The landscape of Australia is at the same time both harsh and lush and invites exploration. It’s a fact that’s not lost on Canberra’s Daniel Hunt, who founded Hunt Bikes with the express aim of encouraging bikepacking through this awe-inspiring country.
Daniel has a background in Mechanical Engineering, a skill which has contributed towards Hunt Bikes and the production of a bikepacking-specific 29+ frameset and forks, ‘designed for Australian conditions’ — along with a range of bags and accessories.
Hunt Bikes already has a range of bikepacking accoutrement listed on their website: Seat Packs, Handlebar Rolls and Pockets, Frame Bags, Fuel Tanks and Seat Post Pockets. They also provide an affordable titanium mug and a well-designed T-shirt.
The hero of their range, however, and their raison d’être, is a double-butted cro-moly frame and fork. It’s a refreshing change to the ultra-modern stock offerings available to the two-wheeled adventurer these days.
The Hunt Bikes 29er fits regular tires but has the capacity for extra-wide 29+ rubber, thanks to a custom chainstay bridge. Manufactured from reliable cro-moly tubes, it’s going to stand up to a huge amount of abuse and still look the goods after a few thousand miles of rambling.
The frame is ready for 160mm disc brakes and thru-axles, has a tapered steerer 44mm head tube and a press fit 30 bottom bracket. There’s no front mech mount, so you’re looking at a 1x setup. There’s no rack mounts, because that’s what frame bags are for.
The Hunt Bikes frameset retails for AUD$1,300 and can be shipped anywhere in the world in under two weeks for free. Daniel places a massive emphasis on sustainability, using recycled cardboard boxes, and the frames are powder coated rather than sprayed with liquid paint.
Daniel has plans for bikepacking events too, the first being the Snowy Mountains 1000, a ride from Canberra to Melbourne, with a flexible departure date of the 27th November and a plan to arrive in Melbourne on the 3rd December. Hit the website for more details.
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