Dudes and Dudettes asked the questions, we could remember ~ 45 of them. And we provided some standard answers – from our view at the Back of the Pack.

• what research do you do? websites? etc?
  • i don’t do research unless I’m paid to do research.
  • ok, The TeddNeck did all the Internet research. i talked to friends. ok, emailed friends. i don’t talk on the phone.
  • BUT we both really believe that it’s all about experience. you may think that you know what gear is best, but you’ll learn about reality during the bikepacking adventures. and your opinions will swing radically based on YOUR adventures & experiences.
  • bikepacking.net is a good site to start, but you probably already know that.

• what about solar chargers?
  • skeptical answer from BPR
  • we are all about reliability and safety.
  • solar charges seem to be a bit heavy and bulky for us heavy & bulky dudes. I’m not sure if there is a good way to strap on the solar charger to get the benefit during the long days on the bike.
  • one major concern – will the solar charger break when you bite the dust? what happens when the solar charger breaks? gotta have a backup plan.

• segments with mostly riding, minimal hike-a-bike
  • wow, tough question.
  • it all depends on how you roll, i.e., if you have 40 lbs of gear, gears, etc.
  • try segments 1 – 3, 6, 8, 11, 13. but there is always some walking
• why so much hiking? the grade or rough terrain?
  • the grade and the terrain. at times we walked on level ground and downhill due to the extreme rocky terrain.
• what about tires?
  • we roll on Maxxis. no specific reason. but we do believe that Maxxis tires are durable and last much longer than others.
  • up front – Maxxis Ardent 2.25
  • in the rear – Maxxis Ignitor 2.1
  • why a 2.1 in the rear? just because, need extra space with the chain stays, if you break a spoke and / or the rim bends, you’ll need the extra space until you can fix the issue.
• why a SPOT beacon AND a GPS?
  • turn on the SPOT beacon in the AM and forget about it. it’s really for safety and to allow others to track you via the SPOT website(s), if others really care about you.
  • GPS is for navigation, you’ll be happy that you have it. unless you are ultra mountain man / mountain woman like.
• is The Colorado Trail well marked?
  • absolutely! but when you are tired you miss many of the markings. so a GPS and a good sense of navigation are always required. don’t think that you can go out there & space out – you’ll get lost.
• you really roll with hiking boots & platform pedals?
  • you know it. think about it, try it out. it may be a mental thing, i.e., you’re mental issues with ‘needing’ to be clipped in.
• no warm food? what about coffee? i need coffee?
  • the Colorado Trail cures all your addictions, seriously
  • so you need coffee today – but after 5 days on the CT, you’ll realize that coffee is just a mental crutch.
  • JUST JOKING. it’s all a personal thing. coffee takes time to prepare. if you are on a serious schedule during an end-to-end adventure, you’ll just blow off the morning ritual.
• how do you train?
  • TeddNeck trains ‘on the couch’
  • The Judd trains by riding for hours and hours and hours on the weekend, sometimes weekday rides happen too.
  • don’t forget about hiking, make sure you can do high altitude hiking
• riding at night?
  • sometimes. but rarely. we don’t roll with the major lumen beasts that we use at 24 hour races. we roll with lights powered by AAs. not much light makes for slow going. so we usually stop at dusk.
• set camping spots?
  • we always have a plan for set camping spots, but rarely do we follow the plan. the pace is just too unpredictable to stick to a ‘camping’ plan. With that being said, I think we’ll do much better this year and may actually stick to our ‘camping’ plan.
• much trail traffic?
  • in remote sections…we saw about one hiker or one group of hikers / day
  • in sections near cities / towns, like near Durango or Denver, we saw many hikers & bikers
• ideal bike for a non single speed freak
  • ok, I rarely talk about bikes that have those things called gears, but it’s always an option. if money is not an option and you aren’t interested in the single speed lifestyle, then go for a hard tail with front suspension and a 1 x 9 (or something) setup. no real need for the extra rings up front.
• water filters?
  • yes! we use the Platypus GravityWorks Filter system, because of routine failures with a specific hand pump. Either way, carry a primary system and drops as a backup.
• precautions for wild animals – like mountain lions?
  • no precautions – just hope you don’t come face-to-face with a wild ferocious animal. if you do, look big and angry.
  • a big bottle / canister of bear spray could provide some comfort, but the bottles / canisters are BIG.
  • if you want to exercise your 2nd Amendment rights, go for a Desert Eagle.
• what backpack did you use & why?
  • the Wingnut MPS Alpha. why? because The TeddNeck made the decision.
  • seriously, pick a pack that fits you and makes you happy. TeddNeck picked this pack because of a) the room and b) the design.
• would you / could you put more weight in the backpack to make hike-a-bike easier?
  • no, we like to limit the weight on the back. yeah it’s clumsy to ascend some of the sections and a heavy bike makes it that much more difficult. but we think more gear on the bike is a good thing
• the single speed gear setup / gear ratio?
  • we tried 32 x 20 but rolled out with 32×22 after the initial adventures on the CT.
• platforms? hiking boots? seriously?
  • totally dude, dudette
  • try and walk 100 miles in these Sidi racing shoes.
• cold food? seriously?
  • yeah, seriously. you’ll learn to deal with it, especially when you are dead to the world and just want to eat and sleep.
  • but, as stated below, The Judd may roll with a stove this year just for the few leisurely nights when a warm meal could be an option.
