a 34T chainring. Running a SON Dynamo hub up front to power my Sinewave Beacon 2 light and charge devices through a 10Kmh Anker pass-through battery booster.
BAGS: A mix of Tailfin and Apidura for the things I want to stay dry, and my beloved Dispersed frame bag for water, food and gear reserves. Luxuries include UL running shoes for camp/town/hike-a-bike, and a Hyperlite Mid 1 shelter, both found in the blue dry-bag up front.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Sea-to-Summit Spark 30 degree sleeping bag, Nemo Tensor Elite sleeping pad, S-Works Recon Gravel lace-up bike shoes (light, stiff, dry fast), and a USWE Pace 8 vest (Redbull chest pockets!) with a HydraPak 2L water bladder/hose. Another reserve 2L water bag carries in the frame bag. Also using a couple small water bottles in the Revelate feed bags for hydration mix and gas station coffee. No stove.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 540 for route navigation, Garmin InReach Mini2 for tracking, and RWGPS on the iPhone for maps.

Phillip Hicks

Age 65 / Wooton, Kentucky, Leslie County (USA)

BIKE: I’m riding a Trek Procaliber, with a 120mm SID Ultimate fork. She’s rolling on a set of custom laced ENVE M630 wheels with a Son Dyno, and i9 Hydro II xd15 hubs. I chose the SRAM XX SL Transmission drivetrain with 34T front, and 10-52T rear to keep the Continental Race Kings spinning.
BAGS: My gear is housed in a combination of Tailfin and Restrap bags. Resting atop of the ENVE gravel drop bar, and Speed Shop 51 aero bars is a custom carbon fiber cockpit.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I hope to capture this AWESOME expedition with two Insta360 cameras, and a drone. So, say a prayer, wish me luck, and RIDE HARD, EVERY DAY IS A GIFT !
GPS DEVICE: The new Wahoo Ace, Garmin inReach Messenger, and my iPhone will guild me down the trail.

Gary Holton

Age 61 / Oʻahu (Hawaiʻi)

BIKE: Rode 2024 TDR on a fully rigid frame, not doing that again. This time around I’ll be on a 2025 Salsa Cutthroat with Mezcal 2.25″ tires on Astral Outback carbon rims, SON Dynamo front, Onyx rear. SRAM Eagle AXS with 30T ring. Snooze bars with 50cm risers for those long lazy afternoons. Suspension fork to ease my old bones on the descents, and AXS dropper to keep me in the saddle on those descents. Testing fate by going fully electronic drivetrain again. Someday I’ll regret that choice, but hopefully not this year.
BAGS: Replaced my wagging tail bag with a Tailfin cargo pack, which lets me bring way too much stuff. Tent under the handlebars.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I love my Hyperlite Mid 1 tent. Not much heavier than a bivy but so much more comfortable. Also love the quiet of the Onyx hub. Allows me to enjoy the descents without feeling like I’m being followed by a bunch of angry wasps.
GPS DEVICE: The nice thing about being in the back of the pack is that I can just follow everyone else.

Amy Johnson

Age 40 / Brooklyn, New York (USA)

BIKE: I’m riding a custom Huckleberry frame by Brian Hall at Rare Earth Cycle.
BAGS: Frame bag by Dispersed Bikepacking, Elkhorn rack by Old Man Mountain, Love Handles Harness by South City Stitchworks, Big M.U.T. bags by Randi Jo Fabrications, BarJam Harness by Rockgeist, Lunchbox Handlebar Bag by Oveja Negra, Hoagie Hauler stem bags by R.E.Load Baggage, Mag-Tank by Revelate Designs.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My favorite pieces of gear are my 20 year old sarong, my mid-layers by Sambob out of Portland, ME, and the many characters on board (a Luchador from Baja, a googly eye, a hidden Mr. Rogers, a navigation duck).
GPS DEVICE: RWGPS on my phone.

David Kenny

Age 40 / Loughrea, Galway (Ireland)

BIKE: I’ll be riding the Tour Divide on a 2023 size small Canyon Grizl. The bike is equipped with Schwalbe Thunder Burt 2.1″ tires mounted on DT Swiss GRC 1400 wheels. The drivetrain is a mechanical Shimano GRX 810 2×11 setup featuring 48/31 chainrings and an 11-46T cassette paired with a Wolf Tooth RoadLink Direct Mount derailleur hanger adapter to provide a wide gear range. Shimano Deore XT pedals round out the build.
BAGS: My setup uses a 14L Restrap Saddle Bag, a 7L Restrap Race Bar Bag Aero on the handlebars, along with Canyon frame and top tube bags to carry daily gear, tools, electronics, and food.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: One of the key modifications to the bike is the drivetrain. I’m running the stock Shimano GRX 810 11-speed rear derailleur paired with a Wolf Tooth RoadLink Direct Mount derailleur hanger adapter, allowing it to accommodate an 11-46T cassette while retaining the simplicity and reliability of the original mechanical GRX setup.
GPS DEVICE: I’ll be carrying a Garmin Edge 530 for navigation throughout the Tour Divide.

Barb Kerr

Age 65 / Boise, Idaho (USA)

BIKE: I’m excited to be racing the TD on this 2020 Salsa Cutthroat with SRAM 12-speed 32×10-52T mechanical drivetrain. Using Force shifters with a little help from Ratio Technology’s Upgrade Kit. Wheels are custom carbon 29” Nox Teocalli with Berd spokes and Vittoria Mezcal 2.25” tires. There is a dynamo hub up front. I’ve got a set of Pro Missile aero bars with a Bar Yak Carbon Triple Crown to attach my electronics—thanks to Joe Stiller at Bar Yak.
BAGS: A mixed bag. Custom and awesome Rogue Panda Frame Bag. Revelate Designs Pitchfork, Mountain Feedbags, and a Mag-Tank 2000 top tube bag. Tailfin carbon rack with 2.5L mini panniers and dry bag strapped on the deck.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Z Packs Plex Solo Tent, Enlightened Equipment Quilt, Klymit Inertia X-lite 3/4 sleeping pad (light and just comfortable enough). Favorite gear is a Top Tube Lifting Strap (Dirty Teeth MTB).
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura.

