This burly and mean front tire can stand up to aggressive movements, committed riding, and all types of terrain. Braking traction is a crucial element of any mountain bike tire and one that varies dramatically between the different models and tread designs. The capacity of a regular Ursack was fine for my southern solo section and the more populated areas of the north. It has a distinctive locked-in feel, though it may take a little getting used to for some riders. We loved the Mazza as a front tire where it excels in the corners with a stout row of well-supported side knobs that grip well in a huge range of conditions. Average star voting: 4 ( 74471 reviews) Summary: At nearly 4,300 km long, The Great Divide Mountain Bike race route is the world's longest, most challenging off-road mountain biking trail. Taller knobs with wide spacing can penetrate deeper into loose surfaces, and braking edges that face perpendicular to the direction of travel will most help slow your roll when it's super loose. The Maxxis Minion DHF, Vittoria Mazza, and Continental Kryptotal Fr use deep, open tread designs with tall knobs that dig well into just about any soil type. How did this all work? Great Divide Bikepacking Route: Essential Q&A. Mountain bike tires are available in three diameter options - 26", 27.5"(also referred to as "650b" typically in the road and gravel bike context), and 29". The bikepacking route is mostly singletrack, except where it detours around wilderness areas. I hope this post has helped you fine-tune your GDMBR gear list. I only recommend and link to products I know and love. Chlorine dioxide: I carried a small number of Potable Aqua tablets as a temporary backup in case my filter failed. Superb, extremely comprehensive, very useful. 4. number44 (Jul 15, 2019 at 8:26) Shiny and chrome! In hot and sunny New Mexico I loved it, but as I rode north I often found that the sunniest places were also the windiest. I roll up the hand portion around my wrist when wearing bike gloves. A relatively squared-off profile and a stout row of shoulder knobs give it excellent cornering manners, while the moderately spaced center and intermediate tread do a fine job of providing traction when braking and climbing in most conditions. On the GDMBR food is available multiple times per day in some places, and once every 3-4 days in others, depending on the section and your pace. I mostly used it on rest days for taking notes and answering messages, and found it totally worth the weight. I love the bladder but recommend replacing the bite valve with this one from Hydrapak that includes a shutoff valve and cover. Rarely used, but again, I had the luxury of mostly hunkering down in bad weather. MTB Project. The Specialized Ground Control Grid T7 is a tire that bridges the gap between cross-country and trail riding, call it down-country if you like. The Eliminator has a semi-aggressive center rolling for speed, but it still has good braking bite and cornering traction. TD 2022 updates include: 1. Ive pushed myself hard on enough prior trips and wanted time for more relaxation and type 1 fun this time around. The Butcher T9 offers impressive performance at a reasonable price. Our test tire weighed in at a lighter-than-advertised 950 grams, and if you want even more peace of mind, it's available in Maxxis's heavier casing options as well. When you click on links to buy products we may earn money to support, Specialized Eliminator Grid Trail T7 review, Specialized Ground Control Grid T7 review, the world's most carefully tested and objective gear reviews, EXO sidewall protection, excellent cornering grip, good on front or rear, dual compound increases longevity, Great cornering and braking traction, fair price, long tread life, supportive sidewalls, work in a wide range of conditions, Fair price (for trail casing), offered in multiple casings for different uses, good braking traction, Great cornering grip, good braking traction, aggressive tread pattern, super damp ride quality, available in 2.6 and 2.3-inch widths, Reasonable price (for trail casing), excellent cornering traction, offered in multiple casings for different uses, Not the best for hardpack, high rolling resistance, requires good technique, Tread may be too aggressive for some riders/locations, a little heavy, Challenging set up process, heavy for "trail" casing, Difficult installation process, heavy-ish for a "trail" tire, One of the most popular tires ever, and for good reason, An aggressive tire with excellent cornering traction, braking bite, and above-average durability, A durable rear tire suited for aggressive trail riding in a range of conditions, Specialized's classic aggressive trail riding tire with a new rubber compound, enhanced grip, and same great value, A durable front tire for aggressive trail riding that carves corners with the best of 'em. Bluetooth mini-keyboard: As you can probably tell, I like to write! Cloth face maskfor