[leadin]The Tour Divide is a 2,745-mile bike race from Banff, Canada, through the Rocky Mountains of the U.S., to the border of Mexico. For riders like David Markman, building up a custom mountain bike is an obsession and requisite task to increase odds of completing the rugged route.[/leadin]

Six lithe frame bags, food pouches, a swooping and esoteric handlebar setup, a GPS unit, and multiple high-power lights: The bike David Markman built for the Tour Divide is one unique rig. And did we mention the USB port on the stem?
To live off your bike and ride 150 to 200 miles a day for weeks in a row requires physical stamina and dialed gear. Markman, 27, of Avon, Minn., took years perfecting a system. He spends weekends training, and his day job at Quality Bicycle Products lets him obsess over every detail of his bike, gear, and race plan.
Ultimate Tour Divide Bike

The Gear

Bike: 2015 Salsa Fargo
- Whiskey carbon fork
- Enve seat post
- Specialized Power saddle 168
- Salsa Woodchipper Bars (extended two inches)
- Profile Designs aero bars
- Enve M60 carbon wheels (front: SP dyno hub; rear: Hope Pro 4 hub)
- Electricity-genrating hub
- USB port (on stem; for recharging phone, GPS)
- Vittoria Mezcal G+ tires, set up tubeless
Lights
- Supernova E3 Triple dyno lights x2 (1600 lumens)
- Exposure Diablo MK7 helmet light (1300 lumens)
Sleep System
- Nemo Siren 30 Quilt
- Black Diamond Twighlight Bivy
- Thermarest Pro Lite sleeping pad
- Big Agnes down jacket
- Lightweight hat
Rain And Cold Riding
- Patagonia R7 rain jacket and pants
- Podiumwear wind vest
- Giro long-finger gloves
- Louis Garneau knee and arm warmers
- Swiftwick tall and short socks
Accessories
- 2 Schwalbe EVO tubes
- Power cables for helmet light, phone and GPS
- Gear brush
- Park Tool hand pump
- Tour Divide maps
- First-aid kit
- Spare headlamp
- Multitool
- Bike lock
Repair Kit
- Extra brake and derailleur cables
- Tire levers
- Sewing kit
- Patches
- Tire boot
- Para cord
- Mini pliers
Hygiene
- Baby wipes (“to stay fresh”)
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Toilet paper
- Eyedrops
- Chapstick
- Sunscreen
- Chamois butter
Power
- Shutter Precision PD-8X dynamo hub generator (see photo above). This generator is attached to (and charged by) his front wheel hub. It runs to a switch system Markman designed, and can charge a USB and power his E3s light.
Bags
- Six total: a seat bag, frame bag, two top tube bag, and two feed bags (one for food, one for trash). All six are from Markman’s own company, Must Stache Bike Bags.
Shoes
- Pearl Izumi X-Project 1.0
GPS
- Garmin ETREX 30X
Water
- One 20-ounce bottle
- One 24-ounce bottle
- One 100-ounce MSR Drome
- No filtration system or purification tabs