This summer, endurance rider and internet personality Ryan Van Duzer is celebrating Adventure Cycling’s 50th birthday with a cruise down the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.
And we do mean cruise. Unlike his previous GDMBR rides, this one isn’t a race. “I’m definitely going to enjoy the views a bit more,” he says. Still, a cruise for Van Duzer means starting in Jasper, Alberta, sometime around the summer solstice and arriving in Antelope Wells, New Mexico, just four to seven weeks later.
Think you can keep up? Van Duzer is inviting cyclists to say hi or join him on the trail for a few hours or a few days, max, as part of Adventure Cycling’s 50th Anniversary Drop-in Rides — our three self-supported community rides of the TransAmerica Trail, Golden Gravel Trail, and GDMBR this cycling season. “I’m not a tour leader,” he says, laughing. So be prepared to be self-sufficient, self-motivated, and able to match his pace.
But if you want to ride with him a little longer, you’re in luck. Van Duzer and Priority Bicycles are inviting 20 bikepackers to join him for the entirety of GDMBR’s Section 5, a 500-plus-mile leg from Salida, Colorado, to Grants, New Mexico. Applications are due by April 6, 2026, and you can find a full breakdown of the ride here.
To help you track Van Duzer during his ride, Adventure Cycling will launch a dot-watching page in mid-April featuring his trip, as well as other Drop-in Ride groups. And to help you spot Van Duzer in the wild, we’ve put together this handy identification guide.
1. Van Duzer actually test rode a prototype of this Priority 600ADX hardtail ($3,500) on a 2020 GDMBR tour.
2. The Fullshift frame bag ($100) and smaller “Duzer” undersaddle frame bag ($50) were made with Van Duzer’s input by upcycling brand Green Guru.
3. Another bag designed with Van Duzer’s help, the 13-liter Zerk hydration pack ($165) from Mountain Smith is built to stay comfortable during long days on and off the bike.
4. These Point 6 wool socks ($23) hint at the Flatirons formations in Boulder, Colorado, Van Duzer’s hometown. And “olé”? It’s a phrase Van Duzer often sings as he rides.
5. His Smith Forefront 2 helmet ($162) has pink highlights for more visibility.
6. Duzer loves his Nebo Windbreaker ($125) from Outdoor Vitals for its low weight and ability to pack down to the size of his fist.
7. As a vegetarian, Van Duzer fuels his epic rides with beans. At any given moment, he’ll have a couple cans stashed on his rig, which he eats a whole can at a time.
The post How To Spot Ryan Van Duzer on the GDMBR this Summer appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.
