Our Reader’s Rig of the week comes from Joseph in Chicago, who shares his lovely Trek 850 Mountain Track built up with a Crust Clydesdale cargo fork and an eclectic mix of parts. Learn more about Joseph and his characterful city bike here…

Words by Joseph, photos by Marygold Cyclery

Hi, I’m Joseph. My bike was built to be ridden through Chicago during rain, mud, snow, slush, salt, muck, etc. We can call it the Mountain Trek Crust Cargo Fork, or MTCCF for short. MTCCF lives in a garage in the beautiful neighborhood of Hermosa. It resides next to Gus das Boots and a Florida Man.

Trek Mountain Track 850

When the weather is nice enough, I prefer to take out the fixed-gear Florida Man, and if it’s time for a tour, then the Gus das Boots gets loaded up. MTCCF’s main priorities are getting to and from work on wet weather days, carrying heavy things, and getting locked up anywhere in a city without worry.

  • Trek Mountain Track 850
  • Trek Mountain Track 850
  • Trek Mountain Track 850, Crust Clydesdale Fork
  • Trek Mountain Track 850
  • Trek Mountain Track 850

The Clysdesdale fork makes carrying things such as groceries, filled coolers, 48 spray cans of free gray primer, garbage, a jetpack ladder, a five-gallon bucket, and big bags of pet food possible. In February of 2021, followed by the Maxxis Holy roller tire. It would be another five months before the actual Crust Clysdesdale fork would become available for purchase. Then another three months to get the right frame and reaming parts.

Trek Mountain Track 850, Crust Clydesdale Fork
  • Trek Mountain Track 850
  • Trek Mountain Track 850
  • Trek Mountain Track 850E
  • Frame: Trek Mountain Track 850
  • Fork: Crust Clysdedale 1″ threadless
  • Rims: Velocity 20” Cliffhanger (front) / SUNringle Rhyno Lite 26” 36h (rear)
  • Hubs: Velocity 6 Bolt Disc (front) / Shimano Deore XT FH-760 Silver 36h (rear)
  • Tires: Maxxis Holy Roller 20 x 2.20 (front)
  • Handlebars: Nitto Billie Bar 580 x 25.4 (RBW-31)
  • Headset: 1″ threadless from Crust
  • Crankset: Parts bin
  • Pedals: MKS Gauss resin platform
  • Cassette: Surly single-speed kit
  • Derailleur(s): PAUL Melvin
  • Brakes: PAUL Canti (rear)
  • Saddle: Brooks C19 carved
  • Seatpost: Parts bin
  • Stem: Race Face Evolve XC
  • Front bags: Milk Crate
  • Frame bags: RAL EM Loader
  • Rear bags: Fairdale Skateboard Rack
  • Other accessories: Stickers, SPUR cycles GripRings

The Mountain Trek 850 frame and Nitto Rear Rack came from an amazing place called Mack’s Bike & Goods. MTCCF was also assembled at Mack’s Bike & Goods, which is located at 2948 Central St in Evanston, Illinois, 60201. The remaining parts came about via spare parts bin, trades, or eBay. In August of 2023, during a trip to Austin, Texas, the Avid BB7 mechanical disc brake was removed, never to be put back on.

Trek Mountain Track 850
  • Trek Mountain Track 850
  • Trek Mountain Track 850, Crust Clydesdale Fork
  • Trek Mountain Track 850

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