Rigs of the 2026 Stagecoach 400

It’s mind-boggling to think that 2026 will mark the 15th anniversary of the Stagecoach 400. Not only is it California’s longest mountain bike route, but it also kicks off the bikepacking season in the American Southwest, offering perfect riding conditions. Of course, Mother Nature is a fickle beast, and it’s still not uncommon for riders to experience rain, snow, hail, and scorching daytime highs.

This year’s event follows a 365-mile loop that starts and ends in Idyllwild, California, featuring a mix of dirt doubletrack, sandy desert roads, technical singletrack, urban bike paths, and rolling tarmac. The route is a little shorter for 2026, and conditions are looking good, so there’s a chance we’ll see some blazing-fast finish times. As a fresh twist, organizer Meg Knobel is mixing things up with a scavenger-hunt element that lets riders earn points by visiting off-route points of interest. The fastest rider is not necessarily the winner.

With help from Meg and this year’s event participants, we gathered rig details for over 40 riders taking on the 2026 Stagecoach 400. Dig into the rigs below, then head over to the event page to follow along live. But first, here is a short introduction from Meg.

Manuel Alvelo

Age 34 / Lake Elsinore, California (USA)

BIKE: Esker Hayduke.
BAGS: Revelate Designs frame bag, feed bags, jerrycan. Rogue Panda top tube bag, Blue Ridge handlebar harness with MLD bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Trusty + crusty Patagonia Nano Puff, Safety pizza, Fenix headlamp, and bike lights.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 530.

Sam Appelbaum

Age 37 / Portland, Oregon (USA)

BIKE: I am riding the Stagecoach 400 on my 2021 Sklar PBJ. I built this bike with Shimano mechanical shifting, Paul brakes, HiFi hoops with Onyx and Son hubs, 2.6″ Mezcals, Old Man Mountain and Swood racks, an MRP Ribbon SL Rally fork (110mm), and a whole bunch of other fun bits and pieces. It’s a ripper.
BAGS: Swift Zeitgeist, San Util Designs panniers, top-tube, and stem bags, and a Rogue Panda frame bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Tried and tested, I’m excited to pedal this rig along some dope tracks in a beautiful part of our world.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura, perhaps a paper map or two! RWPGS routes backed up on my phone.

Jordan Armstrong

Age 45

BIKE: Ti Unicorn (that 34T is going away!).
BAGS: Rogue Panda and Ride Forward Designs.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Dispersed Bikepacking bivy and tarp, Industry Nine wheels and stem, Ergon saddle and grips, OMM Elkhorn rack.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura.

Gnar Nasty (Brandon Bettes)

Age 46 / Flagstaff, Arizona (USA)

BIKE: New for 2026 is my Revel Wayward Titanium frame featuring a fast and lightweight Nobl carbon TR32 wheel set wrapped in Maxxis 29 x 2.4″ Rekons. Doom custom-made Ti crossbar handlebars to get that posture upright and comfy, Paul stem clamp, One Up dropper and flat pedals, Cane Creek Hellbender bottom bracket & bar ends, Wolf Tooth seat clamp, headset, and fatty foam grips, XT Deore cranks pushing 32x19T Surly single speed gearing to keep the speed on the flats. Fox Performance 34’s keeping it squishy up front.
BAGS: Frame bag and top tube bag are custom-made by me, consisting of Gore-Tex camo and black Cordura. The rear rack dry bag sitting on the Mica Rat Tail is also Gore-Tex that features double-end entry. Easy, quick access, baby! Pack2Ride feedbags off the bars are so legit for keeping the snacks readily available.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: As per usual, going light with a Tyvek ground sheet, OR helium bivy, maybe a foam pad?? Always rocking my Kahtoola gaiters to keep the rocks out. A couple of Niterider Lumina lights clamped to the Profile aero bars to light up the night. Profile bars clamped to my beloved Fred Bar. Botched Dragonfly’s mounted to the frame to carry some sugary H2O.
GPS DEVICE: COROS Dura.

