Road/CX lightweight bikepackers - let's see 'em

[Zoglug]

Nice looking bike Jameso and interesting to read about 650b. Im in the process of starting to peace together a tourer for some longer distance road rides next year. Not keen on using my Allez as it isnt designed for it.

[Gari]

Nice looking bike that James, the blurb that came with the road rat suggested that it could even run 26 disc wheels so maybe 650b isn't impossible, esp given the OD of that set up being the same as 700x23.
Quite a step on the rings too, what size are they? must have some legs to push that outer

[fatbikephil]

Well kind of a heavy CX bike - my fargo in the middle of the Galloway forest on my way down to see the Tour in yorkshire

[jameso]

Nice looking bike that James, the blurb that came with the road rat suggested that it could even run 26 disc wheels so maybe 650b isn't impossible, esp given the OD of that set up being the same as 700x23.
Quite a step on the rings too, what size are they? must have some legs to push that outer

BB height may be a bit odd going from 700C to 26" but it could work out ok with 650s?
The rings are 48-34, so not that big really. 11-28 at the back. Maybe look out of scale due to the wheels.

[Gari]

Yeh I don't think I would fancy it on 26in wheels TBH but 650b maybe. Not sure on the availability of tyres etc, much choice in this size?
What is the frame, don't recognise the branding at all. Looks very nice, and my favourite colour

[jameso]

Frame's a proto of a new bike for FW Evans so no branding yet. Headbadge and the N-R ('New Randonneur') decal only. Tyre options are scarce for 650B road bikes but it'll get better. Been a US custom/sideline thing for a couple of years or so but more rim choice now from the MTB side, tyres seem to be on the way and seemed worth pursuing after riding them for a while on another more bodged-together bike, a Pinnacle disc road 700c bike with 650b wheels fitted. Ended up riding that a lot this spring/summer - this one
IMAG3723 by user-unrecognised-, on Flickr

[johnnystorm]

Choice of 650b tyres in the supermarket I used in the Dordogne.

[Dainiusd]

Nearly finished my new gravel grinder...

[Gari]

Finally put gears on the Roadrat, 10spd....get me!!
Meant to be out on it for 4 days this weekend but my neck is really sore(old injury!) so not sure how far I am gonna get, if at all. still I managed a quick trolley around the car park and all seems well so far
Shifters are the sram flat bar set from OnOne, along with an apex mech I got on STW. Grand total of £100 inc cassette and chain, pretty good for a 10spd drive train I reckon.

[drain]

My Surly Traveller's Check (the Cross Check with S&S couplings), from the Hadrian's Wall ride I did last Wednesday and Thursday. Not the world's lightest but it doesn't ride heavy, and is great fun on / off road. Those are 40c Marathon Duremes - I've run 1.8" Bonty 29er tyres in there

Really must get a Wildcat Gear bag to fully share the bikepack bag luurve...

[chris n]

No pics, but I managed a night out on my Cannondale Synapse over the weekend using just a Wildcat bar harness and seatpack, and a Revelate Tangle bag. Sleeping bag and clothes in an Alpkit 8L Airlok Xtra on the front; tarp, bivvy bag, sleeping mat and stove in the saddle bag; tools in a bottle cage and torch, gas canister, stove and food in the tangle bag.

Two biggest issues for me were the tangle bag forcing my knees out (it's ok on the MTB as the cranks are wider) and not being able to pack my stove neatly. I've got a Jandd partial frame pack that I'll use next time to fix the pedalling issues and solved the latter by buying one of Stu's 8g meths stoves so I can reduce the size of the cooking kit for one-nighters.

[Dan_K]

Here's mine. Have got Kinesis wheels on it now. Cheapest bike I own but probably my favourite.


IMAG0312 by DKNWHY, on Flickr

[slugwash]

What sort of spoke count have you guys got on your wheels? I'm running FSA rd-460 disc cyclocross wheels on mine but with 24 spokes radiating from each hub I'm a bit nervous about loading the bike up with additional weight for a multi-day bikepacking raid.

[chris n]

28h on the cannondale, and I'd not want to put too much weight on them. Interestingly, the next size up (58cm) of my bike comes with 32h wheels. I'll be building some 32h wheels to replace mine with over the winter.

