First Look: Backcountry Research’s saddle and frame mounts now available in UK

If you want to attach spares and accessories to your bicycle but want a minimal and unfussy solution, these US made saddle and frame mounts from Montana-based Backcountry Research could be just what you’re looking for. 

The company specialises in accessory straps that can be used to fit anything from smartphones to inner tubes to the frame in a variety of locations. There’s a wide range of systems available to suit different applications, but they all share the same high-quality construction and attention to detail. 

British distribution company Cyclorise has just started bringing the Backcountry Research products into the UK and they popped into the office this week to let us have a first look. They left us some samples so we’re going to review them over the coming weeks, but until then here’s a first look at the key products. 

"What I love about Backcountry Research is how each and every product is so well thought out," explains Cyclorise’s Thomas Dibley. "They are minimalist but incredibly functional with features you just don't see from the competition. Every stitch is reinforced, every cut is heat sealed and then overlocked. Even the resin loops on the Mutherload and Race Strap are bowed for added strength and to avoid bunching. Only when you touch, feel and use them do you really understand why the brand commands so much respect around the world from those in the know,” 

Admittedly the company does have a mountain bike bias but we can’t see any reason why they won’t be applicable to road cyclists, and we can definitely see uses for commuters, backpackers and long distance touring and Audax cyclists. 

There are five products in the range and the first is the Race Strap (£15.99), a replacement for a conventional saddlebag. If you don’t want a big and cumbersome saddle pack swinging about underneath your saddle, the Race Strap is a pared back approach yet it securely mounts a spare inner tube and Co2 canisters to the saddle rails. It’s really nicely made with a reassuringly tough and generous length strap, and the heavy duty dual shock-cord pre-load system is a smart idea to keep things organised and also means you don’t need to rely on the tension from the main strap to keep the contents from moving about or worse shaking loose. It is sized to accommodate mountain bike inner tubes but we reckon, and we haven’t tried this yet, that you could easily get two road inner tubes in there.

While the Race Strap has a very specific purpose, the Hypalon Mutherload Strap Frame Mount (£18.99) is a more versatile choice. It uses the same dual shock cord preload-strap system and can be used to affix just about anything to any part of your frame, but it's primarily aimed at strapping a spare inner tube to the down tube.  Cleverly there’s a rubberised panel to prevent it scratching your frame, and the strap is long enough to accommodate even the most oversized down tubes up to a 9in circumference. As pictured, it can be simply used to attach an extra inner tube to the frame, and you can add some tyre levers, multi tool and Co2 canisters as well. Or you could use your imagination and use it for other things, maybe a light battery for example for extended riding. 

The Super 8 Top Tube Mount (£16.99) is a smaller version of the Mutherload and as the name suggest is intended for fixing stuff to the top tube. As pictured above, it’s useful if you want a safe place to keep your smartphone while tracking your ride. Or you could use it for a GPS device, a battery for your lights, a water bottle (as pictured below), an extra jacket rather than stuffing it in a jersey pocket. Usefully there are two pairs of elastic straps so you can double up the storage. 

"With multiple mounting options, our straps can easily adjust to hold as much or as little as you need to carry, anywhere on your bike. They are incredibly easy to swap from one bike to another, yet so reasonably priced that you can buy one for each arrow in your quiver," adds the company.

Another thing to add is that not only are they handmade in the US, but they’re available in a huge range of colours, and we really do mean huge, and includes Purple Haze and Colorado Flag.

Check out the full range and more details at www.cyclorise.com/backcountryresearch.html