Gravel/Bikepack nerds enter...

[climberevan]

I have 5k on the XT chain on my MTB, and I regularly measure it. It's still below .5%. I'm not going to open the (wax) can of worms, but conditions and care make a huge difference.

[simple]

Well said. I probably got 20k out of a chain when I lived in Arizona

[jamal]

My last road chain had over 4k when I replaced it. Checker was still saying ok but I'd rather get a fresh one on there before the chainring and cassette teeth start getting out of shape, especially since I had a new set of those expensive cannondale spiderings on there.


I'd say the annoying thing about a 2x on a gravel bike is you can't really get significantly easier gearing. And then with 1x you need the axs stuff to use a mtb 12s cassette. There are aftermarket options like the goat links and ratio stuff but out of the box there are definitely limitations on both sides.

Personally I really like 1x and don't worry about the slightly bigger jumps or narrower range. 40x11 seems tall enough for most cases but I also have a road bike for actual road riding. Faster, flatter rides and races I can see a double being useful. And then even cx racers are using doubles still so I guess it's not going away.

I actually want to get a new road bike going one of these days with better tire clearance to handle our rides and races that go down dirt roads and would probably do a sram 1x on it.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

I thought I was on team 2x all the way until I tried a friend's bike with 1x12 XPLR. The improvement from 1x11 is surprisingly noticeable. Best of both worlds IMO. Unless I was racing/riding on the road a lot, or doing stupid steep climbs where a mullet would work better, this would be my pick.

I currently have 46/30 with 11-32 and it works for my needs, but I have seen the future.

[grskier]

I wasn't expecting to see such a divide on the 1x vs 2x on gravel bikes.. it's cool. As mentioned earlier it shows it's versatility as a bike. I run a 2x GRX and I use all of the range on most of my rides. Maybe if I drop 15 lbs I could get away with 1x. right now, not so much

[buttahflake]

Hmm, interesting point, my new bike is almost four pounds lighter than the old bike with 2x, I am also summer lean right now, 137lbs, so I’m able to climb straight up walls with 10-44 cassette matched with a 40t ring. It will be a different story in the spring when I’m ten pounds heavier, I’m sure.

[joetron]

Anyone watching Lachlan Morton’s dot on the CT?
He’s looking good to set a new FKT, but it apparently won’t count because cameras.
He’s got he’s 22hrs to get from Silverton to Durango…he can probably do it in 13ish and might even go faster. Although there may be a bit of weather to deal with, but it’s been pretty spotty this week.


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[Skistack]

Haven’t followed, but read an interview where he said he wasn’t trying for FKT. Dude is a bad ass.


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[rudy]

3 days, 10 hours. Jeebus...

[Peruvian]

Swapped out my SPDs for flats for the first time in 20 years.



Clearly I didn’t have the right pedal/shoe combo as I’ve already put the SPDs back on the Kona.

[buttahflake]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen bar tape as clapped out as yours, wow.
Yeah, flat pedals and drop bars is just so wrong

[Peruvian]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen bar tape as clapped out as yours, wow.
Yeah, flat pedals and drop bars is just so wrong

Obviously you’ve been hanging with too many of those pay to play, matching kit, shaved leg, day racer types.

I’m not particularly anal about that sort of thing. It holds and is still comfy. It’s clearly ready for a re-wrap though. I think it slipped some time during the VTXL and warranted a quick tape job.

[HankScorpio]

I'm still rolling a 1x with a 40t and an 10-40 11 speed cassette. The 40t is a bit of push up all the hills around here but it's made me a strong rider. I swore to stop using front derailleurs years ago but I sometimes wish I had a 34t bail out front ring for singletrack climbs. The reality is my cheap ass isn't going to buy a new brake/shifter, crank, chainring, derailleur, cable, etc. I'll probably end up with a wider range cassette at some point.

[climberevan]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen bar tape as clapped out as yours, wow.
Yeah, flat pedals and drop bars is just so wrong

I used to race with a guy who routinely had bar tape worse than that. It would dangle from the drops as he was sprinting away from everyone on the pointy end of P12 crits, so one couldn't really argue that it hurt him.

Yeah, flats on a drop bar bike are a weird choice, but you do you.

[springsproject]

My buddy and I are heading to Morocco in 2 weeks for the Atlas Mountain Race. Did a little shakedown overnighter over the weekend. Not sure how well the body is going to like the desert temps!