[slowupslowdown-under]

IMG-20140528-00020 (1).jpg (119.32 KiB) Viewed 5544 times

Old pic but loving the Tripster!

Now set up with 28c Conti 4 seasons and getting readied for trans-European adventure for next year

Now fitted with Alpkit Possum and feedbags.

Its pretty light, rapid and gorgeous to ride!

[jay91]

Here's mine. Have got Kinesis wheels on it now. Cheapest bike I own but probably my favourite.


IMAG0312 by DKNWHY, on Flickr

Keep looking at these how do you find it?

[ScotRoutes]

An up-to-date one of my VN Amazon.

P1010509 by ScotRoutes, on Flickr



Just back from an on-road loop of the Cairngorms. I've been riding it with wider tyres for so long that the 28mm Contis look positively anorexic in there!

[Dan_K]

I really like it but at this price (£470 ish), there are a lot of compromises. It's heavy. The sora is OK but not slick shifting. The tektro brakes aren't the best. I've since spent £240 on kinesis wheels and £130 on trp spyre brakes. I've got a carbon seat post coming (£15) Ali express special.
Likely to buy a carbon fork, lighter tyres and change the saddle too as well.
When you add everything together, it'll be a fair spend and similar in price to the CX Team. I looked at getting the Team but thought I could end up with a better build by getting my own bits.
It rides well and feels like a beefy, comfortable road bike. As a base with a view to upgrading over time, it's perfect. I've used it for road riding, touring, light xc and have no regrets.

[mountainbaker]

Dan_K, you'll find those Spyre brakes even better once you wear out the stock pads and replace with genuine shimano pads. They made mine twice as good.

[Dan_K]

Dan_K, you'll find those Spyre brakes even better once you wear out the stock pads and replace with genuine shimano pads. They made mine twice as good.

Good to know!

[Zippy]

IMG-20140528-00020 (1).jpg

Old pic but loving the Tripster!

Now set up with 28c Conti 4 seasons and getting readied for trans-European adventure for next year

Now fitted with Alpkit Possum and feedbags.

Its pretty light, rapid and gorgeous to ride!

I like that (well apart from the flat tyre). I have a CrosslightPro6, is this more road-like by comparison?

[slowupslowdown-under]

Typically got that puncture on the last road decent back home!

I've now done the C2C sportive on it and the vast majority of the off / mixed surface Welsh coast to coast on it. Quite honestly say that its more than capable of handling both tbh.

In motions of getting a more dedicated CX bike at the moment as the Tripster is just sooooooooooooooo nice that I don't want to expose it to a full winter season ahead of next years planned adventure.

Funnily enough I had been looking at the Pro6! Big fan of Kinesis at the moment!

Was thinking about using it for the BB200 but during the witching hours I think I will want more tyre contact with the ground for those 'woooooooooooooooah, S**T!' moments!

[jameso]

Eurobike ride 2014 by user-unrecognised-, on Flickr

The N-R on the road. Fitted everything into a small Possum to give more leg-room. Fuel in bottle under DT - could probably do 10 days on the 400ml I had so will get a smaller one, maybe a monki cage to hold other bottles also. 48-34 with a 11-28 was ok but 12-30 would be a bit better, no need for 11-48 most of the time. The Revelate pocket is great for keeping things to hand, rode with it open a lot of the time to grab snacks or the camera as needed. SP hub with a spliced wire and a modified steerer bung to take a cable up inside the fork to the 900mah USB box in the gas tank, charged the Garmin 800 in just a few hours, really like it but the low-speed 'charge loss' warning is a minor PITA in towns. The B+M USB-Werk with cache battery looks like a good option - spent a morning at the Eurobike show checking out SON, SP, B+M and Spanninga kit. There's a really nice new tube-mount SON rear dyno light out, very sleek, could mount nicely below the seat stays.

[Dan_K]

Nice set up. Liked your other pictures too, looked like a great ride.
Did you have a bar harness fitted or just the pocket?

[jameso]

Revelate harness with the pocket strapped round the outside. Meant popping into shops taking any valuables with me was easy if needed.