tour divide 2023 rigs

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2023 Rigs of the Tour Divide Breakdown: Stats Analysis…

By Neil Beltchenko

Associate Editor & YouTube Host

Each year, we publish the Rigs of the Tour Divide, showcasing participants’ bike setups and gear. This time around, 124 folks submitted their kits for our two-part mega gallery. In this post and video, we dive into the stats and share some interesting findings from tire size to drivetrains and from types of seat posts to how many riders used racks. Find it all here…

PUBLISHED Jun 15, 2023

It’s always fun to dig into the rigs of the Tour Divide. I originated the “Rigs of” series in 2014 on Bikepacker.com, and it continues today on BIKEPACKING.com. It’s so exciting to see all of the bikes and equipment used in these events. Some of them look brand new, and others have a little patina, but one thing is certain: each is entirely unique, making this race fascinating year after year. In this video, I unpacked some trends I found while scouring this year’s flat-bar and drop bar-rigs. Watch below and then scroll down for a written version, complete with pie charts to outline the stats.

Types of Bikes

Let’s start with bike type, as that’s how we separated our two “Rigs of” articles. We received 64 flat-bar rigs and 60 drop-bar rigs for the 2023 event. There was a broad sampling of bike brands in the flat-bar and drop-bar categories; among other brands, there were three Cannondales, three Surlys, four Specialized, four Otsos, four Chumbas, and seven Treks. Salsa Cycles again takes the cake with six flat-bar bikes and a whopping 26 drop-bar bikes, totaling 32 bikes or 25% of the field. Cutthroats were by far the most popular bike, with 22 folks riding them, followed by seven Salsa Fargos. If there is one thing that remains the same each year, it’s that the Cutthroat—which was specifically designed for the Tour Divide—is still the most popular bike by leaps and bounds.

The number of riders using suspension was also a pretty interesting metric to look at. Of the 64 flat-bar bikes, over half of them (33) have some sort of suspension fork, whereas only 14 (8%) of the drop-bar bikes had suspension forks. This is no surprise as stock hardtails usually come with suspension forks, whereas drop-bar bikes tend to come with rigid forks. There were also only three complete suspension bikes among this year’s rigs, and perhaps an interesting note: two gravel-specific forks that have very narrow tire clearance.

Tires and Tire Size

Those two bikes and two other rigs had tires at or under 45mm, and two others had 47mm Teravail Rutlands. That’s narrow for a route with a lot of chunky terrain. I should mention one of those bikes is the one shown above left, a classic fixed-gear, rim-brake bike from Adrian Stingaciu, aka Super Vegan, the third-place 2008 finisher and one of the riders in the “Ride the Divide” film that inspired so many of us.

Generally speaking, folks tend to stick to tires over two inches in width, as that extra volume and grip helps with the rough terrain, but it’s clear everyone has their own personal preference. Most of the tires seem to be 2.1, 2.2, and 2.35″ wide, and one thing that stood out was the Vittoria Mezcal party; I’m testing a set right now, and I’m enjoying them, but I had no idea they turned into the tire of choice for the Tour Divide. There are 32 flat-bar bikes running Mezcals and 31 drop-bar bikes with them, making that 63 out of the 124 total rigs using Mezcals; that’s over half the bikes with the same tire pattern, which is pretty wild. There were also 22 bikes with Maxxis tires, with most of them running Maxxis Ikons. But there were also some Mezcal/Ikon combos, which I always love to see. Another popular option was the Fleecer Ridge from Rene Herse; there were 14 of them in the roundup. Then there was a smattering of Teravail, WTB, Continental, and other brands. All but 11 of the bikes were 29″, and the rest were 27.5”. And there were only two bikes with 29 x 3.0 plus tires; even 2.6″ tires weren’t very common, with only three folks running them from what we can see in this year’s rigs.

Drivetrains

While not everyone stated their gearing, let’s get into some essential findings. Most of the bikes have a derailleur. In fact, every drop-bar bike was rocking a derailleur and gears. As for the flat bar bikes, there was more variation, with one Pinion gearbox, two Rohloff Speed Hubs, eight badass singlespeeders, and Adrien’s fixed-geared bike. Another notable finding was that 51 of the drop-bar bikes were 1x, with only 10 2x drivetrains and one 3x drivetrain in the mix. When I raced the Tour Divide a while back, I did it with a 34t chainring and an 11-42t cassette—this was before 12-speed drivetrains. The climbing gear was fine, but I was looking for more top-end speed, and if I were to race again, I would probably run a 2x variation with a 46-tooth chainring up front to accomplish that.

A few other interesting notes on drivetrains: I counted 33 folks who were using SRAM AXS wireless drivetrains, two of which were the new transmission. And to my surprise, I saw zero Di2 drivetrains, which is a shocker considering the limited battery life of one SRAM AXS battery vs. a Di2 battery. For what it’s worth, Mike Hall set the Tour Divide record on a Di2 drivetrain in 2016.

Overall, SRAM was by far the most popular brand of drivetrain with 77 folks using Eagle or another SRAM variation. Behind that, 34 rigs had Shimano groups, and one was using a Sensah derailleur among the group. One other bike had an Shimano rear derailleur and a Campy front. Either way, it’s wild to see that SRAM has become so popular, even though Shimano GRX was designed for gravel and dirt roads.

Aero bars, Racks, Bags, and Seat Posts

Aero bars are another popular talking point. Of the drop-bar bikes, 54 used an aero bar or arm rests attached to the handlebar. There were an additional 51 aero bars on flat-bar bikes. That makes roughly 85 percent of riders using aero bars. And when we talk about aero bars for an event like this, it’s not really to be aero, although it can help in times of high winds. It simply creates another riding position, and from my experience, it’s really enjoyable to get off your hands and put your weight on your forearms from time to time. I would certainly go this route again.

Bags are always an exciting part of these roundups too, and I love to see how many bikes have no true allegiance to one bag manufacturer. Out of the 124 bikes that were in our two “Rigs of” articles, only 13 stuck to one brand. And roughly half of those folks were sponsored by bike brands or had a relationship with the brand.

Thirty-nine of the rigs in the bunch were rocking some sort of rack, with 27 of them being a Tailfin Aeropack. There were also racks from Tumbleweed, Old Man Mountain, and other brands. Of the folks using racks, only six of them were also using dropper posts, which is the primary reason I tend to use a rack these days. Seven additional riders were using dropper posts with seat packs, making the total number of folks using dropper posts 13, which is pretty slim. It’s also worth mentioning that only two drop-bar bikes had a dropper. That said, there were a bunch of suspension posts out there: 21 total, with 13 Cane Creek Thudbuster os eeSilk posts and eight Redshift posts.

Finally, let’s talk about the people who make this event so incredible. Back in 2008, 17 individuals started, and only eight finished. This year, more than 280 folks signed up to race, including 27 women, and as I mentioned, there were 124 who participated in these “Rigs of” articles. Of those participants, there are folks from all over the world, but the top five countries are as follows: three individuals each from France, England, Germany, and Belgium; five from Australia; eight from New Zealand; 21 from Canada; and 72 from the United States. Most of these folks are from Colorado (10), California (7), Minnesota (6), Wisconsin (4), and Oregon (4). It’s cool to see the Midwest representing.

And the best part of this is the age spread: the top age group for parts one and two of The Rigs of the Tour Divide was the 30s, with 36 people participating in that age range. That was followed by folks in their 40s, with 29 riders representing. Participants in their 50s were next with 23 folks, then the 60s with 21, followed by the 20s at 15, and just one 18-year-old. Next time you tell yourself you are too old to ride the Divide, look at these numbers—it’s pretty great to see that there are folks out pushing themselves at all ages.

We’d love to hear from you all about what statistics or variables stand out most to you or what you’d like to see next time. Let us know in the conversation below.

Further Reading

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...

Rigs of the 2023 Tour Divide (Part 1): Drop-Bar Bikes

Rigs of the 2023 Tour Divide (Part 2): Flat-Bar Bikes

John and Mira and Their Pinion-Powered Titanium Midtail

Tour Divide Bike Checks: Chris Burkard and Justinas Leveika

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Tour Divide 2023 : The race, the gear, the whys and everything in between

• May 13, 2023

It was just over 2 years ago the first time I ever heard of the Tour Divide. I didn’t even know what bikepacking was or that bikepacking racing was a thing.

By then, I had become a time trialist specialist on the road. I had become obsessed with mastering my mind, mastering the art of executing a perfect time trial. I love it so much. I know very well this feeling, my sight on the road ahead, my head tucked in, my lungs expanding to their max, my legs flowing over the pedals. That feeling when I get in the zone, when I’m able to fully surrender and let no amount of pain bother me. It’s pretty amazing. And quite freeing.

A few years ago when I was reading this passionating book “How Bad Do You Want It”, the author spoke of how references are limiters to the mind and the body. If you can remove the information that you know as your references, you could push your body much further. I decided to test the concept and did a 20-minutes blind test – no numbers, no references. Increasing my best 20-min power by 18% was a shocking, yet insightful experience. “You are stronger than you think.” Simply remove the thinking.

