Rigs of the 2025 Grand Loop

The Grand Loop made an exciting comeback in 2023 after more than a decade-long hiatus. To many, it’s considered the original ultra-endurance bikepacking race, paving the way for younger, more popular bikepacking events like the Tour Divide, Colorado Trail Race, and Arizona Trail Race. The route’s first grand depart was in 2001, with just three riders taking part, and it continued for nine years before being relaunched two years ago. There were 14 riders at the 2023 event, nearly 50 at last year’s grand depart, and this year over 60 riders are registered to take a run at the challenging yet beautiful 365-mile route that connects three iconic long-distance trails in Southwest Colorado and Utah: The Kokopelli, Paradox, and Tabeguache trails.

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The 2025 Grand Loop route dishes out 38,000 feet of climbing over rugged and technical terrain, helping to explain why the finishers list is so short. Last year, Andrew Strempke finished in first place with an impressive time of just 2 days and 8 hours, setting a new single-speed record. Andrew is back for more this year, as are some other familiar names such as 2024 Tour Divide single-speed winner Alex Kowalski, 2025 Pinyons and Pines women’s winner Karin Pocock, Katie Strempke, and Jay Petervary, who is back after being struck by a vehicle during his 2023 Great Divide Mountain Bike Trail FKT attempt. It’s going to be an exciting race to follow!

Riders are preparing for warm temperatures and unpredictable weather, loading up with plenty of water to make it through the dry areas and enough layers to ride comfortably in various conditions. Once again, we worked with event organizer (and participant) Tim Tait to collect rig details for almost all riders signed up for the 2025 grand depart. Find bike, bag, and gear highlights for more than 50 of them below, and then head over to the 2025 Grand Loop event page tomorrow morning to follow along live.

Chad Ament

Age 38 / Durango, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: XL Epic Evo, Rockshox SID suspension, Shimano XT/XTR with an E:13 gravel cassette, and the biggest curveball is platform pedals which I’m pretty sure is a good call but might just be my inner BMX demons acting out.
BAGS: Jpaks frame bag and big boi top tube bag, Oveja Negra stem bags with a nalgene in each, Revelate Designs Joey under the downtube with a 1.5L Nalgene in it, Revelate Shrew with just a rain jacket inside on the seat, Revelate Egress on the front, and an Osprey on my back with minimal sleep system.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I slept too well during my last “race” with a tent, so I’m just taking a Ford brand automotive windshield reflector to “sleep” on this time, but still bringing a Nemo pillow and Rab sleeping bag. If you see my dot stationary for over 3 hours curse my name and say bad things about me to your friends. The Coros Dura computer is the real deal, as is the Fenix BC26R lighting system. Tailwind will keep me alive. Shoutout to Dauwaltermelon for being the GOAT flavor, though I’m excited to bring and ingest some of the new ginger-lime flavor in both endurance and high-carb mixes. Which will reign supreme? No, I’m not sponsored, wink.

Jordan Armstrong

Age 44 / Victor, Idaho (USA)

BIKE: Ti Unicorn.
BAGS: Rogue Panda and Ride Forward Designs.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: All the snacks!

Jackie Baker

Age 46 / Salt Lake City, Utah (USA)

BIKE: Giant Anthem 29.
BAGS: BroadFork bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Nothing too fancy here, other than BroadFork’s work-of-art bags. For my second attempt at the Grand Loop, I decided to run a little smaller chainring. 30T is probably still too big, but I’ll need some sort of excuse at some point, right? Also running a Sinewave Beacon light off a battery pack. It has been a super consistent option, and it looks like we’ll need to take advantage of night riding to survive the heat.

Cullen Barker

Age 50 / Snowmass, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: Why Cycles El Jefe Ti, SRAM XO/eThirteen 28T x 52T.
BAGS: Oveja Negra, Revelate Designs frame bag, Sea to Summit dry bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Anything that holds water without leaking.

Bex

Age 39 / Salida, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding my Revel El Jefe Ti “La Jefa”. Running the Shimano XT drivetrain with a 32T chainring, and a 10-51T cassette. Industry Nine wheelset, Trail S 1/1 with Pirelli Scorpion tires 29 x 2.6” front and 2.4” on the rear. SQlabs 30x Carbon handlebars with Ergon bar end grips.
BAGS: Rolling with a custom-made Fish-Ski frame bag— this one’s got history. It includes pieces from my very first frame bag, stitched right in. Fish-Ski absolutely nailed it! Inside, I’m utilizing an Apidura 1.5L bladder. Rounding out the setup are a Tailfin top tube bag and two feed bags, Oveja Negra (Salida represent!) and Revelate Designs. For extra capacity, I’ll also be wearing an Ultimate Direction running vest to stash additional water, snacks, and other essentials.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My shelter and sleep kit consists of an OR Alpine AscentShell Bivy (if needed), Big Agnes AXL air sleeping pad, and WM Terralite sleeping bag. On the front of the bike, I’ll use the Aeroe Spider handlebar cradle, which keeps all the gear held safely above the cabling! I’ll have a second Aeroe Spider rack on the rear. Navigating with the Coros Dura, apps on the phone as a back-up. Garmin InReach mini for tracking and Fenix lights for those long nighttime stretches on the Koko! Vroom Kah!