Spencer Kessler

Age 23 / St. Louis, Missouri (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding (not racing) the divide nobo on my trusty Tumbleweed Stargazer (gen 1, midnight sparkle). It’s setup with a combination 1×12 GRX 820 and XT mechanical groupset and a set of alloy DT Swiss wheels (350 hubs) with Vittoria Mezcal tires (2.35″R/2.4″F). Gearing is 10-51T in the rear and 32T in the front. Saddle is a WTB Volt, handlebars are Tumbleweed Big Dipper, and pedals are Shimano PD-M8100.
BAGS: I have a Rockgeist x Tumbleweed framebag that I adore alongside a suite of Sea to Summit dry bags strapped to Widefoot cages and a Salsa Cradle up front. The rear features the Tumbleweed Mini Pannier rack. Using Velo Orange Mojave Cages for easy Nalgene access on the fork. The cockpit has two Revalate feedbags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: The Rockgeist Armadillo does double duty protecting my dry bag and carrying whatever else is needed for the day. Additional shout-outs to my Shimano SD5 Sandals and Gary, the Bikealo seated in front of my handlebars.
GPS DEVICE: Lezyne Mega XL GPS.

Trey Kettering

Age 22 / Flagstaff, Arizona (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be on my 2023 carbon Salsa Cutthroat with 29″ x 2.25″ Vittoria Mezcals. I have a SRAM Apex drivetrain with an Absolute Black 34T oval. Running a RockShox SID SL, a Brooks B17 Carved saddle, and raised Profile Design aerobars to keep me comfy.
BAGS: My frame bag is from Rogue Panda Designs with topo maps of Mount Elden and the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff. Revelate Terrapin behind the seat and their aerobar bag up front. Restrap full length top tube bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Nathan running vest for extra storage that can carry a bunch but smashes down to the size of a baseball when not needed. Jankily taped-to-the-seatstay Garmin Varia in the back to alert me to cars.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 540 Solar with my phone as a backup. If those fail I will echolocate my way to Antelope Wells.

Brett Leahy

Age 44 / Chelan, Washington (USA)

BIKE: All City Gorilla Monsoon with carbon fork, Hunt carbon wheels, Redshift suspension seatpost and stem, White Industries cranks, Old Man Mountain rack, 34T chainring and 11-50T cassette. Profile aero bars.
BAGS: Rogue Panda frame, top tube, and feed bags, 13-liter dry bag on a Rogue Panda Blue Ridge handlebar mount, and a 14-liter dry bag on rear rack.
GPS DEVICE: Wahoo Element Ace.

An Lin

Age 34 / Taiwan

BIKE: This is my Shotwing build. I’m running a Sensah SRX 1×11 mechanical setup with a 32T crankset and 11–50T cassette. The tires are a 2.2″ Continental Race King and a 1.95″ CST C-FT1. I’ve also fitted front and rear racks, making it easy to carry all my gear and supplies on the trips. And yes, I built the whole bike myself.
BAGS: Up front, I have a 20L dry bag with my sleep system inside. On the rear rack, I carry two 20L panniers loaded with clothes and other essentials. My frame bag is used for food and water. I also have a top tube bag for my electronics, an extra bottle cage mounted on the front rack, and a handlebar snack pouch for quick access to food while riding.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I made a 25-gram ultra-light flashlight using Velcro, It’s super handy, it can mount anywhere. Each one can run for about 8 hours.
GPS DEVICE: Phone.

Matt Mazurek

Age 40 / Hannover (Germany)

BIKE: I’ll be riding the Tour Divide on a fresh Specialized Epic Hardtail, with some modifications, including drop handlebars (Salsa cowchipper). Drivetrain is specced with SRAM AXS X0 derailleur with matching cranks (32T chainring), controlled by SRAM AXS Force Shifters. Hope RX4+ brakes will (hopefully) provide stopping power. The frame is paired with a RockShox SID SL 110m travel fork and custom wheels with Duke rims and proven Vittoria Meczal XC Trail 2.25″ tyres, no dynamo hub here. For comfort a Redshift suspension seatpost with 20mm travel, well worth the extra weight, and some Profile Designs aero bars are fitted.
BAGS: Most storage for gear and kit is on the back inside Tailfins cargo pack and panniers, while a Cyclite aero bar bag on the front adds some extra storage, like the Tailfin top tube bag does. Repair kit and spares are inside the down tube bag. A last minute addition is the Revelate Designs frame bag for carrying water while still having quick and easy access to some stuff like snacks on the go.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I will be carrying a tiny, old analog 35mm film camera by Olympus, and shooting a few rolls on the trails! A quilt by Cumulus and a wide Nemo sleeping pad will hopefully provide for some cozy nights inside a single wall UL tent. Battery powered Lupine light on the front.
GPS DEVICE: Wahoo Roam v2 and an older Wahoo Bolt for backup.

Justin McKinley

Age 38 / Boulder, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: OTSO Fenrir Ti — 32x18T.
BAGS: JPaks FramePak, AeroPak, Footlong EXT, San Util UL Nano Panniers.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Mica Rat Tail Rack, kLite Dynamo Lights, Ornot clothing.
GPS DEVICE: Edge 1040 Solar and a Garmin inReach Mini 3.