I was on the stationary bike trainer when a youtube video came up about the Tour Divide (the documentary was I Just Want to Ride featuring Lael Wilcox – record-holder of the fastest female time on the Tour Divide). A 4,300 km time trial. WOAH! Now everything I know as references are quite irrelevant. How the hell is this humanely possible? Then… What if I remove what I know as possible. What if this was just another example of the amazing things a body can do when you remove references. I was immediately filled with curiosity.

I couldn’t sleep that night. I had to find out: where is the limit of what I can do. Am I able to apply what I came to master in road cycling time trial to a 4,300km bikepacking time trial?

Covering a distance of 4,300km, the Tour Divide is one of the longest and arguably the hardest ultra-endurance bike race on the planet. From Banff (Alberta) in Canada, to Antelope Wells (NM) at the border of Mexico, the course takes the riders along breathtaking scenic landscapes of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (designed by the Adventure Cycling Association back in the 1990s), one of the most well-known off-road touring route that attracts bikepackers and bike tourists from all over the world.

The race has been going on for many years, starting on the 2nd Friday of June of each year, but only started to gain popularity lately with the rise of bikepacking and bikepacking events. The 2023 edition has currently over 250 participants registered to this day (one month before the start). 26 of them are female or non-binary, the highest non-male participation rate ever!

The Tour Divide is more than a cycling race, it is the definition of an endurance and resilience test. The race is self-supported, which means you are not allowed to receive any help. You can use public services such as hotels and restaurants, but you must carry everything you need (clothes, food, camp & sleep, tools). The route goes through many remote areas where a satellite device is the only way of communication. High-altitude mountain passes, changing weather, and wildlife encounters are all part of the race.

Getting ready – my journey to the start line

There is the physical journey, then it’s freacking scary! 2 years ago I had never camped before, never packed gear on a bike, never ridden in the dark or encountered a bear.

Before I could attempt this, I had a few classes to take on. So, 3 weeks after watching the youtube video about the Tour Divide, I departed for my first bikepacking trip. An improvised, but oh so life-changing, one-month bikepacking trip in Utah and Arizona hooked me up. From there, I would use bikepacking for training when I’m not racing.

Last year (2022), I was still racing as a pro road cyclist when a series of events occurred, one of them being the cancellation of BC Superweek, my beloved crit series in July. I was going to fly to western Canada (near Banff) for Road Nationals, but then I had an opening in my calendar. “What a great opportunity to check out the course of the Tour Divide!” I thought.

I flew with all the gear I had and set to ride as much as I can of the route after racing Nationals. I had a wonderful ride in the time trial at Nationals, I rode the absolute best I could. Another 2nd place, but I felt satisfied. I love when I leave it all on the course. I was not going to be National Champion but that’s how it is. I don’t have less joy riding my bike fullgas. It was time to swap bikes.

So, a week later on July 4th, 2022, I departed from Banff and headed south on my pretty beat-up Cannondale FSi mountain bike hardtail, to see if I was capable of riding the terrain, to overcome my fear of bears (oh, I did come face-to-face with a grizzly! But that’s for another storytelling time), to overcome my fear of riding in the dark and confronting the weather of the high-altitude mountain passes.

The course was absolutely mind-blowing!!! Every day, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the landscapes surrounding me. The “non-technical” terrain was very much challenging for my roadie skillset. I was very unprepared for the hike-a-bike and the rain, but it was so empowering to come out of these challenges stronger.

I completed the route in 28 days (about twice as long as the race-winning time), averaging over 10 hours of riding to cover 150km each day -it was the hardest thing I had ever done !!

This course recon was the first step to getting prepared to race. It also made obvious that I needed to improve my MTB skills, to strengthen my upper body for the hike”push”-a-bike, to fasten my camp-to-bike transition, a warmer and more reliable sleep system, and better overall gear and bike.

My 2023 Tour Divide Gear List

By now I have gathered enough bikepacking experience to know better what I want and need for my ideal setup. So I have reached out to my favorite companies and I’m very fortunate that they embarked on my dream race project with me! Here is the best bikepacking setup I could build for racing the Tour Divide :

• Cannondale Scalpel HT, 100mm suspension fork
• Sram X01 mechanical 34T x 10-52 Eagle cassette
• SL4 Lucky Jack – Duke Racing Wheels (XC carbon wheels, 1200g a pair)
• Son 28 dynamo hub
• Ergo grips and aero bars
• Maxxis Ardent Race and Ikon 2,2 tires

Packs: Backcountry Series by Apidura

• Apidura 11L handlebar pack (clothes)
• Apidura 2x 1.2L feed pouches, 1L top-tube feed bag, 1L rear top-tube pack for accessories
• Apidura 4L frame pack with a hydration bladder (food & water)
• Apidura 1.8L down-tube pack (tools and pharmacy)
• Apidura 10L saddle pack (sleep system)
• possibly a hip pack or hydration vest… TBD
• 7mesh cargo bib (pad removed) paired with 7mesh Foundation Shorts
• 7mesh Hollyburn light thermal pants
• 7mesh Chico Anorak pull-over
• 7mesh merino buff
• 7mesh Skypilot Gore-tex rain jacket
• MEC 800-down jacket
• Mountain Hardwear 800-down pants
• MEC rain pants cover
• Showerpass waterproof gloves and socks (available at MEC)
• Defeet merino gloves

Sleep System :

• MEC Talon 0 degree C 800-down quilt
• MEC Vectair Ultralight insulated air mat
• Mountain Laurel Designs FKT bivy
• Warmlite Gear Vapor barrier long-sleeve jersey
• Warmlite Gear Vapor Barrier socks

Electronics :

• Garmin 540 Solar for navigation (MEC)
• Garmin inReach satellite tracking (MEC)
• GoPro Mini 11 for self-documenting the race
• iPhone and AirPods
• Sinewave Cycle Beacon2 headlight (dynamo powered)
• 1x 5,000 mpa power bank, 1x 10,000 mpa power bank, fast-charging wall charger, and cables
• Black Diamond headlight (MEC)
• Set of rear lights (MEC)

Tools, toiletry, and other items :

• Sunscreen (lots of sunscreens)
• Toothbrush, toothpaste
• Laundry handwash soap
• Eye mask, ear plugs
• ibuprofen, allergy med
• Caffeine, melatonin
• BeFree water filter and water purifying tablets
• Muc-Off Hydro chain lube with a rag
• Hand pump, tire plugs and sealant
• Multi-tools with chain breaker
• Spare derailer hanger, spare brake pads, chain links
• Patch repair kit
• Protein powder, BCAAs, Greens powder

Thank you to my sponsors for gearing me up with the best. Find this gear online: MEC outdoor gear , 7mesh cycling apparel , Apidura bikepacking bags , Duke Racing Wheels , Warmlite Gear vapor barrier gear .

Live-Tracking – From June 9th, 2023

We will depart from Banff (AB) on June 9th, 2023. You can follow the race live via satellite tracking here .

Even though I will try to film as much as possible, I will not be posting a lot on social media during the race (because it’s a race!) and there isn’t much service between towns. If you do follow my progress, I will love to read your messages of encouragement!

You can find me on instagram at @msoleilblais74 and you can subscribe to my Youtube Channel to be notified when my Tour Divide film is up!

But why in the hell would someone want to race this?

I have long asked myself this question. What is my motivation, why do I want to race the Tour Divide and put all of the efforts behind such a big commitment? Multiple answers come to my mind.

First, it’s the curiosity, the need to push the limits and see how far I can go. I see this as a continuation of my fascination for the power of the mind and playing with the concept of removing references. To see what I could do if I go into something where I have no references at all. Can I carry my time trial state of mind over 4,300km ? How resilient am I?

Second, it’s the transformation. Endurance has never been something I particularly excel at naturally. I had a strong anaerobic profile as a pro cyclist but that is quite useless over a long distance. I think you never become ready for the biggest race of your life, just like you don’t do a marathon before your first marathon. You “become” someone who is capable of doing it, by doing it. I want to become the person at the finish line who was able to race that distance and push her limits to a new level. No matter what happens, I will come out of this test stronger and more resilient.

Lastly, I want to live the experience. The experience of racing my bike all day, all night. Riding as far as I can, every day, with nothing else on my mind than going further. I quite enjoy the solitude of riding long distances in remote areas, and I look forward to re-discovering the magnificent, yet challenging course that is the Tour Divide.

Stay tuned, peace out

Full heart, fullgas

Marie-Soleil Blais

Bike Racer & Adventurer

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Top 10 Bikes of The Tour Divide Race 2023

Bikepacking the Tour Divide has been on my bucket list for some time now

And I am sure on the lists of many other adventure seekers. Those looking to push their personal potential, to see just how much they can accomplish. It’s the ultimate endurance cycling event!

It’s an annual off-road ride traversing the length of the Rocky Mountains, from Banff, Canada all the way to the Mexican border. Racing all 2,745 miles of Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.

One epic ultra-endurance bikepacking spectacle!

Although the route itself is fascinating and the people who ride these races!

One thing seems to spark the curiosity of people interested in taking on such an adventure!

Listen while you read: I filmed a video version of this blog post so you can just listen to me talk about these bikes, while you read more below.

But, what bikes are used for the Great Divide Trail and the Tour Divide event?

In this write-up, we take a look at some of the best bikes for this epic adventure

Much like some of the best bikes for endurance cycling events , these bikes are built for off-road riding but also offer the comfort needed for those long days in the saddle.

