The Bikes

Adventures of a Fat Man: The Bikes 

Ok, ok... we're assuming you're just like us.

You overthink your bike frame and setup. You like to see what others have done, and hear why.

Here, you can find the details on our bike setups and fittings:

The Fat Man's Current Bike

14 year old Dahon Smoothhound 755 Aluminum frame with 20 inch wheels fitted with the original Shwalbe marathon racer that he bought off Facebook Marketplace for $450 AUD. He expects to need to change the tires quickly. 

He has replaced the handlebars with folding handlebars.

It came with a seat post that had an inbuilt pump and a Brooks saddle. But, he replaced the seat post with a carbon fibre seat post and switched the saddle out for a modern style saddle that can better handle getting wet.

It came with a generic rear rack. He changed it for a Topeak Rack with quick release fitting so he could put his existing trunk bag on it.

He fitted a front bracket to the head tube to carry the tent on the front of the bike. He manufactured this bracked by recycling a venetian blind bracket and some spare metal. He also made another bracket to bolt onto the rear rack mounting rails so he could fit an extra bag betwee the rear rack and the seat tube. That bag contains the dahon bike bag, which the bike goes into when it's folded so we can take the bike on trains. 

He bought two frame bags that allow you to fold the bike without removing them. The bags are (... pending info...). He also has a top tube bag (... pending info...).

He also changed the fixed peddles to quick release pedals. 

He bought a mini track pump.

The tool bag holds all repair supplies.

The bike frame only has one set of bottle mount holes. The Topeak Trunk Bag has a pocket for a water bottle at the rear. Because holding a 1.5ltr coke (or water) is a real need, The Kraken got The Fat Man a *FAIRWEATHER* stem bag+ (ecopak black): Height: 14.5cm/5.7" × Width: 10cm/4" × Depth: 10cm/4". Plus, it has pockets and mounting points if needed. Handy! The Fat Man cut a 2ltr bottle down to the inner hight of the bottle bag to give it a more stiff form that's easier to put bottles back into while riding. That's a trick we learned when cycle touring in 2022/23.

The Fat Man has a top tube mount for his Garmin.

**** add reference to handle grips ****

The Kraken's Current Bike: Titanium Helix Folding Bike

This is a titanium Helix folding bike with quick release pedals.

We bought it second hand from a bikepacker who was passing through the Gold Coast in Australia. 

Rear Rack Saga

The bike came with an alloy Tailfin AeroPack rack with pannier mounts fitted with axle and fast release drop outs. Even better, it has 3 mounting points on each side where you can affix bottle cages or cargo mounts etc. 

The Fat Man unceremoniously dumped the Tailfin AeroPack in the garage and promptly insulted this beauitful bike by installing a Topeak MTX Beam Rear Rack because he liked it. 

Then, The Fat Man lost interest in the Helix and decided he wanted a different bike... and so The Kraken got posession of it, with great excitement! Oh happy day!!!

She swiftly returned the Tailfin rear rack to the Helix, and banished the Topeak rack to the garage because, like, have you seen how awesome a Tailfin rack is?!? C'mon.

Given that we will need to take the rack off frequently, to fold the bike, The Kraken removed the Tailfin bag and replaced it with two large Exped Fold Drybag Endura. These roll-top dry bags are designed for marine use, not bikepacking! But, they're ultimate dry bags for bikepacking because they're marine-grade waterproof with sturdy aluminium carabiners to lock the roll-top closure, light weight, offer an air valve to allow fast compression, covered in lash points all the way up both sides, and oval in shape so they stay flat and snug on the rack. So much better than the Sea to Summit Big River Dry Bag etc!

One of the dry bags is strapped onto the top of the rack. It holds thermals, gloves, and wet weather gear.

Another dry bag is strapped under the rack. It holds the bicycle bag we put the bike in when it's folded. Other things we don't need access to very often are here too. Primarly, things we buy in bulk for our daily overnight oats (protein powder, oat milk powder, psyllium husk etc) but only need when we need to replenish the mixed container of stuff that we tip into the oats each day. The mix lives in a 6 cup screw-top plastic container that The Kraken picked up at a charity shop in Redcliffe, Australia. The Kraken found that this plastic container locks in tight to a Widefoot Cargo Mount Classic with the help of simple Voilé Straps.

Then came the unhealthy obsession with straps. The bike's rack-top dry bag is secured with a pair of Restrap Rack Straps that allow it to come off and go back on super swiftly. The Kraken has collected a couple of different types of Voilé Straps, and the nano straps with strap keeper is the best system by far. It's great that you can just link a couple together if you need a longer strap. 

Both The Kraken and The Fat Man tried the Sea to Summit Hook Release Acessory Strap, but both of us found them far to annoying and fiddly to secure and release. In contrast, the Sea to Summit Stretch-Loc TPU Straps (e.g. 12mm x 300mm) are excellent for securing things to the frame because they have a little fitting to hold them in place when you have released them to remove the thing they were holding on the bike. It makes it super easy to put the thing back on and clip them up again. Impressed.

Finally, after a failed attempt at using the limp, heavy, and frustrating to handle Restrap 5Ltr Fork Bags (mounted on 'Widefoot Cargo Mount Classic') The Kraken relted and got a Ortlieb Fork-Pack that just clicks on and clicks off effortlessly... like Ortlieb stuff does. This was an expensive mistake the The Fat Man encouraged The Kraken to admit with the wise words of: "It's clearly not going to work. Just get the Ortlieb bag and be done with it." The Restrap 5Ltr Fork Bags seem ideal for when you only want to put one object in there (e.g. a sleeping bag) and you never intend to take the bag off the cargo cage on the bike during your entire trip. But, in that case, why not just strap the sleeping bag to a cargo cage and be done with it?

Frame Bags

Finding frame bags or even a top tube bag (cockpit) that would fit the odd shaped frame of the Helix and also retain its ability to fold was almost impossible! 

Rather than getting a custom bag made, The Kraken went with a Restrap Race Top Tube Bag (Size: Long / 2 Litres) and found that a Blue Lug 'FAIRWEATHER' frame bag for bike friday would fit. The top tube bag has to be fitted backwards due to the hinge at the front... but it works. Both bags will stay on the bike permanently. The lower fram bag holds the small things seldom needed, such as contact lenses for rainy days. The top tube bag is for things needed during a day's riding (e.g. sunscreen).

The Kraken also has a *FAIRWEATHER* stem bag+ (ecopak black) for her stem mounted bottle bag because of it's capacity, pockets and attachment points. 

Two of the frame bags need to come off the bike regularly. The handlebar bag and carry-on bag. 

On the front, you'll find a bag that's also a handlebar bag: Swift Industries Ardea handlebar bag 2.5L This is where the passport, lunch, and stuff you need through the day goes. It's easy to flick the clip and take it with you when you go into a shop. You can also lash stuff to the attachment points or to the underside straps if you need extra storage on the front.

The Backpacking Light Ultralight Duffel Bag is probably the best thing since sliced bread! Why carry a 500g backpack that you'll only use on occasion? This duffel bag's packed size is only 12 x 6 x 6cm, which is a perfect size to strap to your frame. Although it's 40L when unpacked (56 x 24 x 20cm), it's only 110g! Again, this isn't designed for bikepacking. It's for ultralight hikers. But, it's the perfect bag to stuff things that you can't fit into the bike bag when on a train, or into the bike box if you need to fly. It'll hold all the bags off the rear rack with no problems!

*** handle grips ***