Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Our Reader’s Rig of the week comes from Stagecoach 400 creator Brendan Collier in California, who shares his dirt-road-commuting, trail-working Tern Orox. Meet Brendan and see his fully loaded e-cargo hauler here…
Words and photos by Brendan Collier
I’m Brendan Collier, originally from Chicago. I’ve been living in the small mountain town of Idyllwild, California, since 2005. I’m a former bike designer, frame builder, and bike shop owner turned carpenter and bikepacking routes designer. I created the Stagecoach 400 in 2012, and I’m currently working on a series of new routes in the Mojave Desert that I believe have stories to tell.
The Tern Orox is a cross between a cargo bike and a mountain bike. It’s designed to haul approximately 400 pounds (including the rider) on rough terrain, powered by a Bosch motor and either one or two batteries. The Orox, like many other Tern models, accepts a wide variety of accessories to carry passengers or pets, but I set mine up primarily to haul cargo. I typically use a combination of Tern-branded panniers and various bikepacking-specific bags from Oveja Negra.
I have left the build nearly stock for the most part, albeit I added a Fox dropper seatpost and switched the bars over to a set of Tumbleweed Persuaders for added leverage and comfort. I have two wheelsets for the bike: the stock 27.5 x 4.0 fat wheelset and a 29 x 3.0 setup that I use for almost everything.
I got this bike for everyday errands and to commute to work on dirt roads: five or nine miles with 600 to 1100 feet of elevation change, depending on the route. I’ve also been using it to carry tools for trail work and for exploring canyons here in the mountains and down in the desert below. In practice, having the motor assist has made these daily uses easier, faster, and more likely to happen versus attempting them with my “regular” bikes or simply choosing to drive.
- Frame/Fork: Tern Orox
- Wheels: Tern Atlas 29” Ultra Heavy Duty Cargo
- Tires: Maxxis DHF 29 x 3.0″ / Maxxis Rekon 29 x 2.8”
- Handlebars: Tumbleweed Persuader, 840mm
- Grips: Ergon
- Headset: FSA, 1.5″, angular contact bearings
- Cassette: Shimano XT 11-51
- Derailleur(s): Shimano XT 12-speed
- Brakes: Magura MT-5 4 piston, 203mm rotors
- Shifter(s): Shimano Deore
- Saddle: Ergon SM, E-Mountain Sport
- Seatpost: Fox Transfer dropper
- Stem: Syntace Level Nine, 45mm
- E-System: Bosch Performance line CX motor, 725WH battery, Kiox display
- Front bags: Oveja Negra 925 handlebar bag
- Frame bags: Tern insulated
- Accessory bags: Oveja Negra Chuckbucket, Road Runner Buoy Bags
- Other accessories: Extra wide fenders, heavy-duty centerstand
- Racks: Tern Atlas X cargo rack, Tern Trail rack, Fairdale skateboard rack
I just finished a long weekend in the shadows of the 2025 Stagecoach 400 grand depart, using the Orox to haul tables, camp chairs, cookware, and camping gear for myself and others. At one point this past weekend, I took approximately 100 pounds of cargo up Coyote Canyon to the Middle Willows, including an infamously long stretch of “death sand” hike-a-bike. I was able to use the Orox’s integrated walk-assist function to get through this—nearly an hour of work. It’s a unique bike in its ability to be useful for me in so many applications, weird as they might be.
Incidentally, I’m currently relocating from the mountains of Idyllwild to Joshua Tree, where I will be using the Orox for many of the same purposes, hauling cargo across the desert floor rather than through the mountains.
See more from Brendan 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
Further Reading
Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...
Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.
