Riding road bikes on gravel roads is all very well, but if you’ve been thinking it’s time to get serious, perhaps it’s time to ride something a little more purpose built. Luke Laffan of Australia’s Fikas Bikes just completed this 29er mountain bike frame for a freshman dirt rider — who is already competing in 24-hour endurance races.
These days, a custom mountain bike frame can easily be factored into any budget, especially as Shimano and SRAM have made quality components so accessible. The benefits are equal to that of a custom road bike — more so, as there are far more different styles of MTB as road: Fat bike, 29er, hardtail, duallie, trail tourer, 650b, 26er, 3″ 29+… There’s a bike for every terrain.
Luke built this 29er for a local who has only been cycling off-road for the past year, but has already performed impressively as a solo rider in the Scott 24Hr race, on a borrowed bike. Built from True Temper tubes with a head tube, bottom bracket shell and dropouts from Paragon Machine Works, it’s a maiden voyager that will bear him well over the forthcoming enduro season.
See more of Luke’s work on the Fikas Bikes website.