My Colorado Trail Race was WET, very wet. 2017 saw only 20 of the 69 riders finish. The biggest take away for me was not so much about gear but mental toughness. There are some gear changes I would make if I rode the Colorado Trail Race again. Whatever you do, don’t underestimate how challenging this route is.

My gear changes would be minimal but their effects would hopefully have a large impact. The goal for those changes would be to cut down what I brought, which would hopefully cut time off my race and mean me having to expend less energy. Below I show the changes and why I would make them. A simpler set up would hopefully translate to making life on the bike and in camp easier, thus less wasted time.

To better understand those changes to my set up, one needs to know a little about my approach for my next try. The main goal would be to better my previous finishing time and eliminate weight and bulk from all areas of my kit. I would also ride more and sleep less.

Hopefully this post, If I Rode The Colorado Trail Race Again will assist others with their own gear list planning and better their chances at a successful go at the Colorado Trail.

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BIKE

Item

Brand

Reason

What I Used Last Time

Bike

Giant XTC Advanced Plus (Set up 29er)

No Change.

If I did I would still use a 29er, and maybe switch to titanium (less creaking).

Giant XTC Advanced Plus (Set up 29er)

Fork

Fox 34 Float Performance Elite 120mm-travel fork with Boost thru-axle

No Change.

Fox 34 Float Performance Elite 120mm-travel fork with Boost thru-axle

Handlebars

Spank Oozy Trail Vibrocore

No Change.

Spank Oozy Trail Vibrocore

HAB Bar Ends

Cheap Aluminum shorties, wrapped with black athletic tape.

The bar type doesn’t stay on. The bars are too short for it to have any purchase.

Cheap Aluminum shorties with foam grips.

No Change.

Due to the fact it rain 7 out of 7 days I was on the CTR, a C17 would hold up better than the classic leather B17. It’s bad to adjust a B17 when they’re wet.

Brooks C17

Wheels

DT Swiss XM1501 Spline One Wheelset – 29er

No Change.

DT Swiss XM1501 Spline One Wheelset – 29er

Generator Hub

SON 28 15 110 Generator Hub (boost)

No Change.

SON 28 15 110 Generator Hub (boost)

Tires

Maxxis Ikons 2.35″ 3C/EXO/TR (set up tubeless)

The extra width would give a little more traction and cushion.

Maxxis Ardent 2.4″ 3C/EXO/TR (set up tubeless)

Gearing

46×30 Shimano

No Change.

46×32 Shimano

Being one who doesn’t like to wear a pack while on the bike, riding a full suspension with limited frame bag space is not an option. Even so, I don’t believe a full suspension bike is necessary on the Colorado Trail.

My bike, Phillip, was perfectly suited for the task of tackling the CT. The only issue I had with him was Giant used a wedge style seat clamp and it creaks. In a perfect world I would have a bike with a normal seat clamp collar. The only change to him would be using an all weather C-17 saddle over the B-17.

The only other issue I had was the bar tape on my HAB bar ends came off. The result was a very cold hand each time I had to grab it. A tape with glue would be better.

I might consider mounting water bottles on fork legs to eliminate the bladder in my frame pack. This would free up space for food and I could also carry a 2L Platy Bottle for extra carrying capacity. The only downside would be the added weight on the front end while the bottles were full.

Bags

Item

Brand

Reason

What I Used Last Time

Gas Tank

JPaks Gas Tank

I had issues opening the double zipper while on the go, and if you forgot to close it, things fell out easily.

Revelate Gas Tank

Jerrycan

None

I broke the zipper on the Revelate and had to replace it.

N/A

Handlebar Bag

Nothing or I’d use two feed bags.

If I could trim down my gear and eliminate it I would. The goal being to lighten the front end.

N/A

Harness/Sling

Revelate Harness

No Change.

N/A

Seat Bag

Get the smaller Terrapin.

The goal would be to force myself to carry less with a smaller seat bag.

Revelate Terrapin

Frame Bag

JPaks

I would have JPaks make me a slightly wider one than my original to increase its volume.

Custom by Defiant Pack

Under Downtube

Something custom or buy

I would move my tools from the Jerrycan to this to get some weight lower.

N/A

The overall goal with my bag set up would be to minimize weight and to transfer some of the weight lower on the bike. Almost none of the tools in my Jerrycan ever saw the light of day during the race. A tool wrap mounted to the down tube would help transfer weight lower. The jerrycan could then be used for food or eliminated.

