The Current T-Bone Configuration

Here is how I have the bike set up for my current New Orleans to Key West tour.

Part What it is Comment

Crankset Shimano Ultegra

Chain Rings 53/39/28 28 came from the Hostel Shoppe catalog

Pedals Crank Bros. Candy Forte Mg-Ti kept breaking, which is a problem since they are one-sided.

Chain SRAM PC99 Cheapest solution is currently three regular chains from Colorado Cyclist

Cassette SRAM 9.0 11/34 I can make it up 14% grades with 40 lbs of gear. You can ride a T-Bone at 3 mph with practice.

Front Hub Pantour It's like every road is freshly paved

Front Rim Velocity Razor 32 hole bought with Pantour hubs as a wheel set

Rear Wheel Mavic Crossmax XL Rock solid
Tires Continental Grand Prix 2000 26" x 1"

Front Derailleur Shimano Ultegra

Rear Derailleur SRAM X.0

Front Shifter Shimano Ultegra bar end I decided I prefer bar-ends best of all

Rear Shifter SRAM 7.0 Trigger But I can't get a Shimano rear derailleur to work cleanly with an 11/34 cassette

Front Brakes unknown horrible BMX thing

Rear Brakes Avid mechanical These are great, just don't touch them at the bottom of the mountain

Brake Levers Avid adjustable tension to deal with stupid front brake

Seat M5 Carbon Shell original equipment

Hydration Fastback Systems specific to M5 shell. Holds 70 oz Camelback bladder.

Seat Cover Wal-Mart Astroturf Doormat replaced original so I could cut away space for Fastback straps

Flag Pole Fishing pole from Wal-Mart. Held on with Velcro strap to seat stay

Last year's go-fast configuration, setup used for RAGBRAI 2004

Part	What it is	Comment
Crankset	Shimano Ultegra
Chain Rings	53/39/30	/td>
Pedals	Forte Mg-Ti	Avoid. The toe clip breaks, and you have to pedal home with one foot.
Chain	SRAM PC99	Got 11' from Hostel Shoppe, and had to buy one more for another 4"
Cassette	Shimano Ultegra 11/23
Front Hub	Pantour	It's like every road is freshly paved
Front Rim	Velocity Razor 32 hole	bought with Pantour hubs as a wheel set
Rear Wheel	Mavic Crossmax XL	Rock solid
Tires	Continental Grand Prix 2000	26" by 1"
Front Derailleur	Shimano Ultegra
Rear Derailleur	Shimano Ultegra
Shifters	Shimano bar-end	Definitely the best approach
Front Brakes	unknown	horrible BMX thing
Rear Brakes	Avid mechanical	These are great, just don't touch them at the bottom of the mountain
Brake Levers	Avid	adjustable tension to deal with stupid front brake
Seat	M5 Carbon Shell	original equipment
Hydration	Fastback Systems	specific to M5 shell. Holds 70 oz Camelback bladder.
Seatback Bag	Fastback Systems	New model eliminates rubbing nicely
Seat Cover	Wal-Mart Astroturf Doormat	replaced original so I could cut away space for Fastback straps
Flag Pole	Wal-Mart fishing pole	Held on with Velcro strap to seat stay

Set-up from 2003 coast to coast tour

Part	What it is	Comment
Crankset	Shimano Ultegra
Chain Rings	53/42/28	53 and 28 came from the Hostel Shoppe catalog
Pedals	Forte Mg-Ti	Super light, weird cleats, getting beat up fast
Chain	SRAM PC99	Got 11' from Hostel Shoppe, and had to buy one more for another 4"
Cassette	SRAM 9.0 11/34	I can make it up 14% grades with 40 lbs of gear. You can ride a T-Bone at 3 mph with practice.
Front Hub	Pantour	It's like every road is freshly paved
Front Rim	Velocity Razor 32 hole	bought with Pantour hubs as a wheel set
Rear Wheel	Mavic Crossmax XL	Rock solid, replaced Pantour, which failed
Tires	Continental Grand Prix 2000
Front Derailleur	Shimano Ultegra
Rear Derailleur	SRAM X.0
Shifters	SRAM 7.0 Trigger	These are so much better than grip shifters on your elbows
Front Brakes	unknown	horrible BMX thing
Rear Brakes	Avid mechanical	These are great, just don't touch them at the bottom of the mountain
Rear Rotor	Rohloff 165 mm	Pantour only works with this.
Brake Levers	Avid	adjustable tension to deal with stupid front brake
Seat	M5 Carbon Shell	original equipment
Hydration	Fastback Systems	specific to M5 shell. Holds 70 oz Camelback bladder.
Seatback Bag	Fastback Systems	watch rubbing on rear wheel
Seat Cover	Wal-Mart Astroturf Doormat	replaced original so I could cut away space for Fastback straps
Flag Pole	Frank's Garden Center Bamboo	Held on with Velcro strap to seat stay

Miscellaneous Notes

The only thing I really want to fix now is the front brakes and fork. The fork is a carbon fiber triathalon fork, and it won't accomodate wider than a 1.25" tire. Furthermore, the brake has to be a road brake, but you can't put a double-pivot brake on it because the cable pull on the right side interferes with the chain. So it has a BMX brake, which barely stops the bike by itself. I really need a front fork that will mount a disc brake or at least a V-brake. There are times when I really wish I had wider tires. I have a custom titanium front fork with disk brake tabs on order, and a brand new Cane Creek Zanos wheelset waiting at home.

Astroturf as a seat cover is brilliant. It breathes. It's comfortable.

The Fastback water bag and seat bag come from Fastback Designs. There are a couple issues you have to deal with here. The buckle on the bottom of the water bag is on the same side as the T-Bone idler wheel. They rub. The trick is to cross the strap when it goes around the seat mount so it is kind of a figure-8. Then the buckle is on the other side. The Fastback water bag is really great. The top strap holds the flag pole in place.

The basic bike with no accessories weighs 26.5 lbs on the bathroom scale.

I bet the President is looking out at my bike very enviously.