Rigs of the 2024 Hunt 1000

The Hunt 1000 returns for 2024, inviting bikepackers to tackle a 1,000-kilometer route from Canberra to Melbourne through some of Australia’s most remote and rugged landscapes. Known for its backcountry scenery and unpredictable conditions, the Hunt 1000 is as much an adventure as it is a test of endurance.

This year’s route brings back a southbound direction, starting in Canberra and winding through Kosciuszko National Park. Riders will visit new highlights, including the Blue Waterholes and some unique alpine huts. From there, they’ll tackle the Jagungal Wilderness with hopes of dodging the wild weather of previous years, which has included river-swelling rain and snowstorms that forced riders to seek shelter. With any luck, this year’s participants will enjoy clear skies as they pedal toward Victoria, but nothing is certain up in the mountains.

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Crossing into Victoria, riders will face steep climbs through the Victorian Alpine region, including the tough ascent of the Cobbler Lake track and a visit to the iconic Craig’s Hut. They’ll journey through Mount Buller, Jamieson, Marysville, and Warburton before the final push along the Yarra Trail. The adventure wraps up in Melbourne’s Edinburgh Gardens, where a well-earned brew awaits under the summer sun. Riders are setting off over the next week, and although the Hunt 1000 isn’t a race, the two final departures to watch are Tom Moschitz and Beau Proctor, who are sure to push the pace as they aim to catch the group in Melbourne.

Nearly 100 riders have registered to participate in this year’s edition, and with their help, we collected bike and gear details for over half the field. As always, riders will be aiming for a grand finish—rather than a grand depart—on Saturday, November 30th, in Melbourne. Some riders are already out on the route, and the fastest riders will take off next week, just a few days ahead of the finish—all with the plan of congregating at the finish to celebrate. Scroll through and get a good look at everyone’s rig, and then head over to the 2024 Hunt 1000 event page to follow along live.

Marty Adamaitys

Age 46 / Canberra, ACT (Australia)

START DATE: November 18th
BIKE: I’ll be riding my Surly Karate Monkey set up as a 29er with Rockshox Pike up front, SON Dynamo and KLite system for lighting and charging. Tyres are a mix of Schwalbe up front and Pirelli rear, both 2.4″. Drivetrain is SRAM 1 x 12, 38T and 11-51T cassette, hopefully that’ll get me up the hills.
BAGS: I’m running a mixed bag of bags consisting of Apidura on the seat and handlebars, Hungry frame bag and Big lunch, Bike Bag Dude and Yeah Nah Threadworks munchers, Terra Rosa fork and top tube, and even some homemade stuff for tent poles, spares, and toiletries.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I was going to use a DIY tarp and bivvy set up but I recently scored a Durston X-Mid 1 so am now leaning toward that, I guess that’s a highlight for me at least. That and my Teir Gear down quilt, super comfy!

Liam Adamaitys

Age 43 / Canberra, ACT (Australia)

START DATE: November 18th
BIKE: My sun-faded Surly Karate Monkey will greet me from my tent each morning. The Karate Monkey is sporting Sonder Confucius bars, 130mm FOX 34 Performance Elite forks, an SLX drivetrain running 30T up front, and an XT 10-51 rear cassette. A brand new pair of Vittoria Mezcals ensures smooth sailing along those Melbourne bike paths on the last day (fingers crossed).
BAGS: I have had gear made by some talented friends, which includes a frame bag from Harry at Hungry and a handlebar roll harness from Ty at Yeah-Nah Thread Works, which he designed specifically to work with the Revelate Egress Pocket. Other bits and pieces include an Oveja Negra saddle bag, Tailfin fork mounts, Widefoot cargo mounts, Revelate Designs Polecats, and a Salty Roll.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Highlights include the knowledge of friends who have ridden the Hunt 1000 before. They have been patient and generous with their advice to help me dial in my bike, bags, and kit to where it sits today. However, the biggest gear highlight is my brother who I will share this amazing experience and adventure…let’s make some memories!

Tim Allan

Age 57 / Christchurch (New Zealand)

START DATE: November 23rd
BIKE: I’ll be riding the Hunt 1000 on the only bike I have, a 2019 SWorks Epic Evo. Set up for comfort, my bike features 120mm full suspension, vibration-dampening Passchier handlebars (bamboo laminate bar made locally in Christchurch, NZ), Ergon grips, Vision aero bars, Brooks C17 saddle, Vittoria Mezcal 2.25″ tyres and XTR 1×12 drivetrain with a 30T chainring.
BAGS: Apart from the custom Stealth frame bag (made in Wellington, NZ), I am using standard Revelate bags including Spinelock seat pack, Sweet Roll, Feedbags(2), Mag Tank and Jerry Can. Rounding out my set-up is a Zefal keg mounted on the bottom tube and two standard bottle cages on the forks for water bottles.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I will be equipped for camping and dining under the stars, but generally aiming for more spider proof lodgings with hop flavoured carbohydrates. All my gear is off-the-shelf apart from a couple of pockets sewn into my shirt and some over-mitts made up from a scrap of leftover waterproof fabric. For navigation, I will be using the sun with a Garmin for back-up. This didn’t work for me very well last time so I am riding with a mate that hopefully has a good sense of direction along with his good humour.

Natalie Anderson

Age 41 / Long Beach, NSW (Australia)

START DATE: November 21st
BIKE: I’ll be riding the Hunt 1000 on a Superior XP 969 29er carbon hardtail that goes by the name Charlie. The bike has 100mm travel fork and the drivetrain is 1×12 with a 32T chainring and a 10-51T cassette.
BAGS: There is a mix of bags and racks including a Salsa cradle and handlebar roll with Revelate Designs Egress pocket on the front, Blackburn feedbags, Topeak backloader on the rear, Blackburn cages with Gorilla bags on the forks with a homemade top tube and frame bag—Thanks Dane. The frame bag will house an Apidura water bladder.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: A Nemo Hornet 2P for plenty of space as my shelter along with an Mountain Designs sleeping bag and Sea To Summit mat. I’ll also be carrying a Garmin Edge 530 for navigation. Loving the new addition of feedbacks for easy access to shapes and lollies!

