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A video explaining what TiBYK is all about!
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I always wanted to make Travers Bikes more than just a bike company, supporting riders, running events, riding with as many different groups as I could and supporting other cycling events. Most of all I want to take everyone along for the Journey, experience the Highs and Low of the sport. I have always tried to think outside of the box and the next evolution for Travers Bikes is no different. I am really excited to announce the TiBYK asset! www.TiBYK.com I won't try and explain what or how it works here, check out the link, Invest and join the team! Register for Interest and dont forget if you already own a Travers frame, claim your TiBYK Tokens. #crypto #tibyk #traversbikes #asset #token #tibyktoken #titanium #future #ico   Another superb write up by Saul Muldoon Stadium Riders Advent(ure) Calendar Day 23-Relentless A curious coincidence sealed my decision to ride the Relentless 24 Hour race at Fort William this year. The lack of a singlespeed bike over much of the summer and consequently less miles in my legs than normal, had left me in two minds as to whether battering myself over 24 hours was such a good idea. I was also aware that good friend and riding companion Andrew Beever was looking for pit crew to support his ride. So in late September I text him to say that I’d not ride but would be more than happy to look after him at Relentless. Literally 5 minutes later I had a text from former Relentless Winner Sally Buckworth to say that due to injury she wouldn’t be riding this year, but would be happy to support both Andrew and myself if we wished. Cue a quick volte face, a swift online entry and another text to Andrew this time explaining the change of plan and the fact that both of us would now be lining up at the Nevis Range ski resort come the end of October. And so there we were on the final Saturday of October, in traditionally damp, grey, drizzly Scottish conditions. Andrew and myself, along with 70 odd other solo competitors, and also team riders from the pairs, quads and 8’s, all lined up at the Nevis Range ski centre ready for the off. Unlike in 2016 when the solo category start list read like a “Who’s Who” of British endurance mountain biking, this year the start line felt a little more relaxed with some of the big hitters absent, or choosing to ride in the pair or quad categories. That’s not to say the solo category would entirely be lacking in competition however, and as I briefly chatted to Steve Day, two time world 24 hour singlespeed champion whilst awaiting the off, I reminded myself that there’s no such thing as an easy 24 hour race. 24 hour races are seldom easy for event organisers either, and a glitch with the timing system had Fraser from No Fuss Events postponing the start for a hour whilst the computer geeks did their remedial stuff. After 60 minutes of pedalling around try to stay warm and sitting in the Stadium Riders EZ-Up eating crisps (salt loading for the rigorous ahead-honest!), once again we were good to go. This time the timing computers played nicely and at bang on 1pm the field rolled across the start line and began to wind its way up the switch-backed forest road climb and up into the hills of the Nevis Range. It usually takes a few laps for things to settle down in a 24, for the field to find its natural order, with the quicker pairs and quad riders heading things up, whilst us soloists settle in trying to find our own rhythm for the long haul. On this occasion I felt remarkably comfortable from the off, and quickly settled into a good steady race pace, resisting the temptation to be pulled along by faster riders, preferring simply to ride my own race at my own pace. The course was as usual superb, providing more than enough technical interest to keep me amused as I ticked the laps off throughout the afternoon. Particularly wet weather over the preceding days (not unusual of course for Fort William in the autumn), had necessitated some minor amendments to the route. A steepish climb along some wet singletrack, familiar from previous editions of Relentless had been removed and replaced by a longer but more gradual fireroad climb, winding its way up to the tunnel at the highest point of the lap. This more gradual ascent suited us singlespeeders particularly well, allowing an uninterrupted grind, as opposed to having to get off and push when fatigue would be kicking in later in the race. Another thing that was suiting me well was my new Travers Angus 2 singlespeed frame, which I had taken delivery of and built up only a few weeks earlier. A combination of its superbly predictable yet responsive handling and my familiarity with the course, was enabling me to churn out very consistent lap times through Saturday afternoon and