I’ve made the mistake in the past riding my stock Kona Sutra LTD on the Vic Divide which is an Australia Bikepacking event that runs from Melbourne to Albury around 500 km. It’s just a warm-up to the Tour Divide in the USA which is a 4,418 km non-stop bikepacking race!

But the gearing on my bike was not ideal the 1×11 SRAM Rival 1 setup had a 30T crank and 10-42 Cassette which gave me only a 24.45” climbing gear which made it hard on the very steep sections with all my potatoes

Also, the tires that came with this bike are WTB Venture 700c x 50 tires. Some of the riding was very jarring and tough on the gear. I got a couple of punctures. 50mm wasn’t quite enough, which is why I later opted for 2.3” MTB tires which do the trick!

All these bikes are the perfect steeds precisely for the Tour Divide, with ample rubber and tire clearance, as well as adequate gearing often 20” or lower for ease when climbing the steeper stuff

But my point is that you need to invest in the right gear if you plan to take on these grueling events! Make sure you have the right bike that is going to be capable enough to get you over the finish line and be as comfortable as possible.

Also speaking of comfort!

Amongst all the riders of the Tour Divide, 77% used aero bars. Less for the aerodynamics and extra efficiency but more so for comfort, offering more hand positions and the ability to stretch out.

But one issue I have always run into with aero bars for bikepacking is how much stretching happens. Resulting in discomfort and I just never end up spending that much time in the aero bars while riding!

This product is the perfect solution to aero bar comfort!

I’ve been testing out the Fred Bars and I use my aero bars all the time now! Raising the aero bars and bringing them back, results in less reach allowing you to rest in a more relaxed, crouched position.

I noticed quite a few of these top 10 bikes of the Tour Divide are running aero bars. However, most are missing out on the extra comfort the Fred Bars can provide ultimately resulting in less fatigue over the long haul.

Also included are the photos of the exact bikes that raced this year, thanks to bikepacking.com’s Riders Rig content. Part 1 (Dropper Bar Bikes) and Part 2 (Flat-Bar Bikes)

Additionally, I have done the hard yards and included detailed specs like climbing gear inches, price, weight, geometry, and other information for most bikes.

But let’s get into the top 10 bikes, shall we?

1. BMC Twostroke 01 One

Winning this year’s Tour Divide, the Twostroke 01 stands out as a modern and versatile hardtail bike. It boasts a TCC-designed carbon frame with unique geometry tailored for challenging terrains.

The winning bike build was a full custom setup. featuring XS30 Carbon wheels from Beast Components paired with a SON Dynamo hub in the front. Powered by an SRAM Eagle XS Red Drivetrain, configured at 34T x 10-52T.

This gives this build an 18.68″ to 97.72″ gear-inch range and a gear ratio of 0.65 to 3.40

The suspension is a RockShox SID SL Select+ fork with 100 mm of travel and a Beast Component drop bar. The pulley wheels, use low-resistance ceramic components from Kogel, ensuring a seamless pedal experience. The bike is rolling on Hutchinson Skeleton & Taipan tires, both at 2.15”. The standout feature is the Supernova M99 DY Pro front light.

The Twostrok comes with added features like wide tire clearance, integrated protection for both the fork and frame, and internal cable routing to enhance its design.

Moreover, it’s ready for a dropper post addition if needed.

The bike is equipped with a RockShox SID Select+ fork, carbon handlebar, and a 12-speed SRAM GX Eagle AXS groupset.

Rounding off its build are the DT Swiss X 1700 wheels paired with Vittoria Barzo tires.

A progressive, compliant, and confidence-inspiring fast hardtail. Its TCC-designed carbon frame has radical geometry for steep and loose terrain

Price:  $5,799

Weight:  9.5 kg (20.94 lbs)

Frame/Fork Material:  Frame – Carbon / Fork – RockShox SID Select+ with 100 mm travel

Groupset & Drivetrain:  1×12 Electronic GX Eagle AXS

Gear Ratios:  18.84” to 98.56” (0.65 to 3.40 ratio)

Geometry (Medium frame): Stack/Reach ratio 1.34 – chainstay 425 mm – wheelbase 1,135 mm – (steering) headtube angle 67 deg – trail 109 mm – Fork offset/rake 44 mm – bottom bracket drop 64 mm

Tires and Wheel Sizes (Tire Clearance):  2.25-inch tires, with a max tire clearance of 2.3 inches

2. Trek Procaliber SL

The bike pictured above has drop bars with a 100mm front suspension. It rides on Hunt XC Beyond wheels, which have a dynamo that powers the Supernova M99 DY Pro light.

The Trek Procaliber is a race-ready cross-country hardtail. Its fast carbon frame boasts a trail-taming IsoSpeed decoupler, quick-rolling 29er wheels, and a RockShox Recon Gold RL suspension fork with 100 mm of travel to keep you fast and smooth over roots and rocks during your most demanding mountain bike rides.

This upgraded fork gives you a remote lockout which means you can lock out the suspension while keeping your hands on the bars. This fork comes with a more plush spring and allows for more control over the rougher stuff.

More than just a bike for single trail riding, perfect for those who put in long miles on trails and are looking for the speed, efficiency, and light weight of a carbon cross-country bike.

The IsoSpeed decoupler and carbon frame make it ride smoother than any other hardtail, so your body doesn’t get beat up by trail chatter. Essentially added suspension on the frame.

The Straight Shot downtube helps add extra stiffness and responsive handling without the added weight. Along with the Knock Block headset which protects against spinning bars and fork crowns. Stopping your handlebars from spinning all the way around when you crash.

Price:  Around $3,099

Weight:  11.43 kg (25.21 lbs)

Frame/Fork Material:  Frame – Carbon / Fork – RockShox Recon Gold RL with 100 mm travel

Groupset & Drivetrain:  Shimano XT 30T crank and 10-51T cassette

Gear Ratios:  17.04” to 86.66” (0.59 to 3.0 ratio)

Geometry (Medium Frame): Stack/Reach ratio 1.42 – chainstay 432 mm – wheelbase 1,103 mm – (steering) headtube angle 68.8 deg – trail 97.3 mm – Fork offset/rake 42 mm – bottom bracket drop 60 mm

Tires and Wheel Sizes (Tire Clearance):  29 x 2.2″ tires With a max tire clearance of 29 x 2.4″

3. Girs Nomade

With a very unique paint job, this MTB Girs Nomade Carbone comes with a Sram 12-speed mechanical set, Shimano XT/DEORE brakes, fresh Maxxis Ikon tires, and a 1×12 drivetrain sporting a 32T chainring.

It rides on DT Swiss 29-inch wheels, with a front SON Dynamo hub.

The bike boasts ENVE handlebars, a Cane Creek post with a touch of suspension, a Selle Idéale seat, and a Profile Design extension complemented by 70mm shims beneath the armrests. It’s also equipped with a Garmin 67i.

The Nomade bike, designed for the adventurous and curious traveler, prioritizes versatility and freedom in its design.

The frame, weighing at 1090g, is priced at 1490€, while the combined frame and fork kit comes in at 1880€.

The main allure of the Nomad is its adaptability. Whether you’re navigating wet grounds, mountains, or sandy terrains, the Nomad can adjust accordingly.

Its XC-type geometry promotes control and agility, especially evident when equipped with a 110 mm fork for winding trails or set in a Beach Race mode with a rigid fork and 35mm rim, ideal for sandy conditions.

The balanced geometry, featuring a slack 68.5-degree head angle and enhanced reach with 435mm chainstays, ensures precise control over challenging terrains and preserves agility for tighter trails.

Additionally, the Nomade includes a universal derailleur hanger designed for compatibility across all drivetrains while protecting the derailleur from impacts.

The bike’s durability and performance are anchored in the use of Toray 700 and 800 carbon materials combined with a specialized resin blend, ensuring consistent performance.

Lastly, the bike focuses on integrated design, with cables and housings seamlessly entering the frame, enhancing both the bike’s aesthetics and function.

This integrated system is compatible with a variety of standard ACR-type integration systems available in the market. All in all, whether you’re looking for a daily ride or gearing up for a competition, the Nomade offers a reliable and versatile biking experience.

4. Binary Bicycles Havok

The Havok bike, tailored for those with an adventurous spirit, is built for both speed and endurance.

Its titanium frame ensures a comfortable ride, absorbing the roughness of terrains like washboards and ruts.

This versatile frame can accommodate a range of tire sizes, from skinny gravel tires to broader 29 × 3.0 tires, allowing riders to adapt based on their upcoming journey.

One of its standout features is its sizable front triangle, perfect for fitting a frame bag.

It comes equipped with triple bottle mounts on both the top and bottom of the downtube and also offers rack and fender mounts for added bikepacking and touring gear flexibility.

For those looking at drivetrain options, the Havok is 2x compatible and provides dropper post routing.

It is designed to support either drop bars or other preferred touring bars.

The sliding dropouts offer adaptability, even allowing for a singlespeed setup. Furthermore, the bike can be paired with a 100mm 29er fork if riders seek added suspension.

In terms of standard features, the Havok boasts a lightweight titanium build with a hand-brushed finish, accented by sandblasted logos.

The bike’s axle spacing is set at 12mm x 148mm boost, and it employs sliding Paragon-style dropouts. It’s designed with a 44mm straight headtube, compatible with a tapered fork, and a threaded 73mm BSA bottom bracket.