David Bourke

Age 51 / Wollongong, NSW (Australia)

START DATE: November 22nd
BIKE: 2019 Salsa Cutthroat Carbon rims with DT-240 rear hub and SON front hub together with KLite Adventure light and USB Charger. Old school 2x XT cranks, Ultegra and GRX group set. Salsa Cowchipper bars, Redshift stem and cruise control grips to save the hands. Selle Italia SLR saddle, Thompson seat post and Candy 7 pedals.
BAGS: Running Ortleib front roll and seat pack, BBD Gas Tank for electronics, Revelate Designs frame bag and feedbags. I’ve started using a Camelbak chase hydration vest to keep my Inreach on me together with extra food and drink storage needed for the long resupply-less stretches of the Hunt 1000.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Warmth, dryness, and comfort now take priority. During last year’s HUNT, all my gear became wet in heavy overnight rain. My sleep kit has changed from Klymit Inertia X frame pad and OR Helium Bivy to Sea to Summit Ether Light pad and ZPacks solo tent for a 500g cost. Same with the rain kit, ditching the OR Helium rain jacket for a Ground Effect Stormtrooper, I’m looking forward to being better prepared for the mountains this year.

Jamie Breaden

Age 20 / Blue Mountains, NSW (Australia)

START DATE: November 21st
BIKE: G’day, I’ll be riding a Giant Revolt X. The rig is equipped with a 30T chainring and Perrelli Cinturato M 45mm tires. The Ritchie Comp Beacon handlebars, paired with the Rudy fork makes this bike very capable on the descents. I’ve found aero bars quite comfortable for hike-a-bike as they provide something to lean against. The group set is SRAM Rival x1 (mechanical all the way!).
BAGS: Restrap Race Range top tube bag and saddle bag. Moostreks frame bag with a 1.5L water bladder.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: The extensive amount of frame protector tape all over my bike.

Tom Bryant

Age 51 / Christchurch (New Zealand)

START DATE: November 22nd
BIKE: I’ll be riding the Hunt 1000 on a Surly Karate Monkey . The going bits are 2×11, 24/36T x 46T for those climbs. The stopping bits are XT 4 pots, the comfy bits are Jones bars, a Thudbuster, aero bars and in my quest for the perfect saddle a Nintyk Nirvana saddle (thanks to Paul Swift at NintyK for helping me out with this) and the techy bits are a Son hub charging a Biolite powerbank via a Sinewave Revolution charger (not all shown on this photo).
BAGS: The bags are a mixture of Stealth (NZ-made) and Topeak with a cactus Henry backpack for the food overflow and as a place to stuff layers.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: In a happy medium between a bivi bag and a full tent, I’m using a Macpac sololight fly with a Tyvek ground sheet and a large and comfy Sea to Summit sleeping mat. Using a Wahoo Bolt with iPhone as back up for navigation.

Steven Condello

Age 51 / Melbourne, Victoria (Australia)

START DATE: November 15th
BIKE: Surly Grappler, Vittoria Mezcal 2.35” tires, 1 x 11 drivetrain with a 30T chainring.
BAGS: Sea to Summit dry river bags strapped to Blackburn cages and Tumbleweed T-Rack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL1, Sea to Summit Ember 3, and a Coras Dura Solar GPS.

Jesse Cooper

Age 27 / Adelaide, South Australia (Australia)

START DATE: November 16th
BIKE: I’m riding a Canyon Grizl with SRAM AXS XPLR groupset including an aftermarket 36T chainring to assist on the climbs. It’s a carbon frame with a limited edition paint job and has a flexible seat post for extra comfort. The wheels have DT Swiss 350 hubs and silver rims wrapped in 45mm and 50mm tyres on the front and back, respectively.
BAGS: I’m running two fork bags, a frame bag, and a top tube bag all supplied by Canyon. The saddle bag is Revelate’s Spinelock 16L for extra stability. In the front, I’ve got a Topeak touring handlebar bag and two feed bags on the stem.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Enough muesli bars to fuel an army.

Scout Deurwaarder

Age 34 / Melbourne, Victoria (Australia)

START DATE: November 17th
BIKE: Medium Kona Unit with a 12-speed SRAM GX groupset, Shimano brakes and a homemade pink crackle paint job. It’s got Tumbleweed Persuader bars with SQ Labs inner bar ends and some well-loved Ergon grips which compliment the 2.6″ rubber and keep my hands happy. My trusty Specialized Power saddle will keep everything else in check. I’m running a double cage adaptor alongside a big old Nalgene to hopefully ensure that I’ve got enough water handy.
BAGS: I’ve got a Yeah Nah Threadworks framebag, a Mountain Threadworks saddlebag and matching feedbags as well as a complimentary top tube bag from Bike Bag Dude. A set of Framework Designs panniers and a matching hip bag (not pictured) round the handmade bags out, while a Revelate Designs harness up front will make sure my snacks don’t jiggle around too much.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’m packing a set of pass the pigs so I can gamble with other riders for cliff bars or saddle sore remedies.

David Drover

Age 59 / Melbourne (Australia)

START DATE: November 16th
BIKE: I’ll be attempting the Hunt 1000 on a 2024 Salsa Cutthroat. Upgrades include carbon wheels from Creative Carbon with Rene Herse Fleecer Ridge 2.2” tires, 1×12 Shimano GRX drivetrain with 32T chainring. Thompson seat post and Ergon saddle.
BAGS: Running an assortment of bags including the rock solid Revelate Designs Spinelock saddlebag. Custom frame bag (with 4L water bladder) and handlebar sling (with 11L drybag) from Bike Bag Dude. 2x Sea to Summit 5L dry bags mounted to Blackburn fork cargo cages and an Oracase handlebar feedbag and Topeek toptube bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Shelter provided by MSR Elixr 1P tent, sleep pad from Alton, Quilt by Neve Gear. Navigation managed by Garmin Edge 840, Tracking and Safety with Garmin inReach mini, backup and podcasts on iPhone, and a digital mirrorless camera to capture the once in a lifetime (maybe) scenery and memories.

Peter Eckersley

Age 39 / Melbourne, Victoria (Australia)

START DATE: November 22nd
BIKE: I will be riding my trusty and sturdy 2017 Surly ECR that has evolved over the years to now roll with Teravail Ehline 2.5″ tyres and DT Swiss XM481 wheels with a SON 28 dynamo hub to power my Cinq Plug5 USB charger and Supernova E3 Pure 3 front and rear lights.
BAGS: A mix of Revelate Designs frame bags and Exped dry bags hooked up with Voile straps to an Allygn diamond front rack and Old Man Mountain Elkhorn rear rack to store my food and gear.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I love my Soma Dream Riser handlebars, Ergon GA3 and ESI Chunky grips, Cane Creek suspension seat post and Ergon SMC Core saddle for all-day comfort on the bike. At night I will crawl into my Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 tent with a Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite, Marmot down sleeping bag, and two Sea-to-Summit pillows.

