Rider Profiles 2015

Name:  Jonathan Kennett
Age: 47
Profession: Writing about and designing cycle trails
Experience: Knocking about on bikes since the mid '80s. Mostly mtbing, touring and commutting.
Bike: Niner Air9
Bike set-up: Revelate bags and small backpack
Camping gear: Sleeping bag, inflatable mat and maybe a tent fly.
Other: Ground Effect clothes




Name:  Marcus Peters
Age: 49
Profession: Director of " The Original Smoke & Spice Company "
Experience: Great Southern Brevet, Yak Attack, Tour de Timor, Terra Australis, Alpine Epic etc etc
Bike: Intense spider comp 29er
Bike set-up: Carbon superbike, Enve rims, Brooks saddle and XTR goodness.
Camping gear: Sleeping bag, mat and bivvy bag 1250 g total. No cooking equipment - lean and mean.
Other: Taking a bit of a gamble this year with light bivvy bag but planning on finding decent shelter on route.


Name: Dirk Naish 
Age: 52
Profession: Contracts officer for Council water company
Experience: 17 years mountain biking, last 5 years doing brevet rides; KB’10, Great southern ‘12 and ‘14, rode sections of Tour Divide from Montana to New Mexico last summer
Bike: Singular Swift with Alfine 11spd hub
Bike set-up: Revelate frame bag, harness and freeload rack
Camping gear: Sleeping bag, thermorest and Tarptent




Name:  Christopher R. Bennett
Age: 55
Profession: Lead Transport Specialist, The World Bank
Experience: Tour Divide, Transcontinental
Bike: Motobecane Titanium 29”
Bike set-up: Stan’s Arch EX rims, SON dynamo hub, Supernova E3 light with Plug II USB adapter, Garmin 800,  3 x 10 Shimano XTR, Thudbuster
Camping gear: Z-packs tent and sleeping bag




Name:  Craig Madsen
Age: 41
Profession: Cycletech NZ Sales Manager
Experience: The odd ride with the kids to the diary…and back.
Bike: Surly Karate Monkey (custom) with Stans Flow EX Wheelset with Raven Tyres,  Whiskey Parts Co Carbon No.7 Fork, Salsa Woodchipper handlebar, 9spd XT
Bike set-up: Revelate Design Bags all the way !   Viscache Saddle bag, Jerry Can, Gas Tank, 2 x Mountain Feedbags, Harness with large pocket.
Camping gear: SOL Bivy bag, Exped Syn down mat, Mountain Equipment Helium 250 bag




Name:  Bethany Dunne
Age: 29
Profession: Rural firefighter
Experience: Some
Bike: Niner MCR
Bike set-up: Niner carbon forks, revelate bags
Camping gear: Tarptent rainbow
Other: Coffee coffee coffee

Name: Bryce Lorcet
Age: 40 plus some
Profession: Bike Geek
Experience: More than none, less than enough.
Bike: Aging Niner Sir 9.  Steel is real.
Bike set-up: Revelate bags, aero bars, fast Stan's tubeless wheels and Raven tyres.
Camping gear: Micro size fly (lucky I'm not tall), DIY Tyvek building wrap ground sheet, and a little luxury with a 3/4 length Thermarest.




Name:  Seb Dunne
Age:  29
Profession:  Actuary
Experience: some bikepacking and adventure racing
Bike:  Waltly titanium
Bike set-up:  rigid 29er, 3 x 10, revelate designs bags, SP dynamo and revo lamp
Camping gear:  integral designs bivy
Other: Love NZ and cant wait for KB!




Name: Brian Alder
Age: 50
Profession: MTB/ Cycle tour guide (sometimes)
Experience: Le Petite Brevet 2013, Great Southern Brevet, Kiwi Brevet, Kahurangi 550, LPB 2014.
Bike: Santa Cruz 5010 , 140/130 travel full suss. 
Bike Setup. aero bars, Conti Race Kings, Revelate seat bag & top tube bags, feedbags, dry bag under aero bars
Camping: light sleeping bag, SOL Bivvy Bag, Klymit air pad. 
Other: More light this year - helmet & grunty bar light. 




Name:  Rob Hoult
Age: 50
Profession: Consultant
Experience: 30 years or so of endurance sports. Way too many tris, multi-sport, adventure racing and ultra marathons to remember. 
Bike: Giant Anthem Advanced 29er.
Bike set-up: Standard bike, with Syntace aerobars. Heard about Brooks saddles a bit too late to break one in this time…Running Maxxis Crossmark UST tyres. Gone the whole hog with Revelate Gear (because it’s awesome…) Sweetroll (large), Viscacha, Tangle frame bag (small) and two Gas Tanks on my top tube. Also carrying lightweight backpack with 2.5 l bladder and room for extra food as needed. 
Camping gear: Macpac Sololight tent, Exped mattress, 150 weight Fairydown sleeping bag. Lightweight cooker and titanium mug/billy. A few freeze-dried meals as back up.
Other: Specialised ‘Grail’ gloves. Hand numbness pretty much sorted. The plan is to pretty make ride how I feel and take it as it comes, however long that takes and as long as it means eight days or less. I’ve decided that for me this isn’t a race, but the first journey for 2015. The hidden bonus with Brevet training is that when you take the bags and gear off - you fly! 