The external cable routing and 31.6mm Seatpost, which is internal dropper compatible, add to its functionality.

Moreover, the bike can comfortably fit 29+ tires (up to 3.0), and its geometry supports both rigid and 100mm 29er suspension. Whether it’s for gravel paths, singletracks, all-road, or bikepacking, the Havok promises a reliable and adaptable ride.

5. Moots MX RSL

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Moots Bicycles (@mootscycles)

6. Fezzari Solitude 29

This Fezzari Solitude bike build is fully rigid, featuring an Enve carbon fork for stability. It rides on ZIPP zero moto wheels equipped with a Dynamo hub, and its tires are the Schwalbe Racing Ray and Ralph, both at a size of 2.1”.

The bike has SRAM transmission, which comes with a 34T chainring and a wide-range 10-52T cassette.

For added comfort on bumpy terrains, it incorporates a Redshift stem and a Cane Creek Seatpost for some suspension. A notable feature for those long rides is the infinity seat, ensuring rider comfort.

Additionally, it comes with an aero bar that brings together various features, giving the rider an aerodynamic advantage. Along with a product like the Fred Bars you can also ride in comfort!

This bike appears to be a solid choice for those considering participating in the tour divide race, providing a blend of speed, comfort, and durability.

The Solitude is a hardtail mountain bike designed for cross-country riders seeking speed, adventure, and the thrill of competition.

Its carbon frame utilizes Monform™ technology, which offers a single-piece carbon construction rather than the traditional two-piece, resulting in a lighter yet stronger frame with enhanced power transfer.

This bike’s geometry strikes a balance between racing and recreation: a 68-degree head tube angle provides stability in rough terrains and during turns, while a 75-degree seat tube angle ensures an optimal riding position for power and efficiency.

Notably, the Solitude’s frame weighs less than 1000 grams and showcases improved lateral stiffness and strength compared to its predecessors, giving riders added confidence in diverse terrains.

In essence, for those eyeing the Tour Divide race, the Solitude might be a worthy contender, combining speed, durability, and a fun riding experience.

7. Salsa Cutthroat

The most common bike chosen for the Tour Divide and it’s no surprise as the Cutthroat is Salsa’s Tour Divide-inspired drop bar bike!

The bike pictured above is a 2020 Cutthroat model featuring a GRX 800 1×11 drivetrain and RaceFace Next SL cranks, boasting a 32T OVAL chainring combined with a 10-46T cassette, ensuring smooth rides on hilly terrains. Comfort is guaranteed with a Koda saddle and the handlebars are wrapped in Lizard Skin tape for added grip along with aero bars.

As it’s an immensely capable carbon bikepacking bike!

Derived from a rich lineage, the Cutthroat features a unique drop-bar mountain bike geometry designed to instill confidence, even when the trails get rough.

Its carbon frame ensures efficient energy utilization while its Class 5 VRS rear end effectively absorbs minor jolts from both roads and trails, helping riders maintain their energy.

Additionally, the Cutthroat offers multiple cargo mount options, allowing riders to personalize their gear setup.

A notable component is the SRAM’s GX Eagle AXS groupset, which has proven to be durable and dependable, making it an excellent choice for extended backcountry adventures like the Tour Divide.

Price:  $3,499 to $7,799 ($5,599 Cutthroat C GX Eagle AXS Model) – Comparable to the Epic Hardtail Comp above

Weight:  11 kg (24.3 lbs)

Frame/Fork Material:  Frame – Carbon / Fork – Carbon (Earlier 2019 models offer a 100mm RockShox Reba front suspension setup!)

Groupset & Drivetrain:  1×12 Electronic GX Eagle AXS, Rival eTap

Gear Ratios:  18.78” to 98.22” (0.65 to 3.40 ratio)

Geometry (56cm Frame): Stack/Reach ratio 1.61 – chainstay 445 mm – wheelbase 1,090 mm – (steering) headtube angle 69 deg – trail 79 mm – Fork offset/rake 51 mm – bottom bracket drop 70 mm

Tires and Wheel Sizes (Tire Clearance):  29 x 2.2 mm tires, with a max official tire clearance of 2.4” for both frame and fork. While some have measured for up to 29 x 2.8″ tires

8. Rodeo Labs Flaanimal 5.0

The bike in the first picture is rolling on a Rodeo 2.0 wheelset. Sram AXS drivetrain (36t chainring, 10-50t 12-speed cassette), Hope Tech4 X2 brakes, and Maxxis Ikon 2.0″ / Vittoria Mezcal 2.1″ tires.

Since 2015, the Flaanimal has been the gold standard for adaptability. Whether on roads, gravel, or challenging terrains, this bike can be tailored to any rider’s imagination. A production steel and carbon gravel/adventure bike that has all you could possibly need

It can be blisteringly fast on the pavement with skinny slick tires. It can be smooth, efficient, and competitive on gravel. And is now considered an It can be blisteringly fast on the pavement on skinny slicks. It can be smooth, efficient, and competitive on gravel. And is now considered the perfect choice for a bikepacking racing rig, with its win at the 2021 Tour Divide as piloted by Jay Petervary.

You can tailor your Flaanimal 5.0 with custom finishes and build specs.

The CNC machined yoke and dropped stay design allows for tire sizes up to 700c x 50mm or 650b x 2.4”

While retaining the strength of steel, a carbon seat tube has been integrated to ensure a balance between durability and weight.

Custom butted and heat-treated Japanese tubing ensures strength and durability, even on the most challenging terrains. Let’s be honest The Japanese know how to make stuff!

The updated sliding dropout design offers an additional 10mm of slider range, allowing riders to tweak the bike’s handling and tire clearance.

Tidy aesthetics and modular design thanks to rubber routing port plugs which accommodate various build types.

The improved bottom T47 bottom bracket design it ensures quiet operation, compatibility with all crankset spindle diameters, and room for internal Di2 and dropper post routing.

Price:  $1,548.75 (Frameset)

Weight:  12.5 kg (27.6 lbs)

Frame/Fork Material:  Carbon and steel fusion

Groupset & Drivetrain:  Frameset Only

Gear Ratios:  Frameset Only

Geometry (56cm frame): Stack/Reach ratio 1.47 – chainstay 425 mm – wheelbase 1,033 mm – (steering) headtube angle 71 deg – Fork offset/rake 45 mm – bottom bracket drop 65 mm

Tires and Wheel Sizes (Tire Clearance):  Max tire clearance of 700c x 50mm or 650b x 2.4”

9. Mason InSearchOf

The first photo features a Mason InSearchOf steel frame paired with a carbon fork, and features SRAM’s 1×12 electronic shifting system, blending Force and X01 components.

It’s equipped with a Shimano XT crankset and a unique XT 10-51T cassette that’s compatible with the SRAM shifter.

The bike rides on René Herse Fleecer Ridge tires mounted on a custom wheelset combining a SON dynamo hub and DT Swiss 240.

Lighting and charging are managed by KLite. For handling, it sports a 46cm Ritchey Beacon drop bar wrapped in a double layer of Wolf Tooth tape.

Rider comfort is prioritized with a Redshift suspension stem and Ritchey aerobars featuring SRAM shifting buttons.

The bike stands on XT pedals, and seating is provided by a Specialized Power saddle. Additional features include Reverse Fillmore valves, Orange Seal tire sealant, SRAM HS2 brake discs, and SwissStop brake pads.

This rig is available in some nice build options with about 4 models to choose from all starting from $3,864 (Rival 1x). In this article, we are going to use the GX Eagle AXS priced at $4,737 model for specs. But it might be worth checking out some other options to better suit your needs.

This has to be one of the most capable-looking drop bar bikes upon first impression.

The ultimate steel adventure bicycle has been adopted by the Ultra-Endurance community realizing the comfortable, fast, multi-surface capabilities of this bike making it ideal for such Continent Crushing rides. Much so that Josh Ibbett won the 2015 Trans Continental race on a Mason.

The frame is composed of custom-formed Progressive-butted Dedacciai ‘Zero’ Steel tubing which is used on the Top Tube, Down Tube, Seat Stays, and Chain Stays. While the Seat Tube uses Reynolds 853 steel and a Stainless bottom bracket.

There is plenty of clearance and the bottom of the down tube for mounting gear like the ‘Anything Cage‘ style bosses on top of and underneath the Down Tube.

The geometry has been suspension fork corrected for up to 100mm of travel if you want that extra comfort on the rough stuff.

However, it comes with the Hot Shoes fork which is internally routed for dynamo light systems and eyeletted for rack and mudguards. With all the mounting options you could ask for up front. You also get a Shutter Fender which is exclusive to Mason

The frame is also stealth dropper compatible, with a max tire clearance for up to 29 x 2.4” or 27.5 x 2.8” tires. Comes with the Ritchey Venturemax Comp handlebars that have a generous 24 deg flare for that extra comfort in the drops.

Looking for even more comfort??