Matt B

Age 27 / Fort Collins, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: 2020 Giant Anthem XL. Running Vittoria Mezcal 2.25” tires. Full suspension with dropper seatpost and SRAM GX Eagle electronic shifting. RockShox suspension.
BAGS: Full frame bag custom from Tek Ni Kul for all the food. Aeroe Spider rear rack to hold all the clothes and sleeping kit. A 2L Revelate Designs Joey downtube bag holds a soft flask for extra water. A large assortment of handlebar bags and rear rack bags found on sale or sewn by me.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: The Tek Ni Kul full frame bag has a horizontal velcro divider for versatility and a left side pocket for all thin electronics. The King Cages universal support bolts are a game changer for mounting 1L bottles to the fork with ease.

Chris Besnia

Age 40 / Gunnison, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: One-off Custom Goodday + Curiosity ‘Javelina’ a down country 29er with a 120mm fork.
BAGS: Custom Curiosity bike bags, featuring applique artwork of Javelinas and their favorite food–prickly pears!
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: The bike’s color scheme is designed to reflect sunlight when the mercury soars above 110° and it GLOWS in the dark. Lots of purple anodized things, including the LH4 Lewis brakes, Chris King headset, and 5DEV chainring. The front rack is a modified Goodday Spacer Cradle with bosses for a bolt-in minimalist bag, which holds a space blanket and foam pad, for day napping during the race.

Sean Cowie

Age 30 / Denver, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: Salsa Spearfish 2023 frame, Shimano XT drivetrain/brakes, RockShox 120mm front/rear suspension, Maxxis Rekon 2.6″/2.4″ front/rear rubber.
BAGS: Dispersed handlebar roll and dropper seat bag, Salsa frame bag, Apidura and Restrap top tube bags, Revelate Designs stem bags, and an Apidura backpack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Always on the ergo-cockpit quest, so I’m running Tumbleweed Persuader bars (20 deg sweep), Wolf Tooth foam grips, SQLabs innerbarends, and Cane Creek outer bar ends. Due to my trials and tribulations in the Koko furnace last year, I’ve made room for 7.5L of water. Looking like a hot one!

Jesse Davis

Age 57 / Manteo, North Carolina (USA)

BIKE: Lynskey Live Wire with a Fox 34 performance fork. I-9 Trail-S Carbon wheels with Rekon 2.6″ tires. Shimano XT with a battered Cane Creek crankset my buddy was kind enough to sell me cheap.
BAGS: Dusting off some of my older X-Pac: Rogue Panda handlebar roll, small seat bag by Bolder Bags, which happens to work great with a dropper. Oveja Negra frame bag and a carefully crafted top tube bag from South City Stitchworks. Rockgeist bottle bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Puffy clothes and a SOL biv. Seat bag full of soft goods. 7L water capacity. 15L pack for pizza and/or burritos. Top tube bag stuffed with calories and milliamps. Garmin 830. Leaving the dynamo at home I guess.

Mark Egge

Age 38 / Bozeman, Montana (USA)

BIKE: 2022 Specialized S-Works Epic EVO. XTR drivetrain. Whisky hoops. Ridefarr Carbon Aero V3 Bar. Fox 34 Factory SC, Grip SL fork.
BAGS: Rockgeist Gondola Saddlebag. Random assortment of other bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: New build with an older S-Works Epic EVO frame (sadly, Specialized eliminated internal cable routing with the newer Epic 8). Wheels and bike built by Alter Cycles in Bozeman. Carrying a Therm-a-Rest mat and Zpacks down jacket in the handlebar bag for nap time. 6,000 calories and 1,600 carbs loaded on the bike. Will ride with a running vest to increase total water capacity to 5L.

Kevin Emery

Age 53 / Victor, Idaho (USA)

BIKE: Chumba Sendero Steel singlespeed geared 30x21T. RockShox SID Ultimate 120mm fork. Industry Nine Enduro 350 rims, Hydra hubs with Maxxis Rekon 29 x 2.6″ tires.
BAGS: Dispersed bags all around and a Ride Forward Designs rack bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Fenix PD36R on the helmet and Fenix bc30 on the handlebar. Sleep kit consists of a Patagonia 30° down sleeping bag, Tyvek ground sheet, Therm-A-Rest Neoair sleeping pad plus an inflatable pillow.

Steve Gardner

Age 40 / Boulder, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: Kona Honzo with heavy duty build: 170mm RS Lyrik fork, Industry Nine alloy wheels, Specialized Butcher 29 x 2.6” tires, SRAM Maven brakes, SRAM AXS drivetrain with 28x52T climbing gear, and ESI extra chunky grips.
BAGS: JPaks top tube, Rogue Panda frame, Ortlieb handlebar.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Sleep kit consists of a Nemo foam pad, 45° ultralight sleeping bag, and a mesh bivy to keep bugs out. NiteRider Pro 1200 headlight. General Ecology water purifier. Not pictured is an Osprey 22L backpack which will allow for 8L total water capacity if needed, and plenty of room for food. For chunky terrain I prefer to carry a medium backpack and keep the bike as tidy as possible.

