Anybody else got one of these and noticed how weak it is??

I'm don't wrench hard when i tighten anything in fact i am super careful but first the main mounting bolt stripped and then when i replaced the smaller bolt at back of guide the plastic cracked :(

I know its xc orientated but surely should be stronger or have i got a duff one??

Considering taking it off and putting something more robust on

If anyone knows anywhere that has the BB mounted PAULS chainguide in stock i would be grateful.

thanks

Think i'm gonna watch Ride the Divide again now :)

I agree with trail_rat that if you go all out from the start hell bent on record setting then you could be doomed to fail…

..I reckon i'm gonna have a crack at this Olympic rowing lark.. can't be that hard:)

Wonder if certain 'celebrities' will now reconsider taking on the record??

Great riding by Aidan, just so strong and getting stronger… amazing effort!!

I got an MSR carbon relex 2… used it a low level in some serious wind in Inverie and it stood up really well..

Only weighs 1.5kg and mine is for sale cheap ish:)

Trail rat, this is how the thread started so this is probably your best bet..

http://www.revelatedesigns.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=store.catalog&CategoryID=1&ProductID=5

This is Revelates off the shelf frame bag

Hike a bike with a frame bag isn't an issue..

Stem and seatpost is my favourite carrying method

My thoughts are like Coastkid i use a hydration pack as a use a frame bag… i used to use bottles before i got the frame bag.

The frame bag allows weight to be centralised so riding sisn't too badly affected.. crossing Scotland a month ago the singletrack was just as fun whereas in past of using rear pannier etc it totally unbalances your bike.

I think producing a more universal frame bag is never really going to affect Eric or Jeff Boatman it just allows a more readily available option to pannier bags… most Iditarod and GDR racers will still use custom bags but thats not the market these are aimed at.

If people are saying they would rather go Revelate or Carousel then this won't get off the ground but if 10 people want bags then its worth me going across to Lakes to see Aiguille.

Again if anyone knows of a good sewing machine operator then i would be happy to cover material costs etc for development.

paul.e

Hi Coastkid

what was your waiting time on those bags??

What would be great would be an off the shelf product.. as you are proving your bag fits a few of your bikes… looking around my garage at my various bikes my bag fits most the steel/ti tubed bikes but although it fits big hydroformed alu tubing its not great.

paul.e

The bags couldn't be custom..

What i want is an off the shelf product available in maybe 3 sizes with flexibility in the design that it fits a variety of standard hardtail frames.

Hopefully this way the cost will be considerably lower and the availablity will be 'off the shelf'.

Give or take their is not much difference in a variety of say a manufacturers size large frames… and we aren't dealing with a rigid material.. the material can be tensioned in the right places with velcro fixings and straps.

This is where the development element and cost comes in… this has to be absorbed by somebody .. which at the moment is probably me.. but if enough product can be sold then costs overall can be reduced.

If people want custom then Revelate or Carousel produce this already

Aiguille can produce these…

Need to start getting a show of hands to who would actually put their hands in their pockets and buy one… bear in mind these won't be 'cheap', also interested to know what people will pay for them..

Need to gauge interest before i spend alot of my own money paying a company to develop a product.

paul.e

Well if they need to see one let me know i will take it down.

I'll mail Aiguille now.

Okay..

I'll mail some people tomorrow… trip to Lakes never a bad thing:)

Good idea.. has anyone contacted them??

Also thinking about people skilled with a sewing machine who might want to get involved.

Lets make it happen then… anybody handy with a sewing machine??

I'm keen to do this as my frame bag is invaluable bike trekking

To date there are only revelate designs and Carousel design works producing this kind of stuff… both located in US.

I have a one off Alpkit frame bag but at moment its not something they will be producing.

If anyone owns a company or knows of one in the UK that can produce these kind of bags i would be very interested to talking to them and getting something produced in UK.

I love the work of the guys in the US but its just very limited in terms of supply.. especially during Iditarod and Tour divide time when they are producing for racers etc

Yak Attack[/url]

… amazing place and amazing people.

I think the comments that the market place maybe reaching saturation point are probably right on the mark.

When the Black mountain 3 Day was devised it was done so to fill a gap in the market, we simply dont have alot of multi day events here in the UK but we do have alot of single day marathons and challenges.. so when you have completed a few single day events where do you derive your challenge from next??

Cost/timing etc aside the concept which should be the same for anyone looking to organise an event is to offer the riders something different.

This is a great thread, here we have a good collection of both riders and organisers so i'm interested to see where this goes.

Dont want to get into a a debate on costs but i am happy to say that the majority of people we have spoken to didn't deem the cost excessive and if you could see the actual figures involved in such an event you would wonder why anyone puts them on :)

Great that people can vouch for what the area has to offer riders plus we are being granted access to areas otherwise off limits to riders so there should be something fresh for even regular Black Mountains visitors.

