As an exercise to see how much money he could save using some of the 100+ industry discounts we offer to Bikepacking Collective members, Lucas “built” a trail-ready Hayduke hardtail from Esker Cycles. Check it out here…

Sticking to one of my pledges from the 10 Things I’m Not Buying in 2026 piece I wrote earlier this month, I’m actively avoiding new bike projects, but dreaming them up is a fun and free experiment. One frame I’ve been eyeing for years is the Esker Hayduke, the small Minnesota brand’s steel hardtail for “local singletrack rides, stargazing overnighters, and worldwide exploration,” all of which sound good to me. Among the 110+ exclusive bike and outdoor industry discounts we offer members of Bikepacking Collective, we don’t currently have one for Esker Cycles, but it’s a frame I’d gladly spend my money on if I needed another hardtail.

Esker Saguaro
  • microSHIFT Advent MX Review
  • Cane Creek Helm Review
  • Teravail Clifty Review

My goal for this build was to piece together a capable mountain bike with a little personality without completely breaking the bank or wandering into full-on dream-build territory—something easy to do when it’s only imaginary money on the line. I tried to keep it rooted in reality, sprinkling in a few boutique bits from the likes of Paul Component Engineering and White Industries. And even though we have discounts from competing brands, I followed my interests and paid full retail for a handful of parts I’ve been curious to try, such as the microSHFIT Advent MX groupset and the TRP Spyke brakes, which were within budget, regardless.

Esker Hayduke Build Kit

Frankly, picking parts was far more challenging than anticipated, hence my sneaking this post in just before the end of our spring member drive, which ends at midnight tonight. It was tricky in part because I just finished building up a real hardtail for review, and I didn’t want this to be a carbon copy of that one, which I’m excited to ride and share soon. Many of the components chosen for this build were alternatives that sat right at the top of my short list for the other build.

SQ Labs 30x16 review
  • PNW Loam Dropper v2
  • Jack's Sacks Frame Sack

Beyond the frame, a few of the parts I’m most excited about are the Cane Creek Helm MKII suspension fork, the surprisingly affordable Industry Nine 1/1 Trail V2 wheels, the 29 x 2.5″ Teravail Clifty tires, the made-to-measure Jack’s Sacks full-frame bag, the SQlab 3OX 12° high-rise handlebars, and the dropper post/lever from PNW Components.

In the end, the retail price for this Hayduke would be $5,081. Using some of our exclusive industry discounts for Bikepacking Collective members, I was able to bring that total down to $4,316, saving $765. I think that’s pretty damn good, considering I could have saved a lot more if I’d only gone for discounted parts. A $765 savings on this one build works out to about 11 years of membership at the Sustainer level, or nearly 20 at the Supporter level. When we call it a “membership that pays for itself,” we really mean it!

Become a Member

Support This Platform & Gain Full Access

to The Bikepacking Journal, Member Prizes, Exclusive Features, and Discounts

Click to Join

Support from our members makes BIKEPACKING.com possible. If you enjoy reading the site, please consider joining the Bikepacking Collective. Membership is open to anyone, anywhere in the world. Members are automatically entered to win bi-monthly Collective Rewards, have the option to receive The Bikepacking Journal in the mail, can use our new Basecamp tools, gain access to exclusive industry discounts, and more.

What do you think? How did I do with this build? Any glaring compatibility issues I overlooked or things you’d do differently? Let me know in the Conversation below!

Further Reading

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

FILED IN (CATEGORIES & TAGS)

Dispatch

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