Karl Murray

Age 51 / Auckland (New Zealand)

BIKE: 2026 Cannondale Topstone Carbon, FOX32 Taper-cast 50mm gravel fork, SRAM RED XPLR 13 speed 42T chainring with Classified Hub 10-40 cassette, 75mm dropper, XD15 Enduro BB, SON 29 dynamo hub with K-Lite Gravel and two usb charging ports, both wheels have custom rope spokes (Dyneema) and 50mm rear 55mm front Schwalbe Overland Pro & G-one R pro. Cushcore in the rear wheel. Dynamic barkeeper Pro Green tubeless sealant. Redshift kitchen sink bars and grips and profile aero bars. Selle Italia SP-01 saddle. Running Reflective bar tape.Topeak reverse cage with tube and tool holder.
BAGS: Custom frame bag from Paper Roads Aotearoa made with Ultra 400X, Topeak Zi-Rak with 10L dry bag plus the Topeak freeloader Stem/bar bag and tetra fender G2 rear mudguard, Tailfin long top tube bag and 10L panniers, Apidura aero bar bag and 4.5 litre saddle bag flipped and hung under the RS kitchen sink loop.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Highlights are the Flaer pump lubing system and carbon chain guard made by Peter Brooking who also made my carbon toe caps and a small mud spade for scrapping off peanut butter mud! He also made the amazing Dyneema rope spokes!
GPS DEVICE: Garmin 1050, Solar 1040, plus RWGPS on my phone.

Phuc Nguyen

Age 33 / Sydney, New South Wales (Australia)

BIKE: I’ll be taking on my trusty Giant Revolt. This baby has been coming with me through every ultra I’ve done so far. The wheels are Fulcrum Rpaid Red wrapped with 50 mm Pirelli Cinturato HP Mixed Terrain. I was deep in the bicycle rolling resistance rabbit hole for a week and Conti RaceKing Protection 2.0″ is as rare as unicorn here in the land down under so this is the next best thing. I’ll be running 2x with a 46-30T front chainrings and 11-42T cassette at the back. This got me through a fairly mountainous ultra in Japan last year so I hope this will be sufficient gearing. Front light is Exposure Six Pack so I’ll be bringing the power of the sun into the nights on the Divide.
BAGS: My OCD means I want every bag in my bike to match one another so this is loaded up with an assortment of Tailfin bag. The rear top bag will pack my Neve Gear Warratah quilt, jacket and rain gears as it is probably the easiest to access in a hurry. Two mini panniers will be carrying extra riding clothes and camping clothes. Mini frame bag is stuff if arm and leg warmers, a big power bank and I’ll stuff more food into it before the ride. Top tube bag houses a mini power bank for on-the-go charging if needed and extra food obviously. Front handlebar bag will be stuff with my Big Agnes Copper Spur UL tent.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: got myself a proper rain-proof jacket and rain pants this time around. Last year, I had to descend a mountain pass in the freezing rain with a water-resistance jacket that was completely soaked after about an hour so I learnt my lesson.
GPS DEVICE: I’ll be using running my Wahoo Roam v3 for navigation and SPOT gen 4 for dot tracking.

Patrick Ogden

Age 23 / Hancock, Michigan (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding the Tour Divide on a 2024 Trek Supercaliber. The bike features a new pair of Continental Dubnital 2.4” tires with Vittoria Air Liner inserts, 40cm drop bars with TriRig Aero bars, a Transmission drivetrain with a 36T chainring, a 110mm travel SID Select fork, 4 piston SRAM Level brakes, and Berd Hawk 30 wheels.
BAGS: My primary bag for food is a beautiful custom full length top tube bag made by Bags By Bessy. I am also running a Cedaero frame bag, a Tailfin Cargo Pack, and 2 Revelate Designs stem bags. I am using a 3L bladder on my back with an additional 3L bladder in my frame pack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: An Outdoor Research Helium bivy will serve as my shelter along with a Hammock Gear down quilt.
GPS DEVICE: I’ll be carrying a Wahoo Elemnt Roam for navigation.

Riley Osgood

Age 29 / Colorado Springs, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: Aluminum Specialized Chisel, “Peepaw’s Special Boy”. My muse for this bike is Lael Wilcox circa 2023, as well as my deep desires for suspension after completing the route on a rigid lugged steel frame over the last few years. 12-speed, 36 x 10-52T SRAM Eagle shifted with an 11-speed friction Microshift bar-end-shifter (very simply don’t crash, also Josh Kato said it was ok). Fenix lights, Velo Orange There-and-Back rack, Rene Herse Endurance+ tires that measure a whopping 2.4″ on some Zipp 3zero Moto rims, Ti rail Brooks with the gooch cut out, TRP levers (God’s lever), Brugtec composite pedals, TRP Spyre-C’s, 46cm Ritchey Beacons, OneUp dropper, Some form of SRAM-like carbon crank, Brooks tape with some jelly stuff underneath.
BAGS: Modified Carradice Nelson, Oveja Negra, Restrap, Sea to Summit, Swift butt-bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: THE ALL NEW SOON TO BE RELEASED ROCKSHOX SID Xl! Real excited about that fork. Also my front “bag cradle”, I’m not really an aerobar kind of guy, can never get the pads wide enough to be worth it. Instead I took some bike-co-op aerobars, took the elbow pads off, tilted them down, and now I’ve got a perfect lightweight cradle for my beloved Carradice Nelson. Also a dropper post, I think a dropper is an absolute necessity if you put suspension on a bike and its also great for micro adjustments to saddle height throughout the day. And oh yeah, the ridiculous amount of type 1 diabetic medical supplies I have to bring, as well is the immense logistical anxiety that comes with them. Was curious about a Fastest Diabetic Time (FDT) but Brian Lucido owns that with a 2017 win of 14 days 22 hours 50 mins. I simply ain’t that guy.
GPS DEVICE: A Wahoo Element Roam, iPhone/RWGPS, inReach mini.

Jason Ottinger

Age 50 / Tallahassee, Florida (USA)

BIKE: 2026 Chumba Ti Yaupon with Shimano 12-speed mechanical drivetrain (GRX shifters and XT MTB Cranks and 180mm brakes), Fox Performance 120mm fork.
BAGS: Dispersed Bikepacking bags (handlebar, frame, and bikerack top bag).
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura.

