Marc Kitteringham
The bike is an extension of the rider. When you build your own bike, it is even more true. I’ve been working on a custom bicycle, collecting parts, components and accessories to make this bike a complete extension of myself. Every part is a decision and is characteristic of myself. I want it to be perfect.
Through this series of decisions, I’ve made some discoveries about myself. I’ve found out that I like things that are simple, durable and cheap. I know I like things that are not quite de rigeur in the world of cycling. My bike is an old steel mountain bike that I’ve outfitted with drop bars. It is unconventional, but it is mine and it is exactly what I want.
Almost.
What I’ve come to is a debate on whether I want my bike to have racks or not. When it comes down to it, this is not a big deal at all. Who gives a shit whether I want racks on my bike or not? It doesn’t make much of a difference in the long run.
It is easy to get caught up by all of the new fancy gear on the market for loading bikes with stuff. Ultralite bikepacking gear systems are everywhere and look so enticing. It would be so nice to have a fully custom set of frame bags, seat bags and handlebar rolls to strap on to my fully rigid 29er mountain bike frame for long hauls in the wilderness. Someday, maybe I’ll be able to do that. However, right now that may seem like a pipe dream.
With my current randonneur set up, things are more oriented to the old school. I have dia-compe brakes, bar-end shifters, leather bar wrap and toe cages on my pedals. Throwing a massive seat bag on that set up would just be weird. It would take away from the magic of nostalgia that i’ve decided upon for the bike. This bike has been built from the ground up. I have made the conscious decision to install only parts that showcase a certain aesthetic and feeling. It is an old school mountain bike with drop bars. It is made for a very specific style of riding and diverting from that would change the aesthetic too much.
Racks are a way to hearken back to the original way of doing things. With all of the fancy bikepacking bags and rigs being set up these days, it is easy to get caught up in the hubris of advertising and product reviews around modern bikepacking gear. The rack is simple, robust, relatively cheap and is an easy way to outfit your bike for the long haul.
I completely understand the desire for the fanciest gear. I often find myself browsing gear sites late at night lamenting my deplorable financial situation. However there is something to be said about keeping things in theme. I wanted a bike that was an oldschool dirt ripper that I could load up and ride for hundreds of kilometres. So far, the Baron is turning out to be just that. It was an experiment for the first few months, but now that I’ve poured myself into the project, it has grown to be a part of me. It has become something special.
I’m gonna put a rack on it.