well into the evening. In fact aside from having to adjust the chain tension once (not unusual when singlespeeding a 24 Hour), Angus performed faultlessly throughout the entire race. Late afternoon saw lights being mounted on helmets and bars in preparation for the dark hours ahead. In many respects the night laps are my most favourite times of a 24 Hour. This is especially in the early hours of the morning when the field has thinned down and you are able to spend longer periods riding alone focusing entirely on your own effort. One of the many advantages of having Sal as pit crew was the fact that she had brought along her extensive collection of Exposure lights too, meaning Andrew and I were in no danger of being left in the dark should our batteries expire before sunrise. Night is also the time when music plays and important role in my race strategy, listening (and occasionally singing along) to my special “24 Hour Power” mix of tunes, all selected to motivate and maintain my focus when times are tough. Rather frustratingly in the massive planning and packing operation that precedes any 24 Hour race I had forgotten to include my usual headphones. A cheap replacement pair purchased at a motorway services on the way up, did an adequate job but annoyingly kept falling out of my ears on some of the rougher descents. One of the aspects of 24 Hour races I always enjoy is the opportunity to chat with fellow racers and friends in the course of the event. Catching, or being caught by someone I know and spending a few minutes riding along together comparing experiences is one of those small but important factors that maintains my motivation in a race of this type. At various times during the race it was great to spend a few moments with Richard Rothwell, Keith Forsyth, Nigel Morris, Richie Scott, Simon Haslam, and various others, all of whom were happy to exchange words of mutual support and encouragement. Thanks to each and every one of you, it is exactly this kind of camaraderie that makes 24 Hour racing so enjoyable for me. Another very important aspect of the race, and one which I simply could not do without is pit crew, and to this end Sal did a stunning job. As a veteran on numerous 24 Hour races herself, Sal was very attuned to the needs of both Andrew and myself throughout the race, staying awake throughout the night in order to attend to them. I like to think I’m quite an easily pleased 24 Hour racer, as long as there is a fresh water bottle, a couple of energy gels and an occasional Muller Rice available when I need them I’m quite happy. Andrew on the other hand is a little more “high maintenance”, requiring tea, coffee, particular foods (including at one point a hot jacket potato), all of which Sally conjured up in characteristic unflustered style. As many of you will know the role of pit crew is multifaceted and not simply limited to catering. Aside from keeping our pit absolutely spotless and ordered (I hate a chaotic pit!), Sal was also acting as chief motivator, strategist, coach, lap counter, timer, photographer, social media updater, and a host of other important roles. She even approached the race organisers to very effectively resolve some minor confusion regarding race categories, around about sunrise when most other people were struggling to think straight due to sleep deprivation. Both Andrew and myself were immensely grateful for Sal’s efforts, and the invaluable contribution she made to our respective race results. As dawn broke I was still feeling good and continuing to steadily add to my lap total. As is usual in a 24 Hour I had no idea where I was in the race standings, preferring instead simply to ride my own race to the best of my abilities minimising any additional external pressures. The course had held up well during the night with few muddy sections, aside from the brief incursion onto the World Cup downhill course which in my experience always seems to be wet. I was aware Andrew was also riding well, and although I knew he was a lap or two behind me I was hoping he had done enough to secure a podium position which would mean so much to him. The final few hours are always tough, and for me generally pass in a mix or good a bad laps. One lap I’ll be struggling up a climb, barely able to turn the pedals, and then the next time I’m powering up the self-same climb feeling like a riding god, such are the physiological and psychological curiosities of spending 24 hours on a bike. In my first 24 hour a few years ago a former National Champion gave me some advice saying that however bad you feel, if you keep pedaling, keep eating, keep drinking and keep positive, then you will feel better. I have always remembered this little bit of wisdom and it has seen me through tough times in numerous subsequent endurance races. The last lap invariably comes as a relief, as by that point despite the