Rigs of the 2025 Iditarod Trail Invitational

The Iditarod Trail Invitational (ITI) is the world’s oldest winter ultramarathon by fat bike, foot, and ski, and it follows the historic Iditarod Trail from Knik to Nome, Alaska. It’s known as one of the most challenging experiences on the planet. Participants brave extreme physical, environmental, and mental challenges as they work their way along the historic Iditarod Trail. Requiring self-sufficiency and the considerable resilience to make it through up to 30 frozen days and nights, the Iditarod Trail Invitational has built its reputation on notoriously inhospitable conditions and minimal outside support.

Every year, riders gather to take on the 350 or 1,000-mile route. Even the most prepared athletes must dig deep to come out on the other side, and many athletes inevitably make the difficult decision to scratch from the event. The conditions in Alaska are unforgiving, and Mother Nature doesn’t hold back. The Iditarod Trail Invitational was the first winter fat bike event we shared a rig roundup for, and although it’s not quite as popular as events like the Silk Road Mountain Race or Tour Divide, it’s well worth highlighting for its uniqueness. Carefully planned winter survival rigs replace ultralight race setups, complete with massive sleeping bags, proper stoves, and insulated pogies stuffed with snacks. Not only do riders have to ensure they stay hydrated, but they must also plan ahead to keep their water from freezing.

Below, with help from the organizers, we gathered details on over 30 riders who signed up for this year’s event, complete with bike, bag, and gear details for each. The grand depart is this Sunday at 2 p.m., and you’ll be able to follow their progress live on the event page. We’ve been told by Kyle Durand, the ITI Race Director, that the trail the riders follow is “an ice highway,” and his team is expecting record-setting times on the 350-mile route.

Mike Beiergrohslein

Age 49 / Eagle River, Alaska (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 1000
BIKE: Corvus Ti Magnus! Oil slick Ti bolts in every imaginable orifice. Big Su carbon rims, D5’s with Onyx hubs, Endless Cycles 28T front, Paul Klamper brakes, Fenix light and headlamps, Agave Finish works Ti purple Stem/Cages.
BAGS: Mix of sweet Revelate Designs and some Becker designs bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Alaskan raised humanely harvested Moose and Salmon jerky!

Tim Berntson

Age 52 / Anchorage, Alaska (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: Corvus Akio 2. New this year! Super fun, compliant, and has tons of room for a larger frame bag.
BAGS: Corvus/Loam Equipment frame bag, Hyperlight Mountain gear on the front for my sleeping bag. Held in place by a Revelate Designs Pronghorn, Revelate Designs drybag on the rear Corvus rack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: The Corvus Akio – So much fun! I love my Western Mountaineering Kodiak bag. It’s a zero degree bag but has a wider cut. I love the ease/comfort of wearing all my puffy outer layers in there with me without compressing all the insulation. The new Revelate Designs Expedition pogies appear to be super well put together. Place to store odds and ends, vents, an easier attachment system, and warm.

Karl Booth

Age 42 / Chapel-En-Le-Frith, Derbyshire (UK)

ROUTE: ITI 1000
BIKE: For my first attempt at the ITI 1000, I will be riding my trusty 2017 Felt DD30. It’s a 1×10 setup with 26T chainring and 11-46T cassette. I’ll be running a SON Dynamo hub paired to an Exposure Revo light.
BAGS: Up front I have a custom bar harness. The frame bag is a homemade roll top frame bag. At the rear I’m running a Salsa Alternator rack with Ortlieb Gravel Pack panniers.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Self Studded Dillinger 5’s for the ice, Rab Mythic Alpine jacket for the cold. Keeping me warm at night will be my Rab Expedition 1200 down sleeping bag paired with an Outdoor Research Alpine bivy.