Dean Plaskon

Age 26 / Berkeley, California (USA)

BIKE: I’m riding a King Fabrications Gravel King steel frame, with a fox 34 140mm and a mullet wheel setup. The front has a Reserve 30 29″ laced to a DT Swiss 350 which will have a 2.25″ Vittoria Mezcal and the rear has a WTB i19 27.5″ laced to a DT Swiss 240 which will be running a Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M-P 45mm. Drivetrain is a GRX 1×11, with a 42T oval chainring and 11-42T cassette. Contact points include Salsa Cowchipper 44cm drop bars, Zipp Vuka aero bars, Brooks C17 saddle on a Cane Creek eeSilk+, Merritt BMX pedals with holdfast straps.
BAGS: I have a Revelate Ranger frame bag, Revelate Mag tank top tube bag, Ortleib handlebar pack, 2x Sea to Summit 13L Big River dry bags attached to modified Aeroe Spider rack and a modified Prana chalk bag on aero bars.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Besides a few finishing touches and consumables, the majority of my gear and bike setup was acquired used. I’ll be sleeping in a Nemo Dragonfly OSMO 2p, with a Katabatic Flex 15° quilt, on a Nemo switchback paired with a GG thinlight foam pad.
GPS DEVICE: Im running a Garmin 840 solar, and a Garmin Forerunner 955 solar.

Ian Quigley

Age 55 / Edmonton, Alberta (Canada)

BIKE: Riding a 2025 Salsa Cutthroat on Victoria Mezcal 2.25” tires, a 1×12 (10-52T) SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain with a 34T chainring. SON dynamo running a kLite charger. Redshift aeros on a Fred Bar. Sawyer Squeeze.
BAGS: Custom Rogue Panda frame bag, Old Man Mountain panniers, Rogue Panda top tube bag, and a handlebar harness.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Loving the Rogue Panda frame bag and cradle. The Old Man Man Mountain Divide rack and Ponderosa Panniers. Sleeping in a Rab bag in a Big Agnes Tent.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 1040 and a Garmin inReach Mini 2 paired to an iPhone.

Thibaut de Raikem

Age 36 / Brussels (Belgium)

BIKE: I’ll be riding the Tour Divide on a 2025 Sauvage LeBaroudeur titanium frame with a carbon fork. The bike features a fresh pair of Vittoria Mezcal Trail 2.25” tires and a full SRAM 1×12 drivetrain with a 32T chainring and a 10-52T cassette, providing a wide gear range for the long climbs ahead. For the first time, I’ll be running a SON Dynamo hub paired with a K-Lite front light and a USB charger, providing reliable lighting and charging throughout the route. To round out the setup, I’ve added a set of DEDA aerobars for improved comfort and efficiency during the countless hours in the saddle (a Brooks C17).
BAGS: The main highlight of my setup is the new Restrap Switch Rack, which allows me to carry nearly all of my gear in one place, including a tent. To complement it, I’ve added a small top tube, frame, and front bags to keep my packing options flexible and make it easier to adapt on the road. There’s also a small snack bag dedicated to the essentials—namely, a healthy supply of sweets and other morale-boosting treats. For hydration, I’ll have a total water-carrying capacity of 5.5 liters, including the water stored in my backpack, giving me plenty of autonomy between resupply points.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Comfort has become a major priority for this ride, as it will be considerably longer than my usual adventures. I believe the aerobars will provide welcome relief on the endless American gravel roads, offering additional hand positions and a more relaxed riding posture during long days in the saddle. They also serve a second purpose: as a convenient mounting point for my GoPro, allowing me to capture a few memories along the way.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 840 Solar.

Nic “Darwin” Rakestraw

Age 40 / Flagstaff, Arizona (USA)

BIKE: 2024 Kona OuroBoros. NOX Carbon Teocalli Wheels with a SONdelux Dynamo hub. Vittoria Mezcal 2.25” tire up front and 2.1″ rear. Shimano GRX 1×12 Drivetrain with a 36T chainring. Ritchey Beacon XL Drop Bars with Pro Missile Areobars.
BAGS: Evolved Supply Co. Custom Frame Bag. Tailfin SpeedPack. TailFin Bar Cage System.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Custom GooseFeet Gear “Elephant Foot” Bag in conjunction with Zpacks UL Down Jacket sleep system. Zpacks Altaplex tent.
GPS DEVICE: Wahoo Element Roam 3 and Garmin Mini 2.

Sonny D. Rasmussen

Age 49 / Sioux Falls, South Dakota (USA)

BIKE: I will be riding (not so fast) my 2024 Otso Waheela, lovingly nicknamed “Olivey.” It is equipped with a 1×12 SRAM mullet drivetrain featuring Force AXS shifters and power meter crankset, a Garbaruk 28T oval chainring, 10-52T rainbow cassette, GX Eagle AXS rear derailleur, and a Garbaruk pulley cage. The bike rolls on Whiskey No.9 30W rims with a Chris King R45D rear hub and SON 28 dynamo front hub, wrapped in Vittoria Mezcal XC Trail 2.1″ tires. I’ll be sitting comfortably on an almost broken-in Brooks B17 saddle.
BAGS: A custom Rogue Panda bag set featuring a jackalope pattern in memory of my late best friend, Paul Koster, including a frame bag, Alamo and Rincon top tube bags, and Buckskin mini panniers. Additional storage includes a custom-fabricated BarYak Expedition Harness, Talon Nano Bag, and a custom BarYak Marsupium seat harness paired with a waterproof seat bag supported by a Tailfin rack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Redshift Suspension Stem and ShockStop Pro Race Suspension Seatpost help smooth out the rough sections of the Great Divide route. The cockpit features a BarYak Expedition setup with Triple Crown Navigation, a Sinewave Beacon powered by the SON dynamo hub, and custom engraving with my initials, “SR,” inside the Trackleaders logo.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin 1040 Solar will be my primary navigation device, Great Divide paper maps and my iPhone serving as backups.