Rocky Gingg

Age 36 / Durango, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding my Sanitas Root designed and built here in Durango. 120mm up front with Shimano XT drivetrain and an absoluteBlack 32T oval chainring. BERD wheels with I9 Hydra hubs. Rolling on Rekons with 2.6” in the front and 2.4” in the rear.
BAGS: Frame bag and top tube bag are Dispersed. Bedrock seat bag and two Oveja Negra Chuckbuckets.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’ll be using a Fenix BC26R and HM65R for lights. I’m a big fan of the USWE Rush MTB vest and will have a Katadyn BeFree for filtration. 6L total water capacity. For navigation, I’ll be using a Garmin Edge 540 Solar. Light sleeping kit with just a SOL Escape Bivy.

Todd Greenwood

Age 46 / Breckenridge, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: I signed up so I’ll be racing, but really I’ll be riding the Grand Loop on a 2020 Trek Top Fuel. It’s my only bike and works for daily riding and I convert it to bikepacking as needed. Her name is Melanistic; all black. She will get some new rubber since I found a 2.4” Bontrager XR4 for the front and a XR3 for the rear in my garage. I’ll be sacrificing some speed for durability due to the remoteness of the route and I hope to make up time on the Enduro segments. As of today I am awaiting a few critical parts that broke riding this week in hopes of getting her rideable for the event. Really bad timing, fingers crossed.
BAGS: Revelate Designs Hopper Frame Bag (food), Vole Seat Bag (sleeping pad and bag), Sweetroll Handlebar Bag (clothes), and Joey Downtube Bag (2L water). A Tailfin 2.2L Top Tube bag to carry 1L more water as well as odds and ends. I will also have a tool roll in the random leftover frame space and an Osprey Escapist Velocity 3 Hydration Vest.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’m going no stove to make room for 6.5L of water storage. Weather looks ridiculously hot so the tent will be left behind leaving me with a Big Agnes UL40 V Notch sleeping bag, AXL pad, and space blanket (goat head protection) for sleeping. I will have my trusty Iphone 4 and Suunto 9 watch. I plan on navigating with the breadcrumb function on the watch and paper notes I put together. A borrowed Garmin inReach Mini will track my progress. I bikepack, but this is my first event. It’s not really bike season at home yet so physically and mentally I will ride as much as I can but plan on stopping for 8 hours of sleep a night. I will bring a Black Diamond headlight, 2 Bontrager 800 lumen bike lights, and a 20,000 power bank to recharge electronics. I don’t plan on riding in the dark much unless I need to escape the daytime heat. A Sawyer filter and a couple bottles of iodine tablets will make the desert water drinkable.

Frances Hacker

Age 33 / Flagstaff, Arizona (USA)

BIKE: Salsa Woodsmoke frame, SRAM GX drivetrain, Shimano XT brakes, I9 Hydra hubs and CW USA carbon rims, 2.6″ Maxxis Rekons front and rear.
BAGS: Mostly Oveja Negra plus a well-loved, second-hand Broadforks Frame bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Fenix Headlamp and bar light, Osprey Duro hydration pack, SOL bivy, Big Agnes Fly Creek quilt (we’ll see if it’s cold enough to use it!).

Nolan Van Harte

Age 29 / Salida, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be racing the Grand Loop on my 2025 Yeti ASR (130/115mm) with a SRAM T-Type drivetrain and 28T chainring. A very worn 2.5″ Assegai up front and 2.4″ exo+ Rekon in the back, on Enve M630 rims and DT Swiss 240 hubs. Ergon contact points.
BAGS: Oveja Negra frame bag carrying a 3L water bladder, water filter, and repair kit. Oveja Negra feed bags and lunch box for all the cookies, and a Restrap long top tube bag with my electronics and toiletries/etc. Rab Veil 12 hydration vest carrying 1.5L water and the bulky, lightweight layers and bivy.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Fenix BC26R light mounted on my helmet. 7L water carrying capacity if needed. HydraPak filter and bleach if I feel that I need it. Ergon GP2 bar ends modified to be inner-bar ends. Edge 530 paired with a 10,000 mAh battery bank for navigation. I’m bringing some Tailwind recovery drink mix so I can get more protein in, Mortal Hydration electrolytes, specifically extra salty Margarita! And some unflavored Tailwind endurance mix.