Price:  $3,864 to $5,285

Weight:  Just over 11 kg (24.25 lbs)

Frame/Fork Material:  Frame – Steel / Fork – Carbon

Groupset & Drivetrain:  1×12 Rival eTap, GX Eagle (with a 34T crank and 10-52T cassette)

Gear Ratios:  18.58” to 97.21” (0.65 to 3.40 ratio) with 27.5 x 2.8″ tires

Geometry (50cm Frame): Stack/Reach ratio 1.64 – chainstay 445 mm – wheelbase 1,082.3 mm – (steering) headtube angle 69 deg – trail 85.8 mm – Fork offset/rake 50 mm – bottom bracket drop 75 mm

Tires and Wheel Sizes (Tire Clearance):  Choice of either WTB Ranger 29 x 2.4″ or 27.5 x 2.8″ With the same tire clearance.

10. Lauf Seigla

The holy grail of gravel bikes!

The 2022 Lauf Seigla pictured above is equipped with 520mm PNW Coast drop bars, augmented by Profile Design T1+ 70mm risers (could have been better to opt for the Fred Bars instead, allowing you to sit more upright and back then these aero risers would allow for). And cushioned with Redshift Cruise Control grips.

For the tires, it sports a 2.1″ Mezcal at the back and a 2.2″ Race King up front. The bike rides on DERBY carbon wheels, paired with a White Industries rear hub and a Son front hub.

Power transmission is managed by a SRAM 10-52T cassette coupled with a 34T Wolf Tooth Oval chainring, ensuring a versatile range for both uphill and flat terrains.

A fast gravel bike that is also comfortable, capable, and fun for exploring. A suspension gravel bike that we haven’t covered too much of here at Cycle Travel Overload. However, we have covered the very unique carbon gravel suspension fork design, that comes with this bike as an option. Adding to that extra on-bike comfort.

The bike is available in 4 main build options with that Grit 3rd Gen carbon Suspension Fork.

The top pick for the Tour Divide is the Seigla Ultimate model. While some have transformed this into a mullet drive conversion. This Ultimate comes with a 1×12 electronic drivetrain setup.

Price:  $2,590 to $5,990

Weight:  8.44 kg (18.6 lbs)

Frame/Fork Material:  Frame – Carbon / Fork – Carbon Lauf Grit Suspension Fork with 30mm travel

Groupset & Drivetrain:  1×12 Electronic RED XPLR eTap, RED eTap with 40T Crank and 10-44T Cassette

Gear Ratios:  25.51” to 112.13” (0.91 to 4.00 ratio)

Geometry (Medium Frame): Stack/Reach ratio 1.43 – chainstay 425 mm – wheelbase 1,040 mm – (steering) headtube angle 70.5 deg – trail 75 mm – Fork offset/rake 47 mm – bottom bracket drop 65 mm

Tires and Wheel Sizes (Tire Clearance):  Comes with 700c x 45mm tires. With a max tire clearance of 29 × 2.25″

Tour Divide Q&A

How long does it take to do the tour divide.

The Tour Divide typically takes riders between 15 and 35 days to complete, depending on skill, conditions, and individual pace.

How do you get into the Tour Divide?

The Tour Divide is an unsanctioned race, so there’s no official entry process. Riders simply choose a start date, typically aligned with the grand départ, and begin.

How many people do the Tour Divide?

Each year, the number varies, but typically around 100 to 200 riders attempt the Tour Divide, with completion rates varying.

Can you do the Tour Divide on a gravel bike?

Yes, a gravel bike can be used for the Tour Divide, though many riders prefer mountain bikes for added comfort and capability on rough sections.

How much elevation does the Tour Divide route have? (How many feet of climbing are in the Tour Divide?)

The Tour Divide has over 200,000 feet of elevation gain, making it a challenging and intense ride.

How much does Tour Divide cost?

There’s no entry fee for the Tour Divide, but riders should budget for gear, food, accommodations, and other personal expenses during the ride.

What is the weather window for the Tour Divide?

The most popular time to start the Tour Divide is the second Friday in June, but riders can choose other start times, generally between June and September, depending on weather conditions.

What is the difference between the Tour Divide and the Gdmbr?

The Tour Divide is a bikepacking race along the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR). While the GDMBR is the route itself, the Tour Divide is the specific self-supported race that takes place on this route.

About The Author

Codey Orgill, a seasoned bicycle adventurer, has been exploring the world on two wheels for over 10 years. Since embarking on his initial cycling journey, Codey Orgill has traversed numerous countries, experiencing a series of epic adventures.

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• Tour Divide 2023

It kicks off on Friday. To whet our appetites, here’s what 50 or so of the riders will be, well, riding:

With the Tour Divide grand depart coming up on Friday, we’re pleased to present the Rigs of the 2023 Tour Divide. Like last year, we’ve split them into 2 categories and are kicking it off with 50+ drop-bar rigs that will be taking on the 2,700-mile route: https://t.co/4pjY1FnJCo — BIKEPACKINGcom (@bikepackingcom) June 7, 2023

Been a fair hassle for some competitors just getting to Calgary. One of the Aussies bikes gone AWOL. Others have been heavily delayed.

Lael Wilcox didn’t have that problem as she rode to the start line. From Mexico.

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I love this race, everything about it. So unpredictable.

Lael FTW this year? Hanloch Redlich is racing, very quick Israeli who won the first HLC 9 years ago. And Ted King – he’s fast over a big day. There’s always some fast unknown racers too.

OG Pete Basinger is back, he raced the original Great Divide Race.

http://trackleaders.com/tourdivide23f.php

Super looking bike, reminds me of an old Marin I used to own

Those Tailfin pseudo panniers are never not going to look shit.

Alexandera Houchin is doing a lot more Instagram update stuff this year, which is great for fangirls like me because usually she’s very below the radar. Looking forward to seeing how she does again. https://www.instagram.com/p/CtKVkQJyJD4/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

APRIL DRAGE AGE 42 / MELBOURNE, VICTORIA (AUSTRALIA)

Fast cushy tyres, light build and minimal packing, looking good. The fast mattress on this bike is a smart choice, save 8-10 mins of faff setting up and packing each night, X 15-20 nights.. ~3hrs over the race, or 30 miles. Assuming you kip out every night that is, which is unlikely or although fast, not ideal for recovery.

Always think there’s a lot of heavily-loaded bikes at the start. But in the past some of the bulky-looking bikes have been raced to top 10 finishes so what do I know : )

Alexandera Houchin is doing a lot more Instagram update stuff this year, which is great for fangirls like me

Any fanboys like me, she’s an inspiring rider. A SSer with style and she’s written some really good articles. Thanks for the link!

think you can pick likely front-runners from the bikes – like this one. ‘Bikes I’d race the TD on’ #1 so far, winner APRIL DRAGE AGE 42 / MELBOURNE, VICTORIA (AUSTRALIA)

I don’t know anything about bike packing and equipment (so I don’t understand most of the descriptions) but even I identified this as a quite extreme example of travelling light compared to most of the others. What has she forgone to get such a minimalist setup?

Fascinating stuff. Presumably, the weather/conditions have the potential to be very variable, so you need enough gear to cater for that? But April’s set up is less than I’d take on just a 1-nighter bivvy!

What sort of gearing will the SSers be using … i know there’s a LOT of climbing (7 Everests?) but is it all gradual, steep, or a mix? How much of the route is long flat plains …?

I love looking at all the kit choices on the bikes. On things that you must have/take,this made me smile ..

A squeaky dinosaur on the Ritchey Venturemax handlebars will scare off bears and a sticker of the Monty Python Black Knight in the cockpit will remind me to never quit. (“Tis but a scratch”)

What has she forgone to get such a minimalist setup?

I’m not sure it’s really that minimalist in this context, looks like enough kit for covering the basics of sleep and warmth. Possibly also expensive, compact and light gear. And pack choices are personal preferences but I’ll take a guess – not carrying a tent for starters. The faster riders will either bivi for minimal time trailside or get full rest at a lodge, more of an Alpinist type approach. Tents generally = camping / more of a touring pace perhaps.

But the race isn’t only about 15-day racers, there’s entrants in their 60s who will go all out for 22-28 day finishes and a tent and more clothing is part of what they need to do that. Many just hope to finish rather than being concerned about time.

Tends to be relatively high compared to typical UK SS ratios. The climbs are only steep in the first couple of days in BC, Banff to the border and after that most climbs are like the open sections of Cwmcarn, quite a lot of old rail trails and dirt highways at 5-7% – quite SSable. But altitude is significant in places and there’s a lot of open plains and wind where twiddling a small gear seems tough. There’s been quite a few 15-18 day finishes by SSers even so.

Alexandera is on 2:1 SS gearing. I saw her post somewhere that she’d been told that everything in her kit should serve two purposes. So, she has a tent peg that’s also an Allen Key and stuff like that. Seems like a nice exercise in thoughtful packing.

Interesting… wasn’t expecting to see Mira la Perra (and John) on the start list.

Looking forward to this.

Following Lael on IG riding to the start has been a nice pre-race build up. Good to hear Alexandera is riding too

Tyre of choice seems to definitely be the Mezcal this year looking at the rigs!

Always nice to see the huge variance in rider age

Now there’s something I havent seen before, a reverse mullet:

Bikepacking.com has some details of a few of the front runners:

2023 Tour Divide: Who to Follow?!

And……..away 👍

Current leader Justinas Leveika has just crossed the border into the USA at 265 miles in under 24 hours.

And fanboys like me, she’s an inspiring rider. A SSer with style and she’s written some really good articles. Thanks for the link!

