Tour Divide Gear: Bicycle Breakdown

Brooks England Cambium C17 Carved

I tried out a lot of different saddles, looking for what I would take on the Tour Divide, but I finally settled on the Brooks England Cambium C17 Carved All-Weather Saddle. I also used a Brooks Cambium saddle on my ride across Australia, and it served me well (although I did have some butt issues due to my zero training beforehand). I hope this one serves me equally well on the Tour Divide. It’s not the lightest saddle, but all the lighter ones I used were uncomfortable after five or more hours on the bike.

15.73 oz / 446 g

Redshift Sports ShockStop Suspension Seatpost

I was talked into not getting front suspension on my bike because “that’s just one more failure point where something can go wrong, and it’s extra weight.” Instead, I got the Redshift Sports ShockStop Suspension Seatpost as a compromise with myself. I hadn’t heard of this before, but it’s exactly what it sounds like – I have suspension in my saddle. I also tried out the Red Shift ShockStop PRO Race Suspension Seatpost, but I found it didn’t have nearly as much play as the regular version and didn’t think it was helping on long days (despite it weighing less). The regular version can be adjusted much more than the PRO version, and it is much bouncier (at least this is the case for me).

17.53 oz / 497 g

Shimano XT PD-T8000 SPD

I’m using SPD cleats. Why? I have no good reason except that’s what I’m used to. I guess they’re better for hike-a-bikes? Regardless, the pedals I have on the bike are the Shimano XT PD-T8000 SPD Pedals. I chose these because they’re flat on one side (and not just a little flat like the PD-EH500), and should my foot, leg, or other body part important to the pedaling of my bicycle become somehow impeded by the placement of my foot in my pedal’s clip, hopefully switching to a flat pedal will rectify the problem. That, or if I somehow have an issue with my cleat and my replacement cleat.

13.83 oz / 392 g

King Cage Iris Titanium Water Bottle Cage x 3

Initially, I purchased Wolf Tooth Components Titanium Morse Cages for my bike. But after talking with someone who undoubtedly knows more about bicycles than I do, I decided to instead go with King Cage Iris Titanium Water Bottle Cages. Why? Mostly because of this design’s ability to better grip – and hold in place – water bottles. The last thing I want is to be going down a bumpy descent and to have one of my bottles launch off my bike. Best case, I have to stop and get it. Worst case, it flies off a cliff, never to be seen again.

2.01 oz / 57 g (each)

Wolf Tooth Titanium Oil Slick Water Bottle Cage Bolts

What’s completely unnecessary but somehow seemingly important to my bicycle kit? The types of bolts attaching my water bottle cages to my frame and fork. I got Wolf Tooth Titanium Oil Slick Water Bottle Cage Bolts for this purpose. Why? Because look at how fancy they are – also, titanium. Completely unnecessary? Yes. Worth it? Probably not. Upsetting to me? Not really.

0.21 oz / 6 g (each)

Vittoria Mezcal III G2.0 Tire

It’s astonishing how much research people have invested in bicycle tires, from rolling resistance to puncture resistance to grip on wet surfaces to the height of the knobs. Instead of getting bogged down in what could probably be a lifetime’s worth of data, I took the easy way out and went with the Vittoria Mezcal III G2.0 Tire. As with my bicycle, these tires are far and away the most popular tires used by Tour Divide riders. I’m not trying to prove anything to anyone (except myself), so why not just go with the known quantity instead of trying to reinvent the tire? Get it?

22.05 oz / 625 g (each)

Supacaz Super Sticky Kush

I’m not going to lie; the grip tape that came stock on my Salsa Cutthroat was garbage. It was peeling off in various spots after only a few hundred miles of use. It’s disappointing stuff for a brand-new bike and not that inspiring as far as the rest of the components are concerned. I bought a roll of Supacaz Super Sticky Kush grip tape and installed it myself. I think I did an acceptable job for it being my first time; surely, it would have been an unacceptable job if I had taken it into a shop to be done, but it was okay by me.

Redshift Cruise Control Drop Bar Grips

I learned on my previous long-distance bicycling journeys across Australia and Arizona that extended pressure on your hands from your handlebars can result in numb or tingling hands and fingers. Hopefully, the Redshift Cruise Control Drop Bar Grips will alleviate some of this risk on the Tour Divide. There are two different grips, one on the top (straight part?) of the handlebars and the other at the ends after the drop. I’ve found both to be comfortable during training and am hoping this will remain the case out on the Divide.

Redshift Quick-Release Clip-On Aero Bars (L Bend)

Hand grips and positions aren’t limited to the stock handlebars. The Redshift Quick-Release Clip-On Aero Bars (L Bend) give me yet another position to hang out in; they’re being used for comfort, not for being aerodynamic. Spending all day on the bike is taxing on the body – even just sitting in a chair can be uncomfortable after long enough – which is why having multiple hand positions on the bike is important. Honestly, I’m a fan of the aerobars, and I can’t picture my bike without them.

Wolf Tooth Components Karv Grips

I put the Wolf Tooth Components Karv Grips on the ends of my aero bars for better grip and comfort. It wasn’t easy to get these grips onto the aero bars, but with the help of some K-Y Jelly (at the recommendation of my friend SlingFin Tim), they went on without issue. However, I think they’re now permanently affixed to my aero bars, and the only way to get them off will likely be to cut them off with a razor.

Peak Design Out Front Bike Mount V2

I was going to save this for the cockpit breakdown, but I felt it worth bringing up the Peak Design Out Front Bike Mount V2 here as it’s an awesome piece of kit. Paired with the Peak Design Everyday Case, it allows me to quickly and securely attach (and detach) my phone from my bike. My one worry is that all the vibration from the ride will be transferred into my phone via the mount and do some serious damage (this happened to my phone during my Australia bicycle tour with a similar product called the Quad Lock). I guess we’ll find out after 2,700 miles (4,300 km) of bouncing down gravel roads.

Garmin Edge TT/Tri Bar Mount

Another thing I took a long time to figure out (as part of my cockpit) was how to mount my Garmin. I thought I had it all figured out until I realized that with the standard Garmin mounts, you need to rotate your Garmin device 90 degrees to lock it into place. With the Garmin Edge TT/Tri Bar Mount, you move a little toggle to lock the device into place, so there’s no need to rotate it. My Garmin Edge 1040 Solar Bike Computer can be mounted securely without needing additional space on either side.