Name: Cliff Clermont
Age: 47
Profession: Construction Manager/Civil Engineer
Hometown: Carlsbad CA
Experience: AZT 750 (DNF), Stagecoach 400(s), 2014 Great Southern Brevet, 2014 Kiwi Brevet, 2016 Tour Aotearoa, 2017 Great Southern Brevet (pending)
Bike: TREK Procaliber, HT 29er, 1x11 (36x11-46)
Camping equipment: Bivy, Bag, Pad and a wee pillow.
Other: First bike packing event without using a back pack of any sort, using a Steath frame bag instead. Eliel Cycling kit.
Name: Pete Goodman
Age: 52Profession: E-Bike Test Rider
Hometown: Taupo
Experience: Mountain Biking (riding offroad) 45 years, Being cycling all over the world looking for Timbuktu! KB 2015 (DNF)
Bike: Jones Steel Diamond 29"er
Bike Name: Adventure
Camping equipment: Bivy Bag, Sleeping Bag, Mat, Titanium Evernew cooker, etc
Other: Water and a Pie
Name: Ross Braybrook
Age: 57Profession: Fish Whisperer
Hometown: Upper Hutt
Experience: Bugger all of none
Bike: Avanti Competitor 9.1
Camping Equip: Shelter, Sleeping Bag
Other: Looking forward to the complete unknown
(Ross took my request for a photo of his bike literally!!)
Name: Richard Davison
Age: 42
Profession: Freelance writer
Hometown: Dunedin
Experience: Couple of brevets, other touring/eventing
Bike: 2002 Haro VGF-V1 - still going strong and the veteran of many thousands of ks...
Camping equipment: Zempire Atom, Four Square loyalty card, $2 coins.
Other: Stealth frame bag - bomb-proof Tardis. Ground Effect (indestructible, 24-hour wear) Robin Hood merino hoodie. Halo solar skullcap & tail.
Name: Stu Smith
Age: 51
Profession: I buy and sell $
Hometown: Jafatown (a great place to work, but not play)
Experience: 10 years of chasing, coaching school kids (MTB and road) did the 2016 TA (signed up for 2018)
Bike: Specialized Crux – mods include 1 x 11, 42mm tyres, flat bars, aeros, stealth bags
Camping equipment: Lightweight single skin tent – or maybe just a fly for this event
Other: Comfortable mid pack rider, out to enjoy the country, the people on the way and the ride
Name: Graham Collis
Age: 67
Profession: Partially Retired property maintenance contractorHometown: Christchurch
Experience: Done a bit over the years, but virgin breveteer.
Bike: Carbon Stevens Cyclocross Bike. Sram Red 1 x 10. Mavic Rims & hubs. 40mm Clement tyres. (Thanks Dan)
Camping Equipment: Bag, Mat & Tims tent.
Photo to come when I get my gear/bags sorted.
Name:Jo Haines
Age: closer to 50 than 60
Profession:Web work and sometime walking guide
Hometown:Wanaka
Experience:Lots of long distance dirt road touring overseas & NZ but not this intensity
Bike:Surly Pugsley with plus tyres (if the 2nd rim turns up in time) and Rohloff reliability
Camping equipment:Hotel Tyvek tarp
Other:Aim is to complete in 8.4999 days and enjoy as much as is possible
Name: Rob Davidson
Age: 50
Profession: Unemployable so Self Employed:-) Personal Trainer/Coach/Bottle Washer
Hometown: Alexandra
Experience: Sexual.. limited - Biking.. reasonably experienced.. 3 GSB's (4 by the start of this kiwi) Couple of Kiwis.. 2 Tour Divides. Developing alzheimers so often repeat things.. Developing alzheimers so often repeat things.. :-)
Bike: Ventana El Commandante - Belt drive Rohloff hub - SP Dynamo - Various additional bits I probably don't need but really like...
Camping equipment: Likely minimal. Credit card most important 'camping' accessory..
Other: No room for other on my bike.. Very supportive family staying at home:-)
Name: Hedley Wilton
Age: 42
Profession: Paramedic
Hometown: Wanaka
Experience: Rode to get an icecream this arvo!
Bike: Niner Air9
Camping equipment: Tentin
Other: Wide brimmed helmet and possum protection.
Brent Macdonald
From Stokes Valley
age 61
Self employed : Maker of PVC ,canvas, and leather, products [including some bike products.]
