Bikes of Tour Te Waipounamu 2021

Matt Quirk

Age: 49

Location: Wanaka, New Zealand

Your bike: Salsa Woodsmoke, Reba 120, Stans Arch on XTR/SON, Thomson stem/post and carbon bar. Mezcxaxl 2.35’s. Ergon grips.

Your key items of kit: Revelate harness and front roll, old style Revelate saddle bag Rock Bros frame bag and Robokiwi goodie bags. Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 flysheet only, Rab Neutrino Pro 400 sleeping bag, cooker and Ultimate Direction Fastpack for the hike-a-bike.

Your bike: Your key items of kit: Mix and match bags. Humongous Salsa framebag, Beacon light / charging, Garmin 530 Edge. Flipping a coin between OR Helium bivi (misery), or Nemo Hornet Elite (relative luxury). Very minimal stove - enough for a daily cuppa! Micropur to annihilate the bugs in the water in the farmy bits.

Steve Halligan

Age: 44

Location: Hanmer Springs, New Zealand

Your bike: Binary Havok Titanium frame, Enve M60forty rims with Vittoria Mezcals 2.25 tyres and a SON Dynamo hub. Groupset is Shimano Di2 1x 40T front chainring and 11-50T cassette with Prologo Scratch M5 saddle, ENVE gravel series handlebars with kLite Bikepacker ULTRA lights.

Your key items of kit: Outdoor Research Helium bivy, Thermarest NeoAir XLite sleeping pad, Sea to Summit Spark sleeping bag, Enlightened Equipment Apex synthetic down jacket and beanie all packed away in Apidura Expedition series bags.

Hana Black

Age: 49

Location: Lyttelton, New Zealand

Your bike: Otso Voytek carbon fat bike with a Fox 34 Step Cast suspension fork.1 x 12 Sram Eagle GX drivetrain (30/50). 27.5 x 2.6 Vittoria Mezcal tyres. Seat dropper. Watson Revelation titanium handlebar.

Your key items of kit: Revelate Vole seatbag, Pronghorn handlebar harness, framebag, Mag-Tank and Mountain Feedbags. Big Agnes Scout 1 Platinum tent and Fussell UL quilt. Osprey Talon 11 backpack. Biomaxa Pro-Ride chamois cream and Biolube. No stove. No teddy.

Brian Alder

Age: 56

Location: Takaka, New Zealand

Your bike: Santa Cruz Chameleon C (XL), Santa Cruz Reserve 30 29r wheels, Vittoria Mezcal 2.35 tyres, Shimano XT/ SLX 12 Spd drivetrain; 30 x 10-51, Rockshox Pike 130mm fork, KS Lev Dropper.

Your key items of kit: Apidura Backcountry Bags, sleeping bag & bivvy Bag. Led Lenser & Fenix battery lights.

Pete Maindonald

Age: 57

Location: Rotorua, New Zealand

Your bike: 2015 Salsa El Mariachi Ti, Shimano XT 2x10, 100mm Rockshok SID, Easton Haven wheels with 2.25 Vittoria Mezcal front and rear.

Your key items of kit: Zpacks Dyneema tarp and a minimal cooker. Lighting is a Fenix BC21, Lezyne Micro Duo and 2 x rear flashers. Navigation is Garmin Map 62 (backup- iHike APP on phone).

Jeff Lyall

Age: 59

Location: Wellington, New Zealand

Your bike: Cannondale Flash Alloy M with Vittoria Mezcals 2.35, a Brookes saddle and Ergon grips. Stealth Bike Bags and Cactus Outdoor. Groupset is Shimano 2x10. 38/24, 11-40 with Shimano brakes and SRAM shifters.

Your key items of kit: Lighting/power are kLite with SP dynamo with 18650 Aliexpress torch and DIY Powerbanks. Navigation is Garmin Etrex 20. My sleeping equipment is a Tarptent Contrail, RAB sleeping bag liner, North Face sleeping bag and a Thermarest mattress. Theme: Going for comfort, not weight. I aim to finish.

Steve Scott

Age: 51

Location: New Zealand

Your bike: Giant XTC 29er with Shimano Deore groupset and Maxis Crossmark 2.25 tyres.

Your key items of kit: Revelate bikepacks carrying a bivvy bag and a stove.

