Our Reader’s Rig of the week comes from Guy in Alberta, Canada, who shares the “Slowest Known Time Machine,” his custom-built, Pinion-equipped titanium fat bike from RollingDale Cycles. Get to know Guy and explore the details of his one-of-a-kind rig here…

Words and photos by Guy Stuart

Hello, I’m Guy Stuart from Canada. I started cycle touring as a teenager and have been bikepacking for about 15 years, and I have been a member of the Bikepacking Collective since its founding. Most of my bikepacking and bikerafting outings these days are in the mountains near home in Canmore, Alberta.

  • Custom RollingDale bike
  • Custom RollingDale bike

Around 2015, designing and fabricating original bikepacking gear became a new hobby. In 2019, an entrepreneurial adult daughter, Sara, approached me about her handcrafting and selling unique designs online at Bikepackers Foundry. She launched her business in early 2020 with the most popular products including BottleCradles, StraddleBags, BikeHandles, and FenderBags. I continue to design, fabricate, and field-test new original designs for her, and I maintain a blog (gear lists, routes, etc.) and a DIY designs section on her website.

Custom RollingDale bike
  • Custom RollingDale bike
  • Custom RollingDale bike

This bike, the Slowest Known Time Machine (~33 pounds, 14.7 kilograms), grew out of previous successful efforts to add a composite rear rack and custom panniers to a Trek Farley 9.6. Being able to work with a local custom builder, Dale Marchand of RollingDale Cycles, made the process collaborative and engaging. In spring 2020, I asked Dale about creating a custom titanium Pinion Gates Carbon Drive fat bike with a few unusual features. Narrow Q-factor, only straight tubing in the main triangle, a short titanium tube welded at an angle to the bottom of each seat stay, and no bottle bosses or other threaded mounts.

Custom RollingDale bike
  • Custom RollingDale bike
  • Custom RollingDale bike
  • Custom RollingDale bike
  • Frame: 2020 RollingDale custom titanium
  • Fork: Lauf Carbonara
  • Rims: Enve M685 x 27.5 32-hole (winter) / LBW ~70mm x 27.5 32-hole (summer)
  • Hubs: Industry 9 Hydra (winter) / Onyx (summer)
  • Tires: Bontrager 27.5 x 4.5 Gnarwhal (winter) / Bontrager 27.5 x 4.5 Barbegazi (summer)
  • Handlebars: Jones H-Loop carbon with DIY aero bar wrap
  • Headset: Cane Creek Viscoset
  • Crankset: Pinion CNC 175mm
  • Pedals: PNW Range
  • Gearbox: Pinion C 1:12 with Gates Carbon Drive
  • Brakes: Shimano BR-M8120
  • Shifter(s): Pinion DS2, mounted left
  • Saddle: Reform Seymour custom-molded
  • Seatpost: PNW Components Coast Suspension Dropper with Loam actuator, mounted left
  • Stem: RollingDale custom titanium
  • Front bags: Bikepackers Foundry – HandlebarBag+ size large
  • Frame bags: Bikepackers Foundry DIY custom high-volume 15-litre
  • Rear bags: Bikepackers Foundry custom CompressionPanniers
  • Accessory bags: Bikepackers Foundry pair of custom StraddleBags size large
  • Other accessories: Coros Dura, Lynx Off Grid Technologies lights

Since that time, this custom titanium fat bike and DIY luggage systems have become a trusted and highly capable integration for year-round bikepacking adventures. The Pinion C 1:12 transmission with DS2 shifter and Gates Carbon Drive systems are extremely reliable and virtually maintenance free. The combination of a Lauf Carbonara fork and Jones H-Loop carbon handlebar add about 100 mm of compliance up front, with the PNW Coast suspension dropper adding about 40 mm to the rear, and the Reform Seymour saddle and tire pressures doing the rest. The angled rear rack allows for full dropper post usage, and coupled with the high-volume frame bag lowers the centre of gravity of the loaded bike.

Custom RollingDale bike
  • Custom RollingDale bike
  • Custom RollingDale bike
  • Custom RollingDale bike

The DIY composite rear rack is attached with friction and Velcro OneWrap. The luggage was designed and built by me from Challenge Ultra 200, and it’s extremely lightweight. The total storage volume of more than 70 litres yet weighs less than 1,000 grams (2.2 pounds) for panniers, frame bag, large StraddleBags, and large HandlebarBag+, about 14 grams per litre of storage. The LBW summer wheels are surprisingly fast and stable when aired up.

You can find more from Guy on Instagram and via his Ride with GPS Ride Reports.

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