Rigs of the 2025 Dark Divide

The Dark Divide is a 300-mile mixed-terrain cycling route that traverses the expansive ancestral lands of the Squaxin Island Tribe, Nisqually Tribe of Indians, Cowlitz Indian Tribe, and Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, through what is known commonly as southern Cascade Mountain Range in Washington State, which is encapsulated in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The route begins in Olympia, Washington, on the territory of the Steh-Chass band of the Squaxin Island Tribe, overlooking the southern tip of the Salish Sea, and heads southeast into the Cascadian hinterlands via the Elbe Hills State Forest. It then leads riders deep into the backcountry through a combination of unmaintained and forgotten forest roads and seldom-traveled scenic byways until reaching the Dark Divide Roadless Area, one of the most rugged and beautiful landscapes on the continent.

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With its third official grand depart this year, the Dark Divide is quickly becoming one of the “must-ride” races in the Pacific Northwest. Having already been the subject of a documentary, race director Ben Everett’s dedication to making both a great route and a race that prioritizes the involvement of those who are underserved in the bikepacking community is something to marvel at. Setting off at 7 a.m. tomorrow, 50 brave souls will attempt to finish this brutal course. With Ben’s help, we collected rig photos and details for around half of the participants. Dig into their setups below, and follow all the action here.

Connor Azzarello

Age 26 / Seattle, Washington (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding my Fairlight Secan 3.0 set up with custom-built carbon wheels laced to a SON dynamo up front and an Industry Nine Hydra hub in the rear. For tires, I’m running Continental Race King Protection 2.2,” which have proven reliable and fast over countless miles. The drivetrain is Eagle AXS with a 10–52T cassette, and I’ll likely go with a 34t chainring up front to stay comfortable on the climbs. For lighting, I’ve got a Sinewave Beacon v2 in the front and the new Sinewave rear dynamo light in the back. I recently switched to 42cm Ritchey Beacon bars after my FSA carbon bars snapped when I dropped the bike during my last ultra, just hours after taking the photo you see here.

BAGS: The core of my setup is the Tailfin Carbon Aeropack Cargo with a pair of 5L mini panniers. I’m also using Tailfin’s 5.3L frame bag, 2.2L long top tube bag, and a downtube cage pack. Up front, I’ve mounted a Revelate Pitchfork to the aero bars.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Depending on the weather, I’ll either be sleeping in an REI bivy or the Durston X-Mid Pro 1P with carbon poles. My sleep setup includes a Sea to Summit XR pad, a Hammock Gear 40º quilt, and a Sea to Summit ultralight pillow. A good night’s sleep is worth the weight.

AJ Berning

Age 33 / Seattle, Washington (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding my Karate Monkey drop-bar conversion (using Ratio Tech for shifter and dropper) with a Lauf TR Boost fork. The drivetrain is a 32T oval chainring paired to a 10-52T GX RD/cassette, with some 29 x 2.25” Mezcals on a Hunt dynamo wheelset, with kLite front and rear lights. A Cyclewerks double bottle cage adapter allows for a full frame bag while retaining bottle access.

BAGS: Revelate Pronghorn/Egress held stable by a Swood Twisted T-rack, Revelate Polecat (strapped to the downtube), Tailfin top tube bag, LOAM custom frame bag, and a Sea to Summit dry bag on a Mica Rat Tail rack. An Apidura packable musette provides overflow storage for larger resupplies.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Enlightened Equipment Recon bivy, Borah 7×9 tarp, Katabatic 40 deg quilt, and a NeoAir XLite pad makes for a comfy, compact shelter. A between-the-arms bear spray mount and a Varia radar help improve safety during the event. A Petzl express sling as a carry handle should help a bit with the Juniper Ridge hike-a-bike. Coros Dura on the handlebars and an Edge 540 as backup.