Liam Crozier

Age: 30

Location: Lyttelton, New Zealand

Your bike: Ibis DV9, Shimano XT rear wheel/Son and DT Swiss front with Vittoria tyres. XT groupset with Deore rear mech (34T front chainring/46 tooth rear cassette), Passchier Bamboo handlebar, SID Ultimate fork (120mm), One Up V2 dropper, XT touring pedals, Profile Designs aero bars and a not-so-ideal Specialized saddle.

Your key items of kit: Home-made bivvy bag and insulated gilet front thing. Sea to Summit sleeping bag, Thermarest NeoAir X-Lite 3/4 mat, Ultraspire trail vest, Julbo glasses. Arcteryx Norvan SL trail running shoes for the portage and Shimano shoes for the riding. Cork massage ball, Soto cooker with Apidura and Stealth bikepacks. Ground Effect cycling kit but an Outdoor Research sun hoody, kLite lighting and charging, Garmin eTrex 30 gps. More stuff but this is getting long.

Ollie Whalley

Age: 35

Location: Nelson, New Zealand

Your bike: I’m riding a Lynskey Ridgeline SL 29, my front wheel is a Shimano DH-UR708-3D dynamo hub on Light Bikes carbon rim and the rear is a Rohloff Speedhub 500/14 on No tubes Arch. Brakes and crankset are Shimano XT. Handlebars are Carver MyTi carbon and forks are X-Fusion Trace 120m. USB charge/light are kLite Ultra.

Your key items of kit: The frame pack, chaff, handlebar roll and top tub garage are Bike Bad Dude with a Blackburn Outpost Elite saddle bag. My sleep system includes a Titanium Goat Ptarmigan Bivy, Western Mountaineering HIghlite sleeping bag and Thermarest NeoAair XLite mat.

Olly Manson

Age: 30

Location: Wanaka, New Zealand

Your bike: Kona Unit (steel) and Fox 32 110m forks with Shimano everywhere; allergic to Sram. 11 speed wide range 11-51t cassette with a 12 speed derailleur and 11 speed shifter #hack. absoluteBLACK 30t oval chainring and brakes are Shimano XT with 180mm rotors. Lights are a V2 kLite and Exposure Joystick for helmet, powered by a Son Dynamo. Tyres are Rekon Race 2.4 and grips are Ergon. The bike is completed with a splashing of purple anodised Hope parts.

Your key items of kit: My sleeping setup is an Outdoor Research bivy, Klymit mat and a Sea to Summit Spark 2 bag. Bags are a mix of Revelate, Apidura and Ortlieb.

Steven Butterworth

Age: 41

Location: Aotearoa

Your bike: Surly Karate Monkey single speed 34x17. It’s been stripped raw for some sweet patina then rattle canned with a clear coat and built with Paul, ENVE, Thomson, Hope, Garmin, Shimano XTR, CK, Chinese rims and exposure lights

Your key items of kit: Bags are a mix of Porcelain Rocket, STEALTH and Cactus. I will take a light sleeping bag and a bivvy. In case of an emergency a Dangle Supplies Ti Cob with some home grown and Stanley Hipster with Plantation Rum.

Tony LeSueur

Age: 47

Location: Wellington, New Zealand

Your bike: Ibis Tranny carbon 29er running Rohloff hub and Dynamo up front. Both on wheelworks carbon rims. 2.25 Schwalbe Thunder Burt on the rear abd 2.35 Schwalbe Rock Razor up front. Fox Factory 120mm 34 forks. kLite v2 front lights and kLite rear cubes. Aero bars and a Sella Anatomica R saddle to round out the comfort.

Your key items of kit: Porcelain Rocket seatpost bag. Revelate framebag, Gas Tank, harness with sweet roll and front pocket. Sleep system is a Big Agnes Fly Creek Carbon, Big Agnes mat and Marmot Phase 30 bag.

Georgia Whitla

Age: 32

Location: Nelson, New Zealand

Your bike: Scott Spark aka Sparkles. Maxxis icon 2.2. Sram XO1 groupset with 1x12 28T chain ring.

Your key items of kit: Revelate harness and front roll, old style Revelate saddle bag Rock Bros frame bag and Robokiwi goodie bags. Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 flysheet only, Rab Neutrino Pro 400 sleeping bag, cooker and Ultimate Direction Fastpack for the hike-a-bike.