Experience : lots of road ,mountain and cyclocross riding over some 55 years
Camping gear : Bivi bag and a small fly and maybe a stove
Bike 29 in mountain bike
Name: Daniel Jessee
Age: 33
Profession: Outdoor Educator
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Experience: Highland Trail Race, Stagecoach 400, Cross-Florida ITT, Cohutta Cat 260, Transcontinental Race (DNF), many other 200-500 mile rides and tours
Bike: Ritchey P-29er hardtail with suspension fork
Camping equipment: tarp, pad, sleeping bag
Other: Visit Daniels personal fundraising page here https://www.
Name: Symon Mitchell
Age: 58
Profession: Firefighter
Hometown: Nelson
Experience:10,000km a year all on the road, newbie at this off road stuff!
Bike: Salsa Dos Niner running Campag 11 speed [Roadie after all]
Camping equipment: minimal, bivvy bag and that’s about it.
Other: I’ve ridden just about every bit of tarseal in NZ, so I thought I’d better start checking out the other 80%
Name: John Carman
Age: 43
Profession: I walk/bike tracks looking at Huts/Tracks/Structures and get paid for it….. DOC Inspector
Hometown: Taupo
Experience: A little, 2 Brevettes, Section of TA last year Thames to WGTN and other Bikepacking trips around Central Nth Is
Bike: Minty Fresh Surly Karate Monkey 29r
Steel is Real Frame, Rigid Fork
3 x 10, need all the gears I can
Experimenting with Aero Bars
Maxxis tested and trusted Crossmarks, tubeless
Camping equipment: Fly, Exped Bed Rolls, Sea to Summit Sleeping lite as Bag and Silk Liner
May carry a lite cooker/Ti Cup/100gm gas….. as a luxury. Used in the weekend first time packing and it was quite nice to have something warm…
Other: Want to do the Brevet but life has come along plus broken bones so riding been lacking so will sign up for the Brevette and see when I get to the Brevet turn off ;)
Name: Peter Broking
Age: 59
Profession: making things
Hometown: Auckland
Experience: Kiwi brevette 2015, TA 2016
Bike: SHAND Drove, single speed, belt drive
Camping equipment: tarp, ground sheet, quilt, wee cooker, pot, knife, fork & spoon,
Other: hip flask full of fire water
Name: Ross Cheesman
Age: 60
Profession: Scientist
Hometown: Upper Hutt
Experience: Not much, Kiwi Brevet 2014, Tour Aotearoa
Bike: Giant Advanced 29er hardtail
Camping equipment: Light tent, sleeping mat and bag, no cooking gear
Other: Should know better
Name: Noel Whiteside
Age: 41
Profession: Procurement Office (IT)
Hometown: Christchurch and Newtownards (sorry for being difficult, I've lived in both long enough I refer to both as home).
Experience: Le Petit Brevet a couple of years ago. It was real hard but super fun.
Bike: Cube, 29er, hard tail.
Camping equipment: Klymit Inertia O Zone sleeping pad, Enlightened Equipment sleeping quilt and the cheapest bivy I could find on Trade.
Other: A mix of Revelate and Blackburn bags to carry everything.
Name: Phil Petersen
Age:35
Profession: Environment
Hometown: Wellington
Experience: GSB '16 & '17, some Flahute hit outs and random weekends.
Bike: Haro Mary SS 32x20.
Camping equipment: UL fly, Helium Solo Bag, Klymit X frame mat. Plastic ground sheet.
Other: "Evolution is not perfect. People will be distracted by carbon frames, aero bars and derailleurs. Inevitably though, the bike packer will evolve to perfection - Single speed, steel and Jones bars." - Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species 1859.
NAME; STEVE HALLIGAN
AGE; 40
PROFESSION; BUSINESS OWNER (VIBRANT LIVING RETREAT)
HOMETOWN; HANMER SPRINGS
EXPERIENCE; TOUR AOTEAROA, 2 KIWI BREVETS
BIKE; SALSA FARGO TI
CAMPING EQUIPMENT; ZPACKS SOLO TENT AND SLEEPING BAG, THERMAREST PAD
OTHER ; GARMIN ETREX 30 X , SUPERNOVA LIGHTS
52yrs
Trek mamba 29r ,3x9 speed
Only recent to riding ,
Kb15 , TA16, and lots of local rides ,
Brooks saddle, set up changes a bit , but refining to a little less and fraction lighter each time .
