The Bike
This my every day MTB ride which I acquired last summer.
Details
Not the lightest bike out there @ ~ 32 lbs., but it was a step up for me in many other areas from my old 2003 K2 Razorback.
- 650B tires -
- Contintental 2.4" tires. Though I'll be moving to a new set of WTB 2.2" Wolverines at the start of the big ride.
- 130 mm travel front/rear suspension with lockout.
- Lockouts were important for me given the amount of road riding to be done on this tour (and training)
- Shimano Deore 3x10 Drivetrain
- While 2x10 is getting very popular, this allows for off the shelf lower gearing for the ~ 150K+ of climbing I'll be doing.
- Hydraulic discbrakes - I am noodling on whether I want to bring a bleed kit / spare hydraulic cable as I am a solo rider.
Add ons
- Bike computer - Cateye Velo from my old bike - may bring a backup as mileage is critical for navigation.
- Ergon GP1 handle grips.
- Climbing bars for more hand positions and uphills. I will tape these up for more padding/comfort. Actually, I decided to use another set of hand grips for padding on the climbing bars, as the larger radius seems more comfortable for extended riding. I will probably move the climbng bars to a more upright position when on the tour for torso angle change and comfort.
- Trying to decide on a different saddle, the stock one isn't getting rave reviews during my initial training rides. Saddle sample nubmer 2 seems to be agreeable
- The handle bars are quite wide relative to my older bikes, which is great for single track negotiation, but may need to move the grips to a narrower position for comfort during those long touring days. Experimenting with that during spring training. Wondering is there is some advantage, or extra position outside the climbing bars.
- Slime Tubes + spare.