luxury of suspension forks my hands struggle to maintain a grip on the bars due to the accumulated fatigue of 24 hours worth of battering. The final lap is also an opportunity to thank the marshals, many of whom have completed their own feat of endurance being out on the course for 24 hours ready to help any rider in need. On crossing the line for the final time it was great to see Sal and Andrew (who decided not to opt for another lap) there to offer congratulations, hugs and confirm that I’ve finished first in the Singlespeed category fourth solo rider overall. It was equally great to learn that Andrew had done enough to take third spot on the podium, behind the 24 Hour singlespeed specialist David Ernest Glover. However Andrew and myself were not the only winners from Yorkshire at Relentless 2017. Our friends Mitchell Jones and Nigel Smith raced hard to take victory in the Open pairs category whilst Donna Waring had won the Women’s Vet Category, so all in all it was a satisfying weekend all round for us Yorkshire folk. Well done to everyone who competed, 24 Hour races are never easy, but the sense of satisfaction and enjoyment from spending a weekend suffering with like minded mtb’ers makes the pain well worth it. Thanks also to Fraser and Spook of No Fuss events for delivering yet another superb Relentless. Will I be back next year when Relentless doubles as the WEMBO World 24 Hour Champs?........We’ll see! Podium pic by Sally Buckworth.  Great race the Push Sport Ltd Eastern Region Rnd 13, Muddy but enjoyable. Credit to James Lucas for the photos #traversbikes #titaniumcx #cxracing #nextie #cyclocross #traversdirti       Sorry for the recent low stock levels of the DIRTi frames, all sizes are now back in stock. The 56cm model has the new engraved Travers logo. #gravelbike #cxframe #titaniumframe #traversbikes #engraved #titaniumcx Following the sad demise of my second Salsa El Mariarchi frame, I found myself in something of a quandary. I needed a do it all singlespeed workhorse, but extensive googling revealed few options to meet my (admittedly quite specific) requirements. Singlespeed frames are of course something of a niche market anyway, but when you factor in the fact that my one needs to have sliding dropouts (no potentially creaky eccentric bottom brackets thank you), it needs to be tough (I have previously broken 3 previous singlespeed frames) and it needs to be pretty (no cyclist wants a bike they don’t love to look at), the choice becomes even more limited. After weeks of internet searching I was beginning to conclude that ordering some custom exotica built by a man with an extensive beard in a shed in the US and then taking out a second mortgage to have it imported was my only option. Then however by chance I stumbled on the Travers Bikes website in late spring. I had been aware of Travers titanium frames for a number of years having seen the Travers team racing fatbikes when we used to make an annual pilgrimage down to Thetford Forest in East Anglia for the now sadly defunct Dusk til Dawn event. I was also aware that two time World 24 hour Singlespeed Champion Steve Day rides a Travers (albeit with a chain tensioner, something else I was not prepared to entertain on my bike). So based on this I knew Travers frames certainly had some racing pedigree and had proven track record when it came to being tough enough for the job. Until this point I had never seen a Travers frame which I would consider a “true” singlespeed, ie a frame that didn’t require the use of an eccentric bottom bracket or an ugly tensioner to stop the chain from falling off. However to my immense delight and excitement there in the shop section of the website was what seemed like the answer to my dreams, one of a limited run of Travers Angus 2 SS frame. A truly dedicated singlespeed frame, with beautiful US made Paragon Design Works sliding dropouts, no superfluous cable guides, a threaded bottom bracket, the functionality to run 29er or 650b “plus” tyres and of course the stunning clean, classic, simple look only a well crafted titanium frame can deliver. The only possible spanner in the works was frame sizing, as I poured over the geometry charts on the website the realisation began to dawn that the “large” frame was potentially not quite large enough for me. I rattled an email off to Michael Travers asking for further details about the sizing, and received one back promptly confirming my fears that unfortunately the standard large frame would not really accommodate my long legs. However Michael did also raise another intriguing possibility, that of a fully custom Angus SS, built exactly to my requirements, and to this end he kindly included a full set of tech drawings on a similar XL frame he’d designed for another customer. Now this really set me thinking, and attempting to justify to myself the slightly increased cost of