My original frame bag wasn’t very wide, and was lacking on storage space. I would like one slightly wider next time. The mail goal would be to get items out of the seat bag and into the frame bag, and use a smaller one. I love the removable bag on my Terrapin Seat Bag. It makes camp life much simpler. Trying to load a stationary bag attached to the bike is not fun.

My currently handlebar bag rubs my front tire when I have a suspension fork on Phillip. It’s also big and when full adds a lot of weight on the front end. A hip pack and/or one or two feed bags might be a better solution.

SLEEP SYSTEM

Item

Brand

Reason

What I Used Last Time

Shelter

Outdoor Research Helium Bivy

I feel I wasted too much time with set up and tear down of the tent. If also meant more weight and bulk on the bike.

Big Agnes Bikepacking Fly Creek HV2 Platinum (w/ground sheet)

Sleeping Bag

Big Agnes Flume 30

A full sleeping bag is warmer.

Big Agnes Phuton UL 40

Sleeping Pad

Thermarest 3/4 Z-Lite Sol (cut down)

No Change.

Thermarest NeoAir Uberlite

Pillow

Big Agnes AXL Air Pillow

This might not make the final cut, but I wanted to show I would consider using one.

Big Agnes AXL Air Pillow

If I rode the Colorado Trail Race again I would limit the amount of sleep I got, in an attempt to cut time off my finish time.

I would also ditch my tent. As mentioned above I felt the extra time sent on set up and tear down wasn’t worth it. A tent is also much more bulky than a bivy and that means they take up a lot more room on your bike. That extra space could be used to carry food or simply mean using a smaller bag.

I find with my quilt I have to do what I call quilt management throughout the night (adjusting it and ensuring it’s not letting my body heat out). A bivy would help with this as it has a lot less room but an actual sleeping bag is still going to be warmer.

Clothing Worn

Item

Brand

Reason

What I Used Last Time

Helmet

IXS Sport Trail EVO

Simply wanted the newest.

IXS Sport Trail EVO

Sunglasses

Julbo Aerospeed Segment

I wasted time switching between lenses and the photochromic lenses would be great for the varying light conditions on the CTR.

Julbo Aerolite

Jersey

Outdoor Research Astroman L/S

No Change.

Platypus MTB Tech Tee

Shorts/Bibs

None

I would use boxer briefs and baggy shorts.

Girodana Bibs

Boxers

Ibex Woolies Boxer Balance Briefs

Better to keep things cool downstairs, and easier to go the bathroom.

N/A

Shorts

Outdoor Research Ferrosi Shorts

No Change.

Outdoor Research Ferrosi Shorts

Socks

FITS Light or Medium Hiker Cut ( 2 pr.)

Fit great and durable.

FITS Medium Hiker

Shoes

Newest Pearl Izumi X-alps?

I have not figure out my next shoes yet.

???

No Change.

No Change.

Transition Pieces

Item

Brand

Reason

What I Used Last Time

Rain Jacket

Undecided

It’s pretty wet on the CTR so something durable and that had pit zips to help manage sweating.

Montbell Versalite

Rain Pants

Undecided

I ripped the crotch on my Helium pants on the last morning of the race. They don’t have a lot of extra room so they don’t allow the user much movement (like throwing a leg over a seat or stepping over a top tube).

Montbell Versalite

Warm Gloves

Outdoor Research Stormtracker Sensor

No Change.

N/A

Base Layer

Ibex Balance Sleeveless

No Change or I might not bring at all since I’d bring a synthetic puffy that could be worn more than my down jacket.

N/A

Buff

Probably whatever I have at the time.

No Change.

Whatever at hand.

Knee Warmers

uBRDO by Capo

No Change.

uBRDO by Capo

Vest

Generic cycling vest

No Change.

Aspen Cycling Tours

Camp Clothes

Item

Brand

Reason

What I Used Last Time

Jacket

Mirco Puff Synthetic

I would bring a synthetic over a down jacket so I could wear it in more situations and longer without fear of it getting wet and losing its ability to keep me warm.

Outdoor Research Verismo Hooded Down

Hat

Outdoor Research Beanie

No Change.