Jason Regan

Age 49 / South Windsor, Connecticut (USA)

BIKE: I will be on my 2025 Salsa Cutthroat. It’s 10x52T with a 32T chainring. My tires are 29 x 2.35″ Vittoria MezcalIs on WTB i30 CZR wheels, with Cush Core Trail inserts. I updated the levers and brake calipers to SRAM Red. On a Fred Bar I have 70mm risers under the Profile Design Neosonic Ergo+52A Areobar.
BAGS: I’ll be using the Tailfin 2.2L Long Top Tube Bag, two Cargo Cages on the front fork, the 1.7L Down Tube Bag, the Bar Bag, and Cargo Pack Systems with 10L panniers. My frame bag is the Rogue Panda direct-mounted bag with the 2L hydration bladder.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’ll be using the Exposure Light Six Pack and the Diablo 15 for lighting and the reverse charging option.
GPS DEVICE: I’ll be using the Wahoo Element Roam 3 for navigation. I will also have my previous Wahoo Roam for backup.

Samuel Rosner

Age 22 / Charlottesville, Virginia (USA)

BIKE: I will be riding (very much not racing) the Tour Divide on a 2018 Specialized Epic HT with a rigid fork. The bike features a variety of components from the previous owner, including a Rival/GX AXS drivetrain and Bontrager Betasso RSL tires. I added a Shutter Precision hub with a USB charger.
BAGS: I’m running a Restrap Switch rack with a mix of bags from Ortlieb, Restrap, and Bedrock (now Venture Handmade). I will run water bottles in my frame and a hydration vest, hoping it isn’t too dry out there.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I love my Therm-a-Rest Ohm 20 hoodless sleeping bag, but otherwise have a pretty conventional loadout. Also bringing a Kobo e-reader to pass any downtime.
GPS DEVICE: A Hammerhead Karoo 2. It’s probably not the best for this application, but I already had it.

Kevin Ruge

Age 57 / Newport, Washington (USA)

BIKE: I am running a Salsa Cutthroat V2, my 2×11 drivetrain is 26/38 x 11-42, Raceface Arch wheels w/ Son28 and DT 350 hubs wrapped in Renee Herse Fleecer Ridge 29 x 2.25″ tires. For comfort, I have Redshift stem, seat post, bars and grips.
BAGS: Revelate Designs Pitchfork back under aero bars, Rouge Panda frame and top tube bag, Tailfin rear bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My favorite gear would be the Tailfin bags, they are just rock solid and I love how easily I can take the whole kit off. Second favorite is the Rouge Panda bags, they function as good as they look!
GPS DEVICE: Coros all the way baby!

Jerry Seager

Age 55 / Seattle, Washington (USA)

BIKE: I’m riding an Esker Lorax Ti with RockShox SID Ultimate fork. SRAM Force/XX/XO drive train, with Wolf Tooth 32T oval chainring. Industry Nine rims and rear hub. Schmidt SON28 front hub, with KLite for seeing in the dark. Rene Herse Fleecer Ridge tires. I’m enjoying a Ritchey WCS VentureMax 50cm handlebar. And a cushy Redshift ShockStop PRO suspension seatpost. The Profile Design Neosonic brackets set the armrests slightly further back.
BAGS: Rogue Panda frame bag and dry bag (love these). Revelate Terrapin 8L seat bag, Tailfin top tube bag, Restrap downtube bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Titanium Bedroll Cradle by Mostly Forever, a beautifully crafted and lightweight cradle for my Rogue Panda Gila Dry Bag (M). Small bottle of iodine for treating water – light, cheap, easy-to-use, and lasts forever. Sprintech bar-end mirror for safety and keeping an eye on the encroaching broom wagon.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 840 Solar, with RWGPS app on my phone.

Jonathan Seeley

Age 17 / North Logan, Utah (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding a 2025 Salsa Fargo Ti with a Shimano 1×12 drivetrain (with GRX derailleur and levers) and RaceFace ERA cranks and ERA 34T chainring. My wheelset is We Are One Wanderer rims on DT Swiss 350 hubs, and Vittoria Mezcal tires. My suspension includes the Fox 32 SC fork and a Cane Creek eeSilk+ seat post with a #3 elastomer. Lynskey Performance titanium rear rack, carrying a Lezyne Strip Pro 400+ rear light.
BAGS: My bike has a custom made Rogue Panda frame bag, with Tailfin top and down tube bags. I’ll be carrying my sleep system in my Revelate Designs Pitchfork bag suspended under the aerobars, with Speedbags on either side. Finally, the Rockgeist Armadillo and Double-Ended Drybag on the rack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My Fenix BC26R front light is suspended below the bars to allow for optimal lighting of the trail without having to wear it on your helmet. The Pitchfork bag system and the Speedbags create a ton of space in the cockpit for snacks while riding. Sleep system is MLD Soul Provent UL bivy, WM Summerlite bag, and NeoAir XTherm pad.
GPS DEVICE: I’ll be using a Garmin Edge 540, with an Edge 840 for backup.

Ryan Seeley

Age 46 / North Logan, Utah (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding a 2025 Salsa Fargo Ti with Shimano 1×12 mullet drivetrain (GRX Di2 levers for lightness, XT derailleur, and an indexed Microshift bar-end shifter). Race Face ERA cranks and ERA 32T chainring. I’m softening the ride with a Salsa 32 SC fork, Cane Creek eeSilk+ with a #3 elastomer, and a NinetyK “The Jam” saddle. The Fenix front light is suspended from a Ritchey GoPro stem mount and a generic extender, freeing the cockpit while moving the light away from the eyes to help highlight road/trail contours.
BAGS: I’m spreading the love with Revelate Designs Pitchfork and Speedbags up front, Rogue Panda custom framebag, Tailfin Long Top Tube and Down Tube bags, and Rockgeist Armadillo and Double-Ended Drybag on the titanium rack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: A RollingSquare SuperTiny and Cuktech 15 Air enable rapid charging. A second (misclocked) Microshift BS-M-L bar-end shifter stands in for the Fox remote for continuous, on-the-fly fork damper control. The Original Free Range Re Cap just launched this spring – it replaces your standard water bottle cap with one integrating a quick-disconnect compatible with most hydration hoses. A Cyclewerks double bottle cage adapter — which I was told wouldn’t fit alongside the Rogue Panda framebag, but does with the right hardware — and the Re Caps turn my bottles into a versatile hydration system that eliminates the need for a vest. I’m looking forward to bivying up in my MLD Soul Provent UL bivy with WM Summerlite bag and using a Neoair XTherm inflatable pad to avoid holes.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 840 with an Edge 540 for backup.