• what mechanical issues did you have?
  • great, now you’ve jinxed us.
  • a broken spoke at mile 470. that’s it.
  • ok, headset loosened up on one of the 100 mile rides.
• who makes the bags, how did you choose?
  • we use Revelate and CDW bags
  • we use what was available, custom frame bags are hard to find and long wait times may be an issue. plan ahead
  • the bags are waterproof and you’ll be happy that they are.
  • it sounds like new bag companies are popping up in various locations, look around. probably some really good stuff is out there.
• do you like feedbags? what do you put in them?
  • feedbags are AWESOME, they go up on the handlebars. i primarily store food in the feedbags.
  • I may get two more for water bottles, if I can fit them on the bike.
• why hiking boots? why not low tops? need waterproof shoes?
  • good question. for wet conditions, like in July, you’ll be happy that you have waterproof hiking boots. later in the season, like late August and September, go with whatever you are comfortable with. BUT – be prepared for everything.
• what % of the hike-a-bike could you ride with gears & suspension?
  • we are guessing, but think that a person on a geared bike with MINIMAL gear may be able to ride 20 more miles. So it’s probably a 20% / 80% thing, i.e., a geared person will hike about 80% of what we hiked.
• what do you pack on the handlebars / fork? frame? seat? backpack?
  • um, check this link for a complete run down of our gear. the list is at the end
  • https://singlespeeding-on-thecoloradotrail.com/category/on-the-ct-the-gear/
• do you know how to change spokes?
  • yeah, we change spokes on a routine basis. it’s not easy, at times. it may require removal of the rotor. but a bent rim can cause havoc to your bikepacking adventure. so be prepared
• advice on safe riding?
  • we walk anything that’s questionable or looks unsafe. don’t want to bust a face or collarbone in the middle of the Rocky Mountains.
• why repackage vacuum packed freeze dried food?
  • don’t ask me, that’s a TeddNeck thing. And he was a Boy Scout. I quit the Boy Scouts after 1 meeting. So give Tedd a call – but remember, he doesn’t answer his phone.
• platforms? hiking boots? seriously?
  • you know it
  • I could hike 100 miles in these high-tech Timberland boots
• need electrolytes?
  • you’ll think that you do. fit them in if you can. but after a number of days on the trail you’ll just forget about all those things that give you a ‘psychological’ boost. the physical boost? who knows. the pain and fatigue is severe, just keep you head in the game and you’ll survive, no matter what.
• wear bike gear, i.e., a chamois thing?
  • the chamois thing? yeah, it was part of the gear. don’t really know why. we quickly gave up on the chamois creme. believe it or not – your body adapts to all this stuff.
• is a 45 deg bag really warm enough?
  • with a bivy bag or tarp tent – definitely. you could go with a 30 deg bag if you are worried. at night, the temp will drop down to the 30s, but that extra layer will allow for the small 45 deg bag.
• what is the difference between riding gloves and night gloves?
  • riding gloves are padded and for riding – but we only wear the gloves 50% of the time.
  • night gloves are for warmth at night – for sleeping. night gloves would be destroyed in one day of extreme riding.
• why not a white gas stove? (white gas vs alcohol vs solid)
  • it’s all about volume and weight.
  • figure out what makes you happy, what you are willing to sacrifice.
  • I may pack a white gas stove / fuel for the 2012 adventure – because I’ll have extra room on my Black Sheep SnowRoller.. a FatBike.
• can you envision bikepacking the CT with no backpack? 
  • yes, but bad attitudes should not be a limiter!
  • seriously, we have ideas to reduce weight in the backpack, but a pack with water may always be required, for us.
  • believe it or not, everyone says “I can’t ride with packs”. (TeddNeck said this for years.) But in bikepacking you’ll experience more fatigue / pain that you’ve ever experienced. It’ll make your issues with backpacks irrelevant.
  • so, just find a good fitting pack. you’ll need the room.
• why 2 single person tents for 2 people, i.e., why not a 2 person tent?
  • uh, you couldn’t pay me to sleep with my brother, The TeddNeck
  • ok, solo unsupported is our goal – this means no help from your buddy or brother. gotta have a solo tent.
  • you cold split up the weight and roll with a 2 person tent, especially if you are out with your significant other. it’s always an option, maybe a good option.
  • but then again, I’ll never share a tent with a dude that STINKS from multiple days on The Colorado Trail.
• does titanium absorb shock?
  • yeah, titanium, my addiction. titanium flexes (compliance is the term?) and is awesome, but expensive.
• why 2 sets of clothes?
  • stench and wetness. be prepared. try to have a dry set of clothes to put on each morning. it’ll help keep your mental state at ‘good’ level. whatever that means.
• do you wash clothes in a stream?
  • nope, we never stopped long enough to do stuff like that. I did mail a clean set of clothes to Buena Vista (general delivery) and that saved me (us) from some NASTY stench. stench is stench, but NASTY stench is unbearable.
• type of sunscreen?
  • anything that is ‘thick’. put it on routinely. and all sunscreen burns when it slides (with the sweat) into your eyes.
• bugs in tarp tents?
  • nope, tarp tents are awesome – for wet environments or areas with predicable (yet unpredictable) nightly storms.
• what about rolling with panniers?
  • nope. too much hike-a-biking. people have done it with panniers but they would be in the way big time with all the hiking, pushing, etc.

if you have any questions – email me. judd@backofthepackracing.com. it may take some time for me to reply, as the bikepacking season is rapidly approaching and I limit my time on ‘the couch‘.