Becca Book

Age 36 / Seattle, Washington (USA)

BIKE: Otso Waheela C, HiFi wheels, Rene Herse Fleecer Ridge 55mm tires (endurance casing), kLite Dynamo light.

BAGS: Custom LOAM equipment frame bag, Wolf Tooth B-Rad mount and bag on the down tube, Revelate Shrew seat pack, Tailfin 1.5 L flip top tube bag.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: In-line ware filtration for quick resupplies and a Vis 360 helmet light that has served me well on many adventures!

Joe Bush

Age 31 / Seattle, Washington (USA)

BIKE: I’m going to see what the route is like on my Orbea Alma this time compared to my gravel bike in 2023. RockShox SID SL 100mm fork, 2.4″ Vittoria Mezcal/Peyote tires, SRAM Transmission 32 x 10-52T gearing, some inner bar ends, and blips.

BAGS: Apidura 4L frame and 2L top tube bag, Tailfin 3L downtube bag, and 2.5L water capacity in bottles.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Bottle full of pure maple syrup on the start line like always.

Caitlin Cloonan

Age 30 / Seattle, Washington (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be racing the Dark Divide on my 2019 Kona Major Jake frame with a carbon Jamis Renegade fork, a DT Swiss wheelset with a Vittoria Terreno 45c tire on the front and a Terreno 40c on the back. SRAM Force 1 mechanical 1×11 drivetrain with a 40T Wolf Tooth chainring, a 9-42T cassette, and SRAM Force hydraulic brakes. Shoutout to the boys at The Polka Dot Jersey for countless hours of troubleshooting this dream bike project with me!

BAGS: I’ll be using a Revelate designs pronghorn handlebar bag, two feed bags, a Terrapin 14L seat bag, and 2 Polecats on the fork attached with Widefoot cargo mounts. My top tube bag is custom made by my dear friend Amelia!

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My sleep system is an Outdoor Research Alpine bivvy with a Therm-A-Rest Neoair All Season pad and a super lightweight little down quilt from Costco. Trail runners for hike-a-bike downed-log-scaling shenanigans. Fenix BC26R headlight and a Coros Dura for navigating at all hours. Charli XCX and Troye Sivan in my ears for the big climbs!

Howard Cohen

Age 66 / Hood River, Oregon (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding (not racing) the Dark Divide 300 on a 2023 Otso Warakin Stainless. The bike’s running Teravails with a Durable Rutland in the back for traction and a Cannonball in the front, a Shimano GRX 2×11 drivetrain with a 32-46T chainring and a modified 11-42T cassette, an old Rockshox suspension seat post and a WTB Valcon Saddle that will smooth out the bumps. The RockBros double handlebar extender holds my Niterider light and phone.

BAGS: I use the super durable Revelate Frame bag, Mag Tank 2000 top tube bag, and Mountain Feedbag to carry my easy to reach items including the essential Suluk 46 camping towel. I use an Ortlieb Seatbag for my extra food, clothes, first aid kit and tent, a Revelate Handlebar Harness for sleeping gear and a Polecat fork bag for my meals and cook gear. I carry three bottles including a Hydrapak Breakaway and water filter on my fork with a Tailfin Cargo Cages.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: A Six Moon Designs Skyscape Trekker will serve as my shelter along with a Western Mountaineering Summerlite bag and Cascade Designs Neolight Air Mat with a Sea to Summit pillow. I’ll be navigating using a Coros Dura. On an old recycled rear rack are my Crocs for the stream crossings and poking around camp.

Anderson de Ruiter

Age 33 / Tacoma, Washington (USA)

BIKE: 2023 Salsa Fargo Ti, Firestarter Carbon Fork with Swift Industries Zeitgeist Pack and REI Junction stem.