Name Phil Ruddenklau
Name: Jason Harris
Age : 42
Profession : Plumber
Home town : Marlborough
Experience : Molesworth Muster, Macleans island 6hr , Kaiteriteri 6hr x2 , Moa hunt , Nelson coppermine race x4 ,One season Cx tasman racing , Two seasons CX marlborough , Kaiteriteri marble mountain ,
Bike: Marin pine mountain
Camping Equipment : Cocoon , Sleeping bag , air bed , sleeping bag liner , gas cooker , Mirco clothes line,
Name: Kevin Townsend
Age: 63
Profession: Retired U of C Engineer
Hometown: Motueka
Experience: First Time Brevet BikePacking … mainly Bike Touring
Bike: Specialized Stumpjumber Carbon HT (1x11 speed), BarYak AeroBars / Arm Rests, Brooks Cadmium C17 Saddle, Maxxis Icon 29x2.35 Tubeless Tyres
Camping Equipment: Nemo Hornet 1P Tent, Exped UL7 Mat, Sea2Summit Sleeping Bag & Extreme Liner, MicroStove & Optima Pot
Other: Ground Effect Clothes, Mont-Bell Anorak, Garmin Oregon 650 GPS, Exposure Axxis M3 Light, Revelate Bags (SweetRoll, Viscacha Seat Bag, Tangle Frame Bag, GasTank, Jerry Can and Mountain Feed Bags) … and big can of SweetCheeks Butt Butter
Name: Bryan Prestidge
Age: 57
Profession: Self employed Quantity Surveyor
Hometown: Timaru
Experience: TA 2016
Bike: Trek Procaliber 9.8
Camping equipment: Big Agnes UL2 tent, Neo Air mat, Kathmandu Pathfinder bag
Other: Brooks B17 and Ground Effects Ringleaders for maximum riding enjoyment
Paul Lowe
Age: 37
Profession: Town Planner
Hometown: Christchurch
Experience: My own overnight adventures, a few 12 hour events and Le Petit Brevet (4 times completed)
Bike: Scott Scale 920 (hardtail, 29er)
Camping equipment: emergency bivy, sleeping matt, sleeping bag and gas cooker.
Other: Garmin Etrix 30x, seat bag and frame bag.
No picture available unfortunately
Name: John McKnight
Age: 54
Profession: IT Consultant
Hometown: Lower Hutt
Hometown: Lower Hutt
Experience: Not nearly enough to know better.
Bike: Aging but trusty Giant Anthem 29er X, sporting brand new WTB Nano tyres, Profile aerobars, Specialized saddle and grips, and cut down BBB bar ends.
Camping equipment: Macpac Sololight tent, Escapade 350 sleeping Bag, and Short Lite mat 2.5. Jetboil Zip stove.
Other: Revelate bags - Sweetroll, Viscacha, Gas Tank, Jerrycan, and Tangle. Ground Effect clothes - Storm Trooper, Helter Skelters, Snipers, Ringleaders, Stingray, and Pushover.
Garmin Etrex 20x GPS
Name: Jon Keyzer
Age: 30
Profession: Philosophy lecturer / bike shop dude
Hometown: Dunedin
Experience: Kiwi Brevet 2015, Tour Aotearoa
Bike: Specialized Stumpjumper HT
Camping equipment: Solo tent, stove, kebabs, camp vibes
Other: Bluetooth speaker, trusty Fuji mirrorless camera
Name: Jasen McCutcheon
Age: 44 (141 in primate years)
Profession: Motorcycle sales
Hometown: Masterton
Experience: Riding in circles, mostly for fun.
Kinda new-ish with the bag carrying thing.
Bike: Surly Karate Monkey, 3x10, dynamo
Camping equipment: Tent, bag, nightlight and cooking stuff
Other: Plan to carry alot of Bananas and buy
pies and beer on the way.
Name: Sam Davidson
Age: 25
Profession: Bicycle Mechanic
Hometown: Timaru (currently living in Wellington )
Experience: 2 and half Kiwi Brevet, 2016 Tour Aeoteora, more overnighters than you can shake a cracked carbon frame at. Couple multi day bikepacking trips.
Bike: Surly Krampus
Camping equipment: solo tent and down sleepingbag. Cooker, ti mug and ti spork
Other: generally carry a few packets of average banter and the odd tailwind just incase. Will fix your bike for a beer in the next town too. 
Name: Bob Vaile
Age: 58
Profession: Hostel Owner
Hometown: Arthur’s Pass
Experience: Lot’s. I’ve made alot of choices. Most have not been wise.
Bike: Jones Plus
Camping equipment:Yes: tent, pad, warm jammies.
Other: Everybody is welcome at our campsite.
Name: Ben Clarke.
Age: 48.
Profession: Pastry Chef.
Home Town: Carterton,Wairarapa.
Experience: New to Bikepacking.
Bike: Marin Pine Mountain One.
Camping Equipment: Tent,Sleeping Mat,small pillow and sleeping bag.
Other: Curiosity.
