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When you're touring, you want to ride the most reliable machine you can find - no muss, no fuss, and one that gives you the most return on investment for every pedal stroke.

The T-900 is designed to do two things: give the rider the most advanced, functional and intuitive touring platform available, and make it zero maintenance, bombproof and unbreakable. That's always been how Germans buy their touring bikes, and the T-900 is an absolute marvel of German engineering, if not one of the the leading archetypes for all touring bikes.

Let's start with the Rohloff Speedhub - a 14-speed feat of engineering that will literally last you a lifetime. Seriously - these hubs are trusted by cyclists riding round the world who never need to do any maintenance or repair on them. They have a 530% gear range (translation: absolutely massive) and evenly-spaced gears for exact mathematical shifting on any terrain. Add the proven Gates CDX belt drive and you have 30,000 of kilometres to do before you need even need consider buying a new drivetrain. In a world where so much technology is built around planned-obsolescence, the T-900 is built for a lifetime.

Unlike North American touring bikes, the T-900 uses a flat handlebar. There is a good reason for this. North American touring bikes use drop bars to offer multiple hand positions - important when you're riding all day. But drop handlebars require that you 'drop' your position, great for racing bikes but not necessary for touring. European touring bikes provide multi-position on a horizontal plane rather than a vertical plane; this makes all the difference.

The T-900 is a prodigy of geometry and parts. The long wheelbase displaces weight over a longer footprint, providing stability, and the seat and head angles prioritize comfort, control and efficiency. The 28" wheels offer the perfect balance of acceleration and efficiency and are especially excellent for rough terrain. The Shimano XT hydraulic disc brakes will slow and stop on the steepest hills on the rainiest days. Add the low-drag SP Dynamo PL-8 hub and super bright 70 LUX Busch & Muller dynamo lights and you're safe on those nights you arrive at camp late (great safety as daytime running lights too). Finally, the Tubus racks - an absolute cult-like brand in the touring world - round out the T-900 into the Delphic oracle of touring bikes.

FAHRRADMANUFAKTUR T-900 - ROADSTER
FRAME	25 CrMo 4, double-butted - Powdercoated
FORK	25 CrMo 4, double-butted - Powdercoated
HEADSET	Ritchey Comp Logic V2, 1-1/8”
STEM	Levelnine aluminum - 25.4mm
HANDLEBAR	Levelnine Trekking aluminum - 5 degrees, 640mm
GRIPS	Ergon GP1 - made in Germany
SEATPOST	Levelnine aluminum - 27.2mm, 300mm
SEAT	Selle Royal Seta Performa
BRAKES	Shimano Deore XT (203 mm) Disc brake
BRAKE LEVERS	Shimano Deore XT, 3-Finger
SHIFTER	Rohloff Speedhub
FRONT HUB	SP Dynamo PL-8
REAR HUB	Rohloff Speedhub 14 speed Disc
SPOKES	Niro 2.0mm, 36 Spokes
RIMS	Ryde Andra 30 Disc aluminum - Made in the Netherlands
TIRES	Schwalbe Marathon Supreme, 42-622, reflex
BOTTOM BRACKET	Gates S550, aluminum, 170mm
CRANKS	Gates CDX 55T
CHAIN	Gates CDX belt drive
COGSET	Gates CDX 20T
PEDALS	Marwi SP-823
KICKSTAND	Pletscher Comp Zoom - made in Switzerland
FRONT LIGHT	Busch & Muller IQ-XS, 70 LUX - made in Germany
REAR LIGHT	Busch & Muller Toplight 2C - made in Germany
REAR RACK	Racktime Light-It, IMM system, without spring clamp - made in Germany
FRONT RACK	N/A
FENDERS	SKS ChromoPlastic - made in Germany
CHAIN GUARD	N/A

FAHRRADMANUFAKTUR T-900 ROADSTER

FROM

TO

52CM

5' 6"

5' 9"

57CM

5' 9"

6' 1"

62CM

6' 1"

6' 5"

How is a Fahrradmanufaktur different from other touring bikes?

Great question! The difference is really between North American touring bikes and European touring bikes. European touring bikes have not been subject to the same boom-and-bust cycles as the North American touring bike and have thus evolved much more carefully. Whereas North American touring bikes today try to offset the problem of drop bars using frame geometry (higher head tubes), European touring bikes realized the problem was the drop handlebar, never the frame. By recognizing that multi-position bars needn't entail a vertical drop, European touring bikes provide multi-positions across a much more comfortable horizontal plane. The other big difference between North American touring bikes and European touring bikes might be described as "trust in technology." North American touring bikes often dumb the bike down in fear that parts will fail. This provides less safety and less ergonomics, as well as an arguably false sense of confidence. European parts tend to go through much higher testing protocols, and that's why its not uncommon to see a European tourist, riding on their third continent, confidently using gearbox systems like Pinion, hydraulic rim or disc brakes, or legendary unbreakable hubs like the Rohloff Speedhub.

