Monday, March 19

Bike Check: Thomas Allier

By James Ayres
www.bmxonline.com

James Ayres talks to Billy Griggs about Thomas' custom built GT Ultrabox. This appeared in Snapmagazine's March 2001 issue.

Bike Components
Frame: Custom Ultrabox XXL; 3 lbs., 4oz.
Forks: GT Stiletto made from butted Reynolds tubing
Bars: S&M Slam
Grips: ODI Lock-on
Stem: GT Piston XL
Headset: Chris King, sealed bearing
Seat: GT w/patent leather and gripper material and chromoly rails.
Seat Post: Thomson micro-adjust
Cranks: GT Over Drive, chromoly w/ sealed bearings and titanium spindle.
Pedals: GT "Pro Man," or Shimano 636 pedals (when he clips in).
Chain: Sedis Sport 3/32" - "It's one of the older style ones that doesn't have any of the beveled edges on the links for shifting. We run the old straight-plate Sedis Sport chains. They're not even in production anymore but we've got a stash of them." - Billy Griggs
Sprocket: Robinson 44-tooth.
Tires: IRC Sirens; front: 20" x 2.125", rear: 20" x 1.75"
Tubes: 20" x 1.5" tubes for lightweight.
Rims: Sun Rhynolite black anodized. "He's back and forth between Mavic and Sun. I know that the hubs his dad makes with the straight pull are on his Mavic rims; his Sun rim combo has ACS Claw hubs."-Billy G.
Spokes: DT Swiss double-butted
Nipples: Spline-drive alloy
Freewheel: ACS Claw
Brakes: Shimano Deore
Brake Cable: Shimano
Brake Pads: Shimano
Extras: T.H.E. numberplate. "Thomas doesn't run pads (laughter). We also run some narrower spacers on his crank's spindle; he likes the queue on the pedals to be narrower so we cut down some small spacers for him. The Ultrabox chainstays offer a lot of crank arm clearance because they're straight so we just pull that in as close as possible. You're energy is going to be put more into the rear wheel rather than trying to lean the bike over to the side. It basically takes the leverage away from tilting the bike and puts it into straight forward motion."