Steve Emery

Age 52 / Manly, Sydney, NSW (Australia)

START DATE: November 14th
BIKE: I will be riding ‘Sully’ my Curve GMX+ with 29″ Carbon Dirt Hoops, Teravail Oxbox 2.8″ tyres. NGRID 32T (28T?!) chainring and SRAM 12-speed XG-1275 10-52T cassette.
BAGS: Bombproof custom full frame and stem bags by Bike Bag Dude. Fabio’s Chest X50 x-pac by Heap’s Good H Garage off the handlebars. Curve Rocket Pooch Bags on the forks. Saddle bag is the Revelate Spinelock.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Dexshell Hytherm Pro Waterproof Socks for when we hit the storms. Integrated Redshift drop bar grips to avoid numb hands. Aero bars removed for this ride.

Andrew Emms

Age 57 / Marian, Queensland (Australia)

START DATE: November 14th
BIKE: I’ll be riding (not racing) the Hunt 1000 on a 2023 Salsa Cutthroat converted to flat bars. The bike features a new pair of Vittoria Mezcal 2.25” tyres, a modified 1×12 Shimano drivetrain with a 28T chainring, and DT Swiss wheels with a SON Dynamo hub upfront.
BAGS: I have a custom Rogue Panda Frame bag with Tailfin AeroPack with Tailfin Panniers front and rear. I’m also running a Restrap top tube bag, and two feed bags. 3L Apidura frame hydration bladder in the bottom of my frame bag. I have fitted a Redshift suspension head steam and PNW suspension dropper post.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My sleeping system is A Nemo Dragonfly tent and mattress. For navigation, I’m using a Garmin 840 and Garmin Messenger Inreach. For lights, I have a Fenix front-mounted light and a headlight that can be mounted on my helmet.

John Furness

Age 33 / Bowden, Adelaide (Australia)

START DATE: November 16th
BIKE: I’m taking my S-Works Diverge bicycle with Vittoria Mezcal 2.1″ tyres, 650b Hunt wheelset, with SON dynamo hub. Running a SRAM AXS Rival groupset with a big cassette (52T) and small chainring (34T) for some long days climbing. This bike used to be a Specialized Sequoia with a warranty swap for a Diverge. Bought for some adventures. It’s a carbon bike with a heart of steel.
BAGS: Miss Grape Cluster 20L saddle bag, Miss Grape frame bag, Sea-to-Summit 8L dry bags mounted on Topeak versacages, Sea to Summit 13L dry bag mounted on an Aeroe Spider handlebar cradle, Miss Grape top tube bag, and a little snack bag for some scroggin.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS:Plenty of comforts with MSR Hubba Hubba tent, Nemo Tensor sleeping mat, Garmin 540 Solar for navigation. I am stoked to bring it all together for one big adventure.

Chris Gibson

Age 50 / Northcote, Victoria (Australia)

START DATE: November 19th
BIKE: Kona Sutra Ltd 2023. Pretty much as supplied from the factory with a change to a 32t chainring, Mezcal III 2.35 tyres and addition of an old man mountain Elkhorn rear rack.
BAGS: A mix of Apidura and Sea to Summit Big River Bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Given the unpredictable alpine weather I’m going with a Mont tent & Western Mountineering Bag. Navigation wise its a Garmin 540 solar + Ride with GPS back up.

Mark Gilbert

Age 48 / Canberra, ACT (Australia)

START DATE: November 14th
BIKE: Jamis Sequel. Steel is real. Carbon handlebars. Toe straps. 3×9 for redundancy when one of my derailleurs goes. Front rack is a Blackburn Outpost. It holds 25kg, which takes some weight off the rear wheel. Rear rack is a Bontrager MIK backrack. It’s about 620g, cheap and rigid. I like it.
BAGS: Framebag and front panniers by God’s Popcorn. Framebag has a curved YKK zip pushed well beyond design guidelines. The panniers need a little more possum-proofing.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Nicky and I are having a crack at a whole one this time. Rolling not racing. We’ve got very ordinary Marmot 2 person tent. The framebag holds a 5L water bladder nice and low. Thanks very much Hugo and Bonnie for the Hammockgear Burrow quilt and Neoair XTherm mat. Front panniers hold plenty of dried food, Raro, jelly snakes and noodles. Legionnaires hat because sunburn is my problem. Wool socks, running shoes and toe clips. Yes, I’m still living in the 80s, but also it’s good to hop off fast, hike-a-bike comfortably, and have them dry a little after rivers.

Tim Giles

Age 50 / Sydney, NSW (Australia)

START DATE: November 16th
BIKE: I’m riding my trusty Specialized Camber 2012 that has been repurposed for bikepacking. Drivetrain is 22/32/44T up front and 11-34T at the back. Contact points have been improved with Jones H bars, Shimano EH500 SPD+flat pedals, and my comfy road bike seat. The Aeroe spider rack works great on this dually.
BAGS: Topeak Frontloader, Topeak 15L Backloader, Vaude Aqua Box Lite handlebar bag, and a Sea to Summit Big River 20L dry bag. Random feed bag for snacks. No frame bag, just a biddon in my little “triangle”. Camelbak Lobo 3L on my back.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Mont Moondance 2 in full nylon. Roomy and ready for the alpine conditions. Sea to Summit Ether Lite XT mattress and matching Aeros Premium pillow for a good night’s rest. Garmin Edge 530 to send me the right way.

Stephen Gow

Age 56 / Naarm, Melbourne (Australia)

START DATE: November 16th
BIKE: 2022 Ritchey Ascent bikepacking rig, running tubeless 29 x 2.35″ Mezcals front and rear, Shimano XT 12-speed drivetrain with 28T x 50T to let me ride up some of the hills. Navigating with Garmin Inreach Mini 2 supported by iPhone and astronavigation.
BAGS: Topeak front and rear bags mixed with an Ortlieb framebag, the orange trim matches nicely. Food pouches courtesy of AliExpress.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I love my homemade double bottle adaptor for the down tube! My merino riding t-shirt is from Aldi and I love it!