Count me in too! Total inspiration, she doesn’t look like she should be there but **** hell she’s there totally on merit! Plus she always looks likes she’s having the most fun. Got total respect for her. Sponsored by an Indian Nation (The Cherokee). I happened across her on IG the other day, good to see her represented.

From the links I’ve followed the Stronger Together and the interview with Neil B. It got a little dusty…

I love how relaxed and positive Lael Wilcox is in this video

After perusing the bikes being ridden this year it has become obvious why Vittoria Mezcals are so hard to come by !

Dog-packing the Tour Divide:

John and Mira and Their Pinion-Powered Titanium Midtail

Justinas Leveika and Ulrich Bartholmoes have just ticked over the 2000 mile mark, heading towards New Mexico.  Can’t believe how close to Mike’s record pace they are given the conditions this year and the 10 hours in a portaloo in the basin.

They have been keeping close.

Potential sprint finish? 😉 😃

It’s hard to get my head around how many hours they spend in the saddle and at a high average speed.

They have been keeping close. Potential sprint finish? 😉 😃

Could well be! Really exciting stuff

It’s hard to get my head around how many hours they spend in the saddle and at a high average speed

Same. It’s just staggering! I wonder what the recovery is like post race, they must be at risk of getting ill

I wonder what the recovery is like post race, they must be at risk of getting ill

They are. I expect more seasoned racers have learned how to recover plus how to minimise the impact while racing, but if you’re pushing hard there’s no avoiding the cumulative effect of a couple of weeks or more at that level of effort and the lack of sleep. Plus the food is pretty poor quality and you eat junk calories most of the time, Subway is generally as good as it gets.

I raced it in 2013 and went well past the limits or ability I thought I had pre-race, it took me a couple of months to fully get over the fatigue. For the first few weeks back it was like everything I did was slowed down and I slept at least couple of hours more every night in that period. I hadn’t done any long distance races as prep though, just a decent amount of bikepacking and long solo trips. So I wasn’t prepared for how it would get 10+ days in at that sort of distance each day, rookie racer / rookie error maybe.

Waking up at 4.30am with that feeling of time pressure on you, knowing just how far you rode in past days and that you have more of that to come, a week more perhaps, so it can be mentally harder than it is physical (or, was for me anyway). Riding with regular nosebleeds or waking up with a totally dry, cracked mouth due to dry desert air, the saddle-soreness, knee pains etc, wasn’t pleasant in many ways. You’re trying to do it alone too – no contact with anyone apart from who you meet on the route, for me none of the instagram updates and social media contact that seem so common now. It all got a bit weird in the last 2 or 3 days, I remember riding along a road around 2am having wild hallucinations and what must have been actual dream sleep while riding, an awareness of having been somewhere else with other people for a moment. Had to get off the bike and ended up sleeping in the sand for a couple of hours just yards from the road somewhere in a New Mexico Indian Reservation. Started thinking maybe my race strategy wasn’t very pro : ) But as deep experiences on the bike go it was all beyond anything I could have expected. In some ways I had a kind of post-traumatic feeling afterward as well as the fatigue, it was all positive but it was hard going.

Interesting stuff! Thanks for posting

That’s interesting – how many days?

@martinhutch 17 days 4hrs – https://trackleaders.com/tourdivide13i.php?name=James_Olsen

(Mike Hall covered the same route in 14 days 11 hours!)

@jameso just seen you were 4th…wow, fair play 👏

17 days 4hrs

Wow. You must have been so chuffed with that, not being a seasoned endurance racer.

Cheers @nuke . I was actually 5th, spot tracker had me in 4th but they’re not that accurate an there were only tens of metres between 3rd/4th/5th. Alex and Liam caught me less than 30 miles from the border so we sprint-finished over the last mile. Alex’s idea. Turns out he was a S African track champ in his younger years, Liam and I got hustled there..

I was Martin. Grateful for how it all went and so pleased just to have finished it, never mind the time. Everyone who finishes will feel the same.

Ulrich has pulled ahead by 60 miles, and caught up with Mike Hall’s record breaking time. About 300 miles to go!

It’s rarely this close between 2 riders towards the end, interesting racing this year! Justinas Leveika was a fair way ahead of UB only the other day. Mike’s dot is now ahead by ~50 miles.

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Tour Divide 2023

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Good luck. Nice looking rig.  

What are those bar end plugs and grips? Best of luck!  

Pretty standard Ergon grips. Aftermarket plugs.  

Nicely minimalist! Any revising of strategies/tactics this time (beyond getting hard as nails)?  

Oh man that bike's going to look a lot different by the time it gets to New Mexico! Good luck!  

TiJoe said: Nice rig. I wouldn't be able to stand/survive having flat bars on any of my off road bikes for riding such long distances day after day. Have you ever considered trying this style of bar so that you have varied hand positions? These fit the 22.2 mtb mounted items. Perhaps you are still young and your arms/wrists/back can handle riding in one position all day. View attachment 2034420 Click to expand...

Lachlan takes on the Tour Divide | EF Education-EasyPost

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A Volga river cruise is more than a geographical voyage; it’s also a journey through Russia’s rich and captivating history. No other experience takes you so completely to another place and time. The Volga is Europe’s longest and largest river; it meanders through the stories of Ivan the Terrible and his rise to power, the two historic ‘Greats’ Peter and Catherine, and then on into today. It’s a unique opportunity to see modern Russia in the context of its intriguing history, ably assisted by friendly and professional academics and tour guides. A Volga Dream Russian river tour promises to leave you with an unforgettable afterglow of fond memories.

Moscow to St. Petersburg River Cruise

Moscow and St. Petersburg are Russia’s best-known cities, but the towns of Russia’s historic Golden Ring are delightful too. The luxurious Volga Dream offers a unique opportunity to visit these Russian gems by sailing gently along the Volga River on an unforgettable cruising experience. In small, exclusive groups you’ll enjoy preferential access to some of Russia’s most significant cultural sites.

Moscow to Astrakhan River Cruise

Your River Cruise on the luxurious MS Volga Dream takes you from Moscow along Russia’s grand Volga River to the legend that is Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad) and Astrakhan on the Caspian Sea. Along the way, you’ll discover the treasures of Yaroslavl, the oldest city on the Volga, medieval Nizhniy Novgorod and beautiful Kazan, the ancient Tatar capital. We plan our tour carefully to combine the very best of Moscow with a world-class Volga River cruise.

Discover Russia with MS Volga Dream - Click-through map

We love hearing from guests about their time in Russia and one comment often hear is how surprised people are by the Russian capital. We can’t say for certain what people expected but we do know that it’s always far removed from what they imagined! It’s been called a modern metropolis, a cosmopolitan city, an historic gem, an architectural treasure and a cultural powerhouse, among other descriptions. Majestic Moscow has always surprised our guests and left them with lasting and fond memories.

Russia’s famous Golden Ring is an archipelago of historic towns surrounding Moscow. Uglich is one of the oldest and was founded under Igor, the last Varangian prince. It once resisted the Mongol invasion and its ancient walls saw the grisly murder of young Dmitri, son of Ivan the Terrible. The impressive Church of St. Dmitri on the Blood, with its classic onion domes and blood red walls, is a fine example of classic Russian architecture. The tour ends with an enchanting choral concert.

This, the oldest city on the Volga River, and now a UNESCO World Heritage site, boasts a wealth of ancient orthodox treasures. The impressive Transfiguration of the Savior, adorned with murals depicting St. John’s apocalyptic visions can be seen in the Spassky Monastery. The Church of St. Elijah the Prophet is decorated with an awe-inspiring selection of rich frescoes. For a real taste of pre-revolutionary Russia, visitors are entertained by a costumed reception at the Governor’s House.

Close to the shores of White Lake once were the ‘tsar’s fishing grounds’. It lies in a place so serene that ancient monks chose to build no fewer than three holy sites here, including the Ferapontov Monastery. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, its chapels boast magnificent frescoes by Dionysius, one of Russia’s most renowned icon painters. The Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery was a refuge for many nobles during tumultuous times and later a fortress that successfully repelled invading armies.

The Karelia region is a vast and naturally beautiful wilderness that spreads all the way from St. Petersburg to the Arctic Circle. The glorious island village of Kizhi consists almost entirely of the traditionally styled wooden buildings of ‘Old Russia’. Among them is the famous Transfiguration Church built in 1714. Remarkably, and in testament to the craftsmen of the time, not a single nail was used in its construction! Kizhi is one of the favorite stops on the river cruise to St. Petersburg.

A typical rural hamlet brought to life by warm and welcoming villagers. Volga Dream guests are invited into local homes to enjoy classic Russian fare, tea with jam and ‘pirozhki’ (pies). Enthusiastic hosts share Russian traditions and the appeal of village life while proudly showing off their scrupulously kept homes and kitchen gardens. The tour continues with a brief bus ride to see a unique World War II memorial and then, for a real glimpse of Russian life, a visit to a local primary school.

Nizhny Novgorod

This was once a wealthy city thanks to its proximity to rich eastern trading routes. During the Soviet era, the city was closed to outsiders because of its military importance. It’s also where many political prisoners were sent to live out their days in exile. The 16th-century Kremlin ramparts offer spectacular views and the city is known for its elaborately decorated churches. For Volga Dream cruise guests, the highlight of the day is an evening folk concert performed by local children.