What’s the difference between a brand like Fahrradmanufaktur and others you carry?

We’re just going to say it: Fahrradmanufaktur are the best touring bike we’ve ever seen. Sure, it may not be as pretty as an Achielle, but it still beautiful, perhaps functionally so. And yeah, it’s functional. The frame is a rust-proof, strong and very lightweight aluminum – which is a bit disruptive to the traditional world of steel city bikes (but that’s just the point). The geometry is upright but still sporty enough to multitask city riding and longer weekend adventures. The parts are made in Europe and best-in-class: chaincovers from Hebie (Germany), kickstands from Pletscher (Switzerland), racks from Racktime (Germany), fenders from SKS (Germany), grips from Herrmans (Finland) and lights from Axa (Netherlands), Herrmans (Finland) and Busch & Muller (Germany). Durable for all weather, light enough to bring inside, great for the city, and great to bring up to the cottage too. Best of all, the prices are more than reasonable.

What does Fahrradmanufaktur mean?

It means “bike manufacturer,” because all of their bikes are literally made in Oldenburg, Germany. The company started by a group of urban retailers who were seeing the same increase in city cycling that we’ve seen here in North America, but weren’t seeing great options from the German bike industry – which is largely focused on recreational riding – or the Dutch and Scandinavian markets – which continue to produce heavier bikes for short-burst city commutes. Like North American brands like Simcoe, Fahrradmanufaktur took matters into their own hands, but unlike Simcoe, they had access to a wide breadth of well-designed European parts from purpose-built kickstands to lights to racks. Their bikes are almost… perfect.

What is an internal gear hub?

In Europe a bike with an internal gear hub is what makes it a definitive city bike. Internal gear hubs are awesome. Because the chain isn’t derailed up and down a set of external cogs (using a derailleur), the chain will never fall off again, and best of all, the chain can be covered so you can wear whatever you want. The gears are sealed inside the rear hub and they hold a tune two times longer than a derailleur, minimizing tune-ups and allowing you to store the bike outside throughout the winter problem-free.

What is a belt drive?

Belt drives have been developed over the last 30 years for use in racing engines and motorcycles. They are a band of nylon teeth held together with a series of carbon fibre cords, paired with alloy alloy chainrings and stainless-steel cogs. They've recently made the jump to bikes because they're nearly silent, don't require lube (and are much more winter-proof as a result), don't rust or get jammed with debris, and last for up to 30,000km of riding before needing replacement. We don't see them often on North American bikes because they can't be used with external derailleurs, only internal hubs or crank-based gearboxes.

What is dynamo lighting?

Cars come with lights and so should a city bike. Dynamo lightsets are an integrated system that generates electricity from the hub and blasts this into a bolted-on, theft-resistant light that projects more power than most battery systems so that you can see and be seen. Unlike the old days where the dynamo rubbed against the tire (slowing you down) the new systems are part of the front hub and are very low friction as well as very low maintenance. Most of the dynamo sets we carry feature a “standlight,” or capacitor which means they produce and store energy so that when you’re stopped the lights keep going.

How strong are the wheels and will I get a lot of punctures?

The Fahrradmanufaktur Touring bikes take wheels very very seriously. There's nothing worse than a broken spoke in the middle of a tour, and Fahrradmanufaktur bikes all use more spokes (36 spokes as opposed to the standard 32), that are uncommonly thick at 13g (most spokes are a much thinner 14g). These are laced to heat-treated, made-in-Germany Exal double-walled rims and hubs that are always brand-name and highly serviceable (that way, in case things do go wrong, your wheels remain serviceable, not disposable).

How do I ensure my new bike won’t get stolen?

Research shows that very few bicycle thefts are related to a bicycle's value and are best defined as low-risk/low-return. A good bicycle lock is expensive to break through and takes time, thus increasing the risk and lowering the return. Estimates are that over 90% of bicycle theft is tied to cash-for-drugs and that makes every bike a target. Make sure you buy a good Abus U-lock or a chain and you’ll be fine. You can read more about bike theft here.

What’s the warranty?

Ten year warranty for manufactures defects on frame and fork, one year on parts. Does not include wear and tear.

THINKING OF BUYING A FAHRRAD? READ OUR BLOG POST WHY FAHRRADMANUFAKTUR?

VSF FAHRRAD MANUFAKTUR

T-900 - ROADSTER - ROLHOFF - GATES - DISC

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