Rasch Hole

Age 44 / Metairie, Louisiana (USA)

BIKE: IrRascHional hardtail I anodized rainbow in the dark. 120mm Fox fork, DT Swiss hubs on Nobl 32s, 2.4″ Rekons, SRAM Eagle, and XT brakes.
BAGS: Rockgeist and Revelate Designs bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Garmin 1050, Inreach mini, Fenix headlamps, Gopro, and Anker batteries. Big Agnes Tiger Wall, Therm-a-Rest pad, and Enlightened Equipment 35° quilt. I’m bring just enough clothing for the liquid sunshine, suntan, and cold moontan. Filtering with a Sawyer into some Nalgenes, and sipping through a Swig 63.

Zoe Huston

Age 32 / Moab, Utah (USA)

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BIKE: Esker Japhy, not Ti. Pretty much stock (read: heavy) components. Plus a few magical desert upgrades, pictured here.
BAGS: First and only frame bag I have ever owned (shout out Revelate Designs x Surly, circa 2019), Swift chest on the front because I cannot be contained by a handlebar roll, and little bags for all the bits and bobs cobbled together from friends.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Globemallow bouquet for vibes, pizza for calories.

Alan Jacoby

Age 47 / Bellevue, Idaho (USA)

BIKE: This is “Crockett”, my Miami Vice Green Allied BC40. Maxxis Forekaster tires front and back, SRAM GX AXS drivetrain, Ergon grips and bar ends.
BAGS: Dispersed frame bag, Tailfin long top tube bag, small Revelate seat pack.

Aaron Johnson

Age 40 / Truckee, California (USA)

BIKE: Chumba Sendero Ti singlespeed, geared 32x20T. Rekon 2.4″ in front, 2.6″ in rear. 130mm fork.
BAGS: Frame and top tube bags from Dispersed, Revelate Designs Shrew seat bag, small bar bag from Andrew the Maker. Tailfin downtube bottle mount.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Just enough sleep kit to stay comfy for a few hours of rest. Dynamo hub to power the night. 6.5L water capacity. Garmin Edge 1040 solar for nav.

Nicolette Jones

Age 26 / Aspen, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: Vassago Optimus Ti, 30T chainring with 1×12 Shimano XT, Fox 34 120mm fork, Garmin Edge 540, Maxxis Reccon exo+ 2.4″ tires, Formula Cura 4 brakes.
BAGS: My homemade bike bags ride another day. I’ll also be carrying a 10L pack and carrying a 1L water bottle on my downtube.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I added tea tree oil to my wet wipes for this ride. It’s been helping a lot with managing saddle sores day to day, so I hope that trend keeps up. It’s rare that I make a tire change for a race, but for the GL I decided to mix it up a bit and go heavy duty and as wide as I could clear.

Maxwell Keegan

Age 41 / Bend, Oregon (USA)

BIKE: Mostly Forever titanium frame and handlebars, 130mm fork, 29 x 2.6″ tires, dynamo headlight/taillight/charging.
BAGS: MF front bag, Jpaks footlong, Dispersed frame bag, Osprey pack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Mechanical power meter set at 30x19T, educated guess.

Alex Kowalski

Age 31 / Fayetteville, Arkansas (USA)

BIKE: Black Sheep Speedster with a Cane Creek Helm, eeWings and bar ends. 30x19T with an Absolute oval chainring and Chris King rear cog. Nox rims, Berd spokes, and I9 hub on Vittoria Agarros make up the spinny bits. Moto riser bars, foam grips, Bike Yoke dropper and Selle Italia saddle round it all out.
BAGS: South City Stitchworks teal set. Absolute beauties freshly stitched by Zach from SCSW in STL.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: The SCSW rear rack cradle (aka Kowabunga Love Handles) paired with the Mica Cycles rack allow for full use of dropper post without limiting carrying capacity. Carrying extra bottles thanks to the Botched Bikes water bottle adapter.

Maxwell Lasky

Age 35 / Crested Butte, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: Chumba Sendero.
BAGS: Jpaks toptube bag, Oveja Negra seat bag, Really old bedrock bags framepack that was built for a different bike, simple Revelate Designs handlebar roll.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Lots of batteries for night riding, capacity for 6L of water, 10,000 calories, Coros Dura for navigation, and a million grams of salt for biking in 110 degree weather.

Matt Lind

Age 30 / Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA)

BIKE: Soma Juice 27.5+ Singlespeed 32x22T.
BAGS: Frame bag that mostly just holds a bunch of water, Oveja Negra stuff, trying out just a small front bag strapped to a chopped up sleeping mat to prevent a bouncy front end. 6.5L water capacity, plus I’ll probably strap some liquid to the bike on the way out of Fruita.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Bringing too many clothes even though it’s hot because I hate being cold and I always find the coldest spot to sleep. 27.5 x 2.8″ Rekons have treated me well so far. Vibrocore bar might be snake oil but I swear I feel a difference. DT swiss fork survived four races and just got serviced, feels good as new.

