ODD Randomör — Mostly True

I'm also not entirely satisfied with my handlebars. Would like something with slightly more flare and maybe a couple cm wider. I was not overly confident in the drops yesterday. Another thing is that I would like more clamping space on the bars. That could be solved with a crossbar between the aero bars though.

when riding in the drops I sort of miss the bulge of the Ritchey Venturemax and totally get how comfy they must be. Not pretty though, and they don't have more clamping space. Cowchippers would be the other option. I also think both those bars are heavier then the ones I've got unless I go carbon, which my wallet would not be overly enthusiastic about. It's not a light bike by any means, but I guess that's a reason not to make it even heavier…

Decided to go for Teravail Rutland in front and Teravail Cannonball in the back. Their 700x47mm size seems perfect for my bike. I think anything larger would leave too little space for mud. Looking forward to seeing them on the bike.

Atb mode activated. No more skidding in mud. Winter here I come.

T3 as inspo once again.

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Seems I sat on my lower dt cage. Woops

Worked late yesterday so I took the day off. Rode some new single track. At times hike a bike at times more smother. New tires inspired confidence. Ive mostly ridden flat bars on single track before, so today was the day when I understood how nice it is riding in the drops in the forest as I previously have resorted to the hoods. Was a good day.

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Help me find some new bars?

First reason is to get s wider clamping area. I think I need some more space between my aerobars to get a comfy fit. Right now they need to be right next to the stem clamp.

Second reason is that I’d like a little more flare. I like what I’ve got for road but feels a little cramped in the drops off road. Say somewhere 15-25 degrees.

Also room for some luggage would be great, or rather hands and luggage. Can’t use a front rack with my forks so I need to strap something to my bars. This leaves me at 44cm I think I’m running 42 atm and I quite like it.not sure wider is better. Maybe some flare will solve this.

Strong candidates are

Salsa Cowchippers and Easton ec ax 70.

Not sure how wide the clamping area of the Eastons are though. Anyone with insight?

I do like the look of the Easton bar better, reach and bend wise

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I did a 2100k brevet a month ago, The Length of Sweden. Starting in Abisko in north to the most southern point of Sweden, Smygehuk.

With some tips from Tijmen I managed to sew a frame bag, finished on the same day I left. I also made a tt bag. They worked really well. Lessons learned all the way. Lusting to do something similar again with different strategies. This was my second brevet, the first being 200k some weeks before. It was an immense experience in many ways and I’m happy I followed through.

This photo is from the Abisko train station.

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I have really enjoyed reading this thread from start to finish. Very nice bike, seems the perfect balance between an enjoyable ride but also stable when loaded up. you seem to have your set up pretty well sorted, but this got me thinking:

Apparently the bombtrack fork cant run a front rack. So I need to consider how to pack the bike for different outfits. Im guessing a seatpack larger then I planned. A full framebag would be good too. But I’m not overly enthusiastic over either using a bladder or bidons on the fork legs.

I have a genesis fork with the same drilling, three holes each side for anything cages. Like you I looked at the drilling and assumed it would take a rack. Because I tour / ride to work with up to 30kg sometimes so I needed a way round this. I got some z-bar, cut it to length, drilled it out and bolted it to each side of the fork. Then my low rider rack bolted to that (and my mudguard):

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bad phone pic but hopefully you get the idea. You need a non-flexy front wheel to run this loaded up. My Hope pro 4 (pictured) allowed the whole assembly to wobble side to side, so I switched back to shimano XT, heavier / stiffer and I can load 7ish kg each side with confidence.

Thank you! I’m happy with the bike and it performed really well during the ultra. Aside from the tires that completely disintegrated after three days and about 2000 km in total, 800 or so in the race. Luckily I could ask a bike shop to leave a pair outside so I could fit them when I arrived there in the night.

The tires were GK 38mm slicks. The first three days were about 33 degrees Celsius and i think they couldn’t take the hot roads. Another rider with WTB Horizons had the same experience. After three days we were both down to the threads and had loads of small leaks that stole loads of time. Eventually I could borrow a 28mm tyre for the front and I put a tube in the back and cut a tube to wrap around it in the back. It allowed me to continue but it made my bike pretty much a low pro and being on the aero bars put me in a constant uphill, haha.

For bikepacking I’d say bidons on the fork legs are ok, but for a race I felt very un aero. Days of head wind made me reconsider this setup numerous times.

Looks like you solved it good! My fork is specced for 3kg each leg. So I’m not sure I dare to load it like that :-)

With some tips from Tijmen I managed to sew a frame bag, finished on the same day I left. I also made a tt bag. They worked really well.

Made my day, they look great!

Thank you! And thank you for helping out!

Looks like you solved it good! My fork is specced for 3kg each leg. So I’m not sure I dare to load it like that :-)

Well if you needed volume for bedding / clothes, you could probably fill up but stay under the 3kg weight limit. I only go that heavy carrying tools around town.

the tires that completely disintegrated after three days and about 2000 km in total

this has been said many times before but Conti Gatorskins have been the most reliable tyres I ever ran. 32mm slicks even give great grip off road if run at a lower pressure, sharp stones / drop offs with a loaded bike no problem.

For bikepacking I’d say bidons on the fork legs are ok, but for a race I felt very un aero

it's counter intuitive but making the bike wider at the front, narrower at the back, can infact reduce air resistance. Think of an airplane wing :)
However packing the frame and keeping the whole bike narrower is more aero for sure.

I rode most of the way with someone on Gatorskins, they held up great.

Yeah, I don’t know much about aero tbh. Basically I should pack less for racing :-)

This happened.

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It might implicate some significant aesthetic changes for my bike. Tried the off white/black now. Great and boring. How about this new mood board of mine. It’s been brewing for some time.

Don’t know exactly when but swedens fire fighters got new uniforms a while back and I love the beige/black/fluo/reflex thing they’ve got going on.

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Not entirely sure how this fits in. But it does.

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When I finally decide to buy a pair of GB-guards they out of stock… 50mm long black. Cant find them anywhere. Any one knows where to find them? Eu preferably

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Sourced the first piece of red ano today. Going to check off some of the ingredients from the mood board now.

Bar plugs, check.

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Don't think they have ever been in stock

Ah I see. Sneaky Gilles. Tempting the world of aesthetically obsessing cyclists.

Next step will be to order some red decals. I will be recreating the model name of the bike from this sticker.

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