Tom Han

Age 59 / Adelaide (Australia)

START DATE: November 18th
BIKE: Solace OM2-P, C.1.12P Pinion gears, Gates carbon belt drive. Running on Maxxis Rekon 27.5 x 2.6″ tyres. SON dynamo hub, Sinewave Beacon light. Selle Anatomica saddle.
BAGS: Tailfin AeroPack and panniers, Revelate Designs Pronghorn, Bike Bag Dude frame bag and chaff bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I love the Selle Anatomica saddles. Using a Garmin Edge 1040 Solar for navigation. Tier Gear quilt.

Bibi June

Age 31 / Nomadic

START DATE: November 20th
BIKE: A rigid Surly Karate Monkey with 29” wheels, Vittoria Mezcal 2.4″ tires, a 1×12 drivetrain with 11-50T cassette and a 30T chainring. Flat pedals! Surly Moloko handlebars for infinite snack storage.
BAGS: Aereo spider handlebar with 7l drybag, Revelate Mag Tank at the front, and a Tailfin top tube bag at the back. Two feed bags for extra snack storage. Frame bag and saddle bag are Decathlon. 4.3l water storage in total between a Nalgene on the downtube, bladder in frame bag, and two bottles on the fork.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Was tempted to bivy, but bringing my trusty Durston X-Mid 2p to keep out the crawlies, carried at the front with the rest of the sleep system (Therm-a-Rest Corus quilt, Neoair). Spare clothes in the saddle bag. So much space left for snacks!

Dylan Kelly

Age 41 / Footscray, Victoria (Australia)

START DATE: November 20th
BIKE: I’ll be riding a bike named Wanda, my Wondercross Wanderer. It’s maxxed out with 2.6″ Mezcals on Dt Swiss G1800 27.5″ wheels. Plenty of gear range running SRAM GX AXS mullet with 10-52T in the back and 32T up front.
BAGS: Mostly Framework Designs bags, including a nice custom full frame bag, fork bags and snack pack. Up front I have a Topeak roll bag and out back I have a Ortlieb 16L seat pack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’ll be sleeping in a Naturehike Cloudup tent with a Sea to Summit Cinder quilt. Running an Apidura hydration bladder in my frame bag to carry 3-4 liters of water if necessary. Navigation is a Garmin Etrex 22x for navigation and Edge 830 to give me a congratulatory chirp when a climb is complete.

Matt King

Age 26 / Canberra, ACT (Australia)

START DATE: November 16th
BIKE: I’ll be riding my Curve Kevin of Steel. I went with alloy wheels with 2.1″ tires, and the SRAM Rival AXS groupset which has 38T at the front and 10-52T at the back. I have the kLite front light and dynamo hub for power.
BAGS: I tried to pack light, with a Big Agnes Flycreek 1p tent on the handlebar, a Revelate Designs Spinelock saddle bag and Tangle frame bag, and two cheap but effective stem bags. I have the option of putting extra water in soft flasks in the stem bags if the 2.7L of water from bottles in cages isn’t enough. I have Sea to Summit 5L dry bags on the forks.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My Tailfin top tube bag is super stable and stays out of the way of my wonky knees!

Ollie Klein

Age 54 / Kaurna Country (Australia)

START DATE: November 22nd
BIKE: 2017 Salsa Cutthroat XL, 24 speed. 3D AliExpress Carbon Saddle, Syntace P3 Carbon Seat Post, Custom Rocket Launcher bidon holders by Telford Industries, kLite Dynamo light and Cube rear red blinky, Curve Remlaw handlebars, SQLab Innerbarends and grip combo, RedShift boing boing stem, Wahoo Roam, Maxxis Ardent 2.2″ front and rear as that’s what I had hanging up in the shed.
BAGS: Relevate Designs Frame Bag, Pronghorn Harness, Mountain Feedbags, Mag Tank top tube bag. Tailfin Carbon Aero Pack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Fav for the Hunt 1000 is my foot kick front derailleur with 26/36T Oval Chainrings 2x is not dead! I like riding much more than walking. And for zzz’s, the Zpacks Altaplex ‘tall persons tent’, Enlightened Equipment Quilt paired with a Sea to Summit UL Insulated Mat and Tyvek groundsheet of course!

Evan Krausgrill

Age 33 / Melbourne, Victoria (Australia)

START DATE: November 17th
BIKE: I’m on a 2021 Specialized Chisel built with comfort and reliability in mind: Carbon wheels from RSV/DT Swiss and the classic Mezcal/Barzo combo for that magic carpet ride, Ergon seat and grips and carbon bar and clip on aero bar for more comfort, some rather large SRAM Code Ultimate brakes for the long alpine descents, SRAM XX1 drivetrain for crisp shifts across the 10-52T cassette, paired with GX carbon cranks pushing a 28T elliptical ring for winching up the steep bits.
BAGS: It’s a real mixed bag situation. From front to back: some Ortleib on the forks, Revelate Designs handlebar roll, Apidura top tube bag, a Sea to Summit dry bag on top of the Aeroe rack and Revelate Nano panniers hanging out the back.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I have a few little homemade touches like the “aero-bridge” on the aerobars that hosts the Garmin Edge 540 Solar and Raveman light. I made it by notching a leftover plastic tube of Hydralyte tablets and securing with electrical tape. Works a treat!

Keith Louie

Age 51 / Brisbane, Queensland (Australia)

START DATE: November 18th
BIKE: I’ll be riding the Hunt 1000 on a Serk A21 off-road anywhere bike. A titanium gravel rig mated with a SRAM 1x mullet drivetrain paired with a set of 650b Hunt wheels fitted with Pirelli Cinturato M 50mm tires. For comfort, I’ll be sitting on an Ergon SM Pro saddle and leaning on a Redshift Shockstop Suspension stem.
BAGS: Aeroe Spider rear rack with dry bags, Baby Legs full frame bag, Rapha front roll bag, Restrap tank bag along with a couple of Skin Grows Back feed bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: My custom-made full frame bag by Baby Legs for storage along with my shelter, a Durston X-Mid 2 which I am super happy with in terms of weight, size and most importantly the time to erect and pack away.

Hugh Mander

Age 54 / Sydney, NSW (Australia)

BIKE: November 22nd
BIKE: Specialized Epic Evo (2021) XL running Vittoria Mezcal 2.35″ tires, new rear wheel, SQLab Innerbarends, Ergon GA3 grips, AY UP and Fenix BC26R lights, drivetrain is Shimano 12-speed (10-51/32T).
BAGS: Mixed bags, Revelate Designs roll, seat, and jerrycan, two 5L S2S bags in Topeak cages, Apidura Long top tube bag, Hungry feed bags, Tailfin fork suspension mounts, Tailfin 3L downtube bag, 3L water + 1l Katadyn BeFree water filter.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Bike, gear, and food weighs 28kg. I packed my fears! Tailfin suspension clamps and Hungry feedbags are awesome. Shelter is Durston X-Mid 1. Garmin Fenix 6 for navigation. Music is from old iPod Shuffle and iPhone/Shokz.

