This bikepacking list landed me second at Badlands 2022

Here is what I packed for Badlands 2022! My 3T Ultra took me through 780km from the desert to the coast of Spain with 15,000m of climbing.
A few links:
Exposure Diablo MK12 amzn.to/3yxL17C
Fenix HM65R-T 1500 Lumen Light amzn.to/3Ey2pgh
Follow me on instagram: / watt_wagon
If you have any video suggestions, please share in the comments below!
The following companies support me either financially or with free stuff, so huge thanks to these friends:
Velocio Apparel, 3T Bikes, SRAM, Schwalbe Tires, HUNT Wheels, Kask helmets, Koo Eyewear, Apidura Bags, Fizik, Muc Off, and Wahoo.

[@escsniper]

If I ever get up the courage to do an ultra, this is the step-by-step instructional I'm going to follow! Chapeau.

[@wattwagon]

You should do one! They are a wild adventure.

[@1012tburrow]

Excellent job! Can't wait to show the girls!

[@wattwagon]

Be careful... Before you know it they'll be out racing unbound 200!! 😂

[@tellit_one3613]

Well done! Done like a pro! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@wattwagon]

Thank youuuuu!!!

[@Techwonderland]

Awesome video!!! Thank you!! ⚡️

[@wattwagon]

Thank you!!!!!

[@wearecyclists]

Welcome to KZbin, great seing you here :) Sandra

[@wattwagon]

Thanks Sandra!!!!!! Glad to be here :)

[@BTcycle]

Just got my first Apidura product (7L seat pack) and hoping to ride longer distances this offseason and 2023 season. Thank you for sharing your bikepacking list.

[@wattwagon]

ooh sounds like some fun plans!! the 7L is perfect for the small basics. If you need a tent or a place for your sleeping bag, the 7L handlebar pack is great for those things! www.apidura.com/shop/backcountry-handlebar-pack/

[@SCYENCE_]

⚡️⚡️⚡️

[@wattwagon]

⚡️⚡️⚡️

[@Jassonrodz]

Amazing video!

[@wattwagon]

Thanks Jason!!

[@jsd202]

This is great!

[@wattwagon]

Thanks Josh!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ameliarkirby]

so good cynth!!!

[@wattwagon]

Thanks boo

[@TheNWaite]

Firstly congrats on a great achievement. I did Badlands 2021 with a 40T and 11/42 rear cassette and spent some time pushing the bike up hills. So interesting to see your gearing set up. 38T and 10/52 sounds like the go. That aside, and having Dotwatched your battle with Lael this year I saw you did sleep so given you weren't carrying any sleep gear (air matress or sleeping bag etc) how did you actually sleep and on what ?

[@wattwagon]

Thank you!! I can't imagine doing that route with less gearing than I had! The first night I slept on the sand on the side of a gravel road inside that silk liner (it was terrible and I'm not sure I even slept!) The second night I slept for a short time in a hotel, mostly because I needed to take a shower. I skipped the shower at the beach (HUGE mistake).

[@bencarson537]

That’s is so great and cool sis

[@wattwagon]

Thanks Benny!

[@FollowThomas]

This kind a bikepacking setup is so much better than bulky pannier system I use similar bikepacking setup myself.

[@wattwagon]

A lighter, less bulky setup is the way to go! I enjoy feeling free of having too much stuff.

[@FollowThomas]

@@wattwagon that's so through. No need to carry all that stuff around. 👍

[@Yocambio]

This video came at a perfect time, Cynthia. Thank you and congratulations on your terrific result at Badlands. I just bought a 3T Exploro Team without electronic shifting. The SRAM drivetrain is 1x 40T with an 11:42 cassette, but pretty sure I want to at least swap the cassette for an 11:50, and possibly the chainring for a 38 or 36. Based on your setup, that seems like the best way to go. You mentioned tires but are you running 650b or 700c wheels? My Exploro came with 700c Fulcrum Red wheels, and I just replaced the 35mm tires with Panaracer Gravelkings 43mm front and rear. I was happy to find the bigger tires took some of the twitchiness out of the handling, as well. I live in Spain and have penciled in riding the Badlands course, albeit in cooler weather. Good luck to you in all your future racing!

[@wattwagon]

I'm glad that I could help! and thank you for the kudos! I have a 42T and 10:50 cassette on my other "faster" bike. But with all the climbing at badlands, and just in general in ultra races, the 38T 10:52 is my favorite! I am running 700c wheels and I love having wider tires! I used to swear by 35C but once I started using 40 or 45C I don't think i'd ever go back!

[@Yocambio]

@@wattwagon - Meant to ask if you ride with a power meter and, if so, if the setup is pedals, cranks or chainring? I'm finding it challenging to find the right setup to swap between two bikes rather than having a dedicated setup on each - i.e., clipless MTB-style pedals rather than SPD (for optimal hike-a-biking footwear).

[@wattwagon]

@@Yocambio I ride the sram powermeter spider/crank. I find it challenging as well.. so I bought a second one! I know I think if I were to do it again, I'd go for a pedal based power meter, easier to swap! I run MTB style pedals (spd) all the time. I stopped using road pedals about 5 years ago. They are great for road riding, but rarely am I riding just road!

[@burronorteno]

Kudos to getting on the Podium on a tough event. Excellent overview of your setup and gear. I am a proponent of mechanical groupsets for endurance events because electronics are always unreliable and a pain in the ass to have to think about charging. What are your thoughts on your electronic groupset?

[@wattwagon]

I have been using etap AXS since it first came out, so the idea of changing back to mechanical sounds scary to me... I think it's worth the risk for me. I ride in obscure enough places that if my rear derailleur breaks, I probably won't be able to find a replacement at all so why not go with the good stuff? I haven't done a race long enough though where I need to carry a charger for the battery, but I think something thats 5+ days or longer I would need to.