BAGS: Gear Highlights: 2.5″ Teravail Ehline Tires, Whisky Parts Co. NO. 9 Rims, SP 8X Dynamo Hub, Kasai Dynamo Trail Beam, Onyx Vesper Hub, Cane Creek eeWings with a Hellbender bottom bracket, PNW Coast Dropper post, Brooks C17 Saddle, Wolf Tooth 36T chain ring with a GoatLink. My repair kit includes a OneUp Components EDC V2 Tool & Pump and WTB NanoAir TPU tubes. My sleep kit is a Therm-a-Rest Neoair Sleeping Pad, Sea to Summit Aeros UL Pillow & Reactor Thermolite Sleeping Bag Liner with an emergency bivy. My filtration is a HydraPak 2L Seeker with a Katadyn BeFree filter.

Cyrus Desmarais

Age 33 / Wenatchee, Washington (USA)

BIKE: Binary Havok Singlespeed 32×20.

BAGS: Revelate designs bags.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Simple but effective setup. 100mm suspension fork, four piston SLX brakes, Ergon saddle and grips. Fenix BC26R for the night riding. I’m still debating on the running vest to carry extra snacks.

Ben Everett

Age 33 / Olympia, Washington (USA)

BIKE: Velo Orange Piolet dropbar 29er. SRAM Eagle equipped, all mechanical for ease of field repair, SON 28 hub dynamo for lighting and device charging.

BAGS: Swift Industries frame bag & Zeitgeist handlebar bag, Randi Jo Fab bartender (2x), Rockgeist Gondola saddle bag.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Ratking RIP rack up front, Sinewave Beacon dynamo-powered headlamp, Growtac Equal brakes for stopping, Microshift barcon for shifting. This is the bike I use for scouting new and/or updated sections of the Dark Divide 300, as well as a new and secret future project.

Sean Geivett

Age 33 / Oakland, California (USA)

BIKE: Santa Cruz Highball CC.

BAGS: Restrap top tube and frame bag!

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Redshift suspension post to even out the lil’ bumpies and Outbound Torches to light my way into the abyss.

Luke Kucera

Age 32 / Bothell, Washington (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding a Surly Midnight Special ordained with Ultradynamico Mars tires (27.5 x 2.2), GRX 1×11 drivetrain and a SON Dynamo hub and light up front.

BAGS: Tailfin bags (frame, top tube & fork) and an Arkel saddle bag house most gear. A Salsa anything cradle secures a Blackburn bag to the handlebars.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: In the cockpit I have a Garmin InReach and Coros Duro. My sleep system consists of a Mountain Laurel Designs tarp, Therm-a-Rest pad, and Enlightened Equipment quilt. Mounted to the downtube is a Hydrapak filter bottle, and bear spray on the fork.

Ramon Martinez

Age 39 / Independence, Oregeon (USA)

BIKE: Giant XTC hardtail.

BAGS: Restrap bags.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: What you can’t see—my Sea to Summit sleep system.

Michael McKenzie

Age 29 / Portland, Oregon (USA)

BIKE: RodeoLabs Flaanmial 5.0 Steel. Flat bars with inner barends and outer barends and Wolf Tooth FatPaw grips for maximum hand and wrist comfort. OneUp dropper seat post. SRAM 11-speed with a Ratio rear derailleur extender to get a 50T climbing gear on a Garbaruk cassette. Tumbleweed rear T-rack. 700c wheels with 44mm wide tires.

BAGS: BAGS: Roadrunner Middle Earth Jammer front bag and stem bag. Wizard Works custom frame bag. Wizard Works and REI top tube bags. Swift Industries seat pack as drive side rear pannier and stem bag as other rear pannier. 10l dry bag atop rear rack held on with Voile straps.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My three year old Big Agnes blow up sleeping pad to stay light, a cheap down blanket for warmth with down jacket. Outbound front light and Wahoo head unit for navigation.

