Colorado Trail 2026: Bag Attack

For this big 'ol ride I'm planning, I am having to take a different approach than my regular gravel bike, hotel stay, credit card driven adventure. This ride necessitates a camping setup, as well as a much more thoughtful weight consideration. 

I took the basic packing list I have and started editing it for a true bike packing trip. I broke things down by the bag they'd go in.

Dry Fit bags

My goal with this was to spread the load over the whole bike so it would still handle sort of ok, and try to keep it under 50 pounds. That would be a challenge for a few reasons:

• I'm starting with a heavy bike
• I won't want to buy a lot of really lightweight gear for one trip
• I want to bring some comforts that weigh a lot

Here is a breakdown of what will be in my bags and some notes:

Bar Bag - this is my trusty Revelate Egress. I built a new bar mount for it to accommodate the 35mm handlebars not the Transition and so far it's working out great. 

• Bivy Sack (small tent)
• Evening wear
• Quick access food

Front Top Tube Bag - this snack bag has been really useful for grabbing snacks on the bike. It has a magnetic closure so it's a big improvement over the old zipper one. 

• Bars and snacks!

Rear Top Tube Bag - this bag was in the way when I had it mounted on my gravel bike, but due to the different frame design, it works great on the Transition. 

• Tools, chain lube, tire levers

Frame Bag - this bag's fit was one of the main reasons I wanted to switch bikes. It fits much better in the Transition and allows for some storage behind it even. 

• Stove, Fuel, Pot
• Food

Under Frame Bag - this is a hard to reach bag, so it's just stiff I hope I don't need to get to often. It's a roll top bag so it will keep what is inside dry.

• Rain gear - Pants, hat, jacket, gloves
• Extra tube

Rear Rack Bag - sleep system! The rack for this went through some iterations to hold this bag best. This is a simple mount with two straps and a roll top to keep things dry. 

• Sleeping bag
• Sleeping pad
• Pillow

Other stuff not in a bike bag:

Backpack - this is new for me, as I usually ride with a minimal hip pack. I got this one and am hopeful it will meet my needs without being too uncomfortable

• Evening Items - toothbrush, charger, medicine
• Pump
• Down jacket
• First aid kit

On Bike - This stuff is just going to be strapped right to the bike!

• Water bottle
• Garmin
• Lights

And those are the bags! 

Colorado Trail 2026: Pack That Bike

Now that I've settled on a bike, let's talk about the bags I'm using. I have been building out a list of what I am planning on bringing based on past experience and reading online resources, and I have a good idea of how much volume I'll need to carry everything. 

This is where a resource like Bikepacking.com is so valuable. They do these Rigs of the (whatever) where they review all the bikes that are competing in an event, and the riders breakdown what they have and what they're excited about. It's great because I like to see what other people are doing. Here are some bikes I am using as inspiration for my trip:

Transition Transam

Bike: Transition Transam

What I like: It's the same as my bike! In this review, it didn't get stellar reviews, as it doesn't compete well with purpose-built bike packing bikes, but it is a decent all-arounder. I liked to see this bike with what looks like with bags on it.

Esker Hayduke

Bike: Esker Hayduke

What I like: Oh man this bike rules. It is cool looking, light, perfect for long days in the saddle. I like the rack, the small frame bag with a water bottle behind it, and the aero-bars. 

Unsure of this one

Bike: ???

What I like: I also like the rack, under frame storage, and the top tube bag on this bike. Really balanced packing.

Now let's get to my bike. I am lucky to already own quite a few bags to choose from, and am looking forward to testing out how everything will fit together. I have a couple goals for this setup:

• Distribute weight front to back
• Keep it under 50 pounds
• Limit storage, and if I can't fit something then reconsider bringing it
• Utilize a backpack as well

Here's all the storage options I am considering:

I've settled on six bags:

• Bar bag: Revelate Egress - This bag is designed to go over a stuff sack, but I am really happy with it solo on a custom mount
• Top Tube Bag: Revelate Mag Tank - Lots of snack volume in an easy access location
• Frame Bag: Revelate Frame Bag - This is a workhorse of a bag with plenty of space. It doesn't fill the triangle as well as it could, so I'm using the extra space for a 20oz water bottle
• Under Frame Stuff Sack: Revelate Joey - Great for out of the way gear I won't access often
• Top Tube Bag #2: Revelate Jerry Can - This bag was always in the way on my gravel bike, but the frame differences make it a good fit on the Transam
• Tail Bag: Revelate stuff sack on a custom rack - I like a stuff sack on a rack so much. It's stable, has a lot of volume, and balances out the bike weight between the front and back

Here is what it looks like all loaded up

Test Ride!

I also played with a Aeroe rear rack, but it rode funny and was heavy, so I am sticking to 'ol reliable: An alum rack built from Home Depot parts. 