Casey Bredeson

Age 44 / Cavalier County, North Dakota (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: Meriwether Cycles custom titanium longtail fat bike with graphics from Bicycle Pubes, laid out and anodized by Agave Finishworks. Custom steel Meriwether direct mount batwing rack with M8 rack hardware. 27.5” Nextie Xiphia 89mm internal width singlewall rims with the nipples epoxied (no tape) from Mike C at Big Wheel Building. Boone Ti Radius crankset. 24T Race Face chainring. Eagle 12-speed with gripshift. SRAM level Ultimate for the carbon levers. Bar Yak goodies on Corvus Sweet Rise bars. Tectonic V1 Pedals. King Cage Manything on the seatstays.
BAGS: Custom frame bags and 65L rack bag with drybag from Dispersed Bikepacking. Framebag is extra wide with a vertical baffle. Assorted Tailfin bags, 2x Cedaero Devils Kettle XL (not pictured). OR insulated bottle bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Cane Creek ViscoSet with a heavy tune. Custom geometry with a stack height of 666mm and reach of 420mm. HTA is 68 degrees. 640mm chainstays. Modified Ergon/SQLab/Canecreek + silicone tape grip mess inside the Revelate Expedition pogies. Front valve stem cover stolen from the BP Shit Bike.

Doug “Coldbike” Dunlop

Age 57 / Calgary, Alberta (Canada)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: “The Flaming Blizzard”, custom painted Rocky Mountain Blizzard Carbon with Nextie Rims on Onyx hubs, Trek Fork and front rack, 2 Visco headsets, custom Coldbike framebag, XT Derailleur, G2 Ultimate brakes, 26×11-50 drivetrain.
BAGS: Coldbike Frame bag, Coldbike Rear bag, Porcelain Rocket Micro Panniers and front bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Coldbike Prototype Expedition Pogies, -60°C sleep system (could switch to backup -40°C if rain seems likely), 7mesh jackets and jersey, AirTrim mask, Lobbens boots.

Casey Fagerquist

Age 42 / Anchorage, Alaska (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 1000
BIKE: Corvus Akio.
BAGS: Revelate Designs and one bag made by Tupper Becker in Fairbanks.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I have a removable fur ruff made from wolf and wolverine. It’s a piece of kit that I always look forward to using because it always makes whatever gnarly winter environment I’m in more tolerable.

Tyson Flaharty

Age 39 / Fairbanks, Alaska (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: I will be riding my trusty 9:ZERO:7 Lynx V2. XTR Drivetrain. SRAM ultimate brakes. Nextie 26x95mm rims. DT hubs. Husker DU tires with grip studs. Time pedals. Thinking about a suspension fork as well.
BAGS: I made my frame bag, pogies, rack bag, and handlebar bag up front. Additional bags are the Revelate Designs feed bags (2), mag tank, and nano panniers.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Nothing too crazy on my 7th trip up the trail. Going pretty light. Still debating on what sleeping bag. I love my lupine blika light system on the handlebars and a black diamond icon on my head. I will also be running a Revelate Wampak hydration pack with a 3L bladder.

Roberto Gazzoli

Age 50 / Flero, Brescia (Italy)

ROUTE: ITI 1000
BIKE: I’ll be riding a Singular Puffin steel frame with
Kuroshiro Enso Carbon Rim, Hope hubs, Dillinger 5.0 Tires, H-loop Jones Bar.
BAGS: BAGS are mix of Revelate Designs (Ranger Frame Bag, Nano Pannier), Alpikit (Airlok dual, 2 x Stemm Cell, Fuel pod rear 1 lt + Fuel pod 1,5 ), and Sea to Summit.

Lynn Hall

Age 41 / Leadville, Colorado (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: Otso Voytek 2.
BAGS: All of my bags were generously custom designed and built by Jason Winkler of Spruce Cycles. He also created ITI-rated extra stout pogies to match.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Besides my custom bags, my favorite things are all the ones given or on loan—they’ll remind me of how many people are supporting me in this endeavor. Also, several of my favorite Mammut layers to keep me warm enough (or cool enough, as may be the case this year).

Jason Hanson

Age 52 / Florence, Arizona (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: Binary Gordita, the bike features HED BFD 100mm rims, I9 hubs with Terrene Johnny 5″ front tire, rear tires is a Terrane Wazia 4.6″, 1 x 12 SRAM Eagle cassette and 26T Wolf Tooth chainring.
BAGS: Bike Bag Dude frame bag, top tube and gas tank, Dogwood Design pogies.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: my Ride Forward Designs sleep kit bag designed by Jay Petervary!