Name: Pete Barnes
Age: 45
Profession: Open Space Planner
Hometown: Christchurch
Experience: Plenty of riding around the park with the kids, I'm a bit of a Brevet novice, though survived the mid winter High Country Brevet in 2016, few 2-dayers, and 3 days of the GSB 2017.
Bike: Giant XTC, mainly stock, though for comfort have put on a Brooks, aero's and ergon's.
Camping equipment: UL tent, s-bag and matt
Other: Using a Stealth frame bag and a couple of Revelate bags.
Name: Richard Lindsay
Age: 47
Profession: Very Amateur
Hometown: Amberley
Experience: Rookie
Bike: Specialised Crave
Camping equipment: If it’ll fit on my bike
Other: Hoping there’ll be some other riders looking to maximise the time spent on the course (i.e 7-8 day riders) to share a few laughs.
Photo of you and your bike if possible – attached is a photo of the bike I took through Big River – Waiuta last year. Needless to say I have upgraded since.
Craig Moss
Auckland52yrs
Trek mamba 29r ,3x9 speed
Only recent to riding ,
Kb15 , TA16, and lots of local rides ,
Brooks saddle, set up changes a bit , but refining to a little less and fraction lighter each time .
Name: Craig Ward
Age: 34
Profession: IT Manager
Hometown: Wellington, originally Wales
Experience: No previous bike packing experience. I did the 5 day Trans NZ enduro last year, they had shuttles - the Brevet has shuttles too right?
Bike: BH Ultimate 29er hardtail that I bought off trademe a week before the race starts.
Camping equipment: Mainly some last minute purchases from Alpkit: tent, sleeping bag, something to make a brew on.
Other: This is all a bit last minute for me but that's how I roll. Strava says my longest ride last year was 50km, hoping to top that. Plan to get by on beers, pies and will power.
Name: Biker Bob
Age: Doing the brevet’s my 60th birthday present to myself.
Profession: Research / designer of violence prevention campaigns and services
Hometown: Wellington, on the edge of Polhill
Experience: Kiwi Brevette ‘15, 8-day solo bikepacking trip thru Central Otago, numerous 2-5 day trips
Bike: All-red Trek X-Caliber alu frame, Ritchey carbon forks, lighter gears, all important Brooks seat
Camping equipment: lightweight s/bag, mat, emergency fly, small thermos, opinel knife, ti folding spoon
Other: Doing it while I can and won’t die wondering
Name: Greg Galway (Mosquito Man)
Age: 48
Profession: Turf Manager
Hometown: Wellington
Experience: Kiwi Brevet 2015, Tour Divide 2015, Tour Aotearoa 2016 plus a few other shorter rides
Bike: Giant XTC, HT 29er, Maxxis Crossmark Tyres, Brooks B17, Revelate Gas, Jerry & Viscacha Bike Bags, SP Dyno, K-Lite Light, Exposure Joystick Light, LX60 Limefuel Bat, Garmin Edge 820
Camping Equipment: Bivy, Thermarest Lite, Black Wolf Sleeping Bag
Other: Staying indoors is over rated. Outdoors all the way (I did that for Tour Aotearoa 2016)
David Williamson
49
Protein Producer (Beef farmer)
Maungaturoto (Northland)
Little bikepacking exp/ several self organised CC tours in Europe on the LHT
Salsa (Ste) El Mariachi Brooks/Hope/Thomson/Jones Bars/2x10 Shim/Wheelworks Stealth/Revelate Bags
Tent Pad Quilt
Looking forward to a grand adventure
Name: Kevin Crowley
Age: 58
Profession: I work hard at Kiwibank
Hometown: Gladstone, Wairarapa
Experience: How much is needed? No brevets, a couple of one day gravel races, lots of triathlons, used to run when knees worked.
Bike: Singular Swift 29", Srampagnolo gears, 3 x 10, Salsa Cowchippers bars, Profile T3 aero bars, Stealth bags, Brooks saddle, the new Mk 3 Stans Flow rims, Ikon tubeless 2.2 tyres, Shoe Warehouse jandals, extra assistance from Ted the dog.
Camping equipment: Enlightened Equipment quilt, MSR Hubba NX1 tent, no cooker.
Name:George Richardson
Age:60
Profession:Software Developer
Hometown:Christchurch
Experience:Done a bit of cycle touring
Bike:Shiny silver giorgio
Bike set up:Ortlieb, Stealth, Revelate combo
Camping equipment:little grey tent
Rob Dawson
Occupation.TV Producer/Photographer/Editor
Hometown. Takaka, Golden Bay.
Experience. Just past stabiliser stage.
Founder of Milk & Honey Race.
Bike 'Bertie' Bombtrack Beyond 29er
Vaude Bivvie Bag
Sea to Summit Sleeping Bag
3/4 thermarest
Home made muesli
no cooker......
