Gear

Colorado Trail Race – Final Gear List

by Andy Amick

A quick post to document my CTR gear least.   Final decisions Switched to a down bag and a Klymit X Frame sleeping pad No bear spray Packing a stove for coffee and freeze dried meals. This choice forces me to take a break during the day. If I carry the meals, I’ll be inclined […]

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Colorado Trail Race Gear List (Work in Progress)

by Andy Amick

While preparing for the Colorado Trail Race, I re-organized my gear placement to account for more singletrack riding. For the Tour Divide, I aimed to place all gear on my bike with the bulk of the weight on the handlebar. The setup worked well for the limited technical riding on the Tour Divide. For the Colorado trail, most of […]

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Rethinking: Gear Placement

by Andy Amick

In the beginning, I packed my sleep system on the handlebars because it did not fit anywhere else. From that first day, I always packed my gear this way. Sleep system on the handlebar, clothes in the seat bag, food and water in the frame bag. Until now…. Swapping the sleep system to the seat […]

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A Bikepacking System Built From Three Companies

by Andy Amick

No, this is not about the 70’s show “Three’s Company”. It’s about building a bikepacking system – one using gear from only three different companies. Bikepacking allows riders the freedom to explore new areas and go deeper into trail systems. However, it also requires a minimum amount of gear to get started. This post will […]

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Be Prepared. Buy Altoids.

by Andy Amick

The title should be read like one of the WWII war bonds posters. “Be prepared, buy more altoids” or  “Have you bought your Altoids?” or “Do your part, buy altoids” Altoids tins are a simple and easy way to store an emergency kit in your backpack or on your bike. For anyone that enjoys a good […]

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Journeys Over Gear – Embrace Sunrises

by Andy Amick

In the initial post on this topic, I wrote about the dilemma of bikepacking. Lots of gear is required to go bikepacking, but the gear itself should not be the focus. Instead, it should be about the journey – the sunrises, sunsets, and people along the way. The idea of gear isn’t bad, nor should […]

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Journeys over Gear – Initial Thoughts

by Andy Amick

Over the last two months, I’ve been writing more about my Tour Divide race experience with the idea of possibly turning it into a book. As I go through the days, the lessons I learned, and the people I met along the way, I’m reminded of just how amazing the journey turned out to be. […]

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Anatomy Of A Bikepacking Gear Setup

by Andy Amick

For any bikepacking endeavor, especially for multi-day rides, where to place gear on the bike becomes a task that can consume a lot of time. What items need to be easily accessible? What items should be packed together? Can everything fit on the bike so the backpack can be left behind? These are just a […]

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The Ideas Behind My Tour Divide Gear Choices

by Andy Amick

Rather than going through every piece of gear for my Tour Divide setup, I’m going to discuss some of the “bigger picture” approaches to outfitting a bike for such an adventure.  There will be a few gear specific mentions where appropriate. For you gear junkies, there is a detailed spreadsheet at the bottom of the […]

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Make Your Own Cuben Fiber Vapor Barrier Socks

by Andy Amick

A Little Background I promise I’ll get to the making of the socks after a little introductory material.  After suffering through some miserable rides, I have discovered that as long as my feet and hands stay warm, the ride can be enjoyable.  A big part of staying warm is keeping the hands and feet dry. […]

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