Jennifer Hanson

Age 58 / Florence, Arizona (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: Binary Gordita has Whiskey Wheels 100mm DT350 hubs with 4.6″ Dillinger 5 tires. 1×12 SRAM eagle with a 26T Wolf Tooth chainring.
BAGS: Bike Bag Dude frame bag, top tube bag, 1 Revelate Designs feed bag, 1 Cedaero Devil’s Kettle pack, 1 Po Campo Willis stem bag, Po Campo Kinga handlebar bag and Old Man Mountain rack with Mountain Laurel Designs panniers and the Big Easy bag designed by Jay Petervary to carry my -40 sleeping bag and bivy.

Amanda Harvey

Age 38 / Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: Otso Arctodus Ti.
BAGS: The workhorse bags are my Alpine Luddites panniers, also on the bike are Sturdy Bags fork bags and thermos holder, Rogue Panda frame bag, Revelate Designs Sweetroll and Magtank, and Dogwood Designs pogies.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: A night out in my -40 degree bag is always cozy, even if I’m shivering. It’s my home away from home.

Clinton Hodges III

Age 43 / Anchorage, Alaska (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: I’ll be starting my 8th ITI on my new Covus Cycles Akio 2.0. With all the ice we’ve had this winter I’ve been spending a lot of time on 45NRTH Dillingers but I also have a set of Bontrager Barbegazis with grip studs. I rely on Corvus Alaska SL Edition hubs, a 30T chainring, and 10-52T SRAM cassette to get me McGrath. I use Hope Tech 4 levers with two piston calipers that clamp on 180mm rotors front and back so I can keep myself under control when riding down the Happy River Steps!
BAGS: I’m rolling with primarily Revelate Designs bags and a Loam Equipment/Corvus bolt on frame bag. New for this year is the LCG in frame storage where I keep rarely used items like spare tubes and some of my emergency items. I have more room for snacks in my bags now because of that in frame storage!
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: After many years of competing, I’ve found that my favorite gear isn’t actually gear. Friends and family support me by watching my dog Frankie, make me amazing cookies (that really boost my mood when I have one) and the volunteers on the great Iditarod Trail! I look forward to seeing them again this year!

Perry Jewett

Age 53 / Spearfish, South Dakota (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 1000
BIKE: I’ll be riding my trusty 2019 Why Cycles (Now Revel) Version 1 Big Iron in the 1,000-mile ITI. This Fattie will be rolling on Nextie Xiphias 105 laced to Onyx hubs with Dillinger 5 in the rear. The front Onyx hub is Berd Spokes laced to the Nextie Drunken Rhinoceros 128mm with a Terrene Johnny 5 (not pictured). Both wheels are 26″ with arctic grease and studded. My drivetrain is SRAM Eagle XX1 with a 28T front oval ring.
BAGS: The rear rack holds the new Ride Forward Designs Ultra Bag and Revelate Designs panniers for the big stuff. Custom frame bag from Sagebrush Stitch Works, bar bag is a Bar Yak Talon 16L. The downtube bag was made by niece at Dirt Bags and it holds my bike repair kit in the bottom and a 1L thermos for hot drinks and a quick meal when needed. Revelate Designs Expedition Pogies with tons of volume for all the stuff. Mag Tank on the top tube.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Mountain Hardware -40 sleeping bag, foam pad, and winter bivy bag all stash nicely in the Ultra Bag! Navigation will be a Garmin Etrex 30 with Gaia as backup on my phone. MSR Whisperlite with fuel bottle and Ti cup strapped to the seat post keeps it handy and more pannier space. Bar light and headlamp by Fenix.

Dusten Johnson

Age 41 / Mundelein, Illinois (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: Why Big Iron, SRAM Eagle drivetrain, Dillinger 5 tires studded on Sun Ringle Mulefut 80 rims, Whiskey 7 Carbon seatpost, Salsa Moloko bars, Old Man Mountain Divide Fat rack.
BAGS: Custom Rogue Panda frame bag, Revelate designs Nano paniers, Sea to Summit Big River dry bag on the rear rack to hold my sleeping bag and expedition puffy jacket. Salsa anything cages an bags on the front fork, Salsa EXP Anything Cradle and handle bar bag, Revelate Designs feed bags, and Mag-Tank 2000
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My Mountain Hardwear Phantom Gortex -40 sleeping bag is going to keep me nice and cozy at night. OuterU Face Glove, I’ll be using my Feniz BC21R light on my handle bars then my Black Diamond Icon 700 headlamp. Leatherman Skeletool Cx for a trusty knife an plyers, Crankbrothers M17 multitool, MSR Whisperlite for a stove, Evernew 1.3L titanium pot, 45NRTH Wolfgar boots, Garmin Etrex for navigation paired with Gaia Gps, and some paper maps.