Patrick Casteel

Age 31 / San Diego, California (USA)

BIKE: ‘91 Raleigh Technium Chill. Original Shimano Deore shifting 2×7. With 28/40T on the cranks and a 13-42T on the rear. Equipped with a blown-out RockShox Indy fork. The bike has been built with almost all eBay parts.
BAGS: Rogue Panda frame bag (custom made for someone else, I found it on eBay and it fits oh so well), Rogue Panda gila dry bag on the bars holding my sleep kit, Outer Shell roll top saddle bag, two stem bags from Bags Made By Bears, and the Restrap Hydration Race vest.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: SOL Escape bivy, Big Agnes Rapide SL pad, and my old Sierra Designs Backcountry Bed 20 with *most of its filling still in it. Fenix BC26R on the front, Fenix HM62-T on the helmet, and a Fenix BC05R V2.0 on the rear.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura and a Spot gen4.

Adam Cordi

Age 35 / Cardiff, California (USA)

BIKE: Specialized Epic Hardtail frame built with drop bars, a 40T chainring paired with a 10-52T cassette and Transmission derailleur, a pair of carbon wheels, fresh 2.4″ Dubnital tires, a 100mm suspension fork with a dropper post for when the trail gets rowdy, and clip on aero bars for when the trail/pavement is the opposite of rowdy because…why not!?
BAGS: Rogue Panda top tube and frame bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My setup is fairly straightforward and simple by design. I’m keeping things light and airy after bringing entirely too much gear on a previous expedition. For hydration, the frame-mounted water bottles hold 1.5L, a small pack on my back fits 2L, and, in the desert, I’ll rely on a stowaway emergency 3L bladder. The top tube bag hosts my in-ride food and entertainment, while the frame bag contains a service kit, spare clothes, warm clothes, extra batteries, and sleep gear that may or may not be used sparingly. Speaking of sleeping, my nights will be illuminated by a pair of Nitecore headlamps, one mounted to my bike and the other to my head.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 840 computer with a Fenix 6 watch and inReach as backups.

Courtney Currier

Age 34 / Redwood City, California (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be under-biking on Pearl, my Crust Bombora with ENVE fork. I’m running fresh 2.2″ Maxxis Ikon tires and 30T x 11-52T gearing.
BAGS: Swift Ollie Pack, Rogue Panda Alamo, and my beloved custom frame bag made by my pal Sammy Jordan.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: An absolute unit, my Exposure six pack (+ joystick on the helmet) will keep the trail well-lit during those cool nighttime hours.
GPS DEVICE: Ole reliable: Garmin Edge 530.

Sammy Crane-Solis

Age 40 / Vista, California (USA)

BIKE: Trek Procaliber with new brakes and drivetrain, Spinergy wheels, Maxxis Ikon 2.35″ tires.
BAGS: Homemade: frame bag, fanny pack, small front bag, seat tube bag. Oveja Negra top tube bag, and Rockgeist seat bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My top tube bag carrying my sour gummy worms. They will keep me going.
GPS DEVICE: Wahoo Roam.

Sam Dutson

Age 34 / San Diego, California (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be adventuring on my secondhand Viral Dérive hardtail with a Pinion C1.12 belt drive. I’ve got a Fox 34 120mm fork up front, lights and charging with a Son 28 dynamo hub/kLite system, Logos Eudae/We Are One Union wheels, Doom bars with PRO Missile aero bars, Brooks B17 saddle, and a Redshift suspension seatpost. This beast is sturdy.
BAGS: Combination of Tailfin, Oveja Negra, and Rogue Panda.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Love the Botched Bikes dragonfly bottle adapter, and I’m excited to put some miles on the Rogue Panda Bamboo Shoots (not pictured)!
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura.

Emily Elliott

Age 40 / Redlands, California (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding a consecutive 5th Stagecoach 400 on my trusty workhorse, a 2016 Quiring ti 29+ hardtail, this time running a singlespeed set up (30x21T thanks to the Squid Oner eccentric BB) on 2.4” Maxxis Rekons.
BAGS: Rockgiest frame bag, Dispersed TT and rack bags, Atwater feed bags. USWE 2.5L hip pack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Son Dynamo and Klite charger and front/rear lights. Fenix helmet light. All the modular layers for whatever the weather brings. Xero hiking boots for happy feet. 6L+ water capacity.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura.

