Removable rails

I'd been pondering the removable rail thing for a bit and finally got it to the point that I like it. It mounts to the existing hardware, so it retrofits to my existing racks and is only $40. I could make a taller, double layer version too on request that would be more of a basket. Careful now, don't get hyp-mo-tized by all the shiny.

I'm sponsoring a race?

So what the hell is a utility cycle company doing sponsoring a race? Well, it's a courier race.

The West Side Invite is the west coast's premier celebration of taking things places by bike and having a well earned pint or eight afterwords. Started by Portland messengers in 2001, this is the first time it will be held out of state. Seattle has been asking to host the race for years and we finally decided we could use a break, so Emerald City here we come.

I'm putting up two racks for prizes and if I have any sway with the organizers (don't think that'll be a problem) they will go not to the fastest, but to the awesomest. You know, "best use of a nipple driver", "least beer spilled while racing", those kinds of things.

Memorial day weekend, May 22-25. If you are not there I will be having more fun than you. :P

westside2009.com

Price Hike :(

So now that I've made a few batches of the new design I'm realizing that I underbid myself and have to raise my price to $140 for the Pret a Porteur (TCB 3.0) model. I realize that percentage-wise this is rather drastic, and I'm really bummed because it feels like a bit of a bait and switch, but it reflects some hidden costs that were not being addressed.

I definitely believe that this rack is still a screaming deal and the best value on the market. You will not find any porteur as sturdy, modular, shiny and versatile in a single package near this price.

I apologize to folks who missed their chance at the introduction price and hope the quality of my product will make this glitch a small one.

Tad

Pretty Pictures

I did a trade recently, photos of my product for some custom work and both turned out great. He wanted a smaller rack that mounted on the mid-mounts (AKA low rider mounts) and it worked so well I think I'll offer it as a standard option. It's the bottom two pictures and the thing sticking off the front corner is a light mount.

krishnamuirhead.com

TCB 3.0: The Pret a Porteur

This is it! I am officially now producing the best racks at the best price in the world!




I came up with a new design recently and it's simple enough to produce that I can now bring my base price down to $100 $140. The other brilliant aspect of this design is that I wrote some customizing software to go with it. It works like this; you send me fork measurements, I ask my thinkin' box where to cut the tubes, I build a rack custom fitted to your bike for only an extra $10. Some custom builders are going to laugh at me for saying the "c word" without charging an arm and a leg, but that's the beauty about my method is that it really is that simple.

I have three standard sizes for this model if you don't need the custom option; Eyelet Tour for touring forks with double eyelets, Axle Tour for taller forks like the Crosscheck or 27" bikes, and Axle Road for road bikes with short reach brakes. The Axle models still require a solid axle front wheel (bolt on, not quick release, not allen key skewers) as mounting heavy cargo on a skewer is a bad scene waiting to happen.

I also now have three different crown attachment systems so any kind of brakes (even Paul's Racers) can be easily accommodated.

Hopefully I'll have more pictures up on the gallery at the website soon, but peep these for now.

Oh, and I recently took a delivery on a pallet, so now I'm legit.

Oregon Manifest

Been busy and haven't updated in a while, but hopefully I'll be better about putting new news up here.





So... I had a booth at the Oregon Manifest show way back in October and it was a blast. I figured since I make cargo racks I should definitely bring my booth to the show on a bike. That's a lot of stuff to haul on a rack so I made a trailer out of my booth instead.


Once I got to the show I felt totally outclassed but then realized these folks have been doing this for years and by the time I got set up I felt just fine about my display. And it worked! I sold a few racks, met a bunch of builders and suppliers, ate pozole, drank beer, wore suspenders...oh, and did the builders lap at the Cross Crusade race on my rack bike in my safety glasses and welding gloves.

I have a really cool job.

I Have a real website now!

It's still kind of in beta but it makes me feel almost legitimate. Check it out and send me suggestions if you see any flaws or omissions. Yeah!

tcbracks.com

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