Mayella Krause

Age 35 / Sao Bento do Sul (Brazil)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: 2016 Salsa Mukluk Ti with a Lauf Carbonara fork. SRAM cranks with Enduro XD-15 bottom bracket, 1×12 drivetrain, XO1 10-50T cassette and 26T oval chainring—all controlled by XX1 grip shifters. Wheels are Nextie 26″ 85mm laced to Onyx hubs and 4.6″ Dillinger 5 tires with studs from the Bike Stud. ProTaper Carbon 20/20 bars with SQ Labs carbon innerbarends. Old Man Mountain Fat Divide rack.
BAGS: Revelate Designs everything, including their newly released Expedition Pogies. Sleep system goes in a 35L Sea to Summit compression bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Big fan of garage grown gear, 80% of what I’ll be using and wearing was custom made. Shoutout to my friend Mariah who did last minute sewing alterations so I can zip my ruff on different jackets!

Cameron Lawson

Age 55 / Bozeman, Montana (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: I’m riding the ITI 350 on a Corvus Akio. SRAM Eagle drivetrain, Carbon Race Face SixC bars, Race Face turbine R 35 stem, Time Speciale 12 pedals, DT Swiss hubs, Nextie carbon rims and 45NRTH Van Helga tires (27.5 x 4.5″).
BAGS: Custom framebag and panniers sewn from dog food bags by Whitebark Designs and front pouch bag sewn by BackStitched Bags—both local companies in Bozeman. All bags secured with either TitanStraps “minis” or Titan TPU straps. Also, testing new strap design. Revelate Designs tank bag and Expedition pogies.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: iPhone for navigation, Fenix BC30 light using RAM mounts to secure to handlebar, Nemo foam pad, thrashed 0 degree bag.

Alexandria Manley

Age 28 / Fairbanks, Alaska (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: I’ll be savoring the Iditarod Trail Invitational on my 2020 Trek Farley 7 that I have named the Phoenix Cycle. My trusty steed has been upgraded with a 28T front chainring, blue 26” 80mm HED rims, Ritchey carbon fiber seatpost, Protaper Carbon Handlebar, Apocalypse Design pogies, and Time Speciale 12 pedals.
BAGS: From Revelate Designs, I have their Nano Panniers, two Mountain Feed Bags, and one Mag-Tank 2000. My downtube bag is subject to change. From Oveja Negra, I have two Bootlegger Fork Bags. My sleeping bag stuff sack is the 35L Big River Dry Bag from Sea to Summit. My frame bag and larger fork bag are both from Apocalypse Design; they feature Davya Flaharty and Van Gogh’s artwork respectively.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My favorite gear is my Rab Prosar Down Shorts with full zips. They are designed for cyclists and feature a synthetic reinforced butt. No cold buns for me!

Thomas Mille

Age 55 / Edmonton, Alberta (Canada)