Name:  Mr Dale Lopez
Age: 65
Profession: Builder
Experience: 30yrs MTB rider, owned & operated a Helibiking venture on the Kapiti Coast for approx. 3yrs, I have competed numerous times in; Karapoti, Perverse Reverse, Huka Challenge, several solo rides over 5-6 days durations all around North & South island. But my highlight was riding with my eldest son from  Llasa in Tibet to Kathmandu in Nepal back in 2005.
Bike: Trek Superfly hard-tail carbon, 29inch .
Bike set-up: Revelate bags, plus rear carrier
Camping gear: yes
Other: Watching my Coastal Crew mates doing the Brevet last year inspired me to get my backside on my saddle and join up this year by compromising due to my age, by riding the Brevette course!




Name:  Emily Powell.
Age: Older than I look.
Profession: Paramedic.
Experience: Is what it's all about.
Bike: Blue.
Bike set-up: Two wheels, one seat.
Camping gear: Comfort, not speed.
Other: Happy to trade medical help for mechanical help.


Name: Hamish Southcott
Age: 40
Profession: Graphic Designer
Experience: Le Petit Brevet (x3), 2014 Kiwi Brevet and numerous cycling adventures.
Bike: Lynskey Pro26
Bike set-up: Revelate bags
Camping gear: Bivi bag



Name Darren Tatom
Age 54
Profession: retired (again)
Experience: Years of MTB and road racing. 2 Kiwi Brevets and 1/2 of a Great Southern Brevet. 15 years of multi-day bikepacking 
Bike: GT Zaskar carbon 29er. Just about standard. ITM aerobars
Set up and gear: RevelateViscacha, in-frame bag and Event compression sack. Inside of which I carry a few spares, some wet weather gear, a thermarest mat, down bag liner and Vaude bivvy tent (without the poles). I will carry some bars, gels and plenty of cash

The photo is from the brevet before last. I will be using mtb tyres


Name: Andy Fraser
Age: 56
Profession: Civil Engineer
Experience: Bike Rider most of my life, road racing, unicycle, penny farthing, ridden some of the Brevet roads in 70’s before there were MTB’s, now into MTB’s this year thanks to the great Cycletech guys Bryce & Craig
Bike: SURLY Karate Monkey – old school steel, what else
Bike set-up:Revelate Bags, Aero Bars
Camping gear: Microlight Classic Tent, Exped Downmat 5, Express 400 Bag
Other: This is certainly a tough challenge and I am determined to do justice to such a great track with all thanks to Jo and Scott’s selfless organisation


Name: Michael Dann

Age: 30

Profession: Research Assistant/Bike Mechanic

Experience: Brevette in 2014, Bike Packing/Touring in NZ/AUS

Bike: Rawland Drakkar rigid steel 29er

Bike Setup: 2x9 gears, sweepy bars, revelate bags, DIY anything cages and most importantly my rims match my dry bags.

Camping gear: light tent, mat, bag etc, no cooker

Other: NB: pic is the bike/me in touring mode.


Name:  Andy GILBERT
Age: In the phase 50+- 60-
Profession: Depends on what’s happening at the time
Experience:  General riding, a couple of Brevets, ½ of the only team to Brevet on a tandem, extended trip adding the Craigieburn on the last Brevet riding  the Krampus
Bike: Surly Krampus
Bike set-up: Whisky parts fork, XX1,tubeless 29+, Relevate Designs Tangle/ Gas tank/ Jerry can/ Salty roll/ Terrapin
Camping gear: Spitfire solo tent/ Exped airmat,
Other: photo is from the finish 2014


Name:Brenda (BOB) Clapp
Age: 40
Profession:Hydrologist
Experience:Old washed up XC rider who now does a bit of trail riding and the odd Brevet
Bike: Salsa Fargo
Bike set-up: Loaded with an array of Revelate Design bags
Camping gear: SOL bivy bag, thermal rest and small sleeping bag


Name: John Etherington
Age: 40 something 
Profession: Owner / Operator Escape Adventures (International cycle tours)
Experience: Lots but nothing like this.
Bike: Wanted to use my sons 24” but he wouldn’t let me…. Surely Karate Monkey next best choice. Really this was an excuse to buy another bike…...
Bike set up: Stans rims, Conti race king tyres (tubeless), 2x10, random selection of bike bags and dry bags.
Camping gear: SOL bivvy, 3/4 thermarest, very light sleeping bag and a teddy.
Other: Looking at it as an excuse to eat as many pies as I can in a week…


Name: Matt Quirk
Age: 43
Profession: Bike shop owner (recent) / graphic designer (feels like forever)
Experience: Mostly backcountry touring in Europe and NZ - lots of exploring, pretty much zero ‘racing’.
Bike: Either the On-One Inbred or old Karate Monkey with carbon fork. Steel - extra ballast! Pic to come...
Bike set-up: SP hub, Supernova lights and charging gizmos, festooned with Revelate bags. Lots of gears!
Camping gear: Meagre lightweight bivi sack, 1 season down bag, Thermarest Neoair Xlite (small baby size). Crux stove and Ti pot.
Other: Not sure if I’ll be racing or sight-seeing - hopefully a bit of both!



Name:  Jackson Foster
Age: 54
Profession: water specialist 
Experience: 40 yrs biking. Rd Mtb racing,triathlons, touring ,
Trans America . Europe ,NZ everywhere just about
Bike: cannondale fat boy
Bike set-up: revalate bags harness , sweet roll, gas tank, jerry can, tangle bag, viscascia seat bag .still contemplating rack with topeak slide on box . Don't want a back pack
Camping gear: freedom tent mono , exped down matt, macpac 150 grm sleeping bag
Other: dyno front hub set up for free power to Garmin etc 

Name: John Carman
Age: 41.....
Profession: DOC Inspector. Dream job really, I Inspect Huts, Tracks and Structures in the Central North Island including the Timber Trail, the Great Lake Trail, 42 Traverse....
Experience : 2014 Brevette, Huka’s, Karapoti’s and other 1 day events. Ride now for fun and the enjoyment.
Bike:2 008 Surly Karate Monkey set up many ways over the years and Km’s
Bike set-up: Revelate bags of course! Plus Freeload Rack. 2 x 10sp as blew a knee up last year running a single chain ring. Crossmark Tyres run tubeless on Fulcrum wheel set. Rigid Fork.
Camping gear: SOL Bivvy Bag, Sleeping bag and mat, small fly, no cooker.

