Rider & Rig: Lynne’s Moonmen #M32 Tour Divide Rig

Lynne hails from Los Osos, California, where she is a professor of computer engineering. Two years ago, on her first run on the Tour Divide, she scratched at Salida. This time, though a long winter promises tougher-than-usual conditions in the north, she comes with a bunch more racing experience, and a totally dialed set-up. She is dialed. She hopes to complete the route in about 25 days.

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The experience of seeing a Moonmen in the person was more momentous than I ever would have expected. There are a lot of amazing and beautiful bicycles out there, and then there is this. Throughout the age of industrialization, there have been artists and designers who have resisted the inexorable forward march of mass production and so-called economic rationality. As with America’s famous Arts and Crafts furniture makers, and their insistence on labouriously carving character and soul into their wares, these movements have been about mastery of craft and attention to detail over all else. And so it is with Lynne’s Moonmen.

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From the bold curves, to the flawless welds, to the one-off machined chainstay yoke, to the exquisitely subtle media-blasted logos, to the all-internal cable routing, to the brilliant adjustable chainstay and break-apart rear triangle, Todd Heath has spared no effort or material cost. #M32 features a gorgeous four-pronged fork, dual-top-tube, and custom titanium handlebar and stem to match. That this frame was undoubtedly extremely difficult to make is the point – it is a wanton demonstration of total mastery of titanium fabrication paired with artistic vision.

Lynne adds that she also has a custom titanium rack to match the bike, which will allow her to bikepack with a dropper despite limited clearance between her saddle and wheel. For the Tour Divide the bike is set up with tubeless 29er tires on wide carbon Derby rims, but the frame is designed to accommodate 27+ rubber as well. The extra clearance is sure to be a benefit through the Divide’s mud and snow. Lynne remarked that having waited a year and a half for a masterpiece of a frame, her approach to the build was to go “all in”. Eagle XXI, SON 28 dynamo, Eriksen ti seatpost…the list goes on.

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Moonmen #M32

• Frame, fork: Moonmen #M32
• Handlebar, stem: Moonmen
• Grips: ESI Extra Chunky
• Aero bar: Profile Designs
• Brake levers: Avid SD7
• Brakes: Paul Klamper
• Rotors: Shimano IceTech
• Rims: Derby carbon
• Front hub: SON 28
• Rear Hub: DT Swiss 240
• Cassette, derailleur, shifter: Eagle XX1
• Crankset: SRAM Eagle XX1, 32t, with Quarq power meter
• Tires: Vittoria Mezcal 29*2.25 + 2oz sealant per tire
• Seatpost: Kent Eriksen ti
• Saddle: Selle Anatomica
• Headset: Chris King
• Bottom Bracket: Chris King T47

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Bikepacking Bags

• Frame bag: Porcelain Rocket bolt-on custom
• Handlebar: Porcelain Rocket MCA
• Top tube: Rogue Panda Alamo
• Stem: Revelate Mountain Feedbags x 2
• Seat pack: Porcelain Rocket Mr Fusion

Hidden within an assortment of bikepacking bags, her key piece of camping equipment is a sleeping pad with a very slow leak that wakes her up after about 6hrs – motivation to get up and back in the saddle.

My thanks goes to Lynne for allowing me to ogle her beautiful set-up. We wish her speedy and safe travels on her way to Antelope Wells. You can follow Lynne and the other Tour Divide Riders on the live tracker for this year’s event.