Jonathan Fitz

Age 39 / Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA)

BIKE: Esker Hayduke with 12 gears and I9 wheels with 2.6” Mezcals for speed and sand. Shout-out to Bryan at Two Wheel Drive for the quick turnaround on fixing my bent-up derailleur from Doom.
BAGS: Assorted bags from Rogue Panda, Dispersed, South City Stitchworks, Tailfin, and Revelate Designs.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Dispersed top tube bag always surprises me with how many snacks it can hold, a modified Tumbleweed T-rack to get the dry bag lower and out of the way of the dropper with Widefoot cages to carry extra water for the desert.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 530.

Tanner Frady

Age 35 / Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (USA)

BIKE: Otso Fenrir stainless with a SID Ultimate fork. 34x19T gearing. Son 28 dynamo up front powering a Sinewave Beacon. Maxxis Rekon Race 2.4″ front and rear.
BAGS: South City Stitchworks frame bag, full top tube bag, stem bags, and handlebar bag. Oveja Negra Gearjammer saddle bag. Millet hydration vest.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Sunscreen! DOOM bell.
GPS DEVICE: Wahoo ELMNT ROAM v2.

Andrew Hughes

Lake Arrowhead, California (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding on the Stagecoach 400 on a 2018 Specialized Epic HT. The bike features a new pair of Vittoria Mezcal 2.25” tires, a 1×12 drivetrain with a 30T chainring, DT Swiss EXC 1200, Redshift Kitchen sink handlebars, and a Fred bar with profile design aerobars.
BAGS: I am using a mixture of bag brands, including a custom Rogue Panda full frame bag, Tailfin top tube bag, a link front bag from REI, as well as some others.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: A Nemo Equipment Hornet Osmo tent will serve as my shelter along with a Nemo Tensor sleeping pad, and a Nemo Disco sleeping bag. I’ll also be carrying a Garmin InReach Mini for tracking.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin 1040 Solar.

Aaron Johnson

Age 41 / Truckee, California (USA)

BIKE: Chumba Sendero Ti singlespeed. 32x20T gearing. Maxxis Rekon Race 2.4″ in front, Ikon 2.6″ in rear.
BAGS: Frame and top tube bags from Dispersed, Revelate Designs Shrew seat bag, small bar bag from Andrew the Maker, and a Revelate Designs Feed Bag. Also wearing a Salomon running vest.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Just enough sleep kit to stay comfy for a few hours of rest. Dynamo hub to power the night. 5L water capacity.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 1040 Solar.

Sam Johnstone

Age 70 / Julian, California (USA)

BIKE: My Rig for SC400.. making it’s 8th start begins with a 2012 Motobecane ti 29er. 2×12 drivetrain with a 26/36T rings up front paired to a 10-45T cassette. Pedaling Innovation flats for power and Merrell hiking shoes. Rolling on hand built carbon wheels built up by Brendan Collier. Sneakers are Terravail Ehline 2.3’s. Ergon seat.
BAGS: Salsa cradle holds a 13L dry sack for my minimalist sleep kit. Oveja Negra Seat Bag carries my clothes. Frame bag also by Oveja Negra holds tool kit, tube, various snacks, extra water for desert, and electronics.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Top tube bag is a special place for my wallet so I don’t lose it this time!
GPS DEVICE: GPS unit is a Coros Dura which I hope will keep me on track unless I get “in the zone”.

Jerome Lacote

Age 50 / Carlsbad, California (USA)

BIKE: This year, I’ll be riding a drop-bar Salsa Cutthroat with a SID fork, shifting with a mix of Shimano GRX and XTR Di2 wireless with some auxiliary brake levers (so I can brake and shift with my hands on the flats). I also have a PNW dropper/suspension post. I’ll be rolling on Mezcal 2.3″ tires. I have an overkill Enve AM30 rim on the back and a Dblakk rim on the front.
BAGS: My friend at PratsPacks in Ukraine (Etsy) made a frame bag and a top tube bag, and I have a 13L Sea to Summit dry bag mounted to a nifty Aeroe Spider rear rack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Not sure yet if I’ll carry my favorite REI Magna 30 sleeping bag or rely only on an emergency bivy, but I’ll make sure to bring my Specialized down jacket, Tyvek ground sheet, and a small foam pad. I’ll also run an iGPSPORT radar/rear taillight for safety on road sections. I have an electric pump and some sensor valves to optimize tire PSI for the sand and the road.
GPS DEVICE: Somewhat trusty Garmin Edge 530, it has been fixed multiple times with some JB weld, but I really don’t need colors or a touchscreen.