We have taken on board all the comments and one thing which is recurring is a 'DIY' package for riders that just don't want the tent or food.. although those who have eaten at the Drop Off Cafe would not be turning down their food:) .. this weekend we will be putting something together but keep posting the comments and mailing us any queries..

info@beardedman.co.uk

I will be at Mayhem for most the weekend.. easliy identified by the Black Mountains Event T shirt oh and walking a whippet so please say hello and i would love to chat in person.

paul.e

My mate bought one of these last night…

http://aistoncycleracks.co.uk/

4 bike version.. looks absolutely bombproof and price is fraction of that of Thule.

This maybe the only original remaining feature of the Singular Swift after Sam at Singular and Oli at Movelo finalise there custom livery ideas..

Entries still available.. you gotta be in it to win it :)

paul.e

Fantastic!! Great Epic..

Keep me posted with what you have planned next in case you want some company.

paul.e

Thanks for the votes of confidence, rest assured we are working very hard to make this a success and encourage all who can to get on board with this event whether racing or volunteering.

Swift frame size… You'll have to wait and see:) it will be a little different to Sam's normal ones too:)

paul.e

You know it makes sense:)

Now go forth and spread the good word.

Sam at Singular just delivered the Swift frame for us to customise for the event before we give it away:)

paul.e

Deposit listed here..

http://booking.blackmountains3day.co.uk/registration/

Also worth checking here for updates..

http://blog.beardedman.co.uk/

paul.e

dave360, we do have a deposit system if you wanted to guarantee a place and we are fully understanding that peoples circumstances change so would refund the deposit should you not be able to make it.

I assume alot of people are in a similar position so we are very flexible.

paul.e

I'm part of a team.. we are both endurance racers… yes this is a big entry into the world of event organisation but what we are trying to do is offer riders something short on supply in the UK.. multi day fully supported events.

You have obviously been through our event website but just to give you an insight into the organisation this is my personal blog detailing what i do when not organising this event…

shoestring-racing.blogspot.com.

thanks

paul.e

This is a first year event…

Unfortunately as part of the organisation i can't give you an impartial view but can say the trails will be a good mix and we are in it to give riders the best event experience.

Any questions i'll be happy to answer.

paul.e

Shred, The start maybe subject to change but will sit between 8am – 9am.

We also hope the weather holds but have been riding the course this week in the bad weather we have been having and it seems okay although we are mindful that some sections just wouldn't be fun to ride in the wet so are creating some wet weather alternatives for some sections to make sure people enjoy the riding.

paul.e

Managed to get out onto the route of Day Two yesterday… views were spectacular…

paul.e

Kevin Winter In Ferryhill…

He's i think the only builder left in the North East and has a good little spray set up too if you wanted something more complex than a poweder coater can offer.

paul.e

Pete 68, i did initially think it would be very difficult to accomodate many different variations on our camping package but as we are getting everything together it should be more straight forward.. i just didn't want to get involved in people trying to handpick the elements of the race package they wanted and dealing with the logistics of this.

Please drop me a mail and we can look at this again, although we do not have a mass amount of room for accomodating camper vans etc.

All i will say and i will use this opportunity to address the cost issue of the package is that simply removing the camping element will not save you a huge amount of money.

To put on an event like this obviously requires us to cross alot of land owned by various bodies and to do this properly and by the book we have to pay these people to use their land per rider.. this coupled with the facilities we provide.. which go from excellent on the first night to superb on the second and third:) .. Insurance, T shirts, Catering etc this isn't a get rich quick scheme :)

We simply want to put on the best event for the riders we can humanely do… we both ride, we both race and we both have been to multi day events so we have a good idea of what works and what doesn't.

Hope this helps

paul.e

Well my offer still stands… you may want a lift back to the station if not from :)

paul.e

I'm not gonna let anybody struggle to get to the event so within reason i will accomodate everyone.

Let me know when you have entered and we will work something out… hoping to borrow a bike trailer so if anyone needs a collection service then we may look to put this on.

paul.e

Apologies for not putting up a map for the event start it is in the process of being done but i will take this opportunity to utilise our new Flickr account and show you a quick map of the entrance to the race start and first campsite…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/beardedmanpictures/

We have utilised an entrance which means you don't need to drive across the Glanusk estate to get to our camping area.

Hopefully we will be uploading course pictures to this page this week so keep checking back.

paul.e

Sign up to the Blackmountains3day.co.uk and get a taste of it all :)

Horrendous plug for our event.. i feel a little ashamed but you got to try:)

paul.e

Black mountains 3 day definately looks the most interesting multi day event around at the moment, i've decided to volunteer and watch other people take on the challenge for a refreshing break :)

As this event isn't technically a 'Race' i'm sure this will attract a bigger field of riders so there should be some good trail banter:)

Well i think i'll be up for doing this in May over a weekend.

Thanks for that

Gonna start planning now

Well i need something to keep me busy so thinking West Highland Way to new East Highland Way to Speyside Way… time scale i'm not sure about :)