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Description
blackwater gear 3 Notch BikeBlackwater Bicycles Custom Titanium Gravel 3 Notch: The Blank Canvas The 3 Notch is where your ideas take form a titanium gravel platform engineered to be shaped entirely around you. Start with one of our proven stock geometries, then tune the details for your terrain, your fit, your riding style, and the bike you have always wanted to build. Custom Geometry, fit, mounting options, routing, and ride character can be shaped around your exact needs.
Blackwater Bicycles / Custom Titanium Gravel
3 Notch:
The Blank Canvas
The 3 Notch is where your ideas take form — a titanium gravel platform engineered to be shaped entirely around you. Start with one of our proven stock geometries, then tune the details for your terrain, your fit, your riding style, and the bike you have always wanted to build.
Custom
Geometry, fit, mounting options, routing, and ride character can be shaped around your exact needs.
415mm
Updated stock chainstay length keeps the platform responsive while leaving room for real gravel setups.
395mm
Modern gravel fork axle-to-crown standard for confident handling and larger tire compatibility.
Yours
Built as a one-of-a-kind Blackwater machine, not a stock frame with a few small options.
Blank Canvas Platform
Start with a proven shape. Make it entirely yours.
The 3 Notch starts as a clean titanium foundation, then becomes whatever you need it to be. Build it as a fast gravel racer, a long-distance all-road bike, a fully loaded bikepacking rig, or something completely your own.
Geometry, tire clearance, mounts, routing, finish, and component fit can all be tuned around the way you ride and the landscapes you chase.
Fit-Tuned
Choose a stock size or adjust reach, stack, angles, and contact points for your exact body position.
Terrain-Tuned
Design the frame around fast gravel, mixed roads, bikepacking, chunky terrain, or all-day adventure.
Build-Tuned
Plan tire clearance, drivetrain choice, mounts, routing, and cockpit setup before the frame is made.
Purpose-Built
A ground-up custom titanium build shaped around your ride, not someone else’s stock idea.
How It Works
Your dream bike starts with the details.
Pick from one of the stock geometries below, then decide what should stay, what should change, and what needs to be built around your riding style.
1. Choose a Base Size
Start with the closest stock fit from Extra Small through Extra Large.
2. Tune the Numbers
Adjust geometry, tire clearance, handling, mounts, and fit details.
3. Pick the Build
Select drivetrain, wheels, cockpit, fork, finish, and custom features.
4. Make It Yours
The result is a one-of-a-kind Blackwater built around your vision.
Why 3 Notch Exists
Not a stock frame. A starting point.
The 3 Notch is for riders who know a bike should match the person riding it. Instead of forcing your fit, terrain, and goals into a fixed production frame, 3 Notch gives you a proven titanium platform that can be shaped into the bike you actually want.
Custom Geometry
Start from a stock size or tune reach, stack, angles, chainstay length, bottom bracket drop, and fit numbers to match your riding position.
Custom Features
Add the mounts, routing, tire clearance, drivetrain compatibility, and fork details that make sense for your exact build.
Custom Purpose
Build it for speed, comfort, distance, bikepacking, racing, all-road use, or a balanced gravel setup that does a little of everything.
Geometry
Stock geometry, ready to customize.
Use these numbers as the starting point for your 3 Notch build. The stock geometry below has been updated with a 415mm chainstay length and 395mm fork axle-to-crown.