Sepie Moinipanah

Age 38 / Portland, Oregon (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding (not racing) the Dark Divide 300 on a Breadwinner JB Racer. Since the frame is suspension-corrected, I can swap between a suspension fork (120mm) or a rigid fork. I’ll be riding this route with my Enve Mountain Fork (boost-spaced). The bike is configured with a 32t 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 have an array of bags (too many here, but you should see my garage!) from different bag makers. The ones I’ve chosen for this event are as follows:

Front/Fork/Cockpit: Tailfin Fork Pack (5L), Rogue Panda Gila Dry Bag (16L), Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Harness, Rogue Panda Blue Ridge Accessory Bar, Rockgeist Honeybox Feedbag, Rockgeist Space Link.

Frame/Top Tube: Rockgeist Full Frame Bag, Restrap Adventure Race Top Tube Bag (2L).

Rear: Jacks Sacks Fork Sacks (Old Man Mountain FLIP Cages), Old Man Mountain Atlas Rack Pack, supported by a Tumbleweed T-Rack.

Miscellaneous: Restrap Race Hydration Vest (not pictured) with a Hydrapak Velocity (2L) bladder.

Too many bags? Probably, but I won’t be getting any FKTs and I like my snacks.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I have a set of the Rogue Panda Bamboo Shoots inner bars end that I’ve paired with SRAM AXS wireless blips onto Leap Components TT mounts. All of these batteries are powered using a SON 28 hub and Sinewave Beacon 2.0 and Taillight. On the hygine gear front, I’ll have my humangear BidetToob and Pact Ultra Lite kit.

Zachary Morvant

Age Old enough to party (42) / San Francisco, California (USA)

BIKE: Lauf Seigla with SRAM AXS.

BAGS: Tailfin 2.2L top tube bag and AeroPack Cargo for extra snack storage during long stretches with no resupply.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Exposure Toro and HT1000 light combo. Form Cycling saddle. ENVE aero bars with AXS blips. Continental RaceKing tires. Water shoes for creek crossings.

Abdullah Mustafa

Age 40 / Salem, Oregon (USA)

BIKE: S-Works Epic World Cup, lovingly built by the folks at the Bike Peddler in Salem, OR. I could’ve gone full race mode on my gravel bike, but I chose comfort over speed cause full suspension > surprise pothole at 2am.

BAGS: Whatever I could dig out of the garage, plus the frame bag I borrowed from a buddy.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Tater Boost—obviously. And the partially custom-made Venge Aero Clip-On Bar. Basically a wind tunnel in disguise, but with zip ties.

Alex Parks

Age 28 / Denver, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: Singlespeed Revel Wayward with a Monē triplane fork.

BAGS: Mostly handmade by me and my partner.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Tassels, obviously.

Henley Phillips

Age 37 / Tuscon, Arizona (USA)

BIKE: Chumba Terlingua, Astral Outback carbon hoops, Rene Herse Oracle Ridge tires.

BAGS: Dispersed top tube in leopard print, Rockgeist Gondola seat pack, Sea to Summit dry bag, and my trusty San Util half frame bag that survived a raccoon burrito attack last year. Also wearing an old Nathan running pack for food and water.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Cowboy camping with a Zpacks quilt, inflatable pad, and an emergency blanket. Coros Dura for navigation. InReach for tracking.

Rafi Ronquillo

Age 33 / Seattle, Washington (USA)

BIKE: This is my 2019 Niner RLT gravel bike. It’s an aluminum frame with a carbon fork. I’ll be running an 11-speed SRAM Rival groupset. The chainring will be a 36t with an 11-40T cassette in the back. Speed is not a priority for this ride; finishing is. It’s a pretty simple groupset that I’m familiar with, which should be handy in case of mechanical mishaps. It has hydraulic disc brakes. I’ll be bringing a spare pair of brake pads.

BAGS: My biggest debate was between a rack/drybag setup and a seat pack. I ultimately went with rack and drybag because of the increased carrying capacity, lack of bag-sway, and adding another carrying point for when we need to hike-a-bike or carry our bikes over debris on the route. I have a couple of Swift Industries bags, a top tube bag, and a feed bag for snacks and gummy bears. I also added some mini racks on the forks.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’ll be using a Wahoo head unit for navigation, and will be carrying a Garmin inReach for emergency communication purposes/tracking. I’ll also be bringing some mini-binoculars that belonged to my grandfather.