town, this being 2021 and all. Gear Aid Tenacious gear repair tape, handy for patching tent, sleeping pad, bike bags, water bladder, etc. Sandals and sometimes stove strapped to the outside. Braking traction is hugely important in a tire. Related: How We Tested Mountain Bike Tires. For this reason, many front tires feature tread designs with large side knobs that aid in maintaining cornering grip. Specialized's Grid Trail casing feels supportive enough while remaining supple and surprisingly resistant to punctures or tears. Specialized recently updated their ever-popular Butcher tire with an all-new T9 rubber compound. History. So youre about to get into the nitty gritty details of planning your dream trip on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. Vince kept bringing up the fact that he wanted to ride the Divide. Benson is a competitive gravel and mountain bike racer, highly experienced tester/reviewer, and published author. Specialized's Butcher T9 is at the top of the heap in the corners as well. Wall charger: Anker PowerPort, fast charging with two USB ports, and 3 USB cables of various lengths and types. We used our beloved Joe Blow Booster floor pump to successfully set the bead on many, while a standard floor pump proved to be powerful enough for several of them. Those wide paddle-shaped lugs in the center tread of the DHR II dig in effectively, especially in loose conditions. Bike shoes: Pearl Izumi X-Alp Canyon are my favorite bikepacking shoes, and very comfy for walking and hike-a-bike. Good, predictable performance as a rear tire, The casing may be too supple for some riders. Read more: Specialized Butcher Grid Trail T9 review. Few tires are as popular as the Minion DHF, and for good reason. In our latest video, Neil sheds some light on the essential considerations that will help you make an educated decision. Incredibly fuel-efficient and decently lightweight as a stove/pot combo, especially shared between two people (though I carried it solo too). The transition from the center tread to the side knobs is smooth, and once on edge, it bites and holds with confidence-inspiring and predictable manners. This tire performs as well as the best cornering tires we've tested. RumbleRoller Beastie massage ball: I struggle with tight IT bands and this little guy was 100% worth the weight and space. Each issue features a collection of inspiring writing and beautiful photography. The Trail Boss works great as a rear tire with great cornering performance and fairly low rolling resistance. This DH tire has more tread in the transitional zone, softer rubber, and an even more robust casing that makes it unflappable. Author: www.bikeforums.net. Traillinks. I absolutely recommend tubeless, especially in New Mexico. Tires: Continental CrossKing ProTection 292.3 tubeless. Gaia GPS is a popular alternative to RideWithGPS. It also allows . It was originally only available in the DH casing which was super heavy, but now its versatility has been expanded to the rest of the market with the lighter options. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. New off-highway route north of Hartsel, CO 3. We feel the Trail Boss is best suited to duties as a rear tire when paired with something a little more aggressive in the front, although it is also an effective front tire in the right conditions. The DHR II has great braking traction, and it works very well for climbing in loose conditions. Glacier Cyclery in Whitefish (406-862-6446) can handle any bike needs or outfit you with rental gear. You must be so excited for your trip. I rarely have problems with tire rub if I pack properly. He brought our joint tent out with him to Jackson, and I mailed my solo tent home. Top tube bag: Moosetreks Gas Tank. Haha yes, in many ways time (and motivation) are the most important things on the list! 70 % of the of the GDMBR is on quiet gravel roads with very little traffic. Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not. Paired with a DIY lid made from metallic bubble wrap to keep food warmer while rehydrating. You can likely buy these from bike shops along the way, though you might not get your first pick of brand or type. A mountain bike designed for off-road riding with adjustable components and a 1x drivetrain, and tires with good grip, puncture resistance, and durability will provide . There is less to bite into the soil, and on loose, dusty, or wet trails, these tires tend to slide under braking forces. Due to the Mazza's tread design, it has a bit more rolling resistance than tires with a less aggressive tread. Bright glints of light near my eyes sparkle - the headlamp reflecting against the sleet. Custom, handbuilt 27.5", 29", Plus and Fat wheels. Trails were often loose, blown out, and rocky. If you're not yet aware, the famous Tour Divide bikepacking race covers almost the same route as the GDMBR, but most racers aim to finish in under a month (or for the fastest folks, half