Our Reader’s Rig of the week comes from Andis in Switzerland, who presents his titanium Curve GXR, better known as the Kevin. Get to know Andis, read his story of launching his own wheel-building brand, and find details on his custom-built Curve here…

Words and photos by Andis Lagzdins

Hello, I’m Andis. I grew up in Latvia in a home where a workshop was always within arm’s reach, which sparked my passion for hands-on creation early on. After finishing school, I moved to London and spent over a decade working as a bike mechanic before relocating to Dubai for the next six years, where I launched my own custom wheel-building brand. Recently, I moved to Lenzerheide in the Swiss Alps to fully immerse myself in mountain biking, continue my craft as a bike mechanic, and put custom builds to the ultimate test in serious terrain.

Curve GXR4, Curve Kevin

Sourcing every component and piece of gear for this build took roughly nine months, leaving a tight one-month window to assemble the rig before heading out. I built it back home in Riga, Latvia, in the living room of my good friend Marts, whose deep touring knowledge and tool stash were invaluable. Marts even fabricated custom tube-bending tools to handcraft a bespoke aluminium front rack tailored specifically to this fork.

  • Curve GXR4, Curve Kevin
  • Curve GXR4, Curve Kevin
  • Curve GXR4, Curve Kevin
  • Curve GXR4, Curve Kevin
  • Curve GXR4, Curve Kevin

While this bike is designed around drop bars, I chose to go for H-loop bars. Every choice prioritised low weight without sacrificing overall durability, so I opted for fully mechanical brakes and shifting. The fully loaded rig was less than 30 kilograms (including food and water). The only problem I had on a 2,500-kilometer tour was a flat front tire.

  • Curve GXR4, Curve Kevin
  • Curve GXR4, Curve Kevin
  • Curve GXR4, Curve Kevin
  • Frame/Fork: Curve Kevin GXR Ti (Medium)
  • Rims: 27.5 Andiz Wheels Carbon 31
  • Hubs: SP Dynamo (front) / Andiz ratchet (rear
  • Tires: Schwalbe Almotion 2.15”
  • Handlebars: Jones 2.5 Loop H-Bar
  • Headset: Curve
  • Crankset: Sram Roval
  • Pedals: Shimano SPD
  • Cassette: SRAM 12-speed X0 10/50
  • Derailleur(s): SRAM X0 12
  • Brakes: Paul Components levers and calipers
  • Shifter(s): SRAM X0 12
  • Saddle: Brooks B17
  • Seatpost: Thomson 16mm setback
  • Stem: Thomson 90mm
  • Front bags: Ortlieb Fork Pack set, Ortlieb Handlebar Accessory bag in H-Bar loop
  • Frame bags: Brooks frame pack 46
  • Rear bags: Ortlieb Gravel pack 12.5L
  • Accessory bags: Brooks Scape top tube bag, Small Profile Design top tube bag
  • Racks: Marts custom (front) / Tubus Airy Ti (rear)
  • Lights: Busch & Muller Lumotec IQ-X (front) / Busch & Muller Mini (rear)
  • Other accessories: Igaro D2, Knog bell, Sea to Summit dry bags/straps, Fabrik tool box

To fully secure the front rack, we made and mounted a stainless steel plate directly under the fork crown race as the primary rack attachment point. This setup integrates the lower rack support arms into the fork blade eyelets, which were modified to cleanly share the same mounting as the fork cargo cages. The front rack also features internal wire routing leading directly to a left-corner dynamo light.

  • Curve GXR4, Curve Kevin
  • Curve GXR4, Curve Kevin
  • Curve GXR4, Curve Kevin

Out back, I streamlined the rear rack to a single titanium strut running to an upper chainstay bridge combined with a rear mudguard mount; I freed up frame rack eyelets to build a custom dual-bottle bracket directly behind the saddle. Both mudguards were modified from two rear sets for maximum coverage, finished with custom-cut rubber flaps and wire routing to the rear dynamo light. Under the down tube, we had to combine the ABUS Lock and Fabric toolbox fitted on the same eyelets. It also has wide custom-built carbon rims, which I laced with Berd spokes.

You can see more from Andis on Instagram.

Send Us Your Bikepacking Rig

Use the form below to submit your bikepacking rig. We’ll choose one per week to feature in a Reader’s Rig Dispatch and on Instagram. To enter, email us your best photo of the bike (preferably at a 90° angle), your Instagram username (optional), and a short description of you and your rig. If your bike is selected, we’ll need a total of five photos and a little bit more info.

Readers Rig

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

  • Make sure to set your shared image folder to public!

  • *By clicking submit, you're also subscribing to our email list. You'll receive an opt-in email before being added.

Further Reading

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...

FILED IN (CATEGORIES & TAGS)

Dispatch

Reader's Rig

Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.