For this week’s Readers’ Rides, Yann from Cycles Khelonys sent over a beautiful truss fork touring bike. Let’s check it out!
I had this bike in mind for a long time; I just needed to find the time to make it. The issue I wanted to deal with was “what would be the bike that covers the most of my uses ?”
The brief was that I need a bike to:
- Commute
- Do the shopping
- Cruise
- Visit my friends in the countryside
- Travel for a few days or more
- Carry a child, maybe one day with bike bags
That is how I came up with this sweetie.
A very versatile bike that could carry classical side trekking bags like Ortlieb for everyday life and long travels, which could also be converted into a bikepacking bike for sporty and shorter travels. Still with the same formula: as many parts as possible designed and made on my own or made not too far from my workshop.
According to me, paint is only cosmetic; I like the fact that my bikes could be recognized without it. That is why I design my own front and rear dropouts, seatstay bridge, brazed my stainless steel logos and serial numbers on the headtube, which also prevents the cables from scratching the paint.
The geometry is a mix between comfort and sport thanks a handlebar drop close to 0 and a custom cockpit handmade internally with a 20° backsweep.
The rear carrier is also made by me, compatible with the MIK system from Basil and standard cargo cages. It will never be unmounted, so why not weld it directly instead of having screws you could lose? :-) 4x M5 diabolos are welded behind to mount another rear carrier in the future to offset the bags to the rear to make it compatible with a child seat. Same as this bike
Wheels are built in-house with 27.5″ DT Swiss GR540 rims, Hope Pro 5 rear hub, and Son dynamo front hub, which supplies the power to B&M IQ-XS and Line Small.
Tyres are from Hutchinson, 650bx47 Overide.
The leather saddle is made in France by Berthoud.
Hope Tech4 X2 brakes are made in the UK.
1×11 transmission with 40T front sprocket and 11-51 rear cassette with Shimano Deore rear derailleur.
All cargo cages are designed in-house and produced a few kilometers away from the workshop in 316L stainless steel.
Poppin’s Bikepacking makes bikebacking bags with custom laser-cut Hypalon reinforcement.
And… That’s it
Thanks for having read my rough English :-)
We’d like to thank all of you who submitted Readers Rides builds to be shared here at The Radavist. The response has been incredible and we have so many to share over the next few months. Feel free to submit your bike, listing details, components, and other information. You can also include a portrait of yourself with your bike and your Instagram account! Please, shoot landscape-orientation photos, not portrait. Thanks!