Other: Hope to be running a bit wiser and lighter set up this year. Looking forward to the course changes and some fine weather. Eat/Sleep/Ride/Repeat



Name:  Derek Poshtar
Age: 30
Profession: Electrician/ bicycle tourist
Experience: No cycling event experience.
Bike: Surly Troll (orange)
Bike set-up: Honestly I probably have the most overbuilt bike for this brevet. 20 kg of steel everything :)
Camping gear: 1 man tent, thermarest and lightweight sleeping bag.
Other: actually I make my home on a bicycle for most of the year. Been on this tour since March 2014, mostly in Asia.... Also I am searching for a job in Christchurch after the brevet :)



Name:  Sam Davidson
Age: 23
Profession: Bicycle Mechanic 
Experience: Riding my bike, fast or slow, near or far, if it's on two wheels i'm in! 
Bike: Salsa La Cruz, (Cyclocross bike)
Bike set-up: 1x 10 with a 42t Rear extender cog, SP dynamo front hub to exposure revo light, sram x9 mid cage, apex shifters, wtb nano tyres, xposure revo light, wtb nano tyres, revolution components front ring , Oveja Negra Bags, Time mx4 pedals 
Camping gear: Sleeping Bag and Tin-Foil Bivy! (maybe a light weight tarp if common sense and the weather man tells me to =)



Name:  Brendan Pheasant
Age: 32
Profession: recently returned from UK, starting to slowly look for work... 
Experience: MTBing all over for a few years now, usually try to work in seeing new places, ride the odd event, starting to get into bikepacking about a year ago, first event of this type.
Bike: Surly Ogre
Bike set-up: Wildcat bar & saddle harnesses; Alpkit frame bag, stem cell & fuel pod.
Camping gear: Yes

Name: Pete Goodman
Age: 50
Profession: Service Manager/Bike Mech
Experience: Been riding ATB/MTB's for over 40 years (yes start riding offroad in 1972!) Riding in loads of places around the world (and some times payed to do so) Tour d'Afrique 2012 etc....
Bike: One of the new Specialized AWOL
Bike set-up: Drive train shimano XT/Road, Revelate Designs bags, Maxxis Ikon tyre's, WTB KOM rim's, DT Swiss 350 hub's, Look pedals, etc.
Camping gear: Luxe Sil-Hexpeak tent, Macpac 300 sleeping bag, Therm-a-Rest ProLite Plus mattress, Titanium Evernew Appalachian cookset (161 g), etc...
Other Sponsored by Top Gear Cycles (Taupo) and Friends


Name: Barryn Westfield
Age: 47
Profession: Architect
Experience: Enough to know better, not enough to stop doing it
Bike: Yeti BigTop - pretty standard 
Bike set-up: All a bit DIY + plus a Revelate Tangle
Camping gear: Why would I turn down a soft bed, a shower and a beer each night??
Other It's not a race



Name: Nathan Mawkes
Age: 38
Profession: IT Support
Experience : Kiwi Brevet 2010, 2012, 2014, Great Southern Brevet 2012, 2014, TourDivide 2012, 2013 and quite a bit of touring.
Bike: Santa Cruz Highball Carbon, Whiskey No.9 fork, 1x10, Brooks Swift Saddle, Profile t2+ aroebars.
Bike set-up: SP dynamo, RevelateDesigns Seatbag, frame bag, Fuel Cell.
Camping gear: CF Bivy Tent, RAB Neutrino 200sl Sleeping bag, Klymit X Frame.



Name:  Oliver Herdsman
Age: 31
Profession: bicycle mechanic/vegan
Experience: . cycle touring, 12 hour mountain bike racing
Bike:  Kinesis FF29
Bike set-up: 2x10, SP/Exposure Dynamo hub, Stan's Crest rims, Thunder Burt tyres. Wildcat gear frame bag, Alpkit Stem Cells, Fuel Pod + Saddle bag, bungee cords
Camping gear: Alpkit Bivvy, Homemade tarp, sleeping bag
Other: maybe a backpack with extra water capacity, maybe not. 




NAME:Lou Perkins 
AGE:39
PROFESSION:Builder 
EXPERIENCE: Adventure races,
Road races, multisport, triathlon,
And love to ride 
BIKE: giant anthem 29er
BIKE SET UP: loaded with revelate bags conti race kings
CAMPING: bivi tent, neo air thermarest , 150 lite weight sleep bag,  traveling as lite as poss 



Name:  Craig Moss
Age: 49
Profession: I think- "hard working small business owner".    They think - "as little as possible , bum , still a kid", -so the answer is probably in between.
Experience: none , just a couple of small events of 3-6 hrs riding max and  some practice for this.
Bike: trek mamba 29 hard tail, 
Bike set-up: brooks saddle, stans tubeless wheels and raven tyres, 4 drink bottles on there somewhere, approx 4-5 kg gear on back and 1.5-2kg on front , small lunch bag with easy wet weather gear access on top of rear bag,(me 84kg, bike about 12kg)
Camping gear: lightish sleeping bag, 3/4 mat, tossing up between fly or old an army poncho/bivvy, also  haven't decided on weather to take lightweight cooker etc,
Other: yes the bank will be weed eaten and lawns mowed before going. Shadow the dog would be keen for the first couple of km then fade real quick, 