Blake Marriott

Age 47 / Perth (Boorloo), Western Australia, (Australia)

START DATE: November 14th
BIKE: I’ll be riding the Hunt on my Curve DownRock. SRAM Eagle drive train, Pike 140mm fork, DT Swiss Rims, SON 28 dynamo hub and rolling on a set of Vittoria Mezcal 29 x 2.6” tires. A tidy build worked out with Jonesy at my local shop.
BAGS: Frame, top tube and chaff bags by Bike Bag Dude. Tailfin rear rack with an Aeropack and 10L panniers. On the bars sits a Revelate Designs harness, handlebar bag and Egress Pocket bag. Curve Rocket Pooches on the fork.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: A Wahoo ROAM will be pointing out where I should be going. Accommodation along route will be a Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 tent and a Sea to Summit Spark sleeping bag. Keeping my feet happy will be some Curve socks—they are comfy!

Phil McCullough

Age 31 / Canberra, ACT (Australia)

START DATE: November 16th
BIKE: I’ll be low speed, high drag this year upon my Rocky Mountain Element 10 alloy with Hunt 29″ trail wide rims, 2.4″ Maxxis Rekon front and Ikon rear. I’ve opted for a Wolf Tooth 30T chainring front and standard Deore 11-speed 51T cassette to power me up and over those hills, knolls, and bluffs.
BAGS: I am sporting some Lonely Cult Rider handlebar and top tube bags along with Apidura’s fork kit and my favourite Ortlib dropper seatpost bag. A small backpack with 2L bladder (+2L expandable water) and hip pack will carry my cold/ wet weather gear. You’ll notice my custom frame bag, downtube bag (Wolf Tooth cradle & B-rad system) and snack bag are brought to you by my own fine creative sewing skills.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: A homemade bivvy bag and DD hammocks super light tarp will shelter me from the elements with a Sea to Summit spark down sleeping bag and Nemo air mattress providing comfort. A Wahoo Element Roam V2 will hopefully see me (mostly) on course. Happy hunting!

Peter Mckey

Age 37 / Gold Coast, Queensland (Australia)

START DATE: November 20th
BIKE: Kona Unit X. 32T chainring and Shimano Deore 10-51T 12-speed cassette. Maxxis Rekon TR 29 x 2.6″ Tires. Stock build apart from aero bars.
BAGS: I have a Revelate Designs full frame pack 7L and two 25L dry bags on front and back. A few other little feed bags and a pannier for food storage.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Pretty pumped to try everything out as it’s all new and my first real bikepacking adventure. The bike is definitely my new love because it gets me out there.

Nicky Morphett

Age 18 / Canberra, ACT (Australia)

START DATE: November 14th
BIKE: Norco Revolver hardtail. It’s secondhand, a nice light carbon frame that weighs about as much as a fart.
BAGS: Ortlieb seat bag. Frame bag and top-tube saddle by Violent Quiche. On the handlebars is a lightweight drybag with Grunt straps (the cheap Australian Voile).
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: A fly head net. Because flies are my problem. Neve gear quilt. Lovely. Waterproof socks, wool socks, and walking shoes for comfort.

Tom Moschitz

Age 53 / Leura, NSW (Australia)

START DATE: November 26th
BIKE: I’ll be riding my proven and much loved Canyon Exceed on its 5th major outing with a nearly identical setup, including a Ritchey 2X Carbon WCS handlebar with Thumb TOGS and Ergon GP3 grips. Tailfin Carbon Suspension Fork Mounts and King Cages. A Canyon VCLS 2.0 CF Seatpost, 28T front ring, and Vittoria Mezcal tubeless 2.35″ tires. A Wahoo ELEMNT Roam will show me the way and a couple of Knog Blinder 900s will keep the rubber side down from dusk to dawn.
BAGS: Running with a bit of a mix, including 2x Revelate Designs Mountain Feed Bags and a Revelate Designs Mag-Tank 2000 for loose ends. Anything substantial is being carried in my Tailfin Aeropack and Treadlite Australia Framebag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Rocking a Patagonia Nano Puff jacket, Icebreaker Merino 260 Tech mid-layer, and C5 Gore-Tex Thermo Gloves to stay comfy during cold snaps. When the opportunity arises, I’ll be napping in a LifeSystems Heatshield bag on a Therm-a-Rest Neoair Xlite NXT Mat.

Cameron Munro

Age 53 / Hawthorn East, Victoria (Australia)

START DATE: November 16th
BIKE: I’ll be riding the 2024 Hunt 1000 on a 2022 Trek X-Caliber 9. The bike features a new pair of Vittoria Mezcal 2.25” tires, a 12-speed drivetrain with a 10-51T Cassette and a 28T chainring, a SELLE SMP Evo saddle and upfront a set of SPIRGRIPS+ and ERGON GA3 grips.
BAGS: I will be carrying my gear and food in a Revelate Rifter Framebag, Revelate Designs Mag-Tank 2000, 2x Tailfin 3L Cage Packs mounted with Tailfin cages and Tailfin Suspension Fork mounts, a Tailfin 3L Cage Pack and cage secured to the down tube with custom rivnuts. On the front I have a 20L Sea-to-Summit drybag strapped to a ILCOSO Miss Grape handlebar cradle and an 8L Sea-to-Summit hung out the front. At the rear is a Tumbleweed Mini Pannier Titanium Rack (powered coated black) with a 35L Sea-to-Summit drybag, with a custom mount for a Garmin Varia. I have 2 x 1L drink bottles mounted to the side of the downtube, and a 1L drink bottle in one of the two Revelate feeder bags mounted to the bars.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: A Durston X-MID 1 tent will serve as my shelter along with a Sea to Summit Spark Pro -9C sleeping bag and Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite Sleeping pad. I’ll also be carrying my phone and a GARMIN InReach mini 2 for navigation and communication.