Fit & Geometry
| Measurement | XS 50cm |
S 52cm |
M 54cm |
M/L 56cm |
L 58cm |
XL 60cm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reach | 375 | 380 | 385 | 395 | 405 | 415 |
| Stack | 565 | 570 | 580 | 595 | 605 | 620 |
| Effective Top Tube* | 526 | 533 | 546 | 560 | 578 | 593 |
| Seat Tube Length | 430 | 450 | 470 | 490 | 510 | 530 |
| Seat Tube Angle | 75° | 75° | 74.5° | 74.5° | 74° | 74° |
| Head Tube Length* | 123 | 129 | 140 | 155 | 165 | 181 |
Handling & Chassis
| Measurement | XS 50cm |
S 52cm |
M 54cm |
M/L 56cm |
L 58cm |
XL 60cm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head Tube Angle | 71° | 71° | 71.5° | 72° | 72° | 72° |
| Wheelbase | 1004 | 1011 | 1014 | 1024 | 1037 | 1047 |
| Chainstay Length | 415 | 415 | 415 | 415 | 415 | 415 |
| BB Drop | 75 | 75 | 73 | 72 | 72 | 72 |
| Fork Axle to Crown | 395 | 395 | 395 | 395 | 395 | 395 |
| Fork Offset | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 |
Trail Measurements
| XS 50cm |
S 52cm |
M 54cm |
M/L 56cm |
L 58cm |
XL 60cm |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trail | 68 | 68 | 64 | 60 | 60 | 60 |
| Fork Offset | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 |
| Stock Chainstay | 415 | 415 | 415 | 415 | 415 | 415 |
| Stock Fork A-C | 395 | 395 | 395 | 395 | 395 | 395 |
| Custom Geometry | Available | Available | Available | Available | Available | Available |
All measurements are listed in millimeters unless otherwise noted. Effective top tube and head tube length are estimated from the provided stock geometry and should be confirmed during final design approval.
Technical Specifications
Built around your standards.
3 Notch can be configured around the standards, clearances, and build details that make the most sense for your riding goals.
Custom Build Options
Frame Material
Titanium 3AL-2.5V custom gravel frame platform
Geometry
Choose stock geometry or request a full custom fit and handling profile
Fork Setup
Stock geometry shown with 395mm axle-to-crown fork; custom fork standards available by request
Chainstay Length
Stock geometry shown with 415mm chainstays; custom lengths available depending on tire and drivetrain setup
Bottom Bracket
Available in modern threaded standards, including T47 depending on build requirements
Brake Mount
Flat mount disc brake configuration available
Axles
Modern thru-axle standards available, commonly 12x100 front and 12x142 rear
Tire Clearance
Configured around your intended wheel and tire size
Routing
External, internal, downtube internal, or headset-style routing options depending on build goals
Mounts
Bottle mounts, top tube mounts, rack mounts, fender mounts, fork mounts, and bikepacking options available
Drivetrain
Design around 1x, 2x, mechanical, electronic, wide-range, or adventure drivetrain setups
Finish
Raw titanium, brushed titanium, etched graphics, anodized details, or custom finish options available
Warranty
Backed by a 5-Year Limited Warranty
Build your 3 Notch.
Pick from one of our stock geometries or tweak the numbers for a full custom build. Contact Blackwater Bicycles to start designing your dream titanium gravel bike.
Shipping Notes
- Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
- Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
- Delivery to the USA:
- Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
- If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
- We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
- Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
- To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
- Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
4.5 ★★★★★
Based on 370 reviews
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 4
A Decent Fae Romance
Format: Kindle
** 3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 **
First off I want to say that I found the author, J. D. Linton, on TikTok right before the release of the sequel. I bought the first 2 books to support her release, so congrats to her for the release of the sequel!
Overall, I liked the story & plot, I liked the characters, and I liked the spice. The downfalls: not enough development between the characters for the romance, and it leaned a little heavy into the tropes. A lot of stuff is told to you, which could have been used as devices to drive the plot and emotions of the characters.
🛑🛑 Mild Spoilers ahead, I tried to hide the obvious ones 🛑🛑
This is very obviously a fated mates, which is a trope I usually really enjoy. But I wish the relationship between Ara & Rogue had much more development before it's realized that they're mates, instead of Rogue knowing almost immediately and using it for nefarious purposes (at least in the beginning before they get to know each other). By revealing this within the first quarter of the book, I feel like it leaves less room for them to fall for each other organically (albeit with help from the mating bond) and they love each other because of the mating bond. I was disappointed as soon as Rogue know (literally only 5% in) and I literally made a note: "As much as II love a good mating trope, I wish we had to work for it a little more. Where's the fun in just telling us?" I believe that by holding out and feeding the reader snippets of a potential bond, it would've been more rewarding as a reader.