that time!). Fire starter: Cotton balls rubbed in Vaseline, andwaterproof matches or lighter. The bike has a Sram Eagle X01 ASX drivetrain, Sram Force brake lever shifters with Sram guide dual piston brakes. Running a Maxxis Minion DHF or Asegai, Vittoria Mazza, or WTB Vigilante front and rear might not be the fastest rolling choice, but it would definitely stop you in a hurry. It is one of the best cornering tires our testers have ever used. For more help with your Great Divide food strategy, see my bikepacking food guide. Help sustain this resource by joining the Bikepacking Collective: https://bikepacking.com/join/?utm_source=youtubeOutline: Intro - 0:00Support Bikepacking.com - 0:42Tire CharacteristicsWidth - 1:22Casing - 2:35Tread Pattern - 4:09Reliability - 5:53Tire OptionsWTB Nano - 6:30WTB Ranger - 7:40Maxxis Crossmark - 7:56Maxxis Ikon - 8:57Maxxis Ardent Race - 9:22Teravail Sparwood - 9:45Teravail Rutland - 10:26Vittoria Mezcal - 11:04Rene Herse Fleecer Ridge - 11:53Mentioned Links:29er Wheel Diameter History: (http://g-tedproductions.blogspot.com/p/beginnings-of-modern-29er-history.html)Tubeless Tire Repair and Install: (https://bikepacking.com/plan/tubeless-tire-repair-guide/)Rene Herse Fleecer Ridge Review: (https://bikepacking.com/gear/rene-herse-fleecer-ridge-review/)Eastern Divide: (https://bikepacking.com/plan/introducing-the-eastern-divide-trail/)Bikepacking Routes Page: (https://bikepacking.com/bikepacking-routes/)Do you enjoy our videos, routes, and articles? I highly recommend these for the Great Divide and bikepacking in general. Benson's mountain bike roots trace back to New England in the early 1990s, and he has seen and experienced the evolution of mountain bike tires. Going from the center tread onto the side knobs, the rider may notice a "dead" zone about halfway through the lean while passing over the channel between the tread knobs on the crown of the tire on the way to the big side knobs. So much great information, I keep going back to your links. For more options, see Water filters for Bikepacking and Touring. Bigger than the Salsa pouch and similar in size to a Revelate pouch. With rear tires, you'll find huge variances in traction, depending on the type of terrain and the surface conditions. I appreciate good quality gear but dont have money to burn, so most of my gear is carefully chosen and well-used. In Canada, or anywhere in the mountains really, nights can dip below freezing even in the summer. (1) It can be argued that tires may be the most important (and most affordable) upgrades you can put on your bike. NOBO start date depends on snowpack in the San Juans and how long it takes you to get there. Fill it with food on your way from the grocery store to the motel, or fill it with water bottles to get you through a rare long dry stretch. If you're an aggressive trail rider looking for a tough and grippy tire, we think the Vigilante is an excellent option to consider. I used these less than expected on the GDMBR, but it was a relatively warm summer and my leisurely pace meant I rarely rode in the chilliest hours of the day. If you leave some necessity for your trip at home, don't worry, you will be able to replace it easily here. Mylar space blanketfor emergencies and extra warmth on cold nights. Best For Trail Riding: Cushcore Tire For Great Divide Mountain Bike Route Buy on Amazon Compared with other tires in this category, the Cushcore Tire For Great Divide Mountain Bike Route has a convenient design. More often than not, the emphasis of trail riding is on the downhill, and the uphill is a necessary, and often just as enjoyable, part of the total experience. One of these days Ill have to try that kind of setup. A select few of the tires, mostly the Schwalbes and the Continentals, required the use of a powerful compressor to finally seat the bead on the rim's flanges. Through the years, they've mapped routes down the West Coast and several routes across the U.S. for road bicyclists. I hope that will be especially helpful to my fellow northbound riders, since there are fewer resources out there written from our perspective. The aggressive tread of the Minion DHF might feel a bit overkill on super buff and hardpack dirt, but that's not the arena this beast was designed to fight in. At night I would remove it from the dry sack (allowing it to expand, making room for all the snacks Id been carrying in my other bags) and tie it to a tree far from camp. We feel this tire provides a great combination of traction and rolling speed and has a huge bandwidth in terms of conditions. Horizontal knobs with edges that run perpendicular to the direction of travel are often employed to enhance braking traction. Tires are currently trending wider, and a wider front tire can help maintain traction as they have a larger contact patch on the rolling surface, and you can run lower tire pressures to enhance this even further. A tire's performance is the corners is