ROUTE: ITI 1000
BIKE: I’m back for another year on my faithful Donkey- a Salsa Blackborow decked out with Nextie 90mm Xiphias 27.5 rims, DT 350 Hubs, and Dillinger 5 tires with Gripstuds in the outer rows only. Jones Loop bars and foam grips with SQLab inner bar ends to keep my hands comfy. Paul Klampers and 2.5 finger brake levers with 180mm Sram 2 piece rotors do the slowing down. I’m running a Sram GX derailleur and cranks, XO shifter and 10-52 cassette, and XX chain with an Alugear 26t oval chainring and HT composite pedals for the drive. A custom Ti rack by Rolling Dale Cycles. SQLab saddle and 60mm Crank Bros dropper post.
BAGS: A collection of bags keep everything organized. A Salsa EXP frame bag holds comfort care items and anything I want close at hand. A Cedaero snack bag with magnetic lid, Surly Moloko bag with multitool, lens cleaning rag and handlebar light battery, Salsa Anything Cages with a 1L Yeti thermos and mechanical kit are all up front. On the rack a 3rd Anything Cage and bag holds my cooking kit. The Arkel Ultralight Panniers, one side is clothing layers, the other is just food. The Ortleib saddle bag is strapped to the rack to stay out of the way of my dropper and holds 6 point crampons, Wiggy’s waders and goggles. The stowaway bag is from Rockgeist and holds a second thermos, saw and pump.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Dogwood Designs pogies keep my hands toasty. The sleep kit is an Exped pad, Therm-a-Rest Polar Ranger bag and Rab Summit tent. 75lbs of fun with full thermoses.

Mike Monterusso

Age 52 / Anchorage, Alaska (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: Borealis Crestone for my rookie attempt. Old Man Mountain Divide Fat in rear. OMM Elkhorn in front. I’ll eat the weight to keep the dashboard clean. Dual-sided pedals to control the rage. Studded D4s (don’t tell mom).
BAGS: Four panniers in a mullet configuration; business in front (food and water), party in the back (fire starter and bouncy house).
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Enough battery capacity to jumpstart a Yugo. Back Diamond Firstlight to keep things civilized.

Tiziano Mulonía

Chiari, Brescia (Italy)

ROUTE: ITI 1000
BIKE: Salsa Blackborrow. Kuroshiro carbon fiber 105mm wheels, D5 studded tires, and SRAM GX 1×12 (30 x 10-52T)
BAGS: Miss Grape and Revelate Designs mini Panniers.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: hand-made Modello Giuditta gaiters and a Phantom Goretex -40°C/F sleeping bag.

Willy Mulonia

Age 57 / Pezzoro, Alta Val Trompia, Brescia (Italy)

ROUTE: ITI 1000
BIKE: I’ll be riding on a 2025 Ti CHIRU BIKE, Mod. NANULAK. This bike was born from several brainstorming sessions between Pierre Le Magnan (owner of the Chiru brand) and myself. And I couldn’t be happier with the result. SRAM X01 EAGLE, SRAM GX EAGLE Crankset, 12-speed (10-50T) cassette with SPECIALITES TA ONE DM 28T oval ring, HED 100 mm carbon wheels with HOPE hubs, BB7 brake in the front and TRP in the rear, Terrene Johnny 5 26 x 5.0″ Light Studded tires, SMP VT20C saddle, Jones handlebar, 45NRTH pogies, and BIRI the Carbon fiber telescopic bike stand.
BAGS: mostly MISS GRAPE bags + IL COSO (modular handlebar bag mount). 2 Oveja Negra handle bar bag. 1 BikePackid hand made rear seat post bag. 56L homemade “extra tank orange bag” that will hold sleeping bag, mattress, and down jacket mounted on an extended Salsa Alternator rack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: OR BivySack, Mountain Hardware Sleeping bag in Goretex -40F. Therm-a-rest sleeping pad and Sea to Summit pillow. Waiders: Mod. GIUDITTA! Garmin Etrex 32 + Garmin Map 66I. Endura MT500 F.P. with Wolf/Wolverine fur.

Jason Munns

Age 50 / Honeyville, Utah (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: WHY Big Iron, SRAM XX1 mechanical, 10-52T cassette, 26T chainring, SRAM Ultimate brakes, Carver Ti rear rack, Jones H-Bar Carbon, BARYAK Mule fork mounts, 45NRTH Dillinger 5’s studded with Fatty Stripper tubeless strips.
BAGS: Ride Forward Designs BIG EASY rear stuff sack, Mountain Laurel Designs panniers, Revelate Designs Frame bag, JPAKS Large Farva packed with 6-7k calories, Revelate Designs Sweet Roll holding Black Diamond BigWall Bivvy, Nuke Sunrise Giant Silo feedbags for thermos.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: SAGEBRUSH Stitchworks custom pogies are roomy, super warm and provide plenty of room for food and hand warmers, Garmin ETREX 22x, Garmin 1040 solar, GAIA on phone for Navigation options. MARMOT CWM -40 bag, 45NRTH Wolfgar’s on the feet.