Dry Fit

I loaded it up with everything and took it to the top of Joder and I'm happy to say it is working well! My initial concerns are that the racks hold in place and the bags don't swing around too much, and so far everything is working great. Have a longer few rides planned and we'll continue to refine.

Greetings from the Top

Map Breakdown: Day 1

Let's break down day one! This day has a couple interesting parts and features the widest variety of trail types and surfaces. 

First off, this day has already been the cause of some change and stress due to the Lost Creek Wilderness ride around. This is how the trail looks if you were going to hike it: 

Lost Creek Wilderness in Orange (no bikes)

Initially, I had planned for us to ride a 24 mile detour around the wilderness. This would have put us on the trail for half the day, and then on a dirt road for the other half 

Original Route in Orange, Detour in Blue

I was watching a video of a guy riding the trail and noticed his ride around distance was more than double what I had planned. What is up?! Turns out, I had us riding on part of the trail that is within the wilderness, so we were going to have to further modify the route. 

Original Route in Orange, Full Detour in Blue

This adds significant miles and forces us to reschedule the whole ride. In the end, it is fine, a little more road than trail, still an adventure. There is also an option to detour to the north, but this puts you on 285 for 15 miles or so.

No thanks

Original Route in Orange, 285 Detour in Blue

So, with the route settled here is how it breaks down into three parts:

Part 1: Miles 0-5 - We start in the Buffalo Creek trail system for 5 miles of flowy trail through the trees that should be a fun way to start the day. It is the only singletrack for the day.

Part 1

Buffalo Creek

Part 2: Miles 6-36 - For the second part of the trail we jump on a dirt road that rolls south. This has quite a bit of ride and fall and should be fairly miserable. 

Part 2

Stoney Pass Road

Part 3: Miles 37-52+ - The last bit of the ride is paved, is a gentle climb, and will hopefully be a nice break from the dirt road that precedes it. I had planned for us to stay near the Tarryall Reservoir, where there is a waterfall and some places to camp - but there if we continue up the road another 10 miles, there is a place called the Stagestop saloon that looks like a great spot for some beers, pizza, and socialization. 

Part 3

Tarryall Road

Still TBD whether we want to push through this day, or camp a little rougher. Here is a breakdown of the profile and some of the way points (you can see the middle third looks terrible).

Ride Profile

Next up: Day 2! Shorter, more singletrack, and some support at the end!

Colorado Trail 2026: A Tale of Two (Three?) Bikes

When I first started planning for this ride, I was excited at the prospect of a new bike! I also thought there was potential to take my daily driver, my Epic Evo. I even put some bags on it to see how things would look and feel. 

Epic all geared up

I was not super thrilled about taking my beloved carbon bike and punishing it for four days. So, onto searching for a cool bike packing option: A Canfield Nimble 9 from Pinkbike. I was super optimistic about how this quick handling steel frame would work as a bike packing rig. I'd even seen a few readers rides on Bike packing.com that featured this bike. 

Came as a single speed

Boom! gears

I was excited to take it out for a first few rides that included some dirt roads and some singletrack. I even loaded it up with bags to see how everything would fit.  

Testing Bag Fit

I have to say, I was not happy with how this bike rode. It was really disheartening because reviews said the bike was a real winner. My issues were:

• Short reach
• Twitchy handling
• Restricted space in the main triangle
• 150mm fork was more than I needed
• Goofy groupset and brakes (not a performance issue, just a parts issue)

I think the issue is that I'm so dang tall. With it's short reach and wheelbase, this is a bike for someone a little shorter than I am.

About the same time, I was laying in bed looking at Instagram and an ad for the Pro's Closet came up and I figured why not look and see what they have. I came across an absolute dream of a Transition in the TransAm. 

Transition TransAm

On paper, this is a similar bike - steel frame, longer travel fork, touted as a fun and flickable hardtail. I labored for a few days, and made the decision. I cleaned up the Canfield, listed it on Facebook Marketplace, and bought the Transition. Then, just for fun, I submitted the Canfield to TPC to see if they would take it off my hands (they offer a better deal if you use the money for another purchase). Even if I lost some money, it wouldn't be the end of the world. I was willing to eat at least the cost of a bike rental.

I also looked at the specs and frame design to make sure this would better meet my needs

More frame space

Looking at my issues with the Canfield, here is how the TransAm stacked up

• Reach was the same as my Evo at just over 500mm
• Longer wheelbase and slack steering angle meant a more stable ride
• Larger front triangle space (see image above)
• Under forked at 140mm
• Full XT Group set with SRAM G2 R brakes, all in great condition

A few cons - this bike is a bit heavier at 32 pounds, and has a chunky wheel set. Can't win them all. 

What was wild was that PTC offered me a great price for the Canfield! I was so pleased with their help and how  they worked with me to get the bike picked up and avoid shipping. A win all around.