Jalen Sekhon

Age 31 / Coquitlam, British Columbia (Canada)

BIKE: I am racing my trusty 2020 Kona Rove NRB DL. I have Vittoria Mezcal 2.25″ tires, with a 2×11 drivetrain (30t/46t chainrings on the front and 34t cassette). I recently added the RedShift Kitchen Sink handlebars, with Ergon bar tape and grips.
BAGS: I decided to adorn my well loved Porcelain Rocket Micro Panniers with a rear rack. I have always done a seat bag with this bike but I have opted for a lot of carry space for food and for quick access to everything. I have a Geosmina half frame that happens to fit perfectly and a Geosmina handlebar bag. The long top tube bag and rear rack bag are from Amazon. Stored in my bags I have two bottle/feed bags, which gives me the option to carry 6 bottles at a time.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I am excited about my Grayl water filter. It is easily accessible on my frame and can fill bottles quickly. I have used Platypus and Salomon flask filters in the past, which work but I have found them to be slow. I decided to make it very fast and easy to filter, with the hope that I drink more water and waste less time filtering.
GPS DEVICE: I bought a Coros Dura for this trip as my second hand Garmin Edge 530 was becoming unreliable. So far I am blown away by the battery life.

Andrew Severson

Age 45 / Surrey, British Columbia (Canada)

BIKE: I’ll be racing the Tour Divide on a Trek Checkout SL7 with the 1×12 SRAM XO AXS drivetrain with RideWrap frame protection. A couple of upgrades to help the ride be as quick and comfy as possible are René Herse Fleecer Ridge 55mm Tires on Nobel HR25 carbon wheels with a SON Dynamo hub up front and a DT180 hub on the rear. kLite for lights, charging, and cockpit mounts. Profile Designs aero bars will also help to stretch out on the long ride.
BAGS: Topo Designs frame bag, Tailfin front handle bar bag, Tailfin Speedpack mounted to the Trek rack, and the large Tailfin top tube bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My sleep kit is an Enlightened Equipment down quilt and insulated mat, inside a Hennessy Hammock. (basically a bear taco)
GPS DEVICE: I will be carrying a Coros Dura for navigation.

Chris Smith

Age 49 / Medfield, Massachusetts (USA)

BIKE: 2023 Salsa Cutthroat with full custom Tour Divide paint job. SRAM XX1 AXS, 10-52T cassette, 34T Absolute Black oval chainring. Up front is a RockShox SID SL, Salsa Cowchipper bars, BarYak aerobar/cargo system, and Profile Design armrests mounted to a Fred Bar. A Brooks C13 saddle is mounted to a Can Creek eSilk seatpost. One brake is the OEM SRAM Force lever & caliper, the other is the SRAM Red that was swapped in a parking lot in Abiquiu during the 2024 race. The wheels are NOBLE TR35s with a SON 28 Dynamo and DT Swiss 240 in back with Continental Dubnital 2.2″ and Cush Core inserts. Rotors are maxed out at 203mm front & 160mm rear.This year the Dynamo will only power electronics. Lighting will be provided by Exposure Lights, with a helmet-mounted Joystick, a Six-Pack up front, and a Blaze in the rear.
BAGS: Up front is a 13L Sea to Summit compression dry bag being carried by a BarYak bar with harness. On the top tube is a Rogue Panda Alamo Grande. Two Revelate Feedbags hang from the bars. Each fork stanchion has a 3L Tailfin cargo bag and water bottle or bear spray, held on with Tailfin SFMs. In the frame is a Rogue Panda frame bag and below it is a 1.7L Tailfin bag for tools and spares. Out back is a Tailfin Speedpack with two 1.5L Nalgene bottles mounted to the rack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Sleep system is a NEMO Dragonfly tent, Sea to Summit Ultralight XR pad, and Spark 20°F bag and pillow. Camping equipment is minimal this time, but I will have a MSR PRD and random 750ml pot. Water purification with a Katydyn Befree and SteriPen Adventure for backup.
GPS DEVICE: Wahoo ELEMNT ACE, with a ELEMNT Roam 2 as backup.

Kevin Stuart

Age 61 / Leeds, Yorkshire (England)

BIKE: Terry Dolan GXC, Shimano Ultegra, SP dynamo hub on DT Swiss rims, with Matching Conti tyres.
BAGS: Restrap frame bag and no name bar roll attached to the tri bars.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Self-designed and stitched rear saddle bag with pannier support for restricting lateral movement. Bivvy, air bed and down pants/jacket just in case
GPS DEVICE: Wahoo Bolt v3 for navigation.

Tim Tait

Age 42 / Nucla, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: Specialized Chisel, 29 x 2.2″ tires, Fox 34 SC, Eagle AXS drive train, drop bars. Nobl wheels with a SON Dynamo hub, Mica rack.
BAGS: Broadfork frame bag, Dispersed full top tube and rear rack bag. Black Diamond pack for extra space when needed.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Black Diamond merino tights and the WTB Gravelier saddle.
GPS DEVICE: a photographic memory and a breadcrumb on a Garmin 510.