John Notestine

Age 44 / Wasilla, Alaska (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: My Corvus Magnus Ti and I are back for another round of questionable life choices. Same Paul Klamper brakes paired with Love Levers, because nothing says “love” like clenching them for dear life while sliding across the Tatina River, praying I make it to Rohn. I’ve switched to Nextie wheels with Grip Studded Barbegazis because last year, I thought I was stud enough. Turns out, I was not and my wife was right. Again.
BAGS: Rogue Panda top tube bag, San Util Designs feed bags, Swift Burrito Bag. The burrito bag is stuffed with grape Uncrustables. Unfortunately, Smuckers ghosted me about that sponsorship. Their loss—I’m sure they’ll come calling once they see my middle-of-the-pack finish. My Morrow Packs framebag is packed with all the confidence I absolutely do not deserve—quilted for comfort, just like me. Full 10-ply, bud. I’ve also added Oveja Negra Bootlegger bags on the forks because apparently, I have an unhealthy need to carry excessive amounts of gear for no good reason.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Fenix is in charge of lighting. BC21R on the bars and a smaller headlamp, mostly so I can witness my own suffering. My OneUp EDC pump should keep me rolling, and this time, I actually brought a spare tube so I don’t have to be rescued at Bear Creek Safety Cabin again when my genius ultralight plan inevitably backfires. Three big insulated bottles mean my water stays liquid and my back stays dry. Stove? Still deciding. Once again, my training partner Fennec has been supervising this entire process. If the photo evidence is to be believed, he’s not worried about me, just angry I touched his antler and excited I won’t be around to reclaim my side of the bed.

Chris Olsen

Age 28 / Big Lake, Alaska (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: Corvus Akio. Studded 27.5 x 4.3″ Terrene Yippee Ki Yay tires on Big Su carbon wheels. Hayes Dominion disc brakes. SRAM GX drivetrain. Shimano XTR XC PD-M9100 Pedals, Revelate Expedition pogies.
BAGS: Custom frame bag, Nano Panniers, top tube bag, and feed bags all by Revelate Designs. Oveja Negra Bootlegger bags for hydration storage.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Rogue Panda Blue Ridge handlebar harness and accessory bar to hold my Lupine lights.

Tim Olsen

Age 54 / Wasilla, Alaska (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: Corvus Ti Magnus. Studded 27.5 x 4.3 Terrene Yippee Ki Yay tires on Big Su carbon wheels. Paul Components Klamper disc brakes. SRAM XO1 drivetrain.
BAGS: Rogue Panda custom frame bag and Old Man Mountain panniers. Oveja Negra Bootlegger fork bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Lots of snacks and gear to keep me warm. Western Mountaineering Bison 40 below bag for toasty sleep. Coros Dura, the computer that never dies.

Kendall Park

Age 35 / St. Louis, Missouri (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: This year I’ll be riding an Otso Arctodus Ti built from the ground up for the Iditarod. DT Swiss 350 hubs with Nextie 26″ Xiphias 105mm carbon rims for maximum float. I’m running fully studded D5’s—it’s looking icy. Shimano Deore XT 12-speed, 10-51T cassette, and a flipped (reverse dish) 26T Garbaruk oval chainring. Race Face Cranks. Cane Creek Visco headset to help smooth out the powder jitters. Jack the Rack up front and Wren Perseverance OneRack in the back. I’ll be riding flats for the first time in forever (OneUp Composites).
BAGS: Dispersed custom framebag with a cutout for lifting the bike. Dispersed feeder bags. Down Under Down Tube Bag by Broadfork. MLD Ultra Poco panniers with Dispersed liner bags. Cedaero top tube bag. Pogies by yours truly.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I sent Andrew Strempke some sketches for an oversized compression sack and I couldn’t be happier with what he mailed back to me. I can pack my -60F Snowy Owl in less than five minutes. I’ll be wearing a lot of self-drafted and sewn gear and heavily customized pair of Vivobarefoot Tundras.