Amanda Wells

Age: 45

Location: Wellington, New Zealand

Your bike: Surly Ogre with a Rockshox Reba fork. 29" wheels; DT Swiss rear and PD dynamo front. Maxxis Ikon tyres; 2.20 rear and 2.35 front. Shimano componentry, yes a triple (22x30x40, 11-36t). Profile Design T3 aerobars, Salsa Bend handlebar with ESI grips, Catalyst pedals and a Specialized Power Mimic saddle.

Your key items of kit: Revelate bags apart from custom Stealth frame bag, tent fly, tiny gas cooker and straps to carry bike!

Mark Watson

Age: 49

Location: Lyttelton, New Zealand

Your bike: Otso Voytek 27.5+ with 2.6 Vittoria Mezcals on Hope & DT Swiss alloy wheels. Fox 34 Step Cast fork. Sram XO & GX drivetrain with 10-50 cassette and 28t Wolftooth stainless chainring. Shimano Deore hydraulic brakes (2 & 4 piston). Watson Revelation Ti handlebar with 32 degree sweep and a couple of ancient Onza bar ends mounted as mini-aeros. Ergon GS1 grips. Selle Anatomica X2 saddle atop a Thomson Masterpiece seatpost with quick release for the steep and technical downhills.

Your key items of kit: Revelate Designs bags throughout: Pronghorn front harness, 2 Mountain Feed Bags, Magtank 2000, framebag and 8L Terrpain (thanks Hana). Extra water, food and essentials inside an Osprey Talon 9L backpack. Macpac Pinnacle sleeping bag, Inflatable mat and Big Agnes Scout 1 Platinum micro tent. No stove.

Mark Rayward

Age: 52

Location: New Zealand

Your bike: 2012 Giant Anthem 29’ with full Shimano XT groupset and Specialized Fast Trak 2.3 tyres.

Your key items of kit: Camping kit includes a Rab Siltarp 2, 200gm down sleeping bag, a SOL emergency bivvy and an Exped pad. Clothing list includes a Rab synthetic down jacket, Rab Flash rain jacket, over trousers and Shimano ME7 shoes. SEO 7 head lamp, no stove, an enamel cup for heating water on fire. Navigation will be done on a cell phone with loaded maps and with paper maps on terrain where I'm pushing, no GPS. I’ll take 2 pairs of socks and a head net.

Caleb Helkenn

Age: 27

Location: Anchorage, Alaska

Your bike: Why Cycles S7 XL Frame. Crankbrothers Synthesis 29" wheels with Hope Pro 4 Hubs. Tires are Maxxis Ardent Race 2.35. Sram X0 groupset 30 x 10-50, GX derailleur. Shimano XT 4 Pot brakes w/180mm rotors. Ritchey Kyote handlebars, Ergon GE1 grips, SQ labs inner bar ends. Shimano XT Trail Pedals. DVO Diamond 130mm Fork. Bike Yoke Revive dropper post. Cambium C17 Saddle.

Your key items of kit: Bags are Revelate Designs from the front to the back. Also have a stashable backpack from Dirty Designs. Carrying sleeping bag, pad and bivvy. MSR PocketRocket stove and small Ti pot. Lezyne Macro Drive 1300XXL handlebar light and BD Ion headlamp.

Dulkara Martig

Age: 32

Location: Nelson, New Zealand

Your bike: Yeti ARC TURQ series carbon. DT swiss M1700 Spline 25mm wheelset, Maxxis Ardent race tyre 29x2.35, Fox Factory 34 Fork, Shimano XT groupset. Ergon grips with bar ends and SQlab inner bar ends.

Your key items of kit: Outdoor Research Helium bivy, Thermarest NeoAir XLite sleeping pad, Montbell sleeping bag & down jacket. Mostly Revelate bags (Harness & Egress Pocket, Mag-Tank 2000, 2 x Mountain Feedbags, Joey Downtube bag) and Apidura Expedition Saddle Pack 14L. Small backpack. A pair of trail running shoes, which I might ditch in Tekapo. A 200 lumen front light & basic headtorch. Yes to a cooker - hot drinks & proper dehydrated meals will make me happier! Planning to rest a full 8hrs a night, I think. This is my first bikepacking event so will see what happens!