Seb Nieuwesteeg

Age 39 / Maffra, Gunaikurnai Country, Victoria (Australia)

START DATE: November 20th
BIKE: I’ll be pedalling my Curve GMX+ Ti on this years Hunt 1000. Its pretty much setup how it came from Curve apart from a KS dropper post I’ve added. WTB Ranger 3.0″ on 29” Curve Dirt Hoops with SP dynamo, 1×11 drivetrain with a 32T chainring and 600mm Walmer bars.
BAGS: Bag highlight is the custom frame bag made by Bike Bag Dude. Fitting inside the XXL frame this thing is huge and can fit so much gear. All other bags are Revelate Designs, the Nano Panniers mount on the Old Man Mountain Divide rack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Durston XMID Pro, I can actually lay in this tent without touching both ends! Ever reliable Western Mountaineering sleeping bag to keep me warm, also taking a WM down pillow as a luxury!

John Philpot

Age 65 / Sorrento, Victoria (Australia)

START DATE: November 16th
BIKE: I’m planning for a comfy cruise down the Hunt course on my dual suspension Trek Supercaliber. Drivetrain is SRAM AXS T-type with 30T up front and 10-52T on the rear. Wheels are Bossi carbon and tyres Mezcal 2.25″. Ergon SMC Core saddle on a Bossi titanium seat post. Ergon grips on Soma bars with SQ Lab inner bar ends. A SON dynamo and K-lite system for lights and charging. Flat Hope pedals for the hike-a-bike.
BAGS: Combination of Big Bag Dude, Revelate Designs, and Tailfin bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Mont Moondance 1 tent, Exped sleeping mat, Garmin 1040 for navigation, and Inreach for tracking.

Beau Proctor

Age 30 / Wodonga, Victoria (Australia)

START DATE: November 27th
BIKE: Trek Pro Caliber with 1120 Rigid carbon fork. Pireloi scorp 2.4″ mid tyres with tubolite inserts front and rear for a bit more protection. XX1 build kit, SP Dyno laced to alloy DT Rim, carbon Bontrager rear wheel. kLite front and rear light with charging pack. Some aero extensions and some SQ lab inner bar ends for a bit more comfort.
BAGS: Bike Bag Dude full frame bag, feed bag, and down tube bag. Ortlieb 11L aeat pack and an Apidura long top tube bag.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Nothing super notable, keen to try my new Rapha Gore-Tex jacket if the weather lets go.

Meredith Quinlan

Age 52 / Normanhurst, NSW (Australia)

START DATE: November 23rd
BIKE: I will be riding a pimped up (or down depending on your perspective) Canyon Lux with tri bars and a Son Dynamo hub. It has remote lockout front and rear suspension so there is no holding me back from being soft when its rough.
BAGS: Apidura feed bags on the handlebars, A dodgy home made job on top of the tri bars, A Bike Bag dude top tube bag, Inside line equipment seat post bag, Gossamer gear Thinlight Foam pad cut in half, containing a Cumulous xlite sleeping bag that is sleeved into a Mountain Laurel Designs Event Soul Bivy. The cut down K-Mart dry bags are the turquoise colour, they just prevent the splash from doing its wet mischief onto the sleep bag/Bivy combo.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS:Definitely the kLite ULTRA V2 Adventure Lights as they pack a massive luminous punch when I need it most.

Charlie Raymond

Age 22 / Melbourne, Victoria (Australia)

START DATE: November 20th
BIKE: I’m riding a Surly Karate Monkey with Shimano Deore 32T chainring, 11-50T cassette, and hydraulic brakes. Tyres are Maxxis Rekon Race 27.5 x 2.25″.
BAGS: I’m using a Revelate Designs frame bag and top tube bag, Bike Bag Dude handlebar sling, and a couple of dry bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Tarptent tent, Alton Goods mat, Macpac shirt, as well as Blundstones (and most importantly a packet of sour squirms).

Amanda Reddy

Age 52 / Gympie, Queensland (Australia)

START DATE: November 18th
BIKE: Curve Kevin Ti SRAM Force 1x mullet 34T, 650 Curve Dirt Hoops with Pirelli Cinturato 50mm tires.
BAGS: Tailfin Carbon Rear Rack Bag and Panniers Front and Rear and FrameBag, Rapha Handlebar Roll, and Apidura feed bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Durston X-Mid 2 (plenty of room), Sea to Summit Flame Sleeping Bag and Sea to Summit Mat, Jetboil, Montbell Versalite Rain Jacket, and Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket, and Rapha and MAAP kit.

Greg Ritchie

Age 53 / Kunghur, NSW (Australia)

BIKE: November 22nd
BIKE: Norco Revolver HT2 standard set up. 1×12 drivetrain sticking with 32T chainring for the 23,000m of climbing, New Specialized Ground Control tyres. Olight seeker 4 for light up front, Wahoo for nav, inReach Mini as tracker etc. Carrying 16,000 mah battery storage. Sleeping is Spark Sea to Summit bag, Klymit insulated sleeping mat, and Durston Mid X-Mid 1 tent. Plan to do a couple of nights of paid accomodations.
BAGS: Bike Bag Dude top tube bags and front bag roll, thanks Kedan, legend.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Keeping it minimal.

Nick Sando

Age 43 / Brisbane, Queensland (Australia)

START DATE: November 19th
BIKE: Salsa Timberjack, Rockshox SID fork, Chris King hubs, Shimano XT 11-speed drivetrain (fingers crossed 30-46T first gear will be easy enough), ENVE bars with bar ends (old favourite for long days on the bike), Vittoria Mezcal’s 29 x 2.35″.
BAGS: Salsa full frame bag, Aeroe Spider rear rack system, Blackburn bar bag, Apidura feed bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Mont Lightspeed rain jacket, Sea 2 Summit Telos Bikepacking tent, Garmin 1040 Solar for navigating, Merino clothing for comfort, Snow Peak Ti mug, all of the food.

Ian Saunders

Age 59 / Brisbane, Queensland (Australia)

START DATE: November 14th
BIKE: I’ll be riding my Merida Big Trail 500 with Vittoria Mezcal 2.4″ tyres, a 1 x 11 drivetrain with a 30T chainring, Ergon GP3 grips, a Brooks B17 saddle, a Versamount downtube mount to carry two litres of water, and Deity Deftrap flat pedals.
BAGS: I have a Bike Bag Dude custom frame bag, Bike Bag Dude Garage top tube bag, Aeroe rack including bags, Anko front fork mounts and bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’m carrying my Naturehike Cloud-up tent, Sea to Summit sleeping bag, and Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Sleeping pad to keep me rested. I’m using my Wahoo Roam for navigation.

