We have long wanted to highlight our customers' stories about how the process has evolved, how their dream builds have taken shape together with us at Urban Bike Wear. So we were very happy when Lars Bengtsson, @lostcyclist, wrote to us about his bike that we had the privilege to build together with him.

"For several years I had been thinking about getting a new bike. The craving for bigger wheels and wider tires had started to become hard to ignore.

My old trusty bike with classic 26-inch wheels was dearly loved, but people with much better knowledge than me claimed that the size was being phased out. Eventually, I realized it was time to take the step. In the midst of the pandemic's iron grip, when my usual transcontinental trips felt like a distant dream, the opportunity arose. Why not use this strange time for something creative?

The plan was to combine two worlds. On one hand, the durable thinking that my old trusty bike represented – the steel bike that carried me through the Sahara, over the Andes, and once packed with food for fifty days on the Tibetan Plateau. On the other hand, the new school: minimalist bags directly on the frame and fat tires. A collision between tough experience and the new era's aesthetics, where the focus sometimes seems to have shifted more to the weight of the setup than the adventure itself. In Swedish: I intended to take the best from the old era's ideas and apply it to the new era's adventure bikes. Instead of ultra-light, I thought tank. The new frame – a yellow Big Bro from Brother Cycles – was lighter than my old one but still seemed incredibly robust. Steel, of course. Steel is style.

Component choice: Precision meets durability

Rims were harder. I absolutely wanted 36 spokes, because 36 is cooler than 32. It took a while to find them, but finally I chose DT Swiss HX531 and paired them with DT Swiss 350 Hybrid hubs and Alpine III spokes. I installed crank and headset bearings from the legendary Chris King and the rest of the components were XT all the way through. When I started bouncing ideas with Urban Bike Wear in Stockholm, the pieces quickly fell into place. The wheels were hand-built by the same excellent shop. 

The end result was a traditional beast with a touch of youthful beauty. The only big difference from my old bike was really the tubeless tires. 27.5x2.6 instead of 26x2.00 which I had used through the last 92 countries. They are extremely comfortable on remote roads and trails.

Next chapter: To Moldova and Patagonia

So far, the new bike has taken me on adventures in Sweden and Norway, in Angola and Namibia, and a long trip in Mongolia with the circuit around Lake Khovsgol as the main event. This year I am thinking about flying to Moldova and then cycling home. It has been a very long time since I cycled in Europe, Scandinavia excluded. Next year might be a couple of months in Patagonia.

 
Future escapades can be followed on Instagram or add me as a friend on Facebook if you want. I also have an old dusty blog where you can read about past sins. 

Good luck with your own adventures!

Lars Bengtsson"

THE BUILD IN BRIEF:

Goal: An adventure bike that can withstand EVERYTHING!

• Frame: Brother Cycles – Big Bro (Yellow)
• Rims: DT Swiss HX531 (36 spokes)
• Hubs: DT Swiss 350 Hybrid
• Bearings: Chris King (Crank and headset bearings)
• Drivetrain: Shimano XT

Want to build your own touring bike? Stop by the store in Stockholm or email us, and we’ll do like with Lars and bounce ideas until the pieces fall into place. /Johan