Carl Schiller

Age 45 / Milton, Otago (New Zealand)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: Custom ‘Australis Aurora’ titanium frame, rack and seatpost. C1.12 Pinion, offset fat cranks, 39T-39T sprockets, Gates CDX 158T belt. Ergon SMC core saddle, Trek Farley fork, Thomson 80mm stem, Whisky Scully Carbon 830mm bar. Nextie Xiphias 27.5 x 95mm rims, 4.5″ Cake Eaters rocking turquoise Billy Flamingo studs. Onyx rear and Son front hubs. Klite front and rear lights. TRP Spkye brakes, Yokozuna cable outers.
BAGS: Full suite of MYOG Challenge Ecopak bags, mostly bolt-on. Modified Revelate Designs Expedition Pogies (bar end plugs and extra trash pockets). Rear bag holds sleep and puffy gear, handlebar holds head and hands kit, fuel and stove in down tube bag, thermos, pot and food in frame bag, chain stay bag has spares and tools, seat stay bag is layers and spare Gates belt. Etrex 22x with Gaia back up.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I geeked pretty hard with this project, so stoked with it all. Now comes the true test! Loving my Brynje and Polartec alpha layers. A big thanks to my family who have supported/tolerated my musings, those who have answered all my questions (George, Troy and Guy) and to Bill and Sheryl for hosting me. Lastly, thanks to the Bruce Stewart Leadership Programme for supporting this experience.

Derrick Seys

Age 58 / Geneseo, Illinois (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: I’ll be riding a Corvus Rhino FLT with stock 27.5” Corvus 80mm alloy wheels Alaska hubs, carbon fork, and studded D5’s. SRAM Eagle grip shift GX mix and 28T up front. Time pedals, SQ labs dynamic saddle.
BAGS: Revelate Designs frame bag, Egress bar bag, and fuel tank for food, pump, and quick essentials. San Util narrow roll top panniers mounted to Corvus LCG rack for layers with -40F bag on top. Salsa fork mounts for stove and an DIY insulated Salsa EXP dry bag for hydro flask bottle. Cedaero bar mount devils kettle XL carries another hydro flask. Bar Yak extension to tuck the OR Bivy, accessories, and pad. ‘Roadie’ Seat pack for quick access to multi tools.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Smartwool 250 is my base layer system, misc layers, and wife zipped on a coyote ruff for brisk days coupled with OuterU face glove/ bala. 45NRTH Wolfgar boots, pogies, trousers, with intuition -C/-F 12mm liners. MSR Whisperlite International stove and Ti pot. I really love grabbing my straw top hydro flask with warm maple flavored fuel on winter rides. The bottles are adorned with stickers representing a lot of things and people that have supported me over the years.

Troy Szczurkowski

Daisy Hill, Brisbane (Australia)

ROUTE: ITI 1000
BIKE: Fatback Corvus FLT, DICE fork, HED 100 rims, Tune king/kong hubs, Pillar wing spokes and nips, 1st gen D5, 11 spd X01, NEXT SL cranks, XTR Trail pedals, weenied Spyre brakes, Protaper carbon 2020 bars, Ergon GS1 EVO grips, Syntace P6 post, ti bolts throughout—all custom built and winter ultra tuned at Area54.
BAGS: Revelate Designs 1st gen small Wweetroll/pocket/spocket, framebag, feedbags and large gas tank, Area54 custom built rear rack with 6 point mount, panniers, downtube bag and seatbag. Venom stretch and Liteskin used for the panniers and sleep system panels.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Sleep system attachment integration with the rear panniers for a rock solid connection and low/narrow profile.