Dylan Taylor

Age 54 / Bozeman, Montana (USA)

BIKE: 2019 Salsa Cutthroat: Shimano XT 2×10 crankset/cassette with SRAM Rival mechanical shifters, XT front and GX rear derailleurs. Avid BB7 mechanical brakes. RockShox SID 100mm fork. Salsa Carbon Cowchipper bars wrapped in Fizik gel pads, Wolftooth Supple Tape and Redshift grips. Wheels: DT Swiss 350 rear hub and SON Dynamo laced to DT Swiss XR 391 alloy rims. Vittoria Mezcal 2.25″ tires.
BAGS: Salsa Frame bag, Tailfin CargoPack and Restrap top tube bag. Also wearing a Solomon ADV Skin 12 vest for with 2L reservoir.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Dynamo hub with KLite gravel rig for lighting and charging. SOL XL Escape bivi, Western Mountaineering 35 deg Highlite bag, and Therm-a-Rest Uberlite 3/4 pad. Lots of gloves to keep my hands comfortable in all conditions. Reflective tape on everything.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura.

Brian Tuffs

Age 60 / Calgary, Alberta (Canada)

BIKE: Along with my great friend Ben, we will be celebrating our 60th birthdays by (hopefully) fast-touring the Tour Divide. I will be on a 2020 custom Seven Cycles Sola MonsterX. Drivetrain is a combination of SRAM Red and SRAM XX0 electronic drivetrain with 32T chainring and 10-52T cassette. Wheels are from We Are One with a Son front dynamo hub and rear Swiss DT240 and Maxxis Rekon Race tyres. As I’m very tall (6’5″) the Fox 34 suspension fork needed a custom steerer tube to go along with the 20cm headtube! Big shout out to all the folks at Bow Cycle (in Calgary) for the mega-build!
BAGS: Bar bags are from Apidura in combo with a Bar Jam set up from Rockgeist. Custom frame-bag (again from Rockgeist) and rear rack/pannier system from Tailfin. Bottles, bear spray and spares are attached to the forks using Tailfin fork mounts.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: For comfort, I’ll be sleeping in a Big Agnes tent and tucked up in my Rab Mythic Ultra 360 sleeping bag.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin 1030+ for primary navigation with Ride with GPS backup on my iPhone. Garmin InReach Mini emergency beacon for emergencies.

Lukasz Ugarenko

Age 43 / Krakow (Poland)

BIKE: I’ll be racing the Tour Divide on custom drop bar MTB GRIND FRANKY 2026 featured with Rock Shox SID Ultimate Flight Attendant SRAM XX 1×12 (38T 10-52T), 29x 2.25 Schwalbe Rick XC Tubeless.
BAGS: Custom Frame and Top Tube bags from Babylegsbags for clothes, electronics and food, Apidura Expedition Saddle Pack 9L for sleeping system and spare clothes, and Tailfin Downtube 1.7L for tools and spare parts, in addition I will use USWE Rush Hydration Vest (2L).
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Ultralight sleeping bag from Malachowski (+5deg comfort), ultralight sleeping mat from Sea to Summit, and emergency bivi, Brookman Volume 1500 front light plus Armytek Wizard C2, Knog rear lights (x2), spare batteries and Power bank 10,000mAh. I will be using mostly Maap and Albion clothes.
GPS DEVICE: I’ll be using Wahoo Elemnt Roam GPS v3 and Garmin inReach mini.

Nick Vitale

Age 38 / Hamden, Connecticut (USA)

BIKE: My 2021 Cutthroat has been completely rebuilt for this Tour Divide. I added a suspension fork and a new Shimano 12-speed wireless drivetrain. The goal was mainly to improve convenience and comfort.
BAGS: A mixture of Tailfin, Rogue Panda, and Revelate Designs where it makes sense. New for this year are the 5L mini panniers on the Aeropack that should free up space elsewhere to store more food. The tailfin bar cage pairs really well with the Rogue Panda drop bar-friendly Gila drybag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’m trying to strike a balance between good sleep and light kit. A Durston X-mid Pro 1, Enlightened Equipment 30-degree quilt, and Sea to Summit Ultralight XR mat make up my sleeping kit. I will be rolling with a SON28 dynamo hub and Sinewave Beacon light/charger.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 1040 Solar.

Clay Wagner

Age 51 / Perry Park, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be racing a 2024 Pinarello Grevil F with Campagnolo Ekar 1×13 groupset, 40T chainring with a 10/44T cassette (possible regret when it gets vertical) MOST Talon Ultralight integrated stem bar with carbon clip on aero bars, Prologo M5 Nack saddle, Kogel Ceramic BB and Pulleys, Cadex AR35 wheelset wrapped in Continental Dubnital 50mm tires. Shimano XTR clipless.
BAGS: Brooks of England Scape line of bags. Full frame bag, saddle bag and full top tube bag along with a Cyclite Aero Bar bag. RhinoWalk saddle mounted rear bag stabilizer with water bottle mounts x 2 plus down tube ratcheting water bottle cage, initially for bear spray, eventually large 900ml water bottle (when out of bear country).
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad, Qunature Ultralight one person tent with carbon pole and ultralight ground sheet, Magicshine Hori1300s headlight with Magicshine Seeme 200 v3 tail light, 2x 10kmah Nitecore battery banks with UGreen Thin GAN 65w speed charger.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin inReach Mini 2 for Tracking, Garmin 1040 solar for route directions (Garmin 1030 backup).

