Thank you for this! Helpful for sure.
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…and to continue the trend of posting more bikepacking info, here are some bullet points of things I have learned over the last few years of bike touring and bikepack racing that I think are helpful for those looking to get into these kinds of events.
General Bikepacking Race Tips
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Have fun. Look up, see the sky, see the trees and the mountains, and smile.
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Try to only get off the bike if 2 or more reasons exist (I need to pee, put on more sunscreen, AND change a layer)
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Voice to text a to-do list (or type) as you are riding for when you get to your next resupply… ‘charge this, change this layer, dry this out, get this food’ etc so you don’t get decision fatigue while at a gas station trying to be efficient.
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If it’s hot outside, chill a little bit after you eat a big meal so you can digest and not get nauseous
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If it’s hot outside, put ice or snow in your hydration vest pockets.
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Carry more water so you spend less time refilling.
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Staying in a hotel is nice, but can be a huge time sink.
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Pre-open some snacks before you leave a resupply so you can eat them on the bike easily
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Always have redundancy for crucial things. Either analog or digital. paper cue sheets, multiple GPS options, backup to a bar mounted light (headlamp) etc
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Only resupply at gas stations (for reducing decision fatigue and smaller portioned foods for packing)
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Don’t stress over/check Track Leaders/Bandok too much. you can go as fast as you can go, you know your pacing.
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Sleeping longer lets you ride faster.
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Sleeping earlier when its warmer leads to better sleep (like going to bed at 9pm to get up at 1am) the coldest part of the morning is usually 3am-6am, this strategy also could allow for a lighter and less warm sleep system
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Chasing is way more fun than being chased
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Eat a lot, but don’t force yourself to eat too much, nausea/vomiting can be worse than under eating
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Consider times to try hard and to not: like racing to catch an earlier ferry, ripping single track, or walking a death slog climb at 3mph instead of riding it at 3mph, etc. Only put in a dig if it makes sense in the big picture. DO NOT go out fast at the start, stick to your pacing strategy.
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Make your own luck: overhaul bike before race for everything that could go wrong (trueing wheels, greasing moving parts, checking bearings, checking drivetrain wear, topping off sealant, etc)
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Try to maximize the bell curve/balance of comfort and performance, but when in doubt lean toward comfort. (suspension fork, extra layer, tent vs bivy, etc)
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Riding with people can be a double edged sword-its an emotional boost, but if they are too fast or too slow you aren’t optimizing your energy use.
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Waterproof and breathable are mutually exclusive terms when it comes to keeping you dry. You will either build up sweat (waterproof) or eventually let water in (breatheable). Nice rain gear is awesome, but it essentially only buys you time.
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ABC…. always be charging something, but also minimize things you need to charge on the ride…
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Never ever ever try something new on race day, if a system doesn’t have at least 100 miles on it, don’t trust it. (new shoes, different grips, drivetrain overhaul, etc)
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Going into a race undertrained is way better than going into a race overtrained
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There are plans, and there is what happens. They are often not the same. Get over it and roll with the punches.
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It’s a sine wave. there will always be highs and there will always be lows. The important thing is to keep moving forward. The best part about being at a low point in a race is that it means you are about to get to a high point!
(Picture is from my tour across the iceland divide, but you get the idea)
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Thanks for this, and a most hearty congrats on your Tour Divide attempt!
I was inspired by your post for setting up training for my bikepacking events in 2026. I have added my long rides and test trips to my training plan as “C” events, which means they should not disrupt the plan at all. Adaptive training should still adjust things.
I also scheduled these long ride “C” events on the weekends just before my rest weeks so that they do not disrupt the good quality interval work beforehand.
We’ll see how that goes!
Oh! I just saw this - which would be pretty awesome for those of us doing long events:
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