Gravel/Bikepack nerds enter...

[Vt-Freeheel]

Black will help keep tour bacon sammich warm!

Nice but damp ride in Acadia Wednesday, tried to wait out the rain but didn't happen. Saw 125' of ocean and lots of fog. Mist had a side cooling benefit.

[Groomer Gambler]

Another cool bikepacking bike...LWB Jones complete just released:

https://blog.jonesbikes.com/somethin...m-jones-bikes/



I've run Jones bars on a rigid bikepacking setup before and love it. I envision the full LWB version to be pretty much the ideal bikepacking/touring set up, this lowers the cost a bit compared to the full frameset.

[CantDog]

Black will help keep tour bacon sammich warm!

Nice but damp ride in Acadia Wednesday, tried to wait out the rain but didn't happen. Saw 125' of ocean and lots of fog. Mist had a side cooling benefit.

Spent the week in Acadia doing some hiking and riding—carriage roads are amazing and did some exploring elsewhere. Wish there was more time to ride. Where is your shot taken? These were around Ellsworth on Weds.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Didn't realize how deep the pushback was on Lael having her race documented. Sounds like there are some crusty olds who are scared at how fast she is. Curious who the other rider being documented is....who apparently DID receive some support from his film crew.

Lael will be back, and she will make sure no cameras are within 20 miles of her and she will fucking smoke everyone. She has to now.

https://theradavist.com/2019/06/tour...e-race-part-4/

[buttahflake]

Didn't realize how deep the pushback was on Lael having her race documented. Sounds like there are some crusty olds who are scared at how fast she is. Curious who the other rider being documented is....who apparently DID receive some support from his film crew.

Lael will be back, and she will make sure no cameras are within 20 miles of her and she will fucking smoke everyone. She has to now.

https://theradavist.com/2019/06/tour...e-race-part-4/

Neither did I, she has a target on her back for some reason. Is it because of her sexual orientation? You wouldn’t think that would be the case these days, but it kinda feels that way. I feel bad for her. Good read, thanks for the link.

[Laps]

Neither did I, she has a target on her back for some reason. Is it because of her sexual orientation? You wouldn’t think that would be the case these days, but it kinda feels that way. I feel bad for her. Good read, thanks for the link.

It is because she rides specialized.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[buttahflake]

It is because she rides specialized.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I laughed, but you might be onto something there.

[Peruvian]

More power to her. Lael is the shit.

[mntlion]

The event is getting bigger each year, so more people riding and more people "arm chair quarterbacking" what it should/should not be.
the pre-game her sexual identity never came up? (maybe no one cared until she was doing well?)

I think the whole event is just "trending" so gets more noise from all sources

[idahospud]

Didn't realize how deep the pushback was on Lael having her race documented. Sounds like there are some crusty olds who are scared at how fast she is. Curious who the other rider being documented is....who apparently DID receive some support from his film crew.

Lael will be back, and she will make sure no cameras are within 20 miles of her and she will fucking smoke everyone. She has to now.

https://theradavist.com/2019/06/tour...e-race-part-4/

Jesus H Christ, Jay Petervary and his soul patch can go take a hike. What a fuckin' loser.

My previous statement stands: as soon as somebody calls it a race, people get way too serious. I was a road racer for a while and will confidently say that road racing has less bullshit than this and that sport is filled with the most uptight, type A folks you'll ever encounter.

[jackattack]

Mike C has some insight into Jay P, and yeah, he is a fuckin loser.

http://lacemine29.blogspot.com/2015/...rvary.html?m=1

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Watching the coverage this year has really gotten me intrigued about the TD. Has sort of been on my "5 year" bucket list, but might have to move that timeline up if possible. Seems like a painful and beautiful experience. Hopefully I can make some sales here soon and buy that gravel bike and do some long rides in late summer/fall.

[mntlion]

Watching the coverage this year has really gotten me intrigued about the TD. Has sort of been on my "5 year" bucket list, but might have to move that timeline up if possible. Seems like a painful and beautiful experience. Hopefully I can make some sales here soon and buy that gravel bike and do some long rides in late summer/fall.

When you make it up to banff, you got a place to stay.

Even if you make it up just to see peoples rigs, see the start etc thats kinda fun. I can also suggest a few non-TD routes in the area to get a feel for it.

For me, the GD too peoplie and I would just do an ITT (seems strange to start a solo event, with 200 other people)

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

When you make it up to banff, you got a place to stay.

Even if you make it up just to see peoples rigs, see the start etc thats kinda fun. I can also suggest a few non-TD routes in the area to get a feel for it.

For me, the GD too peoplie and I would just do an ITT (seems strange to start a solo event, with 200 other people)

Thanks man. I would definitely do ITT. That's kinda the whole point imo, and I would be nowhere near competitive anyway. A 20 day finish I think is a good goal. Maybe even that's too ambitious?

[simple]

At Tomichi Trading post this weekend. Divide riders constantly rolling through. The non race leaders have said they have had awesome conditions.

[mntlion]

Thanks man. I would definitely do ITT. That's kinda the whole point imo, and I would be nowhere near competitive anyway. A 20 day finish I think is a good goal. Maybe even that's too ambitious?

I think its more a mental game, Can you keep riding more then others can once they get mental tired?