Jackson Long

Age 32 / Hailey, Idaho (USA)

BIKE: Custom Alliance titanium hardtail welded here in Hailey. Built with a Shimano XTR mechanical drivetrain, FOX 34 step cast fork, HUNT Proven XC Dynamo wheelset, Vittoria Mezcal/Peyote 2.4″ tire combo, and plenty of purple Wolf Tooth Components bits.
BAGS: Going minimalist for this one with a Rockgeist partial frame bag, Apidura top tube bag, and a small dry bag for my slimmed down sleep kit. Top-tube-mounted tool caddy for repair kit. Salomon running vest with a 2L bladder plus 2 x 1L bottles should keep me hydrated through the desert.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Running a Klite dynamo lighting/charging system for maximal efficiency, a freshly waxed chain courtesy of Silca, and will carry along a small film camera to capture the landscapes. Fred Again.. DJ sets to keep morale high.
GPS DEVICE: COROS Dura.

Rawley Macias

Age 42 / Escondido, California (USA)

BIKE: For the 2026 Stagecoach 400, I’ll be riding my proven seven-year-old gravel bike, set up with 650b wheels and 2.2” tires. It has a 1x drivetrain with a 38T chainring paired to a 10-52T cassette, a 40mm suspension fork, and clip-on aero bars.
BAGS: My food, power banks, tools, spare parts, and extra clothing layers will be carried in a set of ALMSTHRE bags, including a top tube bag, frame bag, and stem-mounted feed bags. My sleep kit will be stored in a seatpost-mounted seat pack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’m running battery-powered bike and helmet lights instead of a hub system, with enough capacity for about 24 hours of runtime. The bike’s total onboard water capacity is 4L, with an additional 2L carried on my back.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin head unit and inReach device.

Sean Martin

Age 46 / Los Angeles, California (USA)

BIKE: Cervelo ZHT-5 Fox and Raceface bits dipped in Gold, SRAM Eagle GX, Maxxis rubbers.
BAGS: Mix of Apidura and Outershell, with a USWE Hydrovest.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: SP Dynamo (for charging things) laced to an Easton Arc OS25 paired with a mix of Klite, Outbound, and Exposure lights for the dark! Carrying a little bit of my mom and dad’s ashes for good luck. SOL bivy
GPS DEVICE: Wahoo Ace.

Robbie McCarthy

Age 36 / San Diego, California (USA)

BIKE: My BARF Single Racketeer (1994 Trek Singletrack SHX) is hand-painted by my friends; looking at it brings me so much love and support that it feels like cheating. RockShox Mag21 off my partner’s bike, Velo Orange Crazy Bars 2.0, Rene Herse Endurance+ 26 x 2.3″, Cues 10-speed, 32T with 11-48T in the rear. Also, Lachlan Morton gave it a thumbs up at Rock Cobbler.
BAGS: The custom Lego-themed frame bag from Izzy at Bolas No Bombas is a storage dream come true, while Revelate front and rear bags hold the tent and extra clothes. Feed bags from Luis at BorderBags and Oveja Negra help me stay clear of hanger, and my mom’s fishing dry bag keeps the air mattress and down sleeping quilt safe.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Adventure Hydration’s 3L CrankTank is a game changer for when every drop of water matters. Chuck at Adams Ave Bikes laced a Son28 dynamo that pairs beautifully with a Sinewave Beacon2 for charging and lighting, and a Fenix helmet lamp keeps trails and campsites lit up nicely.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin 530 and other riders’ tire tracks for navigation.

Taylor Mihelic

Age 32 / San Luis Obispo, California (USA)

BIKE: Santa Cruz Highball, SID Select+ 120mm fork, SRAM XX/XO drivetrain, well-loved Brooks saddle, Specialized Fast Trak 2.4″ tires.
BAGS: Dispersed frame bag and handlebar roll, Tailfin CargoPack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: SON dynamo hub and Sinewave light.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 540.

