In the market for a Ti bike packing bike, shame its looks are not that inspiring and dare I say it cheap!! but doubt that will matter once all the bags are strapped on.
Looks good VFM as a complete bike
Sonder Broken Road

Once you are on it I can’t see the utilitarian frame being a problem.

Very funny Tom B

Aren’t they all designed by Brant though? That would put me off.

vdubber67 – Member
Aren’t they all designed by Brant though? That would put me off.

Why?

Because there’ll inevitably be something wrong with it? The sort of thing you’d maybe overlook on a £150 frame? But this is 10x that.

Oh gawld… and so the Brant backlash begins..

Because he was so incredibly aggressive and rude to me when he worked at Planet X that I’d never touch anything with his name on it with a barge pole out of principle.

…and yes, probably be something wrong with it as per above comment

(I’ll bite)

What sort of things?

I predict thread degeneration in 5..4..3..2..

Because he was so incredibly aggressive and rude to me when he worked at Planet X that I’d never touch anything with his name on it

+1, and then some

Kettle on.

I’d be tempted if I had the money.

Compared to the genesis Tarn the spec’s pretty much the same except this gets a Ti frame which makes it a bargain.

But the Tarn is an inch longer for a given size. Which makes the Broken road look very upright. Fine for a bikepacking bike, but I don’t think I could justify a bike specifically for that. I’d rather have slammed chainstays, more reach, less space in the main triangle, and suffer the handling/packing consequences when fully loaded.

Basically I want a Transmitter-Ti, with another inch on the toptube again (or a genesis Tarn-Ti with a 44mm headtube so I could run either a sensible 68deg HA or a slackset, for alpkit money).

Because he was so incredibly aggressive and rude to me when he worked at Planet X that I’d never touch anything with his name on it

+1

Oh and his bikes normally have some major issue. Quite why Alpkit partnered with him I’m really not sure.

It looks an interesting bike to me too, though definitely with a touring/bikepacking bias which I like. Quite like the idea of a Ti all-rounder with drops, so perhaps a Ti ‘Broken-el Camino’?

tinas – think Alpkit are doing a carbon Transmitter (early 2017) instead of Ti

I really like the Sonder range so far, and thankfully I haven’t been slighted by Brant so am able to buy one 😉

tinas – think Alpkit are doing a carbon Transmitter (early 2017) instead of Ti

I think I’ve largely convinced myself I need to do to downland/dave yeates/bikeschool, learn to braze and just build my own bikes. I’m way too fussy, it’d actually save me money in the long term.

Because he was so incredibly aggressive and rude to me when he worked at Planet X that I’d never touch anything with his name on it with a barge pole out of principle.

In the interests of balance, I had precisely the opposite issue: he sorted out a refund for me on some Planet X clothing I disliked, when he really didn’t have to.

Anyway, I thought the problem with Plane X/ On-One frames was poor QC rather than design?

Anyway, I thought the problem with Plane X/ On-One frames was poor QC rather than design?

That’s what I thought too, and it has affected a few specific frame types. This is a business practice/process issue that reflects more on P-X and not necessarily a design one. Otherwise Brant has designed some really good ‘classic’ bikes like the inbred/456/scandal, and it seems like a good match that his design talent sits within a good quality business like Alpkit.

I have bought a few custom frames direct from a Chinese factory that I suspect make the Alpkit frames (common featuress like drop-outs, disc brake mounts and chainstay yokes)plus a friend has done the same – lots of other ‘brands’ use the same factory. Nothing to suggest that quality is compromised – the reason it’s ‘cheap’ is because you’re not paying the 30-50% premium that buying through a shop entails i.e. factory>Alpkit>consumer vs factory>wholesaler/distributor>shop>consumer

faustus – Anyway, I thought the problem with Plane X/ On-One frames was poor QC rather than design?

As someone who works in design its very easy to blame manufacturing and also very easy to blame them when they have no comeback.

I have to have my drawings checked by 2 other people who have proven they know what they are on about. I often wonder who QC other people’s designs as some of the stuff I’ve seen out there in all kinds of industry are shockingly bad.

As someone who works in design its very easy to blame manufacturing and also very easy to blame them when they have no comeback.

I’m pretty sure it’s not the designer’s fault that batches of frames are made with the wrong-sized seat tube…speaking as someone who worked in QC.

If something in the Alpkit range isn’t quite what you want then there’s always the custom route. Alpkit offer a bit of tweaking and/or go to Brant direct via Pact Bikes. He was incredibly helpful when I was speccing out my B+/29er, making sure I wasn’t being stupid and ensuring things like tyre clearance would work out. His prices are pretty competitive too.

No quality or design issues with my td-1

If it broke tomorrow (after 6years hard use) I’d go straight to pact and ask him to build me that bike again .

Whether it’s Brants design or Lynskeys build I dunno but I’ve not had a better around bike.

I’m pretty sure it’s not the designer’s fault that batches of frames are made with the wrong-sized seat tube…speaking as someone who worked in QC.

Depends what was on the drawings.

CX bikes that will only take a MTB chainset. Mountainbikes that had to hit with a hammer to get clearance between chainrings and chainstays. PX/On-One have had their fair share of badly designed bikes.

Depends what was on the drawings.

Did the drawings say “make batch x in one size, and batch y in another”? No, it’s a QC issue. That, and the appalling customer service.

CX bikes that will only take a MTB chainset. Mountainbikes that had to hit with a hammer to get clearance between chainrings and chainstays. PX/On-One have had their fair share of badly designed bikes.

You could be right, hence my question.

OH GAWD what have I started 🙂
10 year frame warranty should get me through my prime biking years!

Just need to sell some Royal Mail shares (freebies)

Didn’t the mmbop clash with some fork crowns?

My blue pig is a great bike, and I’m pretty sure if brant put ‘31.6mm seat post’ on the London road drawings he expected it the built to that size, other than that it also a cracking bike.
I wouldn’t have a problem buying a brant designed bike again. Don’t think I’d buy on one/planet x again though….

Love the look of the Camino and the rest of the range seems to be great value. I’m just so glad that they don’t offer finance or I’d be in about £1.5k worth of debt about now.

I think it looks great! That 142mm through-axle rear hub means I’m oot though unfortunately…

Brant didn’t do the stem bolts up tightly enough on my Mmmbop. Also, he couldn’t be arsed sticking the decals on himself. For that reason I would be a little wary of his designs. Also he was very rude to a woman at an outdoors trade show back in around 2002. All mouth and no trousers in my opinion.

All mouth and no trousers in my opinion

I think you’ll find he has plenty of trousers. Isn’t he involved in the Hebdon Bridge Trouser Company? 🙂

I think you’ll find he has plenty of trousers. Isn’t he involved in the Hebdon Bridge Trouser Company?

He’s kept that quiet.

I could be wrong 😕

@funkmasterp – you’re right. Mmm moleskin trousers £110. I’d be tempted if they were in a less fashionable cut.

Do the trousers have faults like his bikes allegedly do? Pockets sewn up, no fly or odd length legs that’s sort of thing? Sorry OP I’ve derailed the thread!

moleskin trousers £110

They must have deep pockets… unfortunately I have short arms so they are not for me 🙂

My Gen 1 Pickenflick worked fine with 2 different Duraace chainsets, when I asked Brant about it via email, he couldn’t have been more helpful.

Looks like it wasn’t going to be boost originally. Also, the forks look great- where do you get those from?

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/sonder-bikes-broken-road-ti-rigid