I built myself a new bike to serve as a dedicated bike packing and epic event bike.
This is bike is a testing platform for some single speed touring.
Nothing on the bike is ultralight but nothing is heavier then needed. As pictured it is 22.9 pounds with a steel fork.
The bike starts with a 4.5 pound frame, the wheels are DT 540 and 490 rims with Specialized Fast Track and Captain tires setup tubeless and running XT hubs with DT spokes. Bars and stem are Ritchey WCS from years ago. The post is Thomson with a Specialized Phenom seat. Cranks are SLX with an FSA ring and a generic aluminum rear cog setup with a cheap eight speed chain. Brakes are XT in front and Avid in the back.
My gearing is 36×20 and the bike is built such that with a brand new chain the wheel sits all the way forward in the track ends with perfect chain tension. With a new chain you just throw the wheel in and you are “good to go” so it’s very simple to manage. When the chain stretches I simply slide back a little bit and clamp it down again.
