Anderson Completes Tour Divide

Price Point-Sette Rider Markley Anderson challenges himself to at least one epic ride a year and in 2011 he chose to participate in the Individual Time Trial Tour Divide.  The Tour follows The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route and spans from Banff, Alberta, Canada to Antelope Wells, New Mexico.  With a total of 2,693 miles of self-support on off-road terrain, the Tour Divide demands only the highest levels of endurance, both physically and mentally. 

Anderson completed the Tour in 24 days on the Sette Serum Elite, a full-carbon 26” mountain bike.  This is the same bike he rode in the 2011 Tree Shaker Race, where he finished in first place.  In a recent publication of XXC Magazine, Anderson describes the bike as being, “a great bike for the Tour and it responded well with no issues regarding the integrity of the frame.” 

Anderson’s efforts were constantly tested.  Racking on hundreds of miles a day is one challenge, but doing so in extreme environments is a whole other challenge in itself.  Walking through 10 miles of snow in Montana and battling rattlesnakes in New Mexico were only a few encounters Anderson faced.  Despite all of the remarkable people Anderson met throughout the Tour, there were some days he rode alone in the most remote areas.  These conditions tested his capacity of individual strength.  Anderson accomplished an incredible journey and will continue to do so as his riding career continues.

 All photos courtesy of Markley Anderson.

Read more about Anderson's tour in issue #13 of XXC Magazine.