Jacob Loos

Age 27 / Bella Vista, Arkansas (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be racing the Grand Loop on a Chumba Stella with Doom Bars, a 100mm Fox 34, Vittoria Agarro 27.5 x 2.6″ tires, and a singlespeed 32x21T gear ratio.
BAGS: The key bags I am using include some well loved frame and top tube bags from South City Stitchworks, an Old Man Mountain Elkhorn, a Widefoot Cargo Cage, and a 10L hiking backpack for extra food, water, and to keep my spectacles safe.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’ll be using an Outbound Lighting Trail Evo and a Sinewave Beacon for extra light, and a Wolf Tooth Riser seatpost for the 10% of sit pedalling on the route.

Joe Mangan

Age 34 / Salt Lake City, Utah (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding a 2024 Stanton Sherpa Ti +, 29 x 2.8″ Teravail Oxbow tires, RockShox Pike Ultimate, Brooks Cambium c17 saddle, SRAM GX drivetrain, RaceFace Arc 36 carbon wheels, and profile aero bars with Vans/Cult bmx grips.
BAGS: framebag was generously crafted by Rogue Panda Designs in Flagstaff, Revelate Designs Spinelock saddlebag, Salsa Anything bag Voile-strapped to aero bars.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: ibuprofen, Yerba mate, Costco pizza, and Uncrustables.

Stafford Marquardt

Age 38 / Boulder, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: I’m riding a Why Wayward v2. I’m rolling a Mezcal in back and Barzo in front with wheels I built up with DT Swiss rims, DT Alpine spokes, and a SON Dynamo hub up front. Drivetrain is 1×12 with a 30T chainring because I always carry too much stuff and appreciate having the granny gear. In the cockpit I’m trying a Wren Perseverance bar for the first time, I’ve run the wiring for my Sinewave Beacon through the bar tape and I love how it looks. I also have a Exposure Six Pack light so I can cover as much ground as possible at night when it’s cooler.
BAGS: I fell in love with racks again when I was on the Iditarod a couple years ago, and just converted my summer setup to a rack as well. I’m running the Tumbleweed Ti Rack with 10L mini-panniers from Tailfin. Nothing mounted to the fork this way, which improves control in rough terrain. I’m using bigger bags than I need so I can carry up to 8L of water if it’s hard to find out there. I used 7L doing White Rim In A Day last year, so I’m planning ahead!
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I love my BeFree water filter. Some people have trouble with leaks, so I just bring two. They’re super light and double as extra water storage. Also noise-cancelling AirPods with rain noise for INSTANTLY falling asleep anywhere.

Erika Van Meter

Age 53 / Aspen, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: Why Cycles El Jefe. 28T x 10-52T. 29 x 2.6” Maxxis Dissector and Rekon to give some float in those sandy stretches. PNW components for a wee bit of bling. Fox 34 up front. Old school Moots Ti Tailgator rack to keep the pack from dragging if I can load up on goods in Fruita.
BAGS: Mostly Oveja Negra with a Revelate Designs and FBJ designs thrown in. Definitely into vibrant colors to brighten the soul.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: 6-7L water capacity. Minimal sleep kit. Good audiobooks to keep the sleep monster away. Lots of LMNT and snacks. Fenix lights. Wahoo Element for navigation.

Max Miller

Age 43 / Portland, Oregon (USA)

BIKE: I’m riding a 2024 steel Esker Hayduke overforked with a 130mm Pike. Singlespeed 30x19T. XT 4-piston brakes. Blackbird Send rims laced to OneUp hubs by my adventure buddy, Adam. Teravail Honchos, 2.6″, light and supple up front, durable casing out back. Persuader 30° bar with old Ergon GX1 grips and Rogue Panda Bamboo Shoots bar ends.
BAGS: Revelate Designs frame bag, gas tank, and jerrycan plus a drybag out front on the RatKing cradle. Nuclear Sunrise Fuselage, REI feedbags. Tiny backpack for emergency burritos.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Outbound light, Coros Dura GPS, minimal sleep kit, puffy, 5.5L water, no regrets.

Todd Murray

Age 62 / Colorado Springs, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding (not racing) the 2025 Grand Loop on is a 2019 Specialized Epic Pro 1×12 with a 32T chainring and a 10-52T cassette. Tires are the Specialized Ground Control 2.35″.
BAGS: Bags I’ll be using include the Salsa Anything Cradle up front with a dry bag and a Relevate Designs Egress Pocket handlebar bag, a Tailfin Flip top tube bag, and a Topeak Backloader seat bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’ve added a King Cage Manything cage to the bike to carry an extra 48oz bottle and plan on carrying a small backpack where I will have a hydration bladder as well.

Lindsay Nohl

Age 47 / Victor, Idaho (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding my 2023 Pivot Mach4SL with a Maxxis 2.4″ Forekaster/Recon tire combo. Fox 34 120mm fork and Fox 100mm rear shock. Shimano XTR/XT drivetrain with Reynolds carbon wheels and i9 hubs.
BAGS: Bags are a combo of Dispersed frame and top tube bags, Rockgeist honey buckets, Revelate Designs Pronghorn harness/front roll and a Rogue Panda Ripsey seatpost bag to be able to use my dropper with my small sized frame.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Gonna be hot AF but it also might rain, so I’m bringing a Western Mountaineering Caribou 35 degree bag with a Therm-a-Rest Uberlite 3/4 length pad and a small sil-nylon tarp. Lights are a mix of Fenix products with three backup rechargeable batteries for each since I’ll probably be riding through most of the nights to avoid the 100 degree temps. Navigating with a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt and bringing enough water carrying capacity for up to 6.5L. Yikes!

