Readers Rig: Joe Grant

Readers Rig is a series of articles that showcases bikepacking kits from riders around the world. Be it long rides or short, races or slogs, everyone has their own unique set up. We hope you enjoy these rigs and maybe pick up a thing or two to add to your set up.

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Joe Grant
Gold Hill, Colorado
Age: 32
Day Job: mountain runner (www.alpine-works.com)

I grew up in France where I rode my bike everywhere as my main means of transportation. I rode BMX as a kid, and did some longer randonnée rides in my late teens. In 2006, I was flying from Paris back to Eugene, Oregon (where I was living at the time), and decided to purposefully miss my connection in Philadelphia, buy a bike and ride it back to Oregon. It was my first introduction to long-distance bike touring. Since then, I have mainly used my bike for commuting and have done some fat biking in the winter. Last year, I was fortunate to get involved with REEB, Oskar Blues’ handmade bicycle fabrication business. Being a mountain runner, the idea was to promote self-propelled adventure, using the bike as a means to get to the peaks.

My first REEB bike was the Sam’s Pants, a “monster cross” rig, designed as the ultimate all rounder. A week after getting the Sam’s Pants, I decided to push the limits of the bike (and my own) by riding the Colorado Trail Race, my first bikepacking adventure. Needless to say, riding the CT on a fully rigid bike was a little traumatizing to my body, but I caught the bikepacking bug. For the AZTR, I used most of the parts from my Sam’s Pants and transferred them onto a Dikeylous, REEB’s original trail bike which is much more suited for the harsh, rocky terrain I would encounter in Arizona. I could not be happier with how the Dikeylous performed on the AZT and look forward to putting it through many more adventures.

Bike Build: Frame: Reebdikyelous (hand built by master welder Chris Sulfrian) Fork: MRP shock Loop TR Wheels: ZTR Crest 29er Rims – Maxxis Ardent 29×2.4 tires Afterburner cranks and stem – Crank Brothers egg beater pedals Rear hub: Rohloff Speedhub with Gates Carbon Belt Drive Front hub: Son Dynamo Hub with K-lite lamp and Kemo USB charger (now upgraded to Sinewave USB charger) Bars: Smac Innovations SW820 Moto Bar with Dale’s Pale Ale graphics. Brakes: Shimano SLX hydraulic disk brakes Saddle: Brooks B17 (ridden for the past 10 years and still going strong) Maintenance: 1x carbon belt drive 1x spare tube 4oz stans and tire patch kit spokes, bike multitool, leatherman, tire lever, lighter, spare brake pads, pump, zip ties, super glue, duct tape.

Extra Gear: Iphone Anker charger + Goal Zero rechargeable battery pack (AA and AAA for spot) Iodine tablets (never used) 2 headlamps ; Armytek Wizard (on helmet) + 3 extra rechargeable batteries and Petzl e+LITE (for camp use) Med kit: duct tape + Buff Small combination lock Toothbrush and paste 2x26oz bike bottles (Tailwind Nutrition and water) on the bike + 100oz Camelbak bladder.

Clothing/Sleep System: CyclHOPS Bike Cantina bike jersey 7mesh MK1 bib shorts Pearl Izumi leg and arm warmers Arc’teryx Phase SL long sleeve baselayer Arc’teryx Cerium SL down vest Arc’teryx Norvan Gore-Tex jacket + rain pants Summer bike gloves + Rei Novara TransMitt over glove Shoes: Specialized Rime Elite Point6 ultra light crew bike socks – 1 pair. Buff x2 ; one original Buff and one merino wool. Bivy: SOL Escape Bivvy + Western Mountaineering Highlite down sleeping bag

Bike bags: Oveja Negra Super Wedgie bag (for food mainly and batteries and phone in the side pocket) Rogue Panda Designs Canelo Handlebar Roll (bivy sack, sleeping bag and Mountainsmith strapettes for bike carrying through the GC) Rogue Panda Designs Alamo Top Tube bag for food. Revelate Designs gas tank (used in place of a Jerry Can for tools and maintenance kit) Camelbak Skyline 10L (100oz bladder, clothes, odds and ends)

Check out Joe Grant’s Website to read about his Arizona Trail Race experience