I also wish there was more world building - we are told of a war between human & fae but don't get to really experience any of it. Ara is sheltered in her human home, then sheltered in Rogue's castle. There's bits and pieces about what the war has done on either side - but we're more told of the aftermath and don't really experience any of it. Ara's father is supposed to be the king's #1 general - yet he is at home with his family & with Ara for the first couple chapters. Her, her family, nor her village seem to be affected by the 10 year war going on on their borders. I wish there was a little more setup to make this conflict - an actual war - feel more than a skirmish between fighting territories.
Linton could also be a little repetitive - with the biggest culprit being when Ara is upset she "brings [her] knees to [her] chest]" and either sits like that or cries. Every time she is upset this phrase is mentioned. I would get it if this was her crutch, or how she copes with grief and stress, but that should be explained why she does it so often or it becomes repetitive. I started to get annoyed with how often she would sit like this solely because it happens every couple chapters.
However, I did really like the spice. I love an enemies to lovers trope, especially when it results in spicy scenes. The spicy scenes weren't anything new, but they were fun. Wish there were more but that could also just be me - there is no such thing as too much spice 😂
Would I read again? Probably not, I'm super picky with rereads. Although I did genuinely enjoy my first read through!
Will I continue the series? Probably, at least for the sequel. As for #3, kind of depends on where I am with my TBR once that is released
All in all an enjoyable, fast paced read
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Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2024
★★★★★ 3
I love indie authors
Format: Kindle
Let me preface this by saying—writing a book is HARD! Coming up with characters so real that they take on a life of their own, building an entire world, the political/magic system. Designing all of this is no easy feat.
That being said.
This book had so. Much. Potential. I was so excited to read this book, and I plan to finish it for the sake of finishing it. But. At this point, I would have set I’d aside as a DNF. The book could have benefited from some form of a developmental editor, or an in depth beta reader. I will say this. Within 5 chapters, there are so many… phrases that I’ve highlight that I’ve latched onto. Phrases about books and storms that were written BEAUTIFULLY! So, bravo Linton for hitting the nail on the head as to why readers disappear like they do!
However, 5 chapters in and I can already guess where a majority of the story is going. But that’s also because I read like a mad-woman and have read this particular type of story, many different ways. Enemies to lovers where the FMC isn’t who she thinks she is. I am all about supporting indie authors. BUT. I also feel like criticism should be constructive, and not degrading. So if I could give this book a 4 1/2, strictly because I know the work the author put into this, I would. So if you’re looking for an easy read with characters that aren’t hard to follow, look no further! They are easy to love and easy to care for. One of the biggest issues they lacked, to me, was depth and plausible reactions to their situations. JD, you have done BEAUTIFULLY writing this book. I applaud and will continue to buy your books in the future. My BIGGEST recommendation is to definitely hire some form of an editor for any upcoming books. Or in turn, I will be happy to beta read for you. Should my opinion change of the book by the time I finish, I will happily get on here and say I was wrong, delete this review and post a different one. Until then…
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Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2022
★★★★★ 5
this book set my soul ablaze! <3
Format: Paperback, Format: Paperback
"i had never really cared about the weather before, but now, clear skies meant everything to me, and i was grateful to see another calm morning."
this book. this book!
i loved the last storm so much. the writing style. the descriptions. the world-building. the characters. the plot twists. the tropes. the sexual tension. the—everything. everything was magic.
the last storm follows our two main characters, ara and rogue, giving us dual POV from both characters (which i loved, btw). ara, a human girl who has been locked away in her father’s estate most of her life, just wants to see the world. all she dreams of is seeing what else is out there. but when her father announces her engagement, she knows that dream will become nothing more than just that—a dream.
rogue, the fae king, is tired of the attacks being rained down on his people. in hopes of finding out the human king adon’s secrets, rogue infiltrates auryna’s borders. in his last resort to gain information, he visits the local pub. to his surprise, the general’s precious only child is sitting at the bar, drink round after round of mead. now he just needs to figure out how to take her without anyone noticing.
first and foremost, let’s talk about the endless list of my favorite tropes and aspects that this book had.