one of its most important attributes. I love riding solo but a month is enough, and Ive been wanting to share a long ride with him for years. The 2,700-mile Western Wildlands Route (WWR, formerly known as the Wild West Route) offers bikepackers a non-technical riding experience through the vast expanses of wild and public lands in the Intermountain West. Thanks for the detail. Semi-slick and inverted tread tires are not recommended. What kind of temperatures are we talking about? Do you all think that would be too small? Continental has several new models in their lineup, with the Kryptotal intended as the all-arounder for aggressive riding in mixed terrain and conditions. (Offline caching requires a small monthly fee, totally worth it in my opinion.). For more detail, seeHow to Use Your Garmin InReach Mini. When conditions get really loose, it is easy to break this tire into a skid, drift through corners , spin out while climbing. Flint hills trail state park. We did our best to use consistent testing trails that offered a variety of features and soil types. . I didn't want to give up on them, but simultaneus pinch flats were the final straw. Monday November 14, 2022. This may not always be the ideal tire for your riding style, your trails, or the conditions you encounter most frequently. GearLab is reader-supported. So useful for so many things: sun coverage, hair band, neck gaiter, towel, face covering, pillow case, etc. Try a plastic bag between two pairs of socks as a lightweight alternative. Despite the reduced weight, we found the tire to provide adequate sidewall support, and the Slash Guard (SG2) insert stood up to all the abuse we could dish out. This is my full experience on the New Mexico portion of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.I rode the Priority 600x, a bike that I helped design. Aggressive riders who frequent loose, chunky, and rowdy terrain are the best candidates for this beefy and durable tire. Does anyone have a recommendation on minimum tire width? It has a wide temperature range without feeling clammy, and critically the half zip fits over a bike helmet for quicker layer changes on the go. Bikepacking.com: Best Tires for the Great Divide By Jan Heine Tires With the 2021 Tour Divide happening this year - on a shortened course, since the Canadian border is still closed - Neil Beltchenko from bikepacking.com looked at what he considers the best tire for this challenging 2,745-mile (4,418 km) course. The rest we replaced as needed along the way. We're dealing with a product category here that is prone to specialization, so if you're looking for something other than an all-arounder, make sure to read up on our award winners for tires that do specific jobs well. While we were truly impressed by the performance of the Ground Control Grid T7, it is important to keep in mind that these tires do have limitations. Continental's latest tires deserve praise in the metric, and the Kryptotoal Fr represents a new era for the brand. Interesting, the new Racing Ralph's perform very well. The Copper Spur is functional, roomy, pretty lightweight, and mostly freestanding (except the vestibules). Tires are trending wider and so are our test models. Use the postal service. Sun Sleeves:Outdoor Researchhiking sleeves stay up on my small arms better than most. My smartphone is easier to use and I wasnt usually short on battery during this trip, which is the primary reason I sometimes use the eTrex. Thus its important to carry a fairly comprehensive repair kit. Held sunscreen, lights, snacks, other small items. Finally, Ill underscore again how many ways there are to pack for a route like the GDMBR. Modern trends have dictated that all of the tires in our test are either 27.5 or 29-inch. Im Alissa, your virtual guide, here to help you make your biggest, boldest adventure dreams a reality. There's no way around it; mountain bike tires are pricey. Some of the more burly casings are more difficult to work with. There are hundreds of post offices along the GDMBR. Heres what I suggest carrying in order to leave no trace: Spend your town time resting and eating instead of wondering what youre forgetting. The Maxxis Ardent, Michelin Force AM2, Specialized Ground Control, and Vittoria Martello perform better in these cases with smaller knobs that don't give the rider a feeling of riding high off the ground. However, this isn't the most aggressive tire on the market. I saw everything out there, from How on earth are you surviving with so little? to How on earth are you hefting all that gear up these climbs?. If I ever get nervous, having it nearby helps me sleep. My only complaint: the bottoms arent very durable. If youre not yet aware, the famous Tour Divide bikepacking race covers almost the same route as the GDMBR, but most racers aim to finish in under a month (or for the fastest folks, half that time!). This is an awesome resource! Pedals: Funn Mamba Single-Sided