Billy Schaeffer

Age 36 / Seattle, Washington (USA)

BIKE: Velo Orange Pass Hunter. I’m taking this race back to its roots by honoring Ben Everett’s former baby blue bike of the same vintage. It’s also the most comfortable long distance ride I’ve got- now with VO Crazy Bars, a 30T chainring on 175mm White Industries cranks, SRAM GX 1×10 on 11-42T gearing with the hope of making long climbing days more spin-y and less grind-y. Rolling with 48mm Specialized Pathfinder Pros for easy rolling on 650b wheels. Controversially, it also has brakes.

BAGS: Swift frame bag, Swift Zeitgeist bag on the handlebars, possibly Blackburn fork bags, and a dry bag.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Dangle Supply DangleBong.

Alex Sheehan

Age 45 / Seattle, Washington (USA)

BIKE: 2015 Kona Unit, RockShox Pike 120mm suspension fork.

BAGS: Dispersed, Tailfin, Apidura.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Many thanks to Colin for adding the third water bottle mount and dropper post routing to the frame.

Patrick Smyth

Age 31 / Portland, Oregon (USA)

BIKE: Slug Gasser.

BAGS: Custom frame bag made by Akex. A fun colored upcycled handlebar, hip-pack, and feedbag by Cass at Loophole bags. Restrap top tube bag on rental from my brother.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: The bald Maxxis tires that just won’t die.

Josh Stair

Age 33 / Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA)

BIKE: State Bikes 4130 All-Road national parks edition. It’s my do it all bike from commuting to racing.

BAGS: My frame bag and top tube bag are home made. The saddle bag is Rockgeist and feed bags are Revelate designs. I’m rocking a dry bag with my sleep kit on the aero bars.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Loving my industry nine wheels. The aero bar setup feels like an airplane cockpit keeping everything tidy. I’ll be carrying a 15l hydration vest for water, food, and extra clothes for when I get to Portland.

Tom Sumter

Age 55 / Seattle, Washington (USA)

BIKE: 2023 Singular Gryphon MK3, size XL. 1×12 Shimano XT drivetrain, dropper post, and 2.4” Schwalbe Rick XC tires. The saddle is a Selle Anatomica and the handlebars bars are Koga Denham bars. Fred aerobars may be added for improved comfort.

BAGS: All bags except the handlebar roll are ultra vx fabric and made by Rockgeist. This includes the frame bag, top tube bag, grab bag, and the 5L Gondola seat bag (for extra clothing). My sleep kit is carried in a Salsa EXP Anything cradle and bag.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My shelter is a Blackbird XLT hammock by Warbonnet. I have a down quilt and 3/4 length underquilt to keep comfortable at night. GPS provided by Coros Dura.

Wyatt Warner

Age 28 / Mountain View, California (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding my 2020 Salsa Cutthroat GRX 1×11. I bought it last year to ride the Great Divide, and I kept it largely stock because it’s pretty good at that route. I swapped in a 34 tooth chainring, 11-46T cassette, Ritchey Venturemax XL bars, and a pair of bolt-on aero bars. We’ll be rolling along on 29 x 2.25″ Vittoria Mezcals.

BAGS: The highlight of my setup is an awesome custom frame bag that my riding partner, Darren, helped me sew. I picked a Restrap 18L seat bag and a Salsa Anything Cradle for the bars because I wanted large capacity holster style bags for ease and flexibility. Top tube, down tube, and feed bags are Revelate, Road Runner, or custom from Darren.

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’m trying to keep this light and simple without being uncomfortable. The stove and pot are staying at home for this ride to shave some weight, but I’m bringing a 15F down bag because I sleep so very cold.

Further Reading

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