Great Divide Mountain Bike Route

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The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route is a bicycle route especially designed for mountain biking. It traverses the Rocky Mountains of the United States, stretching from Banff, Alberta, Canada to Mexico.

1 The route
2 Time to finish
3 Essential equipment
4 Animals likely to be encountered
5 External links

[edit] The route

The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (aka GDMBR) was put together by Adventure Cycling and is the longest off-pavement bike route in the world. The route is generally ridden North to South crossing the continental divide a total of 27 times. Its total length is 2,490 miles (4,007 km). Its highest altitude is around 11,900 feet (3,600 m) above sea level.

[edit] Time to finish

The trip generally takes around three months for the leisurely rider who stops frequently along the way. Most riders complete the route in about 75 riding days. The fastest time to date was Mike Curiak's staggering 16 days 57 minutes.

[edit] Essential equipment

Generally, a sturdy mountain or all-terrain bicycle is recommended for riding this route. A front suspension helps, although riders have experienced problems with rear suspensions. A seatpost shock absorber could take the place of a rear suspension. Riders use either trailers or on-bike saddlebags, or panniers, both front and rear. A water filter or chemical means of sanitizing river or creek water is needed. A cellular phone should be taken, although it won't work in all areas. Insect repellent will be needed in some areas at certain times of the year. A thoroughly waterproof tent should be taken. Use maps sold by Adventure Cycling Association. A good cycling odometer will help coordinate with the maps. Take bear spray just in case.

[edit] Animals likely to be encountered

Animals seen along the route are likely to be bears, moose, deer, elk, antelope, and much more. The presence of bears makes the storage of food an important issue. Suspend food packs from tree branches where bears can't get at them overnight. Only spray a bear as a last resort, and realize that the spray can easily be blown back into your own eyes for an unpleasant experience.