Outdoor Research Beanie

Sleep Top

Ibex Woolies 1 L/S or Ibex Indy Hoodie

Wool, less odor. The hoody is a wonderful sleep top. The hood means you don’t have to wear a beanie, which can fall off during the night.

Ibex Indy Hoody

Sleep Bottoms

Ibex Woolies Boxer Balance Briefs

No Change.

Ibex Woolies Boxer Brief

The changes to my clothing kit are small ones but they have a big impact on my overall experience on the bike. With my Brooks saddle I found I don’t need a chamois, and with the possibility of a chamois never drying, boxers and baggies make so much sense.

Learning the lesson of how wet the CTR can be and how hard it is on gear I would definitely invest in more durable rain gear. A synthetic puffy over a down puffy means I could stay warmer in more conditions and not have to take refuge in my tent/bivy as quickly if the weather did turn south.

Other items like a sleep shirt with a hood, or photochromatic lenses are small details that don’t seem like much but a better night sleep can mean the world after a long day. Also not having to buy and constantly change lenses in my glasses means less time wasted. It also means one less thing to worry about.

Hydration

Item

Brand

Reason

What I Used Last Time

Dromedary Bladder

MSR Dromlite 4L

The dromedary bag has a better overall fit and they mold around things better in your frame bag.

No Change.

20 oz Water Bottles – on down tube (1)

No Change.

20 oz Water Bottles – on down tube (1)

Filter

Sawyer Micro or MSR Trailshot

Simple to use and clean, and small and compact.

Sawyer Micro

Drops

None

Extra weight I never used.

N/A

I would not make many changes to my hydration set up. After my first go on the CTR, I learned that a dromedary bag works best while on the AZTR. The Hoser worked well but the dromedary just fit in your frame bag better.

One other thing I would try and figure out would be a better way to manage my hydration hose. One of those magnet set ups or some type of retractable cord to hold it. I explore the option of ditching the dromedary bag in the bag section above and might consider bottles on my fork legs.

On my first go of the CTR the bottle cage on my down tube broke off on the first day. Since then I have switched to a stronger mounting system using a Wolf Tooth strap. I used it for the whole AZTR and didn’t have any issues.

Health/First Aid

Item

Brand

Reason

What I Used Last Time

First Aid

A few bandaids.

Outside of crashing most all ailments can be remedy with my other items.

A few bandaids.

Pain Relief

Advil

No change.

Advil

Medicine

No change.

Tape

No Change.

Sun Screen

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer

No Change.

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer

Tweezers

One blunt end and one pointy.

No Change.

One blunt end and one pointy.

Lip Balm

Cherry flavored

No Change.

Cherry flavored

Oral Care

Tooth brush, flosser & paste

No change but adding a flosser.

Tooth brush & paste

Toiletries

Dude Wipes & hand sanitizer

No Change.

Dude Wipes & hand sanitizer

Vision

Disposable Contacts or get Lasik

Lasik would be the best option, but the daily wears are much better for my eyes than wearing normal contact for days on end like I did the first time.

Contact case / contact fluid

I’ve been quite happy with my current First Aid Kit and wouldn’t change anything. I did add K-tape for sore joints/muscles. Lasik would be great but the cost is too high right now.

TOOLS/REPAIR

Item

Brand

Reason

What I Used Last Time

Tubes

Super Light Latex Tubes

Save weight and space in frame pack.

(2) Tubolite S MTB Tubes

Patch Kit

Park Tool GP-2 glueless

No Change.

Park Tool GP-2 glueless

Tire Boots

Park Tool TB-2 (2)

Bring 2 instead of 4, to cut down on extra unneeded bulk and weight.

Park Tool TB-2 (2)

Tire Plug

Innovations Tubeless Tire Repair Kit

No Change.

Innovations Tubeless Tire Repair Kit

Pump

Lezyne Pressure Drive (w/ Duck Tape)

No Change.

Lezyne Pressure Drive (w/ Duck Tape)

Co2

Innovations Airchuck Elite

No Change.

Innovations Airchuck Elite

Tire Sealant

3oz bottle of Orange Seal

No Change.

N/A

No Change.

Shimano 11 Spd (2)

No Change.

Shimano 11 Spd (2)

Chain Tool

Park Tools CT-5

No Change.

N/A

Multi Tool

Crank Brothers M10

The Park Tool is crap and not worth its weight to carry.