Same bags, new bike

A few prelim rides on the Transition has proven that it is a much better fit of a bike for me. I've made a few changes (bars, stem) and it's working great. Next up is customizing the bag set up! Stay tuned for a breakdown of my rack and bag solution, including a new bar bag mount, water bottle carrying system, and rear rack!

Colorado Trail 2026: The Route (and all its changes)

   I had a draft of the route all written up and was about to hit publish when I ran across some inconsistencies in distances around day 2 and 3. I was watching this video and noticed his ride-around of the Lost Creek Wilderness area was 70 miles, while mine was 24 miles. That's why you do the research. 

First off, there isn't a ton of route variation you get to choose from when you're riding this trail. What you do get to choose is how far to ride each day. For our trip, we're shooting for a 4 day ride. Initially, we were going to ride from the official start at Waterton Canyon to Copper Mountain like this:

Days one through four

Here's the old breakdown, notably the miles and elev:

Day 1: Waterton Canyon to Buffalo Campground, 33 miles, 4800 elev

Day 2: Buffalo Campground to Rock Creek South Trail head, 32 miles, 5400 elev

Day 3: Rock Creek South Trail head to Breckenridge, 36 miles, 5600 elev

Day 4: Breckenridge to Copper Mountain, 13 miles, 3700 elev

Looking at those numbers, day 2 and 3 were going to be pretty intense. Once I realized my error, an additional 50 miles made it near impossible. This became a great opportunity to shorten our ride and make everything more reasonable. Sure, we weren't going to be able to ride the whole section between Denver and Copper, but we could still have an epic outing. Here is the new route:

New Days one through four

Here's the old breakdown, notably the miles and elev:

Day 1: Buffalo Creek to Tarryall Reservoir area*, 50 miles, 5800 elev

Day 2: Tarryall Res to Jefferson Creek / Aspen Campground, 30 miles, 3500 elev

Day 3: Jefferson Creek / Aspen Campground to Breckenridge, 35 miles, 4100 elev

Day 4: Breckenridge to Copper Mountain. 19 miles, 3700 elev

*on day one, we ride as far as we can.

This new route is a little shorter, a little less climbing:

Day one looks a lot harder, because it is the Lost Creek Wilderness ride around, and it is a combination of gravel and paved road. We should be able to pile on the miles that day.

I'm planning to break down each day further as the date gets closer, and cover some interesting points and challenges they present.

Series Kickoff: Colorado Trail 2026

 Hey Team, This summer I'm attempting something I swore to Natalie I was never going to do again: The Colorado Trail. Back in the August of 2011, Geoff, Isaac, and I bikes from Copper Mountain to Silverton over seven days. I came back from that trip and was decidedly not excited about any more biking trips. The beauty of the ride was matched only by the challenging terrain. 

A very optimistic crew just outside Copper Mountain

That's more like it. 

Can't beat the views

In 2020, deep in Covid, Jesse, Isaac. and I tried a new way of bike packing: The credit card trip. We started a now 6 year tradition of riding gravel roads between warm beds at hotels. But enough with the easy life! It's time to get back to nature. This August, I'm going to ride from Denver to Copper Mountain, completing the first third of the trail. 

The full route

A ride like this wouldn't be complete without some intense route planning, considerable gear considerations, and much second guessing. And through all that I'll be updating this page. We're going to cover:

• Route selection and daily miles
• Bike selection
• Bag and gear selection
• How to cry quietly in your tent so no one hears 

So, here's to another great adventure!

Bikepacking Trip 2025 Report - Day 4

 With days 1 and 2 still fresh in our minds, the thought of an 80 mile, 8000' day was not appealing to anyone. We looked for other options and there was an interesting one that took us over Vail pass into Copper. The problem was that the cars were not in Copper, they were still in Leadville. 

Original hellish route

Updated with fewer opportunities for suffering

Updated elevation profile

This meant that we had to do some advanced route planning: Isaac and Geoff were going to hop on the bus in Vail and ride it to Leadville while the rest of us rode over Vail Pass to Copper and all meet there for margaritas. 

Heading out of Eagle for some more bike path

Geoff coming into Avon, probably

This early route was pretty easy and a great way to start day 4. A 35 mile ride to the Vail Transit Center and we said farewell to Geoff and Isaac as they boarded the bus. 

About halfway to Vail I suffered the only flat of the trip, and I kept dealing with that for the rest of the ride! Ended up putting in a plug and then replacing it and limping to Copper. 

Later dudes

Jesse, Aaron, and I continued the last 20 miles to Copper Mountain. I'd never ridden Vail pass from this side, and it was really nice. Some short punchy climbs, and some beautiful views. They're even building a new rest stop at the top.

The frontage road leading to the bike path over the pass

looking back West into the Vail Valley

Victory margs

The last day of a ride is always bittersweet. This was a really challenging route, and luckily we were able to adjust the route as we went to avoid any additional abuse! Reflecting on the harder of the days, that is what we were in for, and it wouldn't have been an epic ride without doing some epic shit.