Varonha Frameworks winter bike / FW Evans 650b conversion rat bike fun

26.0 Garmin mount

Would buy

Maybe some others in MGOOF would too....

Raceware already do them (they're the 25.4 ones without a shim) but they have a bit more sideways sweep than needed with a quill stem, and are only just long enough to keep the foot of the garmin from bashing the front of the stem (I'm using an Edge Explore, which is quite long). These things aren't that important but if he can figure out the battery pack stuff then why not go the whole hog?

If it works out I'll alert the people over in the MGOOF thread, always a good idea to drum up some interest for small businesses.
: )

Maybe some others in MGOOF would too....

Count me in as well!

Still no news from Raceware... starting to think they've given up.

Meanwhile, I've been out on lots of adventures on this bike. Here's one from a couple of days ago, doing some very light offroading.

I think I finally found a comfy saddle: it's a Syncros Tofino, which is essentially a rebadged, stealthified Gebiomized Sleak. It looks like something you'd get on a bike from Decathalon but apparently it's some kind of hi-tech, bikefitter's wet dream. Either way, it's easily the most comfortable saddle I've tried (and I've tried plenty in the last few weeks) so whoever designed it can have a gold star.

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Looking good, nice to see in the wild pics.

2 out of 3 forum Varonha riders go on rides on their bike. I'm the other one!

I don't have kids, so I'm cheating.

It's time to get back into seatpost choices.

The new saddle requires an inline seatpost to get me in the right position.
Most inline seatposts seem to have a bolt at the front and another at the back, but this is no good for me as I would like to run a Carradice Bagman, and the seatpost has a bolt at the back gets in the way of the Bagman rail clamp.

So I'd like to find one of those inline posts with a round top that has the bolts on the sides and leaves more room on the rails.

Is there such a thing as:

• carbon / 27.2
  
• glossy black
  
• round top / bolts on the side.
  
  

I managed to find an S-Works one but in real life it's grey not black, and I reckon it'll look a bit off. For that kind of money I'd rather get it spot-on.

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Btw, I can recommend a saddle fitting with Denver at Panagua Bikes in Hayes for anyone struggling to find the perfect perch.

I think USE did a glossy carbon Sumo post while back. That has a round head, but think they have 10mm setback or so.

I wish more seatposts had the fixings shown in the top (s-works) post. the fixings shown in the bottom (alpina) post are a right PitA to work with

I had a google around, and I think you're going to struggle with finding a glossy one. I've found several - PRO Vibe/Tharsis, Ritchey etc. But they're all mattte finish.

Does it have to be carbon? We are a similar height, and ride bikes roughly the same size, so therefore not a vast amount of seatpost showing, so it's not like we get a huge amount of flex/damping deflection from them. Velo Orange do a glossy black alu one with subtle graphics, and as you're not averse to taking a hacksaw to parts, you could hack quite a bit off.

@atk yeah it's a shame about the setback on those, don't think it'll leave me with enough rail.

@MisterMikkel sounds like we both found the usual suspects.

@jontea Not particularly tbh... but I'm still humping that dream of being modern! Reckon those VO posts still have a little too much sticking out the back, but the finish is perfect.

Difficult to explain without a photo but these Bagman clamps are chunky bastards and I only have about 10 or 11mm of rail to play with. Obviously I could just use the rear rack but where's the fun in that?

But I am modern - I want Nervex lugs and a snack bag made of canvas and wood.

I have the bagman support for me Carradice bag too, I must have my saddle set quite far back, maybe I'm long armed!

Saddle setback has nothing to do with long arms ;)

Its femur length.

Ok, long femured, and long armed.

Trad seat pin and Brompton Pentaclip FTW...

I literally don't even know what means.

I'm not being serious. Although I'm sure it can be obtained in black, it would be an agricultural solution to your Bagman conundrum.

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I just love Pentaclips

Don't worry, I knew you were joking : )
Do they come in carbon?

I am now also toying with the idea of getting the PRO BLT and sanding, polishing and re-anodising it. It works out a lot cheaper than painting the carbon one and should give a better finish that won't get shagged up as soon as it goes into the frame.

In other news, I decided to make the Dawes more fun by putting bigger tyres on it. I scored some cheap Gravelkings on here and headed out to find some bridleways yesterday.

Although I had a LOT of fun, it must be said the experiment was not a stunning success: I forgot that the rear mudguard was only held on at the bridge with a plastic cable-tie, which died at the first bump.

So I took it off and stashed it in a hedge.

After that, things were looking up for a while until I blew-out the sidewall of my new front tyre. The path I ended up on was way too much for 32mm GK. So I nursed it home, took off the front mudguard and ordered a pair of 38mm tyres, which I reckon is about as big as the clearances will allow. I'll see how it goes with them on, and maybe go a little easier with my route choices!

For now, it's sulking in the corner:

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Obvious (tongue in cheek) answer is getting the Pro (I or this Ergotec/Humpert ) and then have polish that and stem and have them anodized to match

I like the way you think : )