Matt Tanaka

Age 66 / Anchorage, Alaska (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 1000
BIKE: The bike is a new Corvus Akio 2.0 by Greg Matyas of Speedway Cycles in Anchorage, Alaska. It has a carbon frame with 52T Sram Eagle XO cassette, SRAM XO derailleur, and 26T chainring. Brakes are one piston Hope hydraulic. Cranks are Race Face Era carbon for durability. Wheels are built of Nextie Xiphias 27.5 x 95 carbon, DT Swiss 350 rear hub, 350 6B-Disc front hub. They’re fitted with Dillinger 5 tubeless 120 tpi tires with 252 concave carbide tipped aluminum studs for the icy Iditarod Trail. They’re set in Fatty Strippers, to assure no sealant leaking when riding low pressure on the trail.
BAGS: Bolt mounted frame bag by Loam Equipment of Bellingham, WA. Panniers are N St Bags of Portland, OR. Top tube bags include the Revelate Nook Frame Bag and Mag-Tank 2000 feed bag. The grey stuff sack on the rear rack is a 43L pack liner. The handlebar is mounted with the Revelate Designs Pronghorn size small bag, wrapped with a foam sleeping pad.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Pogies are the new Revelate Expedition model. They seem to be quite warm and they carry a lot of stuff. The 26T chainring is essential for climbing the steep and punchy hills on the Iditarod Trail with a very heavy fully loaded bike. The Fatty Strippers have a 100% success rate at keeping tires from burping when running low air. But I’ll keep my fingers crossed this year.

Janice Tower

Age 63 / Anchorage, Alaska (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 1000
BIKE: Corvus Akio 2.0. XO Eagle 10-52T drivetrain, 26t chainring, Raceface ERA 165mm cranks, Hope hydraulic brakes, Nextie 95mm 27.5 carbon rims, 45Nrth Dillinger 5 tires, Loam Equipment frame bag that is big enough to actually carry something on a size small frame (thanks to the new, brilliantly innovative Akio 2.0 geometry), Time Atac MX6 pedals.
BAGS: Revelate Designs Expedition Pogies, Mag-Tank, Feedbags, Pronghorn, Egress Pocket. North St. Commuter Macro Panniers.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Since Nome is my goal this year, in addition to an emergency bivy, I’m bringing the Samaya Radical3, a French-designed 3-person mountaineering tent. It has ample room for two people and it sets up quickly with two carbon fiber poles. The tent sleeves are continuous and there’s a hard stop at one end, which means no more walking back and forth to keep the pole ends in the grommets. The whole tent weighs a scant two pounds. You need to take out a small mortgage for this tent, but you get what you pay for.

Jim Vreeland

Age 50 / Piscataway, New Jersey (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: OTSO Arctodus SS (Elsa).
BAGS: Hodgepodge of bags from Jpaks, Tailfin, and Revelate Designs.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Western Mountaineering 0-degree bag, Big Agnes 3-Wire Bivy, Therm-a-Rest Pad, SP Dyno hub with KLite system, Ignite Components (RIP) Crankset, 45NRTH Studded Dillinger5 tires, HED 100mm rims, 30x20T gearing.

Ryan Wanless

Age 46 / Sioux Falls, South Dakota (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 1000
BIKE: Salsa Mukluk, Nextie rims, Baryak cockpit.
BAGS: Dirt Bag framebag, Revelate Designs front and rear packs.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Powered by Ruby Coffee. -35 Rab sleeping bag stuffed in a J-Packs Big Easy bag #RideForward.

Aaron Wilbur

Age 34 / Fairbanks, Alaska (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: 2014 Fatback Corvus. SRAM 11-Speed XO1 with Gripshift and a 9-46T e13 cassette and a steel 28T chainring, Nextie 105mm rims with 26″ Dillinger 5 tires and DT Swiss hubs, and TRP Spyke Brakes with Tektro Carbon Eclipse brake levers for comfy fingers.
BAGS: Becker Designs frame bag, North St. Bags Micro Adventure Panniers on a Corvus LCG Rack, Mountain Laurel Designs Dry Bag in a Salsa Anything Cradle, and two Revelate Designs Feed Bags for Swedish Fish and Cheetos.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Dogwood Designs Poagies, Western Mountaineering Puma GWS Sleeping Bag, and an Osprey Katari 3 for an under-jacket hydration pack.

Lael Wilcox

Age 38 / Tucson, Arizona (USA)

ROUTE: ITI 350
BIKE: Corvus Akio 2.0 with SRAM components & Big Su Carbon 27.5 wheels.
BAGS: Revelate Designs framebag, panniers, pogies, feedbags, and magtank.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Rapha made me a cold weather kit. I sent the jacket to Suz, a custom furrier in Fairbanks, AK to add a wolf/wolverine ruff. I have a prototype pair of goggles from Roka with a magnet that will work with my Stratus face mask. I’m treating this race as a breathing test and hoping for the best.