Sepie Moinipanah

Age 39 / Portland, Oregon (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding the Stagecoach 400 on a Breadwinner JB Racer. Given the terrain we’ll encounter on this route, I’ll have my 2022 Fox 34 Factory Step-Cast (120mm) fork for some suspension. The bike is configured with a 30t chainring up front and a 10-52T cassette in the rear. I’ve got my trusty Vittoria Mezcal 29 x 2.25” tires in the rear and Vittoria Barzo 29 x 2.35” tires up front.
BAGS: I’m running a variety of bags from the usual suspects like Rockgeist, Rogue Panda, and Old Man Mountain. The ones I’ve chosen for this event are as follows, from the front to the rear. Front/Fork/Cockpit: Rogue Panda Gila Dry Bag (16L), Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Harness, a pair of Rockgeist Honeybox Feedbags, Rockgeist Space Link, a pair of Old Man Mountain Axle Packs with King Cage Iris Cages. Frame/Top Tube: Rockgeist Full Frame Bag, Rogue Panda Catalina Full-Length Top Tube Bag. Rear: A pair of Old Man Mountain Hemlock Bags (5L) with FLIP Cages, Old Man Mountain Atlas Rack Pack (12L), supported by an Old Man Mountain Elkhorn Rack. Miscellaneous: Restrap Rolltop Hydration Vest (not pictured) with a Hydrapak Velocity (2L) bladder
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: SON28 dynamo hub with dynamo-powered lights (SON, Sinewave Beacon 2.0), cable-actuated drivetrain (SRAM Eagle GX, Madrone Jab), and OneUp V3 180mm dropper post. No batteries, no problems. Shoutout to Ira Ryan for some last-minute work to add rear light and dropper routing for me. And a special thanks to the wonderful team at Cyclepath for wrenching on my bike when and where I needed help.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 1040 Solar, Garmin inReach Mini 2, Garmin Varia RearVue 820.

Daniel Nickel

Age 42 / San Jose, California (USA)

BIKE: I’m riding my Lynskey Ridgeline 29 again this year. Drivetrain is all Shimano, with a mix of XT and SLX, 170mm cranks with a 30T in front matched to a 10-51T in the back. SP Dynamo and Hydra hubs on We Are One rims built by Dave’s Wheels. I’m running Vittoria Barzo 2.35″ tires, which I still wish were wider.
BAGS: Tailfin front and rear, Revelate Designs frame, JPaks top tube bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I prefer bottles on the bike, so the Old Man Mountain Axel Packs have been a great addition.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura.

Ian Nomura

Age 43 / Pasadena, California (USA)

BIKE: Fustle Causeway GR1, name: G.G. (Grimey Green), GRX 820 40/10-51T, 29 x 2.0″ Race King rear 2.2″ Dubnital front, Baby Legs Frame Bag, Magicshine Monteer 12000.
BAGS: Restrap Race Saddle Bag, Lead Out! Mini Bar Bag, Outer Shell Top Tube Bags, Osprey Ultralight Dry Stuff Pack (maybe).
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Embarrassed to say I haven’t quite sorted that out yet, but if I end up taking my Sony XB-13 speakers, they will keep the stoke high riding through the night. If not, getting out of the bib into some board shorts will be really nice while trudging through the desert on day two.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura.

Scott Petrie

Age 39 / Vantramp (USA)

BIKE: For Stagecoach, I’m resurrecting my cracked Why Cycles Wayward V1 with an old and tired Pike fork. Tires are Rekon 2.4″ front, Ardent 2.25″ rear, both used and cheap from Boulder Sports Recycler. SRAM GX Transmission with Force AXS levers, XO powermeter cranks, and a 34T chainring. Hunt XC Race wheels with a SON Dynamo laced up front. Redshift Topshelf bars, and carbon aero bars with wired Clics on the tips for super aero shifting. Old Man Mountain Elkhorn rack out back.
BAGS: As always, an amalgamation. A used to be more purple Rockgeist frame bag, a Restrap top tube bag, feed/stem bags from Bags Made By Bears, a mini Niner top tube bag repurposed for the down tube, and an Old Man Mountain Atlas 9L rack pack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: An Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20-degree quilt, Nemo all-season pad, and Sol bivy for sleeping. Klite headlight and a Niteize headlamp for seeing.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura.

Alex Schultz

Age 32 / Tucson, Arizona (USA)

BIKE: Revel El Jefe. Shimano 1×12 with 32T ring.
BAGS: Morrow custom frame/top tube. Old Man Mountain rear rack/bag system.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Super stoked on the Exposure Sixx Pack light.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura.