Pedros RX Mirco-20 Multitool

Multi Tool

Leatherman Micra

Just a better quality tool. I only have this for the knife. A single razor blade might be a simpler option as well.

N/A

Spare Derailleur Hanger

OEM Giant

No Change.

OEM Giant

Cleats

Shimano SPD (1)

Two is over kill. If I lose one, I’ll be sure to double check the other.

Shimano SPD (1)

Cleat bolts

Shimano SPD (1 set)

Two sets are over kill. If I lose one, I’ll be sure to double check the other.

Shimano SPD (1 set)

Seat Bolts

Thompson Seat Bolts w/Nuts & washer (1)

Two is over kill.

N/A

Tire Repair

Needle & Floss

No Change.

Needle & Floss

Wrench for Brooks B17

N/A

No need for one with the all weather saddle.

N/A

OEM Brooks

Brake Pads

Shimano XT JA02 (1 sets)

Two sets are over kill. If I use one I’ll pick another set up at the next bike shop.

Shimano XT JA02 (2 sets)

Rag / Brush

Larger rag / brush

I went through three chains and two cassettes, so I would clean my drivetrain better and more often.

Small scrap of rag / no brush.

The goal of the changes to my Tools/Repair kit would be to eliminate duplicate items and bulk. With the overall goal being to reduce weight. While on my first CTR I only used my multi tool and my pump once.

Besides cutting extra unused tools from my kit, I would invest in a tool wrap, that would mount to the underside of my down tube. This would lower the bikes center of gravity.

Electronics

Brand

Reason

Item

What I Used Last Time

GPS

Oregon 600

No Change or possibly get a Etrex 20x (better battery life).

Oregon 600

Personal Tracker

SPOT Gen3

Better battery life and they had a amazing deal to upgrade.

SPOT Gen3

Lighting System

KLite Bikepacker Pro 1200/1700lm w/ Standlite

Klite DUAL USB charger
KLite Bar switch / wire loom V2 smaller XT30 plugs
Generator Hub – SON 28 15 110 Generator Hub (boost)

More powerful, cleaner set up, and versatile.

KLite Bikepacker Pro 1200/1700lm w/ Standlite

Klite DUAL USB charger
KLite Bar switch / wire loom V2 smaller XT30 plugs
Generator Hub – SON 28 15 110 Generator Hub (boost)

Headlamp

Latest Petzl

They make the best lights and they’re rechargeable.

Petzl ACTIK Core

AAA Battery Pack

Extra battery

I would just bring an extra rechargeable battery.

N/A

External Battery

Ravpower battery

Has quick charge and quick output.

Ravpower battery

Phone/Camera/Navigation/Journal

Latest iPhone

One item to do multiple things. Great camera and battery, runs apps and easy to journal with.

iPhone 11 Pro max

Charging Cord

Apple

No Change.

Apple

USB Block

Qualcomm QC 3.0 Wall Charger

Has multiple ports and allows for quick charging.

N/A

Ear Buds

Apple wireless

One extra thing to charge which is a negative but an advantage not having to deal with a cord.

Apple

Cords

One to fit both external battery and Petzl.

No Change.

One to fit both external battery and Petzl.

Storage

SealLine ECase

No Change

SealLine ECase

With all the HAB on the Colorado Trail, one’s generator hub doesn’t generate a lot of power to charge items. With that in mind I would bring a larger external battery and be sure to do whatever I could to conserve battery life on my items.

I used my headlamp a lot when my hub wasn’t producing light on the climbs. Because of this I might consider bring an extra battery pack for it. One battery wouldn’t make it through a night (assuming you had it set bright enough to ride with).

Conclusion

I started this post by stating my goal was to eliminate weight and excess bulk. I believe the changes to made definitely address both. With these changes, knowledge gain from my first go, and a better understanding of terrain I believe I can definitely cut time off my race without compromising too much comfort or my safety.

Over the years the amount of gear I need to go hiking has decreased with each new trip. I’m more efficient as well. This results from knowing myself better, and what I can and can’t deal with. With many more miles in the saddle, I believe the same can be said for my bikepacking gear. My confidence is greater now and I feel comfortable doing more with less.

On a final note, be sure your gear list reflects your own personal style and needs. Do your own homework, do shakedown rides, and build your trail confidence before hitting the CTR. Good luck!

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