[Groomer Gambler]

Watching the coverage this year has really gotten me intrigued about the TD. Has sort of been on my "5 year" bucket list, but might have to move that timeline up if possible. Seems like a painful and beautiful experience. Hopefully I can make some sales here soon and buy that gravel bike and do some long rides in late summer/fall.

Same here, maybe I'll see you there in the near future! I'd be tempted to go for it on a gravel bike setup with higher volume tires, not to be super competitive, but for distance comfort, and take er easy on the rougher sections.

[buttahflake]

Salsa shitcanned Petervarys for his behavior during the TD, good on them.
That guy is a tool

https://theradavist.com/2019/07/sals...arys-contract/

[Peruvian]

Salsa shitcanned Petervarys for his behavior during the TD, good on them.
That guy is a tool

https://theradavist.com/2019/07/sals...arys-contract/

Maybe it's further back in the thread, but a quick google search didn't come up with much more than he disputed whether Wilcox was fully 'unsupported' during the TD. Was there a specific comment or series of statements that he made?

edited - I found this report but it's clearly one sided. Maybe I 'don't get' the ethos of this race, but a phone call or text from a loved one certainly doesn't seem the same as a fresh kit or mechanical help to me. What kind of race doesn't let people cheer on the racers, whether or not they are friends and family?

[Iowagriz]

As someone that has followed the Tour Divide since the earliest years, this has been a topic brewing for some time. The "rules" are that you are self-supported, don't accept outside help (even emotional help), only purchase or accept items widely available to everyone on the route. The idea is that riders that have local help don't gain any advantage over those from outside the US, or east coast, etc.

However, the rules have been getting bent (a lot) since the advent of social media and smart phones. Now racers can access Trackleaders while they are riding via their phone, they get calls and text messages, they post "live" feeds, friends (and followers) post encouragement and even advice for problems encountered along the route. This is against the original spirit of the race, but could also simply be the evolving nature of humans and technology. Those that want the race to adhere to the old days take(took) exception to Lael's film crew. They viewed it as potential emotional support at best, at worst they thought they might provide outside assistance. Lael and her crew worked to alleviate those concerns. Not everyone was happy.

Jay P apparently created a film himself (not sure I've seen), so Lael's supporters believe he is being hypocritical in his criticism of her attempt, the film and his view of bending the rules. Others have pointed out (accused) Lael of cheating the rules in past races, Jay P had a blog post about him cheating the rules as well.

All in all, this is a bummer....I can't believe that those that organize the "race" have kept it up this long. They post the route, assist with route changes in the event of fires, disqualify people for infractions of the rules, yet don't really own the race. In fact, they can't....no insurance, no permits, easy to see why they need to distance themselves from the liability of this event. I'll be surprised if it carry's on in the current form.

[simple]

The real tour divide people don't have all this drama. Once bike racing is your full time job your ego becomes part of who you are. Not an easy thing to keep under wraps.

[Toddball]

Question for you people that sit down on a bike for a long time:

Are Brooks Cambium saddles worth it? My commuter/gravel groveler currently has a Ritchey ass-hatchet that has turned my perineum into chunk light albacore, with only 4-6 miles per day on it. My mountain bike has a WTB Volt (142mm wide), which is much better but my butt still hurts after long climbs (as do other parts). Looking at a C17 Carve; is it worth paying the big bucks or should I just get another Volt?

[Vt-Freeheel]

I've been riding Selle Italia Flites since they came out. Zero saddle issues until 2 1/2 hours of gravel grinding in baggies. No issue with padded lycra.

[Groomer Gambler]

Question for you people that sit down on a bike for a long time:

Are Brooks Cambium saddles worth it? My commuter/gravel groveler currently has a Ritchey ass-hatchet that has turned my perineum into chunk light albacore, with only 4-6 miles per day on it. My mountain bike has a WTB Volt (142mm wide), which is much better but my butt still hurts after long climbs (as do other parts). Looking at a C17 Carve; is it worth paying the big bucks or should I just get another Volt?

I'm torn on the cambium. I have an original C17 (non carved) and have mostly designated it to commuting. For long rides and gravel races I go for the wtb rocket (142mm). At least in my opinion, the C17 isn't quite as comfy/shock absorbing as others have described. My mtn bike came with a volt and that was the first part I took off and switched to the rocket. Gravel bike, I alternate between the cambium and recently am trying a fabric scoop... the seat depends on the week and how much I commute vs. more training type rides. Still inconclusive with the fabric saddle. The other weird thing, whereas other saddles I can pretty much just eyeball the level and rail position, the cambium I feel like I can never quite get the angle right. Either I'm sitting to far forward on the nose or too much ass pressure on the rear, and longer rides I feel pressure in parts without any contours in the saddle. With that said, I would definitely consider the carved version over the regular version.

[Groomer Gambler]

Salsa shitcanned Petervarys for his behavior during the TD, good on them.
That guy is a tool

https://theradavist.com/2019/07/sals...arys-contract/

All a bunch of stupid internet shit on both sides. I don't know much about Jay P but his critiques seem a bit absurd. At the same time, having a social media film crew then dropping out (along with a few others) all because you weren't prepared for non-ideal conditions seems kinda shitty.

The real story is Alexandra fucking killing it. Who cares about the above when she cranked that out on a gnarly single speed!