On the relatively unassuming orange alloy Mason Bokeh of ultra-distance racer Josh Ibbet at Traka over the weekend, we spotted a whole range of Tailfin & Hunt prototypes. Most surprising was probably the Tailfin R&D Division rackless saddle bag, a big shift from their iconic rear aero pack & rack solution. But just as interesting was a new Tailfin cage mounting solution and a tweaked toptube bag design. Plus, Josh raced Traka on a slightly updated pair of aero carbon Hunt wheels, tweaked for adventure racers…
Tailfin R&D Division prototype rackless bikepacking saddlebag
This prototype saddle pack looks quite similar in layout to many rackless bikepacking saddlebags we’ve seen from several different manufacturers. Of course, Tailfin is most known for their light & aero pannier racks that attach to your rear axle and seatpost for stability. But for riding with less gear, sometimes those racks can be overkill. And so it looks like Tailfin is developing an ultralight solution for those cases.
Labeled as a Tailfin R&D Division prototype, this simplified saddle pack features a thicker, more structured black fabric for the lower portion of the bag that contacts the saddle and seatpost. And then, the upper portion of the bag appears to be a much thinner, lighter, and maybe even translucent ripstop.
Attachment to the bike takes cues from Tailfins existing toptube or on-frame bags. Structured, rubberized feet sit between the bag, seatpost, and seatpost rails, providing a solid point to secure the bags with Tailfin’s stretchy TPU (Voile-like) straps.
One longer strap secured the bag to Josh’s saddle rails, allowing him to cinch down the most likely light and puffy extra clothing he would have been carrying inside in case of changing weather conditions during longer ultra-distance racing.
Beyond the material itself, the prototype saddle pack utilizes a conventional rolltop layout for adjustable volume. And it features an attachment loop on top, presumably to either secure a taillight when fully rolled down, or to attach some lightweight gear to the top of the bag.
Tailfin prototype cage mount & updated toptube bag
In addition to the R&D Division ultralight saddle pack, his Mason Bokeh also had an extra bottle cage installed on top of the toptube, just in front of the seatpost. The Bokeh already fits 2 full-size bottles inside the main triangle with a partial frame bag installed, and can run an additional cage under the downtube. But with the threat of hot and muddy conditions looming, adding an extra bottle on top of the toptube behind the rider’s legs meant easy-access to water, and likely a cleaner bottle cap, too.
The prototype Tailfin cage mount looks to be 2 pieces – a main plastic body on top of a rubber foot that adapts to the frame tube shape for maximum grip & stability. Then a couple more of Tailfin’s strong TPU straps secure it in place.
There are several strap slots available. And Josh manages to share the forward-most slot with his Tailfin partial frame bag. Paired with a Wolf Tooth cage that offers plenty of mounting holes, Josh was able to position the cage almost all the way against his seatpost (without it touching) and it held the full-size bottle securely over the rough Traka 200k gravel racecourse.
One last Tailfin R&D Division prototype is this slightly modified toptube bag. It looks to use the same ultralight ripstop fabric as the top of the prototype reckless saddle pack, instead of the heavy-duty fabric of Tailfin’s standard bags.
But what’s really new here is the addition of a wrap-around mesh external pocket not included on the standard existing bags. Especially important at a race like the Traka where racers have to write their race number on all of their ride nutrition, this looks like a solution to easily stash your trash while racing.
Hunt 40 Limitless Adventure Gravel Aero wheelset
As for Josh’s new wheelset, he was racing Traka on a soon-to-be-released set of Hunt 40 Limitless Adventure Gravel Aero wheels.
There’s not any real revolutionary tech here, but it’s a new match of Hunt’s fastest aerodynamic carbon gravel rim, with a more robust build tailored towards bikepacking and adventure racing.
The big change with the Hunt Adventure naming is a move to traditional J-bend spokes for easier serviceability and higher possible rider+bike+gear system loads, especially important at ultra races far off the beaten track.
And paired with that, the rear wheel now steps up from 24 to 28 spokes with new rim drilling, built tougher for heavier riders, but also for the more rearward weight balance often seen with loaded down bikepacking setups.
Altogether, the Hunt 40 Limitless Adventure Gravel Aero wheelset will probably only add around 100g to the wheelset weight, but should be tougher and more well-suited for adventure racing duties.
