Those of you who've ridden the divide......

[Ben98]

What was your bike and kit setup? I'm starting my planning for 2016 and I'm intrigued to what others have used?
Thanks in advance
Ben

[jay91]

Nope not me but this was a good read http://nicksadventurepage.wordpress.com

[voodoo_simon]

Not mine either but if you have a spare day to read it, it was fairly entertaining

http://cjellmoney.wordpress.com

Other than that, go for it now whilst your young, no mortgage etc etc

[jay91]

Not mine either but if you have a spare day to read it, it was fairly entertaining

http://cjellmoney.wordpress.com

Other than that, go for it now whilst your young, no mortgage etc etc

Cjell is crazy

[jameso]

Cjell has his head screwed on right.. His blog's a good read.

The Divide or any other 10-day to 2 week+ ride, kit decisions are the same. Not sure there's much unique about the GDR really, you can be assured of some crap weather and some bonked-out miles. If in doubt go light and take less. Take more of the stuff that helps prevent anything that can end your race - antibiotics, savlon, sudocrem, stuff for the runs, Vit I, multivits, chlorine diox and caffeine tablets, etc. I think I had 350g+ of pills in a box.. but saved weight by not bothering with 12oz cans of bear spray. 12oz!

[mountainbaker]

Bear bangers are lighter!

[jameso]

^ exactly.. and by the time you need either you've already screwed up hugely. I was sold a set of bangers for $10 or so because I was being cheap -spray was $40+ - and had an idea of setting off a few celebration fireworks near the border if I made it. In the end I lost them at a gas station in Butte. Not heard of any random explosions there since so all must've been ok. : )

May as well have taken some devil-bangers ..

[jameso]

Ben, sorry, this would have been a more useful post ...

'read this'
http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index.php?topic=539.0

The thread's not a how-to but it did prompt all of the questions I had to answer or points that I needed to figure out in my plans. It's old now but more recent TDR-prep threads have been a lot more about tech, dynamos etc. This was one I found that had more insightful posts about how to race and aside from weather-preparation I think kit is quite secondary to approach and attitude. Mathewsen's posts in that thread could be 'the book' on divide racing imo.
Kevin/Blackhound on here was very helpful in giving me some idea of what the route involved, as were a couple of other racers I emailed. if you have specific(ish) qs I'm happy to pay that help fwd as will others on here I'm sure.
Still, everyone that does a long ride would do it differently next time and the route would also be different next time.. Maybe 3rd time perfect : )