Gregory Ruben Shoats

Age 68 / Palmdale, California (USA)

BIKE: Axum Comp X. This will be my second time riding this bike on the Stagecoach. I have an 11-50T cassette with a 44-32-22T crank.
BAGS: Urban Desert 8pc Camo bikepacking set.

Sarah Snow

Age 26 / San Francisco, California (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding Stagecoach on my steel 2026 Neuhaus Hummingbird hardtail. I’m using Old Man Mountain fork mount adapters and FLiP cages. I’ve also got a BarYak expedition with carbon bar ends and phone/GPS mounting. I might end up running my Tumbleweed T-Rack for extra food and water capacity.
BAGS: Made my own frame bag! My other bags are from Fish Ski Designs, Blue Lug, Arkel, and Oveja Negra. I’ll be wearing a hydration vest from San Util Designs.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Bought a used MSR bivy and Integral Designs tarp that I’ll be using with my XTherm MAX sleeping pad and 45° Ember down quilt. Sun hoodie and gloves stay on the whole time! Gnuhr wool shag sweater for when it gets cold and my Crocs for everything in between.
GPS DEVICE: I have my Garmin 1040 Solar, my phone, and my Garmin InReach for navigation and communication.

Taco

Age 40 / San Gabriel Mountains, California (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be moving at an athletic-casual pace on Kiang, my Curve GMX+ Ti. Built it with Growtac Equals with 200mm Hope floaters, Jagwire Elite Link housings (Bones), Extralite Ultralevers 3’s, SLX 11-speed drivetrain with friction shifter, carbon Renthal riser bars with Ergon grips, Brooks women’s B17 on a Niner carbon post, MKS quick detach Beartrap pedals (priceless for HAB), Sinewave Beacon 2, Bontrager Line Pro 40 28h carbon rims with SON28 front + DT Swiss 350 rear, Sapim Race spokes, brass nipples, and Mezcal 29 x 2.6″ tires.
BAGS: Tribulus Endover front bag (holla), huge Rockgeist framebag, Apidura buttbag, Fairweather stem bags, Revelate 2L Magtank.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: 40° down bag in a Tyvek bivy with Klymit Inertia O Zone pad, GooseFeet Gear down booties for comfyzeit, and of course Mountain Man Archie hangin’ off the front bag.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura, and the stars in the desert.

Tim Tait

Age 42 / Nucla, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: Esker Hayduke, Eagle 12-speed, Noble wheels, Klite and Fox fork.
BAGS: Dispersed frame bag, full top tube, and rear rack bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: AXS blips for maximum laziness.

Jeff Taylor

Age 62 / Haute Cabin, Vermont (USA)

BIKE: Bingham Built Nomad, SRAM GX Transmission drivetrain 30T 10-52T, Revel brakes with 180 rotors. NOX Teocalli rims laced to a Chris King rear hub and Son Dynamo. Vittoria Mezcal, Trail casing 2.4″ front and back. RockShox SID Ultimate 2 Raceday fork, Cane Creek ee Silk suspension seat post, and Berthoud saddle for comfort. Ritchey Comp Beacon XL handlebar with Farr clip-on aero bar.
BAGS: Tailfin and some amazing handcrafted bags by Joe at JPAKS. Velocio hydration vest. 6L water portage capacity.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Sleep system consists of a Sea to Summit Spark 50 degree bag, Borah lightweight bivy, and Mountain Hardware Ghost whisperer UL hoody. Exposure Sixpack front light and Joy Stick on the helmet. 5000 AH supplemental battery.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura.

Liz Thompson

Age 40 / Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA)

BIKE: I will be riding Stagecoach on my tried and true Esker Hayduke Ti! I have Perseverance Adventure Handlebars from Wren Sports with built-in aero bars. Absolute Black 28T oval chain ring, and Vittoria Mezcal 2.6″ tires to keep me rollin’ and rollin’ through the sand.
BAGS: I have a top tube bag from Zach at South City Stitchworks, as well as a frame bag made by Buckhorn Bags. My snack bags are from Ghost Cat Bags, and I will be using a handlebar bag from either Tribulus Limited or San Util; I haven’t decided yet! Will also use my Tumbleweed rear rack to carry a MLD dry bag with my sleep kit, and I’ll have a 64-oz Klean Kanteen water bottle on my downtube.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: MLD Soul bivy and my Doom bell.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge Explore 2.

