Gearing up for a 20,000+ mile mountain tour? Well, a friend of mine was, and I did a little work for him. His ride would take him the entirety of the American continents, from the northern tip of Alaska to the southernmost extremes of Tierra del Fuego, Chile – and he gave me the honors of designing and building his vehicle.

The beast I built him went through three iterations. The common theme in them was beefy.

In the end, we decided on a dedicated long-wheelbase frame. It fits 4” tires and accepts the rack system made by Xtracycle. It was built with a complex two-section drivetrain and an internally geared hub to minimize maintenance and mess.

This bike is a real workhorse, capable of packing days worth of cargo and still remaining comfortable and responsive. Plus, it’s a joy to ride.

You can see pictures and read about the incredible journey this bike is now on at the Riding the Spine website.