Name: Geoff Gabites
Age: 62 and a few months.
Profession: Cycle Tour Operator - ( which means that I don’t get to bike )
Experience: Enough to know better you would think. No experience in these types of events but spent so long following the event on line last year that I was bullied into participating this year. Not that bright but good at lifting things. Experienced at suffering
Bike: Black Avanti type bike – with my secret weapon being a Cane Creek Thud Buster seat post!
Bike set-up: Stuff on the front, on the back, down the sides and in my backpack.
Camping gear: Yep, cos who knows where I will get to by dark.
Other: My wife spoiled the chance to suffer from Day 1 on by buying us tickets to Paul Simon concert in Auckland on the Friday ( before the Brevet dates were announced ) . So now I have to overnight Saturday in Hanmer and drive into the bottom of Island Pass to wait for Phil Brownie who is my riding partner, before I can start to suffer over the St James. I did try to get out of this concert thing – honest!


Name: Dean Ford
Age: 36
Profession: Economist
Experience: Kiwibrevet (DNF), Godzone, Le Petit Brevet, Brevet’s Little Brother
Bike: Giant Anthem 29er
Bike set-up: Aero bars, Wheelworks carbon wheelset, Revelate bags
Camping gear: Bivy bag, lightweight sleeping bag and the luxurious comfort of a Supercheap Auto car window shade for a sleeping mat
Other: Some unfinished business to attend to after last year’s DNF. Kiwibrevet ’14 was three 10-hour days of cafes, pub meals and motel beds, rounded out with an inflamed Achilles and a flight home in my cycling shoes from Christchurch. That obviously didn’t work, so this year I’ll try going long, eating on the bike and sleeping rough! Blue dot watches will be well placed to assess this strategy…


Name: Paul Chaplow
Age: 49
Profession: Tourism Business Advisor
Experience: Great Southern Brevet 2012, 2014. Cycle tours - Chile, Argentina, Laos, Europe. Regular at the annual Karapoti mtn bike race. Several expedition adventure races from 2002 - 2006 - Southern Traverse, ARWC World Champs 2005 (NZ) & 2006 (Sweden/Norway), Primal Quest, (USA) 2006.
Bike: Salsa Fargo 2011
Bike set-up: Seat bag, frame bag, handle bar bag (not sure if I will use handle bar bag), Salsa anything cages on forks.
Camping gear: Fly, 150g sleeping bag, neo-air thermarest sleeping pad
Other: Want to see the scenery so will be minimising riding after dark as much as possible.


Name:  stephen (stealth mode) butterworth
Age: 35
Profession: wood merchant
Experience: XC racer/dirty roadie/STRAVA WHORE - KB2012, TeTawhio2013, GSB2014 + lots of my own crazy adventures 
Bike: SINGLE SPEED
Bike set-up: frame bag + 3 bottles + light back pack
Camping gear: light bivvy (emergency only)
Other: prefer to travel light and fast and bed down somewhere cheap with beer


Name:  Dee Tee
Age: 50 +
Profession: Body Bender
Experience: Yes
Bike: Cute KHS
Bike set-up: Dusty and fast. 
Camping gear:  Half share of a tent. 
Other: After being a long time blue dot watcher, time to become a blue dot. 



Name:  Gee Tee
Age: 50..
Profession: Office Seat Warmer
Experience:  Yes
Bike: Very used Niner Air 9
Bike set-up: Fully rigid..
Camping gear: Z - Packs Solo Plus for two
Other: Plan to eat pies, drink beer and milk shakes. 


Name:  Luke Thomson
Age:  44
Profession:  Construction Project Manager
Experience:  not so much 
Bike: Cannondale F29 'Leftie' 
Bike set-up:  Revelate bags, Garmin eTrex 20, 

Camping gear: Macpac bag and Vaude Bivi


Name:  Jeremy Bray
Age: 40
Profession:  Technical Sales for Brother Corporate Sales team
Experience: More than currently when I finish... (Brevets Little Brother,  been riding MTB and road here and there for the last 20+ years)
Bike: Trek Xcaliber 29er - Gary Fisher geometry (the man is a genius!).  Standard X-cal except for Shimano brakes and WTB saddle, Maxxis Crossmark on the rear and Bontrager XR1 on the front.
Bike set-up: Revelate handlebar harness with drybag (s-bag, s-mat, bivi fly); drybag on rear rack with spare clothes, Stealth top tube snack bag, tool bag on the top tube, 3 drink bottles and Cactus zero for food 
Camping gear: Macpac pinnacle sleeping bag, Synmat sleeping mat, home made bivi fly, no cooking gear
Other: Brother NZ have agreed to a donation towards the Multiple Sclerosis of New Zealand (MSNZ) for my ride around the Brevet - Thanks Brother; and Thanks to Scott, Jo and others behind the scenes for setting up this years ride!


NAME: Steve Halligan
AGE:     38
PROFESSION: Builder/ B&B Lodge manager
EXPERIENCE: Last years kiwi brevet, Lots of long distance racing and multi day rides
BIKE: Salsa Fargo Ti
BIKE SET UP: Stans raven tyres , Garmin GPS, Revelate bags
CAMPING GEAR:  Neo lite sleeping mat, Mountain Designs, sleeping bags. Tent fly (depends on forecast)
OTHER: Looking forward to seeing you all in blenheim and cant wait to start pedalling

Name: JackieO
Age: too old!
Profession: underpaid and overworked!
Experience: over-enthusiastic amateur at mtbing, running, triathlon and swimming!
Bike: Specialised Stumpjumper for the brevet (but the new love of my life is my Juliana Joplin!)
Bike set-up: As little as possible...saddle bag, top tube bag, and handlebar bag!
Camping gear: Hmmm, still considering it...anyone wanna share their tent with me?
Other: Could you please organise some good weather for the event, thanks!


