Ultra Distance Scholarship - Stayer OMG MTB Large

Aim

In support of the Ultra Distance Scholarship and its initiative to increase diversity and representation within ultra distance cycling.

Win a custom Stayer OMG mountain bike in support of the Ultra Distance Scholarship.

Built up as a one-of-a-kind bicycle in collaboration with some special friends.

This custom Stayer OMG mountain bike (large) is one of three bicycles (1 small, 1 medium, 1 large) built up in support of the Ultra Distance Scholarship, and provided by Stayer Cycles — bespoke, hand-built, frame and wheel builders based in London. The OMG is their rowdy custom mountain bike frame, and this one was put together by Lewis Toghill (Empress Works) in his own creative vision for the project.

About the builder

Lewis is a designer, fabricator, and bike person.Their build was driven by material processes. Instead of conceiving of a vision of a bike and aiming towards it, could a process be found that would lead the way? Here, copper plating and patination techniques guided their conceptual approach. Initially inspired by nickel-plated BMX bikes, the ever-changing finish alludes to buildings like Battersea Arts Centre, highlights maker-marks and machining toolpaths, and begins to show some of the multiple material states that the plated finish can exist in.

About the Ultra Distance Scholarship

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The Ultra Distance Scholarship (UDS) was created in 2020 to help bring more diversity to the startline of a very niche and predominantly white sport; ultra distance cycling. The UDS is a registered nonprofit and supports riders with custom bicycles, bikefitting, bikepacking bags, cycling kit, performance coaching, training equipment and technology, and a 1:1 mentorship program with an experienced ultra cyclist, over the course of a year, in a training journey towards a prominent ultra cycling race. Beyond the comprehensive scholarship package, the initiative has and continues to foster life-changing community and networks of support within the ultra cycling community which is successfully diversifying the sport and inspiring others to join in. The UDS works to amplify ongoing, ever-evolving conversations about diversity and inclusion in cycling, through online Q&A sessions, public panel discussions and talks, and blog posts and interviews, from the growing list of UDS alumni, mentors, coaches, and supporters.

Last year, the UDS scholars trained for and took on the Racing Collectives’s GBDURO, this year they will be taking on the Pan Celtic Race, as they did back in 2021. More info can be found on www.ultradistancescholarship.com.

Where does the money go?

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All money raised through this campaign will help fund the Ultra Distance Scholarship’s work this year and hopefully into the next! The major expenses of the scholarship are: coaching fees, mentorship fees, bike fitting fees, administration fees, and additional componentry, equipment and gear not currently covered by sponsors. The UDS would also love to pay some awesome folks working to make cycling more inclusive, to do some vital consultation work with them, eventually carving out a job position for someone qualified to lead the UDS to further glory (ideally POC-led).

With your support you’ll be helping the Ultra Distance Scholarship continue to provide amazing opportunities for folks who might not normally participate in these types of events. Please help us keep alive an initiative whose work is not done yet (but one day hopes to be!). 

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Frame           Custom Stayer OMG, large, copper plated, patinated, verdigris-fade 

Fork               Stayer Stiff as Fork fork

Bars               Custom short-reach Bullmoose bars, hammered brass cap 

Saddle           Brooks Cambium C17

Seatpost        X-Fusion dropper post

Seat clamp    Machined aluminium 

Pedals            MKS Bear Trap

Wheels           Stayer Gravalloys, 29er

Tyres               Teravail 29x2.8'' Coronado

Crankset        Middleburn, 34T

Cassette         Wolf Tooth single speed sprocket, 20T

BB                   Shimano

Levers             Paul Components

Brakes            Yokozuna calipers

Headset         Wolf Tooth        

All money raised will go to the Ultra Distance Scholarship.

This project successfully funded on 18th November 2022