the custom option. The last time I’d had a custom frame was back in the early 1990’s, when every town had a framebuilder, producing bespoke frames out of steel for local club riders, and the thought of once again having a “one off” designed and built for me was an instantly appealing option. In truth it didn’t take me long to convince myself that given the other limited choices available having a no compromise singlespeed frame, exactly as I needed was really the only way to go, and so started an email exchange with Michael to commission my very own, unique Travers Angus. Truth be told, I’m not really a good, knowledgeable (or fussy?) enough rider to need to deviate far from the drawings Michael had provided previously, and I was more than happy to trust in his superior knowledge and expertise around frame design. A few tweaks here and there, 10mm’s off the top tube length and a couple of other minor alterations were all that was required to create a frame design that I was happy with. Through the entire process Micheal was always helpful, answering my emailed questions fully and promptly. As importantly full tech drawings of the design were provided prior to my sign off, something which increased my confidence that my not inconsiderable financial outlay would be well rewarded. Michael has said to me there would be a 12 week wait for the frame (which are built to his designs and specifications in the Far East), and to be fair the frame arrived 12 weeks and 1 day after I had placed my order. (It would have been exactly 12 weeks but frustratingly I missed the courier on the first delivery attempt). Throughout the process Michael kept me in entirely the picture, informing me when the frame was at customs, had been delivered to him and then finally on route to me. With any new frame or bike there is always that delicious moment of anticipation mixed with anxiety as you open the box and see for the first time the outcome of all your previous thinking, planning and deliberation. This feeling is intensified with a custom frame and the knowledge that if you don’t like it, or you’ve made a poor decision on some aspect of the design you can’t simply box it up and send it back for a full refund. However my Angus certainly did not disappoint, and the raw titanium tubes were simply beautiful and laser etched graphics looked stunning as I removed the protective bubble wrap and cardboard. The attention to detail on the frame is as good as anything else I have seen, and the lovely fish scale welds are as even and clean as those on my US built titanium Litespeed gravel bike. The build process one of the most enjoyable aspects of having a new frame. It is a real luxury to have some time on savour the process of creating a beautiful bicycle from its component parts and finally seeing how the finished article looks. It also gives one time to full appreciate some of the other features of the frame including the asymmetric horseshoe chainstay yolk with its huge tyre clearances, the triple mounts on the down tube for bikepacking luggage duties and the Travers logo engraved into the headtube. Built up with a Niner rigid carbon fork, mainly Hope and Shimano XT kit, my Angus is both beautiful and supremely fit for purpose as a do it all bike. During its first countless of months of service it has already carried me on multiple West Yorkshire autumnal rides, spent a weekend in Northumbria’s Cheviot Hills, been ridden through snow in Galloway and carried me to victory in the singlespeed category of the Relentless 24 hour race in Fort William. I look forward to us many having more adventures with in 2018, starting with what will hopefully be a snowy Strathpuffer 24 hour race in January. Thanks very much to Michael Travers for my Angus.....it’s much appreciated.  The New Travers Team kit is now online! It is available for pre-order from now until mid January. Everything is discounted for this first order. From then on only the Jersey and bib shorts will be in stock. Free postage on everything. If you order now you can have your name put on the Jerseys or skinsuits for just £5. This is the only time this can be done. I appreciate everyone who rides in the colours and supports/rides for the team. Anyone who places an order now will be rewarded (bit cryptic but all will be explained). #traversbikes #teamkit #creativecycling #cyclingkit #cyclingjersey Travers Availability The following items will only be available to order from now (05/12/17) until 14th January 2018. Speedsuit - Long Sleeve - £119 Enduro Jersey - £55 Triathlon Suite - £102 Gillet - £70 The following item will be kept in stock all year - If you would like your name on the Jersey it can only be added on this first order. Socks - £10 Race Jersey - Short Sleeve - £65 Coolmax Jersey - Short Sleeve £55 Bib Shorts - £69       |
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