 Name:  Kirsty Moran
Age: 39
Profession: Ecologist
Experience: Rookie at this brevet business
Bike: Hardtail 29er
Bike set-up: Bar bag, rear rack with drybag
Camping gear: All of it!
Other:  Main endeavour is to try keep up with my esteemed and youthful, riding buddy, Robyn Blyth whilst also eating at least as many pies as John Etherington


Name:  Dan du Bern
Age: 34
Profession: Gallery Technician
Experience: MTB and CX. Numerous long day rides on gravel and singletrack and an experienced tramper, but this will be my first bikepacking adventure. Gulp.
Bike: Salsa El Mariachi
Bike set-up: Fred Sled - SRAM 3x10, Jones Loop bars, Brooks B17 Ti saddle, RaceKing 2.2” tyres, full Revelate Designs fit-out. 
Camping gear: OR Helium Bivy, summer-weight Synthetic bag, 3/4 UL mat. Opinel knife. No cooker. 
Other: Will be riding with my brother Oli from Wellies, who rode last year’s Brevette, and Tom, Scott and Mike, whom I met while living in Melbourne (representing FOA & ThereWillBeDirt). Been wanting to ride the KB this since I first got wind of it. Super excited.


Name:  Jasper van der Lingen
Age: 54
Profession: Architect
Experience: Various rides and hike a bikes
Bike: Black Sheep single speed fatbike
Bike set-up: Revelate bags mainly and a backpack
Camping gear: Bivy out if I cannot find good accommodation.
Other: Aiming for many relaxed beer stops to increase my Back of the Pack Racing Algorithm rating and get on the BPR Leaderboard.

Name:  Greg Thurlow
Age: 40
Profession: Programmer
Experience: 2x Great Southern Brevet, Te Tawhio o Whanganui,
numerous long bike tours including last tour down the
western united states in nov 14
Bike: Boardman Cx
Bike set-up: mixture of topeak, revolt designs & rear rack
Camping gear: yes
Other: Nice way to see another part of the mainland, testing
fully laden cx setup on gravel roads for further travels in
the next year...

Name: Nicki Squire
Age: Lots younger than my Dad (he’s 93)
Experience: Yes, It started with a trike
Bike: “Bluey” Ritchey 650B, Flite wheels by Wheelworks, crankset yes (thanks to the souls who ransacked their spare parts)
Bike set-up: Stealth & Revelate Bags
Camping gear: Tin opener, spork & cycling karma credits
Other: Gordon (the adventurous travelling bear), strapping tape! Looking forward to swimming in rivers and eating berries.



Name: Dean Marshall
Age: 45
Profession: Shift maintenance fitter at Cadbury Dunedin
Experience: first Brevet, heaps of racing and adventure riding over the years
Bike: Niner Air 9 carbon 10x2
Bike set-up: syntace clip on bars ,revelate and freeload for gear . 
Camping gear: Fully self supported, but hopefully light weight. Macpac sololight tent, Jetboil ( Whole kit nearly macpac gear )
Other:


Name: scott symes
Age: 36
Profession: bike mechanic
Experience: I've done a bit of traditional touring and lots of mountain biking, some bike packing adventures but not this long.
Bike: 2013 Focus Raven 650B.
Bike set-up: 2x10. Rigid fork. Dynamo. Lots of bags
Camping gear: palatial



Name: Oli du Bern
Age: 32
Profession: Visitor Experience Manager, Wellington Zoo
Experience: Brevette 2014, cycle tour of USA west coast and South Island NZ.
Bike: Cube Reaction Carbon 29er
Bike set-up: Front freeload rack, revilate seat bag, small top tube bag.
Camping gear: bivvy bag, sleep bag and mat.
Other: doing the ride this year with my brother and one of his friends from Oz. Looking forward to trying the longer distance this year and the new course changes.


Name:  John de Garnham
Age: Over 60
Profession: Retired, (now part-time pie man)
Experience: I used to be a cyclist, I’ve ridden most Open races in the South Island and a fair number in the North Island, everything from The Tour of Southland to the Palmerston North to Wellington, NZ Nationals, Road, Criterium, Time Trial, Track.  The list goes on……  I’ve toured through Eastern Europe and the USA, did some of the Tour Divide Sections in Colorado in 2014. Ran from Christchurch to Picton once and have done a few multi sport events like the Gold Rush and Southern Traverse.  I now just muck about on bikes doing a few MTB, cyclo cross and road races
Bike: Same as Emily Powell's - Blue
Bike set-up: Same as Emily’s - two wheels, one seat
Camping gear: I don’t believe in camping
Other: Now crippled from blast injury to my left foot and I’m a survivor of a life threatening medical condition, (Guillian-Barre Syndrome (twice)). I’m doing this because I still can and for all the other 60 plus survivors out there


Name: Iain Guest
Age: 38
Profession: Chiropractor
Experience: I’m a relative newby to touring and long distance racing. I’ve completed a couple of longest night & longest day rides (2013-2014). The Hinakura Hundy (2014). I’ve spent more time in the bush on foot than on a bike so it will be a new experience / challenge from that perspective.
Bike: Litespeed Obed 2009
Bike set-up: Stan’s No-Tubes Raven tyres, Fox float 100mm fork. Aero bars, Revelate bags (Frame Bag, Terrapin saddle bag & Gas Tank). Shimano XT gearing with 3x chain-rings and 11-36 cassette.
Camping gear: Macpac fly & sleeping bag. 50mm mattress.
Other: Completing the Kiwi Brevet as part of ‘The Coastal Crew’ team with Todd Foster and Bryce Lorcet, veterans of the 2014 Kiwi Brevet. I’m also a Type 1 Diabetic and a lot of my planning revolves around the safe management.

