Radar Roundup: RIGd RambleRack, Win a Dreambike, La Virado, and Bend Gravel

Our Radar Roundup compiles products and videos from the ‘net in an easy-to-digest format. Read on below for today’s findings…

Introducing the RIGd RambleRack $899/$629

When RIGd set out to make the UltraSwing hitch rack, the mission was simple: Build a better swing-out for carrying a full-size spare tire and bikes. They’ve taken the experience of a swing-out hitch rack pretty far since then, but the next limitation to taking their bikes off-road has always been the bike racks available.

In an off-road environment, the forces applied to the bike rack and bike are very different from anything experienced on-road. In RIGd’s real-world testing as well as FEA (finite element analysis) of other racks, existing designs can perform well on-road while maximizing ease of use, and handle mild fire roads, but when pushed in moderate to extreme off-road tests, the results were far from satisfactory.

RIGd’s goal was to make a truly off-road-worthy bike rack.

RambleRack accomplishes this by triangulating the forces of rapid acceleration and deceleration put on the front wheel during extreme off-road driving (think wheels leaving the ground). Our patent-pending design utilizes a symmetrical wheel tray, eliminating the risk of a taco or bent rim they experienced in testing many traditional rack geometries.

This is coupled with a perpendicular ratcheting arm that locks in place at 90°, which applies direct downward pressure from the top of the tire through the center of the axle while eliminating any potential for fork rub. Lastly, a rock-solid steel construction significantly reduces any remaining unwanted flex.

In all RIGd’s destructive testing, the only failure point was a front rim. And our rack had a 20% greater success rate in that test than any other leading tray-style hitch-mounted rack. Note that at these forces, all other racks also incurred damages to the rack itself.

RambleRackTM uses many common non-proprietary parts, including the Voile® strap rear-wheel retention, which can easily be replaced with straps found at most bike, ski, or outdoor retailers. For mild to moderate driving, a single-loop Voile strap is sufficient, for extreme off-road, or heavy e-bikes, we recommend using our longer Voile strap double-looped for maximum security.

Features:

No frame or fork contact
Rock-solid steel construction
Optimized for the UltraSwing, but can be used on other bumpers or stand-alone
Ultra-thick lock anchor for theft prevention
Proudly made in USA
Lifetime warranty
Patent pending

Technical Specifications:

Fits tires up to 3” (Fat bike tray also available for tires up to 4.5”)
Zinc-primed and powder coated
On-road rated for bikes up to 100 lbs
Moderate off-road rated for bikes up to 75 lbs
Extreme off-road (wheels leaving the ground) rated for bikes up to 50 lbs
Weight: 46 lbs (RambleRack-1) 34 lbs (RambleRack-T)

Available Versions:

RambleRackTM-1: Designed specifically for use on the UltraSwing, but will also work great on other off-road swing-out bumpers or as a static bike rack plugged straight into your hitch. RambleRack-1 is our single-bike option with a static high-clearance stinger.

RambleRackTM-T: Tray-only rack for use on a wide array of square or round bar mounting surfaces such as roof racks, van bumper post-mounts, or even some popular existing rack bases, giving your existing rack the off-road stability of the RambleRack without needing to invest in an entirely new rack platform.
Double options of the RambleRack will also be coming soon, and will be available as an add-on kit to utilize the tray from those who already purchased one of our initial RambleRack configurations.

RambleRackTM is now available for preorder.

RambleRack-1 MSRP: $899 RambleRack-T MSRP: $629

Win a Dreambike From RedShift

RedShift teamed up with several brands to giveaway a fully decked-out Rodeo Labs dreambike. The rules are easy, just the way we like ’em, so roll on over to RedShift to see how you can win!

Dynamo Cycle Repairs La Virado T-Shirts 35,00 €

Dynamo Cycle Repairs is one of our favorite Instagram accounts, and today, they launched a new t-shirt. La Virado translates to simply hiking in the Provençal language. Inspired by the South of France, this new design created by @l__ermitage smells of Pastis and the song of cicadas. Pick one up at Dynamo Cycle Repairs.

Bend-Central Oregon Gravel Adventure Field Guide

The gravel roads around Bend and Central Oregon are amazing and complex. Our field guide is a collaboration with Visit Bend & Dirty Freehub. We hope you enjoy our take on the area. Roll on over to Gravel Adventure Field Guide to see the list of shops to grab a complimentary paper zine…