Black Rainbow Divide Ride

Scott produces custom bags under the Black Rainbow Project name back in the UK. He approached me to help make reality his ideas for his ultimate bikepacking machine, with the intention to race it on the Great Divide.

We started with the geometry, which included a slight curve in the seattube to allow plenty of room for 29×2.4″ tires. The chainstays are fairly short at 17.3″ – to achieve this there was some major shaping of the chainstays needed to allow for clearing the tire and the beltring with the inboard beltline required for the Alfine rear hub. Scott went with the 8spd version of the hub, as it is known to be super reliable. But, just in case something happens in the middle of the wilderness, the front fork is built to 135mm spacing, and the ‘front’ hub is a Chris King singlespeed with a second Gates cog installed. So in the event of an Alfine malfunction, the wheels can be swapped and riding can continue as a singlespeed. The fork is also wide enough to accomodate a 26×4″ tire if desired.

Having a custom bike with custom bags meant we could eliminate the usual straps by having additional braze-on bosses inside the triangle and on top of the toptube for the bags to bolt to. There is also a custom front rack, which mounts on the fork crown and is curved to match the dry bag.

There is a one-piece stem/steerer to keep the stem area very clean, and additionally this allows room for mounting the custom aerobar pads. These are on a machined aluminium tower that bolts on to the stem. There are then short extensions on the front of the Jones Loop bar. This not only keeps the handlebar very uncluttered but also allows for plenty of adjustment. Aerobars may look odd on a mountain bike, but these are more about comfort than aero – important for very long days in the saddle and many miles of dirt roads.

With Scott being in the UK, he will need to fly the bike over to the US for the race. So the frame incorporates the English folding system, which allows the rear triangle to be dismounted from the frame so that the whole bike can pack into a case. This also allows the belt to be installed without needing an additional split in the stays.

The finish is powdercoat for durability, half matte black and half gloss.

Scott very kindly let me show his bike at the 2013 North American Handbuilt Show in Denver, where it was awarded Best Belted Adventure Bike in the Gates Carbon Drive Design Contest.

Thanks as usual to Tina Buescher for the studio shots, and to Gates for the bagged up pictures from the show.