›› enemies to lovers
›› fated mates
›› one bed
›› the chosen one
›› elemental magic
›› actually good and shocking plot twists!!!
›› badass female lead
›› morally-grey love interest
›› fae/human war
›› force proximity
›› touch her and die
›› who did this to you?
›› captor/captive
›› praise k!nk (panting profusely)
“you are entirely the opposite of everything that i am, and i would gladly wear your shackles if it meant i could have you.”
it’s been a long while since i read a book i liked this much. but i just loved this book. it set my soul ablaze. thank you to the author for writing this beautiful story and for blessing me with an eARC! i loved it so much that i immediately bought the paperback upon release!
every aspect of this book was just beautiful. i was blown away by the way the world was described, the way feelings were portrayed, the way the elements were used in the fae’s magic. it just—AHHH! i just absolutely adored it all. i cannot wait for the second book to release next year!
also the way he calls her “little storm” sets my heart on fire.
this was a fast-paced read and if you are a lover of acotar, fbaa, deal with the elf king, or any other similar books, then please stop everything you’re doing and read this book right now. you won’t regret it.
thank you again, jd linton, for giving me the privilege of reading your arc and for blessing this world with the world you created. <3
"something about him pulled me in, like a moth to a flame, and it felt as if i was just waiting for the inevitable burn that came with flying too close to the fire."
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Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2022
★★★★★ 4
Fun, both heartwarming and heartbreaking
Format: Kindle
Only my second first person written selection, I am still getting used to that aspect, but unlike my first, I enjoyed that the story was told through both MCs. A great enemies to lovers, forced proximity, fated love etc, that resonated to me. There were some small twists that I could see coming, but also a few that I didn’t quite see until the characters were also seeing. Personally, I am more interested in the story than the spice, but with that said, it was well seasoned! I am kind of new to the spice world so I can’t say for sure how this would rate, but it definitely had some heat. I am very glad I happened across this author, and I do plan on also reading the next book….if nothing else, just to see for myself the “transformation” of the characters I’ve grown to love!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2024
★★★★★ 5
😍😍 BEST DEBUT NOVEL EVER
Format: Paperback
I’m having trouble finding accurate words to describe the way this book made me feel, but I am going to do my best.
To start off with basic elements, the character and world building are phenomenal. I feel a strong bond to not only the two main characters, Ara and Rogue, but to each and every character introduced throughout the book. The author did a stellar job of giving each of them unique personhood. All of the scenes are beautifully described. So much so that throughout the entirety of the book, I could see every scene: the towns, the castles, the meadows, the landscape. I have had difficulty with this and with distinguishing between outlying characters while reading in the past, but I did not have to think to remember details of world or character building because they flowed naturally within the story and were described well. I have read book series before that made me want to be a part of that world, but I actually felt like I got to step into Auryna and Ravaryn!
The plot twists!! Although this is not a suspense novel, it still had me on a rollercoaster of emotions and on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I haven’t cried actual tears over a book since I was in high school (and I’ve read a LOT). This book finally broke the floodgates in the final few chapters. Multiple times. And we love a good cliffhanger. It truly made me FEEL.
THE SPICE is a solid 3.5/5. Some of the scenes had me flushed, some had me taking notes, some just had my jaw slack and my mouth hanging open. Bravo, JD Linton, bravo.
The relationships: friendships, family, romantic, ALL of the relationships in this book have so much meaning. The author does a great job at making you feel the love, the anger, the peace, the frustrations, the safety, the familiarity, etc. between the characters.
Ara and Rogue. I can not say enough and I also do not want to say too much. Just know that I feel like I know them both, to their core. I know what their childhood looks likes, their darkest moments, their biggest fears, their dreams and passions, what they want in life… The POV switches were seamless. I am so happy this author decided to let us see from both sets of eyes.
I can not wait for book two after that cliffhanger. And there is SO much potential for at least one prequel, I can’t wait to see where this author goes! I hope this series continues and flourishes. Fingers crossed!
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Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2022