Name: Dave Sharpe
Age: 30
Profession: Former child-star turned exotic dancer
Experience: Some light touring
Bike: Salsa Fargo
Bike set-up: 2x10 MTB setup, carpet-fiber fork, Stans wheels & 2.2 Ravens, Woodchipper 'bars, Garmin 800, Lupine Piko
Camping gear: Apidura bags, Credit card, sleeping bag, Rambo knife
Other: I'm looking forward to a nice leisurely lap - lots of swimming, gasbagging, skids, and general tomfoolery.

Name: James Burgess
Age: 38
Profession: Reformed engineer, now helping people communicate clearly at Write Limited. Chair of Cycle Aware Wellington, advocating for better bike infrastructure around the city.
Experience: Bits and pieces - this is my longest challenge so far, but I've been MTBing since about '92...
Bike: Kona Process full-suss. Going for comfort! Tried out rigid 29er frankenbike made out of my 26er singlespeed / Alfine 700c wheelset / cross tyres but changed my mind. Happy with the change after prep rides!
Bike set-up: Stock except tri bars and flatter saddle off my racer. Pumped the suspension and tyres up a bit :) Luggage: Stealth bags front and back, plus Camelback Mule.
Camping gear: Alpkit bivvy bag, lightweight sleeping bag and half mat. Planning half and half camping / B&B.

Pic with gritty eyes (not paparazzi)>>


Name: Margaret (Peg) Leyland
Age: 39
Profession: Equine Vet
Experience: Working on it
Bike: Specialized Stumpjumper HT
Bike set-up: Bits and pieces stolen from my racing bike. Aero bars. Revelate frame bag and saddle bag. Bedding roll on handlebars.
Camping gear: Bivvy, sleeping bag, inflatable mat.
Other: Seeing if I like this before I commit to Tour Aotearoa and Tour Divide!

Name: Alex Dyer
Age: 38
Profession: Designer, mainly web applications nowadays
Experience: Wellington hills most weekends or round the bays commutes. Pic from Rimutaka Cycle Trail recently.
Bike: 2006 Marin Nail Trail - my everything-off-road bike.
Bike set-up: Shimano XT groupset installed last summer. Stealth handle bar bag, dry bag on rear pannier and camelbak backpack. Budget aero (bar end) bars - cheers James!
Camping gear: Alpkit bivy bag, Fairydown sleeping bag - a real one older than 15 years! Also a light foam mat.
Other: Ground Effect clothes, got the new B52 top. So far so good!

Name:  Thomas Crowley
Age:  24
Profession:  Software Developer
Experience: Various rides such as TWBD (therewillbedirt.blogspot.com), various solo, multiday bikepacking adventures (Canberra -> Melbourne, Devonport -> Hobart)
Bike: Salsa El Mar
Bike set-up: Rigid, loop bars, revelate everything
Camping gear:  Tarptent contrail, Big Agnes mummy, sea to summit spark SP1
Other: Bike is already packed for NZ - so here's a photo of my bike naked and in XC mode (and without me!). I'll get a fitting photo of me + bike to you by Wed when I land in Wellington :)


Name:  Steve Bilton
Age: 34
Profession: IT Consultant
Experience:
Experienced MTB lover and road cyclist with the occasional race and tri thrown in. Started offroad cycle touring in UK and continued in NZ after nzcycletrails were built. Last year did a 1300k ride from Queenstown to CHC with the round the mountain and Alps to Ocean routes included.  Every trip you do you learn a better way to do cycle touring through your mistakes.
Bike:
Specialized Stuntjumper Comp Alley HT 29er running Schwalbe Land Cruiser tyres. Super light race bike and I consider it almost perfect for this event.
Bike set-up:
2x Thule Tour Racks with small drybags attached, AeroBars, Central triangle bag with bladder inside.
Camping gear:
Freedom Mono superlight tent, katmandu goosedown 680 sleepingbag, lightweigh sleeping mat. MicroCooker.
Other:
Solar Charger for GPS and lights.
After hearing about this through a mate I'm looking forward to my first Brevet, but nervous as I experienced huge pain on the rainbow road and St James a few years ago.
I love riding my bike so much but I reckon I won't want to ride it for a while after the Brevet completion. :-)

Name:  Gary Mckenzie
Age: 44
Profession: Bike Wrench
Experience: Got round the block last week and only had to stop once.
Bike:Specialized Hotrock 16"
Bike set-upRevelate bags all round. Viscacha, gas tank, jerrycan, mountain feed bags, sweet roll and pocket. Garmin Etrex 30
Camping gear: Tarptent

Other: Don't believe the hype about bigger wheels.

Name: Phil Jones
Age: Pensioner
Profession: Importer
Experience: A number of unsupported credit card tours, mainly in the south of the
South Island in the company of friends. This will be all new trails for me.
Bike: Cannondale F4
Bike set-up: Headshock, drops and Speedcity wheels.
Camping gear: Whole nine yards I'm afraid.
Other: Planning nice week out of my warehouse with a minimum of suffering.