[@luisrivas643]

That’s awesome! I would love to meet women like you, cyclists, in this whatever this is to connect!

[@wattwagon]

You and me both!

[@vcummings701]

Awesome!! Super intrigued by that tiny bag that was hanging out behind your frame bag. Had no clue it was there, took up literal dead space, but obviously became very useful for you! Also curious on your opinion on electronic shifting when it comes to events like these- do you feel it out weighs having various mechanical issues from cables or can it be more of a pain with the batteries? As someone who still won’t even race with Di2 GRX, I was surprised to see your bike for such long rides was electronic!

[@wattwagon]

The musette bag is arguably the most useful of them all. Once I went electronic shifting, I swore I'd never go back. The precision outweighs the possible negatives. The etap batteries last 24+ hours usually. I've never had an issue (knock on wood) while riding with the electronic side of things which gives me peace of mind that it won't happen during a race. And I put that rear d through the wringer! Also you can micro shift while riding on the sram axs groupset and that is a plus if for some reason something happens and you need to do that.

[@vcummings701]

@@wattwagon good to know!! When the opportunity comes, might just have to give the AXS etap groupset a try next. Sounds like you have a lot of confidence in it!

[@wattwagon]

@@vcummings701 you won't regret it Val!!!!!

[@judebowerman6019]

This is awesome!! How did you decide on 38T and 10/52 mullet setup? Is that your standard go to or was that specifically for this ride/amount of vert?

[@wattwagon]

Thanks!! I have two bikes, a fast and a really fast bike. I changed from a 40T to a 38T for this race, but honestly I think I'm going to leave it like that! My fast bike (Terria Cotta) as shown in this video is more for adventure and bike packing. Having that extra gear for climbing is a huge help! My really fast bike has a 42T 10-50, which is set up more towards the road bike side. I don't usually change them up too much though. They work, so I leave em' as is!

[@jamesridley401]

Hi, super helpful video, thanks so much. I'm lucky enough to have a place for 2023, already very excited( and a bit nervous!). Just considering my light set up options, did you feel battery lights with back up power banks was a better option than dynamo with usb charging points?

[@wattwagon]

Wahooo!!! Stoked to hear you'll be racing badlands!!! It's such an epic and challenging race. I did not use a dynamo. The race is short enough for me that I would use two 10,000mah external batteries. Anything longer than 65 hours I would say a dynamo or 30,00mah but that many external batteries get heavy (unless you buy 3 of these: www.nitecorestore.com/Nitecore-NB10000-Gen-2-Power-Bank-p/bat-nite-nb10000.htm)

[@Yocambio]

Congratulations on securing a place for 2023! Missed the window but will try in 2024. Good luck on your adventure!

[@wattwagon]

@@Yocambio oh no!!! bummer. hopefully in 2024. It's definitely worth aiming to get into!

[@alkamarermybinmohdaris8961]

Congrats on your podium, cynthia…just a question how do you attach the fenix light to your helmet? Congrats again and good luck!

[@wattwagon]

I use this sticky pad! www.amazon.com/dp/B07PHK4MVY?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

[@miramoneric6988]

Congratulations.1 question ,what the reference of your very small backpack 😄

[@wattwagon]

It's a apidura packable musette bag! here is the link: www.apidura.com/shop/packable-musette/

[@chadwells7562]

90% sure that little light for technical stuff is an Exposure right? Fantastic achievement!

[@wattwagon]

yes! it's the exposure diablo mk12 in oil slick!

[@philipcarson723]

WOO HOO Cynthia is now on KZbin. Everyone subscribe! You wont be disappointed.

[@wattwagon]

Thank you Phil!!!!!!

[@Avva2]

from which company is the musste little bag, awsome tipp thanks! Good Video😂

[@wattwagon]

it's the packable musette from apidura! www.apidura.com/shop/packable-musette/

[@Avva2]

@@wattwagon thanks bought it:-)

[@MokaBoucha]

What Hunt wheels did you use? Any issues?

[@wattwagon]

It was a tough decision between the Hunt 30 carbon all-road disc with a dynamo and what I ended up using the Hunt 35 Carbon Gravel X-wides. I have a few different styles of hunt wheels over the last two years and can honestly say that they hold up pretty well! No issues during badlands!

[@MokaBoucha]

@@wattwagon thanks kindly

[@seanoconn75]

Probably a stupid question because I doubt you can get second at badlands while filming anything but just wondered if there was any footage of your ride on KZbin somewhere?

[@wattwagon]

I wish I had filmed more, I captured a few things but mostly just updates, nothing super interesting! I hadn't decided to start a YT channel until after the race. There is a little bit of me in the feature film that badlands made, you can find it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gafNpq2we5V6npY

[@luisrivas643]

I would like to meet women like you in the Los Angeles area!

[@luisrivas643]

Intermediate riders too please

[@wattwagon]

There are some cool gravel cyclist who live in the LA area!!!

[@brianbassett4379]

What are you trying to prove to yourself kid?

[@wattwagon]

how many gummies I can eat during an ultra race

[@brianbassett4379]

@@wattwagon Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, so the thinking of a child. Bravo!

[@alkamarermybinmohdaris8961]

Congrats on your podium, cynthia…just a question how do you attach the fenix light to your helmet? Congrats again and good luck!

[@wattwagon]

I use a double sided 3M tape. It's SUPER sticky and has no issues holding the weight of the light. it doesn't quite span the entire light platform but it doesn't have any issues with being stable. the link to the amazon items are www.amazon.com/Mounting-Sticker-Adhesive-Waterproof-Decoration/dp/B09PD969P9/ref=psdc_10649406011_t1_B083HZBKKY

[@wattwagon]

also, THANK you!!!!