[chaka]

My buddy and I are heading to Morocco in 2 weeks for the Atlas Mountain Race. Did a little shakedown overnighter over the weekend. Not sure how well the body is going to like the desert temps!

Wow. good luck! I'll be following along and look forward to a report. What gearing do you use for something like that?

[evdog]

My buddy and I are heading to Morocco in 2 weeks for the Atlas Mountain Race. Did a little shakedown overnighter over the weekend. Not sure how well the body is going to like the desert temps!

Awesome! Can't wait for the trip report

[huckbucket]

Next up ... tour of the Western Upstates. Here's the route. Just my buddy and I at the moment. We don't camp. TR to come.

Day 1;
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40613663

Day 2;
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40613377

Day 3;
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40613829

[springsproject]

Wow. good luck! I'll be following along and look forward to a report. What gearing do you use for something like that?

I'm on the fence for gearing. It'll be either 32x17 or 18

[Tailwind]

Any thoughts on good 300-500 mile loops in the western US for the first week of October? We’re looking to slip something in that’ll be in the mountains primarily. We live in Grand Junction and get enough rides in the desert later in the season. We’ll bring cold weather gear in the event of snow / Etc.

The plan has been the idaho hot springs route… but I’m worried about fire activity. We did the Colorado trail a few years ago and are looking for a slightly more casual route. A loop would be ideal for logistics sake.

[Iowagriz]

Idaho might be more affected by fires - the recent Smoke and Fire race ended up being an out and back route due to fires. Not sure, but I think that route is based partially on the Hot Springs route.

[evdog]

You could give the Dixie 311 route a go. I've done the 200 mile version (now renamed Bristlecone 200) a couple times, as recent as two years ago and it is a good one. The 311 had a similar south end but also went north and climbed up into the Tushar Mtns. I've done some riding up there and those mountains are awesome. I put together an updated route that adds a Tushars day ride loop I did to the current Bristlecone 200 route. The Tushars Loop and the 200 route are both good. The segments that connect them together are unknown to me. I presume its a lot of forest road and ATV trail; could be some deadfall but hopefully most of it cleared by this time of year. First week of October should have good weather, but avoid this route if wet. Here are pics of the Tushars Loop - https://photos.app.goo.gl/qHUuZ5MkLU6pLcEEA. I've got a couple TRs here of the Dixie 200. The full route - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39354647

A couple others that could be good - Black Hills expedition route, or some variation of Bones to Blue around Tahoe if the Moquito fire comes under control. Or even the Coconino 250 route in AZ. That route mostly stays up higher and can start to get cold, but still have hot temps down by Sedona. You could add an out and back to the Grand Canyon South Rim for more miles. A bunch of new singletrack has been built to get AZT off ranch roads in that area.

[Tailwind]

Thanks for the recommendation on this. The Dixie 311 looks like an interesting option.

A few basic questions:
* Resupply options look limited right? This should be fine but wanting to confirm I’m not missing anything.
* Reading Bristlecone, it looks like water access is fine for that portion. Is water an issue up
in the Tushars loop?
* Is the full route link your reference above the Dixie 311 route or one hour created.
* looks like you used a full suspension, how rugged vs smooth are the portions you’ve ridden?

You could give the Dixie 311 route a go. I've done the 200 mile version (now renamed Bristlecone 200) a couple times, as recent as two years ago and it is a good one. The 311 had a similar south end but also went north and climbed up into the Tushar Mtns. I've done some riding up there and those mountains are awesome. I put together an updated route that adds a Tushars day ride loop I did to the current Bristlecone 200 route. The Tushars Loop and the 200 route are both good. The segments that connect them together are unknown to me. I presume its a lot of forest road and ATV trail; could be some deadfall but hopefully most of it cleared by this time of year. First week of October should have good weather, but avoid this route if wet. Here are pics of the Tushars Loop - https://photos.app.goo.gl/qHUuZ5MkLU6pLcEEA. I've got a couple TRs here of the Dixie 200. The full route - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39354647

A couple others that could be good - Black Hills expedition route, or some variation of Bones to Blue around Tahoe if the Moquito fire comes under control. Or even the Coconino 250 route in AZ. That route mostly stays up higher and can start to get cold, but still have hot temps down by Sedona. You could add an out and back to the Grand Canyon South Rim for more miles. A bunch of new singletrack has been built to get AZT off ranch roads in that area.

