Bike Set Up for DAMn: Day Across MN

Read below for a gear break down and bike set up for DAMn.

Gear:

• Bike

• Salsa Journeyman 2019 Apex 1

• HUNT 650b Adventure Sport Disc wheels

• 27.5x2.1 Teravail Rutland Tires setup tubeless with Stans sealant

• Front 32psi, Rear 35psi

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• Gearing

• Front: 38 tooth Absolute Black Oval

• Rear: 11-42

• Wahoo Elemnt Bolt

• Lezyne 1300XL headlight

• Lezyne Rear Strip Drive

• 2 bottles in frame, 1 on downtube

• Hand pump on seat stay

• Cue card reader and holder  on handlebars and stem

• Frame Bag - Banjo Brothers Large Frame Bag

• Charging Equipment for lights, phone, and Wahoo Elemnt Bolt via 10,000mah power bank

• 70oz hydration bladder

• Spare/repair/patch kit

• CO2, CO2 head, bacon strips, valve cores, core removal tool, tires levers

• 2oz Sealant

• Nutrition

• Gorilla Tape

• Top Tube Bag - Banjo Brother Top Tube bag

• Nutrition and salt tabs

• Spare Tube under seat

Thoughts: Overall I think my set up and gear selection was spot on. There was nothing that I was missing or needed. It helped I had no mechanical issues what so ever throughout the event. Tubeless is a must for comfort and lower PSI for additional grip, stabilization, and cush. One could agree the aggressive Teravail Rutland 27.5x2.1 was overkill for a tire selection for the type of gravel roads we were on. I never needed to worry about having grip or being able to roll over anything though. Next time around I would probably choose a 650x47 with a smooth center and somewhat knobby on the sides, like the WTB Horizon or Teravail Washburn. For the smoother faster gravel and paved sections, this would've sped me up a bit. I would have also put two bottles on fork instead of a hydration bladder in my frame bag. Easier to just reach and drink. I had plenty of room for food, wind jacket in the morning and evening, and gear. Lights were spot on. I tried to eliminate any extra weight on my handlebars for ease of steering and managing. For comfort for the long straight stretches I would have liked to have had aero bars. No matter what, being on the bike for a day, your upper body will tire.