Timur Tusiray

Age 37 / Goleta, California (USA)

BIKE: I will be riding my 2022 Salsa Fargo with Teravail Honcho 2.4″ tires and a Fox 32 Step-Cast suspension fork.
BAGS: A true hodge podge of Revelate Designs, Oveja Negra, REI, and ALMSTHRE. I will also be wearing a Katari 3 Osprey Hydration pack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: This is almost the identical setup I had for this ride in my ill-fated 2023 attempt during the infamous snow year. Riding for redemption this year. Also, Nerds clusters.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 540 Solar.

Shelly Peppe-Nani

BIKE: Giant XTC hardtail.
BAGS: My favorite new bag is the Rogue Panda Ripsey, perfect for a small bike like mine!
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: All my other bags are Revelate Designs, and they have been working hard for me for 10+ years! I did add the lightweight feedback to the mix, and it is pretty cool.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin InReach is tracking my slog.

Jacob Del Ponte

Age 33 / Edwards, California (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding the old faithful, a Surly Krampus. Kitted out with a mix of Shimano XT and XTR components, and a WolfTooth 28T chainring. Hunt Proven Carbon wheels laced with Vittoria Mezcals. Redshift aerobars are mounted on a Fred Bar, and an Exposure Light will light up the night.
BAGS: Tailfin front to back. I use the downtube bag for all my repair kit- typically go overboard on this, but I’d rather have more than not enough. Tailfin Long Top tube bag and wedge bag are where most of the food goes. Tailfin cargo pack for sleep kit and clothes. The Adventure Hydration water reservoir sits nice and low in the frame for carrying water.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My sleep system. I pair a Borah Gear bivy with a Thermarest NeoAir pad and an Enlightened Equipment quilt.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 1040.

Jean-Francois Vidon

Age 49 / San Diego, California (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding the Stagecoach 400 on a 2024 Salsa Cutthroat. The bike features Vittoria Mezcal 2.6″ tire front and 2.35″ tires back on Hunt 30mm internal rims, a SRAM Eagle 1×12 drivetrain with a 32T chainring and a 10-52T cassette, a dropper post and Garmin power pedals (to keep it slow).
BAGS: The centerpiece of my bag setup is a Tailfin Aeropack with a Mini-Pannier and a bottle holder. I am also running a Salsa Framebag and a front fork mount for another 1.5L bottle.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: For the rest in between long days on the saddle, I opted for a Big Agnes Fly Creek tent and an Outdoor Vital sleeping bag.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 1040.

Justin Voorhees

Age 35 / Lemon Grove, California (USA)

BIKE: Otso Fenrir stainless (2025), Enve MTN fork, M60 wheels, 180mm disc F/R, 29 x 2.2″ tires.
BAGS: Outershell + Ghost Cat (RIP) gas tank.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: 2x48oz to freedom, packing tape.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura.

Rich Wessels

Age 43 / Driggs, Idaho (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding my trusty 2016 Salsa Deadwood, rocking a fresh rebuild after 10 years of adventures. The drivetrain is SRAM Force 1 shifter with Ratio 12-speed conversion, White Industries M30 crank with 30T chainring, e13 9-52T cassette, and a Madrone Jab derailleur. Wheels are custom-built by Wheel Wranglers (in Jackson, WY) and feature White Industry hubs, Light Bicycle carbon hoops, and 2.4 Continental Dubnital tires. Cockpit highlights include a Redshift suspension stem, Aero bars, Ritchey Logic Beacon XL handlebar, Redshift ShockStop Race Pro seatpost, and an Ergon SM Pro saddle.
BAGS: A Twisted T-Bar from Haute Bicycle Co. to keep my front bag stable when I’m not running a cradle and dry bag. A Gordito Grande top tube bag and custom frame bag from Rouge Panda. The Frame bag holds a 3L Apidura bladder in the lower compartment. A Gearjammer Seat bag from Oveja Negra and old Front pocket and feed bags from Wanderlust.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: All of it, the bike is the most dialed it’s ever been. I hate to admit it, but I’m getting soft, and I’m really enjoying the ShockStop products from Redshift. If the forecast doesn’t change, I’ve got a minimalist 21oz sleep kit that consists of a SOL Escape Bivy, Nemo Tensor Elite short pad, Sea to Summit pillow, and putting on every piece of clothing I have with me. I hope I don’t regret this.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge 1040 Solar with GAIA GPS on my phone as a backup.