Dominic Muth

Age 40 / Frisco, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: Myth Cycles Talos
BAGS: Bedrock Bags
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Onyx Hub, Tectonic Altar pedals

Ivy Pedersen

Age 40 / Fruita, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: Trek Supercaliber with SRAM Transmission drivetrain, 120mm fork, Maxxis Recon 2.4″ tires.
BAGS: Dispersed frame bag with 2.5L bladder, Old Man Mountain rear rack and bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’ve really been liking the HydraPak Breakaway+ 880mL bottle (not pictured). It has a filter integrated into the lid and makes it really easy to just fill and go. I’ll also have a Katadyn BeFree filter as backup since we will likely need to use the silty Colorado River as a water source.

Jay Petervary

Age 52 / Victor, Idaho (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding the Grand Loop on a Why Wayward with a Fox 34 fork. The bike is built out with a XTR drivetrain, XT 4 piston brakes, Wolftooth dropper post, Bontrager Kovee 30mm wheels (DT hubs), Mezcal 2.35″ tires with Air-Liner inserts, and a carbon Jones bar.
BAGS: There is a Ride Forward Designs ‘Burnin Bag’ with a ‘Princy Pouch’ attached to it sitting on top of a Tailfin rack on the rear. The framebag was made by J-Paks and the long top tube bag is Tailfin. There is also a Carousel Designs (OG maker) pack on top of the Jones Bar.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My body is my biggest gear highlight that I am thankful for and happy it’s up to the challenge. I’ll be carrying a Nemo sleep pad with some sort of clothing system to sleep in. I’ve done plenty of touring but never ‘raced’ on a Jones bar and am bar curious.

Karin Pocock

Age 44 / Moab, Utah (USA)

BIKE: This is “Eddy,” he’s a Santa Cruz Highball new to me this year and hopefully my ride for the season. Running NOBL TR 32 wheels with I9 Solix hubs which have proved to be my favorite wheelset to date. 2.4″ Maxxis Rekons for tires and a full compliment of XX1/X01 components since I can’t seem to make the switch to electronic drivetrains.
BAGS: Dispersed custom bags are my full kit (thank you Andrew and Katie) except for a couple Revelate Designs feedbags. This is definitely the first year I feel like everything about the bags is dialled in and that’s thanks to Dispersed.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’m rolling with a pretty light kit on the Grand Loop to make space for all the water that’s going to need to be carried. Light, but adequate sleep kit, puffy coat for the La Sal Mtns and clothes for full sun coverage, otherwise all the space is prioritized for food and water.

Zach Price

Age 33 / Moab, Utah (USA)

BIKE: My loyal Surly Karate Monkey Singlespeed. Rolling, spinning, and turning on King, Hope, and Son. Roost Ti bars, 27.5 x 3.0″, squishy WTC grips, and ergo bar ends for a comfy ride. No dropper because that’s how chaotic my life is right now, and it’s lighter or something. MRP Ribbon Sl, Sinewave Beacon, and more ti bolts than I care to admit. Cushcore in the rear for sending it. Also Hope Tech x2s that are old enough to have a learners permit.
BAGS: Custom frame bag by Dave at Nuclear Sunrise to accommodate double downtube bottles. Oveja Negra seat bag, Revelate Designs bar bag, Rockgeist and Acepac toptube bags, Outershell and Atmosphere feed bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: OR bivy, Therm-a-Rest Corus quilt, and Big Agnes Rapide Sl pad because I’ma need my sleep. Weird little Esbit stove that I love for some reason. (That reason is probably hot instant coffee.) Might bring my carbon fiber cathole trowel, but I won’t be using it in Utah.

EZ-E The Prophet

Age 22 / Salt Lake City, Utah (USA)

BIKE: My weapon of choice: the Specialized Chisel, rocking a Fox 34 130mm fork. It’s powered by a SRAM Transmission with a 30T Wolf Tooth chainring. Comfort comes from a Specialized Mirror 3D saddle (pure bliss!) and carbon bars with Ergo grips. Pedals are the trusty XTRs. Traction is dialled with 2.35″ Specialized Ground Control up front and Fast Trak in the rear.
BAGS: Starting from the back, an Old Man Mountain Elkhorn carries my sleep system and warmth essentials, plus two 1L water bottles. My Salsa frame bag is home to tools and heavy electronics. Nutrition’s covered in my Alluvial long top tube bag and two feedbags. I’ll also be wearing an Osprey 14L backpack with 3L water capacity (for a total of 6L), packed with even more food and all those small, but essential, things. Up front, a Revelate handlebar harness rounds out the storage.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: For my sleep kit, I’ve got my Nemo Riff sleeping bag, Specialized puffy coat, Big Agnes Rapide SL sleeping pad, and OR bivy, Gore rain pants and a beloved Patagonia Houdini. Rocking Fenix lights on my handlebars and helmet. To navigate, I’m using a Garmin Edge 820 powered by a 40,000 mAh battery backup for all my charging needs.

