Is this a good bike for touring GDMBR?

Northeasterner · Feb 10, 2018

For you experienced bike packers how do you think a TREK Procaliber 9.7 would do for the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route? We will be touring not the race. We plan on using the traditional Bike Packing setup, frame bag, seat bag, handlebar bag. Maybe also with Fred bars with Profile Design Aerobars. The reason I ask is we don’t yet own this bike. I’ve currently got a FS 29er and a fat bike but I wanted to buy a lighter hardtail for some distance events over less technical terrain anyway plus use it for this tour. I thought the Iso-coupler Trek uses would help smooth out the rough trails/roads over a traditional hardtail while still being able to fit a full- size frame bag. My wife does not currently own a mountain bike but she’s interested in trying non-technical mountain biking so after the tour this would fill that void. She’s an extremely experienced fast road rider as well as traditional road touring cyclist.
Most GDMBR tourists I seen photos of are riding steel or titanium hardtails. I wondered how this carbon bike will hold up?

life behind bars · Feb 11, 2018

Have a look at the Salsa Cutthroat as well.

Iowagriz · Feb 11, 2018

It would work just fine. I've done the Canada into Montana portion twice on my El Mariachi Ti - with 2.3s and rigid and I think it works great. Not too much technical in the way of downhills that make the rigid that much of a liability. Then she will have the hardtail for future use. Just make sure you watch for bag rub on the frame. Add some helicopter tape in the appropriate spots.

Northeasterner · Feb 11, 2018

thanks. The other bike I considered for her was a Trek Stache 9.7. I figured if it was going to be her only mountain bike that she might feel more comfortable on chunky terrain over the procaliber due to the larger tires. It is 4-5 lbs heavier than the Procaliber so that's a consideration. It looks like the Procaliber frame would handle a larger frame bag.
Lots of choices out there.

mikesee · Feb 13, 2018

If the emphasis is on touring, get the Stache. So comfy, so nimble, so fun. Anything will work on the GDMBR -- it's primarily dirt road. But then the Stache could be a lot of fun when the GDMBR is done.

Northeasterner · Feb 14, 2018

mikesee said:
If the emphasis is on touring, get the Stache. So comfy, so nimble, so fun. Anything will work on the GDMBR -- it's primarily dirt road. But then the Stache could be a lot of fun when the GDMBR is done.

I'm going to order two Stache 9.7s today. I might even order some lighter.better quality wheels from you in the future mikesee, we'll see how the stock ones work out. Just removing the tubes saves 400g per wheel but the stock wheelset is rather heavy even tubeless.

mikesee · Feb 14, 2018

Northeasterner said:
I'm going to order two Stache 9.7s today. I might even order some lighter.better quality wheels from you in the future mikesee, we'll see how the stock ones work out. Just removing the tubes saves 400g per wheel but the stock wheelset is rather heavy even tubeless.

You'll be psyched with those bikes!

Experiment lots with tire pressures -- you can go lower than you think (low double or high single digits for most people) and tiny adjustments (think 1/4 of a psi) make meaningful differences.

richwolf · Feb 15, 2018

I have had a regular Stache for two years now and have used it for lots of bikepacking. If I were to do it all over again I would probably get the 1120 just for their racks. Buy a suspension fork for trail riding and some bikepacking courses (AZT and Colorado Trail etc) otherwise for the Divide I would stick with the rigid carbon fork and front rack.

At first I was sceptical but now I really like it. However I will use my present Stache till it dies. I covet their rear rack though.

Is this a good bike for touring GDMBR?

Northeasterner

life behind bars

Iowagriz

Northeasterner

mikesee

Northeasterner

mikesee

richwolf

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