[evdog]

Thanks for the recommendation on this. The Dixie 311 looks like an interesting option.

A few basic questions:
* Resupply options look limited right? This should be fine but wanting to confirm I’m not missing anything.
* Reading Bristlecone, it looks like water access is fine for that portion. Is water an issue up
in the Tushars loop?
* Is the full route link your reference above the Dixie 311 route or one hour created.
* looks like you used a full suspension, how rugged vs smooth are the portions you’ve ridden?

The 311 route on Ride with GPS is the one I put together. It takes the current 200 route, the Tushars loop I put together and connects them using parts of the old 311 route. Those two connecting segments, miles 38-101.5 and miles 136.6-194 on the Ride with GPS link are the parts I haven't ridden myself. You can find the original 311 route here - https://2-epic.com/events/dixie311.html. Far as I know the 311 race only went one year and only a couple riders finished it. I'll post some links below.

Resupply - on the 200 it is limited but adequate. Start with a day's food, resupply in Panguitch Lake or Panguitch depending on time, and then again at Tod's Country Store at Hwys 89/14 intersection. There is also limited food at intersection 89/12 at some gift shops/hotels. One of the gift shops had some snack food. Harold's Place restaurant is super flaky and not to be relied upon in my experience. On the 311 extension the only town you pass through is Circleville. I'm sure there's a gas station and/or country store there but could have limited hours, possibly SOL if you are there on Sunday. I haven't researched the route much so can't say if there are any other country stores or gas stations. I'd assume not. You'll need to enough food on the 311 to get you to Circleville (~150mi). One option you do have is to start and end in Parowan rather than Deer Haven campground since Dark Hollow trail is open again. That would add a big climb to start but reduce the mileage to your first resupply. And Dark Hollow is a killer way to end the route.

Water - this should be fine, but you have to know where the water sources are and don't pass them up assuming the next source is reliable. There have been some each year that were not available. If you decide to do the route I can point out the ones I'm aware of on sections I've done. Water shouldn't be an issue in the Tushars.

Bike - I used a hardtail both times I did the 200. It was fine, though there were times I wished I was on FS. Either should work. I ride a spur now for bikepacking.

Here are some TR links from past years. Note that the 200 route was changed significantly for 2019 after Brian Head area burned and also due to storm damage to southern parts of Grandview Trail. The loop also changed from CCW to clockwise. So all the TR's except mine from 2019 reflect going the opposite direction it does now, and they also show more of south Grandview than we can currently ride. The original 311 route on DaveH's website has never been updated. In the link I posted, I've updated it to go the current direction and follow the current 200 route.

Springsproject TRs from a couple years:
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...ighlight=dixie
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...ighlight=dixie

Mine from 2015 and 2019
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...ighlight=dixie
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...ighlight=dixie

The only TRs I can find from the 311:
http://leeblackwell.blogspot.com/
http://dirtanddogs.blogspot.com/2010...king-tour.html

Here is a link to bikepacking.net forum discussion of the 311. They ran a shorter route called Dixie-lite that year, precursor to the 200, and a lot of riders did that. But some useful info, especially replies #83/84 re Circleville.

The 311 TR's reference the route being very tough with lots of deadfall. Not sure how much of a problem that would be in October. The 200/311 was run in June prior to 2019 so trails were often not cleared of deadfall yet. Some of the lesser used ones might never get cleared, but the main trails should have no issue in fall. Both times I've ridden the Tushars there have been very few or no trees down. Same with the 200 route, aside from Spruces Trail in 2015 - and there was a CCC crew warming up to go in and log it out just as I finished it

Happy to help with any questions you have

[springsproject]

Any thoughts on good 300-500 mile loops in the western US for the first week of October? We’re looking to slip something in that’ll be in the mountains primarily. We live in Grand Junction and get enough rides in the desert later in the season. We’ll bring cold weather gear in the event of snow / Etc.

The plan has been the idaho hot springs route… but I’m worried about fire activity. We did the Colorado trail a few years ago and are looking for a slightly more casual route. A loop would be ideal for logistics sake.

https://www.komoot.com/tour/199143072?ref=wtd


300ish mile loop starting/ending in SLC or PC. Lots of singletrack and hike-a-bike, a few resupply points. You could easily add on some good singletrack to some hot springs and camping. Could also easily leave some stuff out. I drew this up before I left UT but never got to ride it in one go, I've ridden about 90% of it.