Jesse Reeves

Age 41 / Janesville, California (USA)

BIKE: S-Works Epic Evo7.
BAGS: Full homebrew setup, version 25.1. Constant tinkering and prototyping have led me to some rigid “bags” on the downtube and toptube.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Battery powered lights, Blips on Blips, high-post, “puppy paw” armrests, minimal kit, and 3D printed everything.

Ian Richter-Rodenburgh

Age 30 / Salt Lake City, Utah (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding the Grand Loop on my Stanton Switch9er. This party on wheels has a 140mm Helm MKII Coil (so heavy) and some Doom Bikepackers Delights to help me keep the front end rubber side down. I’ll be riding 32x21T with flat pedals and trail runners because I have a feeling I’ll be walking a lot.
BAGS: Gotta shout out Jackie from Broadfork bags for getting me an amazing frame bag and top tube bag in time for the race. I waxed them myself just because I think it looks cool. I’ll also be using two Broadforks feed bags and a Revelate Designs harness.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: The plan is to bike fast, eat and sleep well. So I will bring a full length sleeping pad, 50° Nunatak bag and an emergency bivy for the rain. Along with a very comprehensive repair kit, versatile layers with plenty of extra space for my favorite snacks. I will also be riding with a Salomon running vest to fit room for a camera and bring my total water capacity up to 6L.

Bodhi Roether

Age 27 / Durango, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: Vassago Ludicrious Ti with a 2.6″ rear and 2.4″ front. Probably going to slap a 32x20T on even though a 21T sounds dandy.
BAGS: Got the Dispersed frame bag, Jpaks TT, Oveja Negra jammy, Swift on the bars, and Revelate Designs seatpack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Trying some extra steeze and rise with the Mone carbon motos!

Tyler Rumburg

Age 40 / McCall, Idaho (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be riding an XXL Esker Hayduke Ti with a Fox 34 SC 120mm fork, DT Swiss XMC 1200 wheels, 2.6″ Rekon EXO tires, and a SRAM eagle mechanical drivetrain. The Roost ti bars feature Ergon grips with outer and inner bar ends for variety.
BAGS: Oveja Negra frame bag and handlebar sling, Dispersed top tube bag, Bedrock saddle bag, and Mountain Laurel stuff sacks on bars and down tube.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Navigating with Garmin 840 solar, and lighting with Fenix BC26R on bars, and Outbound Hangover on helmet. Charging with 20k mAh battery bank. For water, I’ll have 6L of capacity, with a 2L Camelbak hydration vest, x2 1L bottles on the fork, Katadyn 1L filter, and a 1L Platypus.

Nick Runtsch

Age 35 / Santa Cruz, California (USA)

BIKE: Ibis Exie (made right here in California!) with a 12-speed 30 x 11-51 XT drivetrain and XT brakes, Continental Trinotal F/Dubnital R 2.4” tires on Ibis S28 rims with I9 hubs. Other highlights include a Fox 34SL 130mm fork, Specialized Romin Evo Mimic saddle, and a Bike Yoke Revive 2.0 dropper.
BAGS: a Merz custom frame bag with a 3L Apidura bladder (my second Merz after the frame bag on my ‘22 Tour Divide bike), Apidura seat pack and top tube bags, a big old Revelate Designs Sweet Roll handlebar bag, Blackburn feed bags, and an Uswe Outlander backpack for extra water.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: the same REI Flash sleeping bag I’ve been using since 2014, a lovely little Wahoo Elemnt Bolt v2, and extra comfy Lusso Perform Carbon bibs.

George S.

Age 31 / Fort Collins, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: Specialized Chisel with Shimano XT groupset.
BAGS: Seams Right Sewing Co., a.k.a. Sewn by me in our spare bedroom during the wee hours of the night. Frame bag with internal divider to separate a 2L hydration bladder and clothing. Full length top tube bag for food and electronics. Waterproof handlebar roll for sleep kit. Not pictured, Mountain Hardwear running vest for extra water.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Bivy, quilt, and inflatable pad with pillow. Capacity for 7L of water. Puffy jacket, rain jacket, and sunshirt.

Alyssa Secreto

Age 34 / Manitou Springs, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: XS Soma Riff, Spank wheels, SRAM GX Eagle 1×12 with 32T chainring, teeny tiny AXS dropper.
BAGS: MLD poco panniers, first time top tube bag, Ortlieb quick rack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’m using a bike computer for first time (Wahoo), Fenix and battery powered lights lent by friends.

