This site is very much still a work-in-progress. Thanks for your patience while I piece it together!
Join me on the Divide
Having graduated to two wheels, it’s time for this former GDMBR Unicyclist to give the Tour Divide a go!
Made possible by: YAMA Mountain Gear
About Me and this trip
In 2012, I rode my unicycle the length of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route from Banff, Canada, to the Mexican border. Ever since, I’ve dreamt of riding the route on two wheels, and participating in the Tour Divide, an annual race that mostly follows the same course.
I come from a background of long-distance hiking, trail running, and fastpacking, and have incorporated this into my life off the trail by creating an outdoor gear brand called YAMA Mountain Gear.
For the Tour Divide, I’ll be designing and building much of my gear, and I’ll try to post about the design process as much as I can.
I take off from Banff on June 13, 2025!
~Gen Shimizu
Gear design
As a designer and maker of outdoor gear at YAMA, I’ll create as much of my gear for the trip as I can. Visit the button below to see some of the design process.
- Shelter system
- Vest pack
- Frame bag
- Rear rack bag
- Front bag
- Pogies
- Alpha direct pullover
- Wind jacket
- Miscellaneous feed bags and such
The bike
For this ride, I’ve chosen the Lauf Seigla. The design philosophies behind this rig parallel my own pursuits of efficiency.
Select Design Projects
Check out some of my custom work for the ride here
Shelter Project
For the Tour Divide, I’m designing and building a fully enclosed shelter with a target weight of around 12 to 14 oz. Think something between a bivy and a tarp based system.
Bike Bags Project
My primary on-bike storage will likely be a frame bag, rear rack bag, and handlebar bag.
Vest Pack Project
I’d like to wear a vest to keep a few items, like bear spray and first aid kit, on my body. It will have additional storage for quickly stashing a jacket or overflow food. (info coming)
Pogie Project
My extremities get cold very easily and one of the best ways to keep my hands working in the cold and wet is with pogies. (more)
Why
Some Deets
- Start Date: June 13th, 2025
- Finish Goal: 20 days? I really have no idea
- Biggest fears: The cold & wet. Lightning. Lack of sleep.
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”
~Henry David Thoreau