Aiden Schulz

Age 26 / Adelaide, SA (Australia)

START DATE: November 16th
BIKE: I’ll be riding a Focus Atlas 6.9 Gravel Bike. It is an aluminium frame with 1×11 Shimano GRX groupset. Added Shimano Cues 32T cranks for this ride to prepare for some beastly climbs. Using Maxxis Ravager tyres, 45mm at the back and 50mm at the front on 29″ rims.
BAGS: I’m using a 20L drybag on a rear rack and a 13L drybag on the front mounted with the Aeroe Handlebar Cradle. I have a small frame bag and top tube bag for lunch and snacks. I have 4.2L water capacity with two bottles in the frame and a 1.5L Nalgene on each fork.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: On the bike: comfy Five Ten TrailCross cleats. At camp: comfy Nemo Tensor sleep mat and an inflatable pillow.

Ian Schumacher

Age / East Maitland, NSW (Australia)

START DATE: November 15th
BIKE: Muru Innamincka Rigid Ti. Blend of Shimano components. 30T Chainring, 11-52T 11-speed cassette. 650B Wheels with Son Dynamo Hub and DT Swiss X521 Rims, Mezcal Tires. Selle Gravel Saddle and Crank Brothers Candy pedals.
BAGS: Revelate Designs Handlebar Harness. Three Custom frame and TT Bags from Bike Bag Dude. Tailfin Aero rack with Tailfin slim panniers (donated by Tailfin to support my efforts fundraising for Integra Service Dogs Australia).
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Switched to 1° setup for this year. Added a KLite, mainly for off grid charging of devices. Navigating via iPhone GPS with Garmin as backup. Northwave Enduro Mid. I love how good these are to walk in.

Neville Simpson

Age 53 / Canberra, ACT (Australia)

START DATE: November 20th
BIKE: I’ll be riding a Scott Spark 910 dual suspension for comfort. The bike is pretty much stock, with Shimano 1×12, set up a 30T chainring.
BAGS: Aeroe Spider Rack with 2 x 12L bags and a Spider Handlebar Cradle with Sea 2 Summit River Dry Bag.

David Smith

Age 61 / Sunshine Coast, Queensland (Australia)

START DATE: November 22nd
BIKE: Homemade bamboo frame with carbon fork. SRAM 12-speed with 30T on front and 2.25″ tyres.
BAGS: Mostly homemade bags with a few cheap, bought ones.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: 4L Cranktank, lightweight chair and bivvy/tarp .

Alex Kinross-Smith

Age 27 / Canberra, ACT (Australia)

START DATE: November 17th
BIKE: I’m riding a Curve GMX+ with a SRAM Rival 1×11 groupset and 2.6″ Vittoria Mezcals on 29” Curve Alloy dirt hoops. For power, I’ve got an SP dynamo, kLite lights, and a charging system. It’s pretty stock as far as a GMX+ goes, with just a swap to a Brooks C17 and a Twisted T-Bar to support a handlebar bag.
BAGS: I’ve got a custom Frameworks Design frame bag for tent poles, small tripod, water storage and misc items. On the top tube, I’ve got a Stealth top loader, and on the bars, there’s a spacious Huungry Smorgasbord for the rest of the tent. Down on the forks there’s a couple of big river dry bags for food and first aid, and topping the bulk storage off is a Mr Fusion seat pack for clothes and sleeping gear. On the back of the bars, I’ve got a couple of honeypot feedbags for scroggin, snacks, and sunnies, and I’ll be wearing a Big Dumpling hip pack to carry my camera.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I’m bringing a Sony A7c with a lightish 28-150mm Tamron lens to hopefully get some nice photos, and sleeping in a Mont Moondance tent under a Neve Gear quilt – a wonderfully spacious 1 person tent, and light, warm and locally made quilt. I love the color of my Mr. Fusion dry bag! I come from a hiking background, so using a gpsmap 66i for navigation and tracking.

Emily Kinross-Smith

Age 25 / Mount Evelyn, Victoria (Australia)

START DATE: November 17th
BIKE: I’ll be riding a Kona Sutra 2017 with a Brooks saddle, Surly Moloko bars, dynamo hub, and kLite front and rear lights. I also have a Cyclewerks bottle cage adaptor and Blackburn fork cages.
BAGS: My frame bag is custom-made by Rhys Bennett using recycled rain jacket material. Dry bags are Sea to Summit Big River, the seat pack is a Topeak Backloader, and the top tube and feed bags are from Decathalon.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: I love my Cycology floral bar tape and Arundel bell. I am also keen to test out new gear, including a Sea to Summit x-pot, Therm-a-Rest NeoAir mat, and a Kula cloth.

Dieter Stahmer

Age 52 / Brisbane, Queensland (Australia)

START DATE: November 19th
BIKE: Curve Ti Kevin, 32T chainring, 10-52T cassette, 27.5 x 2.1″ Mezcals, Garmin etrex 20x on its last legs.
BAGS: Bike Bag Dude frame bag, Rocket Pooch fork bag, cheapie dry bags and straps.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: A tent for all the rain.

Nick Thompson

Age 69 / Port Macquarie, NSW (Australia)

START DATE: November 20th
BIKE: 2023 Curve GMX+, carbon Dirt Hoops wearing Mezcal 2.6″ rubber set up tubeless. SP dynamo hub powering a full kLite charging/lighting setup. 1×12 Shimano XT drivetrain, White Industries cranks. Shimano 4 pot XT brakes. Gilles Berthoud saddle, Passchier bars and SQ Lab grips.
BAGS: Centrepiece is a custom frame bag from TRG, the rest are a combination from BBD and Rockgeist.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Slingfin Portal 2, Therm-a-rRest Neoair, TRG quilt. Edge 830 for navigation, InReach Mini2 for comms.

Wayne Wayne

Age 52 / Brisbane, Queensland (Australia)

START DATE: November 21st
BIKE: I’ll be riding my 2018 Giant XTC. I picked up the frame a while back and built it up as one of my singlespeed weapons. For the Hunt I have built the bike up with gear from my shed from other bikes. Syncros carbon rims, DT hubs, 29 x 2.25″ tyres. 120mm fox fork, GX Eagle AXS 12-speed with oval 32T front ring, 2013 XX brakes, and Ergon GP3 grips.
BAGS: I’m running an Old Man Mountain rack, axle mount and the bags are on loan from Nick from Pedal Inn Bicycle Garage.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Paddy Pallin Gore Tex Divy that I picked up second hand. Also the bike, it climbs like a mountain goat, rocket ship on the rough downhills, and cruises the flats with ease.