Name:  Ian Huntsman
Age: 49
Profession: Research Engineer
Experience: Great Southern Brevet 2014
Bike: Trek Superfly 29er hardtail
Bike set-up: Revelate: Viscacha, jerrycan, gas tank, ranger frame bag, sweetroll
Camping gear: Tarptent Stratospire 2, Montbell Super spiral #3, exped synmat 7ul
Other:



Name:  Wendy Riach
Age: 51
Profession: Police Officer
Experience: Great Southern Brevet 2014, Alpine Epic
Bike: Gary Fisher Carbon Superfly
Bike set-up: Revelate: Pika, tangle, jerrycan, sweetroll
Camping gear: Sharing Tarptent Stratospire 2, Montbell Spiral #3, Neoair xlite


Name:  Gordon Sloane
Age: 55
Profession: Self Employed Wholesale Food Distributor
Experience: First Brevette, 30 years of Cycling – Road and Mtb, Triathlon, Adventure Racing, and recently completed the South Island leg of the Te Araroa Trail
Bike: Specialised Crave, with Fulcrum wheels, Maxxis Ikon tyres,
Bike set-up: Revelate bags
Camping gear: Real light. Terra Nova tent if wet, Bivvy Bag if dry
Other: Absolute Wilderness Dehy meals, MAKfuel Isotronic Drink, (Thanks Grant),  Ground Effect Exocet Shorts (Brilliant) and Ground Effect Road Rage Top, Sweet Cheeks Butt Butter (great product)

Name:  Phil Brownie
Age: 55
Profession: , Commerical Manager for DoC
Experience: Been multi day mountain bike exploring here and abroad  since the mid 80s , and have  enjoyed events like Alpine Epic, la petite , 2014 Kiwi Brevet and extended multi sports events.
Bike: 2009 Giant Trance 2, an oldie but a goodie on its last legs before going out to pasture
Bike set-up: Brooks Saddle, (soooo good ) 3/9 with 11-34 cluster,  good for most mixed ridin. Bull bars and aero bars to provide plenty of riding positions, Philips carrier off the seat stem for camping gear and stuff sack on the front with Revelate food bag on the very front and a bits and bobs bag on the top bar. WTP nano 2.1 on the rear and maybe Fast Trak control 2.2 on the bow
Camping gear: Bivy bag, foam pad, lightweight sleeping bag  thou not as light as last year (it was chilly up the rainbow ), still deciding if I  can survive another year without a wee primus
Other: Had a great time in 2014, exceeded all expectations , so  coming back for more suffering this year but in cruise mode this time around.

Name:  Alistair Davidson
Age:       52
Profession: Publishing
Experience: Lots of road riding including two- and four-lap Taupo enduros (320 and 640km) but sod all on the MTB. Made up the numbers in a few MTB endurance race-type events but nothing longer than 150kms. This will be a shock to the system.
Bike: Stumpjumper Pro (FS), dunno how old, was a Trademe special.  Just got news wheels as I split the back one. Did get it serviced, if that counts as prep?
Bike set-up: Aero bars and the seat off my roadie. A raft of revelate bags, X2 Gloworm lights. Bladder in a  Tangle frame bag, don’t want anything on my back. Conti X-king tyres complete with those heavy black inner tubey things.
Camping gear: Kathmandu sale lightweight one-person tent and 3 season sleeping bag, silk liner, Thermarest Neo Xtralite mattress, tyvek groundsheet. No cooking gear, museli bars, pubs and cafes are the plan.
Other: Using this event to see if I like the bikepacking thing.

Name: Greg Galway
Age:  46
Profession:  Turf Manager
Experience:  Bike Packing Newbie. Some MTB and road racing
Bike:  Salsa Fargo 
Bike set-up:  Revelate Bags, TT Bars, Brooks B17
Camping gear:  Bivy, Thermarest Lite, Sleeping Bag (outdoors all the way)
Other: Everything is carried on the bike. This is a shake down for the Tour Divide 2015 then Tour Aotearoa 2016
Who knows where this will lead


Name:  Chris (PureSports) Hodder
Age: 43
Profession: Civil Engineer
Experience: Selling Rohloff hubs for almost ten years so know a bit about them and I rode my bike to the dairy by Craig’s place a couple of times.
Bike: i have one of those it has Steel frame and forks, Rohloff hub Rear wheel, front wheel, Stans Raven Tyres, crankset, chain, Headset, stem, bars, shifter and brakes what else do you need. I would like the frame and fork that Dave Sharpe is using. (Dave you know that you have to give it back)
Bike set-up: front bag, Revelate frame bag and small panniers on the back. Oh no you cry, panniers are so old school. Yep but they work for me.
Camping gear: yep, Bivy tent, sleeping mat and sleeping bag. No cooking gear just OSM’s
Other: can’t believe that most people are still using a gear system invented around the 1930’s


Name: Nigel Walls
Age : 50
Profession: Regional glazing manager
Experience : Kb 2014, general riding for the last 2.5 yrs
Bike: Giant TCX 
Bike set up: 2 x 11 sram red, areo bars and as most others thanks to Cycle tech re elevate, pika, tangle, feed bags and sweet roll 
Camping gear: Kathmandu bivy, sleeping bag and exped mat
Other last year was a blast on a fs Scott this year rigid which I am sure will want throw me off at the sniff of a bump. Anyway can't wait for my second time round.