Andrew Strempke

Age 32 / Old La Sal, Utah (USA)

BIKE: Chumba Sendero Ti, singlespeed 32x20T. Enve M6 wheels with 2.6″ Rekons. Shimano brakes, crank, and pedals. Mone Light Bar for a little extra rise.
BAGS: Dispersed frame bag, full top tube bag, and seat bag. I’ll also carry a small hydration pack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: A bivy, a few layers, and a lot of food. Shimano GE9 shoes for when I feel like hiking.

Tim Tait

Age 41 / Nucla, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: Salsa Beargrease with mechanical XX1 and a set of Nextie carbon hoops and DT swiss hubs, laced up by none other than Mike Curiak.
BAGS: Oveja Negra super wedgie, Dispersed top tube and stem bags, with a Rockgeist foxglove saddle bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Sinewave beacon with a huge battery bank to keep the lights bright all night. Doom bikepackers delight bars. 4″ tires just because it’s fun.

Bill Talley

Age 28 / Durango, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: Canyon Lux Trail. 110/120mm. ENVE M6 wheels. OneUp Carbon bars, and Ergon grips. Specialized Power Saddle. 28T chainring. Rekon/Rekon Race 29 x 2.4″.
BAGS: Bedrock framebag, Jpaks Farva, Oveja jerrycan, Revelate downtube and snack buckets, Roadrunner Cali Burrito handlebar bag. 6L water capacity.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Last year, I slept too much and then ran out of food, so first off I’d like to remedy those two things. Minimal sleep kit of puffy and emergency bivy. I’ve been off caffeine for the last couple months, and I’m stoked to get zooted and stay up all night!

Matthew Turner

Age 29 / Park City, Utah (USA)

BIKE: Chumba Stella, 28x18T singlespeed, Vittoria Mezcal 2.35″ tires.
BAGS: Dispersed Top Tube and dropper post saddle bag. Full Frame bag, and two bucket style bags on the bar.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Outbound lighting system. 7L water carry capability with the use of an USWE hydration pack. Food stuffed in every bag on the bike.

George Weeks

Age 27 / Salt Lake City, Utah (USA)

BIKE: Titanium hardtail, 130mm fork, aluminum wheels, 2.6″ tires with inserts, carbon seatpost and bars, mechanical 12-speed, goated saddle.
BAGS: Palante mini Joey on my back.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: two pairs of headphones, prescription sunglasses, caffeine pills, bright lights, superfluous water capacity, diet sleep kit.

Big Dave Wilson

Age 55 / Moab, Utah (USA)

BIKE: XXL Esker Japhy.
BAGS: Nuke Sunrise Bike Bags (of course).
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Compared to last year, I’ve downsized the tires (3.0″ and 2.8″ to 2.8″ and 2.6″ with Tannus Armour in the rear) and cranks (180mm to 175mm). I’ve upsized the gas tank to my MegaTitan and upgraded my fork to a Pike. Will most likely ditch the quilt and go with pad and bivy only since it’s gonna be HOT HOT HOT. Hoping to drop 7 hours off last year’s time solely due to my new Coros Dura. I can see it, it beeps and boops with turn notifications, tells me how long the climbs are, makes happy sounds at the top of climbs and when arriving at POI’s, and it won’t need to be charged. I’m bringing two Exposure lights since Kokopelli might require some night miles. I’m still bringing the JetBoil for morning coffee and dehydrated meals. I really enjoyed last year in spite of the issues I had with my GPS, rear rack, and rear tire. I’ve got fewer big days and had an illness this spring, but I feel good and I’m looking forward to getting through the route in the opposite (OG) direction this year.

Jay Williams

Age 37 / Leadville, Colorado (USA)

BIKE: Santa Cruz Blur TR, 160mm cranks, Carbon handlebar, Maxxis Rekon front, Rekon Race rear.
BAGS: Custom frame bag from my last bike. Almost a perfect fit for my new bike, so I’m running it here. Topeak seat bag for Sleep setup and change of clothes. Revelate Designs handlebar bag. Two extra straps to prevent swaying and sliding.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Garmin inReach Mini 2 and an Edge 530, Blackburn lights for helmet and handlebar, two battery banks. Water and snacks. Time to put it to the test.

Brian Zimmer

Age 45 / Salt Lake City, Utah (USA)

BIKE: I’ll be starting the Grand Loop Grand Depart to meet others and have fun on a 2021 Epic Evo XL, AXS eagle, 30T chainring, 150mm Transfer Dropper. Frame flip chip in slack mode. Roval Control Wheels but I may change the rear as I recently busted a few spokes. Garmin 840 solar touch screen. Fenix light. Spot tracker. WTB volt Ti cuz it fits my rear. 29 x 2.35″ Fast Trak rear, Ground Control front (Change from Fast Trak shown).
BAGS: BroadFork custom frame bag, Revelate Designs Sweetroll L, two handlebar feed bags, gas tank, Vole saddle bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: REI down sleeping bag, Big Agnes pad, and small camp pillow keeps me comfy and warm, which all goes into emergency bivvy if needed. Sawyer filter and chems. 6.5L water capacity (2L on my back). Extra Voile straps.

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