Final Thoughts
Both racing and touring the Tour Divide offer unique experiences and challenges, and the best choice depends on individual preferences, goals, and capabilities.
For more information on the Tour Divide visit our TD Resource page. »
After completing the bikepacking triple crown, I created this Tour Divide Planning Guide to share the invaluable knowledge I gained. Planning a trip of this magnitude can be time-consuming and stressful, but it’s crucial to your success.
Effective planning is essential and can significantly impact the outcome of your race or tour. The more preparation you do beforehand and the more information you have during the race, the better off you’ll be. Bottom line: DO YOUR HOMEWORK!
I’ve compiled everything I learned from the Tour Divide, CTR, and AZT into this 7-Step Planning Guide for racing or touring the Tour Divide. I hope this guide, along with the accompanying posts and external links, provides you with almost all the information you need.
While I’ve done a lot of the legwork for you, it’s important to do your own in-depth research to further improve your chances and the outcome of your trip. If I missed anything, please let me know, and I’ll add or correct it. Thanks!
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RACING PROS:
TOURING PROS:
RACING CONS:
TOURING CONS:
Both racing and touring the Tour Divide offer unique experiences and challenges, and the best choice depends on individual preferences, goals, and capabilities.
The Project conducts an ongoing rider survey to assist new riders in selecting the right gear for the Tour Divide. Embarking on an adventure like the Tour Divide can be daunting, and the planning process overwhelming. We hope this survey will aid new riders in their preparation and execution of their Tour Divide ride, ensuring they are better equipped for their adventure.
Covers: bikes, suspension, tires & wheels, drivetrain, and Components.
Covers: navigation planning, camping, logistic/travel, clothes, and more.
Both racers and those touring should consider making an itinerary before tackling the Tour Divide. While an itinerary may be less critical for racers, it still provides a valuable guide to keep you on track. Anyone racing who claims they don’t have a target finish time is likely not being truthful. Your itinerary will help you achieve that goal and ensure you catch your flight home.
In my post, “Bikepacking: Pre-Trip Considerations,” I delve deeper into creating itineraries and what factors to consider. The post also covers general planning, gear, health and personal considerations, and electronics. Additionally, it offers suggestions for post-trip planning.
Be sure to check out our Tour Divide Guide for maps, profiles, and road surfaces to assist in creating your itinerary.
This spreed sheet is available on Google Docs, Please go to “Edit”, then select, ” Copy”. When pasting use Control(Command) – Shift – Paste or it won’t work. You’ll have to adjust column sizes. Then make all the changes you like! Happy planning and trails.
List your target day and time on your resupply/itinerary page. Think about adding some other check points, that way you can keep on target.
Choosing the right gear is crucial before embarking on the trail. Depending on your pace, you could spend two weeks or more on the Divide, encountering every type of weather imaginable. With countless hours in the saddle, it’s essential to have gear that is reliable, thoroughly tested, and comfortable.
I’ve compiled a comprehensive page detailing the gear I used for the Tour Divide, as well as the Colorado Trail and Arizona Trail. My most recent post updates this list with gear recommendations if I were to tackle the Tour Divide again. It includes pros and cons, tips, what worked and didn’t, and what I would do differently next time.
When preparing for a race or tour as demanding as the Tour Divide, training goes beyond just physical conditioning. As the old adage goes, “It’s 90% mental and 10% physical.” To tackle the TD, you’ll need to focus on both physical endurance and mental resilience.
Everyone’s training approach is unique, so the list below is just a foundation to start with. It’s based on my own experience, highlighting what made the Tour Divide challenging for me and how you can prepare effectively.
Here’s how to get ready:
By focusing on these key areas, you’ll build the endurance, strength, and mental resilience needed to tackle the Tour Divide successfully.
Testing your setup is crucial. Don’t assume that just packing your gear and checking the tightness will suffice. Take your loaded bike out for a ride. This will help you understand how it handles, identify any rattles or rubs, and, most importantly, discover what doesn’t work.
An untested setup can lead to unnecessary stress during your race or tour. Invest time in a thorough Shakedown Ride to eliminate potential issues and become accustomed to riding with a loaded bike.
Consider these tips when testing your setup:
By thoroughly testing and refining your setup, you’ll be better prepared for the challenges ahead.
Welcome to The Project’s Planning Aids, designed to bridge the gap left by the lack of high-quality planning tools within bikepacking. As a Triple Crown thru-hiker, I’m accustomed to comprehensive planning resources, and I noticed that bikepacking needed similar quality tools. That’s why I developed these resources to make your Tour Divide adventure as smooth and well-prepared as possible.
Our planning aids include four distinct styles to help you plan your ride. The Data Sheet offers the most detailed information, including distance, elevation changes, average grade, and notes on key points between locations, along with references to ACA maps, bike shops, and resupply options. The Town List provides cumulative distances between points of interest, making it easy to see how far you are from various locations without calculating it yourself. The Mileage Chart and Elevation Gain Chart are simple graphs showing cumulative mileage and elevation gain between key points along the route. Each tool serves a unique purpose to support your planning and navigation.
Explore our offerings to find the perfect combination for your needs and get ready to conquer the Tour Divide! Don’t forget to checkout our online Tour Divide Resources as well.
One package including our two most popular planning aids:
One package with all our planning aids:
Available in both SOBO and NOBO versions and US Standard and Metric units.
Small Bundle – $40.00 + tax (CO only) *You save $10 when you bundle!
Big Bundle – $60.00 + tax (CO only) *You save $20 when you bundle!
The NOBO Data Sheets are ONLY available as part of the Small or Big Bundles.
All versions of the Town Lists are ONLY available as part of the Small or Big Bundles.
The SOBO Data Sheets are available in BOTH US Standard and Metric units.
Data Sheet – $25 + Tax (CO only)
Example of Data Sheet
Example of Town List
Differences Between the Data Sheet and Town List
The Data Sheet provides the most comprehensive information, including details on distance, elevation changes (both gain and loss), average grade, and maximum/minimum elevations. It also highlights pavement sections, references ACA maps, and lists bike shops and resupply options. Additionally, it includes key notes on the segments between two points of interest (e.g., from A to B, then B to C).
In contrast, the Town List focuses on cumulative distances between points of interest, helping you quickly determine how far you are from various locations without needing to calculate it yourself. It includes distance, elevation changes, resupply options, bike shops, and key notes for each segment.
Quickly find the total mileage between any two POI along the route.
Quickly find the total elevation gain between any two POI along the route.
The Mileage and Elevation Gain Charts are ONLY available as part of the Big Bundle.
GDMBR Data Sheets have all the same data categories as the Tour Divide planning aids, as seen in the examples above but are for the GDMBR from the ACA.
GDMBR Bundles have all the same data categories as the Tour Divide planning aids, as seen in the examples above but are for the GDMBR from the ACA.
Available in both SOBO and NOBO versions and in US Standard and Metric units.
Data Sheet – $25 + tax (CO only)
Small Bundle – $40.00 + tax (CO only) *You save $10 when you bundle!
Big Bundle – $60.00 + tax (CO only) *You save $20 when you bundle!
Everything you need to plan a bikepacking trip on the Tour Divide.
A detailed look at what I used on the Tour Divide, what worked and what didn’t.
In depth look at what I would bring for gear and why, if I rode the Tour Divide again.
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Or checkout our Deals page to save big!