Sailing along the Volga river, the riverbank gradually ceases to be dominated by Orthodox churches. Instead, beautiful mosques appear as the river crosses into Tatarstan where the first stop is scenic Kazan, the region’s capital. Inside the white walls of the citadel, the famous Kul Sharif mosque and the old Cathedral of Peter and Paul stand side-by-side symbolizing the two faiths’ long and peaceful coexistence in the region. A concert of traditional Tatar music ends the Volga Dream tour in Kazan.

Passing the Zhigulevskie Mountains offers wonderful views from the sundeck before touring the city. One of the key attractions is the fascinating Space Museum, which offers a revealing glimpse of how the Soviet Union pursued its ambitious journey to the cosmos. The town is also noted for its beautiful esplanade, perfect for a relaxed stroll beside the Volga river. This in turn leads to the Samara State Art Museum. Founded in 1897, it is home to a collection of more than 16,000 works of art.

This city is best known for its close associations with cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin. The Russian hero who achieved worldwide fame as the first man in space lived and studied here. Saratov used to be home to a large German community, a heritage that can still be seen in the local architecture. The Volga Dream tour visits the Radishchev State Art Museum, the first picture gallery in Russia outside Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Originally called Tsaritsyn, the city was renamed Stalingrad from 1925 to 1961 in honor of the USSR’s leader. During World War II, the city’s residents put up a heroic defense, repelling an advancing Nazi invasion. The battle for Stalingrad has gone down in history as a pivotal moment in the bloody conflict on the eastern front. The most ferocious and deadly fighting took place on Mamayev Hill, where an imposing memorial now stands close to the excellent Battle of Stalingrad Panorama Museum.

Saint Petersburg

If Moscow surprises, then St Petersburg delights. Peter the Great founded the city to showcase Russia’s newfound enlightenment. He wanted to show the modern world a cultured and advanced society. In short, he built the city to impress and in that he succeeded splendidly! The striking buildings were designed by some of the finest architects Europe had to offer and even now, the ‘Venice of the North’ never fails to enchant with its spectacular buildings and impressive canal network. It is a city of true grandeur.

Cocktails with the Captain

Commanding any ship is a complex role that calls for a long list of skills. Captains know their vessels inside out as well as well as the routes they sail and when things don’t go to plan, they have to make instant decisions. Above all though, the most important part of the job, underpinning everything they do, is to keep the ship and everyone aboard safe. The Captain’s cocktail party is a great and a wonderful opportunity for passengers and crew to get acquainted as the gets underway.

Matryoshka doll painting

There is nothing more typically Russian than a Matryoshka. It embodies the fact that there’s always something deeper to be found in every aspect of Russian life. Learning the traditional designs and techniques used to decorate these iconic dolls offers a pleasant diversion and some cathartic creativity!

Superb Service & Dining

Our restaurant serves the highest standard of international cuisine, freshly made by our Cordon Bleu Chef. Choose either a sumptuous buffet or set menu for lunch while dinner is always four or five courses with full service. High praise for the exquisite quality of meals is yet another constantly recurring feature in feedback from our guests.

Meet the Professor

From the Mongol hordes to Soviet times, Russia’s history is, like all of Europe’s, a complex web of political intrigue, war and peace, trade and treaties, as well as heroes and villains. Academics devote whole lifetimes to studying Russia’s long past and one of them presents a series of lectures shedding light on everything from Gorbachev to Chekhov, Khrushchev to Ivan the Terrible and of course, contemporary Russia. Our Professor is on board throughout the river cruise for informal conversation.

Beginner’s Russian

The Russian language can be rather beautiful and poetic and we know that many seasoned travelers enjoy trying their hand at different languages. Our onboard teachers provide an introduction to the riches of Russian, so guests can try out a few useful words and phrases on real Russians during the exciting river tours from Moscow to St. Petersburg or from Moscow to Volgograd!

Russian tea tasting

The drink we tend to associate with Russia is vodka, but tea, in fact, is the much more universal beverage of choice throughout the country. Guests will get acquainted with the Russian tea etiquette, a fundamental component of the country's social culture, and enjoy the traditional tea ceremony while cruising from St. Petersburg to Moscow or taking a Grand Volga river tour.

Russian Dinner & Vodka Tasting

All our dining is international but for Russian Dining night, the Chef includes a selection of traditional Russian dishes: Chicken Kiev, Kulebyaka and no Russian table is complete without Borsch. To add to the ‘Taste of Russia’ optional Russian dress, or at least a touch of Russian style, is provided along with enthusiastic help from our staff!

Russian Cooking Class

A plate of pelmeni might not look like much to the untrained eye, but it forms the heart of Russian cuisine and culture. Basically, it's a type of dumpling: small portions of meat and onion wrapped in a thin sheet of unleavened dough and boiled, a little like ravioli. Guests can join a Russian cooking class onboard the MS Volga Dream to learn how to cook this delicious Russian dish.

Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov Piano Recital

Some of the greatest classical music ever written comes from Russia. It’s hard to imagine a more fitting stage for a virtuoso solo recital by our resident concert pianist than the mighty Volga or a better backdrop than the heart of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov’s own serene homeland.

Russian River Cruise Aboard Volga Dream

Moscow to St. Petersburg

Why Volga Dream

Family Owned & Operated

MS Volga Dream is Russia’s only family-owned river cruise ship. She can accommodate up to 100 guests, far fewer than most other cruise ships on the river making for a uniquely friendly and intimate atmosphere aboard.

Five-Star Central Hotels

We at Volga Dream are completely convinced that, our guests should stay in great 5-star hotels in Moscow and St. Petersburg within comfortable walking distance of all the major attractions, theaters and restaurants, rather than having to waste time in traffic.

Luxurious Accommodation

The MS Volga Dream is the most intimate and elegant 5-star cruise vessel in Russia. She boasts 56 cabins, all river facing, ranging from comfortable Standard Cabins to spacious Junior Suites and the luxurious forward facing Owner's Suite.

Russian Cultural Experience

Explore Russia's past with the help of professional tour guides. Our on-board program includes fascinating talks on Russian history and politics, Russian language lessons, a festival of Russian cuisine (including vodka tasting!), and much more.

Gourmet Dining

Our on board restaurant serves international cuisine to the highest standard, all freshly made by our Cordon Bleu Chef. For Russian Dining night, he prepares a selection of traditional Russian dishes: Chicken Kiev, Kulebyaka and Borsch.

Tailored Service

All our service crew members are native Russians who are fluent in English and handpicked by the Owner. Proudly, the Volga Dream is famous for her hard working and very hospitable personnel who take care of every aspect of your life aboard.

Download Our Brochure

It's never been easier to plan your next holiday in Russia. Download our free brochure to learn more about authentic Russian river cruises.

Escape the hassle and bustle and add a satisfyingly informative element to your trip and bring together a colorful mosaic of people, history, traditions,  religion, music and art. These are the many strands that time has woven into what is known today as Russia.

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Russia is open for international travelers regardless their citizenship/country of residence. Tourist visas are being issued in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK, EU, Japan, and worldwide. Electronic visas (up to 16 days of stay, single entry) are available for the following nationals: Austria, Andorra, Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Cyprus, China, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Myanmar, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Philippines, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, Vatican, Vietnam.

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Explore the best travel destinations in Russia with our wide range of sightseeing tours to Moscow, St Petersburg, Golden Ring, Kazan; Northern Lights viewing tours; wildlife & nature tours to Lake Baikal tours, Altai, Kamchatka tours, Trans-Siberian train tours, and more. Find the best guided trips and expert planned Russian holidays 2023-2024.

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Jon Rahm ditched the PGA Tour for LIV Golf. So why is he talking like a PGA fanboy?

Jon rahm chose liv golf. and now he has the temerity to show up at the pga championship trying to position himself as a supporter of the pga tour and a member in the middle of a temporary absence.

Maybe Jon Rahm knows something the rest of us don’t. Or maybe he’s the biggest sucker in professional golf, an easy mark who got sweet-talked and money-whipped by Greg Norman and the Saudis into taking a deal that will doom him to a lifetime of professional regret. 

It was hard to tell Tuesday at the PGA Championship, when Rahm strolled into a press conference and said the following in response to a question about how he sees the PGA Tour’s messy backroom politics now that he plays for LIV Golf. 

“You guys keep saying 'the other side,' but I’m still a PGA Tour member, whether suspended or not,” Rahm said. "I still want to support the PGA Tour. And I think that’s an important distinction to make. I don't feel like I'm on the other side, I’m just not playing there.”

Did Rahm’s reported $300 million contract with LIV come with a duty to abandon all pretense of self-awareness? Or has dining out on the Saudi dime eroded his thoughtfulness the same way it turned some of his colleagues ( cough, Dustin Johnson, cough) into monuments of the competitive fire they used to possess?

If Rahm believed sincerely last December that joining the hit-and-giggle tour would help bring the PGA Tour and LIV closer to unification, the only honest way to assess his decision is that it failed. 

He’s not moving the needle for LIV, which remains a bizarre product that isn’t seriously competing for eyeballs with the PGA Tour. 

His departure hasn't forced the PGA Tour to get its own house in order because all public indications are that it's as messy as ever behind the scenes. 

And at this point, the goals of LIV and the Tour appear so far apart – and negotiations between them so slow – that it's difficult to conceive what it will take to get the best players in the world reunified under one banner. 