Age 64
Profession Semi Retired Cutler
Hometown Auckland
Experience First time for Brevet
Bike Surly LHT
Camping Eq Share Macpac tent
Equipment Bit of revelate gear
Equipment Bit of revelate gear
Name:Simon Lamason
Age:40
Profession: Designer
Hometown: San Francisco
Experience: Road, mountain and touring. First time Breveter
Bike: Bob Jackson world tour
Camping equipment: mountain hardware ghost UL2 tent, mountain equipment helium sleeping bag, thermarest
Age:40
Profession: Designer
Hometown: San Francisco
Experience: Road, mountain and touring. First time Breveter
Bike: Bob Jackson world tour
Camping equipment: mountain hardware ghost UL2 tent, mountain equipment helium sleeping bag, thermarest
Name: Ken Beckman
Age: been carrying a Gold Card for a while now
Profession: University Research Centre Director
Hometown: Christchurch
Experience: heaps of mountain biking over many years but new to bikepacking
Bike: Scott Scale Plus
Other: had a bit of a spend up at Ground Effect and Porcelain Rocket, plus repurposed some motorbike kit
Name: Alex Dyer
Age: 40
Profession: Designer
Hometown: Wellington
Experience: Kiwi Brevette 2015, other touring and much lurking around Wellington trails.
Bike: 2006 Marin Nail Trail (frame), Surly Ogre fork with Salsa anything cages (thanks James!), XT groupset, Stealth bags, 26" Maxxis Ardent tyres. 26" ain't dead!
Camping equipment: Bivvy bag and home made hyperlite fly made with fishing line, duct tape and an old emergency foil blanket (it won't last!). Also an inflatable sleep mat - luxury.
Other: New chamois bib shorts and golden Ground Effect Rock Lobster top.
Name: Kane Thornburrow
Age: 39
Profession: RNZAF
Hometown: Palmerston North
Experience: Brevet virgin, but many years MTBing and a few overnighters
Bike: Charge Cooker steel 29er, 2x10 gears, Profile T4+ aerobars, bar ends, Brooks B17 saddle, Stans Crest rims with tubeless Maxxis Ikon 2.2 tyres
Camping equipment: Wild Country Zephyros 2 Lite tent, Exped Synmat UL5 inflatable mat, Kathmandu Pathfinder sleeping bag, silk liner, cooking gear
Other: Revelate bags (Harness, Ranger, Feed Bags, Gas Tank, Pocket), Thule rack, Garmin Etrex 20x, Ground Effect cycling kit, and probably far too much food.
Name: Craig Robertson (Team Yoda 1 of 3 riders)
Age: 50
Profession: Professional Picture Snapper (so I’ll always be in catchup mode!)
Hometown: Rotorua
Experience: Quite a bit of normal Touring but only 2nd time bike-packing
Bike: 2014 Specialized Crave + carbon fork - XXL frame! Bags all local courtesy of Mr Dancing Moose including customised Bar Slinger to take Think Tank Hubba Hubba camera bag.
Camping equipment: Paine (Japanese brand) tent/shelter, Klymit matt, Kathmandu sleeping bag, titanium pot and cooker.
Other: “Do or do not. There is no try” Yoda.
Name Phil BrownieAge: 50
Profession: Professional Picture Snapper (so I’ll always be in catchup mode!)
Hometown: Rotorua
Experience: Quite a bit of normal Touring but only 2nd time bike-packing
Bike: 2014 Specialized Crave + carbon fork - XXL frame! Bags all local courtesy of Mr Dancing Moose including customised Bar Slinger to take Think Tank Hubba Hubba camera bag.
Camping equipment: Paine (Japanese brand) tent/shelter, Klymit matt, Kathmandu sleeping bag, titanium pot and cooker.
Other: “Do or do not. There is no try” Yoda.
Age: 58
Profession: DOC worker
Hometown: Timaru
Experience: A lifetime of biking the highways and by ways of NZ and overseas, lots of brevets , love them
Bike: Specialised Epic alloy , off the shelf with a Brookes leather saddle - the best
Camping equipment: Very small tent fly and Solo Bivy bag
Name: Bryn Jones
Age: 48
Profession: Mechanical Designer
Hometown: Auckland
Experience: Cycled up Mt Ventoux, France, twice. Bought my first MTB a month ago. Started training for this Brevette 3 months ago.
Bike: Cube Reaction, HT 29er, 2x11
Camping equipment: Bivy, Tent, Bag, Pad and pillow
Other: First bike packing event, Arkel seat bag, other bags borrowed from Chris Bennett