Highlight is meeting like minded mad cyclists


Name:  Joe Jagusch
Age: 33
Profession: Assistant Project Manager 
Experience: Multiple zany outdoors adventures and the odd organised event 
Bike: Under construction, revised to full susp Scott Spark after realizing it's lighter and more comfy - fun in the rough - than my touring no-suspension rohloff bike.....I admit it, I'm just not tough any more...sniff
Bike set-up: 1x10 with manual front granny option. Has some bags on it. Tubeless Stans Crest and Hope wheels. K-lite headlight for eager darkness temptations. Rubbery skull strap-on tail light. Brooks saddle...mmm leather. Adjustable syntace VRO stem and skinny Ti handlebar.    
Camping gear: Fly, footprint, sleeping bag, G'friends light and cushy mattress.
Other: moisturiser and lippy. needle and thread. Can opener and wooden spoon. look-out naughty children!


Name:  Alex Grigg
Age52
ProfessionSurveyor.....no excuse for getting lost.
ExperienceBrevette last year
BikeGT “Peace” Tour , all steel (and lots of it!)
Bike set-upSalsa ‘woodchipper’ bars, random parts stripped from road and mountain bike.
Camping gearunfortunately yes this year.
Other:  this year 42mm cross tyres ...luxury from the 32mms last year


Name:  Diane Grigg
Age 45
ProfessionTravel Broker
ExperienceHopefully enough (Brevette last year)
BikeRichey Breakaway cross bike
Bike set-upAsk Alex
Camping gearyes of sorts – please don’t rain.
Other: Looking forward to an improved North bank !

Name:  Andy Beale
Age: 44
Profession: Mechanical Design Engineer
Experience: First time multi-day brevet
Bike: Kona Unit, now with 1 x 10
Bike set-up: Revelate, SP dynamo, Sinewave Revolution, Brooks B17, FSA Metropolis, Garmin 810
Camping gear: MSR Hubba - hoping for rain and snow
Other: I’ve no idea what is about to happen

Name-Steve Maikin
Age - 53
Profession - retired (ex oil industry)
Experience - lots of touring, bike packing, 24 hr races etc but never something like this !
Bike - Surly ECR
Bike set-up - Rohloff, Woodchippers, Revelate and Carradice
Camping gear -  Bivvy bag, light down doss bag, neoair mat, jetboil, bug net
Other - have the ability to get lost of my own trails, who knows what will happen here !

Elisha (Eli) Nuttall 
22
Profession: Financial Analyst
Experience: Experienced Adventure racer, amateur Brevet rider. 
Bike: Trek Superfly 29er 
Bike setup: Revelete sweet roll and rear bag
Camping gear: Single skin two person mont bell tent and two exped synmat UL mats shared with two others 



Name: Glen Kivell
Age: 44
Profession: Instrument Tech (Like an Electrician)
Experience: lots of MTB trips , A bit of trail running , No big stuff like this one…
Bike: Giant Trance
Bike Set-up: Thule Rack , Side Boxes , Aero Bar’s
Camping Gear: One Man Tent , Small down bag

Other: See you all at the Beer Garden tomorrow

Name:  Richard Davies
Age: 36
Profession: Buearucrat
Experience: Tramping/cycle commuting/few cycle tours and brevets
Bike: 29er HT - Specialised Carve Comp.  
Bike set-up: Revelate visacha back and roll at the front
Camping gear: Sleeping bag, inflatable mat and maybe a tent fly.
Other: Probably bring a camera, I'll also instagram my pies and milkshakes.  Don't think I'll bother with lights, days will be long enough as it is.

Name:  Kirk Hamilton
Age: 22
Profession: Bike mechanic and Massage therapist
Experience:  Dabbled in pretty much all forms of on and off road riding and racing. Started this touring thing about a year ago
Bike: Specialized Carve, Shimano components (1x10), Specialized cockpit and saddle, Hope hubs with Stans rims, Maxxis Ikon tyres 2.25
Bike set-up: Stealth bike bags seat bag, NZ Canvas frame bag, Topeak handle bar bag
Camping gear: Bivi bag (hopefuly wont need), sleeping mat and light weight sleeping bag with liner
Other: Hopefuly I still want to ride my bike afterwards 

Name: Glenn Wright
Age: masters
Profession: No, amaterur
Experience: Bike tours, Cape Epic, Duathlons and Triathlons, Kona, Coast to Coast
Bike: Merida Big 99 FS
Bike set-up: SRAM XO, 3 chain rings, conti xrace tyres, aero bars, revelate bags
Camping: tent and sleeping with awesome shower pass jacket for the rain coming through
Other: garmin and some nutty trail mix

Name:  Hamish Dalglish
Age: 52
Profession: Manager
Experience: None, looking for an adventure.
Bike: Orange Five, It just looks like the type of contraption one would have an adventure on.
Bike set-up: XO1, Roam wheels, set up with Stans. One reluctantly so, Big thanks to the guys at Basic Bikes. Revelate bags
Camping gear: Zpack bivi and sleeping bag. Thermorest but will be looking for a bed where possible.
Other:

 Name:  Keith Payne
Age: 32
Experience: Great Southern Brevet 2014
Bike: Brandless Rigid Carbon 29er
Bike set-up, 3x10 XT drivetrain, BB7 brakes, Schwelbe Thunder Bert 2.1" tubeless tyres. All bags are DIY.
Camping gear: Sleeping bag, tent, inflatable sleeping mat are all DIY.
Other: DIY scrolling map holder.


Name: Jon Keyzer
Age: 28
Profession: Competitive Eating
Experience: Oceania Kebab Portage Champ 2014
Bike: Specialized Stumpdumper, plastic frame, black metal colorway
Bike set-up: Relevant bags, Badweather by Bluelug
Camping gear: Hotel California
Other: Custom mounted mid-volume Brevet-specific sidepumper in silver colorway.