If Rahm is happy as a LIV golfer, playing on a tour where the results don’t matter while most of his contemporaries and friends squabble over the Tour’s backroom politics, that’s perfectly fine. We are far beyond the point in this debacle where it’s worth the oxygen to criticize individuals for the career decisions they've made or worry about who’s got the moral high ground.

When it comes to who’s got the best interests of professional golf in mind, it's impossible at this point to distinguish the good guys from bad. That’s how badly the PGA Tour has bungled every aspect of the LIV threat. 

But what’s very clear is that Rahm made a choice last December. And now he has the temerity to show up at the second major of the year trying to position himself not merely as a supporter of the PGA Tour but as a member in the middle of a well-paid, temporary absence? 

That’s not going to fly with either golf fans or Rahm’s former colleagues. It’s intellectually dishonest. It’s borderline delusional. And it may be actively unhelpful given the current environment where there’s a clear divide between PGA Tour players pushing for unification and those on the PGA Tour policy board who seem at minimum to be resisting compromise. 

Last week, the big drama involved a revelation that Rory McIlroy tried to get back on the policy board after resigning his seat last year but was blocked by the current members. Some reporting suggested a growing rift between McIlroy, who has advocated for striking a deal with the Saudi-run Public Investment Fund (PIF), and the current Tour powerbrokers who include Patrick Cantlay, Jordan Spieth and Tiger Woods. 

“It's good to see it differently, but collectively as a whole we want to see whatever is best for all the players, the fans and the state of golf,” Woods said Tuesday. “How we get there, that’s to be determined. But the fact we're in this together and in this fight together to make golf better is what it's all about.”

Meanwhile, Sports Illustrated reported Monday that investment mogul Jimmy Dunne, who worked closely with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and PIF leader Yasir Al-Rumayyan on last year’s framework agreement to bring the two entities together, has resigned his position on the PGA Tour board. 

In a letter to his colleagues, Dunne wrote that “no meaningful progress has been made towards a transaction with the PIF” since the players were given more power in Tour decisions and that he can no longer help realize his goal of reunifying the game. 

There’s no real clarity at the moment about what the Woods/Spieth/Cantlay group wants to see to get a deal done. Are they just flat-out opposed to the likes of Rahm and Brooks Koepka being able to play PGA Tour events after taking the Saudi money that they themselves refused? Do they simply want to play all their golf in North America rather than a more worldwide tour that the PIF would likely prefer? 

It's hard to say because nobody wants to talk directly about terms given the sensitivity of negotiations that seem to be stalled. 

“It’s ongoing, it’s fluid, it changes day to day,” Woods said. "Has there been progress? Yes. But it’s an ongoing negotiation so a lot of work ahead for all of us with this process, and we’re making steps. It may not be giant steps, but we’re making steps.”

Maybe they need to walk a little faster. 

Divvying up the world’s best players across two tours has had a predictable effect on fans: They’re sick of the politics. They’re stunned by the greed. And they’re watching less golf on television this year as a result. Even the final round of the Masters this year took a hit, dropping 20 percent from 2023. 

If you’re a golf fan who lives and breathes this stuff, the present is exhausting and the future is frightening. If you’re a more casual viewer or someone who buys a ticket to their local tournament one day a year, it’s completely nuts that McIlroy and Spieth are competing on a different tour than Rahm and Koepka. What planet are these guys living on? 

Whether or not you have a moral objection to Saudi sportswashing and its growing influence in a wide profile of leagues across the world, the reality is that you can either bring them on mutually agreeable terms or let them destroy you. While LIV has not been a financial success and often seems like a caricature of a competitive sport with its 54-hole tournaments, distracting team format and dance music constantly blaring in the background, it’s not going away anytime soon. 

And LIV has forced some long-overdue changes to the PGA Tour’s schedule, its purse structure and how players engage with the future of their enterprise. Phil Mickelson wasn't wrong about everything. 

But at least Mickelson, as cynical and greedy as he was, picked a side and didn’t apologize for doing it. Rahm wants to play both sides while getting a pat on the back for the choice he didn't make as opposed to the one he made. He wants us to be just as wistful as he is that he no longer gets to play the Waste Management or the Farmers and is instead wasting time on unserious golf in Jeddah and Singapore. 

But Rahm made his choice. He’s a LIV guy now who wants the PGA Tour guys to think he's still one of them. It doesn't work that way – not now, and maybe not ever. 

What do Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping want from each other?

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Does the “no limits” relationship have limits?

Russian President Vladimir Putin is embarking on his first foreign trip since his splashy inauguration to a fifth term in office, and his destination is no surprise: China.

The two-day state visit beginning Thursday is expected to be heavy on pomp and ceremony, with effusive toasts and carefully choreographed gestures of friendship and mutual respect.

But status matters, and Putin is clearly the junior partner to Chinese President Xi Jinping. As the Economist magazine put it after the visit was announced: “Vladimir Putin will meet his big brother in Beijing.”

Despite inherent lopsidedness in their dealings — China is Russia’s principal trade partner, while Beijing’s largest export market is the United States — Xi has gone out of his way to imbue the visit with a sense of historic significance.

The two leaders are expected to sign a joint declaration after their talks, and there will be a gala celebration marking 75 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

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Putin — known for sometimes staging haughty keep-them-waiting displays when other leaders make the trek to the Kremlin — has taken a notably deferential tone toward his host.

In a pre-trip interview with China’s official Xinhua news agency, he expressed admiration for elements of Chinese culture, including martial arts and philosophy.

“Our peoples are bound by a long and strong tradition of friendship and cooperation,” he told Xinhua .

Putin’s expressions of gratitude are well-warranted. Since Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine , Xi has propped up his Russian counterpart in a variety of crucial ways.

China has helped Putin weather wartime Western sanctions, extending a particular lifeline to Russia’s lucrative oil and gas industry. Over the last two-plus years, Russia’s energy exports to China have easily offset the rupture in what had been Moscow’s cozy prewar energy relationship with Europe.

In many ways, the strategic relationship serves both Beijing and Moscow — and represents, in the view of many analysts, two autocrats’ unified challenge to the West.

“China and Russia are forging a partnership increasingly reminiscent of a great power alliance,” military intelligence analyst Chels Michta wrote in a commentary this week for the Center for European Policy Analysis.

But while Xi and Putin share a disdain for a U.S.-led world order, their interests are not identical. And the Ukraine war is at times a complicating factor.

China does not provide Russia with weaponry. But the Biden administration has prodded Xi’s government over its sale to Russia of so-called dual-use items — components such as machine tools, microelectronics and rocket propellant, which have civilian and military uses.

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That came up last month when U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken visited Beijing and chided China for “powering Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine.”

Washington has also said it will take a harder line against Chinese-based financial institutions and firms that help Moscow circumvent wartime restrictions, warning of secondary sanctions against them.

Even as China publicly professes neutrality on Ukraine, many observers believe Putin was emboldened in his war aims by a joint pact struck with Beijing days before the invasion, proclaiming a “no-limits” partnership.

In the course of the Ukraine war, however, some points of friction have emerged. China has been made uneasy by Putin’s occasional strident nuclear threats , the latest of which came this month when the Kremlin announced it would conduct exercises simulating the use of tactical — or battlefield — nuclear weapons near Ukraine.

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In a variety of international settings — most recently during a high-profile European tour last week — Xi has expressed hopes for peace in Ukraine, even as he has refused to condemn Russia’s ongoing attempt to batter its neighbor into submission.

Ukraine has been careful not to publicly denigrate China’s peace proposals — a 12-point plan unveiled more than a year ago, followed by additional “principles” set forth last month — but the government in Kyiv and its allies believe that if Beijing wanted to genuinely play the conciliator, it could use its influence to rein in Putin.

On the eve of the visit, Putin praised the Chinese proposals, which were tepidly received elsewhere, as “realistic and constructive.” The Russian leader also draws frequent parallels between his contention that Ukraine rightfully belongs to Russia and China’s claim to Taiwan .

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During last week’s European tour, Xi joined France’s President Emmanuel Macron in calling for a “global truce” during the Summer Olympic Games in Paris — one that would theoretically apply in Ukraine, where the tempo of fighting has been intensifying .

Ukrainian military officials acknowledge that for the moment at least, Russia has battlefield momentum on its side , making new territorial seizures in Ukraine’s northeast and notching steady incremental gains on the eastern front lines.

Despite elaborate displays of Sino-Russian friendship, in some parts of the world the two see each other as rivals rather than partners.

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Xi is well aware that Putin’s international isolation leaves him at a disadvantage, and in some venues, such as Eastern Europe, that gives China greater economic latitude.

“The full-scale invasion of Ukraine is accelerating the process of China edging out Russia from Central and Eastern Europe,” wrote analyst Dimitar Bechev of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center after Xi’s visit last week to Hungary and Serbia.

Putin, he wrote, “has become toxic in a way that the Chinese leadership is not.”

More to Read

In talks with Putin amid Ukraine war, Xi calls Russia-China ties a ‘strong driving force’

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Laura King is a Washington, D.C.-based reporter for the Los Angeles Times. A member of the Foreign/National staff, she primarily covers foreign affairs. She previously served as bureau chief in Jerusalem, Kabul and Cairo.

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