Our Reader’s Rig of the week comes from Basti Ströhla in Berlin, who shares the custom Drust Cycles all-roader he had built for a six-week trip across the backroads of Colombia and has since converted into a daily driver. Learn more about Basti and his unique rig here…

Words by Basti Ströhla (@bustylici0us)

Hey, I’m Basti. I’m Based in Berlin and I work at The Gentle Jaunt bike shop, which specializes in gravel and travel bikes. I love traveling on my bike and also doing audax riding. I started traveling by bike when I was a cycle messenger several years ago. My first “travel bike” was a Subrosa fixed gear that I really liked, but after trying out different types of bikes like an Omnium Cargo and different road and fixed-gear bikes, I found that the best option for me was using a cross bike.

Drust Cycles
Photo by Anne von Westphalen

I met Konstantin (now of Drust Cycles) at a bar in Berlin. Throughout that time, we both were messengers and shared a love of audax riding, so we planned to ride to that year’s Cycle Messenger World Championships as quickly as possible, starting in Dresden. It was a blast. After that trip, we started to ride often together.

  • Drust Cycles
  • Drust Cycles, Wizard WOrks

Sometime later, Konstantin started building frames at Big Forest Frameworks in Potsdam and I had some time working at Goldsprint and The Gentle Jaunt behind me. My time working in bike shops made me really picky when it comes to bikes, so we decided to build my rig.

  • Drust Cycles
  • Drust Cycles
  • Drust Cycles
  • Drust Cycles
  • Drust Cycles, Rotor Crankset
  • Frame Drust custom
  • Fork Veloci
  • Rims Goldsprint Ultimate Carbon 650b
  • Hubs SON 28 (front) / Chris King R45D gen1 (rear)
  • Tires WTB Horizon
  • Handlebars Ritchey Venture Max 46cm
  • Headset Chris King ZS 44 Matte Punch
  • Crankset Rotor Aldu3+
  • Pedals Time ATAC 4
  • Cassette Sunrace HG 11 – 50
  • Derailleur SRAM Rival 1 (Garbaruk Mullet)
  • Brakes Hope RX4
  • Shifter(s) SRAM Rival 1
  • Saddle Brooks Cambium C15 Carved
  • Seatpost Redshift Dual Position
  • Stem Goldsprint Ultimate CNC
  • Front bags Wizard Works Alakazam Basket Bag
  • Accessory bags Wizard Works x Get Wild Matty Voila Snack Bag
  • Other accessories Sinewave front light, SON rear light

I wanted a ride that feels very sporty but at the same time is comfortable enough to go for some relaxed traveling. The result is this bike. It’s got a pretty short wheelbase but a high stack at the same time, which feels perfect for me. I wanted a reliable rig that’ll hopefully last forever, and so far I’ve loved riding it.

  • Drust Cycles
  • Drust Cycles, Redshift Seatpost
  • Drust Cycles

You can find Basti on Instagram @bustylici0us.

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