John Veitch

Age 46 / Tamborine, Queensland (Australia)

START DATE: November 23rd
BIKE: I will be jumping in at halfway point for the 500km on a Canyon Spectral CF 27.5″, GX Eagle 10-50T x 32T with Vittoria Mezcal 2.1” tyres.
BAGS: Geosmina Frame bag run upside down with packing cells to manage gravity, Geosmina Stem pouch, Zefal handlebar harness, Dakine gripper for the tools and Topeak Saddle bag. I’ll be wearing a 3L Hydration pack to make up for the lack of water storage.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Will be cursing the weight going up but the Fox 36 will be the highlight on the descents.

Neal Ward

Age 55 / Hampton, Victoria (Australia)

START DATE: November 19th
BIKE: I’ll be riding the Hunt on a Curve Big Kev with Pro design Aero Bars (for comfort not aero).
BAGS: I’m using a mix of bags. Restrap Front bag, with add on bag, Rear bag, two feed bags. Apidura 12L Frame bag, two down tube bags.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: NatureHike Star River 2 man. (Not the lightest but keeps you warm and dry). Alton Goods Insulated Mat and pillow these are so comfortable. I’ll be using Garmin Edge 540 for navigation. I’m dedicating anthe ride to a dear friend Sue Adams who has Metastatic breast cancer. Hopefully raising money for Sue’s charity and awareness of cancer. Make a donation here.

Simon Wheaton

Age 55 / Canberra, ACT (Australia)

START DATE: November 19th
BIKE: I’ll be suffering on my 2019 Scott Spark RC900 dual suspension MTB. For easier climbing it has an XX1 drivetrain with 28T chainring and 10-52T cassette. Comfort provided with Profile Design Sonic Ergo 52a Aerobars with 70mm Riser Kit, BBB Fibrestraight carbon fibre bar ends, with ESI silicone grips on all bars, and an SqLabs 602 Ergolux active 2.0 saddle. Bags strapped to fork racks from pitvel_velikanov in Ukraine, with 4 x Arundel Loony Bin bottle cages attached to fork racks holding 3x 1L Nalgene ATB All-Terrain Bottles, and an Aeroe Spider Rear Rack.
BAGS: 2x Aero 8L Heavy Duty Dry Bags on fork racks, Aeroe 12L Heavy Duty Dry Bag on rear rack, Vaude Uphill Air 24 backpack with Osprey Waterproof Pack Pocket to hold phone within easy reach for photos, Orb Ultralight DCF Flat Bottomed Zip Pouches for internal organisation in bags. Sleeping quilt in 5L Sea to Summit eVent Compression Bag UL, tent pole in Hilltop Packs DCF Tent Pole Stuff Sack.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Navigation with Garmin Edge 1040 Solar GPS on 76 Projects Ultra Distance TT Mount. Satellite tracking with Garmin InReach Mini 2. Lighting with Exposure Lights Diablo Mk 14 on bars and Joystick Mk 17 on helmet, Blackburn Click rear light, and Black Diamond Icon 700 for camp. Sleep system is Borah Gear Cuben Bivy/DCF Tarp/Ultralight Cuben Groundsheet, with Durston Gear Z-Flick carbon tent pole and DAC J Stakes, Enlightened Equipment 40F(5C) Revelation quilt, Therm-a-Rest Neoair sleeping mat, Mountain Laurel Designs Mountain Quilt and Bag Liner, and Sea to Summit Aeros Down Pillow. Cooking with MSR PocketRocket 2 stove and Toaks 750ml Ti Pot with Toaks Ti Folding Spoon. Power storage for electronics from Nitecore NB1000gen2 and NB2000gen2 power banks, charged from Anker 737 USB charger. Rain gear is Montbell Torrent Flier jacket and Versitile pants, with Zpacks Vertice rain mitts. Water filtered through MSR Trail Base 4L Water filter Kit. Will attempt to fix bike problems with Silca Venti multi-tool and Dynaplug Megapill tyre plug kit, have 2 spare tubes, patch kit, tyre levers, chain oil and spare set of brake pads. Hopefully will slow down bike thieves when shopping with ABUS BORDO Lite 6055 lock. Feet protected at camp and water crossings with Shamma Sandals Elite Warriors sandals.

Michael Wheeler

Age 53 / Adelaide (Australia)

START DATE: November 22nd
BIKE: Canyon Lux 8.0, Reynolds Carbon wheels with Mezcal 2.25″ tyres. SRAM groupset 1×12 30/52T.
BAGS: Rear bags are Tailfin, Blackburn cargo cages on front forks with dry bags. Tailfin top tube bag. Zempire Mono tent.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Gear highlight is my Sea to Summit quilt and mattress combo.

Matt Williams

Age 35 / Canberra, ACT (Australia)

START DATE: November 16th
BIKE: I’ll be riding the Hunt 1000 on a Custom Tempest Bicycles Columbus steel frame that has been nicknamed the “Kitchen Sink.” The frame features plenty of tyre clearance (29 × 3″), seat and chain stay yokes, geo for a 100mm suspension fork, and almost every braze-on you could imagine. The Kitchen Sink has been built up with a Lauf Trail racer boost fork, Son 28 dynamo, the new yet to be released kLite Kustom lighting and charging system, Rohloff speedhub, Gates carbon belt drive, 29 × 2.6” Vittoria Mezcals, and a Tumbleweed Mini Pannier Rack.
BAGS: I tried to stick with bags that were from Australian and New Zealand makers. Frame and top tube bags are from Terra Rosa Gear, stem bags from Hungry Bags, Sea to Summit dry bags, Curve Rocket Pooches, and Ortlieb Gravel panniers.
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Sea to Summit Ether Light XT, which is an awesome sleeping mat for side sleepers, and the amazing lights and equipment that my good mate Kerry from kLite designs and manufactures.

Neale Yates

Age 61 / Quorn, South Australia (Australia)

START DATE: November 20th
BIKE: 2021 Trek Roscoe 6 with Moloko bar and Ergon saddle. The Roscoe 6 has 2.8″ tyres on 27.5″ rims, which is great in loose gravel and sand. 1×10 with a 28T chainring.
BAGS: Pair of Ortlieb gravel panniers, 12L Ortlieb Handlebar bag, homemade rack top bag, and fork bags (on Verscages).
GEAR HIGHLIGHTS: Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo tent and a Nemo Tensor Sleeping Mat.

Further Reading

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