All my gear was in a full set of Apidura Bags loaded onto my new BINARY BICYCLES HAVOK Titanium frame. I received this beautiful frame well before Christmas but only managed to get it together a few weeks before the TTW. Some delays with parts meant I ended up running a 1 x set-up instead of the planned 2x. I had a 40T front Chain Ring and 11S 46T Cassette, and I could have done with some more gear range at times. I had no mechanicals during the races.
GEAR LIST :
APIDURA EXPEDITION SERIES Saddlepack, Handlebar Pack, Top Tub Pack, Downtube Pack, 2 x Food Pouches, 7L Packable Musette
OUTDOOR RESEARCH Helium Bivy
THERMAREST Neo Lite Sleeping Mat
ENLIGHTENED EQUIPMENT Apex Jacket and Pants
SEA TO SUMMIT Lightweight pillow
RAB Equipment Beanie
SPECIALIZED Masaka Cycling Club Jersey
GROUND EFFECT Limousine Shorts
DHB Base Layer Top
CHAMPION SYSTEM Vibrant Living Socks
GRIP GRAB Gloves
BUFF
SPORTFUL Knee Warmers
SPORTFUL Fiandre Jacket
ENDURA Gillet
GORE TEX ShakeDry Jacket
GORE TEX Waterproof pants
VIGILANTE Base layer Top (for camping)
LAZER Z1 Helmet
SHIMANO RX800 Shoes
JULBO Photo chromic Fury Sunglasses
EXPOSURE Joystick light
MOON NEBULA Rear rechargeable Light
K LITE Bikepacker Pro Dynamo Front Light
SPOT Tracker Gen 4
OCEAN SIGNAL PLB
WAHOO Elemnt GPS Bike Computer
SON Dynamo Hub
VITTORIA MEZCAL 2.25 29ER Front and Back
PRO LOGO Scratch M5 PAS Saddle
EARTHS KITCHEN Certified Natural Sunscreen SPF50
DOTERRA Ice Blue Rub
DETTOL Hand Sanitiser
TOOTBRUSH/TOOTHPASTE
DR ORGANGIC Hemp Oil Lipbalm
KATDYN 0.6 Litre Water Filter
BIOMAXA Biodegradable Lube
Z PACKS Waterproof pouches
LEZYNE Multi Tool / Tyre Levers /Dynaplug / CO2
SPECIALIZED Mini Pump
2 x Ultralight 29er Tubes
SPORK
Emergency Blanket
SUNSAVER 10,000 Cache Battery / Various Charging cables including Di2
I had no Mechanical issues at all in either race, not even a puncture. My new Binary Havok was such a nice ride, smooth and supple and ready for the next challenge I did adjust air pressure at times, pumping up for the sealed road sections and releasing air for the rougher stuff.
My biggest Gear failure was my Shimano Shoes, which started to fall apart quickly on the HAB of the Tour Te Waipounamu. These were way too stiff for all the walking over some rugged terrain, mountain ranges, rooty trails and rocky riverbeds. After the TTW, they went in the bin. I had another pair of the same shoes at home and had them sent down to Invercargill for the Tuatara 1000. They were perfect for this race as there was very little HAB in comparison.
I used my Outdoor Research Helium Bivvy for the first time in a race after a few months of testing in summer conditions beforehand. I love the convenience and speed of set up with the Bivy but have to admit I did not get much super restful sleep. A few cold nights did not help. I was using Enlightened Equipment Synthetic Down Pants and jacket as my Sleep system along with a Vigilante Baselayer. The Jacket is Fantastic but I feel the pants did not give me enough insulation from the cold mountain air.
I was using the Vittoria Mezcals for the first time and I thought they were great. Super grippy and speedy on the sealed roads
All my Apidura Packs continue to perform brilliantly, waterproof, hardwearing and reliable. https://www.apidura.com/
I have been trying out new sunglasses from French brand JULBO for 6 months now. I have the RUSH and FURY models both with Photochromic lenses. For these races, I went with the Fury. These Photochromic lenses are perfect for ultra-endurance cycling events that I love to do. As I generally riding before the sun comes up and well after the sun goes down , these lens adjust to the light super quick and protect my eyes from a lot more than just the sun. https://julbo.nz/
I’ve also been using Biomaxa products, Bike Lubricant, Bike Cleaner and Degreaser. All these products and fully bio-degradable and have zero petrochemicals or any other nasties. I had a small bottle of the lube with me for the TTW and Tuatara 1000 and it was fantastic. Made here in New Zealand https://www.biomaxa.com/
For years I was riding fully rigid on my previous bike , A Salsa Fargo. For my new Binary Havok, I put a ROCK SHOX SID SL Ultimate front suspension knowing that the TTW course covered some rugged terrain. This was a great decision and the SID did a fantastic job of handling the rough stuff
My Klite Bikepacker Pro continues to be outstanding after years of lighting my way through different countries https://www.klite.com.au/