Michael Walwro

Age 27 / Sante Fe, New Mexico (USA)

BIKE: My bike (Pinchot) is a 54cm Rodeolabs Flaanimal 5.0 with Shimano GRX 1×11 in silver, with matching stem, headset, and bottom bracket. I’ll be running a 40T chainring with a 11-51T Deore Cassette with the Wolf Tooth Goatlink 11. Tires are Vittoria Mezcals in 27.5 x 2.4″. Wheels are custom built 650b Velocity Cliffhangers laced to DT 350 hubs built by Bailey from Sincere Cycles here in Santa Fe! Other parts include an Ortlieb Quickrack, Redshift aerobars, and a Twisted T-Bar for extra tire clearance.
BAGS: I’ll be running a custom Rockgeist frame bag in cordura, Buckhorn Bags panniers in waxed duck cloth, and a Mini Fabio’s Chest in olive waxed cordura. I hear they’re coming out with newfangled waterproof fabrics, but AI told me that, so I’m skeptical. Other bags include a revelate designs feedbag and a Green Guru top tube bag donated by the aforementioned Bailey from Sincere. What a nice guy!
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’ll be using the Nemo Dragonfly bikepacking tent, 30 degree quilt from REI, Outbound lighting out front, Garmin Inreach Messenger, and a Nikon Zfc with a 50mm prime for photos. 3 pairs of Darn Tough wool socks and some thrifted field shorts from Amundsen are highlights as well.
GPS DEVICE: I’ll be using a Garmin 1040 Solar for navigation.

Tiphane Want

Age 36 / New Waverly, Texas (USA)

BIKE: Salsa Cutty, endearingly named GaryGurl. She is built up with a dinner plate drivetrain, 10-52T with a 32T chainring, cute booties, Enve XC28 rims with Mezcal 2.25″ tires, a RockShox SID fork for all the emotional support, and some aerobars on a Fred bar for all the quality hanging out time we’ll be doing between Banff and Antelope Wells, Old Man Mountain divide rack to carry all my baggage, emotional and otherwise.
BAGS: I used a collection of bags I’ve procured over time and spread the love amongst many bag makers! Old Man Mountain Ponderosa panniers, Apidura feed, downtube, and fork bags, the best frame bag from Rogue Panda, feed bags from Dispersed and Rockgeist, and a saddle bag from Swift.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My little field notebook with a bit of motivation for when things get inevitably tough and a trinket bag with little mementos from friends to remind me that they are with me!
GPS DEVICE: Garmin 1040 Solar.

Mark Williams

Age 45 / Squamish, British Columbia (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be racing the Tour Divide on a Norco Revolver HT. The bike features Vittoria Mezcal 2.25” tires, SRAM XX1 drivetrain with a 32T chainring, and DT Swiss wheels with a SON Dynamo hub up front. Lights are kLite Front with a rear cube. Running a dropper post and RockShox SID Ultimate 100mm for some squish. Profile aerobars with SRAM blips.
BAGS: The centerpiece of my bag setup is a Shaka Packs Wedge. I have a Tailfin race pack attached at the rear, The good folks at Tailfin machined me a cutom dropout to work with bike. I’m also running a Tailfin top tube bag, Apidura aerobar bag, and downtube bag with my tools.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Every bikepacking trip comes with extra cargo. This year, my most important piece of gear isn’t in a bag or strapped to the bike, it’s carrying Bowens story. I’ll be taking him across the Divide while supporting the Bowen Does That One Day Foundation and the incredible work they do.
GPS DEVICE: I’ll be using a Wahoo Elemnt for navigation.

Chase Willie

Age 26 / Boulder, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: I’m thrilled to be riding the 2026 Tour Divide on a first-generation Sklar SuperSomething. It’s got a Rock Shox Rudy 30mm fork, 48mm Rene Herse Oracle Ridge Tires, 32T x 10-52T SRAM drivetrain, and a Hunt Gravel 35 X-Wide carbon wheelset. A SON dynamo hub feeds my power bank and Sinewave Beacon 2. I’ll be sitting comfy on a Brooks B17 saddle and a suspension seat post, holding on to Salsa Cowchipper handlebars and Profile Design Sonic Ergo 39a Aerobars. This rig is two years in the making, so I’m excited to see how it handles the route!
BAGS: Rogue Panda custom frame bag, Tailfin Bar Bag and Cargo Pack + mounts, Orucase Top Tube bag, Fidlock bottle, Salomon Active Skin 12 vest.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’m carrying a Big Agnes Bikepacking Tent, Sea to Summit Ultralight Air Sleeping Pad, and my Fiancé’s camp pillow. I’ve got an Aegismax 800FP sleeping bag, augmented by an intentionally crafted, albeit robust, clothing layer system.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin 1040 Solar, Garmin InReach Mini 2.

Andy Zolyak

Age 36 / Brooklyn, New York (USA)

BIKE: Rodeo Labs Trail Donkey 4.2 with the Laaaaid Back sliders and a RockShox SID SL with 3 position lockout. Running Campagnolo Ekar with the DIY 9-48t cassette, Praxis Doon cranks and Wolftooth CAMO chainring in 30 or 28 teeth. Titanium Wolftooth Morse Cage cage on bottom of downtube and one will be set up with a bottle and B-RAD base on the top tube 1.5L bladder from Revelate Designs in frame bag. Touchpoints are Enve G series handlebar, Wolf Tooth bar tape, Oneup V3 dropper, Specialized Power Expert saddle, Wolftooth drop bar dropper lever and Favero Pro MX pedals, and a set of Redshift Mousetraps.
BAGS: Revelate Designs Pitchfork with an older size medium bag from the Pronghorn, Cedaero bolt on top tube bag, Type3Made custom bolt on frame bag, Tailfin Aeropack, Moosepacks saddle bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: 20,000 man battery, Sinewave and Sinewave Revolution should keep me charged, Alpenglow Gear Alpenblow to inflate my sleeping pad, Therm-a-Rest Neoair xlite sleeping pad, Therm-a-Rest Vesper 20 degree quilt, Sea To Summit Flame FM0 ultra light liner bag, Outdoor Research Helium bivy Velocio hydration vest with a 2L bladder.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 1040 with my phone and RWGPS and other apps as backup.

Check out the 2026 Tour Divide Tracker page to follow along on the live tracking map, and stay tuned in for more event coverage. Find it here.

Further Reading

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