Richard Wolf

Age 74 / Julian, California (USA)

BIKE: 2009 Motobecane Titanium hardtail that I rode in the inaugural 2012 Stagecoach 400. 2.6″ Schwalbe Wicked Willy up front and a 2.35″ Victoria Barzo out back. Rolls well and should help in the desert sand washes. Mary bars and Ergon grips, with a Thudbuster seatpost, topped off with a Brooks B-17 saddle. Cheap Topeak rear clamp on rack with a self-tapping screw through the clamp into the seat post to keep it from twisting. Manitou Markhor front suspension fork with water bottle cages taped and ziptied to each leg of the fork for the long desert stretches. 2×9 gearing with an 11-speed chain. Flat pedals with hiking shoes. Two water bottle cages in the main triangle.
BAGS: Bedrock front roll for clothes and tools with a no-name front pack for food stuff. Two Bedrock Tapeat bags for copious amounts of cash, credit cards, lip balm, sunscreen, charging banks, and cords. A cheap dry bag holds my sleep kit with a bag, bivy, air pad, and blow-up pillow. Sadly, I’m leaving my beloved Helinox camp chair behind. Small, cheap REI lightweight backpack for extra items.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Nothing special, however, depending on weather, I may swap bivy for my Tarptent Notch tent and perhaps a warmer sleeping bag. Will ride with shorts and pants with no pad. At my age, I always carry a few extra Depends!
GPS DEVICE: I just purchased a Coros Dura GPS, but will also have my iPhone loaded with the Ride with GPS app as a backup. Shockwave bone conductive headset for those long, lonely hours at the back of the pack with my old phart curated playlist!

Geoffrey Wong

Age 35 / Costa Mesa, California (USA)

BIKE: Specialized Epic WC. Single Speed 32x20T Wheels MFG for the sick conversion kit. Maxxis Rekon Race 2.35”.
BAGS: Apline Camo to hide in the snow. Witslingers Top tube / Framebag. Skingrowsback saddle bag. Skingrowsback handlebar bag
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Borah bivy, Sea to Summit Spark II for sleep kit. GRIN.27 kit for the armor. Mini boombox to keep the stoke going. Vision aerobars.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura all the way.

Kara Woolgar

Age 43 / Mesa, Arizona (USA)

BIKE: XS Pivot Les hardtail with Vittoria Syerra 2.35″ tires and 28T oval chainring. Terry Topo saddle. 120mm RockShox SID Ultimate fork. 155mm 5dev cranks. Crank Brothers Stamp small pedals.
BAGS: Rogue Panda Ripsey seat bag. This bag is amazing on XS bikes. I still can use my dropper post and get about 75mm drop, which is amazing. Rogue Panda frame bag and full-length top tube bag. Revelate Designs feed bags and Pronghorn handlebar harness.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Fenix BC26R lights. Loving my Shokz headphones to keep me entertained! My sleep kit includes a Tyvek ground cloth, UGQ 950 Down 30F quilt, and Nemo Tensor Elite pad. I will be rocking flat pedals and Danner hiking shoes. Water Capacity 6L, which includes 4L on my bike and an additional 2L in my backpack for the desert sections.
GPS DEVICE: Coros Dura.

Drew Zoghby

Age 26 / Sunnyvale, California (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding a 2023 Esker Japhy. Fitted with a Shimano 1×12 drivetrain, 10-51T cassette, and a 30T chainring. This is paired with 2.4″ Vittoria Mezcals on 35mm internal width alloy rims. Profile Design aerobars are bolted on up front.
BAGS: Two Rogue Panda top tube bags and a homemade set of feedbags on the aerobars provide ample storage for all-day snacking. A dry bag up front and a DIY trunkbag on the OMM Elkhorn in the back. The frame bag is also homemade. Cargo cages on the downtube and rack holding Nalgene bottles for some extra water capacity
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: A hydration bladder in the frame bag paired with an extra-long straw is great for staying hydrated while riding. The aerobars are also a game-changer for all-day comfort on the bike.
GPS DEVICE: Garmin Edge Explore 2.