SPD. Sports bra:Patagonia Barely, very comfy (A cup) and stink-resistant. No issues and no punctures that didnt immediately seal. Even the legendary Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, which often crests above 10,000ft in its 2,700 miles, fits this category.Our selection of routes spans the whole spectrum, from short two-dayers in the desert, to properly long technical mountain routes, and woodsy adventures in . The Bikepacking Journal is our biannual printed publication. I hope youre able to get out there eventually. GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. I've got some long term plans for the GDR, and want to check out these two tires beforehand: I use the Marathons for training. Excited to try bikepacking but need help getting started? Some cities even have beer boats, if that . Your needs will vary based on where and how you ride. Figuring out which tires will perform well and hold up for the duration can be tricky, especially given all the options on the market. While neither of these tires is light, they're both impressive when the going gets radical. More here. But if you want more cushion in the tire area, the bike can accommodate up to . This tire isn't the fastest-rolling, but that's a tradeoff that we expect most aggressive trail riders are willing to accept. Only downsides: they wear out quickly and are not especially sun-protective. The Maxxis Minion DHF is arguably the most popular tire ever thanks mostly to its cornering prowess. Let me leave you with two final tips that I believe will be helpful to almost everyone: Pack light-ish. Wanted to see if anyone had recommendations on some good tires? Crisscrossing the Continental Divide from alberta through the Canadian and American Rockies to its southern terminus at the mexican border, brian kesselman completed the 2784 mile route solo and self-supported with 161,563 feet of climbing, averaging 92.8 miles a day over 30 days. I would check out the WTB Prowlers 2.1 SL 29er tires. Pretty well. Mountain bike tires are expensive. It sacrifices some rolling speed in exchange for boatloads of braking traction and cornering prowess. The Avid BB7 brakes took a lot of fiddling to keep adjusted. Ive gone through a few and find the Cerium to be a good balance of packability and warmth. Come join the discussion about bike parts, components, deals, performance, modifications, classifieds, trails, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more! The Ardent has a low-profile tread design that prioritizes rolling speed. Bandanafor wiping out dishes and other miscellaneous needs. You can see the deterioration of the shoulder knobs. The Maxx Terra compound on the Minion DHF is an excellent balance of grip, rolling resistance, and longevity. I likethese from REIandthese from Woolly Clothing. The Maxxis Aggressor, Dissector, and WTB Trail Boss offer more traction while still maintaining impressive rolling speed. Based on that experience, we feel that the performance of a tire between different wheel sizes will be roughly the same. I wouldnt use this setup for prolonged technical riding, but it worked fine for gravel. BIKE: I'll be riding the Tour Divide on a 2020 Salsa Ti-Fargo frameset with a Firestarter carbon fork. Afternoon thunderstorms are common throughout the Rockies and temperatures can drop quite low, so a good rain setup and warm layers are critical. The sections are arranged in the direction I rode, which is northbound (also referred to as NOBO). These are mostly country roads that traverse Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management land. It is exciting but slightly frightening to look through it and realize I have just about everything needed to embark on an adventure like this, apart from time (for now)! You will want the cusion of a larger tyre. He comments: For off-pavement touring, the Endomorphs make for an extremely comfortable ride. The Maxxis Assegai is a gravity-oriented tire from Maxxis that was designed in collaboration with World Cup DH racing legend Greg Minaar. We want our tires to last, and we get the feeling you do too. But on the GDMBR we often showered at RV parks and campgrounds that didnt offer this. Aside from testing the top-ranked mountain bikes on the market, our testers have also reviewed components from dropper seatposts to pedals (both clipless mountain bike pedals and flat pedal styles) and accessories like mountain bike helmets and the best men's mountain bike shoes and best women's mountain bike shoes. Garmin eTrex22x: My backup navigation device while riding solo. 60 DAY Free Returns & Shipping / Orders All Over The US Need Help? But it delivers excellent pedaling traction. Resources and inspiration to support your wildest dreams: Affiliate Disclosure: This site participates in affiliate programs, including Amazon Associates. This scenic trail runs from the USA/Mexico border into Canada and covers 2,767 miles of spectacular remote wilderness.